# which grinder



## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

hello all newbie here

been running a gaggia classic with the steam arm mod for about 10 years now and and recently done the pid mod, breass head, cnc shower screen and internal manometer..checked by an external one also

looking to upgrade the grider and i find im looking for different grind settings for different beans and also for a cold brew system

im running the iberital mc2 which is not really adjustable for different beans on the go..more a set up once and leave it not to mention its just pig ugly

so any advice on which grinder to look for? needs to be a domestic footprint, easly adjustable on grind settings and other half proof for the mornings! idealy around the 300 mark..tuff one i know!

been looking at the sage heston one but i dont like buying anyhting endorsed by chefs as they just seem to be a price hike for no reason and apart from the adjustability i think its a downgrade from the mc2

dont really have the worktop space for a bank of grinders either

seen some nice ones for the 800 pounds mark but then will i be happy running it into a modded gaggia, love good coffee but dont want things to start running away money wise


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Hello and welcome









How about the Mignon? Have a look at Bella Barista. Also, once you get a few more posts under your belt you will be able to access the for sale boards. Lots of good grinders appear there


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

To be honest, the holy grail of small, domestically acceptable, and easily switchable between brew and espresso, for less than £800, narrows it down to a class of 1: the Niche Zero. The killer is the 'switch between espresso and brewed'. Very few espresso grinders will do that. Until the Niche came along, many people (me included) bought the best espresso grinder they could, and had a hand grinder for brewed or cold brew.

___

Eat, drink and be merry


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

thanks for the reply's

sadly i found myself accidentally clicking the mouse after several hours surfing and now have a rocket apartmento on the way the grinder will have to go on hold until i sell my gaggia now or the other half may kill me

was the 10% discount price that done it for me


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

hotmetal said:


> The killer is the 'switch between espresso and brewed'.


I thought the same too. The only one near that price point is Niche

You will find that you wont get the best out of your rocket with the MC2. My advice would be to take the tongue lashing from your better half and buy a better grinder - it is worth the investment


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

i see what your saying about the mc2, having had a good long think about it all while drooling over the rocket until the wee hours i realise what i actually need is a grinder that can just accept different beans for espresso use, i find the shot timing can go from 25 seconds to almost blocked with a change of beans so would like to set up the grinder for just a few types of espresso, to me the grind for cold brewing does not seem that important..i know some may swear by this lol

so i will hang on for a grinder as i have a cheap krups burr grinder which seems ok for the cold brew and look into upgrading the mc2 once the gaggia is sold

again i know this will make some of you cringe at the thought but ive found a couple of really nice beans i like one from spain and the other in france, for my taste makes a really non bitter espresso with lots of creme..plus point is there cheap, ive tried various beans from good suppliers (fresh) and still cant find anything that is as nice as the cheaper 2 ive found abroad

people in the supermarkets think im mad when over there as i clear the shelf of the bags:drink:


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

homer said:


> again i know this will make some of you cringe at the thought but ive found a couple of really nice beans i like one from spain and the other in france, for my taste makes a really non bitter espresso with lots of creme..plus point is there cheap, ive tried various beans from good suppliers (fresh) and still cant find anything that is as nice as the cheaper 2 ive found abroad
> 
> people in the supermarkets think im mad when over there as i clear the shelf of the bags:drink:


Gives a big sigh.....

<sigh></sigh>


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> Gives a big sigh.....
> 
> <sigh></sigh>


yeah yeah i know but ive yet to try anything better


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

homer said:


> yeah yeah i know but ive yet to try anything better


Where are you based....?

I'd find that statement sort of reasonable, if you were 18, or if you were frozen in 2000 and thawed out a few months ago....but otherwise:


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Where did you buy your Rocket from then?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I'm so glad I have not reviewed the appartmento....


