# Feld 47 Travel Review and Direct MBK Experience



## The Asgard

I have been looking for a grinder for the last 6 months to allow me to make great coffee away from home. My home setup is a Rocket R58 and Mazzer Royal which is a beast of a grinder and produces fantastic consistent coffee. When its just me and I don't feel like waiting for the Rocket I fall back to my Aeropress which again makes fantastic coffee.

Three grinders were on the radar KInu M47, Comandante C40 and Feld 47. The Kinu was at the top of the list but couldn't justify the cost new or 2nd hand (£230+). The C40 looked a good option but I was looking for something that was well engineered. The C40 looked a bit plasticky to be honest. The Feld 47 looked perfect but there were many comments online which talked about poor customer service and issues with burr wobble. Obviously, a combination of the two problems would be a nightmare if I happened to get a duff one. Didn't seem to be much online about the Feld 47 &#8230;.

Any way long story short I decided to take a punt and order a Feld 47 Travel direct from the MBK website. It looked well engineered and I was supporting a small UK Business.

Ordered on the Sunday night got a sales confirmation immediately, website was a bit flaky with a blank page after ordering. Didn't receive any more info by Wednesday so I dropped Peter an email. Within 15 minutes I received a dispatch confirmation and I received it Thursday the next day.

The Feld47 was packed nicely and came in a lovely Knock tube. Taking it out of the tube I was presented with a beautifully engineered product, oozes quality. Nice weight, very, very impressed. No burr wobble and produces grinded coffee equivalent to the Royal.

Initially I had it set to 1.2 and that produced coffee like talc, perfect for Turkish. Adjusted to 2.3 and that was about right now for the Aeropress, still dialling it in. It takes about a minute to leisurely grind 18 grams of coffee which I didn't think was bad. Grinding is a lovely smooth action however the grinder is heavy so resting it on your leg is the comfortable option. It will grind any type of coffee with ease. Easy to setup and dial in.

So all in all I am VERY pleased with the Feld 47. Ordering was painless and it didn't take very long for delivery. The Feld 47 exceeded all my expectations and then sum. I would highly recommend the Feld 47 to anyone.


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## The Asgard

Just a little update. I have been using the Feld47 daily and had zero issues. Managed to dial the grind in for the aeropress and 2.1 seems to produce a nice sweet cup of coffee. Really impressed with the consistent grind quality and speed. Lovely smooth action and easy to adjust Lovely piece of engineering, glad I took the punt.

My recipe which works well for me for those that are interested.

invert the Aeropress using the Aerodisk.

20 grams @ 2.1
92'c water temp
60 second bloom
Fill to top and at 2:30 start to press which should take you to 3 mins.


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## matted

Good to hear.

As a comparison my feldgrind2 take approx the same for a similar grind. So it sounds like the 47 is a good buy.


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## Stevebee

I've got both, picked up the Feld 47 direct from Peter at last years London Coffee Festival. Only use the 47 now.

Excellent grind quality and very consistent re the settings. I prefer the feel in the hand as well. I think the burr wobble you mentioned was on some of the aergrind as they are push/ friction fit whereas the Felds are with a grub screw.

Excellent build quality and when you factor in price... even better


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## The Asgard

Really enjoying the coffee from the grinder, seems sweeter than the Royal for some reason. The wifes even noriced the extra sweetness. Tweaked the grind setting back to 2.3 which seems to give the best results.


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## Skizz

I've been looking at the Feld 47 Travel for a while now as a replacement for my tired (but admirably long lived) Porlex Tall. While I was initially considering it for use only in Aeropress and pourover, I've just broken a promise to myself and picked up a used 2004 Gaggia Classic that I plan to mod the hell out of. That means I now need something that can produce a usably consistent espresso grind as well.

For brewing I need a manual grinder as I'm generally doing this before anyone else in the house is awake, and I really enjoy grinding manually (stop sniggering). I also don't have the budget for a usable single-dose electric machine at the moment.

Am I barking up entirely the wrong tree or can I realistically get away this for all uses?


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## Bagpu55

I have been using my Feld47 Travel for espresso daily for the last 3 weeks. Been no problems grinding takes a minute or so. It does have its limits fine tuning it but around setting 1.10/1.105 seems to hit the 25/30 second mark. Im no pro but they have all been drinkable with sweetness, tried espresso americano and lattes on my classic. My main issue is the classics temperature varies alot so I think I will order the PID kit, otherwise pour times can vary by 5 seconds depending on when I hit the brew switch. I have only just started using it for my aeropress at 2.1. All in all does the job but this is my first lot of kit so I have nothing to compare it too. Bought a kilo of the RAVE signature beans so working my way through that.


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## Marcros

I am very tempted to get one of these as a stopgap whilst I wait for an hg-1 to come up secondhand. It means that I can start to use my machine rather than wait.


