What do I need to know about foreign equipment?
Beware, mini-donut machine buyers - if you don't see our logo, you're not getting a Lil' Orbits machine!
Mini-donut machines designed to look like Lil' Orbits mini-donut machines are being manufactured in China, India, and other countries. These machines are being offered to unsuspecting buyers here in the United States, often via the internet. The reason this equipment costs less than equipment manufactured by any of the US manufacturers is that these companies have not paid for the testing and certification of this equipment and they often do not come complete.
The sellers of this equipment hope that prospective buyers don't notice the equipment does not carry critical UL, NSF, ETL or CAN/CSA certifications required to operate within the United States or Canada. These machines often arrive without an attached power supply, and upon inspection run the risk of costing a prospective buyer their ability to open their business.
You could take the risk of spending thousands of dollars to import a machine that you might not even be able to operate within your business, or turn to a company with a 50 year tradition of crafting quality equipment that meets the standards issued by the US and Canada.. and know that your machine will be serviced quickly and professionally for the lifetime that you own it.
While we cannot make this very important decision for you, we can assist by giving you all the information you need to be an informed consumer. Please, no matter what choice you end up making, feel free to call us with any and all questions you might have concerning our equipment or our knowledge of foreign made machines.
Please keep these very important facts in mind as you shop for mini-donut equipment:
- Lil' Orbits brand mini-donut equipment, as well as other types of equipment that we sell, are manufactured right here in the heartland of America: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Always have been. Always will be.
- Our Lil' Orbits mini-donut machines are warranted for life to the original owner, as long as the original owner retains ownership and purchases Lil' Orbits mini-donut mix for use in his or her operation.
- Obviously, the off-shore manufactured equipment offered by our look-alike competitors cannot claim "Made in America" and the accompanying pride of US-built craftsmanship that we include with every Lil' Orbits mini-donut machine we sell.
- We sell and ship new mini-donut machines direct from our factory in Minneapolis to our customers worldwide. From us, domestic shipment takes a week or less. Our off-shore competitors sell and ship direct from their off-shore factories to their customers. Their shipments take six weeks or longer.
- We're told that the foreign-manufactured equipment carries a brief warranty and it leaves it up to the buyer to return faulty new equipment to the factory within a few days of receipt of shipment. That's probably difficult to do, unless the owner pays expensive costs to air freight it back to the factory to beat the deadline. So much for cost savings.
- We know that a lot of these companies are now getting around this very important issue by mass importing their machines and stocking them with large warehouse sellers, such as Amazon. Please be aware that just because you purchase through a reputable retailer such as Amazon, you are still purchasing via a third-party retailer and your machine is not warranted or guaranteed to meet any of the UL, NSF, ETL or CAN/CSA safety codes. If you are unsure, please contact us and we will gladly look for you.
- Lil' Orbits will never sell through any third party retailer - if you see any ad online advertising to be us, you can be assured that it is not us. We only sell direct.
- We guarantee the performance of our mini-donut machines, as long as the owner operates the machine by the simple guidelines we provide. We advise new and long-standing owners alike by phone, e-mail, web, etc. in the proper and profitable use of their Lil' Orbits equipment. Buyers of mini-donut equipment manufactured outside the US can be strictly on their own.
Of course, it's ultimately your business - and the risks and rewards are part of it. Your donut machine purchase is the most important investment in your new business that you can make, and we want you to succeed. Along the way, you'll have questions and concerns regarding this purchase, please know you can call us for valuable advice. The most important piece of advice we can give you is this: don't take a risk until you have all the facts.