Grainfather Quality Control

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DiBosco

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How have people found the QC on Grainfathers? I finally took the plunge and bought one on Monday, it arrived Wednesday and today I unwrapped it, put it together and poured water into it to do a clean before first use.

Got about ten litres in and noticed that water was leaking from somewhere. Upon close examination you could see that the pipe that connects to the pump and goes into the main vessel has taken a bash from something. The metal nut/washer thingy that keeps the pipe held into the inner part of the vessel was at quite an angle and the external pipe was buckled. I'd noticed the external pipe looked a little funky, but just dismissed it when assembling as just some weird design artefact..

At first I thought it was likely to be the courier, but I'm not convinced of that because the Grainfather itself comes in an inner box and an outer box. The inner is the shiner type of carboard and the outer I assume is just for delivering. The inner box has a dent and hole in it, but the outer doesn't. So either it's happened at the factory if Grainfather ship it with a box in a box or at the distributor if it's shipped as a load of shiny inner boxes to the disty and up to the disty to put it in the tougher box for delivery. The thing is, the outer box looks to me like it's also a Grainfather box, so I'm guessing that it comes to the disty in two boxes.

Either way up it's hugely disappointing and I hope I don't get a battle with the disty saying "It was OK when it left us" type of thing. I'll give the vendor a chance to sort it tomorrow before I say who it is. They might be brilliant about it. As might Grainfather themselves, these things can happen and as long as it's replaced that's the main thing.
 
Keep all the packaging and take photos. If you can prove the outer packing is intact the seller can't blame the courier.
 
Start with the party you sent the money to...and good luck.
Some GF parts are readily available in the UK, but I don't recall seeing the ones you seem to be on the lookout for.
Most GF owners who talk about warranty and related issues with the GF seem fairly happy with the response from the company itself, but your contractual relationship is with the proximate vendor and not the manufacturer.
 
Are distance selling regulations still law? It used to be that you could send anything back regardless of the reason.

Yes, they are, there is a period where they have to take returns. They could potentially argue about where the damage was done is the only thing that slightly concerns me.

I'm not getting too dispirited yet, I suspect the vendor will be cool about it and just replace it, I bought from one that seems to have a good rep. I was more wondering whether other people had experienced the same thing.
 
Yes, they are, there is a period where they have to take returns. They could potentially argue about where the damage was done is the only thing that slightly concerns me.

I'm not getting too dispirited yet, I suspect the vendor will be cool about it and just replace it, I bought from one that seems to have a good rep. I was more wondering whether other people had experienced the same thing.
A good rep goes a long way with me. I’m sure you will be ok. I have always had great service from malt miller and love brewing. Hope you get it soerted soon.
 
FWIW An update on this: the vendor tells me they have had three of these units broken when delivered and also believe the problem is at Grainfather.

Of course, they're now out of stock and Grainfather have moved factory so have slipped behind on demand.

All-in-all, pretty ordinary stuff from Grainfather.
 
This is why I won't get one...not because "it would turn up broken"...because of the potential for bother with it...but that's me I suppose!
Get a refund.
What will you do now?
 
Well, I'm going to give them a chance to sort me out a new one. If they've not sorted out something within a couple of days or so, I'll maybe ask for a refund
 
I think it depends how Grainfather react. If they guarantee they'll have a new one in a week or so then it's fine, if they say I won't
have one for three months I'll be asking for a refund
 
Back in the day the choice was limited to a BM for those with deep pockets or a GF for those will slightly less deep pockets there are so many decent systems out there now i don't think i would be willing to wait.
 
I think though items are a bit scarce because nothing much has shipped from the East...
I phoned a couple of fishing tackle shops earlier and it was the same story..stock sold before they get it...
 
there are so many decent systems out there now i don't think i would be willing to wait.

I did take quite a time to decide what to get. I went for the Grainfather in the end because the control unit was better positioned than everything other than the Bulldog, but that's only marginally cheaper and, from what I've read, not the same quality.
 
I think so. My recollection was lukewarm reviews put me off. I got a bit overwhlemed by the choice at some point!
It comes in 30L, 35L and 45L sizes. I have a Coobra CB5 wichwas the same as the previous Klarstein with the controller built in.

My Coobra came with a sparge heater which uses the pump on the brewer fo sparging. Excellent value. Comes with a chiller coil.

https://www.thehomebrewery.co.uk/coobra-cb3-pro-v4-30l-brewery-kit
https://www.thehomebrewery.co.uk/coobra-cb5-pro-v4-50l-brewery-kit
 
OK, well if the Grainfather gets refunded I'll have another look at the Coobra. Cheers :)
 

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