Alternative Brewing

and Barista warehouse. Are rude, dismissive and unhelpful I Bought a ROK Coffee maker and the ROK grinders, etc.,.almost AUD800. I asked for help using the two-handed manual coffee machine. I asked for a call so they could explain what I was doing wrong. I was told to watch the video. I was told to make a video of me using a machine that requires 2 hands. I said I was unhappy with the attitude and can I return it. No, it is used.

We bought a $450 coffee grinder which clogged up after 2 months even though it was used exactly as directed. It took many weeks of frustrating communication for them to take it back and service it which was supposedly "a favour to me". Subsequent… Read more

searching shows that this is a known fault with the system so I think in 2 months from now I will be arguing for a refund. Extremely poor service.

I bought a Baratza coffee grinder after seeking advice from the team. We had nothing but problems with the grinder (after using one from Beville for years without any problems) mainly because it clogs all the time, I even bought a new ring burr… Read more

because I thought that was the problem. The support from the company was limited to: you can’t use this grinder for supermarket coffee, you’ll need to buy our special beans. Interesting that this wasn’t mentioned when I asked for advice about a grinder for my espresso machine before making the purchase.

I read a lot of reviews on this kettle before purchasing. Some reviews said it was just a good size for two people but it’s definitely big enough for 4-6 cups. It’s so easy to use and no writing on the base that can wear off like my last kettle.… Read more ·  1

Easy to keep clean and super quiet. It might take a little longer to boil but it’s not an issue for us. I’ve also noticed hardly any steam comes out and I think that’s because there’s a little steam hole in the lid so it’s very gradual as opposed to heaps of steam right at the end. I wish the cord wasn’t so long as I try to hide it behind the kettle but that’s my only small issue if I had to be picky. I would highly recommend this kettle. We are using it for coffee/tea and when I need boiled water for cooking etc. Varia Aura Electric Spouted Kettle

Decided to buy the Bellman Espresso maker & steamer and portable coffee grinder with usb charger, both items are great to use, we noticed a crack in the ceramic grinder, contacted them and they were very good in replacing. Sales rep in store was very helpful when we shopped in Brisbane store, can’t wait for our next camping trip Show 2 replies

Product: Hario Alpha Electric Kettle Order Number: #718692 Author: Senyang Overall it is a great kettle . I can feel it is made by good materials, with ergonomic designs that makes the pull over so easy. One little concern is that it keeps boiling the water for one minute after boiling point has been reached. Not quite sure if one minute of boiling is by design, or a bit too long? Show reply

Probably the best service and prices in Australia. Often cheaper then Amazon. If you live near Brisbane and want to purchase quality products with expert advice... the only real option. Show reply

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Systemic Blame-Shifting, Incompetence, and Falsified Claims. Do not risk your money with Alternative Brewing. If your product arrives in perfect working order, you will be fine. But if you receive a defective unit out of the box, expect a grueling, multi-month battle filled with corporate deflection, lack of accountability,… Read more

and a complete denial of your statutory consumer rights.

I purchased a brand-new DF54 espresso grinder that arrived with a major factory assembly defect (loose internal fasteners). This caused the hardened steel burrs to clash during operation, resulting in permanent physical damage, metal deformation, and a persistent safety risk of shedding metal shavings into the coffee grind path.

My experience navigating their service framework revealed a business model built entirely on bad faith, incompetence, and deflection.

Reading through other negative reviews, a consistent theme emerges: Alternative Brewing completely refuses to take accountability as the retailer. They consistently attempt to hide behind their suppliers or importers, treating their own customers as a middleman rather than honoring their legal obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

Countless times, their team tried to claim everything was "normal" without making any effort to actually listen to my performance concerns. I provided side-by-side videos and high-resolution images of the inconsistent grind size, yet they completely ignored the evidence.

They used the mere fact that the machine's motor turned on and could physically push coffee out as an indication that it was "working perfectly." This is the equivalent of a retailer claiming a brand-new sports car works perfectly because the engine starts, completely ignoring the fact that it cannot drive above 20km/h. There was zero effort to understand the actual technical issue (the machine clashed at settings below 10 and could not achieve a fine espresso grind).

When I first returned the unit for inspection, their testing was utterly sub-par. Instead of testing the machine against the specific faults I documented, they simply ran it, failed to identify the true problem, and shipped it back claiming it was fine. To add to the chaos, they provided tracking details but shipped it to the completely wrong address, forcing the unit to be shipped twice and dragging the timeline out further.

