I'm so lucky that I can test the M3 that is being neglected at my work. It has all the bells and whistles.
I really love the design and the way the grinder (should) work.
And I would love to come to terms with it.

But I do have some issues with it.
- like some of the others have noticed, at the end of the grind a big clump of coffee is falling down from the funnel.
- it makes a lot of noise (like drilling a hole in concrete, but not that loud) is that normal?
- my Dalla Corte portafilter doesn't fit the portafilterholder, but that can be fixed.

What can I do to learn to love it?

Use it. Keep a brush at hand to brush the dropped coffee away. It simply means that all retained grinds have exited. Enjoy the coffee. Unless you have a Versalab that has a problem I have never been troubled by "noise." Seems to me that you are focusing on inconsequential things. Use it - see how it works for you. A little experimentation should yield rich rewards.

+1

If you can get some of the fruit polishing wax (perhaps ask for some in your grocery store) you can take bottom funnel off, clean inside with acetone then polish off with the fruit wax. That should reduce the clumping.

Even if you get little clumps/stack, just flick them and they will fall apart. They don't make any trouble...

Technique wise, I collapse volcano by just flicking it from outside so it falls in, then just gentle side-to-side shake of portafilter to level that, tamp and go.

Enjoy.

Ah, and excessive clumps may be caused by worn burrs. If that is the case change is in order. They can take about 400 lbs before needing a change.

hperry wrote:Use it. Keep a brush at hand to brush the dropped coffee away.

Thanks, but that is not what I mean. I mean the clumps that fall down in the portafilter.
And I do use it.

I

tekomino wrote:If you can get some of the fruit polishing wax (perhaps ask for some in your grocery store) you can take bottom funnel off, clean inside with acetone then polish off with the fruit wax. That should reduce the clumping.

Even if you get little clumps/stack, just flick them and they will fall apart. They don't make any trouble...

Technique wise, I collapse volcano by just flicking it from outside so it falls in, then just gentle side-to-side shake of portafilter to level that, tamp and go.

Enjoy.

I will get in touch with Laura and ask her if she can send me some.
Until now I push the clumps out of the vulcano.
I collapse the vulcano using the Stockfleth move, I don't have any channeling.

I seem to remember that they have redesigned the moving wiper.
Does this help against clumping?

Lowlander wrote:Thanks, but that is not what I mean. I mean the clumps that fall down in the portafilter.
And I do use it.

I

You should not get any clumps in the portafilter. Check with Versalab. I have never had a clump in the history of the machine.

hperry wrote:You should not get any clumps in the portafilter. Check with Versalab. I have never had a clump in the history of the machine.

I have never seen clumps in the portafilter either. Occasionally I get some retained grinds falling from the bottom funnel minutes after grinding, but certainly no clumps.