Hi,

I'm experiencing some troubles with the above mentioned grinder. I've had it for over a year and it always ground fine enough for espresso and was able to choke my machines.
However the last couple of weeks it blocked frequently when I put it on too fine a setting, so that I had to open it up and remove the beans.
Finally it wouldn't grind fine enough for espresso so again I opened it and looked at the burrs (conical) which felt dull.
I thought they needed to be replaced and contacted the seller and send it to them. They have now mailed me a reply stating that the conical burrs aren't worn, but they will do some further testing to see if everything is alright.

If anyone has experience with this model could they please give some advice?
I would like to have some arguments in the case they contact me to let me know they're sending it back without changes. The i-mini is supposed to handle espresso grind settings better then it did when I had it ...

This is a link to the manufacturers site. If anyone wants to look at the techinical details of this model, they can click on the 'technical data' link that you will see on the ascaso webpage.
My model is the I-2, the one on the extreme right of the sheet.

http://www.ascaso.com/2012/eng/espresso ... mini1.html

Well, they're very active this morning at the firm I send the ascaso back to.
I already got a second message telling me that they tested it on a quickmill and it made a fine espresso.
I've now asked them if it was able to choke the quickmill.

Being able to choke a machine is not a great test of a grinder....many very cheap and nasty grinders can choke a machine without any trouble. I'm sort of hoping they do sent it back and say it's fine, because perhaps this will prompt you to sell it and upgrade to another (better) grinder. No one should have to use a grinder like that for a very long time....certainly not years, you deserve more than that.

Well, the imini certainly isn't a bad grinder. I mean it makes fine coffee grounds for espresso. I've already done an upgrade and restored a super jolly (mainly because the imini was malfunctioning). I wasn't able to do a side by side comparison, but the taste in the cup doesn't lie far apart between the two grinders.
The weak points of the imini are loud noise and durability.

BartG wrote:the taste in the cup doesn't lie far apart between the two grinders.
The weak points of the imini are loud noise and durability.

Anything that uses Trespede burrs is roughly SJ quality. They are unnecessarily loud and their motors are underpowered, however.

Is it possible the burrs are moving in the resin carrier? If thats the case your particle distribution will be so off you have no hope of pulling a decent shot.

Is it possible the burrs are moving in the resin carrier? If thats the case your particle distribution will be so off you have no hope of pulling a decent shot.

I don't suspect it. Before I sent the imini away for repairs I opened it to have a look at the burrs, and it wasn't something that I noticed. But I didn't look specifically for it.

Friday I've contacted the repair service and suggested that they would check if a shot time of 25s was possible. They said they would try. I'll have to wait till monday for an answer.