New Grinder purchase

[blybo]

I'm upgrading from a Macap 2MD grinder which in itself was a great step up from the Breville smart grinder. What do I get next? The Macap will go in the classifieds soon.

 

Backstory;

I've recently got more serious about my coffee production (probably as I've virtually given up alcohol).  I now use a grinding cup, scales and a naked portafilter which came with a deeper triple??? basket and needs 23.5-24 grams of beans per shot. The Macap is great for single or double shots as you can set the timer, but not so much for grinding by weight.

 

My front runner is a Mini Mazzer. Is the electronic version worth the extra $$$ and is it easy to adjust on the fly? The Macap is more of a set and forget system with the timer dial under the base. As I am grinding by weighed dose, a grinder with zero (or close to) retention would be preferable, as would cleanliness, but I'm not wanting to spend much more than $1k

 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by blybo

[The Fez]

Check out ANFIM...

[metal beat]

For a 2nd I thought somehow I was in the wrong forum!!  

 

 

[frednork]

41 minutes ago, blybo said:

I'm upgrading from a Macap 2MD grinder which in itself was a great step up from the Breville smart grinder. What do I get next? The Macap will go in the classifieds soon.

 

Backstory;

I've recently got more serious about my coffee production (probably as I've virtually given up alcohol).  I now use a grinding cup, scales and a naked portafilter which came with a deeper triple??? basket and needs 23.5-24 grams of beans per shot. The Macap is great for single or double shots as you can set the timer, but not so much for grinding by weight.

 

My front runner is a Mini Mazzer. Is the electronic version worth the extra $$$ and is it easy to adjust on the fly? The Macap is more of a set and forget system with the timer dial under the base. As I am grinding by weighed dose, a grinder with zero (or close to) retention would be preferable, as would cleanliness, but I'm not wanting to spend much more than $1k

 

 

 

I have a mini electronic. type A I think   Just had a look at the current version and it is maybe slightly different in that the timer control is next to the other controls and menu driven. rather than a couple of screws above the portafilter holder which mine has.  it will be easier than the macap but after initial setup how much adjusting do you think you need to do? I mostly adjust grind and leave timer, but not up with the latest and greatest coffee methods either. 

[sakabatou]

I would dissuade you from Mini if you're looking to weigh your doses. All timed grinders have significant variations in the dose delivered from day to day and hour to hour

 

A grind-by-weight grinder like the Sette 270Wi might fit the bill. It's not a perfect solution, though.

 

Or if you're up for the more complicated workflow, a low retention single-dose oriented grinder will get you more consistent dosing

[ThirdDrawerDown]

1 hour ago, metal beat said:

For a 2nd I thought somehow I was in the wrong forum!!

 

Yacht racing for the America's Cup immediately came to mind.

[GregWormald]

6 hours ago, blybo said:

I'm upgrading from a Macap 2MD grinder which in itself was a great step up from the Breville smart grinder. What do I get next?

How many coffees a day?

 

For "a few" I like the Pharos by Orphan Espresso, now seemingly on run-out. Large conical burrs, manual grinder with all grounds easily removed each time.

[frednork]

9 minutes ago, GregWormald said:

How many coffees a day?

 

For "a few" I like the Pharos by Orphan Espresso, now seemingly on run-out. Large conical burrs, manual grinder with all grounds easily removed each time.

I like the look of that, i might give it a go, where on runout?

Edited May 15, 2021 by frednork

[GregWormald]

4 hours ago, frednork said:

I like the look of that, i might give it a go, where on runout?

Orphan Espresso--USA. I bought mine direct before there were any in Aus.

https://www.oehandgrinders.com/OE-Manual-Coffee-Grinders_c_1.html

 

[blybo]

16 hours ago, GregWormald said:

How many coffees a day?

 

For "a few" I like the Pharos by Orphan Espresso, now seemingly on run-out. Large conical burrs, manual grinder with all grounds easily removed each time.

I already have a Lido manual grinder for camping. Don't want another.

[blybo]

21 hours ago, sakabatou said:

I would dissuade you from Mini if you're looking to weigh your doses. All timed grinders have significant variations in the dose delivered from day to day and hour to hour

 

A grind-by-weight grinder like the Sette 270Wi might fit the bill. It's not a perfect solution, though.

 

Or if you're up for the more complicated workflow, a low retention single-dose oriented grinder will get you more consistent dosing

I've heard these are VERY noisy and blurb says it weighs to within a gram or 2! That's not accurate enough in my book.

