The latest bile from the online espresso forums is that LONDINIUM I is deficient in design because it does not have a cold water feed into the heat exchanger, and therefore your coffee will be tainted as water drawn from the boiler is tainted
this is pure nonsense, and here’s why;
the ubiquitous closed thermosiphon systems have a cold water feed into the heat exchanger so they can achieve the correct brew temperature. this is the reason for the cold water feed, there is no other.
it is true that with a closed heat exchanger-thermosiphon design of machine you can draw hot water from the boiler, let it cool, and drink it and detect an unpleasant taint and conclude, incorrectly, that the LONDINIUM I is going to give you tainted water too because it draws from the nasty boiler water that you have just tasted
what they’ve just highlighted is a weakness of the closed heat exchanger-thermosiphon design, not a weakness of the LONDINIUM I design, effectively shooting themselves in the foot
LONDINIUM I isn’t going to give you tainted water, and here’s why;
if there is a taint in a closed heat exchanger-thermosiphon design it is because the water has been sitting in the boiler with very little water movement. in a closed thermosiphon system if the hot water tap is not used the water in the boiler basically never changes – only steam is being drawn off – it does just sit there and will eventually take up a taint from the boiler
with LONDINIUM I drawing the water from the boiler into the heat exchanger you are ensuring that the water in the boiler is constantly being refreshed, so, if at any time in the first 12 months of ownership you experience water taint in an L1 just pack the machine up in its box and send it back for a full refund
we could only make such a generous offer if we knew that the nonsense online is just that – nonsense
you may wish to ask the detractors how they explain away a closed heat exchanger-thermosiphon machine using the horrid vile putrid fetid water in the boiler to texture their milk, and why that doesn’t matter
The LONDINIUM I design ensures the maximum amount of water is drawn through the boiler so the water remains taint free, whether for brewing coffee, hot water, or the steam that you use for texturing the milk. If you did not use LONDINIUM I for a number of weeks or months and were concerned about tainted water you would simply draw say 3 litres out of the hot water tap and you would have a boiler full of sparkling fresh water again. Easy.
The only ‘problem’ with LONDINIUM I is a commercial one
If LONDINIUM I cost GBP5000 no one would bat an eyelid, not even bother to comment on forums, simply ignoring it as a rich man’s toy
LONDINIUM I is only controversial because of the unbelievable price, relative to machines of similar capability
We are only able to achieve this with our direct sales model – no corners have been cut on the product, but rather the cost of selling and distribution
In the market LONDINIUM I is as welcome as an outbreak of ebola
Annoyingly for some it is proving to be just as contagious