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## Skizz

Bagpu55 said:


> I have been using my Feld47 Travel for espresso daily for the last 3 weeks. Been no problems grinding takes a minute or so. It does have its limits fine tuning it but around setting 1.10/1.105 seems to hit the 25/30 second mark. Im no pro but they have all been drinkable with sweetness, tried espresso americano and lattes on my classic. My main issue is the classics temperature varies alot so I think I will order the PID kit, otherwise pour times can vary by 5 seconds depending on when I hit the brew switch. I have only just started using it for my aeropress at 2.1. All in all does the job but this is my first lot of kit so I have nothing to compare it too. Bought a kilo of the RAVE signature beans so working my way through that.


 Marvellous, thank you! Just bagged the last of two cosmetic 2nds they listed today so looking forward to breaking it in and squeezing some more flavour out of the beans. An electronic single dose machine is definitely on the cards when funds permit; maybe a Niche Zero. Either way, I desperately needed a replacement for the Porlex and I imagine it'll be a few weeks before I finish the Classic rebuild and mods so can't lose really... unless it's a duffer and I fall foul of MBKs occasionally craptastic after-sales. We'll see.


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## Bagpu55

Skizz said:


> Marvellous, thank you! Just bagged the last of two cosmetic 2nds they listed today so looking forward to breaking it in and squeezing some more flavour out of the beans. An electronic single dose machine is definitely on the cards when funds permit; maybe a Niche Zero. Either way, I desperately needed a replacement for the Porlex and I imagine it'll be a few weeks before I finish the Classic rebuild and mods so can't lose really... unless it's a duffer and I fall foul of MBKs occasionally craptastic after-sales. We'll see.


 Brill let us know what settings your using out of interest


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## Skizz

Bagpu55 said:


> Brill let us know what settings your using out of interest


 Will do


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## The Asgard

With regard to limits the Feld47 can do pretty much anything if your prepared to put the effort in. Large control range with very fine adjustments. When I first got mine I had the settings wrong and ended up with Turkish talc, took a while but managed to do it.

Its very easy to tweak the settings. If I was starting out again I would just buy one of these. If your not in a rush and don't mind some easy exercise you can't beat this for the price.


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## Slowpress

Stevebee said:


> I've got both, picked up the Feld 47 direct from Peter at last years London Coffee Festival. Only use the 47 now.
> 
> Excellent grind quality and very consistent re the settings. I prefer the feel in the hand as well. I think the burr wobble you mentioned was on some of the aergrind as they are push/ friction fit whereas the Felds are with a grub screw.
> 
> Excellent build quality and when you factor in price... even better


 It is a grinder I'll never part with, I like it that much. I find it works very well for espresso, too.

My Aergrind does have the noted grub screw, and absolutely no burr wobble. Same as feld burrs but smaller bean capacity.


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## Skizz

Just received mine in the post today.

Bit concerned by some slop at the inner burr: around 0.5-0.75mm when wound out by 2.1 revolutions. You can hear it clicking and can wiggle the top of the drive-shaft by a similar amount. Loose bearings or is this normal and nothing to worry about?

Other than that it seems quite nicely made, other than the slightly cheap looking graduations sticker on the top-cap. Would've been niceR if the graduations were laser etched but that would undoubtedly push the price up. The grounds cup is also slightly fiddly to fit, with it needing careful alignment to avoid jamming. I expect this will loosen up with use though so not overly concerned.


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## Bagpu55

Skizz said:


> Just received mine in the post today.
> 
> Bit concerned by some slop at the inner burr: around 0.5-0.75mm when wound out by 2.1 revolutions. You can hear it clicking and can wiggle the top of the drive-shaft by a similar amount. Loose bearings or is this normal and nothing to worry about?
> 
> Other than that it seems quite nicely made, other than the slightly cheap looking graduations sticker on the top-cap. Would've been niceR if the graduations were laser etched but that would undoubtedly push the price up. The grounds cup is also slightly fiddly to fit, with it needing careful alignment to avoid jamming. I expect this will loosen up with use though so not overly concerned.


 Will check mine and let you know. Was using it at 2.3 yesterday don't think there was any slop but will check.


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## Bagpu55

There is a tiny amount of play in mine but not much (sorry been trying to fit my PID, not good with cables).


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## Skizz

Okay, thanks for checking. There really shouldn't be any if the bearings and shaft are seated properly so mine's certainly not good enough. Have messaged Knock for a response.

Good luck with the PID. Got mine to do when I've sort all the other issues with my Classic


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## a_aa

I can also hear clicking if I try to wiggle the shaft, but I can't measure the play - it's too small ? Guess it's less then 0.1 mm.

There's very little info on how to check or maintain the Feld47. I can't give responsible advice on how to do it, unfortunately, but I can show and tell how irresponsible me actually do it:

1) Take off the handle and the bottom container. Hold the body so you can use a finger to press the inner burr into the outer burr, locking it. Screw the lid (which grips the nut) all the way out.

