# Small grinder



## joffy

I'm currently using a Porlex Mini hand grinder but was thinking of upgrading to an electric.

I only have one espresso a day, so only need to grind about 17g and have limited kitchen space and a budget of around £100.

The MC2 etc look huge so are there any smaller grinders worth considering or should I stick with the Porlex?


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## papagolf

I am also looking for a small grinder, will be interested to see what other more experienced members can suggest.


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## Eyedee

With a budget of a 100 and your consumption of 1 per day I would either wait for something second hand or stick with the Porlex. The other consideration is the quality of the grind, even the MC2 will provide you with a big improvement over the Porlex for espresso.

Ian


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## Mrboots2u

Decent small grinders are not ten a penny , with a budget of £100 you are limited to the mc2 second hand or a hand grinder . Smaller grinders that are capable such as the mignion are going to be £200 plus even second hand .

Don't be fooled by some of the grinders provided major retailers that say they do espresso ( thinking of the dualitt etc from Jl , argos , amazon ). They wil not go fine enough


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## joffy

Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll save for the Mignion.


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> Thanks for the info. Maybe I'll save for the Mignion.


They come up every some often on here adoring the £200-220 mark . Most forum owned stuff is well looked after . Worth keeping your eyes peeled.


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## joffy

Mrboots2u said:


> They come up every some often on here adoring the £200-220 mark . Most forum owned stuff is well looked after . Worth keeping your eyes peeled.


Thanks, it does look ideal, not too big.


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> Thanks, it does look ideal, not too big.


As a small kitchen friendly new grinder it's a good fit , but have a look at some of the photos in the show of your set up thread . You will see some of the commercial grinders not here people have . Will give you an idea of the size and look to them . Worth checking as at the new price of a mignion your in touching distance of other better ( but slightly larger grinders ).

Plus points of mignion - small , kitchen friendly design, rated very well,capable of good espresso grind

Minus - can be perceived as a clumpy grind ( not the end of the world just it bothers some people so worth mentioning )

Charlie j is a good example of a limited space used well with an ex commercial grinder .

Have a look if not for out at least you have exhausted all options . Think so me one mentioned there mignion would be going up soon on a sales thread, so keep an eye out for that also . They do go very quickly tho.


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## joffy

Would the Rancilio Rocky be a good option?


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> Would the Rancilio Rocky be a good option?


Compared to a mignion? Rocky as bought is a stepped grinder ( so not infinite adjustment ) , the mignion is step less ( infinite adjustment ) . You can mod rocky to be stepless ( if you are technically minded ) .

Personally I prefer the looks of the mignion . I haven't had them side by side , so others would be better placed to comment ,but having read reviews and experiences on here and other forums ( yes there are other forums ..... Don't hurt me please ) , then in general comments come more favourably for the mignion .

That isn't to says the rocky won't do a job for espresso. I'm sure people who have them , and have had them will give you a good pros and cons of each .


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## urbanbumpkin

The only thing about the Rocky is that its a stepped grinder. So that there are jumps between the grind settings.

For espresso you need to make fine adjustments to the grind

Having said that I've never used one so can't really comment. There's a few people on the forum who use them and they can also be moded to be "stepless".

Hope this helps.


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## joffy

Thanks all. It's all rather complicated, should stuck with a jar of Nescafe!


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> Thanks all. It's all rather complicated, should stuck with a jar of Nescafe!


Any you miss all the fun ( and expense ). When done right its incredibly rewarding honest , and the people on here although eccentric ( thinking of myself here ) are incredibly friendly , helpful and funny (not thinking so much of me here )


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## origmarm

I have a Mignon and I'm a big fan. Size was a big consideration at the time for me and I don't think you'll find a better grinder for the footprint/height. If it helps a photo next to a Fracino Cherub:


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## joffy

It looks great, but it's the price putting me off.


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> It looks great, but it's the price putting me off.


This is going to sound rude , and it's not meant to honest .but the grinder is more important than your machine at entry level . If you can get one second hand for £200 it's a bargain.


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## origmarm

I understand, it's a decent investment.

I've had at one point or other an MC2, a Vario, a Mazzer Mini (Doser) and various hand grinders (that I still have). I like the Mignon over all of those and it's built like a tank. I would encourage you to read the Bella Barista review as having owned two of the reviewed machines I couldn't agree more with it. They compare a variety of compact grinders (though sadly not the MC2):

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/pdf/compactgrinder1closerlookv3.pdf

EDIT: The link on the Bella Barista site is broken. The above link is now fixed


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## Mrboots2u

Mrboots2u said:


> This is going to sound rude , and it's not meant to honest .but the grinder is more important than your machine at entry level . If you can get one second hand for £200 it's a bargain.


What I'm trying to say is , yes it's a chunk of money . But spread over lots of drinks and a few years , it's not so bad. the mc2 at £80--100 is probably the most prevalent grinder at that price range ( unless you get super lucky bargain ) ,and you don't see mignions do less than £200 secondhand .


