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Enrober Questions


Truffle Guy

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I have not used the machines but I do believe they are solid and the chocolatiers I know that use them have said good things.

My scale is actually the problem and why I need these machines. I expect within a month I will be doing 5,000-10,000 pieces per week and want equipment that can scale up. I think it is a mistake to buy for today and not for the planned growth.

Also, because the accessories are interchangeable, I can get (2) of the machines and in essence have (2) enrobers or molding machines as well as backup.

I've had some unexpected good news on the financial/investment side so I can order 2 machines now. Although I'd like to get an LCM (if money were no issue) that will be where I migrate in 12 months or so. The price is just too steep now.

I plan on doing a lot of enrobing and the main reason I've not so far is because of the tedious hand-dipping process, it's just too slow. These machines can do both moulding and enrobing and will open up some doors to enrobed pieces for me.

I have enough prospects in the hopper that could drive my production requirements up quickly that I'm willing to take the chance on the Selmi machines. I've not heard anything bad about them. I don't think they will ever be discarded as they are high production machines.

It's always a risk but in this case, I'd prefer risking on the higher end than the lower one. I've got the funding to get (2) machines now and I have production demands I have to meet so I'm moving forward.

I'll be happy to give feedback on the process on my thoughts on all the equipment I'll be getting.

Hey man!

I finally got my phone reconnected after getting my old one stolen....pretty funny!

Have you used one of these machines, yet? I know you got the specs and probably talked to some people, but beyond what wybauw said, I would really try and see these machines in the flesh and use one, if you haven't already. Regardless, it's a huge investment and something you are going to be using for several years, perhaps, so just give it some thought...lol...as if you weren't already.

Do you really need something on this scale now? I mean, if you are doing mostly molded work, and you know how to temper.....after talking wybauw you better know how to temper!....then why not get a few large melters and a heat gun and a ton of molds...it's what I would do....until you can get your hands on something you don't have any doubts or hesitations about....might be better to just have ALOT of seeding and laddling in your future....

I don't know alot about those machines, they might be good but....for that amount of cash....maybe convenience and timing isn't the only criteria....we both know you are in this thing for the long haul and starting up my own thing, I know that a little elbow grease at the beginning is better than most quick solutions. You're still going to have those machines AFTER this season....so....keep that in mind!

If you were enrobing I would understand the nearly desperate need for a continuous tempering machine, thoughts of hand dipping keep me up at night....but you're not doing much of that....we both saw how fast sean was....why not do that....it could be a baptism of chocolate or something!

To be honest, I would buy a few large volume melters from mol'dart or someone, a ton of molds, a heat gun, a laddle, a bunch of offsets, and a good apron.

Best!

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No worries!

If you are going to be doing that amount of volume, than yes, obviously manual tempering, etc. is not going to work out.

I am meeting with some banks on Monday about getting a commercial equipment loan. If we can get it, then I am going to shoot for the LCM, since we obviously don't have the volume demands of you.....YET! If not, then I am going to go the Mol d'art route until we break even, and then buy an LCM.

What's the story on getting your space, if you are going to be doing volume, won't you need your own dedicated space?

Take care!

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Hello,

I actually believe that Jacque Torres uses a Sollich, which is the 'rolls royce' of enrobers and alot more expensive that the LCM (but I have had people state that the LCM is just as good), from an article in Pastry Art and Design. Other people who have the LCM are: Christopher Elbow, Garrison Confections, Dolphin Hotel in Orlando (Pastry chef there I think was the captain of the US pastry team), Veregoods, etc.

I am trying to get an LCM and think it is worth the price for what I want to do, which is enrobed. It's a great machine that has been recommended to me by Wybauw, Schotts, and Florian Bellanger. I hope to get a chance to check one out in a couple of weeks, since there is one in Orlando.

I guess a way to think about it is like a car. I mean, any car can get you from point A to point B, but there is a difference between a Civic (what I drive) and a BMW (what my customers are driving).

