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Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

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  • Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

    Probably my new (and first) grinder will be a Compak due to availability and tech support. However im not sure which to choose. Elite or touch (doser or doserless?).

    Any ideas?  


    (Jesus, I think I will ever end up of choosing my espresso set up)

  • #2
    Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

    I dont know anything about Compak grinders, but I recently upgraded from a doserless Sunbeam 0480 to a dosered Mazzer mini.
    Quite a noticeable improvement in taste...but I dont like the doser. I thought it would grow on me, but its more a hindrance than help.
    If the Mazzer just dosed straight into the PF it would be perfect for me.

    Others here who have upgraded from doserless to dosered love it though.

    I really depends on what You want.

    Youll get opinions for, and against dosers, but its you that needs to live with it in the end.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

      oton, have you read this thread about doser vs doserless?

      http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1178017304

      :-?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

        yep. thanks. However i wanted more specific information about any issues between the two compak models.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

          Lots of detail in Pullmans review of the k3 Elite here:

          http://www.coffeetamper.com.au/**/reviews/mini-k3/

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

            The only reason I would go for the Touch over the Elite is the built in tamper, and its massive outcrop. I generally prefer a doser, but with the K3 I would choose the touch over the elite.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

              Originally posted by gronk62 link=1225357569/0#1 date=1225359828
              ...but I dont like the doser. I thought it would grow on me, but its more a hindrance than help.
              If the Mazzer just dosed straight into the PF it would be perfect for me.)
              My thoughts exactly.  

              For what its worth Ive seen the K3 touch in action and was very impressed with its cleanliness - no stray grinds and very little left-over in the dosing shute.  The few remaining grinds could be easily hooked out with a finger.  If I were choosing again Id go for a K3T over my dosered Macap.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                Great.

                Some questions.

                - What about coffee clumps on the K3 touch?
                - A doser (K3 Elite) will be useless when you have to make 1-2 shots but perhaps useful when you have to make 8 coffees (and therefore K3 Touch will be inconvenient) ?
                - Without a doser ... How can I measure 7 grams of coffee?

                BIG THANKS


                Originally posted by Pioneer Roaster link=1225357569/0#5 date=1225410515
                The only reason I would go for the Touch over the Elite is the built in tamper, and its massive outcrop. I generally prefer a doser, but with the K3 I would choose the touch over the elite.
                Please, could you explain me why if you generally prefer a doser, you choose doserless for the Compak k3?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                  There is also a price difference to be considered the touch is selling for $495 from some of our sponsors, the elite is over $600.

                  The touch is fast and clean if it is just a home setting the touch gets my nod.

                  Hope this help

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                    Hi Aton,

                    Firstly I will mention that I have only used the K3T and not the Elite. I have only used a doser years ago working in cafes - and have not used a doser in a domestic environment.

                    Qte from Aton:
                    What about coffee clumps on the K3 touch?

                    Occationally, depending on the beans and the grind there may be small clumps.  These disappear when you level the dose, or with a tap on the bench.  You could use a distribution technique, but I dont because I dont find the clumping effects what ends up in the cup

                    - A doser (K3 Elite) will be useless when you have to make 1-2 shots but perhaps useful when you have to make 8 coffees (and therefore K3 Touch will be inconvenient) ?

                    With a doser you can turn on the grinder and do other things while you wait for the chamber to fill prior to grinding.  With the doserless you generally need to hold the PF under the spout while youre grinding.  If this bothers you a solution would be to place a container under the spout, rather than the PF.  I guess you need to ask yourself how often will you make 1-2 shots, and how often 8?

                    - Without a doser ... How can I measure 7 grams of coffee?

                    Pour 7 grams of whole beans into the hopper, 7 grams will exit the spout.

                    Personally, I find that if I close the hopper shutter, and then fill to the level of the hand protector, its usually the correct amount for a double shot on my VBM.

                    You can also adjust the dose amount so that each time you place the PF under the spout a pre-determined amount of coffee is released.  Personally I havent really tried this, coz I prefer to dose manually.

                    Ive been very happy with the K3T, and if I was choosing again Id make the same decision.

                    Hope this helps,

                    Andrew

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                      To measure 7gms of coffee on the touch you can adjust the timer to grind the right amount. Although this is not that accurate, niether is any other coffee measuring sytem used by a grinder.

                      I generally prefer a doser grinder, I have a compak K10 WBC and Mazzer SJ. I would take any of these over a K3 but that is not the question.
                      If I was looking at a K3 I would take the touch over the elite. The touch is cheaper to buy than the eilte, smaller, cleaner to look at. I do not like the Compak built in tamper (on the K3,6,8,10), if they did a K3Touch WBC I would probably buy it over the current K3 models.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                        Originally posted by oton link=1225357569/0#7 date=1225443316
                        - What about coffee clumps on the K3 touch?
                        - A doser (K3 Elite) will be useless when you have to make 1-2 shots but perhaps useful when you have to make 8 coffees (and therefore K3 Touch will be inconvenient) ?
                        hi oton

                        i havent played with any of the K3 range, but in theory (and in most cases, in reality) having a doser helps to reduce clumping (even for 1 or 2 shots per day). this would be more evident when manual dosing, "thwacking" every second or so.

                        thus i wouldnt call a doser useless but would be good to compare the two k3s side by side in regards to clumping

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                          There was a shiny new K-3 Touch sitting on our kitchen counter when I came home last Saturday after being away for 3 weeks. I have had a chance to play with it for the past 4 days and almost have the grind setting dialled in. At this stage words cannot express how happy I am with it.  

                          - Its quiet
                          - It grinds slowly/evenly paced enough so that there is no overspray as ground beans are discharged to portafilter basket.
                          - It leaves very little in the chute after grinding.
                          - What ends up in the cup does taste better than before (used to have a Sunbeam).

                          I havent bothered with the timed single/double dose function. Turning the machine on and off to grind as needed has proven simple and effective.

                          The only thing I dont like about it is the fact that it came with the importers logo stencilled in HUGE letters 3x on the hopper. May be alright for a commercial environment but I think it looks a bit tacky in our kitchen. Going to look into getting it replaced with a clear mini-hopper if possible. The rest looks awesome.

                          I think if youre only making coffee in fairly small qtys like I am you cant go wrong with the Touch (especially given that its currently available in Oz for <$500). I think I read somewhere (perhaps in Gregs review about the Elite) that the burr set is the same as the Mini Mazzers...but might be mistaken.

                          Some minor clumping evident in filter basket with fresh beans I am using. A tap or two on the mat takes care of 95% of it. I dont view it as an issue.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                            Hey Buschy,

                            Good to hear all is good (almost).

                            I was looking at the K3T also, as it seemed to fit my purpose quite well. But I read it is nearly 600mm high, which means it wouldnt fit under my overhead cupboards.  :-[

                            Anyway, I asked about the short hopper option that is available on the Compak website and apparently they are not available here in Australia -  ie there are none here.

                            Cheers

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Should I buy... Compak K3 Elite or Touch?

                              Yeh...with the monster hopper on top it ends up being quite a tall sucker. A larger more substantial machine than I had imagined  

                              If mini-hopper not available in Oz Im going to see if I can get one via internet from overseas. However with shipping it may get too pricey and not worth the expense or effort. Strange that they dont offer the smaller hopper here. Monster one is complete overkill for domestic use (or at least my use). Every morning its like dropping the beans into the giant abyss.

                              Comment

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