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

dfk41 said:


> Where did you buy your Rocket from then?


that well known coffee supplier Innes







but at £985 delivered it can come from mcdonalds for all i care


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

homer said:


> that well known coffee supplier Innes
> 
> 
> 
> ...


have you checked the warranty out, and who supplies it. If they are not a Rocket authorised dealer then effectively you have no warranty but I a sure you consider ll of this beforehand


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

UK dealers

UNITED KINGDOM

BELLA BARISTA

NUDE ESPRESSO

BEAN SHOT COFFEE LTD

TRADERS COFFEE LTD

MY ESPRESSO LTD

OZONE COFFEE ROASTERS*


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

homer said:


> that well known coffee supplier Innes
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Love it....great attitude. It always makes me even keener to do things for the good of the coffee community.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

ovs not


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Let me expand a bit. Box Shifters rarely hold stock, they buy from order. This allows them to not have to have expensive sock sitting around that they sell at a discount. These are often Grey Imports. Innes themselves might be a respectable firm who offer retail warranty, but this is based on them being able to deal with the relevant company on your behalf. they cannot, Rocket will not .

If you buy a Sage from John Lewis or Lakeland, then the warranty is there on the front page and comes form the retailer, who will act on your behalf after 6 months with Sage. That is why you pay a retail premium.

Bella Barista charge £1169, but offer a 2 year warranty from themselves. So, with hindsight, you may have a bargain, or not.....


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

dfk41 said:


> Let me expand a bit. Box Shifters rarely hold stock, they buy from order. This allows them to not have to have expensive sock sitting around that they sell at a discount. These are often Grey Imports. Innes themselves might be a respectable firm who offer retail warranty, but this is based on them being able to deal with the relevant company on your behalf. they cannot, Rocket will not .
> 
> If you buy a Sage from John Lewis or Lakeland, then the warranty is there on the front page and comes form the retailer, who will act on your behalf after 6 months with Sage. That is why you pay a retail premium.
> 
> Bella Barista charge £1169, but offer a 2 year warranty from themselves. So, with hindsight, you may have a bargain, or not.....


hi

i did check where the unit was coming from and it is an approved rocket distributor which ironically is just around the corner from me but with a bigger price tag, yes there is only 12 months warranty but at almost £200 for an extra years warranty is a little steep in my opinion plus i am an electrical engineer so repairing the unit if something goes wrong wont be a problem for me

sadly i came on here to further my coffee experience and learn more about the hobby, it appears some keyboard warrior members have nothing better to do than ridicule and mock every step, sadly i was not trained in the art of good coffee after leaving the womb..clearly they were!

Im of the mind if you wouldn't speak to the person like that face to face dont hide behind a keyboard and do it either..so my hunting for knowledge and advice shall continue on other coffee forums


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

It's a shame you've decided to leave the forum, like every group some peoples communication style will be a good fit for us and others not so, I guess you feel attacked by the comments you received about buying the espresso machine and that's understandable but I'm not sure they were meant as an attack.

There's a lot to learn here that isn't necessarily available elsewhere, it could pay to to invest a little and see what comes back.

Good luck whatever you decide and enjoy the Rocket.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

At the end of the day you can buy a machine from wherever you want @homer some folk on here push Bella Barista a lot, maybe because they have a reputation, however they are not the be all and end all of machine suppliers and the saving you have made is not small so fair play.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

homer said:


> hi
> 
> i did check where the unit was coming from and it is an approved rocket distributor which ironically is just around the corner from me but with a bigger price tag, yes there is only 12 months warranty but at almost £200 for an extra years warranty is a little steep in my opinion plus i am an electrical engineer so repairing the unit if something goes wrong wont be a problem for me
> 
> ...


attack.....not at all.....you told me Innes was the supplier. They are not Rocket authorised dealers. You now say it is from an authorise dealer, just around the corner, but at a higher price. Sorry if I sound confused! The point of all of this, is you must do whatever makes you feel happy. If you think that the saving you are making justifies the purchase then I am really pleased for you. This all hinges on you not having a problem whilst the machine is under warranty. So, in 12 months, you will know! All I was doing, was bringing to your attention the fact that Rocket limit who sells their machines by only recognising authorised dealers. This prevents authorised dealers from discounting, which of course the cannot and do not.....if you knew this, sorry for the lecture......if you did not know this, then you do now.....put your rattle back in the pram and talk about coffee!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Oh, and just for the record, I would speak to you like 'that' face to face.....ask anyone who knows me


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

@homer I totally agree with your comments, it's not the first time it's happened probably not the last either is my guess, happened whilst I was doing business with @coffeechap to buy a grinder. I felt he had no need to get involved as it was nothing to do with him.

I let it go settled into enjoying the forum for what it is, a huge resource of information, and entertainment provided by @MildredM @Snakehips et all and on the whole a friendly forum to be part of, so may I suggest you give it a few days before reconsidering your decision.

