# Grinder advice sought



## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

Hi

I'm looking for some grinder advice - hopefully some of you might be able to help me.

I've had a KitchenAid Artisan espresso machine and grinder for a few years. I also make coffee with an Aeropress, a Hario V60 and french press. The espresso machine has just died and I've replaced it with a Rancilio Silvia, which I'm starting to get to grips with. However, my KitchenAid grinder is not up to the job - it's stepped and on the finest setting gives 10 second extractions. Luckily I recently bought a Porlex which works perfectly, but I don't really have time in the mornings to hand grind and then make a shot, so I need a new powered machine.

The challenge I'm facing is that I need to be able to switch quickly between grinds for the different ways I brew. I'd prefer not to spend more than £250, but might be able to stretch to £300 or thereabouts. I've come up with the following potential machines (none of which I've seen in the flesh):

1 - Iberital MC2. Pros - cheap yet apparently good. Cons - not suited to switching between the different ways I make coffee, so I'd have to keep hold of my current grinder too, which I don't really have room for.

2 - Rancilio Rocky doserless. Pros - good reputation, seems really solidly built, easy to switch grinds. Cons - some reviews suggest the steps may not always be close enough to hit the desired extraction time for espresso, and grind retention / static issues.

3. Mahlkoenig Vario. Pros - enough steps to get good espresso, fast to switch grinds. Cons - seems over-engineered and a bit plasticky for the money, more expensive than I'd prefer, various online reports of static issues, and reliability, some comments that coarse grinds are too fine for french press.

Are there any other machines in my price range that meet my needs that I should be considering?

Does anyone have experience of both the Rocky and Vario with a Silvia?

Are the Vario reliability issues improved (I noticed a lot of critical posts online date from 2009, so maybe early production run issues that are now resolved?)

Any advice or suggestions much appreciated.


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## Spukey (Nov 4, 2012)

I am new to this too as such cannot offer much advice.

However from my research so far i have decided to look at the second hand market so you get a better grinder for your money. Commercial grinders appears to be the best option for quality of grind and ease of use in the £300 market.

Thats what i am doing anyway!


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## IanP (Aug 4, 2011)

drude said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm looking for some grinder advice - hopefully some of you might be able to help me.
> 
> ...


Hi Drude,

I had a Silvia for well over 2yrs and started with a Rocky doserless - sold them on last month.

The Rocky served me well and was indestructible. Easily switched from fine through medium to coarse grind, just kept the motor running while going back to fine from coarse. Some serious clumping at times, but some great espresso too. Found more latterly that the ideal grind appeared to be between notches........

Upgraded to a second hand earlier Vario from a forum member. Immediately noticed how plasticky it felt in places but was pleasantly surprised by the lack of clumping and the neat pyramid of grinds it dispensed into the pf. Timer is really handy and a reasonably consistent and accurate weight is dispensed once the grind and time have been set for a particular batch of beans. Micro slider on Vario gives more flexibility in dialling in than Rocky. Altered the setting to really coarse last week for emergency cafetiere for unexpected guests. Bad move! I had to do the whole reset with the hex key (Allen key) and then dial in again. Took quite a few doses before it settled back down properly.

The usual rule seems to apply that you get what you pay for, up to a point.

Broadly, I found the Rocky coped best with a wide variety of grinds but lacked enough subtlety of adjustment for espresso. Vario was much more flexible in espresso but mine couldn't cope with gross adjustment for cafetiere. Ideal world solution would be a wallet busting pair of grinders best suited to each purpose.......?

Don't know how others might have found these two? This is purely my personal observation from my own experience with them. If there were a perfect grinder suitable for all purposes at under £300 then maybe we would all have one?!

Ian


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

As above. I don't believe at any price point there is a grinder suited to both espresso and brewed. The vario is the closest you can get but people have reported issues. An MC2 for espresso and Baratza Encore for brewed would be within the £300 budget. Or a small hand grinder for whichever would require less throughput.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. Some food for thought - maybe I should hang on to what I have for brewed and get something new just for espresso. Two grinders won't leave much room in my tiny corner of the kitchen, though.


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## Godders (Dec 29, 2012)

If you did hang on to your current grinder for brewed/aeropress and wanted a small grinder just for espresso then the Eureka Mignon would fit the bill rather well.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

mazzer mini, quite compact easy stepless adjustment between grind settings and much better grind consistency (IMHO) than any of the grinders you have mentioned thus far, Sell your kitchenaid on ebay you will get £90 - £100 for it. £300 will get you a fantastic used Mazzer mini or even a super jolly or other commercial grinder in the sj size range. Check out my thread on micro hoppers here

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?9546-Micro-hoppers&highlight=micro+hoppers

it will show you a mini with an ingenious little hopper that brings the profile right down. Anyway just some food for thought from someone who knows about grinders.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

Godders - do you have a Mignon? I've heard very good things about them. Are they easy to adjust?

