# Favourite grinder



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

We all have our favourites! If you had a budget of say £700 to spend, what would you spend it on and why? This has to be your only grinder by the way. Yes, I am thinking of upgrading mine, but am unsure if I need to, or to what, hence the question


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

hmm recently had this dilemma..

I went with a Mahlkonig Vario.

I feel that it is the best compromise of grind quality/price/practicality (for the home).

After using it for a couple of weeks (and had up to £700 to spend) I would choose the Vario again! (for £350)

If I was looking for a commercial grinder, probably a K10, Anfim Super Caimano, or a secondhand Robur.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

£700 isn't enough to buy a really decent grinder. I'd probably be interested in a Mazzer Major E (with dosing funnel) or a Compak K8 or K10.

Good luck getting any of those to grind for brewed though.

One option would be to buy a second hand Mazzer SJ or Royal (£200-£300) for espresso then a Baratza Virtuoso, Encore or Preciso (£250-320) for brewed.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I agree that £700 is not really enough to buy a recognised grinder. I have had a Vario before and it was not for me I have had a mahlkonig K30 and often wish I had not sold it now, but thems the mistakes you make. I feel kind of pushed towards the Mazzer range, but have never owned one before. I currently have a Mignon Eureka and find it pretty good for the job.

I have taken an indepth look at the HG One and that seems wonderful, but do i raly want to import my grinder?

Can someone with more Mazzer knowledge than me, explain this ebay link to me. Is this a question of grinding into the holder on the front which then dispenses the coffee into the pf, as a holding device ie you could grind enough beans for 4 shots, but oinly deliver one into the pf, or is it just the way of getting whatever you grind into the pf? Sorry if they seem basic questions but I know little about Mazzers and the like!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mazzer-coffee-grinder-/170971668246?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27ceb49f16


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

I'd consider this (although price is heading north!)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazzer-Robur-Electronic-espresso-grinder-used-/190781075563?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2c6b70306b#ht_255wt_1142


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Yes, it has just jumped from £320 to over 3700 in a few minutes, and luckily, it is collection only! But it all brings us back to the question, of when we pull a small handful of shots a day, does it make sense to have something which I am sure will do the job admirably, or have something a bit more flash that MAY do the job better?


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> Yes, it has just jumped from £320 to over 3700 in a few minutes, and luckily, it is collection only! But it all brings us back to the question, of when we pull a small handful of shots a day, does it make sense to have something which I am sure will do the job admirably, or have something a bit more flash that MAY do the job better?


Yep, that's why i bought a Vario


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

aphelion said:


> I'd consider this (although price is heading north!)
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazzer-Robur-Electronic-espresso-grinder-used-/190781075563?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item2c6b70306b#ht_255wt_1142


Wow that ended at £1040

Bloody hell. I'm still stuck at £200 budget for a grinder.


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Jason1wood said:


> Wow that ended at £1040
> 
> Bloody hell. I'm still stuck at £200 budget for a grinder.


Yep, very nice bit of kit...

IMHO a Robur would be massive overkill for the home (or probably any "titan")


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

dfk41 said:


> I agree that £700 is not really enough to buy a recognised grinder. I have had a Vario before and it was not for me I have had a mahlkonig K30 and often wish I had not sold it now, but thems the mistakes you make. I feel kind of pushed towards the Mazzer range, but have never owned one before. I currently have a Mignon Eureka and find it pretty good for the job.
> 
> I have taken an indepth look at the HG One and that seems wonderful, but do i raly want to import my grinder?
> 
> ...


HG One looks interesting. Think the 83mm model would appeal to me if the price came down by £100 or so.

The Doser can hold probably about 10-20 shots worth of coffee in it but this will go stale rapidly. People that have Mazzer doser models in the home, like me, single dose and don't use the doser how it was designed to be used.

A few mods and you can easily single dose with a doser.

Unclear what model that eBay auction is. Could be a Royal, Kony or Robur. Clearly the seller doesn't know what they have.

Could be a bargin but no way to tell what conditions the burrs are in.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

The new Vario W

http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/mahlkonig-vario-w/p1068

I have a Vario already, and will upgrade to a Vario W at some point


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Wow i didn't realise the Vario W came with the steel burrs.

This has to be the ultimate home brewed grinder?

Quite pricey though, I've seen second hand dittings go for less.


