Any thoughts on the rising use of EKs in cafés here. Sure, they're only used in a very small number of cafés, but it does seem that some of the top end places in Melbourne are switching over, or at least using them alongside Roburs. (Proud Mary for one)
Perhaps the trend was given a boost by Matt Perger in WBC last year, although from memory he was using a coarser grind for his espresso.
So do these cafés consider it a better grinder? Or are they still using Roburs as their main production grinders and just using EKs for SOs or non-espresso drinks?
Perhaps the trend was given a boost by Matt Perger in WBC last year, although from memory he was using a coarser grind for his espresso.
So do these cafés consider it a better grinder? Or are they still using Roburs as their main production grinders and just using EKs for SOs or non-espresso drinks?

I of course don't readily understand how one grinder that costs X thousand dollars can be better than another one that costs Y thousand dollars. Perhaps someone can enlighten me? My Bodum burr grinder cost $99 (on sale from RRP $150 at time of purchase) and with that I have produced some amazing coffee at home. Sure, I understand that it may wear out after a month of use in a busy cafe, and likely it won't allow a barista to work fast enough during a peak ordering period, so I can understand that a commercial-grade machine would be required in a cafe, but one costing *thousands* of dollars? Is it self-cleaning and self-sharpening? Can it self-diagnose itself and e-mail the manufacturer when it's time for a service? Can it be pre-programmed with all the different types of products that the cafe makes so that with a single push of a button it will automatically grind the coffee using the correct grind type and exactly grind quantity, automatically selecting from one of several types of beans loaded into the hoppers at the back? Can it automatically compensate for different types of coffee beans? Does it "sniff" the ground coffee to analyze the aromatic compounds and adjust itself accordingly? Does it compensate for the weather? My suggestions may seem naive, but I'd sure like to know what these hyper-expensive grinders can do for that money. I have been subjected to some pretty awful coffee in some supposedly "wow" places where seemingly no expense has been spared on equipment and image, so I do wonder how much of the expense achieves performance versus image. For example, a friend once bought me a $30 coffee (I would never pay $30 for a coffee!!!) - and the brew could just as well have been boiled worm farm juice. It was an awkward moment for us both.
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