NEW VS OLD: The M&R Red Chilli

It’s that time again….NEW VS OLD. And this month it’s a printshop must have. flash cures! The M&R Red Chilli in particular. 

Not much has changed spec wise on the Red Chilli’s over the years, It’s still available in all the same print sizes and it’s the same power wise.

That being said, As with everything, It has been modernised. One of the most obvious changes in recent years is the updated user interface. Back in the day, This would have just been a timer, Whereas nowadays It’s a digital touchscreen making it alot easier to use and control. With the new digital touchscreen, You can adjust the power outage, so if you’d like 50% or 100% power, this can be changed easily. You can also turn on/off your flash zones (red chilli’s have 3 flashing zones and can be turned on and off depending on your flashing needs). On the earlier models this would have been done with a toggle switch. 

Another update is the bulbs. They have been updated to less bright, But more efficient and even bulbs, However if your looking at an older red chilli, The newer bulbs also work in those too so are accessible no matter what the age of the machine is. 

As always the deciding factor is usually the price. A used Red Chilli flash cure can be between £1500-1700 EX VAT delivery and will still do all of the things above excluding adjusting the power outages, Whereas a new red chilli will set you back approx. £4400 EX VAT and delivery and for this price the machine comes with a 2 year warranty and a modernised user interface/controls.

As with all used equipment, It’s important to keep it clean and serviced. This pro-longs the life meaning it can last some printers many years without any issues occurring. Below is a flash cure we recently serviced and cleaned in our workshop after years of daily use and no cleaning. The machine had been experiencing a few problems which was actually caused by build up of fluff and glue, causing parts to fail. Not to mention causing a fire hazard. 

Buying used doesn’t mean an inferior product, It can work just as well as a new machine, If looked after correctly. 

For more information on our flash cures, Give us a call on 01562829009 or drop us an email at sales@screenprintworld.co.uk