When presented with photographic proof of the severe physical scoring inside the unit caused by the loose hardware interference, they tried to falsify information. They claimed the internal damage was just "standard production machine marks" and even sent photos of a supposedly "new unit" with the same score marks. Having spent years working professionally with high-tolerance precision machined components, I called their bluff. It was only after I formally threatened an independent technical assessment that they immediately backed down on this deceptive claim.

Another consistent theme mirrored in other reviews is their immediate reflex to push the blame onto the consumer to justify their own failures. In my case, they went as far as falsely insinuating that I had tampered with the internal hardware, trying to use the fact that the screw heads were clean as "proof", ignoring that I had cleaned the unit precisely as instructed by their own staff's email.

It took an astonishing 68 back-and-forth emails, two separate return shipments, threats of a formal financial chargeback, and logging complaints with consumer watchdogs just to get this retailer to acknowledge a glaring physical defect. While they finally backed down and replaced the compromised internal parts because I was moments away from initiating a charge back with my bank, the process took over two months. I paid a premium for a pristine, brand-new machine, and I have been left with a marked, scuffed, and refurbished unit. Yes, it works now they have fixed the issue - but it was not worth the turmoil it took to get there.

Preemptive Note to Readers: If you look at Alternative Brewing’s negative reviews, their standard corporate practice is to post highly defensive, scripted responses to save face. They will likely respond to this very review claiming that they "resolved the issue," "replaced the parts under goodwill," and "complied with the ACL."

DO NOT BE FOOLED!

A forced repair at the tail end of a draining, 68-email battle does not erase weeks of terrible communication, blame-shifting, fabricated technical claims, and a compromised end-product. They do not respect customer loyalty. As someone who prefers to support local Australian businesses, it pains me to say this, but take your money elsewhere. Platforms like Amazon offer the actual consumer protections this company refuses to provide. Trust the negative reviews. You have been warned.

Paid $3,000 for a premium brand-new coffee machine & grinder. To their credit, they have great online presence, but that's where it ends. Buyer beware. Typical 'high-volume', 'high-output', 'high-turnover', low quality support. Our coffee machine arrived DOA (Dead on Arrival). As soon as I reported it, they immediately started playing games. … Read more

Back-and-forth, back-and-forth.

"Send us a video", "prove this", "prove that", "not our fault", "the vendor this, the vendor that", "the importer said this, the importer said that", blah blah blah. You get my drift. Zero accountability and twisting their words.

With no phone number to call them on, they dragged this out as much as they could, taking over a month to sort out. Received a replacement machine in terrible, tacky old second-hand packaging. Zero care factor. Just more & more games. Terrible outcome. No genuine attempt to restitute or make sure this meets customer satisfaction.

Once they got your money, too late.

I am contemplating reporting them to the ACCC. Felt like I've been dealing with dodgy used-car salesmen.

Looking around, I've seen others having similar issues.

If you ever have a problem with anything from that shop, I wish you luck...you're going to need it.

EDIT: To Alternative Brewing: please don't respond with your usual passive aggressive "we're sorry nonsense". You had every opportunity to fix this issue from the get-go, but you decided to throw your customers under the bus.

Just letting people know how poor the after sales service at Alternative Brewing is after I requested new seals for my Bellman coffee maker. The seals in the coffee pouring head piece failed after less than a year and I was told they can’t supply them and offered, at great expense to sell me a whole new head new head piece. Whilst the coffee… Read more

maker was good to use while it was working, it is now useless without the seals. I would think twice about wasting your money on a Bellman coffee pouring head maker.

I’ve consistently had positive experiences with Alternative Brewing. Their range and selection are second to none, the customer service is outstanding, and the after-sales support has been excellent. I’ll definitely continue to be a customer and wouldn’t hesitate to highly recommend them. Show reply

Absolutely love my Bellman Espresso & Steamer CX 25P. After having a flat white from my friend's one while we were out camping, I knew i had to get one. To be able to make an espresso coffee with steamed milk with just heat alone is perfect. We use it at home every morning, and bring it with us in the van for a flat white in the early mornings in… Read more ·  1

the mountains. Feels very fancy. We also use the steam wand on its own for hot chocolates in the evening. We were considering buying a benchtop espresso machine, but this one is so compact and doesn't need electricity and minimal water, it's just a no brainer. 10/10 so stoked. Top tip for anyone thinking about buying one though: check to make sure it's the one that comes with a tamp and milk jug. Unfortunately I bought the one that was just the coffee machine, so I had to place a second order for the tamp and jug and pay for shipping from Australia twice, gutted. Also I've just learned you can get a reusable coffee filter as opposed to the disposable paper ones, wish I had got one of those too. So don't be a numpty like me, just order the right product from the beginning.