# I came across this grinder video on you tube



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Now I could only think....really...no, you gotta be kidding me when I saw this.

[video=youtube;4nB-qSByDJY]


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## Hoffmonkey (Apr 28, 2014)

Brilliant, grind takes 30 seconds.

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Oh, and it takes about a minute to fiddle about filling it.

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Oh and another two minutes to get the grinds out.

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Happy with my porlex for hand grinding thanks!

Who would ever buy this grinder?!


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

31 turns to grind, team and ladle between glass / grinder and pf, hit it with a rubber hammer and shake three times, peel off a split circle of plastic from the top of the grinder

Is it me or would a removable cup underneath be a better solution ?


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Why? Is that fast for hand grinder?


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

I was complete bored stiff by the time he'd finished "speed grinding" and didn't wait for the output to appear... <yawn></yawn>


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

He did go on a bit and it was an ordeal to watch to the end


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I only made it about 3 mins in.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Why so big!

13 lumps of steel


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## 7493 (May 29, 2014)

OK, the video is a bit turgid but I don't think 30 seconds to grind is too bad and I'm damn sure I could sort the transfer out a lot quicker than he did. It does demonstrate minimal retention and fast (for a hand grinder) grind. I'm trying to buy one!


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

They look a bit clumsy and clunky to me and the having to hit it with a rubber mallet is a deal breaker for me, I just don't want that degree of faffing about. It sorts of looks like a prototype someone has made for a university engineering project. I'm not disputing the grind quality just the sheer hassle of it.


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## TonyW (Jul 17, 2012)

I don't know, Charlie. Don't you think there are some days when we all need to hit something with a rubber mallet to make our lives complete?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

TonyW said:


> I don't know, Charlie. Don't you think there are some days when we all need to hit something with a rubber mallet to make our lives complete?


Yeah I agree let's start with architects


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

TonyW said:


> I don't know, Charlie. Don't you think there are some days when we all need to hit something with a rubber mallet to make our lives complete?


Yeah but my rubber mallet is much bigger than the one in the vid and would probably break a Pharos


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Hoffmonkey said:


> Happy with my porlex for hand grinding thanks!
> 
> Who would ever buy this grinder?!


How many turns does grinding 18g for espresso take with the Porlex? (I've got one, it doesn't fill itself either.)

The Pharos was the most cost effective route to large conical burrs, sadly OE have decided to cease production, the few that appear on the site are snapped up very quickly. OE pretty much changed the landscape regarding quality, modern hand grinders.


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Although I can't argue with the quality statements, it does seem a very drawn out process from start to finish.

I'd rather use a grinder that takes a little longer to do the actual grinding but is far quicker loading and unloading.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

spune said:


> Although I can't argue with the quality statements, it does seem a very drawn out process from start to finish.
> 
> I'd rather use a grinder that takes a little longer to do the actual grinding but is far quicker loading and unloading.


I agree, the grind time seemed fine, so a bit longer wouldn't have been a problem, it was the complete faf to get the ground coffee in/out, that would have me loosing the will to live. I would have thought that they could have had a slightly better design with repsect to coffee removal.


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Love the gay anthem favourites playing in the background!

Gotta say though, jeez what a faff for one portion of ground coffee

That's just about the best advert for PG tips made in the cup I have ever seen


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

With apologies for the poor video quality, presence of my hobbit feet (holding camera phone in left hand and grinding with right made feet necessary!) and lack of intelligent (pretentious?) commentary.











Edit:

16g into 29g - grinding was very little effort - Hasbean Guatemala Finca San Sebastian Washed Bourbon - even less effort required with a darker roast.

16.02 grams into grinder 16.25 out (some retention but no need for poncey hammer.

Grinder is not perfect but definitely not as onerous as the first video suggests! Pour on this shot was below average but tasted great.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

video fail on these I think


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Of epic proportion!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Privacy settings are maxed out


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

Do the links not work or do you just mean the poor camera-work/lighting? If it's the links I'll edit the privacy settings on youtube.

Edit: videos should work now - never posted a video before :-S


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

They say private!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I thought you'd be a lot older


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> I thought you'd be a lot older


Interesting - on the basis that I'm useless with technology??


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

A username from Milton and your general demeanour - very level headed


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Frodo!!

For me, it still does not cut it, your holding a grinder down with your feet.

What is the need for such a large footprint?


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

Ah, I did an Mst last year in C16th/17th lit at Oxford (hence the Milton) - undoubted highlight was dropping in on CoffeeChap the day I handed in my dissertation!


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

froggystyle said:


> Frodo!!
> 
> For me, it still does not cut it, your holding a grinder down with your feet.
> 
> What is the need for such a large footprint?


