Buying on Ali Express

[BlackRegent]

Do people ever buy their equipment from Ali Express?

I see Kegland has its own store on there. I'm interested in a Robobrew and the price is massively less than what you would have to pay in the UK. Oddly, it says that shipping is over £1000 (!!!). I initially thought it was a scam advert, but it is on the Kegland store listing and says in the description that is not really the shipping cost and you should contact "customer service" to get the genuine cost (although it's not clear if they mean the Kegland customer service or one of the specified carriers).

Has anyone used AliExpress for more expensive items and found it worthwhile compared to purchasing an already imported item in the UK? Am I going to get whacked with a massive customs charge, even assuming I can get them to ship one to the UK?

Any insight on the general experience of buying from Ali Express is also welcome.

Thanks

 

[MickDundee]

I’m waiting for 5 small items from AliExpress - a Blowtie and a Minikeg neoprene jacket from the Kegland store and a flow control shank adapter and Fermentasaurus pressure kit from the Brewmaster store. Also a 20cm diameter hop spider from some random seller.

I haven’t tried to buy anything bigger because I only get as far as reading the shipping costs leave the page - I didn’t realise they said to contact them for a shipping cost and assumed that it was because it was awkward to send one single big item like that from China to the U.K.

 

[Sandozer]

My goto store, sure it can take weeks on delivery but I buy elsewhere if urgent. My most expensive items, Hantek 100mhz Oscilloscope, Xiaomi Redmi phone. I use mainly for electronic components, all made in China so the best prices too. As for VAT, never heard of it. (nor import surcharges)

 

[Rodcx500z]

£188-80 for 35L kettle and £810 10 postage, it does say contact customer services for postage, but who and how

 

[Rodcx500z]

Heres a link US $229.0 |BREWZILLA 35L GEN.3.1 HOME BREW ALL IN ONE|Beer Brewing| - AliExpress

 

[Banbeer]

it does say contact customer services for postage, but who and how

Found this number whilst looking at a keg on that site.


If you are interested in this product, please contact me. I can give you a discount on the freight

If you have any questions, you can also contact me with WhatsApp at

+ 8618969373733

 

[foxy]

I buy a lot of goods from Ali Express and Alibaba, got a fishing seat box off Alibaba delivery is the killer, I bought my first Guten direct from the manufacture they were $185 US and double that with shipping.

 

[MickDundee]

Found this number whilst looking at a keg on that site.


If you are interested in this product, please contact me. I can give you a discount on the freight

If you have any questions, you can also contact me with WhatsApp at

+ 8618969373733

Where did you get that number from? When I googled it it was linked to an AliExpress store called Twelvetap, not the AliExpress official Kegland Store.

 

[MickDundee]

£188-80 for 35L kettle and £810 10 postage, it does say contact customer services for postage, but who and how

In the listing it has the seller as the official Kegland Store and underneath it says “contact seller”. If you click that link it’ll send them an AliExpress message (you might need to sign up first).

 

[Banbeer]

Where did you get that number from? When I googled it it was linked to an AliExpress store called Twelvetap, not the AliExpress official Kegland Store.

Good point well put, it must of redirected me when i clicked on a keg.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Cheers MickDundee

 

[BlackRegent]

I sent a message to Kegland through Aliexpress earlier this morning before I posted here. Will let you know if I get a response.

 

[Leon103]

I would be interested to see how this develops.

 

[AdeDunn]

Never bought any brewing stuff off there, I have bought phone screen protectors and PBT doubleshot pudding keycaps off there though, hardly any shipping on those and they were a fraction of the price of the exact same items been resold on ebay and Amazon here in the UK. Longest wait was for the screen protectors that took just over a month to arrive (they just arrived), but given Covid, and that I ordered them from China, kinda expected that. lol

 

[BlackRegent]

UPDATE - I got a response from Kegland (or at least whoever runs the Kegland account on AliExpress) quoting $389 for shipping to the UK. Note that I was asking after the 60L version so I don't know what they would quote for the 35L. I've asked if that's $AUS or $US but not yet had a reply. If its $AUS that works out at about £540 all in. If it's $US then it's around £635.

The 60L Robobrew retails for c £600 in the UK so the conclusion seems to be it's either more expensive to buy it from AliExpress when shipping is factored in or it's only slightly cheaper such that (IMO) it's not worth the hassle and risk of getting something shipped from China.

 

[Crappyfish]

Yes bought 2 corny keg jackets and 1 all in one Brewzilla boiler jacket from Brewmaster store. I saved considerable amount of money getting them fro Ali compared to buying them off other sites. I must say both products are very good and look like the official products which I believe they are. Bought a adjustable flow tap for corny keg which is still working.

 

[MickDundee]

I saved considerable amount of money getting them fro Ali compared to buying them off other sites.

Absolutely this. In future, now that I’m kegging, if I’m not in a hurry for anything I’m using Brewmaster/Kegland on AliExpress!

I was £30 all in for my Blowtie and Fermentasaurus Pressure Kit. The cheapest I’ve seen the pressure kit alone in the U.K. recently is £30 plus postage. The Blowtie is on Brewkegtap for £30, again before postage.

My Kegland branded minikeg cover/carrier cost £9, the closest I could find to it outwith AliExpress was £18 on iKegger. I received notification from AliExpress last night that this is now in the U.K., apparently it’s been on a plane since June 15th! I’m assuming they must be quarantining goods from China when it lands in the U.K. at the moment.

 

[eyuptm]

I ordered blowtie valves and floating diptubes from AliExpress end of May, haven't heard anything since "your items shipped" a few days later. Still, not in a rush, and they WERE cheap!! Will update when/IF ...!!! I receive them.

 

[BlackRegent]

FYI - they've got floating dip tubes on Get Er Brewed (which look identical to the Fermzilla/Fermentasaurus ones) for £8.10 at the moment - AliExpress prices from a UK supplier!

https://www.geterbrewed.com/fermzilla-float-with-dip-tube/
They've also got the Corny gas inlet tubes for 85p a piece!

https://www.geterbrewed.com/homebrew-dip-tube-gas-in/
Insanely cheap way to convert your cornies to a floating tube setup from a UK supplier

 

[uDicko]

If I'm not mistaken there is still tax to pay when it arrives in the UK and customs get their hands on it and its over 30odd quid? I got stung when I ordered a few floating dip tubes a few months back.

Would like to be corrected by someone more in the know than me.