Hi there,

bit of a long time lurker here at HB, but I thought I would ask a quick question in regards to a La Cimbali grinder that I am looking at purchasing (here in NZ). I've not physically been able to look at the grinder, though from the photos it looks like a standard Junior/Cadet as far as I'm aware. Though the seller has said that the model written underneath is MAX. What I am trying to figure out is which one it actually is. Obviously I'd like it be a MAX with a conical burr set, though I'm inclined to believe that some MAX units are actually just Junior/Cadet units with the flat burrs, and have just been named different (perhaps for the Australasian market). I couldn't find anything on the net to evidence this though.

I don't have the specs for it, but I have 3 photos. I understand the housing on the new MAX (hybrid) grinder usually has a adjustment dial on the right hand side, though on some of the photos on the net which I have seen seem to show a MAX which looks the same as a Junior - hence my confusion about what this grinder may be. The photo from the hopper looks to show flat burrs, though I am not too sure. At any rate, any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Yann

The Junior usually has a smaller hopper than the one on your pictures (not as high). Max grinder usually has a hopper of that size.
Looks more like a Max than an Alinox - however, I haven't seen any Alinox's in real life so can't be sure of that.

Definitely not a Max, looks like a Cadet. Definitely flat burr only, on the Max you can see the conicals from the hopper side.

check this and this.

Try to do a search next time before you open a new thread.

Thanks zix and eastpresso.

I did quite a large search of this and other sites, and did see both the threads you mentioned. They did not seem to give any clear indications as to whether it was a flat burr or a conical burr set in the machine I was looking at, especially since I didn't find any top down photos with the hoppers actually on. The majority of the photos shown have the hopper removed, which of course would make identification easy.

Given the variation is the MAX grinders, I wasn't too sure what this particular grinder was, and given that it was labeled a MAX model on the plate added to the uncertainty. I suspected that it was a Junior/Cadet, and opened the thread to ask other forum member's opinions and thoughts.

Thanks,
Yann

Ok, here is one on HB from the hopper side and another one on flickr here

You can always post in an existing thread before opening a new one. The amount of (sorry) redundant information just makes it more and more difficult to find things, nothing personal.

I saw a guy on ebay selling a gold Alinox, just like that. I almost bought it a couple months back. He called it an Alinox like 6 times in the post and I remember the hopper being that size.

It looks to me like it has the same on/off switch as the Junior -- also used on the Max Hybrid, but not on the Max.

Don't know if that helps, but . . .

i have two La Cimbali DRM Cadets.....all of the plastic parts have DRM embossed, and the label says Alinox. its not the Alinox that is belt driven though, don't know why it says on the label. but my cadets are identical to the one you show except for the hopper on mine is smaller (as mentioned in this thread already)

here's some pics: http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espres ... ers/384220 (the pic of the label is lower in the thread)

with a lot of the grinder parts being interchangeable, maybe a part from the max was used to replace a broken original part?

get a pic of the factory tag and that should clear it up more.

That is not a Max. It has the taller hopper like a max but the burrs are not correct. The Max also has the word MAX on black ring between the hopper and body on the right side. The doser lid is different on the Max and the grind adjustment is rubber coated and located on the right side of the machine not in the front. They use two different power buttons as well. The Jr uses a push button under the doser, the Max uses a green rocker switch that is covered with a rubber membrane although they can be replaced. I took the rocker switches off both of my Max's and replaced them with the friendlier push button that the Jr uses. The Max also has has a doser full flap in the doser to turn it off when it is full.

Some photos from when I rebuilt my Max.





Upper burr - conical/flat 64mm


Upper burr (oriented as when installed)


Burr carrier and lower burr - conical/flat 64mm