Frequently Asked Questions

We accept the payment through Paypal, credit card or debit card. For Paypal paytment, you will be be direct to the PayPal website, where you will be prompted to process your payment. You will then be directed back to our merchant website once your transaction is complete. You do not require to have a Paypal account to make the payment. PayPal accepts the following cards:

• Visa / Delta / Electron
• MasterCard / Eurocard
• Maestro
• American Express.

Debit cards (also known as bank cards) are accepted if they have a Visa or MasterCard logo.

The payment is authorised, i.e. on hold, after you place an other with us. We will capture the payment after we process your order. For more information, please visit Paypal FAQs. 

We aim to process refunds within 5 working days of the products being returned to us. We will contact you by email to let you know if the refund was approved. All refunds will only be issued via your original payment method that was used to purchase the goods. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

Yes. You can place an order as a guest with no obligation to create an account.

Yes, if it is a domestic UK PO address.

No, if it is an international PO address. We will contact you via email to confirm the delivery address.

This is automatically sent to your email address when you place an order. If you haven’t received your order confirmation within 12 hours, please contact us (Ordering & Payment) just in case there is a problem with your order. Please check your mailbox’s spam or junk folder before contacting in case the order confirmation has been diverted there.

Yes, but depends:

If your order hasn't been shipped yet - Please contact us (After-sales service) immedately so we can cancel your order and then refund the full amount (including postage) or revise your order accordingly.

For customers who use Paypal as a payment method, we can only add items but are unable to change the colour/size, etc., for the same item. Your order will be cancelled accordingly, and you will need to place a new order.

We aim to ship orders received before GMT/BST 9:00 am on the same day (Monday - Friday, excluding UK Public Holidays). Orders placed after GMT/BST 9:00 am will be shipped the following business day. Please visit 'Delivery' for more information.

If your order has been shipped - Unfortunately, we will not be able to cancel or revise your order once it has been posted. Please contact us (Returns & Exchanges) and we will arrange the return. Please visit our 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

Yes. Please visit 'Delivery' for more information.

For domestic UK customers, all prices you paid at check-out includes 20% VAT.

For international (non-UK) customers, the prices you paid at check-out excludes 20% UK VAT. However, the postage does not include your local custom fees, import taxes, brokerage fees or duties. Your order may be subject to VAT, import duties and/or taxes, which are levied once your package reaches your country. Please contact your local customs office and 'Delivery' for more informaton. 

Cafelat UK Limited shall not be responsible for estimating and collecting any custom fees, taxes, or duties that may be levied. If these additional charges are incurred, they must be rendered for the package to clear customs. We advise that you contact your local customs office or using 'Import duty & taxes calculator' and visit 'Terms and Conditions - Delivery' for more information.

If you locate in the UK, the price(s) in the check-out include 20% UK VAT and you can see the VAT amount you pay.

If you locate outisde the UK, you do not need to pay 20% UK VAT.

1. If you are not able to see 'including £xxx in taxes' under 'Total', the price(s) exclude VAT already.
2. The price(s) in the check-out will change after entering the shipping address and press 'continue to shipping'.
3. Kindly note that the postage does not include your local custom fees, import taxes, brokerage fees or duties. Your order may be subject to VAT, import duties and/or taxes, which are levied once your package reaches your country. Please contact your local customs office and 'Delivery' for more informaton. 

Depends on the items you have ordered and your location. You can estimate the shipping costs at the bottom of the CART page after putting your items into the CART. Please visit 'Shipping' for more information.

Sorry but it is as what the shipping companies charging. We do not over-charge postage. There will be £5 admin charges if you would like to arrange your own shipping or require alternative shipping methods. Please contact us if you require this special service. 

Orders received before GMT/BST 9am will be ready on the same day (Monday - Friday, excluding UK Public Holidays). The courier will collect your order in the next business day.

Orders placed after GMT/BST 9am will be shipping the following business day. Please visit 'Delivery' for more information.

For domestic UK delivery, it takes 1-7 working days, depends the service you choose.

For international delivery, it dpends on the carrier and location. Please visit 'Delivery' for more information. Please contact us (After-sales Service) if your order has not been delivered 25 business days after receiving the shipment notification with tracking number, and we will check your order status.

