Sideshow wrote:Doesn't the EG-1 already easily work for the home environment, in terms of its footprint and usability? I know the EG-1 is more expensive. However, if you can spend a little over $2k for a grinder, then you can probably spend a little over $3k for a grinder.

OR if you could spend a little over $3k then you could probably spend a little over $4k and have excellent SD both conic and flatburr.

Both grinders are definitely changing the game up, no matter which way you shake it.

Let's not forget that - while both currently use R80 burrs - LWW is currently testing their own custom designed burrs (manufactured by Ditting, no less), and these burrs are said to be the ones the grinders down the road (in the fairly near future, from my understanding) will ship with by default. I'll definitely be interested to see/taste the differences!

Are the Monolith burrs TiCN coated like the EG-1's? I don't have near enough experience to say wether or not that makes a difference in the cup, but maybe it will?

Either way, it's like comparing a Corvette to an Aston Martin. Both are heaps of fun and fast, and arguably a Corvette is 'better' value for money than - say - a V12 Vantage, but that doesn't stop people from splurging for the latter.

Which one is the corvette? lol

Since I happen to think Corvettes are glorified and overrated door-stops-on-4-wheels, I'll say the Monolith.

But really it's because it's cheaper and not as beautiful IMO. That's where the similarities end, corvette hating bias aside.

Corvettes never really did anything for me either.. Fast, but that is about it...

I wouldn't compare the monolith to that lol....

The EG-1 does have eye appeal, but so does the monolith! The Slayer is no Speedster in terms of eyeballs, but I wouldn't trade my Slayer for a Speedster! What matter is what is in the cup and the experience along the way.

Let's both also admit we are biased! I have a monolith and you have an EG-1 on order with a non-refundable deposit LOL. Both are great!

Haha! Exactly! Both will be awesome, no doubt!

My Slayer is on the way - would be fun to compare the same beans from the same batch with similar settings in our machines! That being said, it's looking like our plans may have had to change at the 11th hour and we might have to sell the Slayer the moment it arrives and take the loss. That sob story is for the buy/sell forum though.

I received my new Monolith FLAT grinder last Friday and have been over caffeinated ever since. Go to http://www.kafatek.com for full description of the FLAT burr grinder.

In these three days I have pulled multiple shots by myself and with a local barista friend. He is a professional, I'm not. Unfortunately I haven't used my Monolith-2 conical grinder since receiving this one. I am still trying to discern the differences and there are some.

The FLAT loves chocolate, caramel and fruit and handles in a totally different manner than the conical. A small difference but detectable. This I was surprised by as after owning the conical for three years. I have loved the elegant and detailed manner it handled those elements as well. But, the FLAT presents flavors in a very refined manner. It's like there is a very fine veil lifted that handles the flavors in a unique and high level manner. I was expecting the FLAT to present a taste similar to my Versalab and make everything taste good but the flavors are much clearer with the FLAT.

On Saturday morning a local friend and I pulled a dozen shots. All but the last two were throwing darts at the prep and pull. We almost nailed it on the next to the last one but the last one everything popped. Using El Salvador Kilimanjaro, 18 grams in/33 grams out, 201F temp, 12 seconds pre-infusion and 28 second pull. The small amount of bitterness that was present in shot number eleven evolved into sweetness and the fruit blossoms popped open all around the tongue It was a God Shot. I got one little sip and he had the rest of it swallowed so fast that it made me dizzy. He drinks a lot of coffee and he said this was one of the best shots he has ever had. My assessment is that the prep is more finicky than the conical but worth it. Grind adjustments corrections come in 1/4th of a stop where the same change would be 3/4th's of a stop on the conical.

I make my wife a pour over every morning using the Hario V60. One feature that I particularly liked was the capability of dispensing the grind directly into the paper cone inside the V60. I reduced the speed of the motor from 600rpm's to 300rpm's and there were no strays extending past the rim of the V60. The grinds built a perfect pyramid shape in the center of the paper cone. The ability to grind directly into the V60 cut prep time by a couple minutes. I took a sip of my wife's pour over (El Salvador Kilimanjaro) after it had cooled a bit and it was like drinking a fruity caramel dessert. The most pronounced caramel in coffee I have ever experienced.

