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First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

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  • First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

    Well Im in the market for a grinder (as per my last thread).

    Ive been recommended the Iberital, partially due to the stepless adjustments.
    I do love the idea of stepless, and being able to dial in the exact grind once I get an espresso machine.

    Im stuck on macchinettas and presses atm.

    Once I get my machine, Im unsure if Ill still want press/stove coffee.. Which is probably the biggest question.
    I guess now and then Ill definately feel like something different from electric espresso thuogh.

    With this in mind, is the Iberital seemingly good for me? Its certainly around the price point I want.
    Is the PF holder as flimsey as it looks?

    As much as I want a Mini Maz Elec.. There will be too many questions from the wife. Think police interview style; Dark room, dim lit light swaying from side to side; hard questions coming from my SO.

    I *think* doserless might be better for me atm. I hear its better to shoot into a french press anyway.

    Any help appreciated

    Wade

  • #2
    Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

    The Iberital is known to take you a while to switch between grind settings if going from say espresso to plunger.
    Other than that its entry level for an espresso grinder and people here are happy with them.
    Next price point up would be the Rocky.

    I prefer a doser.
    You dont need to fill it, just grind what you need, and it contains more mess than doserless grinders. In other words choice.
    If you find the need to make multiple shots for a gathering, the doser comes into its own.
    With doserless you have no choice but to grind per shot or grind into a container.
    So why not get doser in the first place?

    Im sure youll get more opinions here soon.

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    • #3
      Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

      WadeBeger

      The Iberital is a capable espresso grinder and being stepless is ideal for tracking the beans as they age.

      But to go from espresso grind to plunger will take 15+ turns of the adjustment knob.... which is do-able but a pain. They really are an "espresso only" grinder - like my La Cimbali Jnr.

      Generally the only grinders which will easily grind for different types of coffee have very small steps.... and are a bit of a compromise. The rocky for example is a great grinder and is quickly adjusted.

      I also prefer a doser model- and I dose through the doser (dosing as it grinds). This breaks up any clumps, doesnt leave any grinds in the doser - which will go stale - and makes less mess than a doserless. As Thundergod said above - it has the added advantage of normal doser operation if making coffee for a large number of people.

      One important fact - the grinder is VERY important in the production of quality espresso. You always want to buy the best grinder you can afford - and the more expensive the grinder - the better they are (within reason). However the Iberital will do a very good job.

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      • #4
        Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

        Hope OP doesnt mind me jumping in here, but can any one give a report/review on the doser fitted to the this Iberital, how well does it perform, would it need the tape mod like the Rocky.

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        • #5
          Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

          I had discounted the Iberital not because it wasnt a good grinder but simply because it would absolutely tower over my little Sunbeam EM6910. So it was purely an asthetic reason.

          Actually I first wanted a Mazzer Mini, or Macap, but it was mucho $$$ and it would have looked like a scene from "War of the Worlds" next to the itty bitty Sunbeam.

          From what Ive read, the Iberital is superior in grind adjustability to the Rocky due to its stepless nature.

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          • #6
            Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

            Originally posted by tempestv8 link=1176650577/0#4 date=1176763453
            From what Ive read, the Iberital is superior in grind adjustability to the Rocky due to its stepless nature.
            True.... sort of :-?

            But the Rocky is built to a much higher standard of both quality and materials and will last a lifetime if looked after.... It is after all, a downsized version of the commercial Rancilio MD40,

            Mal.

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            • #7
              Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

              From what Ive read and drawn as my own personal conclusion, Rocky has a superior grinder compared to the Iberital because it uses the same standard professional flat burr sets which the haloed models like Mazzer Mini do as well.

              The entry level Iberital uses the conical burr system like Lux and Sunbeam.

              However the exterior fit and finish of a Rocky leaves a LOT to be desired.

              I looked closely at a Rocky doserless the other day, absolutely brand new and I could see that the sheet metal that curves around the front of the hopper was just so poorly cut, it wasnt even close to being called "smooth". And being a brand spanker, the ventilation slits at the side of the machine just looked poorly finished. The cutout for the button that holds the grind adjustment just was so inconsistent from one machine to another.

              The doser on the doser version of the Rocky just looks cheap and nasty, not befitting the high price tag.

              I just hope that the internals of the machine, i.e. motor, bearing sets, wiring, etc are built properly and they are what counts. To me a Rocky is rough on the edges, but built to do the job. I trust that most of the money went into the quality and strength of the internals.

              The Iberital seems a touch better finished. The plastic "beak" of the of the doserless does seem a bit dodgy still, but at least the doser unit is a lot smaller than the Rocky. Makes sense for home use.

              For a consumer like me, both the Iberital and the Rocky would be good choices. Comes down to preferences over looks, as the grind capability is probably the same.

              I chose Rocky simply because it was shorter. (yeah, I know, its form over function - but then again, its my kitchen so it needs to fit in properly)









              Comment


              • #8
                Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                Originally posted by tempestv8 link=1176650577/0#6 date=1176853175
                From what Ive read and drawn as my own personal conclusion, Rocky has a superior grinder compared to the Iberital because it uses the same standard professional flat burr sets which the haloed models like Mazzer Mini do as well.

                The entry level Iberital uses the conical burr system like Lux and Sunbeam.

                However the exterior fit and finish of a Rocky leaves a LOT to be desired.

