# Londinium L1 and mahlkonig ek43 the best combo under £4000



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Having had the ek43 for a week and trying it out extensively on the L1 I have come to the conclusion that I am a lucky man indeed, I believe this is the best combo under £5000 money can buy but didn't want to push the boat out!!!!

What's your thoughts?

And if you want to play on this combo, it will be on the Londinium stand and London coffee week, for people to pull their own shots on.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Is it under £4000 or £5000 ?

Looking at your signature you are a lucky man indeed.

Green grinder envy.......


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> Is it under £4000 or £5000 ?
> 
> Looking at your signature you are a lucky man indeed.
> 
> Green grinder envy.......


It is under £4000 but I think it is the best under £5000


----------



## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

I was interested to note that you think the EK43 appears to work better for you than the Nino.

Seriously looked at one of those to replace the Versalab but changed my mind.

Looking forward to when you are able to do a side by side comparison.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I'm bias re the machine , I'll let one of the pump boys dream up a kick ass combination to put up against yours.

re ek . If it defines flavour even more , then I can't wait to try it out .


----------



## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

It'll be *my* £25 EK and a £3975 machine


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Well if I win the EK (and pigs might fly) then I will have a pretty mean set-up for way less than £500


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

The big point about L1/EK combo - both pared down to the bone - no PIDs, no fancy electronics - the essence of quality whilst keeping it simple - damn near bulletproof and likely to outlive any owner.


----------



## rmcgandara (Feb 12, 2013)

can-t believe I have missed the raffle! 1 day without logging in and I missed probably my best 1/65 chance of getting it!


----------



## CoffeeJohnny (Feb 28, 2011)

Judging by peoples reviews of the EK and the fondness of L1 here I can't think of a better combo, where to from here though?

Best combo under 7k? Speedster or gs3 plus the EK?


----------



## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

I love this thread! Best setup for under 5k! I think we need to call the head doctor in. Don't get me wrong, I think that your may well be correct.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Xpenno said:


> I love this thread! Best setup for under 5k! I think we need to call the head doctor in. Don't get me wrong, I think that your may well be correct.


Yep correct , we is not right in the head , andI love it


----------



## oracleoftruth (Jan 15, 2014)

So I'm wondering if any of the other big grinder companies are working on an ek43-type machine to catch up?

What would improve the ek for you guys assuming everything that's good about it remains?

Smaller?

(Please don't say a different colour or Matt Perger's name on it)


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

oracleoftruth said:


> So I'm wondering if any of the other big grinder companies are working on an ek43-type machine to catch up?
> 
> What would improve the ek for you guys assuming everything that's good about it remains?
> 
> ...


A different colour and matt perverse ( perger lol look at what predictive text does ) name or face NOT on it ....

smaller base....

£1000 less cost

comes in stainless steel to match the l1 ( like a nino )

fitted with a PF holder like John Gordon's so can dose straight into the portafiler .


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> comes in stainless steel to match the l1 ( like a nino )


Just get the sander out


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

To be fair , what a home user wants it for modified to and what a cafe might want it modifitying to are different questions for the supplier .

cafe might want some kind of portion control or dosing system on it .

i like the idea of it as it doesn't have that and can single dose and change beans without fuss.

both of us want a of holder for espresso ...


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Anyway back on topic

to some innovation and technology in a machine makes it better

http://www.brevilleusa.com/the-oracle.html


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Something smaller more designed for home use, about £1250 less, but retaining the key features that make it great.

Really the EK43 is just a Deli grinder, so in theory any similar one will work. Alex at Strangers did a blog post yesterday where they used their own Deli grinder (not an EK43) and got good results.

Do you still have that grinder that looks like a mini generator you posted a pic of a while ago coffeechap? pull an espresso using that to grind please!


----------



## oracleoftruth (Jan 15, 2014)

If I were coffeechap I'd be buying up all the commercial bulk grinding machines and rebadging them as Matt perverse grinders. Maybe call them EK-44?


----------



## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

I once thought that spending that kind of money on coffee gear was for silly people.