 

I do like the look of the Niche Zero but would blow the budget

[sakabatou]

2 minutes ago, blybo said:

I've heard these are VERY noisy and blurb says it weighs to within a gram or 2! That's not accurate enough in my book.

 

I do like the look of the Niche Zero but would blow the budget

They are noisy

 

My experience is that after dialling in, mine weighs to with 0.1-0.2g - it predicts based on over/undershoot from the last dose.

[Guest]

23 hours ago, blybo said:

which came with a deeper triple??? basket and needs 23.5-24 grams of beans per shot.

 

Why are you using the triple? I use a double and stick to 18-21g (depending on the beans at the time). A double should be all you'd need, and you'd use less coffee?

 

22 hours ago, sakabatou said:

All timed grinders have significant variations in the dose delivered from day to day and hour to hour

 

Not to disagree with you, but I have a Mahlkonig K30 Air Vario and set the time for the desired weight, and it's bang on every time provided the bean level in the hopper is adequate.

[blybo]

5 minutes ago, sakabatou said:

They are noisy

 

My experience is that after dialling in, mine weighs to with 0.1-0.2g - it predicts based on over/undershoot from the last dose.

That sounds more like it. How often do you double check the weight? If this is reliably accurate I could probably put up with the noise.

 

23 hours ago, Marc said:

 

Why are you using the triple? I use a double and stick to 18-21g (depending on the beans at the time). A double should be all you'd need, and you'd use less coffee?

That's what the naked came with, and it's a better basket than the OEM ones. I will get a better double basket though.

[frednork]

5 minutes ago, blybo said:

I use a double and stick to 18-21g

How do you determine how much each bean type requires?

Edited May 17, 2021 by frednork

[sakabatou]

10 minutes ago, blybo said:

That sounds more like it. How often do you double check the weight? If this is reliably accurate I could probably put up with the noise.

I did it a lot when I first got it, but haven't for a long time

[Guest]

Highly scientific - taste and gut feeling generally

[frednork]

Back in ancient times, I ran a cafe for a while. The way we did it was to just fill the portafilter  scrape across the top to remove excess and then,  tamp as hard as you can,( I was told you cannot overtamp) and then time the shot for 30 sec for 30 ml? (if I remember correctly)  and adjust if not close enough. The biggest difference was always due to weather and a small grind adjustment fixed things with very little change between coffee batches. It was pretty predictable and easy to see when you are doing lots of shots a day. every day. Consistency was very good. Also helps when the coffee is super fresh.

[manchu]

On 15/05/2021 at 11:03 AM, blybo said:

I'm upgrading from a Macap 2MD grinder which in itself was a great step up from the Breville smart grinder.

 

No suggestions what to upgrade to sorry,  but wondering what the plans are for the Macap?      It might be a nice upgrade from my Sunbeam (which was once yours  )  

 

 

[blybo]

16 minutes ago, manchu said:

 

No suggestions what to upgrade to sorry,  but wondering what the plans are for the Macap?      It might be a nice upgrade from my Sunbeam (which was once yours  )  

 

 

2 steps up from the Sunbeam , and yes the Macap will be offered for sale once I pull the trigger on a new grinder.

[Guest thethrowback]

@blybo you might like to consider this elegant model which is currently being offered for sale in the SNA Classifieds: 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by thethrowback

[The Fez]

On 15/05/2021 at 11:42 AM, The Fez said:

Check out ANFIM...

[Hatzi]

I have a Mazzer Mini Electronica, and unfortunately its never bang on in weight so I set it just shy of my shot weight, weigh and add as required. Problem is this grinder has significant retention unlike the Mahlkonig's. They are also susceptible to clumping which you can fix by removing the screen from the grinder exit. Still a solid grinder which in a domestic environment will last a lifetime, just not without its quirks which you can work around. 

[sakabatou]

On 17/05/2021 at 9:54 AM, sakabatou said:

I did it a lot when I first got it, but haven't for a long time

Check weighed this morning for you. 0.1g over compared to my Brewista Smart Scale.

 

If your next question is: how often do you check the Brewista? Never 

[April Snow]

On 15/05/2021 at 11:42 AM, metal beat said:

For a 2nd I thought somehow I was in the wrong forum!!  

 

 

Same !! There was soooooooo much I wanted to say but decided against it - hahahahahhaaa