2) Lift the lid/nut up, and you can see the upper bearing, and an o-ring on the shaft just above it. The o-ring keeps the shaft form sliding down.

3) Push down on top of the shaft. There will be two resistance points, first when the o-ring passes through the upper bearing, and the when the o-ring takes the lower bearing out of its seat. Then the shaft with the inner burr, the spring, the lower bearing and the o-ring comes out in one piece.

4) Turn the body up side down (and maybe shake it a little) to get the upper bearing out.



























Inspection and cleaning is now pretty easy. ?

To reassemble, just do it in reversed order. Put a finger on the upper bearing when you push the shaft, to avoid the o-ring to lift up the bearing.

As far as I can tell, the only draw back with this method is extra wear on the o-ring when pushing it through the upper bearing. A worn out o-ring can give slippage (unintended gradually coarser setting as you grind), but it's not rocket science to take it off and put on a new (and a dozen 6x1,5mm o-ring would probably cost a pound and last a dozen years).


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## Skizz

a_aa said:


> As far as I can tell, the only draw back with this method is extra wear on the o-ring when pushing it through the upper bearing.


 You're not kidding about the lack of information on these grinders. They really should get some basic user guidance in the tube with them. There was a spare o-ring for the shaft in with mine along with the spare for the grounds cup, so I guess they expect it to be a wear item.

On the subject of burr float, I nipped over to Horsham Coffee Roaster this afternoon to grab some beans and Bradley and Dudley had a look at the grinder and decided it's a floating burr design that it would most likely stabilise when loaded and in action. The Commandante C40 (which they sell a lot of) is a similar design and does the same thing. True enough, when you pull the burr downwards as if it was grinding, the slop largely disappears.

I put 16g of their El Mirador through it (super boozy Costa Rican natural, yum!) at 2.1, and for a new set of burrs the grind was really quite consistent. Made for a delicious mid-afternoon Aeropress brew! Looking forward to seeing what it can do as the burrs settle in, particularly on espresso grinds when I've got the Classic up and running.


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## Bagpu55

Yes the lack of information is poor and surely something that he could easily resolve. Glad you had it checked over. The PID is fitted (prob 5 hours brew and steam). Really took my time as electrics not my strong point and wow best brew yet. Grinder seems fine for espresso and hits timings well. Just need some better beans next. 750g in to the kg bag of rave signature as my first go.


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## a_aa

a_aa said:


> To reassemble, just do it in reversed order. Put a finger on the upper bearing when you push the shaft, to avoid the o-ring to lift up the bearing.


 Just discovered that it's probably wise to put the upper bearing back in place with the same side up as it had when it came from the factory. No big deal, but I noticed my "zero" went from 12 (where I want it) to 11 after cleaning - after which I unscrewed and flipped the upper bearing, reassembled, and again the Feld47 "zeroed" at 12 

I guess this means that there can be small inconsistencies in the thickness and height of the inner and outer ring in the upper bearing. With shaft elevation of appr 0.75mm per turn, the difference between 11 and 12 can be explained by a tiny 0.06 mm difference when flipping the upper bearing. Keep the same side up always, and I doubt it will be an issue


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## Slowpress

Slowpress said:


> It is a grinder I'll never part with, I like it that much. I find it works very well for espresso, too.
> 
> My Aergrind does have the noted grub screw, and absolutely no burr wobble. Same as feld burrs but smaller bean capacity.


 N.B. I'd like to edit my previous comment: the new Feld 47 burrs are, of course, larger than the burrs in the Aergrind (38mm). (The old Feld had same size burrs as the Aergrind, but that is no longer the case.)


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## Stevebee

Slowpress said:


> N.B. I'd like to edit my previous comment: the new Feld 47 burrs are, of course, larger than the burrs in the Aergrind (38mm). (The old Feld had same size burrs as the Aergrind, but that is no longer the case.)


 The Feld still has 38mm burrs. It's the Feld 47, which unsurprisingly, has 47mm burrs. It's a squatter but wider shape also. I much prefer the 47 personally but maybe because it's newer!


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## Coffyisthecolour

Hi, just out of interest, what setting would you recommend on the Feld 47 for V60 pour-over. Just grappling with this at the moment!


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## a_aa

Coffyisthecolour said:


> Hi, just out of interest, what setting would you recommend on the Feld 47 for V60 pour-over. Just grappling with this at the moment!


 I'm not sure how kosher it is for one noob to give another noob advice? I started with the V60 a month ago (in frustration - I couldn't make a geisha coffee fly the way I wanted using my AeroPress, so I decided to get a new tool in the cupboard...). So far I've realized that pouring regime, stirring/swirling/tapping, water temperature, batch size and the beans properties influences what's the optimal grinding setting. An advice on grind setting could give you a good clue on where to start to find your own optimal setting, it's not the final answer - and your optimal setting can be coarser or finer, depending on how you do your stuff ? Three and a half turn on the Feld47 (3:6) seems to give a grind size comparable to pre-ground coffee for filter machines, usually designed to make a something like 1000 grams of coffee in 5-7 minutes - so 3:6 can probably be thought of as a coarse outlier value for normal brewing with the V60.

