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First 2 Weeks With My M4D

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  • artemidorus
    replied
    I'm now a few months in to M4D ownership and am posting a few more thoughts.

    I've got rid of the hopper, have gone back to weighing the beans for each shot, and am using my blind filter to plug the top when grinding (the ferocious pinging that occurs during grinding suggests that the M4D would fling the beans far and wide if this filter weren't there).

    The grind is very consistent, and I only need to make small changes every few days as my roasting batch ages.

    Contrary to my post above, and in retrospect I don't know why I was briefly fooled, it may have been humidity, the clumping is ferocious and much, much worse than the output of my DeLonghi. The clumping is such that I have to tamp much harder in order to prevent the formation of little channels in the side of the puck, which tend to ruin the pour by making it too watery. Is this clumping a result of the flat burr? - the DeLonghi had a conical burr. This is the single largest fault of the M4D, and it's not a trivial one.

    I'm becoming a fan of grinding straight into the group, but it is a lot messier than grinding into a hopper. I might get a 21g filter and grind my 15g into it to try to reduce spillage onto the bench.

    The grind retention thing doesn't seem to be a major problem - I was concerned that the first pour of the day might be compromised by several stale grams from the previous day, but I can't taste a difference.

    I have an intrinsic scepticism about this whole "unlocking of flavours" schtick with expensive grinders, and can't say I've noticed any difference in flavour. The change from shop coffee to home-roasted coffee makes a vastly bigger difference to flavour than does a change of grinders, so I would suggest that you make yourself a Corretto or buy a Behmor before worrying about grinders too much.

    It's a nice looking thing on the kitchen bench, and, despite all of the above, and oddly, I'm pleased with it.

    Leave a comment:


  • kyeba
    replied
    Thanks for the tip java

    It feels plenty fast enough by hand for me at the moment.

    Leave a comment:


  • Javaphile
    replied
    Originally posted by kyeba View Post
    ...Even though the worm drive makes changing grind size a slow process...
    If you want to speed that up you might try sourcing an appropriately sized/designed guitar string winder. There's even battery powered ones available.


    Java "A tool for every job" phile

    Leave a comment:


  • kyeba
    replied
    To finally see the m4d in the flesh and use it, makes me love this grinder even more. Even though the worm drive makes changing grind size a slow process, it's not really that bad unless you're very delicate and slow at turning the knob. Only able to use it for filter coffee at the moment, but still lovely to play with!

    Leave a comment:


  • dumiya
    replied
    Got It. It took several weeks but the M4D and the Rocket Premium have shaken hands. Made 6 excellent flat whites yesterday for group of people. "Best local" coffee was the comment.
    (Rocky has retired and is keeping company with my Silvia V 1.5 ! (version one with adjustable pressure adjustment lock nut) that is still going - 10 yrs old now!)

    Leave a comment:


  • kyeba
    replied
    My M4d was delivered today, now just to wait 3-4 days before I can play with my new toy when I get back from work! Going to be a very long week...

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  • astormsau
    replied
    I upgraded from a Breville Smart Grinder 820 to a Macap M2D about 6 months ago and have never looked back.
    The consistency of the grind is amazing, I sometimes wonder if half the reason people new to the whole grind, dose, tamp process (as I was in October 14) simply struggle due to the inconsistency of some of the lower level grinders (there are good examples I know and I know the M2D isn't a hugely expensive grinder).
    The only downside to the M2D was it was a little messier on the bench than the SG, a coffee catcha solved that issue.
    The M2D and Macap in general seem to be great grinders.

    Drew

    Leave a comment:


  • dumiya
    replied
    Well, the M4D is going good, well I should say I am doing great with it. With these new cut cost by stealth coffee cups (180ml) that are available now from coffee suppliers I am grinding 13gms for a double shot. I have found that a 50 plumbing pipe cap can be shortened to contain only 13gms level. It is quick to fill. I have ground about half the thickness off the outside about 1/4 inch and it fits snugly into the throat. Two small holes in the top let air in - so the grinds come out! If it was a conical (as in Kony) then an extension pipe needs to be added to keep the fingers attached to the hand for future use.
    It took some time but the grind is right. I stop at 20ml for the double and it is gentle, sweet with a nice after taste that last for an hour or so. It is very appreciated at my "Coffee Club" - well they come back for more.
    It is very fast.
    Any grind adjustments are minuscule so the micro adjustment is great.

    The Rocky steps are huge in comparison though I must say Rocky is a great grinder, but slow and retains a lot of grinds.

    Leave a comment:


  • DesigningByCoffee
    replied
    Ooooooooohhhh playing around with the dark arts

    Leave a comment:


  • chokkidog
    replied
    Hi Matt.

    Café Culture.... article.

    Cutting edge, underground stuff. Not for the faint hearted. Dangerous. :-D

    But when you think of weighing out small amounts of coffee and the continual

    displacement of CO2 from the bean mass and container and the continual mixing and remixing with air.........
    Last edited by chokkidog; 7 August 2015, 05:23 PM. Reason: syntax ;-)

    Leave a comment:


  • DesigningByCoffee
    replied
    Was that a post of Andy's or an article?

    Leave a comment:


  • chokkidog
    replied
    Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
    FWIW, I tend to leave mine in the hopper for the couple of days it takes to use them. Andy wrote a great piece which supported this.

    I think it's easy to be somewhat retentive about all of this.
    +1 to the C02 is heavier than oxygen fact. Andy sure stuck his neck out! Brave man!

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Originally posted by artemidorus View Post
    This doesn't work for me as I weigh out the beans for each morning into the hopper. Still, early days yet!
    Hello Art,

    You will encounter issues if you choose to use the grinder in a manner it was not designed for. Add some beans to the hopper and then let the grinder do its thing. First shot of any session happens after a small purge. Once you're done, you can empty off if required.

    FWIW, I tend to leave mine in the hopper for the couple of days it takes to use them as any acceleration of degas is a bonus for me (always too fresh) and the hopper is not that dissimilar to an airtight environment anyway. Andy wrote a great piece which supported this. I wash the hopper on refill.

    I think it's easy to be somewhat retentive about all of this. We read stuff written by those who copy blindly and then imitate- but can we taste a difference in a blind tasting? Try anti-sheep and see if you can taste anything at all...

    Leave a comment:


  • artman
    replied
    Makes sense re need more beans than required for brew to get consistency, as it gets empty there will be beans bouncing around instead of being ground. If you are weighing the beans just put the grams you want in the hopper/throat and grind until all done.

    Cheers

    Leave a comment:


  • artemidorus
    replied
    I'm able to give some feedback one week into my ownership. Firstly, I haven't got a routine yet. Because I've found that the automatic timer seems to fluctuate +/- 1.5 g around my desired 15g, depending on "coffeestatic" pressure in the hopper, I'm still shoving the collecting pot from my old grinder under the spout and then weighing out my dose into the group. The grind is fluffy and less clumped that the output of my old grinder, but I have to add that I haven't noticed any difference in taste. The grinder is very fast and quiet in comparison to my KG100. Given the fluctuation in timed output, I'm not sure that I'll ever graduate to simply shoving the group under the spout. My grind sweet spot seems to be at about 7.2, the best timer settings seem to be 8.3s for 15g and 4.2s for 8g, but dose reliability seems to require a "head" of pressure in the hopper. This doesn't work for me as I weigh out the beans for each morning into the hopper. Still, early days yet!

    Leave a comment:

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