New grinder or stick with Rocky?

[Maskedman]

Hi guys,

I decided on the Brewtus 2 and expecting it to arrive in 2 days.

Would there be a point, and what difference would it make to upgrade to a different grinder?

I was looking at the MACAP M4/M5 are they worth the price or should I go for a Mazzer right away?

Thanks!

Thomas

[Fr. John]

Well, I'll take a shot though there are many here that are much more knowledgeable.

First, I just made the same upgrade, a Rocky doser to a M4 doser. I upgraded mostly for the hopper size, dose adjustability (though it doesn't look like I will be using that feature, I just dose to fill) and grind speed (I often have to make 4-10 drinks). I did not upgrade for grind performance as I am making 90% milk drinks, the subtleties of grind are lost in a latte or other. So I guess the question may be is what are you drinking mostly? If it were me and I was drinking mostly milk drinks the Rocky would be more than sufficient.

As for skipping the MACAP and going straight to a Mazzer, this implies the MACAP is a downgrade. I have to say this is not the case. Mazzer has a bigger name because they came to the market first, but as can be seen here the MACAP holds its own against the Mazzer and IMO has some distinct advantages (timerless on/off, reports of leaving less grounds in the doser), plus it's a bit cheaper.

My only complaint about the MACAP (and it may apply to the Mazzer as well) is that the doser lever is quite a bit louder than the Rocky's. The grind is a bit quieter though.

[Maskedman]

Well, I'll take a shot though there are many here that are much more knowledgeable.

First, I just made the same upgrade, a Rocky doser to a M4 doser. I upgraded mostly for the hopper size, dose adjustability (though it doesn't look like I will be using that feature, I just dose to fill) and grind speed (I often have to make 4-10 drinks). I did not upgrade for grind performance as I am making 90% milk drinks, the subtleties of grind are lost in a latte or other. So I guess the question may be is what are you drinking mostly? If it were me and I was drinking mostly milk drinks the Rocky would be more than sufficient.

As for skipping the MACAP and going straight to a Mazzer, this implies the MACAP is a downgrade. I have to say this is not the case. Mazzer has a bigger name because they came to the market first, but as can be seen here the MACAP holds its own against the Mazzer and IMO has some distinct advantages (timerless on/off, reports of leaving less grounds in the doser), plus it's a bit cheaper.

My only complaint about the MACAP (and it may apply to the Mazzer as well) is that the doser lever is quite a bit louder than the Rocky's. The grind is a bit quieter though.

Thanks for the reply Fr. John,

Well, I'm mostly drinking straight espresso shots, and sometimes milkbased drinks. But what advantage does the MACAP/Mazzer have over a Rocky, is it the ability to grind more precisely?

The reason why I was asking about going directly to the Mazzer is the big price difference, at least in Denmark. Converted to us dollars the Mini Mazzer Electronic B is $714 compared to the $461 pricetag of the chrome MACAP with a wormdrive. That's a pretty big difference isn't it?

Thomas

[bobcraige]

The reason why I was asking about going directly to the Mazzer is the big price difference, at least in Denmark. Converted to us dollars the Mini Mazzer Electronic B is $714 compared to the $461 pricetag of the chrome MACAP with a wormdrive. That's a pretty big difference isn't it?

Thomas

I think you are comparing the wrong items. Compare the MACAPs to a Mazzer Mini and you should find the prices comparable.

[Maskedman]

I think you are comparing the wrong items. Compare the MACAPs to a Mazzer Mini and you should find the prices comparable.

Bob,

Your'e right, sorry. I just found the Mazzer Mini at $528 (the other site listed the Mini at a whopping $771! )

Thomas

[Fr. John]

Thanks for the reply Fr. John,

Well, I'm mostly drinking straight espresso shots, and sometimes milkbased drinks. But what advantage does the MACAP/Mazzer have over a Rocky, is it the ability to grind more precisely?

Thomas

Thomas,

Again I suggest you read the grinder showdown article if you haven't done so. As I understand it, keeping in mind I'm more geared for milk drinks, the grind quality on the MACAP or Mazzer is superior to the Rocky. Case in point from the aforementioned article:

"Some equipment reveals grind quality differences more starkly. For example, the popular Rancilio Silvia, which is renowned for a certain finicky nature, will show a greater improvement in espresso quality when comparing these grinders to those in another class (e.g., Rancilio Rocky). The same comparison using a more forgiving E61 espresso machine will still show these grinders as superior, but the difference may be less striking"

[Mark08859]

Why not stick with the Rocky and see what results you can achieve. Why spend hundreds of dollars if it isn't necessary.