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Help me pick a grinder at or under $1600

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Dr_Dave View Post
    Hi,
    I sold a Mazzer mini and bought an M4D about 7 years ago. I love it and would replace it with the same grinder again
    Cheers Dr Dave
    Glad you still love it Dave. Best prosumer planar burr grinder on the market. Outperforms all the big names <$1.5k.

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    • #17
      Trying to advise some one on a forum which grinder to choose, is much like advising them which woman to marry !..so much personal preference involved..
      asthetics/looks
      Size..will it fit the location
      budget...can you afford it ?
      how much noise does it make
      how fast for a double shot
      how much mess will it make
      availability
      maintenance costs
      Is there a " try before you buy". Or 30 day return option if not satisfied ?
      How about a 2nd hand, or " pre loved" version of a up market model ?

      i would rather keep out of those decisions for someone else !
      You really have to get off the keyboard and go for some "hands on" research on a few different units, to be sure there is not too much vibration or clumping etc.
      And don't forget to use them to pull a few shots to check for smoothness and "mouthfeel" etc.

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      • #18
        If you've got $1600 to spend on a doserless grinder I'm not sure why you'd even consider the Baratza or Quamar. By all accounts both of them offer great features at their price points, but if you can afford a better grinder then definitely get a better grinder. I've used a Super Jolly and I really like them, although it was a doser model. It sounds like the Mazzer doser models are definitely better performers than the doserless ones, but that's just from what I've read online and is based more on commercial situations.

        So although I've never even seen a Macap I'm yet to hear anything bad about them so the M4D would have to be a consideration. If you're not sure about the looks then try and find a stockist to check it out in the flesh. I've found viewing things online to be deceptive. The only other range to consider would be Compak as Al suggested, especially as you have the budget to buy a new one, and I'd be looking at the doserless 6 and 8 models. I was recently on the hunt for a 2nd hand SJ for home after having the opportunity to use one. However due to the name they tend to fetch premium prices here in NZ so I ended up with a Compak K8 Silenzio. It’s slightly bulkier, but I’m using it without a hopper so it’s roughly the same height and boy am I happy. What a grinder!! From what I’ve read the Compak doserless models outperform the equivalent Mazzer doserless models. You can get them with a short hopper too. So have a look at the A and E ones and see what you think.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by blend52 View Post
          Trying to advise some one on a forum which grinder to choose, is much like advising them which woman to marry !..so much personal preference involved..
          asthetics/looks
          Size..will it fit the location
          budget...can you afford it ?
          how much noise does it make
          how fast for a double shot
          how much mess will it make
          availability
          maintenance costs
          Is there a " try before you buy". Or 30 day return option if not satisfied ?
          How about a 2nd hand, or " pre loved" version of a up market model ?

          i would rather keep out of those decisions for someone else !
          You really have to get off the keyboard and go for some "hands on" research on a few different units, to be sure there is not too much vibration or clumping etc.
          And don't forget to use them to pull a few shots to check for smoothness and "mouthfeel" etc.
          +1 to that. It doesn't hurt to ask, but you're going to get a variety of opinions so don't get too hung up on them.

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          • #20
            Another vote for the HG One. I used my MD4 for the first time in about a year yesterday and whilst it performs OK the quality in the cup can't compete with the HG One.

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            • #21
              My Profitec 700 is currently accompanied by an HG one. Looking forward to seeing what the successor grinder from Lyn Weber offers.

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              • #22
                +1 to blend52 post.
                The only sub $3000 grinders I would consider for home use are the HG1 or (my actual purchase) 2 Mahlkonig Vario gen2's @ $700 each. Either of those choices are so far ahead in terms of making good coffee that comparisons tend to embarrass their competition. Oh, among the 50 or so grinders I used heavily are every other brand mentioned so far plus a few more. Particle spread is the key factor if you want a good cuppa. IF I ever was insane enough to back to a cafe environment again - my (ex)Mazzer Major (with a doser, which I never want to see at home again) wins hands down.

                At home I just want something that performs well, is compact, quiet and fuss free. Every time I read about static, clumping, mess etc it just makes me smile - the Swiss made Vario merely puts a precisely timed amount of coffee (within 0.1 gram - the accuracy of my scales) exactly where it should go - directly into the middle of the p/f. No funnels, screens, or any other additions required to keep the coffee on target. For home use I can run one for a dark blend or decaf, one for my preferred medium SOs. That also gives me a spare if one breaks. Considering it is a Swiss Ditting commercial module wrapped in domestic clothing, I don't expect a failure for quite a few years. My older one is 2 years old next month and has topped 200Kg* without a glitch - to the point that the spread is identical to my other one (a mere 18 months old / 20Kg or so).

