What enrober do you like and why?
Posted in:
Opinion
Hi Paul,
Clay brings up excellent questions and points. My advice is to find a way to see as many machines in production situations as you can to get a sense of each's strengths and weaknesses.
I own two used Selmi Plus machines (one with dark and one with milk) and have one enrobing belt that goes on either machine. I'm pretty much a one-person show, and the Selmis are the heart of the operation for me.
Here are some things I love about them: The footprint is small, which is good because my shop is small. I can run them by myself, change the paper roll by myself, and pretty much do everything by myself. They are easy and intuitive to operate and adjust. I can teach an intern how to use it very quickly and I can fine-tune things easily. It's dependable, both in operation and in chocolate temper. It cleans up easily. And, frankly, Selmi's are pretty to look at. Which probably doesn't matter to a lot of people, but I spend a ton of time in my shop environment, and I really don't want to spend it with ugly stuff.
Some things I'm not as wild about: Paper tracking works perfectly sometimes, but toward the end of the roll, it sometimes is not as smooth. I wish there was better operational documentation. I suspect I could be doing more with my Selmi, but I don't know how to access those advanced operations easily. Also, I have to use a converter because I don't have three-phase power to my shop. Not a big deal, but still a consideration.
I'd be happy to answer specific questions if you have any. Hope this helps, and good luck in your search. --Robyn, St. Croix Chocolate Co.
