KafaTek Monolith Conical and Lyn Weber EG-1 have arrived

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
kwantfm
Posts: 543
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#1: Post by kwantfm »

I put down a deposit on the EG-1 quite early and then got trigger happy on the deposit for a Monolith Conical when great reviews started coming out. I received both in the last couple of weeks.



I've pulled probably 20 shots with each and here are my early findings.

Size and Assembly
EG-1 much larger than Monolith. Portafilter rails on EG-1 are very clever and easily adjustable. Monolith is more fiddly to adjust (I'm cursing LM's spouted PFs because they have a lip that the bottomless doesn't have and therefore I can't interchange those PFs easily on the Monolith).

Noise
Monolith significantly quieter than EG-1... a huge difference and quite surprising especially given how much larger the EG-1 is.

Dosing
Bean funnel for EG-1 is very easy to use, I wish they supplied a cover though, I'm concerned that an insect will wander in overnight! Monolith dosing chute is relatively narrow for someone like me who doses 22 grams (the container I use for weighing is a little wider than ideal). I have fixed this with a jam funnel which fits perfectly.

Grinding
EG-1 is relatively messy, grounds come out at a wide angle and there are grounds on my dosing funnel which need to be dealt with (definitely a first world problem). I have been using RDT for both grinders and the EG-1 occasionally gets a bean stuck pre-burrs. This is annoying and maybe I don't need to use RDT. The Monolith is very neat, with a tight flow of grounds coming out straight into the basket. I need to WDT a little whilst the grinding is occurring otherwise the grounds can encroach on the exit chute, this wouldn't be a problem if I were grinding 18 g. The Monolith's magnetic exit chute is genius, so easy to knock out.

Results in the Cup
I haven't done enough head to head, but find that both grinders produce fantastic results in the cup when dialled in. Compared to HG-1 there is less bitterness, more viscosity and riper tasting acidity for both grinders. I need to do more comparison work. I have noticed significantly more tiger mottle with the EG-1 than the Monolith... I have no idea what this actually means beyond appearance. Denis tells me that he has seen the same difference in striping between the Monolith Flat and Conical.

Consistency
At this stage, the Monolith is a little less finicky than the EG-1. I've generally found that grind settings for flat burrs are a little more variable over time than for conicals. I'm wondering how different things will be after the burrs are worn in more.

Both grinders are really terrific with individual quirks. Will continue to update as I find out more.
LMWDP #602

mivanitsky
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#2: Post by mivanitsky »



Thanks for the interesting comparison. I am loving both Monoliths, and the EG-1 certainly seems to be an outstanding grinder as well. I am surprised that you find the EG-1 louder than the Monolith Conical. The Conical is the louder of the two Monoliths, though very quiet. Your RPM setting is probably relevant. How fast are you running the EG-1?

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CoffeeBar
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#3: Post by CoffeeBar »

Thank you kwantfm for this quick reviews. Really helpful for those who need a new grinder like me. :D

I do wish, you can have Monolith Flat to Compare with Lyn Weber EG-1 very soon :wink:

kwantfm (original poster)
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#4: Post by kwantfm (original poster) »

mivanitsky wrote:How fast are you running the EG-1?
800 rpm
LMWDP #602

Macphi
Posts: 46
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#5: Post by Macphi »

Thank you very much for this very interesting comparison.
Could you post some videos comparing both?

thebookfreak58
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#6: Post by thebookfreak58 »

Nice!

If you were in Brisbane I'd have love'd to check this out!

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canuckcoffeeguy
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#7: Post by canuckcoffeeguy »

Envious of these new toys!

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chrisbodnarphoto
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#8: Post by chrisbodnarphoto »

Great comparison! I'm hoping that someone local here in Toronto will have one of the Monoliths delivered at some point - I'd be more than happy to meet with my EG-1 (when it arrives) and compare the two!

One thing I'm quite curious about is the burr difference between the M Flat and the EG-1. The fact the LW is using a bulk grinding burr set and the M is using an espresso-specific burr set (even tho it seems to be fine for pour over) should lead to a difference in overall taste profile ... Or maybe it doesn't?

I plan on picking up a set of Peak burrs to put on the LW at some point down the road, too, just to see what differences can be detected!

Oh how I wish I could just have all 3 (or at least a conical + flat) ... But I would be homeless quite quickly if both showed up on the counter top! :lol:

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Compass Coffee
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#9: Post by Compass Coffee »

mivanitsky wrote:<image>Thanks for the interesting comparison. I am loving both Monoliths, and the EG-1 certainly seems to be an outstanding grinder as well. I am surprised that you find the EG-1 louder than the Monolith Conical. The Conical is the louder of the two Monoliths, though very quiet. Your RPM setting is probably relevant. How fast are you running the EG-1?
Only have my Monolith conic so far still waiting on flat and EG-1 pre-orders to arrive. First thing that struck me was didn't realize how much overall smaller looking the Mono flat is compared to conic on your counter. The second thing Mono flat quieter than Mono conic?! I have used a great many grinders over the years home and coffeehouses and the Mono conic is by far the quietest grinder ANY class home or commercial I've ever used. (except for manual of course) And the Mono flat even quieter - wow! :shock:
Mike McGinness

gr2020
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#10: Post by gr2020 »

kwantfm wrote:Monolith dosing chute is relatively narrow for someone like me who doses 22 grams (the container I use for weighing is a little wider than ideal). I have fixed this with a jam funnel which fits perfectly.
Can you elaborate on this? Are you referring to the funnel you'd normally sit on top of your PF, or something else?

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