photos to come when I find my camera. Ive been using this machine for 4 months now so I can give a more considered opinion on this grinder. First of all, it replaced a Rancilio Rocky doserless grinder. The grinds move on to a LaScala Butterfly that I use with single spout, double spout and bottomless portafilters. The machines are well mainitained and regularly cleaned.
I cant remember where I discovered the M3 but the design just seemed right and it looked to be simple but solid. It was a concern that there were no local agents and that I was buying without a road-test. Internet research was pretty consistent - fantastic machine, but customer service ws either very ordinary or very good. I emailed Laura at Versalab and placed an order with 50% deposit, also ordering a portafilter holder and hopper. I paid by credit card (although there was also a PayPal option) in July 2008. Versalab quoted a 6 week delivery time and said that they were about to start a new batch of machines. I allowed some leeway in this as its a small boutique maker but the next reply to several emails was October. There were a series of excuses - badly machined parts, delays etc but no machine until Xmas time!! I was away on holiday of course so it finally arrived at the end of January. It was bloody heavy but well packed, and also came with a GST bill

Ive used the grinder with beans from 3 sources: Alan Frew, Caffe Veneziano and Jaspers. My reference bean is Sumatra Mandehling although Ive also used a variety of Indonesian, PNG, peaberry and Ethiopian beans.
The M3 comes with a fairly clear 2x A4 instruction sheet and a variety of Allen keys for maintaining the machine. There was no grind scale transfer included, and my ordered hopper is still yet to arrive.
Whats it like to use?
This machine is a joy to use and makes the basis of excellent coffee. It looks and feels like it has been CNC machined from a solid billet of Aluminium. It has been well put together and it looks like a lot of thought has gone into the design. The coffee path is very short and direct and there is zero accumulation of old beans, although some coffee does spill from the portafilter basket as it is removed from the grinder. Grind adjustment is stepless and simple with grind position maintained with a simple lock screw. this has not come loose in the time that Ive used it. Grind is very consistent and Ive found that Ive needed much less fiddling with grind adjustment than the Rocky. Its important to start the motor before you add the beans to the top of the grind path or it will spit beans at you. Rotation speed of the burrs is only 400rpm. I stop half way through the process and tap the portafilter to settle the volcano shaped mound of fluffy grinds otherwise its hard to fit it all into the portafilter. there is absolutely no clumping and this produces the fluffiest grind that Ive seen. I dose by adding a spare portafilter worth of beans and this gives a consistent dosing.
This grinder allows the LaScala to produce a reddish speckled thick crema and reveals depths and subtlety of taste that were only hinted at with the Rocky, all I can say is that I was amazed at the difference, and certainly spending the same money on a machine upgrade would have resulted in only a fraction of the improvement. Apart from dealing with Versalab, this machine is a real pleasure: dont buy one if you are in a hurry or if you value polite prompt and responsive service, do consider it if you are prepared for the Versalab customer relations experience as an unfortunate step in acquiring a truly excellent grinder.

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