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## johnyenglish

I have just bought a Mignon as an upgrade from a rocky and can confirm that the Mignon is a great little grinder, domestic management wasn't happy with anything bigger :-( but to be honest I can see myself sticking with it for some time. Bought mine for £220 second hand on the forum (Chrome model)


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## urbanbumpkin

If you don't want to spend £200 then go for a used MC2 for £80 -£85. At least it will get you started. This will give you the following options:-

A) If you do get into this absurd world of coffee and you want to upgrade you can sell the MC2 for about the same price.

B) Give up. Sell the MC2 for about the same price as you got it for and go back to Starbucks 38 times for free.









Mignons are the better out of the 2, and look good too.


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## coffeechap

The rancilio rocky is a great little grinder, but only if you make it step less


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## joffy

I sometimes use an Aeropress. Is the Eureka Mignon easy for swapping grind settings?


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## jeebsy

Not especially. Well, it's not too many turns to go coarse but domestic grinders aren't really designed for going between coarse and fine settings.


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## jeebsy

Also depends how fine you go for Aeropress.


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> I sometimes use an Aeropress. Is the Eureka Mignon easy for swapping grind settings?


A lot of people will have different grinders for different brew methods, so your not dialling in your espresso grind a lot and potentially wasting beans .

I don't use aeropress so am not sure how far apart the grind setting would be between that and espresso . The adjustment bit on the mignion might not suitable for changing from coarse to fine a lot . As a rule of thumb tho , better to leave your espresso grinder where it is and the alter it when needed for when you change beans or as the beans age .

Anyone use the same grinder for aeropress and espresso- mignion or not ?


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## joffy

Thanks for the info. I could use my Porlex hand grinder for the Aeropress. Pretty much convinced myself into getting the Eureka


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## Mrboots2u

joffy said:


> Thanks for the info. I could use my Porlex hand grinder for the Aeropress. Pretty much convinced myself into getting the Eureka


Yep that would be a great solution


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## jeebsy

I've got a Mignon and use a hand grinder for filter/pourover although since getting my Mignon the hand grinder is a bit of a chore...


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## 4085

I have a Mignon and sometimes it pees all over the K10 (usually when it is witched off!).......they are excellent grinders to be serious and I would happily switch back to one if needs be.


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## coffeechap

I'll take the k10 as a decaf grinder if it's going then!


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## joffy

Is Bellabarista the only UK stockist for a new Mignon?


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## garydyke1

Hmmm the malteaser maker : )


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## urbanbumpkin

joffy said:


> Is Bellabarista the only UK stockist for a new Mignon?


I think other people do sell them but I have to say BB are excellent great service.

If you're looking to pay that sort of money for a new Mignon then you could go for something like a used Mazzer Super Jolly / other ex commercial grinder. You'd be able to pick one up from a reliable source for a bit more.

If I was looking to upgrade from my Mignon I'd be looking move to something like that. Sorry for the curve ball but just my 2ps worth.

Sorry I've just re-read the original post and you were saying you were limited for space. Commercial grinders are significantly deeper space wise.


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## urbanbumpkin

Alternatively there maybe some forum members looking to sell one in the next few weeks. Used would be £200-£220. They can have warranties that can be transferred


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## joffy

Thanks. I have made a post in the wanted section so will wait a while.


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## joffy

I'm checking the for sale section daily and searching ebay, but should anyone see a Eureka for sale, please let me know.

Cheers.


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## LeeH

I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.

I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high







Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.

Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence, not expensive equipment.


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## Mrboots2u

LeeH said:


> I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.
> 
> I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.
> 
> Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence, not expensive equipment.


Interesting point of view. I'd say a used SJ is better value and better performing than a mazzer mini.

Have a look a the grinders people have and use on here , we are overkill city ...........

I can totally understand why space may be an issue if people's kitchens and hence why mignions and the like are a good buy in that case .

I've not put a mignion up against an ascaso but like to hear others people's opinions on how they would see this shoot out.

Lastly may i ask , have you used a SJ, or a ex commercial in the home set up yourself?

I be prepared for some discussion on your post


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## forzajuve

LeeH said:


> I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.
> 
> I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.


We all have our own opinions but this is not one you ever come across. My response to this would be - what a load of tosh! But that would be my opinion.


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## 4085

Jesus, I have heard it all now! If you think an Icaso of any sort is a better grinder than a Mignon, or that people who buy semi or commercials are just showing off, then I suggest you go join a tea forum and spout nonsense there! Of course, that's just my humble opinion, the same as yours!


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## Mrboots2u

Like I said be prepared for some discussion on your post.....

Quickmill Apollo is a 43 mm stepped grinder for £200-250 . Think I'd rather have an mc2


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## Gangstarrrrr

LeeH said:


> I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.
> 
> I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.
> 
> Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence, not expensive equipment.


