samuellaw178 wrote:
However, I have to say from the limited shots I had, I was very slightly underwhelmed with the taste profile - it was quite good, but somehow I felt it was consistently brighter/more acidic (than Robur/Pharos even). My guess is the aftermarket burrs was its Achilles' heel.

Coachiain wrote:My experience with the aftermarket burr on 102 seconds Sam's impression.
I personally prefer the shots from Robur burr but I would not call the aftermarket burr an Achilles' heel because, to me, they are just different.

sluflyer06 wrote:My bicycle is also quieter than my car, its weird when something is faster and has a motor that it makes more noise.

samuellaw178 wrote:Hi Barry,

Unfortunately I have returned it since (had it for a few days I think). My overall impression of the Helor is the ergonomic is excellent. It's really easy to grind, at least two three times less effort than either HG-1 or Pharos. No more difficult than grinding with the small 38mm burrs (on Lido or Helor 101).

The grinding chamber made of solid stainless billet really dampens the grinding noise (generated from beans breaking). I really like this aspect.

The grind adjustment is a nice touch - easy to adjust and does not slip even with the lightest roast I had. Wished there were grind markings (numbers etc) though it should be quite easy to add some. Large sweet spot too.

I'm quite impressed with the alignment and rigidity as well. Visually I could find no fault - the same can't be said about HG-1 or many other grinders I've had in the past. The solid structure really gives you the confidence, it was ridiculous how much length they went into machining the whole thing.

However, I have to say from the limited shots I had, I was very slightly underwhelmed with the taste profile - it was quite good, but somehow I felt it was consistently brighter/more acidic (than Robur/Pharos even). My guess is the aftermarket burrs was its Achilles' heel. The alignment, as I mentioned, is top-notch. So what could possibly be less than optimal, would be either the burrs, or the lack of break in. It wasn't my own grinder so I wasn't in the position to break it in. If I was purchasing one, I will definitely go for the Mazzer Robur burrs and break in the burrs for fair assessment.

About bean loading, I dumped all the beans at once, as what I have always done with any other grinders. However, due to the small opening, it does take a bit more effort than you'd expect to load the beans - to make sure all the beans go in and not elsewhere. Not terribly difficult, but could be better. It's somewhat akin to Pharos where you have to dump the beans in via the small slits.

So in short, I don't think I've seen all the Helor 102 has to offer, but it was quite promising. If there is another opportunity, I really would love to give it another go (proper break in and/or with Robur burrs).

ShelbiRyan wrote:
Awesome to hear! My biggest complaint of my HG-1 is the wobble...love the grinder, but it has now been retired for the time being due to the wobble and grind difficulty. My significant other is much more in love with the EG-1 for the better usability . But I do miss the conical often.

This may be an alternative! Keep us posted with this unit!

samuellaw178 wrote:Interesting, thanks for chiming in! The aftermarket burrs certainly feel very easy to grind with.



Over the years, I've learned that a grinder's noise does not actually come from the motor. On cheap grinders (and cars ), yes, the motor/engine is always the culprit. However, as you go to the top tiers, the motor sound is negligible and the sound of beans breaking actually makes a grinder much louder - ie, HG-1 and Pharos are quite loud despite lacking a motor. Even the K30 is also a little loud, but it's because of the beans, not the motor which is pretty quiet even under load.