Yes, except the order with Royal Mail 2nd Class.

A shipping confirmation email is automatically sent to your email address when your order has been shipped. You will receive a tracking reference which you can use to check the progress of your order online.

If you haven’t received your shipping confirmation within 48 hours, please contact us (After-sales service). Please also check your mailbox’s spam or junk folder before contacting in case the order confirmation has been diverted there.

We will track and trace your order every few days. In the event of a lost package, we will require up to 25 business days from the date the parcel has been sent before being able to replace or credit for any lost goods.

For the order with Royal Mail 2nd Class - no tracking, customer will require to contact Royal Mail if the parcel is lost or delayed. Cafelat UK will only provide the certificate of posting, invoice and photos of the parcel. Cafelat UK is unable to hold any responsibility if the customer decides to use the shipping service with no tracking. 

Please contact us immediately. We are only able to revise the shipping address before the order has been shipped. If your order has been shipped, please contact the relevant courier for information. 

All active products on our website are in stock. Cafelat UK reserves the right to cancel the order under the following circumstances:

• if there is a system error in the price, and the customer refuses to settle the remaining balance within 2 days. Cafelat UK may fulfill the item as a gesture of goodwill without asking.
• if the customer is unhappy with the unit prices or postage before shipping. We will agree on the order via email, and then the customer can place a new order.
• if the system flags the order as fraud, we may cancel the order without sending notification or if the customer is unhappy to provide any relevant documents.
• if the customer does not reply or rejects the status of the Seconds Robot.

Due to unexpected issues, sometimes the delivery to Cafelat UK will be delayed. If you would like to pre-order, please complete the form here. We will issue the invoice when the items are ready for sale. 

No. All active products on our website are in stock, we do not drop ship. If it’s on the website and you can order it, it is in stock. If the product is 'Sold Out', then you will not be able to order, check-out or make payment for it. 

Cafelat UK does not do drop ship, therefore, we only sell the product which we have it in stock. If it says 'Sold Out', please visit 'News' for more information when it has been restocked. 

Yes. You can return the order, within 14 calendar days after receiving it, as long as it’s undamaged, unused or being modified in any way and providing it is in as new or resaleable condition in their original packaging gift boxes, along with any accessories and free gifts.

We do not offer refunds on any postage and free returns. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

Please contact us (Returns & Exchanges). Providing the return is within the 14-canlader-day return policy and meets our return criteria, we will confirm the return details. We do not offer free returns.

You are responsible for the carriage, and liability is your responsibility, so please use a tracked and insured carrier. You will need to arrange and pay for suitable packaging when returning a product. Make sure to retain the proof of return from the courier. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

Yes. If you just do not like the products for any reason within 14 calendar days after receiving them, you can return it back, providing it is in as new or resaleable condition in their original packaging gift boxes, along with any accessories and free gifts. You MUST NOT use them, install them, or modify them in any way. Whilst the products are in your possession, you must take reasonable care of them.

However, please be confident with your product choice before clicking the check-out button. We do not offer refunds on any postage and free returns. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

This depends on the carrier or shipping method that you choose when returning your order. Once we receive your return, we will notify you by email. 

Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us (After-sales service) in 30 calendar days from the days of delivery, if the product is obvious manufacturing defective, transit damaged, or if you receive the wrong product so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right. We will offer you either a repair, exchange, or refund. The decision of which will be at our discretion.

Yes. You can exchange the order, within 14 calendar days after receiving it, as long as it’s undamaged, unused or being modified in any way and providing the item you would like to change is in as new or resaleable condition.

But we do not offer free returns. You are responiable for shipping costs in both directions. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

The Robot - Manual Espresso Maker is a small, high quality manual coffee maker that makes real espresso, with minimal fuss and effort. It uses few parts, no complicated electronics and only premium materials like stainless steel.

Gound coffee, some hot water from a kettle and you are all set.

The Robot makes espresso shots only. You can then drink as straight espresso, add water to make an americano or even make milk drinks if you have a milk steamer. You can use fresh ground coffee with the professional basket, or you can use pre-ground coffee (e.g. Illy, Lavazza etc..) using the pressurised basket.