Are you Anthorn in disguise?!


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## garydyke1

'' like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content''. Im sure Mazzer & Anfim might claim otherwise.

''Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use'' Is bordering on offensive

''Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence" The best part of your post


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## Mrboots2u

It was certainly a very bold and confident first post to the forum, most people just start with hello.......


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## coffeechap

LeeH said:


> I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.
> 
> I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.
> 
> Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence, not expensive equipment.


Ha ha ha ha ha ha you are a complete tool, who clearly knows absolutely nothing about grinders! Where others have been gratious and polite, I am unfortunately predisposed to say it like it is syndrome (siliis) for short you must suffer from diminishing intelligence causing knowledge haemorrhage, epitomising a dunce syndrome


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## Gangstarrrrr

I guess it's like saying a ford fiesta can get you from A to B so there's no need to ever go for a Porsche 911 Turbo S.

A basic grinder will grind for espresso but you won't get the best from your beans. Much like a ford fiesta isn't going to perform on a race track. At the end of the day it depends on what you're after, but it's idiotic to write off mazzers et al as 'overkill'. Maybe for you but not for the vast majority of this forum.


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## LeeH

No, not Anthorn, not sure who they are.


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## coffeechap

Really are you sure


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## LeeH

God, why on earth is everyone so offended? just cause i dont agree with you all regarding commercial griders and the like does'nt mean I'm not entitled to an opnion, new or not. The point i am trying to make and i've experinced this first hand when i started out with espresso at home and asked for advice....most of it turned out completely wrong & on occasion expensive!! but this was only bourne out through experiment & experience.

When people first start out, they may not want to spend £300 - £400 on a first grinder, not to mention an equal amount for a compatible espresso maker. There are and still is a number of excellent and worthy grinders for less than £200 that will last a long time, even if used every day. I have actually used a commercial grinder at home and it was great, ground consistently and worked like a treat, but unless i was brewing up for the whole street every day, i did'nt see the point in keeping it.

And in answer to your last question Forzajuve, i dont only think an Ascaso i-mini 1 is better than a Mignon, i know it is!! I have owned them both and used them extensivley across the board. Apart from the obvious difference in looks, the Ascaso is just better put together and more user friendly. At the end of the day, the whole point of a forum is to discuss things not argue and TELL people they are wrong and stupid! I still stick by what i say and to offer the original memeber some advice who started this thread, who is on a budget, he could'nt go wrong with an Ascaso I-mini 1 above the compitition at the same,(NOT ABOVE) price range.


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## 4085

LeeH, why dont you put this behind you and come back and share some more of your knowledge with us. Tel us what equipment you have. What espresso machine you have in particular........


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## LeeH

It's OK, the MC2 is a great home grinder and worth every penny, but fails miserably on the style front.... this is important to some folk


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## LeeH

Sorry, I am new and should have said hello. SORRY!!

I currently have a second hand Ascaso Dream, (and no i dont work for them or endorse them!!) and an Ascaso I mini 1. I have ownded several other machines : Rancilio Silvia V3, Eureka Mignon, Cunill Mc5 to name a few and used far more.


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## LeeH

The point I'm trying to make is that in any passtime that involves spending money, you see it with especially with people who are in to high end HI-FI equipment, that the more they spend the better it must sound?! But as you gain experince, (i'm taking about coffee now), you can produce great espresso at home with very modest equipment that does'nt cost thousands.

I've been an member of many coffee forums over the years, not very active memeber admitidly and there is a lot of great advice and tips to be had online. Conversely there is also ill advice and source of most of it comes from people with the midset that if it costs more it has to be better. It's like being in front of a firing squad on here, yes the Mazzer Mini and Macap M4 and there ilk are great grinders, i never disputed this, i just suggested that when your starting out people may want advice and tips on modestly priced machines....and many of them are great.

Thats all i'm saying. I'm not dissing any espresso aficionados out there who own all the best equipment out there, if it works for you and you can justify it....great.


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## jeebsy

The point people tend to make is that for the cost of a new Mignon you can get a second hand Mini or SJ so they're worth considering for some people. No one is saying get a Mythos to go with a Classic as a starter setup.


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## Kyle548

jeebsy said:


> The point people tend to make is that for the cost of a new Mignon you can get a second hand Mini or SJ so they're worth considering for some people. No one is saying get a Mythos to go with a Classic as a starter setup.


...How about a La Cimbali Magnum to go with a Classic......

Anyway, in regards to this thread, you can get some very nice stuff for a modest price. Even if what you get is second hand.

I mean, a new I1 is about £150-£200, at that price, why not get a Mini for £50 extra?


