Which grinder would you choose?

[HB]

If price were not a consideration, which of the five grinders in the Feature Spotlight on Espresso Grinders would you choose and (optionally) why?

[JonR10]

I'd choose the Mazzer Mini E - Type B

Being a Mazzer owner, I already love the grind quality and I'm very in-tune with the adjustment machanism. Somehow the larger burrs seem attractive to me...

The reason I'd pick the "B" over the "A" is that I don't like the controls in the lid with the little wire there. I think the "B" has a much "cleaner" look with less widgetry to break (and I am so good at breaking stuff )

[papalatte]

I chose the mini, because:
I like my doser.....
The spring loaded top burr adds stability to the grind....(IMHO)
I've grown attached to my machines. (dos minis)
I don't want to change.......

There you have it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it...

[Teme]

I voted for the Mod B Mini E, but with a caveat, or actually several (and if these were seen to my Mazzer this would be a clear cut case):

- it is too expensive for what it offers over the standard Mini

- as far as I understand it is not easy to clean, or it is if you remove the finger guard and the wire mesh in the chute, but according to the reports I have read you then end up with static problems and uneven coffee particle distribution in the PF - in fact the Mini E might be more difficult to clean than the dosered Mini where the removal of the finger guard does not have such implications regarding static or distribution

- the dose adjustment runs short, i.e. you will end up grinding for the double and the topping it up slightly with the single dose or continuous grind functions - no personal experience, but a friend who has one verifies this

- the doses are not consistent as they are purely based on the duration of the grind and you will still need to tweak as with any other grinder - again, there are several reports suggesting this

So, the Mini E appears great on first look, but it is by no means perfect as far as I understand (I therefore very much look forward to reading Dan's experiences on it). Personally, for the reasons listed above, I have just purchased a dosered Mazzer Mini. I have had my Mini for three days now so I cannnot yet comment on its shortcomings, although there is a lot of collective wisdom available. I had a Rocky doserless up until this weekend, but it started annoying the heck out of me. So yes, I moved from doserless to doser. Shoot me

I agree with JonR on the preference of the Mod B over the Mod A, and the reasons behind this preference.

As regards the Macap and Cimbali, I dropped the former because I cannot see it offers anything that the Mazzer doesn't after some mods and the latter because of the looks (and price - it's 50% more than the Mazzer doser here in Europe). Between the Mazzer and the Macap, the Mazzer has the stepless adjustment and a great reputation - this sealed it for me. As a side note to this, a friend might be bringing his doserless Macap over tomorrow...

Last, but definitely not least, I'd like to congratulate Dan on the recent happy news and wish all US members (and readers) Happy 4th of July.

Br,
Teme

[malachi]

Cimbali Junior.
Fast, great grind quality, better doser and far superior adjustment mechanism.

[another_jim]

I chose the Mini. I don't like the current doserless designs because they seem an even bigger pita for single dose grinding than dosers. I would have chosen the Junior if I normally use a hopper -- it's simply a better grinder except for tank-like indestructability (not that much of a factor in home use). However I single dose by spooning the beans into the throast of the grinder. Since the neck of the mini can be sealed with a 58mm tamper ensuring a bean feed just as good as with a hopper; it tips the balance -- the design of the Junior doesn't allow hopper-less use.

[wookie]

The Cimbali Jr. has a grind quality on a par with the Mazzer, a bit better doser, but the clincher is the worm gear grind adjustment.

[Walter]

Doh, I really must be dense, I wanted to vote for the Cimbali but accidently clicked on the Macap...

I have the Macap but would chose the Cimbali because of the superior adjustment/fine-tuning mechanism. The adjustment steps on the Macap are a tad wide for my taste.

[scubadoo97]

I voted for the Mini. I have found that with minimal and simple mods the doser works well for me. I prefer it over a doserless.

[BobY]

I chose the Mini for all the reasons that Jim stated and because I've moded the doser to where it's perfect for my use - something I wouldn't be able to do with the other Minis. OTOH I've never used a Cimbali but have heard great things about it from people I respect, so lack of knowledge has skewed my choice. I did try the Macap but found it lacking in the "tank" department compared to the Mini.