Cafelat does not provide a paper-based user manual in the package. Customer is required to download the 'User Manual' or find it here on our website. Please read the manual before usage.

No. It' is not to be used by children. Please visit 'Safety' for more information.

Yes. We tested the parts that contact with water or espresso via SGS. Please visit 'Safety' for more information.

Please visit 'How to use' for full details.

Sorry, no. You will have to paint them yourself. 

The Polished Aluminium Robot is no longer avaiable. Cafelat stopped the production from 2019. 

The  Creamy White Robot is no longer avaiable. Cafelat stopped the production from 2021. 

No. There is no difference on the Robot package between Cafelat HK and Cafelat UK. Here are the improvements of the Robot:

1. An instruction booket includes in each Robot package. (July 2022)
2. Redesigned the Robot arms by hiding the lines from the top. (October 2021)
3. Redesigned the filter screen by using the silicone top pin. Reducing the damage on misused. (October 2020)
4. Installed a POM guide ring on the top of the piston. A bit of grease (Loctite Superlube) has been applied on the piston and inside the main body. (September 2020)
5. 1 pack of filter paper includes in each Robot package. (June 2020)
6. Metal sleeve on the Barista Robot. (January 2020)
7. 1 pack of MOLYKOTE® Dow Corning 111 Silicone Compound 6g includes in each Robot package. (June 2019)

The items inside the Regular Robot are slightly different from the Barista Robot. Please find the full details in the product description. 

We always recommend Regular Robot for home-user, but it's completely your choice. The Barista Robot with the gauge system is also a bit more involved whereas the Regular Robot is bullet proof. Please visit 'Barista vs Regular' for more information. 

Yes.

For Barista Robot owners, you can convert it to Regular verison by using the piston plug and telfon ring provided in the packaging. Video here.

For Regular Robot owners, you need to purchase the pressure gauge kit (or spare parts) and build the pressure gauge yourself. It is a bit complicated and we do not recommend doing it. If you decide to make any non-approved modifications to the robot or install any non-Cafelat parts to the Robot, warranty will become invalid at once. Video here or manual here.

Each Robot package includes 1 professional basket. You can buy the pressurised basket optionally.

Professional basket: fresh ground coffee from a coffee grinder, such as a hand grinder or an electric grinder. Blade grinders will not work.

Pressurised basket: ​Pre-ground supermarket coffee (e.g. the solid bricks), such as this only really work with the special pressurised basket.

Please visit '2 Baskets' for more information.

The original tamper is good enough because we do not need to go crazy on tamping, a firm fingertip tamp is all that is required. Levers Machine are forgiving of tamping. But some of people find it is easier and do not need to fiddle around a bit to level the espresso puck with levelling tamper. 

No. The Espresso Tamper or most of the normal tampers in the market are always with thick tamper base which will suck up and disurb the espresso puck after tamping. The reason there is no obvious suction on other normal baskets in the market is because the tamper is only going in by say 10-15mm. On the Robot, the inside of its unique basket is very deep which is around 40mm. Therefore, we designed the original tamper with a very thin base or you can upgrade the Robot package to the levelling tamper or purchase the levelling tamper separately. 

No, it is not. We never say it's a self levelling tamper. 

It cannot be too tight otherwise it will not slide in and out. It is also not feasible to machine each tamper to each basket. 

At the very beginning Cafelat had a few people say the POM is contacting the basket and they were concerned with it in the coffee, so Cafelat adjusted the size by 0.1mm to have more clearance. Also, even we are having the basket from the same manufacturer which makes La Marzocco, VST etc, there is at +/- 0.5mm tolerances.

Therefore, the levelling tamper is not a tight fit. 

All the parts for the coffee are stainless steel with the exception of the piston seal and filter screen. The centre pin is made of silicone rubber which is the same material as the piston seal. If you order the barista version there is a small capillary flexiable tube (made by Park Legris) that connects to the pressure gauge which is made for food applications.

The Robot body and plate is made of aluminium and powder-coated with retro green, blue, red, matt black or orange colour. Everything else is stainless steel and silicone rubber. 

