Hi

I've been pulling shots now for almost 10 years at home using a Cimbali Jr and a Rocky. I haven't much followed the internet espresso crowd for quite a while. I see everyone left alt.coffee !!

I think I've about sucked everything out of this Rocky and have pretty well figured out what it can and can't do..

It's probably time to upgrade. I'd also like to make it my last upgrade for another 10 years. After having read the forums and the various reviews, I think the Cimbali Max Hybrid is where I am leaning..

I'm looking for a grinder that does great espresso at relatively low doses. I'm not much of a stuff up the basket kinda guy. I'm a big fan of separation of flavors as opposed to the big whammo punch.

I'm open to suggestions.. Also, I'm in Canada and if possible would like to buy from a Canadian retailer..

Thanks and it's nice to see some of the old alt.coffee crowd (Hi Ken !).

J

Hey, welcome! You'll find that grinder discussions here tend to divide people quite quickly about how they are used. For many, single dosing is their thing and they want a grinder that lets them do it easily without much hassle getting every gram out that they put in. Others focus on the flat burr/conical decision. Others want convenience (like timed dosing). Personally, I've had coffee from big conicals in shops and it is the kind of taste experience that I want to try and replicate when I upgrade.

Between espressotec, idrinkcoffee and zcafe, you should be able to find the grinder you decide on. I've bought from both espressotec and idrinkcoffee and got good service. Anyway, grinders rarely break down so it's not a big risk buying online and getting stuck with repairs.

Have a look at the Vario. It gets great reviews and is well adapted to home and low volume use from what i've read. It's also quite affordable.

Personally, i went with the mazzer mini which is a step up from the rocky. A lot of people in your situation are going to look at Mazzer mini, Compak K3, Macap M4 and possibly cimbali max hybrid (although that last one is a bit more expensive).

I have a Mazzer Mini. I like it but if I were to do it again at that level I would prefer the K3.

Jason - I like your list best of all. There's only the Max on it and if were to afford it (allowed ) that would be my upgrade choice too.

No contest.

Hi,

Thanks so much for the replies thus far. I really appreciate it.

I have been looking at the Baratza Vario. My fears though is that it won't last. I'm generally not the kind of person to upgrade coffee equipment every 3-5 years. The Rocky was my starter grinder. I'm looking for my last grinder.. or at least my last grinder for 10 years.

So the Max appears to be on the top of the list..

I even found a buyer for the Rocky.

J

If you to take it to the next level, you may want to read through the Titan Grinder Project. These will last a lifetime and are some of the best grinders on the market.

I'm looking for a grinder that does great espresso at relatively low doses. I'm not much of a stuff up the basket kinda guy. I'm a big fan of separation of flavors as opposed to the big whammo punch.

I'd suggest upping your budget & taking a serious look at the Compak K10 Pro Barista (formerly WBC). This grinder will give you the separation of flavors you are looking for at any reasonable dose, requires very little tweaking to dial in a new bean or blend, lends itself well to single dosing & will it last you a lifetime. Current U.S. street price is around $1200, no idea what they go for in Canada.

$1400 in Canada.. Chris Coffee sells for same.. but I'd get dinged and then thumped at the border..

I'll take a poke around and read up on this. Thanks.

Oh and thanks for the tip on reading on the Titan grinder thread. I had read most of that thread..

I think when we get into this range, we are dealing in small percentage points that are more affected by the skill of the barista then the grinder itself.

I'm sure there's differences in each, I'm just not sure I can say without hesitation that the change in taste from grinder to grinder at that level is only due to the grinder.

It reminds me a little of the debate that takes place in B&W photography.. People arguing if said developer is better then another while they all go out and produce crappy photos !

So I'm more of the opinion that finding a grinder that makes good consistent espresso, that will last a long time and that is easy to keep clean is probably the best way to go. I'm not a pro barista and not not looking to become one. I'm looking to make good coffee on a consistent basis instead of obsessing over making fantastic coffee some of the time.

I'm not casting dispersions either. So please don't take it as such. I'm merely saying that after 10 years of pulling shots at home, it's probably time to upgrade to something better for another 10 years.. I don't plan on measuring shots.. Or really busting my hump trying to make better espresso. The coffee I make now is better then 98% of the cafes here. In order for me to arrive at the final 2%, I'd have to really invest time.. when it's probably easier to walk down to one of those 2% cafes and pay the $2.50. I'm sure over the long haul, probably cheaper too !

The goal really is to just upgrade from the Rocky and hopefully improve my shots in the meantime.

Whoa, I rambled way too long there.

J

Check these guys out too: https://www.caffetech.com/grinders/commercial.html

jknotzke wrote:$1400 in Canada.. Chris Coffee sells for same.. but I'd get dinged and then thumped at the border..

CC advertises that price on their website but a call or email will bring the price down to the street price I mentioned.