Trying to figure the best $300 or less grinder for my Livia 90 machine. Pasquini wants to sell me the Lux for $300.

Would the Le'Lit, Ascaso or Baratza Preciso be a better purchase?

Thanks for any help.

the Pasquini Lux, Ascaso, and Le'Lit all have the same grinding group as far as I know (all have the same burrset and wormdrive adjustment). The Baratza Preciso is a new product developed recently, so I'll bet that it is quite different than the others.

A Nemox Lux grinder without the Pasquini label is around $220. The Lelit and Ascaso are the same burr in a more civilized housing. The Baratza Preciso is new, but the burr it uses is the same as the Virtuoso's, and not all that great for a commercial espresso group.

Update: The Preciso has a newly designed burrset with an improved breaking section (the intake)

Is the Nemox the one that Pasquini is trying to sell me for $150 that is hard to adjust?

I have a feeling this is it.

I have a Nemox Lux and my inlaws do as well and I love it. I prefer the more nuanced flavors to the flat burr grinders I've used. Noisy as all get out though.

another_jim wrote:A Nemox Lux grinder without the Pasquini label is around $220. The Lelit and Ascaso are the same burr in a more civilized housing. ...

You can add the Mini Pro II to the same group for $195.

Eiron wrote:You can add the Mini Pro II to the same group for $195.

As far as I can tell, the Mini Pro II and Nemox Lux are stepped grinders.

The Pasquini Lux is the same as the Vanelli's Mini Pro III (both stepless)

They are stepped. The steps are rather close though, so I tend not to have much trouble dialing in.

The basic Lux is a stepped grinder, but the steps are acceptable. If you intend to use it for espresso plus brewing, the stepped works better; otherwise the the stepless versions are best. If the Pasquini is the larger version, it is the same upgraded build quality as the Lelit and Ascaso, and much more fairly priced.

I have 8 years on and off with this burrset, and it remains my pick for an entry level hobbyist grinder. But warning, this is a noisy and slow grinder, it does great coffee and awful everything else. The upgraded versions are a bit better, but still loud, slow and messy.

That's it! The Mini Pro II. They want $150 for it.

I wonder if I'd be happier spending $300 or so on something in the long run.

Thanks for the help.