Received my Wendougee Data S machine last week. The machine arrived on time precisely and carefully packed in a well constructed pallet-ready wooden crate. Inside, the machine was bolted to the bottom of the crate with two heavy duty bolts to prevent movement, and was surrounded by custom-molded thick polymer pads for further protection. No missing parts. No scratches, dents or imperfections. Setup was fast and easy with provided quick-start instructions. App downloaded without problems and connected to machine and iPad seamlessly. Boilers heat up quickly. Steam power is next level. Gear pump is awesome. With the sole exception of the large black plastic trip tray, everything on this machine shouts commercial grade components and quality. In just a few days I am pulling better, more consistent, fuller body, sweeter, more interesting, and more nuanced shots with this machine than any of the others I have owned and used previously. Internet connectivity and access to the Wendougee user community’s espresso profiles and recipes is a big bonus. Real time feedback provided by pressure and flow curves is another big bonus. The ability to make your own profiles easily is another. The obvious careful and detailed construction, engineering and design, high quality mostly Italian internal components, and seamless smooth operation of this machine are a testament to Wendougee’s vision and commitment to build a really good future-ready espresso, and actually deliver on the promise. Time will tell if the promise will be fulfilled over the long haul, but right now I don’t have any reason to believe it won’t. Kudos and thanks go to Wendougee for providing such a fine machine at this price point. For now my opinion is that you could spend two or three times more on a different machine with a bigger name and you probably would not get any better results (or even inferior results). This machine is a market disruptor and not a copy of anything else. It’s original, and it’s one fine machine that makes really good espresso.