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## 4085

Coffee is a journey, not a destination. The old advice always used to be get a Classic and an Mc2, but we all know the latter is not very good whereas the former is quite capable to learn on. S, you can end up very quickly, spending money. Whereas if you consider your options at the start.......I cannot ever agree with you on your vies on the Mignon. I have had several over the years, and still have one now that I use with my L1 and K10 fresh. Of course they have their foibles but there is always a work around somewhere. Looks to me, are the least important unless you intend to marry it. What counts is the taste in the cup and that is where it excels, against its opposition.

You might have seen this before and you will doubtless not agree with it anyway Lee, but have a read

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/grinder-reviews/


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## joffy

Wasted some Rave Fudge beans today because I set the hand grinder too course so I really do need to upgrade soon as the closer Xmas gets, the more skint I'll be.


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## urbanbumpkin

Its painful starting out with a hand grinder. I know how it feels, I started that way myself.

Still looking for a Mignon?

any members looking sell a Mignon or something sooner in the next few weeks.

Could do with some hope here.


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## joffy

Yeah would go for a used Mignon if in good condition and well priced. I'll have to settle for a MC2 if nothing comes up.


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## xiuxiuejar

LeeH said:


> I owned a Eureka Mignoin and had it paired with my Rancilio V3, ts good but like nearly all Italian grinders, very much style over content. It performed well and ground beans consistently, but was not worth its £300 price tag at the time i bought mine. I've sinced used a Ascaso I-mini 1 and its far superior, with larger flat 54mm steel and brass burrs and 250w you cant go wrong for home use and it looks superb. i have the all polished aluminium one and their a bargain for around £200. One word of warning if you do intend to buy any Ascaso grinder, steer clear of any of the I-2 range, they look the same but are made of inferior parts inside, plastic, smaller burrs, under powered etc.
> 
> I would personally ignore all the advice suggesting saving extra and purchasing a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc, these grinders are good but complete overkill and absolutely superfluous for home use, they are after all commercial! Its just coffee snobs having an excuse to show off what equipment they have, and probably under use, nearly every thread ends the same "save up extra and get a Mazzer Mini, Macap etc". A £200 budget is ample for a home grinder and many very modestly priced grinders will grind fine enough for espresso, the Ascaso I mini 1 is stepless and if you only drink one type of coffee....its perfect and if your limited for space, its a no brainer at only 305mm high
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stepped grinders may be worth considering if you switch a lot, a Quickmill Apollo 060 would be a good choice in this direction at around £200 also.
> 
> Remember the most importat ingredient is fresh beans and persistence, not expensive equipment.


I want to defend Lee a little as he may be feeling a little under attack as a new member. He is within his right to have a certain opinion and he is right that sometimes some people just want an economic and aesthetic solution. Do I think a Mazzer of any sort is overkill? No, but we all know I'm at the point of throwing the wife out and sleeping with the Royal!!! Do I truly believe that these grinders are all the same? But I personally wouldn't have a Mignon either (or Acaso for that matter). But that is my opinion. These grinders, along with MC2s and MDFs are capable of making decent coffee and that's the name of the game. But when talking about value for money, maybe he's right in a way, although for 200 you can get a used Mazzer Mini or SJ and they are not that big really IMO. More important, they make great coffee! Anyway, welcome Lee!


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## Mrboots2u

I think lee may have been better say hi as a first post , letting us know his experience and history and just introduce himself. As first to reply I said be ready for discussion, to go to a forum and post something with such strident opinions is an interesting way to introduce yourself .


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## xiuxiuejar

A little controversy is exciting though!


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## Mrboots2u

xiuxiuejar said:


> A little controversy is exciting though!


True , but I prefer etiquette and manners ( old fashioned I know







h


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## coffeechap

xiuxiuejar said:


> I want to defend Lee a little as he may be feeling a little under attack as a new member. He is within his right to have a certain opinion and he is right that sometimes some people just want an economic and aesthetic solution. Do I think a Mazzer of any sort is overkill? No, but we all know I'm at the point of throwing the wife out and sleeping with the Royal!!! Do I truly believe that these grinders are all the same? But I personally wouldn't have a Mignon either (or Acaso for that matter). But that is my opinion. These grinders, along with MC2s and MDFs are capable of making decent coffee and that's the name of the game. But when talking about value for money, maybe he's right in a way, although for 200 you can get a used Mazzer Mini or SJ and they are not that big really IMO. More important, they make great coffee! Anyway, welcome Lee!


Although it is very noble of you to come to his defence and I agree everyone is entitled to an opinion, the manner that he asserted that people who have expensive gear are just coffees snobs, is rather insulting, his generalisation in saying every thread says save up extra and buy a mazzer mini is also insulating as the general advice is that you get a lot more for your money if you consider buying a *used* commercial grinder. His comments on his own experience of commercial grinders being a mini and a cunill, these are not true commercial grinders, and they are entry level, the point that members here make is that as pointed out above, you could get a la cimbali magnum for not much more money than a i1 or less than a mignon, which is absolutely more consistent, much better grind quality, much faster much cooler grind than any grinder he mentions, but that is apparently crap advice.

