Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A. ESPRESSO MACHINES

A1: Do I need training before using any of TLG’s espresso machines?

Yes! You’ll need some basic barista training in selecting right grind-size for your coffee beans, loading your ground coffee into the portafilter, calibrating brew time, troubleshooting your extractions, and steaming milk. Some video tutorials are available on YouTube, and we’re working on our own too. Watch this space!

A2: Why does TLG only sell Gemilai espresso machines?

This was the first Chinese espresso machine brand we used, and they knocked our socks off with their quality versus cost. We are constantly testing out new brands and machines, and will list new brands which we find to be good quality, cost effective and durable over time.

A3: Which of TLG’s espresso machines should I get?

Generally, if you’re just looking for the lowest cost espresso machine and don’t intend to vary your brews much (for example, using the same beans at the same grind size all the time), then opt for our CRM 3601.

For variable pressure machines, we think it’s useful to know the brewing pressure of your shot as it’s an indicator of whether you achieved a good extraction – pressure indicators are features of both CRM 3605 and CRM 3007D. Between those two, we find that if you’re pulling many shots at a go (more than 3), the CRM 3007D’s yields more consistent shots because of its boiler, but do note that because it uses a boiler which needs to be warned up, the CRM 3007D has a start-up to brew time of 15 to 20 minutes.

Finally, all but one of us (not saying who) also think the CRM 3007D’s all-round stainless steel exterior looks way sleeker.

This table may also help:

A4: Is there any warranty on TLG’s espresso machines?

Yes! We cover most products purchased from our website with The TLG Assurance. Click here to read more.

A5: What are some basic things I need to know about the equipment I’ve purchased?

If you’re making espresso with our burr grinders, start by adjusting the knob to the maximum fineness, then turn about 1/10^th of the way back towards coarse and you’ll be in the general region of espresso fineness. As the readings on some of the grinders may be slightly difficult to see, you may want to indicate various coarseness adjustments using a permanent marker or sticker.

The baskets in our portafilters hold up to 20 g of espresso grounds. You should calibrate further and determine what quantities yield the best results for your machine and beans.

The brewing button is preset to 25 seconds. To change the brewing time, press and hold the brewing button, and release it when you’ve reached the desired time (up to 30 seconds). When you press the brewing button subsequently, the machine will automatically cut off at the time you’ve set.

As with most home espresso machines, you can’t brew coffee and steam milk at the same time as they use the same heating element. After brewing your espresso shots, you’ll need to switch to steaming mode by pressing the steam button. Wait until the light stops flashing, and you’re ready to use the steam knob. ALWAYS handle the steam wand with a wet cloth or using the rubber holder provided.

You’ll have to carry out routine maintenance on your machine – this includes:

• After every use, scrubbing the shower screen and gasket with the brush provided, and cleaning and purging your steam wand.
• Every month, backflushing with espresso detergent and descaling.

B. SHIPPING INFORMATION

B1: I don’t live in Singapore. Do you ship elsewhere in the world?

At this time, we only ship our products and offer The TLG Assurance within Singapore by default. If you’re living elsewhere in the world and would like to purchase our products, please feel free to contact us, and we can talk about how we can help you get what you’ll need.

B2: How long does it take for your products to reach me?

For shipments within Singapore, you can expect your products to arrive within 3 weeks of the date of ordering except during peak periods (e.g. Black Friday and 11.11 sales periods, festive periods including Christmas).

B3: Can I track the shipment of my order?

We’re still pretty new to this, and the shipping partners we work with don’t offer tracking by default. We are testing a new system in beta that will be able to provide limited tracking updates for selected orders, but as a general rule, shipments will not be trackable for now.

If you’d like to know where your shipment is, please contact us and we will do our best to check on it and respond to you.

C. MISDELIVERED / DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS

C1: I received the wrong product. What should I do?

We’re so sorry! Please take a photo of the package and its contents, and contact us to arrange for rectification.

C2: My product is defective. What should I do?

We’re so sorry! Don’t worry – most products purchased from our website are covered with The TLG Assurance. Click here to read more. Please take a photo of the product showing how it is defective (if possible), and contact us to arrange for rectification.