Colin:

I represent FBM machines to ChocolateLife members , and the Prima is the smallest machine FBM makes that accepts an enrobing line. You don't mention what your budget is so I don't know if it will stretch that far.

In my reply to your other post related to this question, I wondered if the product would fall through the belt. One way to address that issue would be to send samples to FBM for them to look at. They'd be able to tell you in an instant if the machine could handle it. Are you interested in doing that? If so, contact me privately and I can help set this up for you.

:: Clay

Thanks for this Clay. I do have your email too and will respond. I didn't know that you represented FBM. I can see that I need to read "The Chocolate Life" with a LOT more care!

Colin

Enrobers are beasts with attitudes, haha! If you can visit any others with a machine I'd definitely recommend it. We have a Perfect enrober as our introduction to them and it takes quite some time to setup, attention to detail to run, and then a breakdown cycle. Go into your purchase eyes wide open and all that. :D

Thanks Andy! I'll certainly take that on board! A supplier here told me that installing one would cause me lots of problems and I'm not sure what he meant about that! Maybe I can indeed find someone local with one that I can visit. I am really interested in the Prima and I think there are a couple near me.

Colin

Hi Colin, i have an enrobing belt that runs with a Prefamac, and i must say that Andy is right. It takes time and afford to put it together,

If you want something REALLY small, try one of the HIlliard's Hand Coaters. I have one with a 3-inch belt and it has served me well for 3 years now. A LOT less expensive than any of the wheel or continuous machines, it's a perfect "starter" enrober.

Just Continuing to my other reply that was cut off.

Hi Colin, i have an enrobing belt that runs with a Prefamac, and i must say that Andy is right. It takes time and put it together, and it take double the time to clean it!.
We have used once to try coating 2000 truffles in one shot and it was a disaster, we ended up doing it by hand...
Now we have ordered an FBM with dedicated enrobing belt: such belt, made by them, run in sync with the tempering machine, as all the other gadgets included (fan, cold/hot air blower, curtain etc..) on top of it it "warms up" so that the chocolate doesn't set on the wire belt and it can be taken a part to be washed in a dish washer! It runs out of the machine computer board so it should also be easy to use..
I will post more about it once the machine arrives.
Cheer
Antonino

Thanks for this Cheebs. I am indeed looking at the Hilliard 6 inch enrober. However it strikes me that it may be TOO small. I bought a small pan and a few months later it is too small for my increasing needs, although it was the right decision overall. I'll certainly take your thoughts on board although I'm leaning towards the Prima.

Colin

David, these are the things that worry me. I am semi-blind with this as I don't know enrobers and I have to imagine things that can be a problem. So your thoughts are really helpful. I do need something that is easy in all points including cleaning, set-up, no especially finicky bits such as you describe with the wax paper feed. And as there will be no-one to show me (although maybe I can find a set-up near me with a friendly owner) I'll needto be able to "get it" reasonably quickly.

Thanks!

Colin

Antonio, this I find REALLY interesting! Which FBM have you ordreed? And am I right in reading that you bought it as, as a result of your prior experiences, you deemed it to be straight-forward, fast to set up and easy to use?

Your tale of the 2000 truffles is a little of what I am a little concerned about. That I may not be able to do quantity.

I'd really like to hear how you go once it arrives and you use it please.

Thanks for that!

Colin

Hi Colin,

i ordered a Unica 25kg and a Compatta 12kg.

i used to work in a shop many many years ago and we used to coat 100's of truffles in one go.

i just run them trough the enrobing belt and once on the other side, just "touch" them to give the "spiky hand rolled look.

Me and an assistant, we used to make few thousands of it in this way.

In my calculation, we could do about 5000 or more pieces a day depending on what and how we decide to do it.

Will keep posted!

Thanks Antonino. I would REALLY appreciate that!

Do you know when you will receive the systems?

Colin

Cheebs,

We do mainly molded bonbons but are looking to produce more enrobed. How has your Hilliard been for service? any problems. ALso how easy is it to break down and switch couvetures, really? We have not entertained the idea of a small scale enrober, simply because it seems as though it would take more time to setup and break down the machine than it would to have 2 people hand dip 1000pcs.

I haven't run across anyone near us with one in use to see in action.

-Christopher

Breakdown is a breeze, I have two tempering machines and one enrober. Switching the enrober from one tempering machine to the other is a 15-minute job, tops. If you only had one tempering machine, an extra kettle would make it almost as easy to switch.

As far as service, anyone with a little bit of mechanical skills can easily service one of these units. No complex parts here!

On average, we do 180 pieces/hour on this machine.

update!

my enrober Unica is finally arriving on monday, soon pics and review!!!

How exciting Antonino! I will be VERY interested in your thoughts!

Colin

Antonino! I am bursting to know how you went with your Unica Enrober! Do tell! Colin

Machine just arrived, waiting for engineer to get my 3phase electricity up and running.

The Compatta is already in and it is a bomb!

So cool to hear Antonino! I too am considering three phase. I'm planning to use a three phase converter which plugs into single phase.

I'll be watching out for your post. Good luck with it all!

Colin