I'm sitting her now with a very good Saturday morning coffee. The Feld47 was set to 2:11, and I ground 18 grams of lightly roasted (3 days ago) Finca Tamana Caturra & Variedad Colombia, 300 grams of water straight of the boil added in 5 pours (bloom + 4) with stirring in the bloom and a very light swirl after the last pour. Brew time 3:45 incl bloom. Recommended ?

Btw: The Feld47 grinds noticeably finer than my Aergrind (v1) at the same setting. Kind of surprising, since the thread pitch on the shafts are identical.


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## Coffyisthecolour

a_aa said:


> I'm not sure how kosher it is for one noob to give another noob advice? I started with the V60 a month ago (in frustration - I couldn't make a geisha coffee fly the way I wanted using my AeroPress, so I decided to get a new tool in the cupboard...). So far I've realized that pouring regime, stirring/swirling/tapping, water temperature, batch size and the beans properties influences what's the optimal grinding setting. An advice on grind setting could give you a good clue on where to start to find your own optimal setting, it's not the final answer - and your optimal setting can be coarser or finer, depending on how you do your stuff ? Three and a half turn on the Feld47 (3:6) seems to give a grind size comparable to pre-ground coffee for filter machines, usually designed to make a something like 1000 grams of coffee in 5-7 minutes - so 3:6 can probably be thought of as a coarse outlier value for normal brewing with the V60.
> 
> I'm sitting her now with a very good Saturday morning coffee. The Feld47 was set to 2:11, and I ground 18 grams of lightly roasted (3 days ago) Finca Tamana Caturra & Variedad Colombia, 300 grams of water straight of the boil added in 5 pours (bloom + 4) with stirring in the bloom and a very light swirl after the last pour. Brew time 3:45 incl bloom. Recommended ?
> 
> Btw: The Feld47 grinds noticeably finer than my Aergrind (v1) at the same setting. Kind of surprising, since the thread pitch on the shafts are identical.


 Thanks very much Green Bean. I'm using the James Hoffman V60 method, with Hoffman's Rotuto beans from East Timor, so overall extraction of 3.30 for 250g water in three pours (30g x 45s bloom, then top up to 150g by 1m.15s and then final slower pour up to 250g by 1m.45s and let it draw down). I'm still experimenting with the grind size, but have found coarser medium grinds are giving me quite a sour outcome (but I'm not experienced enough to know whether that's just the character of the beans - it does say they are quite citrusy, or my poor execution of the method!) I'm just about to try a finer ground and see if that helps - going as low as 3:1 on the Feld 47 - This could be too coarse though.

Previously I tried Red Brick espresso beans (deliciously sweet) and another delivery from in my mug - I forget the exact beans, but I think they were Guatemalan - again quite citrusy. I'll let you know how I get on!


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## Coffyisthecolour

Coffyisthecolour said:


> going as low as 3:1 on the Feld 47


 Sorry I meant as fine as 2:1, not 3:1! ?


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## Coffyisthecolour

So the result is 2:1 seems better for this bean (the East Timor Rotuto) - not as sour as before, but still fruity and not bitter. Initially with the other beans I had been using 3:6 and that's where I started from with this one.


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## Coffyisthecolour

Coffyisthecolour said:


> I had been using 3:6


 2:6, not 3:6 - sorry, I'm not very good at this!


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## a_aa

@Coffyisthecolour: 2:1 is really fine, I see people use 1:10 as a espresso setting - but your taste buds are the high court judges ?

I also went finer with the Geisha I mentioned, it was tricky to turn the acidity from an almost chemical sharpness into something that resembled fresh lemon or tangerine - and at 2:7 my total brew time increased to almost 5 minutes, so I expected it to be overextracted - but the cup was a good one ? With the new beans, I'm happy to be on standard 3ish minutes, and so are my taste buds.


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## Coffyisthecolour

Just tried 500g water on the 2:1 setting and it was overextracted - definitely needs to be coarser next time!


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## Bagpu55

Whilst I remember my espresso has be quite settled around 1:9.5 to 1:10.5 range. aeropress 2.3 but not massively happy with it more a recipe problem I think. French press made a really nice one around 2.10 but brewed for about 10 mins. Think I could go coarser a bit 65grams a litre.


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## a_aa

Coffyisthecolour said:


> Just tried 500g water on the 2:1 setting and it was overextracted - definitely needs to be coarser next time!


 I did 500 grams of water with 31 grams of coffee this morning, changed to Hoffman method and gave 2:9 a go. Total brew time 3:40! Hoffman method speed things up, apparently - shorter time on a larger batch with finer ground... I still got lots to learn about V60!