Very punny! It's definitely not for everyone - though obviously you only need the feet if you're holding a camera at the same time as you're trying to grind.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Nimble Motionists said:


> Ah, I did an Mst last year in C16th/17th lit at Oxford (hence the Milton) - undoubted highlight was dropping in on CoffeeChap the day I handed in my dissertation!


That explains your excellent command of the English language too


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Oh my goodness! I just watched that video all the way through. Torture, both his delivery and the music! I only kept watching because I wanted to see the rubber mallet bit. Unfortunately by then Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder had kicked in and that, in total contrast to the rest of the soundtrack, is a classic tune. I don't think I have the patience for a grinder like that however well it grinds. Mazzer ftw.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Love the irony of a video that is meant to show how fast the OE Pharos grinds is actually mind numbingly boring, and making it look even more of an ordeal than it actually is.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

froggystyle said:


> ....What is the need for such a large footprint?


Believe it was designed to be held between your thighs when sitting - think cowboy on log next to campfire grinding beans.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Obnic said:


> Believe it was designed to be held between your thighs when sitting - think cowboy on log next to campfire grinding beans.


Would probably be arrested if he did that in public nowadays.


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## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

I've had my Pharos for 18 months, used everyday. The upgrade from a Mazzer was far more noticeable in the cup than when I upgraded from a Rocky to the Mazzer. The Pharosis an utterly brilliant grinder for the money and is totally practical and very fast. I would need to spend vast amounts of money to get a noticeable improvement in grind quality.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

NickR said:


> I've had my Pharos for 18 months, used everyday. The upgrade from a Mazzer was far more noticeable in the cup than when I upgraded from a Rocky to the Mazzer. The Pharosis an utterly brilliant grinder for the money and is totally practical and very fast. I would need to spend vast amounts of money to get a noticeable improvement in grind quality.


Each to their own, you like it, no-one is disputing the grind quality just the whole faff of the process, I believe there are mods (Voodoo Daddy is the name I remember in relation this, like Terranova is for Versalabs), but that ramps the cost up to around £500 mark new which is over the top and would attract a nasty surprise from HMRC as well.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Charliej said:


> Each to their own, you like it, no-one is disputing the grind quality just the whole faff of the process, I believe there are mods (Voodoo Daddy is the name I remember in relation this, like Terranova is for Versalabs), but that ramps the cost up to around £500 mark new which is over the top...


Out of interest Charlie, what does a 68mm conical burr grinder typically cost, in comparison to either the $245 (& VAT, duty & delivery) Pharos, or even the VoodooDaddy modded version? The burrs alone are, what, half the cost of the Pharos?


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

MWJB said:


> Out of interest Charlie, what does a 68mm conical burr grinder typically cost, in comparison to either the $245 (& VAT, duty & delivery) Pharos, or even the VoodooDaddy modded version? The burrs alone are, what, half the cost of the Pharos?


Not even half the cost that particular set is pretty cheap, and if you look around you can find a Brasilia/Rossi MC conical which uses the same burrs pretty cheaply,for around the same cost asa new Pharos, but at £500 there are a lot of used excellent grinders out there.

As I already said no arguments from me vis a vis the grind quality of the Pharos, just the sheer clunkiness and faff of using one and the fact that they're pretty fugly.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

You were quoting £93 plus carriage for those burrs last year, so about half what the Pharos costs inc. shipping, less VAT. Imagine what an even better bargain a used Pharos would be, now we're suddenly including used.

I can see the trade off working, clunkiness vs saving the best part of a grand for a new 68mm conical grinder.


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## NickR (Jul 1, 2011)

I will post a video sometime of how I use the Pharos. Faster than my Mazzer to actually have coffee in the basket ready to tamp.

The really crap thing about the Pharos is grind adjustment. It's enough to make you drink tea.


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## 7493 (May 29, 2014)

Would very much like to see that Nick. Does yours have the split collar or the earlier arrangement?


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

MWJB said:


> You were quoting £93 plus carriage for those burrs last year, so about half what the Pharos costs inc. shipping, less VAT. Imagine what an even better bargain a used Pharos would be, now we're suddenly including used.
> 
> I can see the trade off working, clunkiness vs saving the best part of a grand for a new 68mm conical grinder.


You pay your money and take your choice as previously stated FOR ME the faffing about is a deal breaker for espresso use. If I really really wanted those 68mm burrs in a grinder I would be hunting down the Brasilia/Rossi electric grinder that uses them. According to Coffeechap a used Pharos is generally priced starting at £200, and if it is true they have been discontinued with no replacement forthcoming that price will most likely rise


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