Hello everyone.

I need assistance.

I am opening a chocolate company mostly selling truffles and maybe bars later (when I can do bean to bar (: which I am excited for!). I have a rev2 tempering machine, which is a great machine, but when I fill the molds, I cant just tip the mold over and dump the excess chocolate out into the machine (to make shells for filling) because the machine is so small. Its also a pain to fill the molds with a spoon and OMG does my current process make the biggest mess you could imagine. A 2 year old's chocolate dream actually.

So, I have decided that I need a bigger machine (bigger than my molds), with a dispenser OR a wheel. I like the wheel design that just makes a little fountain for you to fill the mold, then I can dump the excess right back into the chocolate supply.

Does anyone have any advice? I am willing to spend the money, but I am still learning and developing this small business. I absolutely love chocolate and and 100% confident that I will be successfull, so I am willing to pay, but I dont want to get suckered by some site with incredible markup prices.

I dont necessarily need a 40lb capacity, but should I spring for one anyways? What do you guys/girls think? I need expert advice.

Also, I do not have a shop. I am learning all this in my apartment. (1200 sq ft.) but dont mind a big machine. I use Cacao Barry (wish I could afford the Valrhona). I live in Colorado. Not sure what else to say. I wana make sure you have all the details needed.

Thank you!!!!!!!

updated by @klassy: 04/10/15 10:26:47

Another note; All I can seem to find is the TF20.... but I dont understand how the wheel attachment could possible cost another $1400!!!??? just for the wheel? What is so amazing that makes the wheel so pricy. I mean... I NEED the wheel, so is it just demand? They know Ill pay? Is there a cheaper way to go than paying $4000 for this? If not, I will pay it, but just wana shop first.

Thanks!

Bite the bullet and get a Savage. I have 3 of them and wouldn't use anything else. I started with an 80# Hilliard that I loved for hand dipping, but for molds, the Savage is the best. I also have a 50# wheel melter and the Savage is far easier.

Thank you for your help! Is there a particular savage that you recomend?

OMG.... I just looked at the savage molding workstation and it quoted at $16,000. That is so so so far out of my price range right now. Am I looking at the wrong thing? You have three?

Thank you so much Ruth and Lana. I cant beleive how easy it is to get great professional advice on this site! You both have really given me some stuff to think about. The machines that Ruth recommended are a little above my level (I am still getting this operation started and I am Active Army working 50+ hours a week) :/, but I hope I can get machines like those in the future! I really like the Perfect Equipments idea though!!! That was exactly what I was looking for. They quoted the Air-2 at $3275, which I can do. I was hoping to stay around $3500 or below, so with shipping it will fall right around there. The melter would be so much easier to purchase though... I guess I am going to have to choose.

I have a few questions though;

1. Can I temper the chocolate in the melter by adjusting the temp knob up, then back down, do the seeding, etc., or would I have to temper with my Rev2 and just dump it in the warmer?

2. When the chocolate is tempered and in the warmer, will it stay tempered as long as the temperature is right? How often would I have to stir it? (Not that its hard) (:

3. Does the wheel temperer (the Air-2) actually temper automatically like the Rev2 by raising and lowering the temperature?

Sorry for so many questions. I couldnt begin to tell you how much I appreciate your help though!

I'd second the Mol d'art - large enough to dump the chocolate back into. It's easy to learn to temper in them - and as Lana says you can use a heat gun and a bit of temperature adjustment to keep the chocolate fluid enough to work with.

--
www.eztemper.com

www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

Thank you so much everyone! You all have such great advice. It is invaluable to me and I appreciate it very much. I do remember watching a whole lot of videos to learn and they were always using those Mol d'Arts. I will probably get one of those. They are so much cheaper too.

Thanks again!!!

I noticed that the 12kg melter is under $650 in Europe and here in the US its just under a thousand. Is this just because of shipping? Or is there some other distributor that I should go to? I have also heard stories of people buying a melter and when they get it, all the stickers are pulled off and it is in crappy packaging and they look used and what not. Do you have a place that you know for sure is reliable?

Hi Klassy,

What tempering machine did you finally buy? How do you like it?

Thanks.

Hi Lana,

How do you temper chocolate in the Mol d'Art melters? Do you seed the melted chocolate? Do you agitate the chocolate often? Or do you just let the chocolate melt to 32C (for dark chocolate) without seeding at all?

Thanks.

Hi Lana,

Thanks a lot for the explanation. Have you had the opportunity of using a tempering machine with a wheel/dispenser? My guess is that the wheel with the dispenser does the agitation or movement, taking this part off our hands, doesn't it?

Thanks!

I ended up getting the 6kg Mol d'Art. I purchased it about 2 months ago, but just used it for the first time this weekend. I loved it! It was so much easier to dip in than the tiny Rev 2 that I had. One thing, though, it doesnt seem to be able to heat my dark chocolate any higher than 109 degrees, which was wierd. And it takes FOREVER to melt a large batch, so once it was in there, I just took the hair dryer to it (: that melted it pretty fast! Then I realized that the hair dryer is a great tool for a lot of things.

I have a question for everyone too: When I temper my chocolate, it is never glossy (unless I use a mold). When I dip my chocolates, they are always extremely mate. No shine whatsoever. But I thought I was tempering correctly because when I tempered it, they didnt melt on touch, and they had a nice snap. If they arent shiny, does that mean Im doing something wrong? Maybe not enough seed? This even happens in my Rev 2. Im using Cacao Barry and Guittard.

Hi Lana,

Is not worth paying more for a tempering machine with a wheel/dispenser?

Is there any reason that has kept you away from buying one of these machines different from its price (as it is at least twice the price of a big Mol d'Art)?

Thanks!

Thanks for your reply!

I will try to upload a photo of my chocolates and also of a paper test here soon just for an oppinion. I wont be making any more chocolates for probably the next week or so though. I will try your advice and be sure to stir it a bit more. I didnt realize how important that was. And I was using hardly any seed at all. Just a bit of a chocolate bar from Lindt (very very small amount). What percentage would you recomend? I typically temper about 5 pounds of chocolate at a time.

Hi,

Was just taking a look at this thread and recalled finding some videos on "CallebautTV" that seem to fit your questions/situation.There are quite a few helpful videos, but this one might answer some of your quesitons:

PRE-CRYSTALLIZING IN THE MELTING POT

http://www.callebaut.com/ocen/4845

Enjoy!

updated by @gary-holley: 01/28/15 21:22:35

Hi Lana,

I know this conversation is nearly 2 years old now, but I'm shopping for a tempering machine with enrobing attachment and was wondering which machine you ended up purchasing and would recommend.

Thanks in advance!

Riadh

We normally use a hot chocolate dispenser ...

[ Note: Edited to remove off-topic link to a product the poster is selling. ]

dear friend i have small dedy tempering machine wheel with vibrator for sale is completely new i use before for white chocolate something like 5 time but i work now just with dark chocolate so if u interest about let me know thx Jozefmy mail is countrymusic@email.cz

Riadh,

Take a look at Perfect Equipements www.perfectinc.com

I highly recommend this company and their machines

Anybody ever try tempering with just the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. We have a Kitchenaid. Wondering why a low speed turn wouldn't temper.

I'm so new to this that I haven't even done it yet, but I live in a country where cocoa beans are readily available and already dried for $2/lb, retail.

I'll just put it out there that I'm in the market for a machine comparable to the original poster and in a price range under $10K. The wheel and depositor are important to me but not deal killers.

updated by @rob-connoley: 09/13/15 20:23:51

What's the price?