                Of course, as blend52 stated, everyone has different priorities. They are mine.


                TampIt

                200Kg*: Just as well I had a spare, a friend's SJ in his cafe killed yet another set of burrs so we shuffled all his grinders around for a few weeks. The Vario did 20+Kg a week of decaf for 6 weeks and then another three weeks at a later time. The Vario ceramic burrs are still unmarked & identical to my "barely used Vario". For home use burr life may as well be infinite unless you feed it a foreign object. Ironically, that is two sets of SJ burrs worth of life as they clag out at around 80Kg - you can keep using them but the spread goes from OK to atrocious. Italian steel vs Swiss ceramics is yet another invidious comparison.

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                • #23
                  From my understanding Flat burr grinders generally retain less grinds. Also if you dont mind buying second hand, large flat burr grinders resell for much lower than their conical friends. I have noticed a couple of fancy cafes in Brisbane changing back to flat burr which is interesting.

                  If you want to buy a second hand grinder (and i think you ought, they resale so much cheaper than new, and work like new with new burrs, these things will all outlast humanity)
                  I would reccomend a non-Mazzer because everyone knows what a mazzer is worth. no one (at least on gumtree) knows what a macap, cimbali, elektra, compak, wega, or berezza is worth. case in point i bought two grinders advertised as 'commercial grinders' for the kind of money that could not buy you a sunbeam or brevvile grinder.

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                  • #24
                    Big thumbs up to the Eureka Zenith 65E - had mine for several months now and compared to previously owned Compak K3 and Mazzer Mini easily wins for grunt, speed and ease of adjustment. Although the 65e is not available here, other models are, with some common parts availability in Sydney at least. ELEKTRO'S in Italy did an excellent job getting mine here quickly, although the poorer exchange rate has put it over the GST free A$1k now.

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                    • #25
                      Thanks to everyone for the valuable input- Some great food for thought.
                      My list has been narrowed down to two Compaks. After some more research, and deciding that I can save for a few more weeks if required, Ive been looking at the E8 OD and F9 OD grinders.
                      I know they look a bit Macap-ish but I personally think they look a bit more serious and they’re super quick. Im just trying to work out the differences in hopper adjustment between the two models and whether it warrants the difference in price tag before I go have a fiddle.



                      Quality in cup kept popping up quite a lot in my research along with the importance of grinder quality. Im far less worried about retention now.
                      With regards to the suggestions made above, I decided:

                      Mazzer Super Jolly: Too slow and loud. At that price, I think the E8 OD would be a far better choice.
                      HG One: Cool idea but I honestly couldnt imagine hand grinding beans for guests.
                      The Vario: Strong argument. Its crazy but Ill admit that my vanity wouldn’t allow a small plastic grinder on the bench. It’s silly to think like that, but I like the Forte more because of its heft.
                      Zenith 65e- Still tempted. I still don’t understand why no one in Australia offers it.

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                      • #26
                        Good call. I'm all for the quality of the HG one and the convenience of the MD4. Hoping I can achieve both with a Compak E8.

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                        • #27
                          I have owned a Compak K10 which was a nice grinder, plus I have had big flat burr grinders and other high end conicals, but I switched to an HG One and I wouldnt go back to an electric grinder. I have a commercial lever and making coffee for larger groups of guests is just a matter of having a good work flow, the grinder certainly doesnt slow me down. I love the lack of electrical motor noise with the combination of a lever and the HG One.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Marxy24 View Post


                            3) Eureka Zenith 65e
                            Cons; Not stocked at all in Australia? Well reviewed and almost a perfect package(?)

                            .
                            I bought the Eureka from Cosmorex some years ago to replace the Sunbeam which didn't quite do the job.
                            I suspect Cosmorex still support this machine but haven't seen it there lately.

                            It seems great to me but only had cheaper machines before that.

                            I had an issue with the coffee not dividing equally and tried everything - jacking one side up - but after I got the Eureka the problem went away.
                            I was very surprised how much difference the grinder made to everything, coffee extracts better, tastes better and easier to to the art - chalk and cheese.

                            They told me it does not leave a lot of grinds inside so I don't need to worry about that. Well I don't worry and find it works well. Today I decided to clean it out and remove the top burr. There was a surprisingly lot of grinds inside the machine, I probably need to clean it out regularly.

                            Very solid robust machine.

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                            • #29
                              From personal experience, the HG1 is a great grinder. Quiet, consistent grind directly into a blind tumbler, and I follow their advice on grind redistribution ( wooden chopstick). Pairs beautifully with my Cremina

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