                I looked closely at a Rocky doserless the other day, absolutely brand new and I could see that the sheet metal that curves around the front of the hopper was just so poorly cut, it wasnt even close to being called "smooth".  And being a brand spanker, the ventilation slits at the side of the machine just looked poorly finished.  The cutout for the button that holds the grind adjustment just was so inconsistent from one machine to another.

                The doser on the doser version of the Rocky just looks cheap and nasty, not befitting the high price tag.

                I just hope that the internals of the machine, i.e. motor, bearing sets, wiring, etc are built properly and they are what counts.  To me a Rocky is rough on the edges, but built to do the job.  I trust that most of the money went into the quality and strength of the internals.

                The Iberital seems a touch better finished.  The plastic "beak" of the of the doserless does seem a bit dodgy still, but at least the doser unit is a lot smaller than the Rocky.  Makes sense for home use.

                For a consumer like me, both the Iberital and the Rocky would be good choices.  Comes down to preferences over looks, as the grind capability is probably the same.

                I chose Rocky simply because it was shorter.  (yeah, I know, its form over function - but then again, its my kitchen so it needs to fit in properly)
                I cannot disagree more on the Rocky- I think that they are incredibly well built and functional for what they do. My only minor criticism would be that the spout on the doserless looks a little like an afterthought. Bottom line still remains that you gets what you pays for and its just a tad unrealistic to expect the features, build and performance of a Robur for $300  :-?









                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                  Hi Chris,

                  I dont disagree on your statement that the Rocky is very functional.  Its got a reputation as a great grinder for home use without going over the top (e.g. Mazzer, Macap, etc).  As such, Ive made a decision to buy a Rocky, as it will be more than sufficient for my needs as a great home grinder.

                  However, the fit and finish of the Rocky from my perspective, as a consumer, is definitely a negative.  I looked at a few brand new Rocky units sitting on a shelf yesterday and the fit and finish is definitely average.  I own a number of hand built devices, and I can definitely say that Rocky is not a testament to finely finished hand built products.

                  So what did I notice about the Rockys 1st hand?  

                  On the doserless model, the metal PF holder wobbled.  The dark metal shroud around the front of the hopper had jagged edges, the cooling cutouts on the side had blemishes on them.

                  On the doser model, the plastic bits looked really cheap, and the mechanism felt very average.  The lids felt loose and do not close with the sort of precison youd expect from a well talked about grinder.  The hopper which had the printed dial on it had a few bubbles under the silver paint (the doserless one was bubble free).

                  The cutouts in the sheet metal for the grind adjustment release button on both units looked like they were hand cut, by different people.

                  A quick read of other owner reviews on a USA coffee forum confirms what Im saying here - over in America, home owners love the grind quality and complain about the fit and finish of the unit.  Kinda like old Ferraris - very variable and average build quality but great performance.

                  But if there is a grinder on the market that is in the same ball park and built like a tank, finished well and costs about the same, I havent found it yet.  I suspect it doesnt exist.

                  So the decision that I made to buy a Rocky was one that was made with gritted teeth.  Im after a good grinder for espresso and there really isnt much out there that is BOTH well finished and works well.  The Rocky will work very well for my needs but isnt well finished.  I guess Ill call it "character".

                  Thats my opinion as a consumer of this $430 grinder.

                  The Mazzer Mini electronic doserless that I saw for $990 looked much better finished, but is out of most peoples reach.  (And too tall for my liking)

                  Anyway, to get this thread back to the Iberital, at about $270 for this grinder, I think it would make a great espresso grinder.  Its fit and finish, in my opinion, is better than the Rocky.

                  I can say that because I was able to see the doser and doserless Iberital side by side with the doser and doserless Rocky yesterday.  It seems to be great value for money as a home grinder, and no doubt will do the job well.  I didnt pick it because it was marginally too tall for my kitchen setup (its only marginally taller than the Rocky, to be fair)








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                  • #10
                    Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                    Aesthetics, you can see....Blades, carriers and how precise the mechanism is are also factored into price. If you want a sexy, high quality, precision small doser grinder, you buy an ECM Best and pay accordingly ($770)

                    The Iberital is a good grinder for $300 ish and is the category killer in that bracket. It however cannot complete on overall quality nor longevity with a more expensive Rocky....

                    As many a mate has told me before a few beers at the pub, its not always what you see that counts

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                      There is also the Gaggia MDF which is stepped and has a good solid doser. It is short and squat but does a good job and you are not forever turning the dial is you need to do a plunger grind. It is about $300.00

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                      • #12
                        Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                        Looking for a nice stepped grinder for plunger. Dont like moving close to 90 degree rotation to achieve plunger and then go back to espresso on the mazzer.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                          I use a Rocky sans portafilter rest and grind straight into the pluger....The best! 8-)

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                          • #14
                            Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                            Sold my Sunbeam Cafe series grinder...shoulda kept it for plunger. And should have never sold the Cimbali...oh how I miss it.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: First grinder purchase.. Hows the Iberital?

                              Originally posted by Wushoes link=1176650577/0#11 date=1176881155
                              Looking for a nice stepped grinder for plunger. Dont like moving close to 90 degree rotation to achieve plunger and then go back to espresso on the mazzer.
                              Wushoes.....

                              Even the much complained about KG100 is an excellent plunger only grinder- and cheap! -- just dont try to use it for espresso...

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