Very easy to clean and change chocolates, is truly continuous tempering with a cold floor tabling method, and can give you that really thin enrobing.

Even the Selmi as an enrobing unit is going to cost you over 25k and what is causing a huge amount of the costs for the LCM is the exchange rate between the dollar and the euro. The LCM 240 is going to set you back 30,000+ euros = $43,000. And for me, if I am going to spend tens of thousands of dollars for the single most important piece of equipment in my shop (other than climate control) it's what I would want.

I agree that it's a HUGE investment, but if you have the means then freaking go for it! For me, if I can't get the bank to give me a line of credit to get it, then I am going with the Mol' dart and enrobing line, which according to their website is going to set me back approximately 15k, which is a third of the LCM and half of the Selmi.

Edited by readingrilke (log)
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Different strokes for different folks. For me, finding out what equipment other chocolatiers and pastry chefs (Elbow, Schotts, Wybauw, Bellanger, Love, and Branlard) use and/or recommend is significant endorsement and reason to consider the machine. But, c'est la vie and good luck to you with your expansion.

http://www.lcm-chocolatemachines.com/index.html

Torres uses a Sollich, not an LCM, at least according to the article. I don't remember the month of the article, but it was with Ken Soto on the cover, I hope that I remember his name correctly.

Edited by readingrilke (log)
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I don't remember the month of the article, but it was with Ken Soto on the cover

Did you mean Ken Goto, Jacques right hand man?

Yes! Sorry for the mistake. It was a story on him, where he stated that his favorite piece of equipment was the Sollich enrober because it gave a perfect coat. I think it was the mini-mars enrober.

My line of credit probably won't materialize, so the LCM for me is a non-issue now. Do you or anyone else have info on the Mol'd Art Temperer with enrobing line? I am mostly concerned with having 'feet' on my enrobed pieces.

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fighting footing (ha!) is a matter of finding the chocolate with the right flow properties and the adjusting your blower and your take off. any enrober/tunnel combination will have at least one detailer, which also will help take off that final bit of excess. there's a little more to it than that, but pretty much any commercially available piece of equipment should provide you with minimal footing once you've got it lined out..

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

I am looking to purchase an enrobing machine for my small operation. My problem is I am 10 hours of driving away from Montreal where DR & Perfect equipment are located and 9 hours away from Tomric in Buffalo. I am hoping to make it to Montreal to see some demo's so I was wondering if anyone who has used an enrober has some tips or hints for me to watch out for?

I am looking at the smaller pieces of equipment since space is an issue.

The specs offered by the companies tend to be vague. Size, Quantity & price. Since I have never worked with an enrober or seen one in action any suggestions you can offer would be a help!

The pricing is between $10,000 - $21,000 Can$ so you can see I don't want to make this decision lightly, but where do I start? My experience with purchasing equipment so far is the suppliers & manufacturers seem to assume you already know what you are doing and the instructions are minimal.

I am hoping to get the equipment in and be efficient on it before July since that is my busy season!!

Thanks! Beth

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When I had my business I used the Hilliard machine, which has a shaker. It is also possible to get a cooling tunnel for it. I loved it. And they were very responsive when I called to ask questions, or when the shaker wire was damaged when an employee dropped something into it that got stuck.

Eileen

Edited by etalanian (log)

Eileen Talanian

HowThe Cookie Crumbles.com

HomemadeGourmetMarshmallows.com

As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. ~Joan Gussow

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I am looking to purchase an enrobing machine for my small operation.  My problem is I am 10 hours of driving away from Montreal where DR & Perfect equipment are located and 9 hours away from Tomric in Buffalo.  I am hoping to make it to Montreal to see some demo's so I was wondering if anyone who has used an enrober has some tips or hints for me to watch out for?

I am looking at the smaller pieces of equipment since space is an issue. 

The specs offered by the companies tend to be vague.  Size, Quantity & price.  Since I have never worked with an enrober or seen one in action any suggestions you can offer would be a help!