It's difficult to compare this mornings coffee with the memory of yesterdays coffee, but the taste seems a little less clear and sparkling - a notch towards AeroPress style (and nothing wrong with that!). But I guess taste effects from V60 pouring regimes must be considered OT in this thread, so I'll leave it.


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## Skizz

I'm at 2.0-2.1 on Aeropress at the moment, with some Costa Rican El Mirador (natural), 85deg water, 15sec mash/bloom, 20 sec pour and stir, flip and plunge from 1.30 until 2.00. Seems to be working. Was trying 2.2-2.4 and while it was a clearer brew it was a bit too bright/acidic.

As for V60 and the same beans, I'm down to 1.9-2.0 with James Hoffman's method and it keeps coming out like a bad cafetiere brew: harsh and slightly acrid, definite metallic tinge. Needs more work.

While I'm seeing significantly less fines/mud at the bottom of Aeropress pucks, it's still more than I'd anticipated. Will be interesting to see how things work out when my Classic's up and running. I do wonder if that minimal slop (less when loaded but still some there) is the cause of the fines.

And regarding those concerns about slop at the inner burr, I've still had no response from MBK after nearly two weeks. I'm reasonably happy with the grinder but would have expected some response by now. Don't think I'd give them my money again if they've that little regard for their customers once the money's in their account.


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## a_aa

Skizz said:


> As for V60 and the same beans, I'm down to 1.9-2.0 with James Hoffman's method and it keeps coming out like a bad cafetiere brew: harsh and slightly acrid, definite metallic tinge. Needs more work.
> 
> While I'm seeing significantly less fines/mud at the bottom of Aeropress pucks, it's still more than I'd anticipated. Will be interesting to see how things work out when my Classic's up and running. I do wonder if that minimal slop (less when loaded but still some there) is the cause of the fines.


 Here's 31 grams of Kenya Tinganga, after 500 grams of water have been poured over it:









Yep - there's fines on the sides when I set the grinder to 2:7 ? Much less than my Aergrind, but still definitely fines. No stalling, total brew as low as 3:45, anyway ?

I bought the Feld47 because I see a manual espresso maker (Robot, Flair, Aram, 9Barista?) in my future. I simply appreciate manual things. I still think the numbered but stepless setting method makes Feld47 a good choice if I want to use one grinder for several types of coffee makers. But I have read that some folks would keep a Comandante C40 for pour overs, and use the Feld 47 mainly for espresso - I do not have such high standards myself


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## lake_m

Just getting to grips with the Feld 47 for Aeropress. I'm still finding a bitter edginess that I don't like compared to the Feld Mk1. I put this down to the burrs still seasoning and not yet finding the ideal setting. I ran the Mk1 at average 1.10 but the 47 is currently at 2.10 and still moving coarser for the same beans. Yet to try espresso but that's because I work away from home and have no access to a machine.

In terms of the grinder itself, it's a big lump of a thing, quite heavy. Grinding doesn't seem to be any quicker compared to the Mk1. I don't like the fiddly lid, the catch cup is a pain to get back on, but other than that similar build quality i.e. very good. I don't have any burr wobble.

I'll report back in a couple of weeks...


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## Skizz

a_aa said:


> Yep - there's fines on the sides when I set the grinder to 2:7
> 
> I have read that some folks would keep a Comandante C40 for pour overs, and use the Feld 47 mainly for espresso - I do not have such high standards myself


 Without putting the grounds through a Kruve I think I'll just be content that things are as good as they can be for a manual conical burr at this price point. And possibly better than some at higher price points too according to reviews of some other grinders.

If you were doing it properly then you'd have a different grinder for each brew type and some really nice ones for the weekend. Anything else is just half arsed, right?

Finally got my Classic up and running today and started with 18g of Horsham Coffee Roaster 'Nova' blend at 1.5. It choked, completely. Pretty sure I over tamped it but didn't think I'd gone that hard. Got one drop out at 60 secs and gave up. Went to 1.8 with a lighter tamp and had 37 grams (overshot the mark), but at 1:30! Will try 1.9 tomorrow. Definitely going to need more beans.


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## Skizz

For reference, given that there are only three graduations between whole numbers on the Feld 47 I'm using 'revs/number/graduation' to denote setting, e.g. '1.9.1' = 1 full rev from closed, + number 9 on the dial, + 1st graduation between 9 and 10. To go finer still I'd say '1.9.05', meaning 1 full rev from closed, + 9 on the dial, + halfway between 9 and the first grad between 9 and ten. Does that makes sense to anyone else but me?

This morning's efforts:

Aeropress: 16g HCR 'El Mirador' (natural Costa Rican), 2.4 grind, water at 88C, 30 secs bloom/mash, fill to 10mm below cylinder top, stir and top on, rest 60 secs then flip, swirl to clear grounds from plunger and tap aP and jug to settle bed, leave 30 secs then plunge for 30 secs, ending at 2:30. Fuller, heavier fruit but not too acidic still with that gorgeous booziness coming through. Really very nice.

