I've been successfully using a Zass Mokka hand grinder with my manual lever, but my lever recently broke. So now I'm considering upgrading to a pump machine, such as a Mini Vivaldi II or an Izzo Alex. I've thought that the manual levers are more sensitive to grind than pump machines, but don't know.

Does anyone use hand grinders with pump machines successfully? I'm trying to decide whether I should package a Vario into my purchase, but if my Mokka should work ok, I would prefer to stay with the Mokka.

Any thoughts?

I use hand grinders with my La Spaziale - a KyM, which works very well and is capable to completely choke the machine.
I have a Zassenhaus Mokka too, and this grinder hardly works on finer settings. It is very good for coarser grinding and was definitely designed for this.
So It depends very much on the grinder that you have.
Unfortunately I don't have experience with La Pavoni and I can't say if it requires the same level of fine grind as La Spaziale, or a bit coarser. The levers I use need coarser grind - on Mazzer it is two notches for La Peppina and five for Caravel.
If anyone has some experience what is grind change from grinding for their pump machine to grinding for their La Pavoni, please chime in!

I have an old Zass 154 that I use at work with an Elektra T1. It works just fine.

Hario Skerton. Conical ceramic burrs and well under $50 including shipping. I have used mien only for manual pourover but I'll try grinding with it this weekend to pull a shot or two on my Isomac and compare it to the Mazzer Major I am currently using. My guess is that it will compare favorably.

UPGRADE???

I've used hand grinders for years with lower end pump machines, Saeco, Francis, Estro, Gaggia. No problem.

You could at least get a start while looking around for an electric grinder,

PC

Phaelon56 - I'm interested in your results, please post them. I have the Skerton too. I never could get it to work with my lever (it was either choke or a flowing river). I gave up, and it is now for travel for Aeroproess or pourover, and I think it works well for that.

Thanks Peaceup, glad to get that added datum. The only reason for the initial consideration was to see if a discount might be available for a combined package, as opposed to buying the grinder a few months later.

But, it sounds like the Mokka should work.

I have a Hario has well and it works well with my Hario Skerton. To avoid the coking of the river you can also play with the dose I am trapped having to use as much as 16g on my gaggia classic. Which already means having the coffee touching the shower screen.

My understanding of grinder working with a given machine is that it will grind for it fine enough for any dose I'd want to use.