I have a very deep understanding of grinders and their capabilities, I have used pretty much most of them, from an MDF and i1 up to a mythos and a k10, I give out pretty unbiased advice about grinders based upon how they perform and the difference in the cup you can expect, so find it quite insulting that someone with "apparent inexperience" with decent quality grinders, affords the barrage of misrepresentation that this person did!


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## xiuxiuejar

Just trying to keep the peace. I don't believe I have an extravagant taste in grinders but I love my Mazzer Mini and Mazzer Royal. Do I think there is a better 'domestic' grinder than the Mini - well, there are a few as good but the Mini is a reduced size commercial without comprimise for the home. And the Royal is a beast. Two different concepts but I respect the capabilities of both. I know there are better but I love them!

Still, I know some people prefer the Mignon, which I'd never buy personally or the beautiful commercial K series which I'd love to own but am too tight to fork out for. In the end, I don't care what people say. Coffee is all about enjoyment and good luck to the person who likes his aeropress or cheap dualit or whatever. Yes. it was a bit insulting to criticise all of those who have invested their time and their hard earned cash into something that they adore, but some people will never understand your / our / people's need to spend money. Maybe he truly can't taste the difference - you never know! In the end you pay your money and take your choice.


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## joffy

Well folks, I've just ordered an ex-demo Eureka from Bella Barista £216 delivered. It's orange, not my ideal colour choice, but can't be fussy for that price! Thanks for all the info.


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## The Systemic Kid

joffy said:


> Well folks, I've just ordered an ex-demo Eureka from Bella Barista £216 delivered. It's orange, not my ideal colour choice, but can't be fussy for that price! Thanks for all the info.


You could always join the Hare Krishnas:act-up:


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## LeeH

Thanks for the welcome







)


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## urbanbumpkin

joffy said:


> Well folks, I've just ordered an ex-demo Eureka from Bella Barista £216 delivered. It's orange, not my ideal colour choice, but can't be fussy for that price! Thanks for all the info.


Glad you got your grinder. BB do great packaging. Mine was double boxed.


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## joffy

The grinder was delivered today. Needs a damn good clean, was even a bean left in there! The small screw that secures the container is missing. Is it really needed? Seems quite secure without. The orange colour looks ok, so pleased with it so far. Nice, compact size, although the mains cable is long n thick so a lot to tuck away. Will give it a go tomorrow.


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## jeebsy

I thought BB would have cleaned it up and got it looking good. You might want to do the camera lens mod to help with retention, if you do then you won't use the hopper.


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## urbanbumpkin

joffy said:


> The grinder was delivered today. Needs a damn good clean, was even a bean left in there! The small screw that secures the container is missing. Is it really needed? Seems quite secure without. The orange colour looks ok, so pleased with it so far. Nice, compact size, although the mains cable is long n thick so a lot to tuck away. Will give it a go tomorrow.


I don't use the screw that hold on the hopper. I tend to take it off quite often to clear the retained grinds. I find a slap with an open palm on the metal chute (where the beans go in) seems to work well.

Agree with Jeepsy, thought BB would have given it a bit of a clean.

If you undo the 3 screws on the top this will allow you to take the top burr off and clean inside.

Make sure you turn it off and unplug before doing this.


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## joffy

Just tried the Eureka out. Used the free bag of bean BB supplied with it and took 4 attempts to dial in. Very messy things these grinders! Getting a lot grinds left in the chute after, but that's normal yeah?


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## Nijntje

joffy said:


> The grinder was delivered today. Needs a damn good clean, was even a bean left in there! The small screw that secures the container is missing. Is it really needed? Seems quite secure without. The orange colour looks ok, so pleased with it so far. Nice, compact size, although the mains cable is long n thick so a lot to tuck away. Will give it a go tomorrow.


How ridiculously long is that cable?!


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## 4085

Why should BB clean it up? You are buying one they have used on their Trade Days! A lot of the beans they sell are very old. All their bags have a shelf life of 12 months on them but with respect, that is rubbish. If the beans were not roasted in October, throw them away, or better still, run them through the grinder to help season the burrs but dont drink it. They are an excellent little grinder. Yes, they clump a little but so what! Get some fresh beans and start over! If you struggle, pm me your number and I will ring you and try to help you out as I know the grinders very well


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## joffy

Thanks dfk41. Just checked the beans, roasted 8th August! So binned them. Think I've got the grinder setup ok now. At one point I had it set too fine and the beans wouldn't drop. Thought it had blocked up so tipped them out, resulting in great mess #noob error.

Considering getting a mini-vac, sort of thing used for keyboards, cameras etc, to help keep the hard to get to parts clean.


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## GS11

dfk41 said:


> Why should BB clean it up?