With the filter screen, the minimum dose is around 12g. With the filter paper, the minimum does is 8g. Maxmium is 21g. 

All these are normal and correct. It is not manufacturer defect. Please visit 'Troubleshooting' for more information.

Puckology is simply analysing the spent coffee puck after a shot has been made but it is largely meaningless on the Robot.

Please visit 'How to use' for more information.

Espresso grind is tricky. The chances of a shop giving you a "correct" grind are very very slim. The best way is to use a proper hand/electric espresso grinder. Start with a normal espresso grind then keep grinding finer and finer until you can pull the shot in 25-35 seconds.

Please visit 'brewing tips' for more information.

It is hard to define perfect on an item but we guarantee each Robot is hand-built, tested, QC and cleaned before shipping. The following issues will not be warranted or claimed:

On Robot body and plate, for example:

• Minor black spots 
• Minor scratches
• Minor dents or bumps
• Low paint coverage around edges
• Sticker peel off on Matt Black Robot

Some areas on the polished items that cannot be polished, for example:

• Join of the portafilter and its handle
• Around the portafilter ears
• Inside the portafilter spouts
• Inside the hole of the tamper

The areas are polished sections left from when it is being held in a fixture during the polishing process. Those are patterns in the metal, and the 'black' areas are mirror polished, which is not dirt, so there is nothing to be concerned about.

• Over dose - 21g is the maximum dose we recommend but it is hard for a manual lever. You may require to adjust the coffee grind a bit coarser. That would make it a bit easier to press down.
• Like all other lever machine, you need to press the lever arms and build the pressure yourself. You will require to press at 16-18KG which will put you in the right area.

1. Check if the piston seal installed correctly. The flat side is up and the V side is down.
2. Apply a little bit of food safe oil Dow 111 if it is too hard to install the piston seal.
3. Use your thumb and forefinger and run around the piston seal a few times to make sure it is seated properly.
4. Try without coffee and water.
5. Lift both lever arms as as tight as you can. It lift the piston at the highest position. 
6. Life upwards the across.

Please visit 'How to use' for more information.

Updated September 2021: Paul introduced a new technique on inserting the portafilter. Please click here for more information.

Check if the tube caught between the lever arm and the main body. It is the most common misuse situation while using the Barista Robot

VERY IMPORTANT: make sure the metal sleeve is in the right position.

Please visit 'Troubleshooting' page for other possibilies if the pressure gauge stops working. 

If the coffee is ground too coarse or is stale, the coffee will offer little resistance and you will not be able to build up pressure. Please visit 'troubleshooting' for more information. 

The pressure gauge is quite a delicate instrument and requires recalibration over time.

Paul always align the pressure gauge horizontally with the bracket on each Barista Robot. If it is not, the gauge screws may come loose. A slight turn the gauge screws in from the front clockwise will tighten it back up again.

To remove the pressure gauge front plastic, use a flat blade (e.g. table knief) in the joint where the plastic meets the chrome of the pressure gauge body. It just pops out and clips in. Then you can remove the water or reset the pin then pulling the needle off and putting it back at zero. The front cover will just pop right back in.

Below is how Paul demonstrate the recalibration with two screwdrivers just to prize the pin off and put it back near zero:

The metal sleeve is just a cover over the tube and should not be fixed. They are all like that. You can pull the sleeve up towards the pressure gauge and it will close the gap.

The tube and metal sleeves are not in warranty. Please purchase the spare parts. You can find more information by watching the video on YouTube or reading the manual. 

After shipping or some use you may need to tighten the base screws or the top pin. 

• H2 Allen key: Bracket grub screw 
• H3 Allen key: Top pin, Parker Legris straight fitting (9mm socket works as well)
• H5 Allen key: Bottom plate screw, Piston screw thread
• H6 Allen key: Piston plug
• 13mm spanner: Female fitting, Parker Legris elbow fitting

We calls the coffee 'sour' in this siutation. If the coffee extraction is less than 20 seconds, the grinder is too coarse. You need to grind finer and aim for the 20-40 second range or increase the dose. Please visit 'Brewing Tips' for more information.

