I used to leave my Elektra on all day, and then I got my first electric bill after moving to California and had a really nasty surprise. After that, it got turned on about an hour before I wanted to use it, and then went off for the rest of the day after shots were pulled. The L1 is nowhere near as much an electricity hog as the A3, but it doesn't get to stay on all day long either.

Regarding the wood handles... I didn't mean to imply that I didn't like them. It's just in comparison to what I was used to, I didn't think they fit my hand quite as ergonomically. They're very pretty though, and the more I use them, the more I'm totally fine with the way they feel. Drip tray is also a non-issue, since I don't use it. If I'm going to throw more money at this, it's going to be towards a grinder upgrade. I've had some good shots with my Mazzer Mini E, but I really think that's the weak point for me right now...

Thanks!

Earik

earik wrote: If I'm going to throw more money at this, it's going to be towards a grinder upgrade. I've had some good shots with my Mazzer Mini E, but I really think that's the weak point for me right now...

FWIW, I was chatting over the weekend with Rich Gregory -- who has forgotten more about coffee than I will ever know -- and he thinks the HG-1 is the best value in grinders, especially for home use where making more than a shot or two of espresso at a time is rare, and particularly if you're into single dosing. I considered one when I wanted to replace my Mazzer MIni E, but ultimately selected a Ceado E37S. I don't regret my choice one bit, but I still have to admit there is a certain allure around the simplicity of a grinder like the HG-1 that I do find compelling.

Hi John,

Thanks for the tip. I've looked at the HG-1, and it seems like a cool grinder. In my case, I think I'd get tired of the doing-it-by-hand part pretty quick though, and would probably lose money on the deal because of that. I can completely understand how someone could get into that, but I also know that I'm not that guy.

Given the fact that my wife has patiently put up with the hoses/buckets/pumps/accumulator setup I've had going for the last few years, as well as the size of the Elketra itself (a big 19" cube), I'm not sure what would happen if I tried to get a big grinder up there on the counter now that the espresso equipment is in retreat. I'm pretty sure the veto powers would be exercised. Given my 17.75" cabinet height, it's looking like I'm going to go the Mahlkonig route... My plan is to wait and see what people think about the upcoming Peak grinder, and then decide between that or a K30.

Regards,

Earik

Hi [anonymized],

Thanks for posting that. Awesome setup you've got there. I'm going to have to look into getting one of those scales. That's much better than the stopwatch method I've been using...

Regards,

Earik