Mazzer Mini E Doserless, Type A & Type B

[HB]

Teme suggested that I update the Feature Spotlight on Espresso Grinders to include the Mazzer Mini E. Chris' Coffee agreed to
loan me not one but two! Time for an update to the Mazzer Mini, Cimbali Junior, and Macap M4 review...

Feature Spotlight on Espresso Grinders, Reloaded



Mazzer Mini E - Type A & B

They arrived today and I've just unpacked them. Both are similar in form to the standard Mazzer Mini and have the new "shorter" hopper that makes them very kitchen cabinet friendly (not shown in manufacturer photos above). You'll have to look closely to see the difference is the on/off mechanism:

• Type A = touch pad on top of funnel lid (left),
• Type B = metal push-click switch below funnel and above portafilter rest (right).

The Mini E also has 64mm burrs like the Super Jolly, compared to the standard Mini's 58mm burrs.

I've not seen much information on the Type B, so the update will include a section specifically explaining the differences between these two models. I'll use both for a couple weeks and hopefully provide enough distinctions to help potential buyers decide which suits their preference; I'll also contrast them to the other three grinders already covered in the Spotlight: Mazzer Mini, Cimbali Junior, and Macap M4.

In the meantime, below is an excerpt from my comments on the Mazzer Mini E (Type A) from last year's Counter Culture Coffee EspressoFest:

Every review I've read about this grinder just raves and raves. So needless to say, I was anxious to see what all the excitement was about. At first glance it appears to be a $200 funnel accessory for the stock Mazzer Mini, plus some touchpad buttons. After a few uses, the pricing still seems excessive, but I see why owners are so pleased -- Mazzer nailed a great doserless design.

To fill the portafilter, you place it in the MME's cradle and press the single or double doser button atop the funnel. In about 12 seconds, a perfectly centered pyramid of grinds fills the basket. For those of us who have resigned ourselves to the "left throw" tendency of most doser grinders, watching this spectacle is a small miracle (indeed, geeks are impressed by the darnest things .

The burrs and carrier on the MME are larger than its Mini sibling (64mm versus 58mm), although both share the same-sized housing. That means the MME's exit chute is shorter, which allows less room for grinds to hang up. The finger guard is an angled stainless-steel grate. It looks like it may be dual-purpose, i.e., preventing curious fingers from entering the chute and also dispersing the grinds more evenly for their death-spiral to the bottom of the funnel. I didn't test my theory by removing it.

Mazzers are built rock solid -- so well in fact that I believe a warranty is an unnecessary gesture. The MME, as nice as it may be, complicates the reliability picture by adding electronics. I have no data to support the assertion, but in general I prefer simple switches to fancy buttons, if only because I can repair them myself if need be. Quibbling aside, if the MME were available at the time I upgraded from the Rancilio Rocky DL, I would have seriously considered it despite the eye-bulging pricetag.

[HB]

Perhaps too much sun today in North Carolina for an outdoor photoshoot, but I gave it try:


Type A (left), Type B (right)

Since the dosing controls are what distinguishes these two grinders, let's zoom in on them, starting with the Type A control pad atop the doser funnel:



The purpose of the one and two cup buttons is self-evident; the "hand" button is a momentary switch. Pressing and holding it runs the grinder, releasing stops it. Pressing the one / two cup button runs until the end of the cycle, unless you toggle the main power switch:


(Long-time Mini owners will recognize this toggle switch; it was used prior to the introduction of the timer version)

Notice the added warnings (did you see the typo?). It's a shame to mar the Mini's appearance with a permanent placard. Apparently lawyers have been coaching Mazzer on the hazards of the American legal system, as evidenced by this pamphlet included with the owner's manual:


(I will refrain from commenting on the possibility of unskilled commercial use )

The dosing adjustment is set by turning one of these two screws:

Type A (left), Type B (right)

A quick tare on the 0.1g accuracy scale confirmed they work reliably. Those who overdose may be surprised to learn that the Italian definition of a double espresso is indirectly enforced by these grinders: The adjustment mechanism stops at around 17 grams. I set the double to half a dose (nine grams), which works out well since I prefer to smooth out and tap the grounds down before the "pyramid" overflows.

Looking to the grinder on the right, note the indicator lights. The Type B has a single push-type switch in the place of the screw shown on the left; you press it by pushing the portafilter against the switch, conveniently using only one hand. Tapping it once selects the single dose (one cup indicator illuminates), tapping it twice selects the double dose (two cup indicator illuminates). The same switch acts as a momentary button on the Type A's (the "hand" button shown earlier). That is, press and hold the Type B's push-type switch instead of releasing it immediately; the grinder will run and the dosage indicators will flash to make it obvious it's in "momentary grind" mode. Very nice!