Espresso (PID'd Gaggia Classic): 18g HCR 'Nova', 1.9.1 on the Feld 47, into 18g VST basket in bottomless PF - tapped, levelled with wedge/chisel style tool, very light tamp = 40g out at 33 secs. Full bodied but a bit zingy, definite hit of cocoa but not sweet enough. Big improvement on earlier attempts but may tamp slightly harder to slow the shot for 1:2.


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## a_aa

Skizz said:


> For reference, given that there are only three graduations between whole numbers on the Feld 47 I'm using 'revs/number/graduation' to denote setting, e.g. '1.9.1' = 1 full rev from closed, + number 9 on the dial, + 1st graduation between 9 and 10. To go finer still I'd say '1.9.05', meaning 1 full rev from closed, + 9 on the dial, + halfway between 9 and the first grad between 9 and ten. Does that makes sense to anyone else but me?


 Makes sense to me - BUT I think of it in another way. The dial is a clock face, with 12 hours. In between hours are minutes, so in my (peculiar??) head, each graduation mark represents 20 minutes.

When you write '1.9.1', that turns up as "1:9:20" in my head, and '1.9.05' would be "1:9:10". And "1:9:59" would be very very close to "1:10". As long as I use this annotation to remember my own settings, this is working very well - but I fear it may end up as bad coffee if I advice others on those setting without explanation.

Maybe something like *1r9h30m* could be more self-explanatory? With abbreviations for *r*evolutions, *h*ours and *m*inutes instead of a typographical symbol to separate the numbers? (To go totally nerd, you could follow up with " [email protected]" - anyone who gets that one, will have to be very interested in extremely accurate grinder settings...)


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## Skizz

And I thought I was a fussy, overly particularly sort (I really am). Good on you for embracing it! ?

I think you've identified the key factor though: we need to be able to understand our own notes for the sake of repeatability and adjustment. As for anyone else getting it... well, that's all part of the fun I guess. I do understand they way you're approaching it though so that'll be helpful for sharing/comparing settings and results with others using this grinder.


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## Slowpress

I reference my settings similar to you @Skizz.

I do find this grinder shines in producing a very sweet espresso when dialled in at just under a full revolution from zero. (for example, I am set at 11.2.0.) Such a fine setting does require a very light tamp, and a controlled preinfusion. It does not choke if the tamp is light, and the result is a much sweeter, fuller textured shot.


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## a_aa

*COMRADES*! Don't forget! Remember *REVOLUTION*!















A 12 mm wide Dymo-label near the upper rim of the catch cup can be a way to remind yourself how many revolutions you had on the setting when you finished your previous cup. Rotate the cup until the handle serves as a pointer to the number you need next time you pick up the grinder  Had enough of zeroing it and start from scratch because of my bad memory...

I used a inexpensive standard label printer at work, but if you have one you can connect to a computer and get more fonts available, I think "Century Gothic" is the one MDK have used.


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## Skizz

@a_aa Genius!


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## Slowpress

Great idea, @a_aa!


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## Skizz

Some of this is rehashing stuff already discussed but here's a warts-'n-all review of the MBK 'Feld 47 Travel' after just under a month's use. Sorry if it goes on a bit but I'm short on work, housebound and suffering from cabin fever. It was either write this or set fire to something ?

*The good*



*Versatility & quality of grind:* produces consistently usable grinds for espresso, Aeropress and pour-over (V60)


*Consistency & repeatability:* changing between grind settings is quick and consistent, with 2.1-2.4 for Aeropress (depending on the bean) delivering the goods each time regardless of where in the range I've been experimenting with espresso


*Grind feel:* pleasingly crisp when grinding, i.e. it cuts rather than crushes, if that makes sense?


*Price:* £144 all-in for a 'cosmetic 2nd' with no discernible cosmetic imperfections looks like reasonable value against its competitors. Regular (unmarked) versions currently selling at £168.00 GBP including VAT and UK shipping


*The not so good*



*Fit & finish:* although the grinder is pleasingly weighty and solid feeling, the poorly printed graduation-marking sticker on the lid looks cheap and the grinding-arm has some hard edges that are bloody uncomfortable if they catch your fingers when adjusting the grind setting. While the lid markings are undoubtedly a cost driven decision they could certainly be printed to a higher standard, and the hard edges on the arm really should be eased


*Grinding grip*: is too small for me and not particularly comfortable to hold, especially when grinding >20g for espresso. I recognise this point is subjective and it may be fine for others but I'd much rather it had a larger wooden grip (future project)


*Grounds cup:* is a pain in the arse on a number of fronts:

Annoyingly and consistently fiddly to fit, and worryingly easy to jam


Super staticky and doesn't like letting go of the grounds - you really need a pastry brush to get them all out each time


Has hard corners and a seam around the base internally that grounds just love to get stuck in


It's black inside, so difficult to see whether there are still grounds left in there. Hint: there probably are.



