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  • Grinder recommendation

    Hi all, I've been using a Breville Smart Grinder Pro for several years, and it's been working well with my Breville Dual Boiler. However, I am wondering if upgrading my grinder will improve my coffee. I only make 2 cups of flat white each morning, and a few more on the weekends, so I need something that is easy to use. I did a bit of googling, and perhaps I should consider something like a Baratza Vario or a Eureka Mignon Specilita. What do you think? Pros and Cons with each of those? Do you recommend something else? Looking for something not too big, and costs no more than $800. I may look at a second-hand one if a good one comes up for sale. Thanks.

  • #2
    The specialita is good value for money with an easy workflow and good grind quality. It's a pretty popular home grinder. Seems to be able to be used for single dosing (although the shots I had from one were with a hopper of beans) which could be a plus. Do you plan on single dosing?

    I'm not sure what the cost works out as in AUD but for low volume use for milk based drinks the niche zero is another good option, especially if you plan on single dosing.

    I've no experience with the vario so can't comment on that unfortunately.

    Given the low volume use, consider retention in your choice as purging is an awful waste of coffee.

    Best of luck with the search.

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks. Niche zero is out of my budget, unfortunately. I do plan on single dosing, but will have to get a scale first. I am currently doing it the lazy way, where I simply add the approximate amount of beans required to the hopper each day, which is obviously not very precise at all.

      Comment


      • JK4
        JK4 commented
        Editing a comment
        A scale will be a very useful addition. It's needed for single dosing but even if not single dosing they really improve consistency.

        There's plenty of people on here who've owned many more ginders than me who will be able to provide much broader info.
        Some info that will help people give advice is:
        - what roast profile do you typically drink;
        - I know you mentioned milk drinks but will it purely used for milk drinks; and
        - have you a preference for flat or conical burrs?

    • #4
      DF64 isn't a bad option at that price point of around $800.

      I would also get a small set of scales. Mine were about $10 and go to 0.01g (which is more than you need). I think they are referred to as jewellers scales - but the max it can weigh before it overloads is 500g which can be a pain for two heavy mugs, so I'd go up to 1kg.

      Comment


      • #5
        Originally posted by Brissienew View Post
        I do plan on single dosing,
        Agree with WhatEverBeansNecessary The DF64 is a perfect choice and around your budget.

        Comment


        • #6
          I have just moved from a Mazzer Mini Manual to a Eureka Mignon Silenzio, and couldn’t be happier.

          if you are single dosing, there is no upside to spending an extra $100 or so on the Specialita.

          Yes, there is a bit of retention with the Mignon range, but show me a grinder with ZERO retention.

          And anyone that thinks they can detect the difference that less than a gram of retained grinds makes in a milk based drink is delusional (or James Hoffman!)

          Comment


          • #7
            [QUOTE]what roast profile do you typically drink;
            - I know you mentioned milk drinks but will it purely used for milk drinks; and
            - have you a preference for flat or conical burrs?/QUOTE]

            I typically drink Italian dark roast, making 2 cups of strong flat white at a time. There is no need for me to change the grind setting as I never make any other drinks. No preference for the type of burrs as I don't know the difference.
            The DF64 looks interesting, will look into it.

            Comment


            • WhatEverBeansNecessary
              WhatEverBeansNecessary commented
              Editing a comment
              Differences in flat vs conical are pretty minor, particularly in milk.

              Also the Eureka Mignon Specilita would also be a good option. Maybe slightly more user friendly than the DF64 but not quite as good at single dosing.
              The Baratza would be a step down in grinding quality for espresso in my opinion.

              One criticism people have with the DF64 is that it is slightly 'hacky' - a few mods can make it a great grinder. Which is awesome if you like to tinker. but not so awesome if you don't or you have a partner that just wants low fuss and to be easy etc.
              However the DF64 has a larger burr set which has it's benefits too - grinding slightly quicker and perhaps slightly more nuances in flavour.

          • #8
            If I were you I'd get something that still has a hopper, but is capable of single dosing with good results and reasonably low retention. You may find the lack of a hopper annoying if you went for something like the DF64. For your style of coffee I think something from the Eureka range will be hard to beat. The others I'd consider would be the new Baratza Vario, the Mahlkonig X54 or the Hey Cafe H1. The Mahlkonig and Hey Cafe are over your budget at full retail, but I've seen them both on sale for around the $800-900 mark.