Agreed - you are buying an ex-demo. If you want pristine buy new.



dfk41 said:


> All their bags have a shelf life of 12 months on them but with respect, that is rubbish. If the beans were not roasted in October, throw them away, or better still, run them through the grinder to help season the burrs but dont drink it.


I was fortunate to get 250g of BB's milan blend free with the brewtus (fortunate as I was running out of beans!).

Although was not as freshly roasted as I am used to, was perfectly drinkable, tasty and worked well in milk as flat white/cappa..... as you would expect with italian style 80/20 arabica/robusta blend.

Also recall at the members day, the cafe on the same site came in to collect a big bag of milan in the afternoon


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## jeebsy

Buying something ex demo you expect it to be used but not dirty IMO.

You can get 3-4g retained in the Mignon.


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## urbanbumpkin

I haven't seen how the grinder arrived but if I was selling a grinder I'd have cleaned it up a bit.

I'm not saying it should be pristine but finding it a whole bean in there is more than a bit of retained grind IMHO.

Good advice on not going with the old beans. Might be worth buying a big bag of the same beans as you can get through them quickly when starting out.


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## joffy

It certainly hadn't been cleaned at all. When I opened the box, it was covered in grinds and the bottom burrs were clogged. But it seems to be in good working order and doing great at making my own mess!


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## 4085

But that is why it was reduced!


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## DarrenB

looking forward to hearing how you get on with this grinder I am thinking of upgrading to one.


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## jeebsy

dfk41 said:


> But that is why it was reduced!


Reduced because it was ex demo, not because it was dirty (although I haven't seen the ad)


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## 4085

Blimey, I ought one of these. ex Demo means it has been used. Why should they waste man hours cleaning something up at £x per hour when you are saving a shed load of money on the purchase price. I bet it has had all of 20 kilos through it. if you had wanted new then you should buy new!


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## michaelg

If you bought an ex demo car, would they sell it caked in mud? I think a basic clean would take less than an hour. especially when done by experts in the area. No one here would sell anything second hand without giving it at least a quick clean so from a retailer with a reputation to protect you'd expect a bit better. The cost for labour to clean it is worth it in terms of potential futures sales that could be lost by people reading this thread and being put off.

Obviously there is a large volume of positive feedback on the retailer in question so if they dug a little deeper they'd be assured they are safe to purchase with confidence. This instance I'd say is a minor oversight.


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## MWJB

I don't think a grinder full of beans compares to a car covered in mud. You expect the car to have had petrol & oil in it, possibly still have some? You're supposed to put beans in a grinder. Grinders often come new with beans/remains of beans in them.

A grinder covered in mud...well, that would be cause for complaint ;-)


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## jeebsy

Agreed michaelg.

A) it's Bella Barista who know their onions, and

B) it's a Mignon. Hardly a difficult beast to give a cursory clean. Three screws, give it a quick brush down and bob's your uncle. Would take a company of their expertise no time at all.

If I bought a coffee machine ex demo I'd want it cleaned up. This isn't Gumtree you're buying from.


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## xiuxiuejar

You pay your money and take your choice. I've bought lots of second hand grinders and they have all come in 'original' state - no matter if they have come from a shop, a bar or a private address. If a shop cleans it up and spends time doing those things, the price would go up. If you got it for a decent price then it's worth your while cleaning it up yourself.


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## coffeechap

This is an interesting one I am really surprised that BB did not clean it up especially as it was over £200, a used grinder is a used grinder and you take your chance, but this is a reputable retailer who should really provide a quick once over on an ex demo machine, I liked the car analogy and disagree with the petrol part, as the grinder had a power lead, I guarantee their ex demo machines have been cleaned and sorted before dispatch, ex demo implies a near to newness about it over a used item.


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## MWJB

coffeechap said:


> This is an interesting one I am really surprised that BB did not clean it up especially as it was over £200, a used grinder is a used grinder and you take your chance, but this is a reputable retailer who should really provide a quick once over on an ex demo machine, I liked the car analogy and disagree with the petrol part, as the grinder had a power lead, I guarantee their ex demo machines have been cleaned and sorted before dispatch, ex demo implies a near to newness about it over a used item.


The grinder wouldn't function without the power lead, it would be "broken", not empty. My point was you expect people to put beans in a grinder, like you expect to find petrol & oil in a used car...you don't complain that your clutch is "all oily", or your petrol tank all "fumey" in an ex demo car ;-)


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## Kyle548

When I sold my grinder to a member on here I made sure that she was sparkling clean, more or less.

I didn't remove the burrs or anything like that, but I made sure the chute was clean and that the burr chamber was without any grounds.

Any oil on the burrs would of been fresh anyway, so it's not like they could be called dirty, just 'seasoned'.

That was for £100, I think you could expect the same from a company whose business is selling grinders and for a product that cost £200.....