We calls the coffee 'biter in this siutation. If the coffee extraction is more than 40 seconds, the grinder is either too fine or too coarse. You need to adjust the grind finer and aim for the 20-40 second range or lower the dose. Please visit 'Brewing Tips' for more information.

We tested the Robot for over 4 years before launching it on the market. The temperature is our main concern from the beginning. If you put boiling hot water (99.5°C) into the room temperature prepared basket, it will immediately drop by around 4°C, which will put you in the right area for making espresso. Please visit 'How to use' page for more information on heat management. 

The filter screen has been designed as thin as possible so it do not act as a heat-sink for the hot water. It is therefore quite fragile but with some care and attention it will last a while. 

• Firmly pressing the screen in place, and ensuring that it is level so that the centre pin is straight.
• Raise the levers after making coffee the metal screen may have moved out of place. The piston may hit the filter screen if you push the lever arms all the way down during the pull to expel the remaining water. So the best is stop pressing when you feel the piston is against the screen.

You can use the filter paper alternatively. 

• Probably from the basket snapping onto the top of the portafilter.
• The POM ring on the piston is sliding inside the main body. 
• Hissing noise from the basket area: it is normal when you are pressing air instead of water through the puck.
• Hissing noise around the pressure gauge, like tube: please check if the tube disconnect or being pinched between the lever arm and the main body. 

Yes. Paul decided to put some Loctite Superlube which is NSF certifed to help the pison and the POM guide ring sliding inside the Robot body easily. It does not contact the food areas. You can wipe it off if it is bothering you but you may get a little noise if you lift the lever arms up and down, cause by the POM ring sliding inside. 

For domestic UK customer, please contact us with your Cafelat UK order number. We have the touch-up kits in retro green colour and creamy white colour available.

If you are not Cafelat UK customer but locate in the UK and would like to purchase the touch-up kits in retro green colour or creamy white colour, please contact us.

For international customer, we are sorry that we are unable to send the touch-up kit ouside the UK. Please read the description of the Robot and there is pantone code for the Robot. You will require to find the local paint shop in your area.

Cafelat Robot is similar to any semi-automatic espresso machine; for optimal results, you need a good-quality espresso grinder.

All-purpose grinders, e.g., Baratza Encore, Fellow ODE Brew, etc., that advertise for French press, drip, espresso, and Turkish are generally not suitable due to their all-purpose burrs and stepped adjustment dials. They cannot grind finely enough, and the steps are too large, making it challenging to find your ideal grind setting.

Blade grinders, e.g., Bodum, Krups, Amazon Basics, etc., or low-end burr grinders, e.g., OXO, Cuisinart, Krups, KitchenAid, etc., also do not work well with the Cafelat Robot.

If you are making different types of coffee throughout the day (e.g., drip, then espresso), you should ideally use different grinders. Switching back and forth between coarse for drip and fine for espresso will never yield satisfactory results.

What you will need is an espresso grinder. These can have flat or conical burrs and, in general, are "stepless," allowing for very fine adjustments. They are generally referred to by their manufacturers as espresso grinders.

What works with Cafelat Robot:

• Espresso only specific grinders
• Baratza Sette / Vario
• Professional grinders: Mazzer, Mahlkoenig, Macap, Eureka, etc.
• Good home grinders: Niche, DF64, etc.

A hand grinder is also a good investment as they are inexpensive and not much can go wrong. Consider options such as Kinu, Commandante, Orphan Espresso, Helor, 1Z Presso, or a Made by Knock grinder. Avoid Porlex or Hario as they cannot grind fine enough. The Robot requires a true espresso grind, not a drip coffee grind.

Please use the pressurised basket if you would like to use pre-ground coffee.

No. Please visit 'Care and Maintenane' for more information.

We only have 1 type of gift box available, but we will take photos and videos for each order to confirm we send the correct products. 

Cafelat is the first factory to manufacture the gasket for the Espresso machines from food grade FDA silicone. Unlike regular gaskets that are made from rubber these do not have any smell or taste whatsoever, and are easy to change since they will not bake rock hard like rubber does.