            Comment


            • #9
              Originally posted by Toad View Post
              I have just moved from a Mazzer Mini Manual to a Eureka Mignon Silenzio, and couldn’t be happier.

              if you are single dosing, there is no upside to spending an extra $100 or so on the Specialita.

              Yes, there is a bit of retention with the Mignon range, but show me a grinder with ZERO retention.

              And anyone that thinks they can detect the difference that less than a gram of retained grinds makes in a milk based drink is delusional (or James Hoffman!)
              What was wrong with your Mazzer Mini?

              Comment


              • Toad
                Toad commented
                Editing a comment
                Nothing wrong with the Mazzer as such, but noticeably less clumping with the Silenzia, also less mess and an lot easier - grind straight into the portafilter (with a funnel), tamp, done.

            • #10
              Do you think for making milk coffee only, there will be a noticeable improvement with the coffee by upgrading from my BSG to either the DF64 or Eureka Mignon?

              Comment


              • Whorl
                Whorl commented
                Editing a comment
                Having done this upgrade a few years ago, I would say yes. A big yes. I upgraded from the smart grinder pro to the base model Eureka Mignon and it was a very noticeable difference.

                Edit to add that I primarily consume milk drinks (flat whites).
                Last edited by Whorl; 15 September 2022, 11:14 AM. Reason: Additional info

            • #11
              Originally posted by Brissienew View Post
              Do you think for making milk coffee only, there will be a noticeable improvement with the coffee by upgrading from my BSG to either the DF64 or Eureka Mignon?
              It really depends on your palate. Some people would notice a little difference, others wouldn't.

              Comment


              • #12
                Originally posted by LeroyC View Post
                If I were you I'd get something that still has a hopper, but is capable of single dosing with good results and reasonably low retention. You may find the lack of a hopper annoying if you went for something like the DF64. For your style of coffee I think something from the Eureka range will be hard to beat. The others I'd consider would be the new Baratza Vario, the Mahlkonig X54 or the Hey Cafe H1. The Mahlkonig and Hey Cafe are over your budget at full retail, but I've seen them both on sale for around the $800-900 mark.
                Hi LeroyC I'm in the same boat as OP. But at up to $1500 what would U recommend if I am not single dosing? I looked up the HeyCafe H1 and if that had a timer I would've bought it.

                But what about the new Mignon XL? Is the price up from the Specialita worth it?

                How does it stack against the X54 or H1?

                I'm after a quiet grinder so I have removed the Vario from the list. No idea how quiet the H1 is tbh.

                Comment


                • level3ninja
                  level3ninja commented
                  Editing a comment
                  If you want quiet look at the Atom 65

                • tompoland
                  tompoland commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Or the Silenzio ... name says it all really.

                • rahmeleon
                  rahmeleon commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Thanks level3ninja I'll have to take a look at the Atom 65.
                  Thanks tompoland however the Silenzio doesn't have a timer function which I also require

              • #13
                Originally posted by rahmeleon View Post
                Hi LeroyC I'm in the same boat as OP. But at up to $1500 what would U recommend if I am not single dosing? I looked up the HeyCafe H1 and if that had a timer I would've bought it. But what about the new Mignon XL? Is the price up from the Specialita worth it? How does it stack against the X54 or H1? I'm after a quiet grinder so I have removed the Vario from the list. No idea how quiet the H1 is tbh.
                I'm not really sure to be honest as I haven't seen enough of these grinders in person to make an informed recommendation. The one I have seen is the Mahlkonig X54 and while I was a little sceptical when it was released it does look to be great value. I haven't used it, but I've seen one and it's a nice looking unit that exudes quality which is more than can be said for some of the cheaper Eureka grinders and things like the Rocket Fausto.

                Comment


                • rahmeleon
                  rahmeleon commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Yeah I've not seen many of them either. Good to know that the X54 comes across as quality. What I struggle with is understanding why the X54 is about $300 more than the 55mm Specialita. X54 has a 120W motor vs the Spec's 310W. It also runs at 1050 rpm vs 1350rpm. The X54 has a WiFi link, the Spec does not. The X54 has 4 timer settings the Spec has 2. Thoughts?

                • LeroyC
                  LeroyC commented
                  Editing a comment
                  When you get into the nitty gritty details you probably need to go and have a look at one or two of your options and if you can find a knowledgeable sales person have a chat to someone in store. Just note that bigger isn’t always better, although a higher wattage motor is usually something I’d be looking for. Lower RPM is actually better for grind quality, but needs to be balanced against convenience where something could just be painfully slow. Good luck b
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