Coffeechap - Mazzers look great in most respects, but I am pretty sure I want to avoid a doser model as I only tend to make one espresso a day, and the premium on the Mini E seems a lot for timer functionality I wouldn't need as I weigh out my shots. They do seem to have an impressive reputation though. Are the minis easy to adjust between different grind settings?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

FWIW I have a Vario and although it is a bit plasticy for the money I have no issues with it for espresso.

All advice I read is to avoid using it for 2 methods though, unless you are happy to waste a few grams of beans to facilitate changeover.

Do you drink a lot of coffee with the V60 and French Press? My advice would be to use a dedicated grinder for espresso and aeropress, and use the Porlex for the V60 and French Press. Maybe save the KitchenAid in a cupboard somewhere for when you need to do a big french press?


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

aaronb said:


> FWIW I have a Vario and although it is a bit plasticy for the money I have no issues with it for espresso.
> 
> All advice I read is to avoid using it for 2 methods though, unless you are happy to waste a few grams of beans to facilitate changeover.


Yep, totally agree..use the Vario as an espresso only grinder (or buy steel burrs to use as a brewing only grinder).

Do not use it to switch between the 2 (absolutely knackers the settings, makes it impossible to get reliable grinding).

In my opinion this alone makes it hard to recommend the Vario, because it doesn't perform well as designed! (i.e. a grinder for both)

But, this is probably its only weakness, and it makes up for it in practicality (no retention, very neat, good grind quality).

Providing you use it for one or the other, its a fantastic bit of kit


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

drude said:


> Godders - do you have a Mignon? I've heard very good things about them. Are they easy to adjust?
> 
> Coffeechap - Mazzers look great in most respects, but I am pretty sure I want to avoid a doser model as I only tend to make one espresso a day, and the premium on the Mini E seems a lot for timer functionality I wouldn't need as I weigh out my shots. They do seem to have an impressive reputation though. Are the minis easy to adjust between different grind settings?


I have a Mazzer SJ with a doser and I make one to two espresso a day. You only need to do a couple of very, very simple mods to minimize grind retention and you're set to go. Adjustment is very easy and it will last you a lifetime.


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## Godders (Dec 29, 2012)

drude said:


> Godders - do you have a Mignon? I've heard very good things about them. Are they easy to adjust?Coffeechap - Mazzers look great in most respects, but I am pretty sure I want to avoid a doser model as I only tend to make one espresso a day, and the premium on the Mini E seems a lot for timer functionality I wouldn't need as I weigh out my shots. They do seem to have an impressive reputation though. Are the minis easy to adjust between different grind settings?


Yes, I've found it excellent although bear in mind I don't have experience with many other grinders. Grind adjustment is very easy and it allows for very fine adjustment. Negatives are it retains a gram or so of grinds and the grind can be a bit clumpy (particularly when new). These are common issues with grinders at this price point though and very easily overcome. No doubt a used commercial grinder is a good option (and probably what I would have gone for if I was single!) but if size and looks are important then I think the Mignon is brilliant. The timer is handy as well.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

I just don't have the room for a used commercial grinder, particularly if I end up keeping the KitchenAid for easy grind changes as well. I doubt I'd be very popular if I came home with a big Mazzer, for example.

On that basis, the Mignon is looking like the most promising machine so far. Thanks for all the suggestions.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Vario gets my vote. It is a proper nice bit of kit. You realise as soon as your run your first few beans through it that it's great quality and well worth the money.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

But the Vario is £100 more than a Mignon. And for what exactly? I know plastic is expensive these days!


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Id go Vario over Mignon if brewed/filter/pourover coffee was desired.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Id go Vario over Mignon if brewed/filter/pourover coffee was desired.


Even with the setting issues previously described? Will be interesting to see the results in the grind off of these two side by side, my personal preference if you are keeping the kitchenaid for courser grinds is the eureka ( perhaps I am biased due to owning a bigger relative)


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

If its a straight A versus B , then I wouldnt want a Mignon for brewed coffee.

Edit - I dgo for a Mazzer over either for straight espresso and get a decent hand-grinder for Brewed


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

I don't think any of the mentioned grinders are perfect..

The Vario certainly isn't, but for the money i'd take it over an SJ or a Mini (or a Minger..)

I think there is definitely room in the market for something better (for the home).


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

plastic vs metal, grinder that will last a while or grinder that will last forever, the minger is so much better than the plastio and the sj knocks it out of the park, down the street, up to the tip and into a skip where it will end up..


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Haha







whatever works for you mate..

Vario suits me is all I'm saying, I'm not knocking the others..


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