You have to hear the quietness of the grinder using the variable speed motor. Essentially there is almost no sound at all from 18rpm's to around 200rpms. Even then it's like a hum. Of course when inserting beans the noise level increases but it's still less than than the Monolith conical. I suspect I will use two rpm settings on the FLAT. 300rpm's for pour over and 400 or 500 for espresso on the FLAT. Still trying to figure out if motor speed affects taste?

Another feature that I appreciate more as I use it is the tilt of the hopper. Really easy to drop beans into and clean out. This grinder reminds me of R2D2! Is is one solid piece of equipment that doesn't vibrate, shake or move when it's running. It is solid!

I don't know where else to go to find grinders that fit the coffee making routine of a home barista. I was changing grinders every 6 months before I got the first Monolith prototype three years ago. I am very proud of both of these grinders.

Nik wrote:I received my new Monolith FLAT grinder last Friday and have been over caffeinated ever since. Go to http://www.kafatek.com for full description of the FLAT burr grinder.

In these three days I have pulled multiple shots by myself and with a local barista friend. He is a professional, I'm not. Unfortunately I haven't used my Monolith-2 conical grinder since receiving this one. I am still trying to discern the differences and there are some.

The FLAT loves chocolate, caramel and fruit and handles in a totally different manner than the conical. A small difference but detectable. This I was surprised by as after owning the conical for three years. I have loved the elegant and detailed manner it handled those elements as well. But, the FLAT presents flavors in a very refined manner. It's like there is a very fine veil lifted that handles the flavors in a unique and high level manner. I was expecting the FLAT to present a taste similar to my Versalab and make everything taste good but the flavors are much clearer with the FLAT.

On Saturday morning a local friend and I pulled a dozen shots. All but the last two were throwing darts at the prep and pull. We almost nailed it on the next to the last one but the last one everything popped. Using El Salvador Kilimanjaro, 18 grams in/33 grams out, 201F temp, 12 seconds pre-infusion and 28 second pull. The small amount of bitterness that was present in shot number eleven evolved into sweetness and the fruit blossoms popped open all around the tongue It was a God Shot. I got one little sip and he had the rest of it swallowed so fast that it made me dizzy. He drinks a lot of coffee and he said this was one of the best shots he has ever had. My assessment is that the prep is more finicky than the conical but worth it. Grind adjustments corrections come in 1/4th of a stop where the same change would be 3/4th's of a stop on the conical.

I make my wife a pour over every morning using the Hario V60. One feature that I particularly liked was the capability of dispensing the grind directly into the paper cone inside the V60. I reduced the speed of the motor from 600rpm's to 300rpm's and there were no strays extending past the rim of the V60. The grinds built a perfect pyramid shape in the center of the paper cone. The ability to grind directly into the V60 cut prep time by a couple minutes. I took a sip of my wife's pour over (El Salvador Kilimanjaro) after it had cooled a bit and it was like drinking a fruity caramel dessert. The most pronounced caramel in coffee I have ever experienced.

You have to hear the quietness of the grinder using the variable speed motor. Essentially there is almost no sound at all from 18rpm's to around 200rpms. Even then it's like a hum. Of course when inserting beans the noise level increases but it's still less than than the Monolith conical. I suspect I will use two rpm settings on the FLAT. 300rpm's for pour over and 400 or 500 for espresso on the FLAT. Still trying to figure out if motor speed affects taste?

Another feature that I appreciate more as I use it is the tilt of the hopper. Really easy to drop beans into and clean out. This grinder reminds me of R2D2! Is is one solid piece of equipment that does vibrate, shake or move when it's running. It is solid!

I don't know where else to go to find grinders that fit the coffee making routine of a home barista. I was changing grinders every 6 months before I got the first Monolith prototype three years ago. I am very proud of both of these grinders.

Thanks for the Monolith comparison, Bob. I'm envious of your home set-up between the Speedster and BOTH Monoliths!

fyi - burrs are no longer the 80mm flat. Dennis has switch it to the 75mm titanium nitride coated burrs used in the mythos

Was the reason for this a burr supply issue, or just better burrs? Denis might have tried the 75mm Tn burrs and though they provided a better taste in the cup, but that thought is just speculation.