- Edited
I did,yes. Watched the linked vids, read the forum comments. Comments especially varied. The theme, though there were exceptions, was that most of those with the Jack reckoned that, first, it worked, and second, was better than cheap imitations. Several made the point that it works well provided you set the depth right. Which makes sense. It also shows a weakness of the ‘depth’ metric in the Jack, as opposed to the pressure metric used by Puqpress. If I use the same bean all the time, the Jack is going to be better suited than if I chop and change a lot and have to keep adjusting it.
What isn’t going to be easy to assess, on a forum I don’t know, is how many that own it and like it do so because of some kind of confirmation bias? It isn’t easy to buy something expensive then admit it was a mistake. On the other hand, quite a few of those that are negative towards it don’t have one, which begs the question of how they conclude it doesn’t work, or isn’t any better. The same sort of confirmation bias logic could apply.
All told, it’s leaing me to conclude I have to decide which risk to take. Minimum cost for a chinese Jack copy, and wish I’d bought right in the first place? Buy an expensive Jack and wish I’d either bought an equally functional cheap copy for less, or even a much more expensive Puqpress. Or spent a lot more on a Puqpress and wish I hadn’t bothered and gone with a cheaper option.
There aren’t any risk-free options, so its just a case of making up my mind which to try. I’m inclined, right now, to just bite the bullet and go Puqpress. But I want to let that ferment for a bit, not do it on impulse.