Comments on: FreshMealsMagic – Next Pid Controller (incl. bubbler) by Fresh Meals Solutions

By: Frank Hsu

Frank Hsu — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:53:28 +0000

Thanks Marco F.
Frank

By: Marco F

Marco F — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:31:22 +0000

Well, if you (legally) want to sell electrical machines in the EU you need to fulfill at least the requirements of the EU guidelines for the CE certification http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_mark . No electrical device maybe sold in the EU that doesn’t carry the CE sign.
Furthermore you need to register with the official WEEE authority in EACH country you want to sell the machine in ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Electrical_and_Electronic_Equipment_Directive ) Also, no electrical device maybe sold in EU countries where it isn’t officially registered with the local WEEE authority. Registered machines have to carry the WEEE symbol.

By: ze

ze — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:58:03 +0000

I’d love to help but import/export really isn’t my field. Still, if there’s anything in particular you’d like to know, ask away and I’ll try to find out.

Also, special requests?

By: Frank Hsu

Frank Hsu — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:08:12 +0000

Ze, email me with any special requests.
j-f, I will have more pictures next week.
On pricing:
If using SousVideMagic, FMM EU (220V) model can support 3 FMMs (1K W heater) concurrently. So on a cost per bath size, our approach is more cost effective than IC.
Pricing right now is still preliminary. If we can save on regulatory approvals of FMM, we can pass on the savings. We have no experience exporting to EU, so we factor in soft costs in a worst case scenario situation. Any information on this regard is greatly appreciated.
Frank

By: ze

ze — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:35:59 +0000

Well, if they’re gonna have a stocking depot in Italy, you can strike shipping and customs right off the bat, and I’d wager the input power cord and socket adapter as well. Frank’s a nice guy, so we can throw in a small discount for the bundle, let’s say 20 bucks. That’d make a total of 350 bucks, give or take, which’d make 244 euros according to google.

I’d be happier with 300 bucks shipped, but Frank, if you can price it right buddy, you can count me in.

By: jean-francois

jean-francois — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:36:13 +0000

Frank,

Thank you very much for these information. Feel free to send me some pictures of the Freshmealsmagic!

This discussion illustrates very well the interest of the people in your future product! I think it will be a success in North America.
My worry is about the price for Europe. Please tell me if I am mistaken:

• SousVideMagic 1500B = USD 169
• Freshmealsmagic = USD 150
• Air pump (the cheapest option) = USD 10
• Shipping costs to Europe = approx USD 30
• Custom duties = approx. EUR 50
• Input power cord and socket adaptor = approx. EUR 16.

Grant total (1 EUR = 1.4 USD): approx. EUR 326 (USD 456).
If 1 EUR = 1.2 USD then we obtain EUR 370 (USD 517).
If 1 EUR = 1.1 USD then we get EUR 397 (USD 555).

If Addélice’s immersion circulator is really launched (so far we only have some pictures on the net but nothing more) at EUR 449 I am not sure your bundle pack will be so competitive for European customers.

Jean-François

By: ze

ze — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:04:01 +0000

Oh god that will be the bee’s knees, you just made my day with that Italy remark. Any chance you still need beta testers?

By: Frank Hsu

Frank Hsu — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:31:16 +0000

Hi Frank
You are right. We had exactly the same concerns you just expressed.
1. Two many machines. It is like the Hi-Fi system. Some people like everything in one enclosure and some people like the component/modular approach. Our approach allows users to mix and match air pumps and PID temperature controllers. For reaching an international market, it is a decision most acceptable to our international users.
We have considered the one box approach. And for now,
open architecture wins.
2. Noisy pumps – that will depend which models you buy. I will be offering a $10 Japanese made air pump for the 220V market which is totally silent.
For commercial users, we have offering powerful Medo-style piston pumps capable of supporting 12 FMMs, but in a commercial kitchen you can not hear it!!
3. Floating pouches. If you take a closer look at picture of the FMM, we will have clips so you can tie pouches to FMM to prevent it from floating.
4. Circulation – The bubbling area is about quite big about 6″ in diameter. It is not like your normal aquarium air stones. As I said it before, for bigger bath you can have multiple FMMs.
5. IC’s stirring action introduce more cold air into the bath and make heat loss faster than our approach.
Some cold air is good for temperature stability and our users can adjust the amount of air flow with a valve.
6. This design gives us a platform to introduce a new method of heating the bath in the future.

Frank, thanks for being frank.

Frank.
PS Ze We will have a stocking depot based in Italy for shipping to EU countries. If you don’t like US, you can pay in Euro.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:46:56 +0000

Am I the only one who thinks this bubbler setup is not very practical for sous-vide stuff? You have three machines, an airpump which will probably be noisy, an upward bubble stream that makes your sous-vide bags float to the surface and does not properly circulate bigger containers. And to top it – as mentioned already – cooling the water with cold air while trying to heat it at the same time is not very energy efficient.

By: ze

ze — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:49:58 +0000

I live in Portugal. If you need a distributor round these parts, think of me (har dee har).

The biggest issue for me is cost. Since I’d be importing from the US, I have to prepare myself to be reamed in customs charges. In fact, as eager as I am to try out FMM, I might still opt for a Ranco ETC and some kind of crock pot, just because it might save me a couple hundred bucks.