I've decided to get a Slayer. I had thought about a GS/3, but the Slayer is more modern and the V3, at least, is fully dependable from what I've read.
With that said, my Mazzer Mini E just won't cut it.
So I need to upgrade! (And I've already told the wife.)
I'm considering the Robur, but I don't like the thought of throwing away a whole shots worth of grinds every day (though its really not that bad I guess). So I'm also considering a Kony. Less waste, right? Though the motor is not as powerful.

I'm thinking about a Peak as well. But I really want to stick with a connical though I have never used one. So I could be convinced otherwise.

I don't like the aesthetics of the Macaps or the Compaks though they have more modern features than the Mazzers.

I love the look of the EG 43, but that seems like it is more for grinding bags at a time. I like to grind for a single dose at a time. I don't use a hopper on the Mini now, I just measure and throw the beans down the throat.

What am I missing? Money is less important than form and function. Size is not a restriction, in fact, its one of the things I like about the Robur.

Should I just go with the Robur? Or are there real issues with trying to use it as a home grinder? Is there a different grinder that I have not considered? Should I go with an OE Pharos? I'm open to anything. Please give me some guidance.

If I had a Slayer and desired an upgrade, I'd go with a Peak, K30, or a Mythos. Big flats seem to be the "hot new thing" right now. I think the Compak K10 is the best conical grinder for home use, just based around what I've heard and seen: It's relatively small, and it delivers consistent quality.

Time frame for your purchase can make a difference.

If you don't mind waiting a bit, a custom Titus grinder from Terranova is a beautiful single doser.

Verbalab m3 is also a viable option.

EG-1 from LWW will be available in August, and may still have the preorder discount. Eg-1 is a flat burr grinder.

Slightly less suitable for single dosing are the Peak and k-30, both of which are more readily available. Peak may require a bit more purging, k-30 is a great value.

All this is general info. I don't actually have a Slayer...

I'd definitely try a conical before getting a brand new high end one.

At home right now I have a Compak K10PB, a Mythos Plus, and a Bunn G1 with Ditting KR804 burrs. Got all three machines used (but new burrs in the Bunn) with the intent of selling at least one based on what I end up using most. Turns out I like the Bunn more than the others by a good bit, and yes for espresso.

Based on what I've found I like, if I was buying on your budget , I'd personally be looking in to the EK43 and especially the EG-1 for the unimodal grind and the easy single dosing aspects. I'm not personally the type with enough faith in a product to preorder though.

But if you end up liking the conical profile or the non unimodal flat burr profile way more, then you'd be looking at a whole different set of things than me.

For what it's worth, a shop by my office recently got a Peak in and like it more than the Mythos, Kony, or K30 they've used before with their Slayer. I wouldn't want it for home usage over some other options still personally.

Hi Ken, one big consideration... are you going to single dose or hopper dose? This would dramatically influence your grinder choices.

If you know you prefer large conical burrs, and you will exclusively single dose, I'd take a close look at the KafaTek Monolith and the HG-1 (assuming you are willing to hand-grind), both of which are designed for single-dosing. I know you say you don't like the look of Compaks, but among more traditionally designed motorized grinders they have a good reputation around here as being easy to single dose.

Many of the other grinders being discussed have flat burrs, and depending on your goals this might or might not work for you. The K30 has an excellent reputation, but is not known to be single-dosing friendly; I suspect the Peak is similar in this regard, though I have not used either one myself. Tom's review of the EG-1 has me very intrigued by its ability to mimic the taste characteristics of large bulk grinders like the EK43 or R120 in a smaller and more user-friendly design.

Thanks for the info.

The LWW EG-1, Versalab M3 and KafaTek Monolith all look awesome.

I'm going for doserless.

What do you guys think of sticking with my Mini until I can get one of the above?

Slayer recommends the Compak E8 and E10.

Compak grinders for Slayer espresso

I own a K30 and a Mazzer Mini Electronic A. I also have owned a LW HG-1. For absolute coffee quality, the K30 is stunning (and my favorite of the three). I cannot imagine that the Peak would add anything to this for home use as the value-add there has primarily to do with keeping the grind chamber cool at very high volumes. In a home setting, the K30 is already overkill in this regard. The only downside to the K30 is that you need to keep the bean hopper with a reasonable amount of beans in it...so switching back and forth between coffees is not easily done IME.

I personally prefer the flavor profile of flat burrs. I loved the design, simplicity and single-dose aspect of the HG-1, but the resulting espresso always tasted a little more angular and inconsistent IMHO. In fact, I consistently got better extractions and flavor (IMO) from the Mazzer Mini than the HG-1.

I would not get rid of your Mazzer Mini (assuming that it is not the one with the dosing chamber) even after you purchase a new grinder as it makes a heck of a good single dose unit for either an alternative blend or decaf. As long as you measure your beans and use WDT, it can make an exceptional espresso...

FWIW, I have my machine is a GS/3...

All grind retention numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt. You really need to know how they were measured. For example Robur has a 30 gram retention if you use it with a hopper full of coffee as designed. If you single dose, it has very minimal grind retention after you brush the chute, less than 0.5 gram.

Here is what my Robur E looks like after many pounds of coffee through it:



This is how I use mine. I flip the lid 180* and use it as an anti-popcorning lid. This opens the chute for brushing while I am grinding.

ken.rubin@live.com wrote:I've decided to get a Slayer. I had thought about a GS/3, but the Slayer is more modern and the V3, at least, is fully dependable from what I've read.
With that said, my Mazzer Mini E just won't cut it.
So I need to upgrade! (And I've already told the wife.)
I'm considering the Robur, but I don't like the thought of throwing away a whole shots worth of grinds every day (though its really not that bad I guess). So I'm also considering a Kony. Less waste, right? Though the motor is not as powerful.

I'm thinking about a Peak as well. But I really want to stick with a connical though I have never used one. So I could be convinced otherwise.

I don't like the aesthetics of the Macaps or the Compaks though they have more modern features than the Mazzers.

I love the look of the EG 43, but that seems like it is more for grinding bags at a time. I like to grind for a single dose at a time. I don't use a hopper on the Mini now, I just measure and throw the beans down the throat.

What am I missing? Money is less important than form and function. Size is not a restriction, in fact, its one of the things I like about the Robur.

Should I just go with the Robur? Or are there real issues with trying to use it as a home grinder? Is there a different grinder that I have not considered? Should I go with an OE Pharos? I'm open to anything. Please give me some guidance.