The next few days will the the Type A's turn, then the Type B's...

[HB]

This will be the last of the photoshoot. Removing the doser funnel lid reveals a stainless steel fingerguard:



In addition to keeping wandering fingers out of harm's way, this guard also helps deflect the exiting grounds downward, which may mean a more even distribution. I'll test this theory later in the week. Removing the guard shows the exit chute:



Again, the thin wire barrier serves two purposes: Keeping wandering fingers out and breaking up clumps. This is the first Mazzer I've seen with such protections; sweeping the chute with a brush won't fly unless you're willing to remove two safety features. Given the shorter, narrower exit of the Mini E versus the Mini, I'll try initially running the grinder for a couple seconds and discarding instead of mucking with a brush.

Speaking of brushes, the Mini E includes a small red-handled "painter's trim brush" plus a plastic (disposible) tamper. Apparently the manufacturer felt guilty for omitting the tamping appendage on the Mini:



I've never used it except as a carrying handle, but some like JonR use for "mid-tamps." C'est la vie, mon vieux pote.

[Teme]

I look forward to reading further experiences on the Mini E. The fact that both models are included and compared not only between each other but also with the other grinders in the feature spotlight makes this even more intriguing...

There are a couple of items that are of specific interest to me personally.

Firstly, the wire barrier in the chute and the finger guard in the funnel seem to be necessary to achieve consistent particle distribution in the ground coffee as well as to avoid static. Is this really so? If you retain them in place cleaning must be a pita - therefore eliminating some of the Mini E's benefits?

Secondly, I find it surprising if the dose timers really limit the size of the dose at the upper end to approximately 17 g max for a double. I also suspect that since the Mini E uses time, not weight as the measure, the amount of coffee ground is subject to quite a bit of variance depending on the beans used (age, blend, roast etc)...

Finally, I must say that the shorter hopper looks markedly better than the regular Mini hopper.

Br,
Teme

[HB]

The Mini E carries a hefty premium -- currently Chris' Coffee sells it for $695 versus the Mini at $449 and the Super Jolly at $535. Besides a nice funnel and portafilter rest, what else are you getting compared to the standard Mini? Let's look at the specifications:

64mm burr set (same as the Super Jolly)
Two programmable dosing timers

And obviously the doserless-ness. Although the Mini E's motor is driving larger burrs, the housing is the same size as the standard Mini. The exit chute of the Mini E is subsequently shorter, leaving a very small ledge for grounds to collect. Running the grinder for a couple seconds at the beginning of a session ejects the remnents.

Neatness is one area where the Mini E excels. Today I switched over from the Mazzer Mini E / Type A to the Type B. After a week's use, even the purged grinds from switching blends neatly form a pyramid:



The tiny plastic tray catches the majority of errand grinds (hint: The Super Jolly's stainless steel tray looks nice with the Mini and catches all the grinds). This is in contrast to the doser Mini, which tosses grinds hard to the left if you pull the handle too quickly.

The Mini E consistently delivers the grinds to the same spot, which is great for neatness, but you'll need to work the distribution. I set the dosage setting to nine grams, redistributed halfway, and then tapped / redistributed a second time before tamping (normally I rotate the portafilter while dosing with the standard Mini, but wanted to try out the Mini E's portafilter rest).

To see how consistent the dosage amounts are, I recorded the weights for a series of shots (two presses of the single dose each):

18.0, 18.3, 18.3, 18.5, 18.1, 18.8, 18.8, 18.8, 18.9

Not enough data points to be statistically valid, but suggests that there's a variance of about ± 0.5 grams. That's pretty good for a timer and the consistency of the half + half approach coupled with standard volume dosing makes it easy to improve accuracy to 0.3 grams or less.

Firstly, the wire barrier in the chute and the finger guard in the funnel seem to be necessary to achieve consistent particle distribution in the ground coffee as well as to avoid static. Is this really so? If you retain them in place cleaning must be a pita - therefore eliminating some of the Mini E's benefits?

I've never noted static problems with any Mazzer, including the Mini E. Although it wastes a couple grams to expel the old coffee, I've resisted the temptation to sweep the chute, consoling myself with the fact that there's a very small ledge. It hasn't bothered me and I'm a neatnik. Maybe it's a case of "out of sight, out of mind" thanks to the funnel and the doser lid / switchpad that I rarely remove.