Whatever I wish you well.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

coffeechap said:


> At the end of the day you can buy a machine from wherever you want @homer some folk on here push Bella Barista a lot, maybe because they have a reputation, however they are not the be all and end all of machine suppliers and the saving you have made is not small so fair play.


Just to add balance to this and other comments.

The comments about warranty refer to the bought out warranty that most/all prosumer machines have. Members are probably keen to ensure people don't catch a cold or have a bad experience, there are some retailers who don't have great backup service, both in the UK and abroad. This means that unless you are handy it can be a problem, or if you receive a damaged machine, it's very difficult to get them to do *anything* about it. We read horror stories countless times. Bella Barista is not the only game in town for machines and it's a good job it's not....otherwise how would the market be. Competition is a healthy thing as market dominance can deliver a form of control on price/product offerings I find not to my liking and not good for the community.

The balance to that is there are some people who are self reliant with the facilities, knowledge and tools to deal with any problems that arise and others who are not. When people post with a real problem (not a simple problem), often there is either deafening silence, or a scattergun approach of try everything...both can be expensive. For the "right" people a great saving can be had and you should only pay for the value you think you are getting and will use.

Equally if we all went chasing the deals and there was nothing in it for the retailers, or a price war begins, in the end it wouldn't be healthy for the community...I know this because I remember how it was 20 years ago! You would simply have machines (and only those) coming in that could sell at some profit, regardless of quality, performance or innovation. In fact innovation would slow right down....because it doesn't need to be there when there are no policemen (metaphor). Bella Barista have helped the UK market, perhaps more than they realise by driving change with many manufacturers, that change has rippled across the espresso scene quietly prompting manufacturers to realise they needed to be innovative. I was fortunate enough to have had a part in that change and in the early days did a lot of reviewing for Bella Barista and design work. Now I do much less than I used to because it's only for products that interest me and I like a much larger design input. I do this work for many companies now not just Bella Barista and cover machines, grinders and roasters. It's more a hobby for me as I don't need the money from it and donate most of it away to charity (unless I need to buy equipment for the reviewing, or something for the kids).

All that said, BB are a good retailer, one of the better ones, have done a lot for the UK coffee scene, whether they intended that or not and their heart is in the right place....so of course people who have had a good experience with them are going to recommend them and a LOT of people have had a good experience with them. Under those circumstances it's only natural for many people to recommend them and if this didn't happen what incentive would there be for retailers to stay on their toes.You have to remember that all types read the forum and what was good for you may not be good for others. It may be that you will get fantastic support...who knows. You are obviously happy with the purchase of the Appartmento, so now go enjoy it. There are a wide spread of machines and other coffee making systems on here and I am sure many feels they have the best machine....for them.

P.S. Bella Barista certainly don't like it when I get involved with other manufacturers, retailers or products...but I'm not an employee, I don't make an income from coffee and do it for fun....so I am free to have my own opinion. To their credit, they don't try to stop me either.


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Forums, and the typed word, eh?! Come on back @homer









When you get to know us you will find we are a decent bunch - and anyway, you might be a vocalist. @Snakehips is always on the lookout for someone who can hold a half-decent tune (any tune, actually, would be better than listening to Snake's warbling!)


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

so lets put things strieght here..i came on asking for grinder advice and from the replies i got and reading up more on the forum i realised what i was asking for could not be met, so i deceied to buy a new machine this morning and put the grinder on hold..now all of a sudden i am the downfall of the whole coffee world because i manged to save almost £200 on the price, if you dont like the fact i bought it from other than BB than thats just tough..you may not need the money, but 200 quid for me means the kids get a better christmas and i think that anyone offered this sort of saving would be a fool not to take it, you didnt have to reply with your snide little comments and im sure there are people all over the world that are more than happy with the rocket machines

is this thread now just about punting BB as that is all it seems to me


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

only you will know the answer to that one.....in 12 months time! Back on topic, it was you who diverted the original thread away from the topic of grinders. If you have used with success, an MC2 for some time, stick with it and when you have your pennies, bring the topic back to life...£250 gets you a really good choice, especially if your eyes are wide open


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## GerryM (Feb 6, 2016)

homer said:


> is this thread now just about punting BB as that is all it seems to me


No it's not just about that or even mainly about recommending Bella Barista, much of the thread appears to be people extending a welcome to you so i'm surprised you appear to have missed that?