*User guidance/information:* there isn't any from the manufacturer so look elsewhere for support; on this thread for example


*The uncertain*



*Value:* is it better than a Porlex? Yes, absolutely. Is it better than a C40? No idea, never tried one. Does it offer good value overall? Hard to say. There's quite a bit I like about it but an equal number of things that would make me reluctant to recommend it to someone who was considering it against a C40, 1Zpresso, Kinu or other premium manual grinder. I'm still not convinced that I wouldn't have been better spending a few more quid and trying the 1Zpresso; maybe I'll pick one up some day and do a comparison, but there's a Niche Zero above that on the list, and then a Mara X, and then a Vesuvias, and...


*The bad*



*Poor (read 'absent') customer service:* I contacted them the day I received my grinder with a perfectly genuine and reasonable query, which they've yet to even acknowledge, let alone answer. I'd normally give a retailer the benefit of the doubt and try again but my experience is far from unique and there are too many examples of other MBK customers with similar experiences. Regardless of the potential value offered by these grinders or how passionate the people running the business are, you have to ask yourself if you want to give your money to them when they seem to have no interest in their customers beyond the initial sale.


Would I buy another one, or any other product from MBK? Probably not, and that's largely due to the complete lack of after-sales support. That's a real shame, as I can find workarounds for most of the other stuff, especially when the results of the grinder are so consistently usable.

I've spent far more money on specialist gear from other small/boutique manufacturers who actively seek out customer feedback and work to resolve issues quickly when they arise. Conversely, MBK seem to believe that so long as people keep ordering their products they're getting the nod to carry on as is. It would be unfair to not raise this when reviewing one of their products.

None of that's going to stop me having at go at a @joey24dirt style handle for it though ?


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## a_aa

I've had a blade grinder for 7 years, a Porlex Mini for 5 years, an Aergrind (v1) for 2 years and a Feld47 for 2 months, and I definitely feel it has been a step up every time a new grinder arrived ?

But there has also been some unexpected draw backs. When the Aergrind arrived, it made the Porlex feel almost like a toy, but I liked the grounds cup better on the Porlex. Soft corners and stainless steel (conductive surface = low static) made it very easy to get the coffee out, and the fit on the body was perfectly snug. The fit was a tad tighter on the Aergrind, and hard corners and static (anodised surface is not conductive) made the coffee cling to the cup - at least until I learned to put a small amount of water in with the beans to increase conductivity and get rid of static charges. That helped a lot ?The other thing I didn't like about the Aergrind, was the plastic lid with "etched" graduation marks - this looked very cheap, as mentioned in numerous reviews at the time. And when v2 of the Aergrind was launched, the plastic lid was replaced by a metal lid, with the graduation marks on a sticker. Putting them on a sticker was probably a question of cost, but I also suspect it to be a question of simplifying design - it eliminated the need of shims underneath the upper bearing to get the zero calibrated correctly to the "etched" graduation marks. Set the grinder to zero, and then put the sticker on just right 

Before I ordered the Feld47 (I included a metal lid for my Aergrind in the order, btw), I've read complaints about the grounds cup being to loose - unless your hand gripped both the grounds cup and the grinder body, there was a risk the cup and the ground coffee would end up on the floor in a mess. Since I had the Aergrind, I thought it would be fixable with a thicker o-ring, if it at all was a real problem. And no - "loose fit" was not a problem at all ... It's a very tight fit, and it doesn't seem to loosen up with time. However, time seems to help on my technique, fortunately  I find it helpful to put the cup on deliberately at an angle, until the rim reaches the o-ring, then straighten the angle while I'm pushing very lightly. I'm getting it right 9 out of 10 now, and improving!

Anyways, I think history shows that MBK are not immune to customer feedback, but they definitely do seem to have communication challenges. It seems MDK want the grinders to speak for themselves - but they don't, of course. The lack of user manuals, sporadic email responses etc are something they really should begin to care about. Their products deserve it, I think.


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## Skizz

a_aa said:


> ...static (anodised surface is not conductive) made the coffee cling to the cup - at least until I learned to put a small amount of water in with the beans to increase conductivity and get rid of static charges. That helped a lot ?


 How are you adding water to your beans? Spritzing with a spray bottle or dropping with a pipette? Considering trying this but unsure if it would cause the burrs to corrode


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## a_aa

I use the handle or a spoon, just transfer a small drop or two. Inspired by the Hoffman ?


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## Skizz

a_aa said:


> I use the handle or a spoon, just transfer a small drop or two. Inspired by the Hoffman ?


 Appreciate the tip, thanks. Doesn't seem to work for me though ?