Secondly, I find it surprising if the dose timers really limit the size of the dose at the upper end to approximately 17 g max for a double. I also suspect that since the Mini E uses time, not weight as the measure, the amount of coffee ground is subject to quite a bit of variance depending on the beans used (age, blend, roast etc)...

It varies considerably depending on the beans, as noted in the weights above for Ecco Caffe's 2004 Dattera Reserve Sustainable compared to my earlier comments based on grinding Intelligentsia's Black Cat blend. Ecco Caffe's coffee ground more densely and it's reflected in the weight. Realistically I would use the Mini E's dosage adjustments as a very close "ballpark" weight and confirm by volume after dosing.

[HB]

It's doubtful that a commercial establishment would bother sweeping the grinder between shots, but it's not uncommon among home baristas, so naturally I was curious about what's behind Door Number 3:


(doser funnel, inverted)

Clearly the Mazzer product designers are not expecting anyone to remove the wire grid; it is sandwiched between the funnel and a thin piece of sheet metal held in place with an adhesive-backed neoprene. Once assembled, the funnel is held tightly against the face of the grinder and the neoprene assures there's no gap for grinds to sneak into.

Enought talk about removing the finger guard and wire grid to get easy access to the exit chute, let's look at their raison d'etre more closely. Conveniently Lino's recent observations about his Super Jolly doserless modification underscore the reasoning behind this thin wire grid -- to help break up clumps.

Ever notice the frenetic "thwack thwack thwack" of the doser handle baristas employ in competition? The sound almost blurs into a continuous buzz. One explanation for this behavior, besides nervous energy and way too much caffeine, is that the rapid advancing of the doser vanes helps agitate the grinds exiting the chute. Baristas using a doserless grinder potentially lose the ability to "mix things up" until the grounds reach the portafilter.

Over the next few days I'll compare the evenness of the regular doser Mini using a reasonably paced handle pull, competition style handle pull, and the Mini E Doserless.

[Teme]

Ever notice the frenetic "thwack thwack thwack" of the doser handle baristas employ in competition? The sound almost blurs into a continuous buzz. One explanation for this behavior, besides nervous energy and way too much caffeine, is that the rapid advancing of the doser vanes helps agitate the grinds exiting the chute. Baristas using a doserless grinder potentially lose the ability to "mix things up" until the grounds reach the portafilter.

Over the next few days I'll compare the evenness of the regular doser Mini using a reasonably paced handle pull, competition style handle pull, and the Mini E Doserless.

I look forward to reading up on this. So far the Mini E really seems to be clearly superior to the "regular" Mini - but is there a difference in the cup? And is it easier or more difficult to achieve...

Also, I had not come to think of the fact that the chute are in the Mini E is actually shorter than in the dosered Mini, but it makes sense because of the Mini E's larger burrs and is another benefit of the Mini E.

Interesting stuff.

Br,
Teme

[HB]

It looks like the fast thwackers may be onto something:



One basket was filled using "competition style" dosing, the other was filled by the Mini E without using the portafilter cradle. It's quite evident that the extra agitation of the doser vanes helped smooth out the grinds prior to distribution.

[cannonfodder]

Perhaps too much sun today in North Carolina for an outdoor photoshoot, but I gave it try:

It is nice and gloomy here in Ohio. You could send me one for a couple of weeks and I will take lots of photos for you.

[singforsupper]

I have a Mini E. I took it upon myself to permanently remove the screen from the chute. I then tried it with the fingerguard and without for clumping and grind trajectory out of the cone. I think the trajectory is better without the finger guard and clumping did not seem much different without the finger guard. So, I am using my Mini E without the finger guard and without a screen on the chute. I can now brush out the chute if I choose.

[HB]

You are a brave man! I wanted sooo-o-o bad to remove it so I could compare, but being an evaluation grinder, I resisted temptation as it didn't appear easily reversible. Would you post a picture of the filled basket similar to mine earlier in the thread?

[HB]

Before closing out this update, let's take a second look at the "out of the chute" distribution depicted earlier in this thread. The question at hand is "do doserless grinders clump more than doser grinders?" Below is a side-by-side comparison of baskets filled with a modified doserless Super Jolly (left), Mazzer Mini E Type A (middle), and doser Mazzer Robur (right):


(click to enlarge)

Although visually there is some evidence of clumping from the doserless grinders, our group of testers felt it was inconsequential, especially for beans free of lots of oil (the beans ground above were roasted a few days ago). It appears that the Mini E's sample is smoother than the modified Super Jolly thanks to the little grid on the exit chute that breaks up grinds.

