HomeRoast Digest


Topic: Demming OT (2 msgs / 118 lines)
1) From: javafool
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Yes, it's too bad people *here* didn't listen to 
Demming until years after the Japanese showed us how well they had learned and 
how bad we needed to change.
 
As far as my opinion on Hearthware, they had more 
than their share if infant failures with their roasters. Once you got one that 
survived the first dozen roasts it usually lasted for a long time. And 
as Tom said, they stood behind their product and customers.
 
I really don't think home roasting, Sweetmaria's 
business, or this forum would be where it is if it hadn't been for the 
Hearthware. There was a long time when they filled a nitch for us and they 
offered pretty much the only roaster available. Of course there was still the 
trusty popper, but not really another coffee roaster at an affordable price. For 
people that do not want a HotTop or don't have an extra $600 to spend on coffee 
stuff, I look forward to the new Hearthware units to take the place of the many 
units currently in use that are just about worn out.
 
TerryF
Hope 
  you had a great 
  trip.  As I said just recently, my HWP, which I got from you, was 
  a faithful friend for years.  On your other point, Edward Demming taught 
  the Japanese all those years ago that it is less expensive to do it right the 
  first time.  Too bad the rest of the Asian manufacturers haven't picked 
  up on that, yet.
Michael

2) From: john roberts
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I did 
not see any specific manufacturing errors with either the original Gourmet or 
the replacement PCB. IMO there was a design issue and I notified them of my 
suspicions. Of course quality mfg begins with a quality 
design.
 
The 
nature of the design issue that I suspect could be aggravated by substitution of 
cheaper parts, a common practice with PAC rim mfrs, but still OK if the design 
is adequately robust. 
 
HWP's 
customer service was polite, friendly, and there.....  While this may be 
newby ignorance, I am pleased with the performance of my Gourmet (still 
working) and would seriously consider their next generation. I am hopeful that 
they can learn from their past experience and master problems that plagued them 
in the past. 
 
JR    


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