I think your point was heard earlier which is probably why some members of the forum posted their support for your position, maybe take another look at the thread for a more balanced perspective, it doesn't look like anyone here is trying to ridicule you or blame you for anything, hopefully you'll see that at some point.


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## Inglorious Alf (Jul 2, 2017)

On the grinder front, I only really have experience with the Baratza Vario and Niche. The Vario was great for a few years, but lack of grind consistency and fiddly/unreliable controls meant I upgraded to a Niche which I've been very pleased with and would certainly recommend.

On the Rocket/BB front, I bought a Rocket Evo from BB in July 2017. In September it started making a horrible rattling noise when the pump started. I tried to fix it myself but being a noob couldn't locate the source of the noise. Sent it back to BB, and it was then fine until December when the noise came back even worse than before. Admittedly it was frustrating packing up and shipping off for a second time (especially as I'd just plumbed in and it was still essentially a brand new machine) but BB were very helpful and replaced it for a new one after inspection. Had no problems at all with the new one.

Not totally sure how helpful this comment is but figured it might be relevant to the Rocket/warranty/BB discussion.


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## Sean (Jun 20, 2014)

Good luck with your pursuits @homer. I hope you enjoy your purchase, sounds like a fair deal and the right decision for you.


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

Thank you for the replies, found the "ignore member" button so thats all taken care of

Ordered a eureka mignon specialita in the end that should be here this afternoon, machine sadly will be tomorrow

thanks for all the helpful replies


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## k30lls (Sep 21, 2018)

homer said:


> Thank you for the replies, found the "ignore member" button so thats all taken care of
> 
> Ordered a eureka mignon specialita in the end that should be here this afternoon, machine sadly will be tomorrow
> 
> thanks for all the helpful replies


I have the Rocket Appartamento and Eureka Mignon Specialita, which was also a recent purchase,

Great combination. You will not be disappointed.

Enjoy...


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## jaffro (Oct 6, 2015)

homer said:


> Thank you for the replies, found the "ignore member" button so thats all taken care of
> 
> Ordered a eureka mignon specialita in the end that should be here this afternoon, machine sadly will be tomorrow
> 
> thanks for all the helpful replies


Definitely would have been a combo I'd have gone for if I hadn't got the Niche for the intro price right back at the beginning of the kickstarter.

Machine upgrade is a long way off for me, but the appartamento is a great looking machine and very capable I'm sure (never tried one), so sounds like a great setup


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

Welcome back on board, glad you decided to stick around. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures with all this shiny new kit, enjoy your new adventure.


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## homer (Nov 17, 2018)

Had a little play with the grinder last night..well impressed with the build quality, speed and just how quiet it was compared to my old MC2 grinder..i use the term grinder loosely here!

was watching some utube videos on setting it up out of the box and one guy suggested and showed running the unit and adjusting the setting until the burrs hit with the machine running..made an awful noise and just didnt seem right to me..surely this was wrong?

i set mine up by twiddling the grinder on the nut that holds the burr in while adjusting the setting until it became a little tighter to turn then backed it off about a quarter of a turn

rockets arrived so setting that up tonight


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## k30lls (Sep 21, 2018)

homer said:


> Had a little play with the grinder last night..well impressed with the build quality, speed and just how quiet it was compared to my old MC2 grinder..i use the term grinder loosely here!
> 
> was watching some utube videos on setting it up out of the box and one guy suggested and showed running the unit and adjusting the setting until the burrs hit with the machine running..made an awful noise and just didnt seem right to me..surely this was wrong?
> 
> ...


I can only speak for me but i didn't do any of that. I just put beans in and dialled it. Went through a bag of beans before I was happy. I am sure there are other ways but that worked for me and was a great way to learn the increments.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

you could run the machine empty, turn the dial until you hear a chirping.....this is the noise made when the burrs nearly touch, but try not to let them touch. Then on that grinder, turn back about one full turn and try pulling a shot. You will know from the amount of time it takes to pour whether to loosen or tighten. I can usually get grinder spot on in about 3 attempts. All you are looking for, in a new grinder is to be in the zone of, as until the burrs season, there are always going to be variances


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