Bottom line: For those who prize neatness and single-shot convenience, the Mini E is a winner.

[Teme]

Hi Dan,

Do you have any preferences in favour of either the Mod A or the Mod B? In daily use do you find the PF activation of the Mod B more or less convenient than the push buttons on the lid of the Mod A (e.g. if topping up the dose)? And how do they compare in terms of the "feel"? I assume that there is minor difference when removing the lid for cleaning?

Br,
Teme

[HB]

Teme,

I didn't have a strong preference for either, but I see how your usage might sway your decision one way or another. For example, the Type B is naturally more "portafilter centric". If you're the type that often grinds into a secondary container or removed portafilter basket, the Type A's very large and visible buttons atop the funnel are appealing. Of course you can press the Type B's switch easily and intuitively enough, but first and foremost it's designed with one-hand portafilter usage in mind.

Both grinders have a formidable finger guard and the famous wire grid to help with dispersion. Realistically, they are there to stay, so there's little motivation for removing the funnel lid regularly. I admit that I removed the finger guard on the Type B so I could watch the grinds exit the chute and get a better idea if it was more prone to clumping. Were it not for that curiosity, I wouldn't bother removing the lid and would resign myself to running the grinder for a couple seconds to clear yesterday's grinds. So while the Type A's "telephone cord" tether and big "push here" buttons don't appeal to my sense of aesthetics, I don't see any risk of it suffering damage in a home environment.

If you decide like some owners to remove the grid for easy cleaning of the chute (which I don't recommend), the Type B has a definite advantage since its lid can be left aside w/o problem. Brusquely taking the Type A's lid on and off over an extended period might cause troubles.

[singforsupper]

Dear Mazzer Mini owners, I want to share my experience regarding the wire screen in the chute of the Mazzer. The message is... I suggest that you DO NOT REMOVE IT!

Now... for those of you less familiar with the inside of the distribution cone on your machine you may be asking where is the "wire screen?" When you take off the touchpad lid (model A) or the plain lid (model B) covering the cone you will first see a finger guard.



Some people including myself have removed this fingerguard in order to allow cleaning out of the cone with a brush. It removes with two screws. Then you will see a wire screen over the chute inside the cone.



I removed the wire screen so I could clean out the grounds in the chute that it was seemingly holds back. WRONG. What I found is that, without the screen, grounds back up in the chute much as if the wire screen were in place.

I removed the wire screen by taking off the entire cone with the removal of two more screws. I then took my dremel and gently ground out the wire to have smooth edges where it was removed. This resulted in one major problem, static. You may have seen reports of static issues already. Well, they are true. This little wonder screen actually keeps static electricity out of the grinds. Without it, the grinds sort of spray out of the cone and stick to the rim of the PF basket and fly onto the counter. Normally the Mini E really sends an accurate stream of grounds into the center of the PF. Also, because of static, the grounds tend to pile up inside the cone and then "avalanche" unexpectedly into your PF. This NEVER happens with the screen in. If fact, you never really have to clean the cone with the screen in. Other problems previously mentioned such as clumping were not a big issue, but presumably due to the static, I also had blonding no matter how hard I tamped.

My story, as gut wrenching as it is, has a happy ending. Distressed that my mazzer was out of sorts I called 1st-Line Equipment where I bought my mini E. They could not get a wire screen or even an entire cone assembly. Chris' Coffee could not get me the part either. So, I called Mazzer direct in Venezia (Venice), Italy. A gent named Luca answered. We conversed in English and I explained my stupidity. He took pity on me and airmailed a new wire screen and gasket at no charge. Here is a view of the gasket and wire screen from the back of the detached cone.



Thank you Luca and thank you Mazzer. Thank you Dan Kehn for the use of the photos on this post. I replaced the old gasket and disfigured screen with the new ones and my Mazzer Mini E now works like new.

This is a repost from the original at http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/161735.

[puffinjk]

Hi Singforsupper,

Thanks for sharing your info on your mini E exit chute grid. I have a super Jolly doserless(martini shaker mod), so I found your thread quite interesting. I though I would give the grid idea a try, I used some 20 ga copper wire, and made a two wire grid. I think the results were quite positive, less static, little clumping, and a nice fluffy distribution. In the cup results I will need more time on. Has anyone else out there tried this mod?

Jim

[HB]

Sorry, I'm a little late on the announcement...

The updates to the Feature Spotlight on Espresso Grinders are online. Comments, corrections and follow-up questions to the article are all welcome in Article Feedback.