The pricing is between $10,000 - $21,000 Can$ so you can see I don't want to make this decision lightly, but where do I start?  My experience with purchasing equipment so far is the suppliers & manufacturers seem to assume you already know what you are doing and the instructions are minimal.

I am hoping to get the equipment in and be efficient on it before July since that is my busy season!!

Thanks!  Beth

hi,

you might want to checkout this thread --) http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=99001&st=0

if you scroll down you will find my little enrober home story :-)

if you have any question i be glad to help you...

cheers

t.

toertchen toertchen

patissier chocolatier cafe

cologne, germany

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  • 4 months later...
I haven't used it, but I had a good look at it.  Problem is no paper take off for the product - very limiting in how one person could work with it.

Can you please explain what a paper take off is?? Thanks!

Edited by u2star (log)

AwholeLottaChocolate

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gallery_34671_3115_5348.jpg

Here is a picture of a Selmi enrober. As you can see on the right you have the chain which marches the items to be enrobed through the shower of chocolate. On the left is an independent belt that has a roll of wax paper feeding it. The enrobed items make their way on to the wax paper, where they can be removed on sheets of plexiglass or metal to the cooling area. Alternately the wax paper belt can continue into a cooling tunnel which starts at room temperature at the intake end, steps down to cooling temperature and then returns them to room temperature at the outflow.

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gallery_34671_3115_5348.jpg

Here is a picture of a Selmi enrober.  As you can see on the right you have the chain which marches the items to be enrobed through the shower of chocolate.  On the left is an independent belt that has a roll of wax paper feeding it.  The enrobed items make their way on to the wax paper, where they can be removed on sheets of plexiglass or metal to the cooling area.  Alternately the wax paper belt can continue into a cooling tunnel which starts at room temperature at the intake end, steps down to cooling temperature and then returns them to room temperature at the outflow.

I agree with Kerry. If you can afford it go with the Selmi. That's what I'm going to get when I get the funds.

Luis

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I was supposed to be taking a couple of guys down to see the Selmi on Monday, but they are unable to go at the last minute. Darn! I love to go down and play with the thing. I will have to drop by and visit it anyway.

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Thanks for the photos! I think Hilliards has something like this that attaches to the unit. What model is this Selmi?? Is there a distributer in the United States?

Thanks!

Diane

AwholeLottaChocolate

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Thanks for the photos!  I think Hilliards has something like this that attaches to the unit.  What model is this Selmi??  Is there a distributer in the United States?

Thanks!

Diane

I may be mistaken but I don't think the Hilliard Hand Coater or the Jumbo Hand Coater enrober has a paper takeoff. I think they may make bigger units that do. I think their six inch coater is the first size that can, and I think it requires modification to do so.

The distributor for the Selmi in the US (actually all of North America) is Tomric plastics in Buffalo. They have a whole demo kitchen there and will train you on the use of the equipment. If you reach a point where you are considering this, send me a PM and I'll happily connect you to the right people there.

Edited by Kerry Beal (log)
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If anyone is interested in the Selmi, here's the email/contact information for the guy you want to talk to.

Sean Tucci @ Tomric

email: stucci@tomric.com

You can also call Tomric and they will transfer you to him.

He's the guy you need to talk to for any Selmi sales, questions, etc...

Don't bother emailing Selmi directly, because you will not get a response or at least without bugging them to death.

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Wow-I can't stop researching....

Mol d'art has some nice machines too.  Does anyone use these???

http://www.moldart.be/details.asp?language...roductID=220697

http://www.moldart.be/details.asp?language...roductID=220699

The second one shown here is similar to the 'Perfect' equipment machine made in Montreal. Much more reasonably priced than others. There is quite a difference in the machines with the wheels vs the automatic tempering machines such as the Selmi.

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I am considering the Easy 1 by Perfect Equipment. I did some reference checks and only a few machines were sold at that time. A company in Montreal was pleased with the product but I am going to follow up with them and also contact any other new customers. The machine will cost approx $19k CAD. I am going to be in Montreal in September and I will check out the machine first hand.

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