# Rocky Doser - My (Non-Expert) Views



## dillonmr (Jan 1, 2015)

First thing I want to point out on this post is that I don't claim to be an expert, nor that I have any superior knowledge or techniques. I am simply someone who enjoys coffee and have thought my journey of exploration come to my own ways of working with my equipment to get the best results I can.

I myself currently have a Silvia V3 partnered with a Rocky. A great novice set up that has served me well to now when I in the process of upgrading. My Rocky is the doser version, yes *DOSER*... Why some of you may ask did I go with the doser version over the seemingly more popular doserless version, well frankly at this stage I cannot say. I brought my equipment new about five years ago with limited knowledge or advice and at the time thought it seemed the right choice.

While at times over the years I have felt that that uneducated choice was wrong, I have come to the conclusion that that with the rocky the doser model works great for me due to the technique I've adopted. The reason for this is avoiding the dreaded killer of shots though clumping by a simple dosing technique. I should point out that I've been using a VST ridgeless basket which helps (ease of removal from portafilter)


Remove the basket from the portafilter for dosing, I weight beans using the basket adding 4g over the desired output of 18g to allow for retention, and load into the rocky.

Take the cover off the doser chamber, and switch on the machine.

Using my finder I rotate the blades within the doser continuously instead of using the dosing handle. This means that the ground coffee is getting distributed from exiting the chamber and thus hasn't any opportunity to remain clumped. I discard the first 4g (as per step 1).

holding the filter basket in the other hand and rotating in my fingers continuously I collect the coffee exiting the grinder.


The results I have found are a very even distribution of coffee within the basket better then using a rapid pull on the doser handle. This has helped me improve the consistency of my shots. The best part is, no need to try and declump with toothpicks or other small implements as I have seen people on line do (to be honest I haven't the patients for such procedures). Which I wager you can't get with the doserless version of the same grinder.

Is this the best grinder going, no (nor would I attempt to say it is). But is is perfectly good at giving a consistent grind for the likes of a machine like the Silvia. If you asked me now which would I choose, it would be the doser version, sure it wastes the odd gram or two more through left over grounds in the chamber and some would say it's harder to clean (I myself don't find that as I use the hover with a attachment only used for this purpose for general cleaning) but it doesn't result in clumping, and that is something I have learned at least in my experience if a killer to consistency. Anyway that's my 2 cents worth.

R


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## dnicho61 (Sep 2, 2014)

Is a doser not very messy? With coffe grounds all over counter


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## shadow745 (Apr 29, 2012)

Dude, don't discount your knowledge in any way as the term 'expert' is overused these days. Your opinion/feedback is just as important as anybody else's. What works for you is all that matters anyway.

Not long ago I scored a V1 Silvia/Rocky that was barely used (dozen times in 10 years) for cheap. Once I got it cleaned up, descaled, etc. and found the sweet spot for the machine via time/temp surfing and dialed in a few coffees I've found the combo to be quite awesome. Those that want to bash it likely can't figure out how to maximize it or are just too lazy to deal with a few quirks along the way. I consider the Silvia far from a novice setup as you definitely need to know what you're doing to make the best of it. It is likely the most unforgiving machine on the market and definitely the most challenging of any I've owned/used over the years.

My Rocky is dosered and I wouldn't want doserless. Also owned a dosered NS MDX commercially for some time and never had a single issue/complaint with it. There is a common misconception that dosers are inefficient unless used in a busy cafe or are messy, but nothing could be further from the truth. The only thing I didn't like about mine is the way the blades don't fully contact the bottom/sides and leave grounds behind. Adding Velcro strips to the bottom of each blade totally eliminates that. I run it for about 15 seconds, which gives me 18-19 grams. I dose an average of 18.8 grams and anything leftover I swipe back into the doser for the next double and it doesn't sit long. I grind/extract 5-6 doubles each morning and at the end of the session I have maybe 1-2 grams waste at most. Virtually no mess either the way I dose/distribute. For my last double I swipe the throat out with a brush and use what comes out to hit my 18.8 gram mark. I use a handheld 18 volt vacuum and give a quick clean to the top of the burrs (removed finger guard) and what bit is left in the throat. I do this while it's running and nothing is left behind to stale for the next morning. I give the doser wall a quick brush/vacuum and it's like a new grinder every day. All said/done it takes maybe 1 minute.


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