I recently purchased a Mazzer Mini and have a couple of questions about its operation. First, upon receipt there were grinds in the doser. This doesn't mean it was a return, does it? I imagine, as per 1st Coffee's page, that is rather merely leftover grinds from Mazzer's quick test of each unit. Is this true?

Second, there isn't much distance between Mazzer's recommended starting location ("sticker") and the finest setting. As I've read on the forum, the numerical markers don't matter as Mazzer places the "sticker" on each machine independently of the numbers on the collar. With that said, the position of the recommended start on my machine rests on the "6" and I can only move the setting to about "4 1/2" and still operate at all. Does this seem reasonable? Or should it go further?

Third, when I move to extremely fine grinds, say roughly at the "5", grinds will stop flowing from the chute of the Mini. I have to move the collar back to roughly "7" to resume, at which point a flood of grinds starts flowing. Does this seem normal?

Lastly, this is particularly quiet grinder, but the flow at "5" to "6" appears to be quite slow--say a gentle drizzle. Again, I would appreciate insight whether this is normal.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and lease pardon my ignorance. The only grinders I have experienced in the past were either blade grinders or the big Mazzer at the Intelligentsia class.

Everything you describe sounds normal, including the presence of ground coffee in a new grinder. This forum's FAQs and Favorites cover your other questions, such as Just starting out, grinder setting advice? and How to find the grinder true zero point.

thomgonzales wrote:Third, when I move to extremely fine grinds, say roughly at the "5", grinds will stop flowing from the chute of the Mini. I have to move the collar back to roughly "7" to resume, at which point a flood of grinds starts flowing. Does this seem normal?

This happens with either Major when I try to get an extremely fine grind for cooking with coffee. Don't ask.
Anyhoo, this should only happen when you get reeeeeelly fine, not in the area where you're using it to make espresso. I think what happens is that it gets too close to get new beans into the breaking/crushing area, and ground coffee is sitting there waiting to get pushed out, and sorta builds up. Mine makes espresso at around 6, I dialed down to 4 to grind for cooking, and it stopped. I left it running, dialed up to around 7,5 or eight before it started flowing again, and continued as I slowly turned it down to 4.5. It then worked it's way through about 3/4 cup of beans without an issue.

What are "extremely fine grinds" used for in your kitchen? I'm supposing that this is far finer than what you use to make espresso?

Psyd wrote:This happens with either Major when I try to get an extremely fine grind for cooking with coffee. Don't ask.

OOh ask, ask. What are you cooking?

CRCasey wrote:OOh ask, ask. What are you cooking?

Well, it's a secret recipe so I can't go into too much chocolate, err.. detail. but chocolate to say.. err, suffice it to say that it's an espresso based, chocolate enhanced, baked good that replaces all of my gift-giving and other commercial enterprises for the holiday season, and I haven't had a complaint yet. As a matter of fact, I've had folks try to bribe me into making a batch 'out-of-season', as it were.
I package them in all of the various one-pound bags that I 'collect' over the course of a year, and stickie a bow on 'em, and VIOLA, giftmas presents.
Screw Macy's, Gimbles, and and Walmart...

Sounds like good ol' holiday fun. Everyone must love seeing your old bags come round.

-Cecil

CRCasey wrote:Sounds like good ol' holiday fun. Everyone must love seeing your old bags come round.

Yeah, I have a ton from my local roaster, but there are a handful from Barefoot, Batdorf & Bronson, Intelli, and a few others. Last year was Blue Bottle and CCC through murky. Those tend to go to the folks that know the difference.

I'm new but my grinder I got last week was clean and not grounds of anything in doser or burrs...

That sounds like a display model to me..........
Was you box sealed with Mazzer Packing Tape???

It's been a while but I know that my new Compak K3 came to me from Chris Coffee sealed in a new box without a hint of any coffee ever touching it.

I just got one last week from the Illy sale, also. I believe they all have some grounds in them from the factory test. That's where the espresso starting point that's marked on the grinder comes from.