Hi folks,

i'm looking to get a portable and good quality hand grinder with ease of transfer after grinding.

I've narrowed it to Rosco mini and Lido e.

I'm using a Cremina and Zacconi lever. I understand that the Rosco mini has a cup to hold the grind which makes transfer to my small size basket easy but the price is on the high side. Lido e seems like a good grinder but is transfer of grind to small basket as easy as the Rosco?

Thanks!

I don't have experience with either grinder but I was in a similar predicament as you up until a few days ago, either wait it out for a Rosco or get an E now. I just decided on and ordered an E based on 3 main reasons:

-Not having to unscrew and screw back on the top to load beans in the E. I just think that would get annoying.
-$100 cheaper
- Rosco's take a long time to make and I don't know when it will ever become available. I've been on the waiting list since last Spring and haven't heard anything from Ross. I've emailed him a couple time over the past few months but it's always a vague few weeks out from more in stock.

Thanks for the advice!

I thought the Rosco is readily available. Didn't know it's made on order.

I'm considering the E since i'm mainly drinking espresso. My main concern is the ease of transfer to the 49mm basket. Wonder whether it will make a mess.

The E does come with the grind transfer cone that would make things easier in that regard. You could also throw on a 49mm dosing funnel from OE, I've found it to be very useful for my cremina.

Thanks!

Yes, the dosing cone that comes with the Lido E makes getting the grounds into a portafilter a rather simple task.

I have the Rosco Mini, very (very) well built and easy to adjust even to espresso and beyond.

Makes fantastic espresso for it's burr size, good clarity and sweetness (sometimes better than my Mazzer Mini E).
Some static exist and can be significantly reduced by adding a drop of water to the beans before grinding.
Grinding medium-light beans is not easy but manageable, it takes about 45 seconds to grind a 17-18g shot.

One more thing, the grinder is all brass and you will get that brass/metallic smell on your hands after using it.

I think the lido is a better value for the money but you can't go wrong with the Rosco either.

Good luck.

Kfir.

Thanks for the advice!

I'm curious how the porlex compares to rosco and lido in terms of taste of the espresso. I know the porlex is not in the class of both grinders but is there a huge difference in taste? Is it obvious?

Thanks!

Yes, the porlex is terrible in my opinion and i'd only use it in an emergency.

A disclaimer that I have never used a Porlex so I cannot comment on the taste, but I have seen grind time comparisons where a Porlex takes quite a while longer to grind the same amount of beans as a Lido E, I'm not sure about grind times for the Rosco Mini but I assume they would be close to the Lido E.

A common complaint I hear about the Porlex is that the plastic parts wear out after a couple years. A Rosco or Lido should last you a lifetime.

A Porlex is very compact though and would be the most convenient to travel with.