Alright, five months with a commercial HX and I still haven't decided.
It's too late to return the thing, obviously.
But does anyone else's burrs look like this when they're spinning?
[gvideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5090947911000293227[/gvideo]

I've been evaluating every aspect of my espresso ritual from tamping to maintenance to water supply issues and I just can't quite seem to put my finger on what's making my espressos not taste the way I want them to, no matter what I try.

Very frustrating, but I'm not giving up yet.

Here's another issue. "The tiny burr in the resin carrier" is the Trespade, same as in the Ascaso/Innova or Lux grinders. My take is that it produces slightly better shots than the Mini, and almost certainly better than the little Bregant. The Quickmill will be quieter, quicker, and all around easier to use; but if you coddle your distributions and tamps, the little conical will beat the smaller commercial grinders.

cannonfodder wrote:Anything pasty will fly off when the burrs spin up. Remember you are spinning around 1300RPM. The centrifugal force will fling something like white out into the burr carriers. That probably would not do much for enhancing your espresso experience.

read #3 above ..."3. Reassemble, and without running the motor, tighten the grind setting till the burrs touch."

white out? eww. marker eww stamp pad eww.

how bout some chalk or chalk type substance? maybe rub an aspirin, or some white pill, on it and leave the powder. this should make a transfer.

jon

another_jim wrote:Here's another issue. "The tiny burr in the resin carrier" is the Trespade, same as in the Ascaso/Innova or Lux grinders. My take is that it produces slightly better shots than the Mini, and almost certainly better than the little Bregant. The Quickmill will be quieter, quicker, and all around easier to use; but if you coddle your distributions and tamps, the little conical will beat the smaller commercial grinders.

Better than the Mini? Really?
It's funny you mention that, as I'm currently in the process of building a little wooden enclosure for the guts of the grinder from my La Pavoni. I might make a thread about it if I ever finish. But, like you said, that's another issue. I've still got $270 invested in a grinder that's not making me very happy.
Anyway, I kind of shimmed the bottom burr so it rotates closer to parallel with the top, and I think I can taste a difference. I'll have to pull some more shots tomorrow.
Arg, this is what happens when mechanical engineering students get into espresso.