The fact remans that most men have a hobby and compared to fast cars/bikes/women this actually is one of the cheaper ones.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Also. Is this 'best in cup' or 'best allround' ie taking into account workflow/ease of use / maintenance etc?


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

There's a parallel conversation going on on HB:

http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/ek43-bulk-grinder-espresso-as-new-frontier-t28265.html

There's some comments that it's different, but not neccesarilly better than the big conicals. I guess lever vs. pump would influence this.

I still believe all that EK43 is, is down to the burrset. Fit that in a different grinder, align properly and you should get the same result in the cup.

Regards,

T.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Indeed, but they keep banging on about ''oh its so hard to single dose'' - in the home environment I would argue its easier and less wasteful


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

It's the usual hopper vs single dosing discussion, people want both, but don't want the hassle of any of those ie. beans going stale in the hopper and weighing beans out on a scale. I think single dosing is easier, although in some cases it might be preferable to bulk dose due to the effect on grind quality (see conicals).

I'll stay out of the discussion as I've never tried a Robur, nor the EK43

Regards,

T.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Thats a good point.

The grind distribution from a single dose'd EK43 wipes the floor with conventional grinders with a full hopper. Does this mean a full hopper EK43 would be even tighter/ beneficial ?


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

I dunno, not so sure as it's a flat burr grinder, I think these are less sensitive to bean weight from the top, especially since the Mahl is fed with an auger anyway.

Regards,

T.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

On my Royal (83mm flat) Single dosing requires a much much finer grind for the same flow rate as a full hopper , like 2-3 notches


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Well there you go, so much for less sensitive









To be honest I have no idea why hopper weight affects the grind size









Regards,

T.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I think its the popcorning. EK43 doesnt popcorn half as much due to the prebreaker/auger


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> On my Royal (83mm flat) Single dosing requires a much much finer grind for the same flow rate as a full hopper , like 2-3 notches


Same on the mythos


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

What burrset do you have dave?


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

jeebsy said:


> What burrset do you have dave?


Coffee burrs....


----------



## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> What burrset do you have dave?


You getting itchy Jeebsy??

Just noticed the appendage to your signiture


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I'm itching and its getting scratched, pulling the trigger imminently


----------



## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

Haha, brilliant


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

You lot are mad spending so much on grinders. Wouldn't catch me doing that


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> You lot are mad spending so much on grinders. Wouldn't catch me doing that


In the words of partridge

Mentalists........


----------



## Bob_McBob (Apr 5, 2013)

Is it possible to grind straight into the portafilter using a dosing funnel? The cup transfer method most cafes use is pretty tedious. I know this would be a complete disaster with the Tanzania because the chute bend means it sprays grinds all over the place at the finer settings.


----------



## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> I think its the popcorning. EK43 doesnt popcorn half as much due to the prebreaker/auger


I've heard that before, although I'm still yet to hear a sensible explanation how a grinder with a set distance between the burrs can deliver a different grind size purely because of the weight behind the beans.

Regards,

T.


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Bob_McBob said:


> Is it possible to grind straight into the portafilter using a dosing funnel? The cup transfer method most cafes use is pretty tedious. I know this would be a complete disaster with the Tanzania because the chute bend means it sprays grinds all over the place at the finer settings.


Yes its been done


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

You lot are gonna be heart broken when the K10 Fresh consistently produces a better cup in the blind tasting.............


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> You lot are gonna be heart broken when the K10 Fresh consistently produces a better cup in the blind tasting.............


Lol I thoughts the hg1 was the king of all grinders.....


----------



## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

Would you include the HG one in that same blind test David?


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Bob_McBob said:


> Is it possible to grind straight into the portafilter using a dosing funnel? The cup transfer method most cafes use is pretty tedious. I know this would be a complete disaster with the Tanzania because the chute bend means it sprays grinds all over the place at the finer settings.


My local cafe us uses tanzania for guest espresso with great results

I've never paid much attention to how it's dosed in the of though

I'll go check .


