Mini review – Eureka ATOM
Imported from Bella Barista in the UK, November 2016
The ATOM stands 44cm high with hopper attached, which makes it kitchen cupboard friendly and weighs in at nearly 8.5kg. Finish is up to the usual high Eureka standard, comprising neat cast aluminium for the main body and surrounding the Hi-res colour display and high quality moulded plastics in the dispensing area and base plate. The hopper/lid combo and additional container also continue the theme. There is an easily removable height adjustable PF holder made of an alloy (?) with black powder-coat finish. It may be lightish, but appears extremely strong (it also appears to be a MkII version which allows hands free if adjusted correctly). There's the standard push button for activation of the grinder that will dispense according to the electronically controlled timer settings. For cleaning of the 60mm burrs, the top plate of the grinder (with silicon rubber collar insert for the hopper) is easily removable with 3 allen head screws (allen key supplied) then another 3 screws for the top burr holder with no loss of grind settings.
You'll need a UK to AU plug adapter and when first switched on, the screen boots up quickly showing firstly the Eureka logo followed by a 1 or 2 cup display, depending on previous settings. Time in sub-seconds/seconds can be adjusted via simple push buttons. The screen is brightness adjustable if required and with a press of the middle button with the asterisk symbol on it, displays a neat graphic of a burr. Press it again and you can do a manual top up of the P/F or fill the supplied container for french press.
Performance is a little slower than my Zenith 65E - 8 secs for a double versus 6 secs for the 65E, which is irrelevant to the home espresso maker and I expect this will change a bit in time anyway as the burrs bed in. The ATOM is eerily quiet in action, in fact this is the quietest grinder/kitchen type gadget I've ever heard. The sound deadening design of the ATOM appears to work extremely well.
Another design plus is the plastic coffee shute which sits behind the easily movable-to-one side display (just 2 allen screws) – its still connected by cables of course. This really is nicely engineered and has at the top, some internal z shaped channels for anti-clumping when the ground beans are ejected from the grinding area and directed down into the PF in an oh-so-neat brown column. In addition there is a clever partially removable silicon rubber cover over the shute if you manage to clog it or just general cleaning. Static is almost non-existent, clumping not apparent and mess minimal.
In addition and like the 65E, there is an LED to light the dispensing area. You really have to see (and not hear it) to appreciate the clever design progression from the 65E/Club.
The torquey RPM motor is 245 watts and the micrometric burr adjustment takes place via a knob on top just like the 65E which minutely raises or lowers the motor axis (not the motor). This is silky smooth and great to use.
In summary, which you may have gathered already from my praise, the ATOM is a serious contender for those currently looking at Macap M4D, Rocket Fausto, ECM/Profitec etc.
Imported from Bella Barista in the UK, November 2016
The ATOM stands 44cm high with hopper attached, which makes it kitchen cupboard friendly and weighs in at nearly 8.5kg. Finish is up to the usual high Eureka standard, comprising neat cast aluminium for the main body and surrounding the Hi-res colour display and high quality moulded plastics in the dispensing area and base plate. The hopper/lid combo and additional container also continue the theme. There is an easily removable height adjustable PF holder made of an alloy (?) with black powder-coat finish. It may be lightish, but appears extremely strong (it also appears to be a MkII version which allows hands free if adjusted correctly). There's the standard push button for activation of the grinder that will dispense according to the electronically controlled timer settings. For cleaning of the 60mm burrs, the top plate of the grinder (with silicon rubber collar insert for the hopper) is easily removable with 3 allen head screws (allen key supplied) then another 3 screws for the top burr holder with no loss of grind settings.
You'll need a UK to AU plug adapter and when first switched on, the screen boots up quickly showing firstly the Eureka logo followed by a 1 or 2 cup display, depending on previous settings. Time in sub-seconds/seconds can be adjusted via simple push buttons. The screen is brightness adjustable if required and with a press of the middle button with the asterisk symbol on it, displays a neat graphic of a burr. Press it again and you can do a manual top up of the P/F or fill the supplied container for french press.
Performance is a little slower than my Zenith 65E - 8 secs for a double versus 6 secs for the 65E, which is irrelevant to the home espresso maker and I expect this will change a bit in time anyway as the burrs bed in. The ATOM is eerily quiet in action, in fact this is the quietest grinder/kitchen type gadget I've ever heard. The sound deadening design of the ATOM appears to work extremely well.
Another design plus is the plastic coffee shute which sits behind the easily movable-to-one side display (just 2 allen screws) – its still connected by cables of course. This really is nicely engineered and has at the top, some internal z shaped channels for anti-clumping when the ground beans are ejected from the grinding area and directed down into the PF in an oh-so-neat brown column. In addition there is a clever partially removable silicon rubber cover over the shute if you manage to clog it or just general cleaning. Static is almost non-existent, clumping not apparent and mess minimal.
In addition and like the 65E, there is an LED to light the dispensing area. You really have to see (and not hear it) to appreciate the clever design progression from the 65E/Club.
The torquey RPM motor is 245 watts and the micrometric burr adjustment takes place via a knob on top just like the 65E which minutely raises or lowers the motor axis (not the motor). This is silky smooth and great to use.
In summary, which you may have gathered already from my praise, the ATOM is a serious contender for those currently looking at Macap M4D, Rocket Fausto, ECM/Profitec etc.
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