Anyone notice that Mahlkonig on their website says do not use rice to clean grinders? I've been using rice for quite a while and have not noticed any residue or other trouble but now not sure. Grindz is expensive but if it is the only safe way to go...........
KDM

I don't know...what did everyone do before grindz? It seems like grindz is a solution or tool, but I haven't had any issues using instant rice. I have become less and less compulsive about cleaning my grinders anymore. I generally give them a good cleaning out about every 2 months and that is about it. I don't see much improvement in the cup with any greater frequency. This seems especially true on the Vario because so little coffee stays in the grinder.

Ive only ever used rice on my Hand Grinder, never on my large espresso grinders. Mainly because there was/is some debate about whether or not to use minute rice or regular rice, and I never specifically asked what I should use for whatever grinder I had.

These days, I use Grindz about once every week/10days.* But, I dont use the suggested 35grams, I use about half that. Then, maybe once a month or so I take it apart and do a thorough cleaning with a brush and a vacuum. By taking apart, I meaning opening up the burr chamber. Taking apart a doser is not part of regular grinder cleaning for me. A quick vacuuming of the doser using the tube attachment is fine.

I have to say though, Im quite happy with the way Grindz works.. Ive been using it for a little over a year now, on my Vario and my now sold Macap MXKR.

*edit- for my espresso grinder. The Vario doesn't get it as often, maybe once a month or so, because it doesn't see as much use.

duke-one wrote:Anyone notice that Mahlkonig on their website says do not use rice to clean grinders?

There are probably multiple reasons why they caution against rice. Mahlkonig says that rice can pulverize into a fine powder that could lock up a grinder. Or leave a starchy residue behind. If they advocated using rice, they might incur liability for the rare grinder that suffered damage.

Instant rice is also less common outside of N. America. That or simple confusion might lead to the use of normal rice, which is harder than (pre-cooked) instant rice. Perhaps hard enough to cause undue wear. Or Mahlkonig may have a vested interest in Grindz sales.
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I've never bought into using rice or anything else on coffee burrs.
Any machinist will tell you the surest way to ruin a cutter is to use it on the wrong material with the wrong lubricant.

Rice does not fracture like coffee and contains no oil.

Echoing Ken Fox, grinder cleaning is home barista OCD.
Once every 6 months is more than often enough.

wookie wrote:Mahlkonig says that rice can pulverize into a fine powder that could lock up a grinder.

Grindz also pulverizes. My gut feeling is that the lock ups that at least early Mahlkönig ProM's suffered from were because of pulver (coffee and Grindz). So lock up can be an issue, but is it typically easy to solve by opening the burr chamber.

wookie wrote:-*snip*- normal rice, which is harder than (pre-cooked) instant rice. Perhaps hard enough to cause undue wear.

Normal rice isn't just 'harder than pre-cooked'. It's almost impossible to grind through with a hand grinder. Instant is harder than coffee beans already. I'd never throw normal rice in a grinder. It can't be good. I'd venture the guess that I needed 10 times the force to grind through rice than through coffee beans.

Bluecold wrote:Normal rice isn't just 'harder than pre-cooked'. It's almost impossible to grind through with a hand grinder. Instant is harder than coffee beans already. I'd never throw normal rice in a grinder. It can't be good. I'd venture the guess that I needed 10 times the force to grind through rice than through coffee beans.

I'm not supporting the use of any particular product or thing to clean grinder burrs.

That having been said, what is your evidence that "instant is harder than coffee beans already," and by implication that regular rice is harder still?

Do you have any actual measurements or statistics?

Hardness scales exist, however I've never seen them applied to such things as roasted coffee beans or any sort of rice. The way I've seen them used is with metals and minerals.

ken

as others already said, i really don't get the point of running rice or grindz through your grinder to clean it. (and then wasting coffee for grinding out the remains of grindz)

with most professional-sized grinders it doesn't take more than a minute to remove the upper burr carrier and clean out the chute and grinding chamber using a vacuum cleaner...