I would like some input on my next grinder choice. I have narrowed it down to the Compak K10 doser version or the Mahlkonig K30 Vario. I understand the technical differences between the two.

My current setup is the Mini Vivaldi II with a Mazzer Mini. I originally started with an Andreja Premium several years ago and just last year "upgraded" (in my mind!) to the Mini Viv II. I bought the grinder along with the Andreja several years ago, so it's going on five years young now.

Why am I upgrading? I believe my skills are finally to the point where I would benefit from a better grinder. I don't love the clumps in the MM, the left-throwing, and the channeling. I also believe I may get better flavors from a better grinder. But this is exactly why I'm asking for your input!

My routine over the years has been to put the hopper away and single dose. I weigh out my beans, dump them into the throat of the MM, and pulse the grinder to get the leftover grinds. I use a small spoon to clean the chute, then brush the entire thing (chute and dosing chamber.) I generally do not mind this routine, as I am only making shots for myself, and that is 2-6 throughout a day. But I want to be clear: I developed this routine because it seems to give the most consistent results for me with the least amount of waste. So in other words, I would be happy to modify my routine for the next grinder, if need be. I am not stuck in trying to maintain my routine.

I also ALWAYS finish one bag of beans before starting on another. I don't home roast, so this typically means a 12 oz bag that will last me a week, then on to the next bag.

That said, I have chosen these two grinders because I've read about the outstanding grind quality of each. I believe from what I've read that the Compak may have the edge here. I understand the K10 would be better for my single dose routine. But again, I'm not stuck on that, and I think the K30 Vario has its own advantages of the timed dosing.

My big question on the K30 is.... when you switch beans and have to adjust the grind, what is the routine? Do you find yourself adjusting finer/coarser vs. adjusting the dose to more or less? Or a combination of both? How difficult is this? So for example, if I generally like 17g doses from my local roaster but 16g doses of a Counter Culture blend and then 18g of a Klatch blend. Do you end up adjusting BOTH the time AND the grind? I don't think I would mind leaving a few days worth of beans in the hopper, as I know the K30 likes beans in the hopper.

Is the K10 that much better in grind quality? I guess now is a good time to say my tastes lean towards favoring the chocolate/caramel flavors and not the fruit/floral flavors. Would this influence my choice with these two grinders?

I am sorry for being so long-winded, but wanted to give as much information as I could about me and my personal wants/routines/expectations.

Which would you choose and why, if you were me? I already have in my mind that if I want to continue to single dose, I should choose the K10. But if I want the convenience of timed dosing and going doserless, the K30 is the choice. But what about TASTE?

Thank you!

Jen

I've owned both. I wrote a detailed review of both outling their pro's/con's, however I can't post a link from my phone:( perhaps a mod or helpful member could help me post it? I think its in the "upgrade from vario" thread.

They are very different and I believe the grind quality shouldn't be the only thing you consider.

Cheers,
J

Edit: thanks Dan!

At your service: Upgrade advice (I now have the Mahlkonig Vario). Also see Mahlkönig K30 Vario vs. Compak K10 WBC.

Thanks to both of you!

Jackson, I have studied your response over and over and I have actually read through both of those threads multiple times. Can you comment on the taste difference between the two, if any? It seems from reading your responses through the various threads, that you actually do prefer the K10, but I could be reading you wrong.

Anyone else have an opinion on the taste in the cup between the two? Is one clearly more chocolate/caramel flavor vs the fruity flavor? I know much of that has to do with the roast itself.

Thanks again!

Hi Jen,
We exchanged notes on this subject already but I don't remember where you are in TX. If you're close enough to Houston then you are welcome to come taste shots from my two grinders (the Robur will be equivalent to K10 in terms of taste).

Would could even run a couple of different coffees through both grinders and taste them side-by-side

I feel that any difference in the cup could be described as subtle and it may take some practice to even start to distinguish between the two. Both are really top notch products.

I believe that single-dosing works out better with the large conical, and the K30 is better for loaded hopper grinding. And if your typical session is only 1 or 2 shots then it's possible the K30 Vario will cause you to waste quite a bit of coffee compared to single-dosing a K10.

I would wait a couple of months for the Mahlkonig ProM and some comparative reviews. From what I have seen in my month with the machine, there is zero bean waste, zero clumping and it will take up less than half the space on your counter (it will also cost much less than the K30 Vario). I think the ProM has the potential to make all the "titan" grinders obsolete for home espresso use.

Thanks to everyone for the responses!

@Jon - Very good point about the K30 waste when only pulling 1-2 shots. That's one piece of information I forgot to tell you when we were chatting about it before. But I do only pull 1-2 shots at a time, then maybe a couple of hours later pull another 1-2. Also, I'm in the Tyler area but thank you very much for the offer and I may take you up on it if I find myself in Houston!

@Marshall - Thanks for the heads up on the ProM, I had read through several posts regarding that grinder and it does indeed look interesting. We'll see if I can muster enough willpower to wait a few months before pulling the trigger!

I had also heard that the K10 "Fresh" will be coming in January but can't really find much about it. Maybe it would be better to hold off for a few months, but that will be very difficult to do when both grinders I'm currently looking at are both excellent!

Jen

Can anyone comment on the amount of waste based on experience if you only pull 1-2 shots at a time? So today, for instance, was a very typical day for me and that was to pull 1 double shot, drink it, then pull another double shot for a cappa. Then an hour (maybe two hours) later, pull another double shot for another cappa. So on any given day, I pull about 4-5 shots total, but only 1-2 at a time.

My concern with the K30 is the amount of waste, as Jon suggests. If it's 10g+ that would need to be purged each time, that seems extreme to me, as I only weigh out 15-16g of beans per shot.

This may be the determining factor in leaning towards the K10 WBC.

Any more comments or suggestions? Thank you!

Jen

I've seen 6g quoted for the K30 WBC model. With the K10 and a full hopper it's more like 10g plus whatever waste is left in the doser after you're finished the session (this can be mitigated with a timer). You may want to review this video of single dosing with the K10 before deciding it's something you want to do. I am not happy about the amount of waste I go through with the K10 and a full hopper, but I find the bumping and brushing routine for single dosing very tedious, especially when pulling multiple shots. Some people like it, some people hate it.

fanchee wrote:This may be the determining factor in leaning towards the K10 WBC.

Just to avoid confusion, the K10 has not been designated the "WBC" model, since Compak's WBC sponsorship expired at the end of 2008.