sorry for responding so late. Had a busy time.
Teme wrote:Read quite a few positive stories about it. (kony)
A good grinder without a doubt. A bit slow, though.
Slow(er) is not really a problem for me. I mean, faster is more convenient but its not a dealbreaker.
No, the M3 is the only one of these grinders with the hybrid flat-conical burrs. The rest are all conical. Afaik, no bean feed issues with the conicals.
Thx.
The Macap is easily available in Europe. What has been confusing for me is that some sources say that it is only available with the auto-grind function whereas other say that you also have a manual version. You would clearly want the manual version for home use.
Other downsides: The Macap is slow (if that matters to you) and I have also read some negative experiences about the taste profile the Macap produces in the cup.
....
True. The Kony is around 1075 euros in Europe while you should be able to get the stepless version of the Macap for around 850 (the Compak is around 860 and the WBC spec version is the same price as the Kony).
Well I'm pretty sure that it comes in a manual version since the Macap site says so.
In the meantime I got a quote for the Macap which is a staggering EUR 1099,=. This reseller is quiting the Macap brand so maybe thats an explanation. The Kony was EUR 1050,= which is also more or less my budget.
I do not rate the Macap M4 as an equal to the Mini-E. They are two very different grinders (doserless with dose timers vs a doser on the M4). For home use I think the Mini-E is superior, but more expensive. For the price, the M4 is great (actually better than the Mazzer doser version imo), but I would avoid the doserless MC4 version.
You are right off course. I meant the "mini" and not the Mini-E
lud wrote:I have only read/heard nothing but positive feedback on the Compak K-10 in terms of its grind quality. To some, it may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some other grinders out there (if that is important to you). If you are planning to spend that much on a grinder, I wouldn't let the difficulty of obtaining one due to geography get in the way. It often makes the purchase that much more satisfying. I have to wait a few months to get my grinder from the US (its being brought over for me into Canada), but believe it or not, I'm saving just under 50% (based on today's exchange rate) by going this route when all is said and done. I had to crunch the numbers a few times because I couldn't believe it myself.
I am inclined to think along the same lines. Nevertheless there is still the issue of i.e. buildquality. I dunno, it doesn't feel right for me. Would it be a grinder which I could pickup locally it would be a different thing. And then there's the budget, assuming that Teme's EUR 1500,- is on the spot.
You're probably right. Mazzer brand recognition has afforded them the luxury to rest on their laurels a bit over the past few years, while a few other manufacturers like Compak, and Macap have entered this market, actively solicit feedback from their customers, and quickly gain the respect of many coffee professionals and enthusiasts alike.
It does appear that recently, Mazzer is trying harder to get feedback from their customers. I read that at the recent SCAA Conference, the Mazzer folks were going out of their way to talk to customers as opposed to years past when some felt as if they were being ignored. That's good news for Mazzer, and good news for the industry overall.
It is probably a fact that the whole grinding/espresso industrie has been sort of a closed not very innovative market for years. This is know changing probably due to all the info on the internet and the increased popularity of espresso among homeusers.
I think there is still a lot to be improved R&D'd both on grinders and espresso. Also the prices, especially for grinders, seem way too high for such a device. Let's hope more Chinese will start drinking espresso and then producing the gear....
I too was turned off by its size, but a few weeks ago, I saw the matte black Super Jolly (slightly smaller) sitting beside my beloved LM and it looked sweet.
You may be aware, but there ARE workarounds for the automatic grinding. It depends whether that is acceptable for you vs. going with another machine.
I heard there was a doserless version of the Royal at SCAA. If so, there's a chance that it would fit the slightly smaller Kony as well.
I read about the workarounds, however if I can buy a grinder without that hassle it would be better. Still the Kony is on my shortlist as it is within budget, sturdy build and it has (supposedly) a good result in the cup.
Then there's this new grinder from Elektra that was being showcased at SCAA last week. It sounds intriguing. For my use, I'll never have the need to cool the burrs, but the overall ability to produce a clean grind (ie. with little mess to clean up either inside or outside of the grinder) sounds enticing. Personally, I love the look of it as well. I don't know if production of this is months away, or just around the corner, but if Elektra managed to obtain UL already, it could be sooner rather than later.
Read about it on coffeegeek and it is interesting indeed. Only, what will be its Time to Market (europe) and the streetprice might be a tad higher than my EUR 1100 budget or so. Which is, when you come to think of it, already ridiculous in some way for a simple motor and a few burrs and chunk of metal housing.
Apologies for somewhat one-sided commentary in terms of the grinders. I DON'T have direct experience with the mentioned grinders, but base my opinion on what I picked up during my recent search on an upgrade.
No problem. Each reply covers another angle of the issue and is helpful in its on way.
On a parting note:
When I first read Dan's "Feature Spotlight on Espresso Grinders" about eight months ago, my initial thought was, "C'mon. What do I need $700 grinder for?", to "I gotta have that $700 grinder", and now, "That $700 grinder is just not going to cut it." When that showcase on conical vs. flat, or perhaps a Conical Shootout review is written, my bet is that you'll see another flurry of grinder upgrades amongst home enthusiasts. IMO though, the limiting factor of conical's popularity for the home barista is size of the grinder, perhaps more so than then its price.
It is probably a fact that the whole grinding/espresso industry has been sort of a closed not very innovative market for years. This is know changing probably due to all the info on the internet and the increased popularity of espresso.
I think there is still a lot to be improved / R&D'd both on grinders and espresso. Also the prices, especially for grinders, seem way too high for such a device. Let's hope more Chinese will start drinking espresso and then producing the gear....
I mean, anno 2007 it should be possible to develop a grinder without the issues commonly mentioned for a reasonable price.....
@jesawdy:
Thanks for the info on the single / three phase issue !