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## coffeechap

This still surprises me with bella barista


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## jeebsy

I wouldn't want to open the ashtray on an ex demo car and find it full of used hankies


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## coffeechap

MWJB said:


> The grinder wouldn't function without the power lead, it would be "broken", not empty. My point was you expect people to put beans in a grinder, like you expect to find petrol & oil in a used car...you don't complain that your clutch is "all oily", or your petrol tank all "fumey" in an ex demo car ;-)


But they are part of the functioning of the car, the grinder will function without beans a motor won't without petrol and oil? The point here is the overall condition of the item, would you accept a car from a dealer that was nearly new, ex demo that had not been valeted? Not a used car some three years old but a nearly new car? I would doubt it, the same applies here, as I said before if this were an ex demo nearly new machine which they sell on their website, it will definitely be immaculate, so why not the grinder?

By the sound of it this is not just a little residue that you could expect in a new grinder either


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## Kyle548

coffeechap said:


> But they are part of the functioning of the car, the grinder will function without beans a motor won't without petrol and oil? The point here is the overall condition of the item, would you accept a car from a dealer that was nearly new, ex demo that had not been valeted? Not a used car some three years old but a nearly new car? I would doubt it, the same applies here, as I said before if this were an ex demo nearly new machine which they sell on their website, it will definitely be immaculate, so why not the grinder?
> 
> By the sound of it this is not just a little residue that you could expect in a new grinder either


I suppose reasonable w&t is to be expected, a few marks on the leathers, maybe the transfers on some buttons fading, but you would expect all the carpets to be clean, the tires to be road legal and the radio to actually turn on.

Basically, minus consumables, you can drive away and reasonably expect everything to work.

I guess its the same with a grinder. If the burrs are a little brown and the hopper and other transparencies are tinted coffee, then that really can't be helped, but if you can't use the thing out of the box, then its not really good enough.


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## coffeechap

Kyle548 said:


> I suppose reasonable w&t is to be expected, a few marks on the leathers, maybe the transfers on some buttons fading, but you would expect all the carpets to be clean, the tires to be road legal and the radio to actually turn on.
> 
> Basically, minus consumables, you can drive away and reasonably expect everything to work.
> 
> I guess its the same with a grinder. If the burrs are a little brown and the hopper and other transparencies are tinted coffee, then that really can't be helped, but if you can't use the thing out of the box, then its not really good enough.


Shall I leave the residue in the la cimbali then?


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## jeebsy

MWJB said:


> The grinder wouldn't function without the power lead, it would be "broken", not empty. My point was you expect people to put beans in a grinder, like you expect to find petrol & oil in a used car...you don't complain that your clutch is "all oily", or your petrol tank all "fumey" in an ex demo car ;-)


You'd give it a quick hoover inside and chuck out any rubbish though


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## GS11

jeebsy said:


> You'd give it a quick hoover inside and chuck out any rubbish though


BB chucked in a whole tank of petrol though (250g of beans







)

Could it be possible that retained grounds came loose during transit (especially with the mignon's retention issues)


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## Kyle548

coffeechap said:


> Shall I leave the residue in the la cimbali then?


It's up to you.

I'd like you to do it to the extent that you do everything else you sell, but as long as it's clean, a little fresh oil in the burrs isn't going to hurt me.

I think a coffee chap grinder and an ex-demo model from a big company are two totally different pour over kettles though.

I always thought that one of your things is that you breathe new life into sometimes less than serviceable grinders.

Like buying a 60's beetle from a specialist garage rather than buying an ex-display Audi.


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## Gangstarrrrr

GS11 said:


> BB chucked in a whole tank of petrol though (250g of beans
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> Could it be possible that retained grounds came loose during transit (especially with the mignon's retention issues)


Point is there shouldn't have been any retained grounds. When I got my mignon from bubbajvegas it was spotless with no retained grounds to speak of and I will make sure it is the same if the time comes to sell it. It's a 10/15 min job.


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## coffeechap

Kyle548 said:


> It's up to you.
> 
> I'd like you to do it to the extent that you do everything else you sell, but as long as it's clean, a little fresh oil in the burrs isn't going to hurt me.
> 
> I think a coffee chap grinder and an ex-demo model from a big company are two totally different pour over kettles though.
> 
> I always thought that one of your things is that you breathe new life into sometimes less than serviceable grinders.
> 
> Like buying a 60's beetle from a specialist garage rather than buying an ex-display Audi.


It was said tongue in cheek, you can certainly expect the same spotless clean grinder as ever.


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## MWJB

jeebsy said:


> You'd give it a quick hoover inside and chuck out any rubbish though


Rubbish is erm, well, "rubbish", not an integral part of the MO of the device in question, of course I would be complaining if a used coffee grinder had empty crisp packets, greasy finger-printed road atlas with my destination page missing & soiled hankies in it.

"Boo hoo, hoo, hoo... my '33% off' coffee grinder has bits of coffee bean in it....", what would Chopper Read say?