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It might be to some, but you have to crank it too much for my liking. Anyway, the K10 murdered the HG in terms of comparing shots for my taste. TSK tried a couple of beans through them both on Monday and I hope he will agree that the HG was looking for acidity where the K10 just gave a broader range


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Soll said:


> Would you include the HG one in that same blind test David?


Soll, I do not know if the HG is on the list for the blind test, simply as it cannot be considered as a commercial grinder being hand cranked. DAve may wish to include it of course but when preparing multiple shots, one after the other I cannot see it featuring. It is a good grinder if you are a couple of shots a day person, but if I had to choose between it and the K10 on taste, then the K10 for me would win


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

dfk41 said:


> You lot are gonna be heart broken when the K10 Fresh consistently produces a better cup in the blind tasting.............


Not really. 200g odd grams for one decent shot. hehe


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Not really. 200g odd grams for one decent shot. hehe


That is only when switching beans Gary, as you know. Once dialled in, it consistently produces........


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I switch beans every single day. and grind settings need changing.

>21% FTW !


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

That's as maybe. Which is exactly why I stick to one bean and have several grinders for the others. I have just bought a K8 as my second grinder. Be here Monday so we will see just how good or bad it is


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Another new grinder?! wowzers


----------



## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

It may be the best 4 grand combo on the planet but IMO it was at the back of the queue for looks. I'd rather live with something that may be slightly inferior but beautiful to look at.


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

dwalsh1 said:


> It may be the best 4 grand combo on the planet but IMO it was at the back of the queue for looks. I'd rather live with something that may be slightly inferior but beautiful to look at.


Mr walsh

you have a set up , that I imagine makes amazing coffee ( not tried it personally ) , but is a fantastic looker too!


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Plus the l1 is not ugly, just marvel at that group dude


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Like an ugly bird with nice jugs then.....?


----------



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

its not ugly its just majestic.......


----------



## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks for the praise mrboots but I'm not after it.



Mrboots2u said:


> Mr walsh
> 
> you have a set up , that I imagine makes amazing coffee ( not tried it personally ) , but is a fantastic looker too!


Dave. you have to admit that grinder is pig ugly. It reminds me of a sixties black and Decker drill. Nothing wrong with the group.



coffeechap said:


> Plus the l1 is not ugly, just marvel at that group dude


----------



## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

I Still have your Acme cups David dfk41. When is your courier picking them up?


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

coffeechap said:


> Plus the l1 is not ugly, just marvel at that group dude


Yep! 7kgs of loveliness and the spring - looks positively industrial.


----------



## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

I think the ek looks like something out of Star Wars. Particularly when you see a white one.


----------



## vikingboy (Mar 11, 2013)

I agree, i think the L1 is a very beautiful machine, Reiss nailed the proportions and overall looks very well.

I've got an EK43 inbound too to compliment it too which I know the wife is going to hate. I like its industrial look personally but then I'm an engineering type.

I suspect the K10f will have to go because I just haven't got room for two grinders the size of these. I'll have to see how the EK is to live with to see if It can be my one grinder.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

You won't be disappointed - which burr set have you opted for? Pity about the K10 - lovely piece of kit. Had the pleasure of getting hands on with Dfk's - loved the results. Going to keep my conical for the best of both worlds.


----------



## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Gimme a Bosco any day of the week. Far nicer looking machine.


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

dwalsh1 said:


> Gimme a Bosco any day of the week. Far nicer looking machine.


However not for less than 3500, so you would have to pair it with a £500 grinder!!


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

I don't mind the look of the ek43 either, horses for courses I suppose


----------



## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

Looks like a big black plastic hair dryer to me, hopefully nicer in person.

It's a rare thing to have a really nice looking grinder though.


----------



## vikingboy (Mar 11, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> You won't be disappointed - which burr set have you opted for? Pity about the K10 - lovely piece of kit. Had the pleasure of getting hands on with Dfk's - loved the results. Going to keep my conical for the best of both worlds.


Coffee burrs. Is that the correct choice? What do you think the k10f would give me the ek wouldn't? I was hoping the ek would do everything well and allow me to move on the k10f and vario I use for filter coffee.


----------