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

I am actually drooling! Would be a good partner for the cherub...... One day.... One day


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Glenn said:


> The new Vario W
> 
> http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/mahlkonig-vario-w/p1068
> 
> I have a Vario already, and will upgrade to a Vario W at some point


Very nice..shame it won't weigh directly into a portafilter


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It would be much more interesting, to line all these likely contenders up and have a blind tasting test. Though that is unlikely to happen. All we have to go on really, is marketing blurb, the biased view of the person who bought it and anyone with a commercial interest in giving advice! The hype that surrounded the Vario when it first came out was far better than the actual machine. There is a cult following, but that following is based not on the science of coffee making, but enthusiasm for the product. Where will the Vario be in 15 years time. I wonder if the plastic is bio-degradable!

And I aplogise to any Vario owners I may have offended in the making of this post!


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

what of the mazzer mini-E's of this world. Surely a better grinder than a Vario? more solid and likely to last a lifetime.

The Vario doesnt do it for me. It looks flimsy and I can't imagine one still being in service in 20 years time.

Im stuck with the MC2 for now (although i'm perfectly happy with it), but no idea what i'd upgrade to in the future. I'd have thought a miniE would be ideal for my needs.


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

dfk41 said:


> I agree that £700 is not really enough to buy a recognised grinder. I have had a Vario before and it was not for me I have had a mahlkonig K30 and often wish I had not sold it now, but thems the mistakes you make. I feel kind of pushed towards the Mazzer range, but have never owned one before. I currently have a Mignon Eureka and find it pretty good for the job.
> 
> I have taken an indepth look at the HG One and that seems wonderful, but do i raly want to import my grinder?
> 
> ...


I reckon that grinder is a Royal. The vents on the side mean it has to be at least a Major but I think it's probably too big for that and Royals are a lot more common than Roburs in the UK.

The thing on the front is a doser. Shops (which aren't very good!) will fill the doser then dispense stale coffee with the lever on the right hand side. You can just put 1 dose of beans into the throat of the grinder then grind and flick the doser lever until it's all dispensed into the portafilter. In this way it works well at home.


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## RoloD (Oct 13, 2010)

shrink said:


> what of the mazzer mini-E's of this world. Surely a better grinder than a Vario? more solid and likely to last a lifetime.


Yes .............


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

maybe i'm out of touch though, cos i saw someone else on this forum get slated for running a mini-E

which is oddly, precisely the grinder i'd fancy having if i ever upgraded.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Id probably suggest Anfim Caimano/Mazzer Major. Awkward price point


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

shrink said:


> what of the mazzer mini-E's of this world. Surely a better grinder than a Vario? more solid and likely to last a lifetime.
> 
> The Vario doesnt do it for me. It looks flimsy and I can't imagine one still being in service in 20 years time.
> 
> Im stuck with the MC2 for now (although i'm perfectly happy with it), but no idea what i'd upgrade to in the future. I'd have thought a miniE would be ideal for my needs.


I found the mini a bit flat tasting, no idea about the e. The vario may be plasticcy and have not as good build quality, but supposedly compares to the sj in taste.

I'd just keep an eye out for another used robur, or a versalab.

Though a k10 isn't much more than 700, I think....


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Roburs are not ideal for home use, grind retention is an issue and single dosing very hard to manage ....:


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

So chaps... What is the ultimate home grinder?


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

shrink said:


> So chaps... What is the ultimate home grinder?


lol







you'll never get anyone here to agree on that..


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

Perhaps a survey or poll of some kind.

What grinder is best for grind retention?

Speed?

Consistency?

Not making a mess?

Adjustability? (Although that matters less to me)

Dose accuracy?

Etc


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

garydyke1 said:


> Roburs are not ideal for home use, grind retention is an issue and single dosing very hard to manage ....:


I don't think the robur has much more of a grind chamber than the k10, grind retention really isn't a huge issue imo, all you need to do is vacuum up afterwards.

The only pain with the k10 and no doubt the robur, is if I do change the burrs, it takes an awful lot of coffee to season them.


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

I think if you wanted a poll you have to define the purpose of the grinder. E.G. best all round, best for espresso, best for pour over, etc.


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

For no price barrier I'd put the versalab m3 in the mix. Not huge but big bean crushing burrs, zero grind retention direct into portafilter and really fluffy looking grounds.

There have been issues discussed on HB though with the alignment and belt slipping. There really isn't a perfect home grinder but if I could choose just one now I think it might be a compak k10. Mainly because I love the speed of conical grinders and I know you can single dose on a compak.


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

seeq said:


> I think if you wanted a poll you have to define the purpose of the grinder. E.G. best all round, best for espresso, best for pour over, etc.


Some sort of poll for grinders and for espresso machines would be nice

Maybe home and commercial?


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