peacecup wrote:Greg,

That's a nice collection! The DeVe really cleaned up beautifully - have you tried it? The one I sent to KS was capable of a very fine grind.

PC

Greg,

I hope your DeVe works as well as the one I have. PC is right. It grinds very fine / too fine and does so in uniform grinding.

Tonight I had more to inspect. The first two shots of the Brazil Organic Fazenda Jacaranda were cloes to as good SO Brazil's as I have ever had. The weight was not simply weight but also distinct taste -- balanced great intensity like a Pauillac. These were Fiorenato ground. The third was a DeVe grind . While it was still wonderful I was disappointed. Something was off. The first two were so good I decided to have a fourth (my usual limit is 3). As I started to pull it the thought suddenly hot me. "Has the Elektra overheated?" In the cup it was clear that #'s 3 & 4 were both slightly overheated by the Elektra, progressively so. They tasted just a bit like like burnt syrup. The last was a Fiorenzato grind.

Tomorrow I will cool it down after # 2.

KS

PC got me interested in hand grinders a few months ago by selling me a couple of his. Since then I've bought a couple more on Ebay and picked up another at an antique shop in Fredericksburg, Texas. This Zassenhaus is rather unusual in the location of the drawer and the grind adjustment on the top. It grinds very fine and except for the extra effort required is every bit the equal of my Nuova Simonelli.
The last photo shows the linkage from the adjusting knob.

Nice variation ...Fredricksburg- what a nice place- does it still have the outdoor museum dedicated to Admiral Nimitz?

Also a nice Avatar!

mogogear wrote:Nice variation ...Fredricksburg- what a nice place- does it still have the outdoor museum dedicated to Admiral Nimitz?

Hi Greg,
It does! But, it's also where I found the "mesquite-smoked" coffee. Guess you have to take the good with the bad.

Bill,

Thanks for sharing that Zassenhaus. Its really a beaut. I love the carved and figured wood on that side shot. I think most of these old grinders are beech, and some have that lovely figuring. I'm glad to hear it works well. I've got an old Zass on the restoration block now, but it will never look as nice as that one.

How does that old Dienes compare as far as grind quality goes? I have to confess I've learned a lot even in the short time since I mailed her to you. Mostly due to reading the Titan thread, and hearing from a lot of folks on this thread.


PC

peacecup wrote:Greg,

That's a nice collection! The DeVe really cleaned up beautifully - have you tried it? The one I sent to KS was capable of a very fine grind.

PC

Well I tried the De Ve today and was disappointed At it's finest it was a coarse grind... but she looks nice though!-

Now on the other hand I tried the new Pe De and she emulated the grind of my Nuova Simonelli with ease. Albeit at the end of here adjustment range- Syrupy and balanced with bright acidity from a excellent shot of Stumptown Hair Bender blend..... quite nice indeed. Not too much on that here - I will save for the Tight-Hand Grinder thread ........

peacecup wrote:How does that old Dienes compare as far as grind quality goes? I have to confess I've learned a lot even in the short time since I mailed her to you. Mostly due to reading the Titan thread, and hearing from a lot of folks on this thread.PC

Jack,
The Dienes grinds as fine as the Zass. The only difference to prefer one over the other is that the Zass is harder to adjust (the knob is hard to turn but probably just needs a little PM - I haven't taken it apart yet). I was disappointed in the Trosser as it won't grind fine enough for espresso. From what I've read on this thread this isn't normal so it probably is just worn. One of these days I'll take it apart and see if I can repair it.

In putting together my travelling espresso package I picked up a series of hand grinders looking for the best, most efficent unit. In my humble and limited experience, the the newer Zassenhaus 151s have served me best. I have two and the brass one works slightly better than the chrome. I can grind a full double basket for my La Pavoni Europiccola in 65 to 75 revolutions. I like the knurled adjustment nut at the top (I have to mark it and keep and eye on mine, or the adjustment can wander). I find that every 1/16 of a turn can make seconds of pull time. When I'm spot on grind, I still have a half turn to choke and beyond.
So I'm looking forward to Mogogear's Tight-Hand Grinder thread.

One's for everyday use, the other travels to Rescue when I'm going to be there for unforseen hours. Nothing fancy, but the grind is perfect!



Trisha

Trisha,
Here's a grinder similar to yours that I picked up in an antique shop a couple weeks ago. Haven't tried it out yet.