We list the machines that our silicone gasket fit in the product description of each silicone gasket. If your machine is not listed, it is not available. 

Please check with your machine's manufacturer or your original gasket to find the correct size and model. If your machine is not listed in the product description of the gasket, it is not available.

The silicone gaskets are non-refundable. Cafelat UK Limited is not responsible for any incorrect purchase.

They are all list on our website. If they are not on our website, it is not avaialble.

Normally, the side with 'Cafelat' logo faces up but please check with your machine manual for confirmation.

It is normal. Silicone is not the same as the old rubber gasket, no need to really crank the handle over to get a seal. 

If the group or portafilter is well worn then the original thickness of the gasket is too thin and you can buy paper spacers to build up the thickness.

Cafelat UK is unable to guarantee the portafilter locks in the same position because each group and portafilter is different. 

Sorry, no. The maximum discount is 10% for 5 pieces of silicone gaskets. We do not offer further discount for higher quantity. 

No. We can only provide the tamper base in the following sizes that covering most of the Espresso Machines in the market:

• 49mm flat
• 50mm flat
• 51mm flat
• 53mm flat
• 54mm flat
• 58mm flat
• 58mm convex
• VST 58.5mm flat

The correctly sized for an espresso tamper should be slighyly smaller than the inside diameter of your espresso machine filter basket. Measure the exact inside diameter of the filter basket then select a tamper slighly smaller than its measurement. 

Please check with your espresso machine manual to confirm. 

The cleaning brush set is for the machine with 58mm diameter grouphead only. It is not suitable for the small grouphead, like 53mm or 54mm. 

Small Tubbi Bar: Approx. ⌀2.5cm 15cm (L)

Large Tubbi Bar: Approx. ⌀2.5cm 17.3cm (L)

Cafe Knockbox Bar with 2 nuts:  ⌀2.5cm 18.5cm (L)

Classic Knockbox Bar: Approx. ⌀2.5cm 13cm (L)

The knockbox bar is the only item that absorbs all the force while 'knocking' the portafilter. It is tear and wear item so it is not under warranty. Please purhcase the spare parts here. 

During the normal daily usage, the top gasket should not be damaged easily. The knockbox bar is the only item that absorbs the force while 'knocking' the portafilter and the top gasket, uses to protect the sharp edge only, does not move. Hold the bar or carry the Classic knockbox or Cafe Knockbox if you would like to move the item around. Do not pull the top gasket or the 'ears' will be torn off. The spare parts are not under warranty. 

Cafelat Seconds are the items that are not satisfied with our quality control but they are 100% functionable. 

They may include the cosmetic defects, such as apparent dents, black spots, scratches etc on the stainless steel or ceramic surface, minor chips on the powder-coated, apparent scratches on the plastic surface etc.

We do not accept any exchanges on Cafelat Seconds but we accept the return and refund if you are not happy with the order. Cafelat UK do not offer free return. Please visit 'Returns & Exchanges' for more information.

Cafelat Seconds are limited stock only. There is no restock schedule.

1. Customer place an order with Seconds Robot.

• This item is limited to one per customer. If you purchase more than one, Cafelat UK will cancel and void the payment immediately. 
• Please provide an email address during check-out.
• The payment is authorised only. Cafelat UK will not capture the payment before receiving customer's confirmation.

2. Cafelat UK will email you the defect details in the next business day.

3. Customer has 2 days to confirm: 

• Accept: After receiving the confirmation email, Cafelat UK will test, inspect and clean all items in the order and it will be sent in the next business day.
• Decline: After receiving the confirmaton email, Cafelat UK will cancel the order and void the payment on the same day. 
• No response received before deadline: Cafelat UK will cancel the order and void the payment.

Cafelat UK will cancel and void the payment immediately if the customer place another order with Seconds Robot after cancelling or do not respond to the confirmation email. 

Pleaes visit 'News and Updates' for Cafelat UK business hours.

We only ship Cafelat Seconds Robots to domestic UK customers. We do not ship this item internationally.

No. We do not.

Sorry. The prices on our website are manufacturer's suggested retail price provided by Cafelat. We do not offer any special discount to anyone.