Orphan Espresso's LIDO 2: Beta testing

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
jbviau
Supporter ★
Posts: 2133
Joined: 14 years ago

#1: Post by jbviau »

Since this grinder is now in beta testing mode, it seems like the right time to move the discussion over here from the Marketplace where everything started.

As mentioned earlier, I'm ready to grind for tomorrow morning's cup after exploring the LIDO 2's settings while seasoning the burrs. Let the fun begin!

The best kind of test is a beta test...


New and old side by side...
Image
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

User avatar
TomC
Team HB
Posts: 10535
Joined: 13 years ago

#2: Post by TomC »

You lucky b@stard! 8)
Join us and support Artisan Roasting Software=https://artisan-scope.org/donate/

Advertisement
sonnyhad
Posts: 253
Joined: 12 years ago

#3: Post by sonnyhad »

He doesn't do espresso at home, so we'll have to wait for the other beta tester or testers to pipe in!
LMWDP 437

User avatar
FotonDrv
Supporter ♡
Posts: 3748
Joined: 11 years ago

#4: Post by FotonDrv »

:shock: Such a slick little grinder and not trying it at home?!!

I can just see trying to use in in a Cafe' and having the customers crank the handle while you get the PF and Basket and weighed dose ready for the next shot.
That Light at the End of the Tunnel is actually a train

jbviau (original poster)
Supporter ★
Posts: 2133
Joined: 14 years ago

#5: Post by jbviau (original poster) »

I sold my Gaggia Classic before moving. It's filter coffee only at home now. More pics later today. The ones I posted in the previous LIDO 2 thread may or may not get moved over (up to Dan).
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

User avatar
FotonDrv
Supporter ♡
Posts: 3748
Joined: 11 years ago

#6: Post by FotonDrv »

Machine-less, that accounts for the "Not at home" part. Thanks! Looking forward to the espresso and pour over review :D
That Light at the End of the Tunnel is actually a train

User avatar
[creative nickname]
Posts: 1832
Joined: 11 years ago

#7: Post by [creative nickname] »

I am both extremely jealous, and extremely excited to hear your impressions!
LMWDP #435

Advertisement
scareyourpasenger
Posts: 128
Joined: 13 years ago

#8: Post by scareyourpasenger »

I absolutely love the look of the lido2! A bit less industrial looking but every line and element is indicative of its purpose. I just sold my lido 1 to make room as I know I will be getting a 2 as soon as it is available.
No more shaking to get the beans to feed!!!

The main question I have is, how are those new burrs?

jbviau (original poster)
Supporter ★
Posts: 2133
Joined: 14 years ago

#9: Post by jbviau (original poster) »

The burrs are great, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. Since I'm apparently the first out of the gate with a review unit I thought I should put some effort into documenting it in broad strokes. What follows will be a picture-heavy overview; there's plenty of time for more detail on the particulars in the coming days/weeks.

As you can see from the pic I added to the first post, LIDO 2 isn't much bigger than LIDO 1. However, it's noticeably heavier at 1593 g. vs. LIDO 1's 1058 g. The grinder feels substantial in the hand.

Sorry, voodoodaddy, but your efforts won't be needed in the handle removal department with the LIDO 2. A simple tool (included) is all you need to unscrew its metal funnel handle. Here's a view from the top and a little stitch to illustrate:

Image



Dosing into the funnel is effortless. I love this feature already.

Moving on, the LIDO 2's adjustment system has changed significantly. I'm still getting used to the rings, but they do feel like quite an upgrade coming from the LIDO 1. I've not experienced any setting drift or difficulty unscrewing the locking ring in order to change the setting. My review unit came with a (non-permanent) black mark indicating the line on the adjustment ring that OE considers to be "zero" on this unit.

Image

When the blackened mark is even with the line between two dots on the index ring (shown below), that's "zero." To coarsen up the grind from that point, you loosen the locking ring directly above the adjustment ring, rotate the adjustment ring clockwise, and then tighten the locking ring back down. NB: the fine/coarse dots on the index ring for this and other review units are backwards; I believe this is to help distinguish pre-production LIDO 2's from the final production units, i.e. it will be corrected. Below is how things look with the grind set at 1 full rotation + 6 locking ring marks (16 would make a full rotation), which is where I'm at currently for coarse drip on the Trifecta MB:

Image

Let's get our grind on. With 20 grams of coffee in the hopper, it looks this full:



This 20-g. dose only took me 22 seconds to grind, which is fast, and my times are still coming down. My impression is that the cranking action is smooth--no stops/starts/problems feeding--but that a touch more muscle is required than was true with the LIDO 1. Doug and Barb agree and attribute this fact to the new burr set, which is somewhat larger and less nibbly in comparison. A peek:



Related: I can't resist sharing my appreciation of the efficient, machine-like whirring sound the LIDO 2 makes while grinding. Very satisfying.

Our work is done. Time to brew. My macro shot of the ground coffee didn't turn out so great, so this view into the Trifecta's brew chamber will have to do for now.



The grind is exceedingly even, which is to say consistent and very low on micro-particles. The cup I brewed with this coffee tasted great. Of course, I'll expand on both grind consistency and taste in future posts.

For now, the one niggle I have with the LIDO 2 is retention. This morning I brushed a full gram of coffee out of the nooks and crannies surrounding the lower bearing.



The good news is that this afternoon I got that retention down to 0.4 grams simply by shaking a bit and doing a light tap on the counter. I have a feeling this won't end up being a big deal once I get to know the grinder better. To be continued.

That's all for tonight. So far so good. Nice work, Doug and Barb!
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

User avatar
TomC
Team HB
Posts: 10535
Joined: 13 years ago

#10: Post by TomC »

Good review! That funnel is sweet for sure. Just curious what does "NB" mean?
Join us and support Artisan Roasting Software=https://artisan-scope.org/donate/

Post Reply