Have tried loads of variations on that theme with differing amounts of time under the tap (the spoon, that is) and shaking the beans vs not shaking, asking them nicely not to cling after their hideous grindy death, etc. All to no avail. No matter what I try I still have to get busy with the pastry brush. Also, doesn't seem to matter if I'm grinding for espresso or Aeropress, it still sticks in the grounds cup like poo to a blanket. Ah well


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## a_aa

@Skizz Weird ?

Maybe ... If the air at your place has very low relative humidity, that could be an influence? If it rapidly absorbs the water without leaving traces to improve conductivity? But I'm guessing you're close to a sink when you're making coffee, so I would be surprised if the air there is desert-like. If the air is dry, some plants may be helpful as a natural remedy - but I cant promise it'll fix the static. Can be nice, anyway


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## Skizz

I did consider it may be related to humidity but pretty certain there's nothing too weird going on there. There's always the possibility that my technojinx is actually a by-product of some odd high static medical disorder? Maybe I'm a walking talking Van de Graaff generator? Would explain a lot


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## The Asgard

I have been using mine daily for about 10 months now and its performed fantastic, no issues. I tend to switch between Aero and V60 and get great results with both. Current setting on the V60 is 2.9.

The catch jar can be a pain but some silicon gel helps alot, mainly is down the the angle and I have pretty much cracked it now. Static is very bean dependant in my experience, some beans are worse than others. I tend to slow grind, tap the bottom a few times and then boil the water. Static is usually minimal this way.

Solid bit of kit, repeatable results let down by poor customer service. How not to run a compnay!


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## Summilux

I've been using mine for about 7 months at work and I'm very happy with it. Used to do Aeropress (floated around 2.4-2.7 for my recipe) and V60 (3.0 to 3.3), currently brewing with a Clever dripper and using anything between 3.0 and 3.6 (again, recipe dependant). I have a Comandante at home and they're very close, the Feld47 produces more fines but it doesn't detract from any of the brews.


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## Skizz

Similar experience here. Used since late Feb for 7-10 Aeropress brews (16g) and 5-6 shots (17g) a week and been very happy with the performance. Grinds are still consistent, adjustment remains accurate and cleaning is relatively straightforward once you know how. Issues with fit & finish and customer service remain but otherwise very happy. Static in the grounds cup also persists but easily fixed by bashing it with the same wooden pastry brush used for clearance and cleaning. Genuinely don't feel any need for a powered grinder, though that may change if I was pulling more shots.


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## Oldmanual

a_aa said:


> I've had a blade grinder for 7 years, a Porlex Mini for 5 years, an Aergrind (v1) for 2 years and a Feld47 for 2 months, and I definitely feel it has been a step up every time a new grinder arrived ?
> 
> But there has also been some unexpected draw backs. When the Aergrind arrived, it made the Porlex feel almost like a toy, but I liked the grounds cup better on the Porlex. Soft corners and stainless steel (conductive surface = low static) made it very easy to get the coffee out, and the fit on the body was perfectly snug. The fit was a tad tighter on the Aergrind, and hard corners and static (anodised surface is not conductive) made the coffee cling to the cup - at least until I learned to put a small amount of water in with the beans to increase conductivity and get rid of static charges. That helped a lot ?The other thing I didn't like about the Aergrind, was the plastic lid with "etched" graduation marks - this looked very cheap, as mentioned in numerous reviews at the time. And when v2 of the Aergrind was launched, the plastic lid was replaced by a metal lid, with the graduation marks on a sticker. Putting them on a sticker was probably a question of cost, but I also suspect it to be a question of simplifying design - it eliminated the need of shims underneath the upper bearing to get the zero calibrated correctly to the "etched" graduation marks. Set the grinder to zero, and then put the sticker on just right
> 
> Before I ordered the Feld47 (I included a metal lid for my Aergrind in the order, btw), I've read complaints about the grounds cup being to loose - unless your hand gripped both the grounds cup and the grinder body, there was a risk the cup and the ground coffee would end up on the floor in a mess. Since I had the Aergrind, I thought it would be fixable with a thicker o-ring, if it at all was a real problem. And no - "loose fit" was not a problem at all ... It's a very tight fit, and it doesn't seem to loosen up with time. However, time seems to help on my technique, fortunately  I find it helpful to put the cup on deliberately at an angle, until the rim reaches the o-ring, then straighten the angle while I'm pushing very lightly. I'm getting it right 9 out of 10 now, and improving!
> 
> Anyways, I think history shows that MBK are not immune to customer feedback, but they definitely do seem to have communication challenges. It seems MDK want the grinders to speak for themselves - but they don't, of course. The lack of user manuals, sporadic email responses etc are something they really should begin to care about. Their products deserve it, I think.


 Did you see much benefit in the Feld47 over the Aergrind? Ordered the Aergrind, but now wondering whether I should save up for the Feld47 instead. Grinding for clever dripper, just 20g at a time... Thanks!


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