Excellent work and observations as usual [MENTION=3586]Graywolf[/MENTION]. I like my source turbos, but they look like kitchen appliances compared to that unit!
Do you have a preference between the EtOH and the MedXtract at this point?
That's the wrong question to ask an equipment designer, to whom the fish trap exists only because of the fish and because I like features of both. Compounded of course by the belief with all my arrogant engineering heart and soul that I could Monday morning quarter back them both by combining features from the two, with emulations of my own and produce a unit with broader purpose. More on that later,,,,,
Part of my function as a beta tester is to provide the manufacturer with engineering feedback and suggestions not reflected in my writeups, which I did and will watch with baitey breath to see if any are incorporated.
Both are well made and I can affirm that both manufacturers are proud of their units and believe both their approach and design superior, but they have taken two different approaches, with one adding features to support more control and the other has tried to simplify it for the common folk.
If you adjust for the difference in US and Canadian dollars, they are about the same price, so I would suggest going by the value of their features to you and vet both their customer support histories. I mention customer support because of how important it can be and because my relationship with manufacturers as a beta tester is different. That said, I have had excellent experience with Extract Craft, and the same more limited excellent experience with MedXtract.
Getting back to more later, testing vacuum stills has drawn my attention to a different area, notably culinary, and I'm designing my own test sled to experiment in those areas. Envision the modern kitchen equipped with vacuum plumbing at the stove top, so that in addition to pressure cooking to boil at higher temperature, you could cook under vacuum to lower boiling points for cooking delicate sauces, and with a condenser and trap attachment for when making brandy or reclaiming alcohol. A must in every yuppie kitchen whether it was used or not.
With modifications both the EtoH Pro and the Essential could be used for that purpose, but I didn't figure either would be happy with me hacking up their equipment for a lark on a tangent, so will build my own test sled from junk in my garage to test the concept and if successful, see if either wants to run with it.
I have also talked a Le Cordon Bleu graduate chef to working with me on the culinary part, with me furnishing the mechanics.