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## bignorry

Well if I bought a used grinder from another forum member then I would expect it to be clean no ifs or buts.I bought my SJ from CC and it came sparkling.

If it was a machine would people accept shower screen or group covered in residue or a puck in portafilter?

I look forward to the next for sale post with optional "clean price".


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## xiuxiuejar

bignorry said:


> Well if I bought a used grinder from another forum member then I would expect it to be clean no ifs or buts.I bought my SJ from CC and it came sparkling.
> 
> If it was a machine would people accept shower screen or group covered in residue or a puck in portafilter?
> 
> I look forward to the next for sale post with optional "clean price".


Yes, but buying from Coffee Chap is like buying new. Also, if you ever have a problem, you know he'd be there to help you all the way.


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## jeebsy

GS11 said:


> BB chucked in a whole tank of petrol though (250g of beans
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Worse than red diesel going by the roast date!


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## GS11

jeebsy said:


> Worse than red diesel going by the roast date!


Using the used car analogy....When haggling over some extras with the dealer, I would hardly expect vehicle to be filled up with BP ultimate!

I think it's a nice touch that BB include free beans with their grinders and machines. I personally got on ok with the Milan Blend and another forum member on here enjoyed them too.

Even if you don't like the beans or turn your nose up at roasting dates, they can come in very useful for seasoning the burrs.


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## jeebsy

We could go on all night before exhausting the car analogies


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## Kyle548

GS11 said:


> Using the used car analogy....When haggling over some extras with the dealer, I would hardly expect vehicle to be filled up with BP ultimate!
> 
> I think it's a nice touch that BB include free beans with their grinders and machines. I personally got on ok with the Milan Blend and another forum member on here enjoyed them too.
> 
> Even if you don't like the beans or turn your nose up at roasting dates, they can come in very useful for seasoning the burrs.


Not to mention finding a rough dial-in point for espresso.

Never going to dial-in perfectly, but should get you into the ball-park before you use any new beans.....


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## GS11

jeebsy said:


> We could go on all night before *exhausting* the car analogies


Very droll jeesby


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## MWJB

jeebsy said:


> We could go on all night before exhausting the car analogies


I dunno, I think there's plenty more mileage in it yet...


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## Mrboots2u

MWJB said:


> I dunno, I think there's plenty more mileage in it yet...


Let me be the first to say . Boooooooooooooo

Let's put a break on these car jokes , they never really got out of first gear anyway.....


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## michaelg

Stalled it there, Boots!


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## urbanbumpkin

Free wheeling Boots!

I did wonder where you sat on this debate, any indication?...neutral?

Thats me out...no spare


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## Kyle548

urbanbumpkin said:


> Free wheeling Boots!
> 
> I did wonder where you sat on this debate, any indication?...neutral?
> 
> Thats me out...no spare


This did go flat quite a while ago.


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## urbanbumpkin

I'm crushed!!!!!


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## Kyle548

urbanbumpkin said:


> I'm crushed!!!!!


Like your new avatar.


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## urbanbumpkin

Ha ha ha, it's still going for the weekend then it will be off to the compost heap!


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## joffy

Just like to add that although I was surprised it hadn't been cleaned at all and missing a non-vital screw, I'm not complaining. It was delivered next day and is working ok and would be happy to use Bella Barista again.


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## urbanbumpkin

joffy said:


> Just like to add that although I was surprised it hadn't been cleaned at all and missing a non-vital screw, I'm not complaining. It was delivered next day and is working ok and would be happy to use Bella Barista again.


Ive only ever had a great service from Bella Barista. The grinder I bought from them has a 2 yrs warranty. They swapped over over a cracked hopper without any quibbles, fantastic service. Great to meet them on forum day.


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## jeebsy

Service was great when I used them too which is why this is all the more surprising.


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## joffy

I just gave the grinder a clean, and the black cover thing inside the hopper fell off. There's dried glue on two of the corners. Has it been repaired or is it manufactured like this?


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## 4085

Got to say folks, that if I ever sell a grinder, I always tell people that I will not be cleaning it, other than the bits you can reach with a damp rag. All my gear is relatively new anyway, but I am not a tinkerer so things always go wrong, and just end up causing me a larger problem in the long run!


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## glevum

No it has not been repaired. Same 2 glue spots on mine


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## joffy

glevum said:


> No it has not been repaired. Same 2 glue spots on mine


That's good to know, was worried I been sold a dud. Guess it's no problem having it loose, easier to clean.


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## 4085

Am hoping for my small Sage Grinder to turn up in the next couple of days. I will be trying it out directly against the Mignon, as I think that is quite fair. Everyone knows I am a big Mignon fan, but I also think it could do with some competition for new machines.


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## GS11

joffy said:


> That's good to know, was worried I been sold a dud. Guess it's no problem having it loose, easier to clean.


I removed it all together for single dosing


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