Hi guys,

Picked up a Mazzer Super Jolly grinder going cheap from a café over the weekend. While it works ok, it makes a strange sound... I wonder if the ball bearings are gone? An engineer who heard it said that he thought the burrs needed replacing.

I've attached two short videos, one with it at an espresso grind setting, and the second where it has been backed off a bit towards coarse. I would be very interested in your opinions on whether I have just bought a lemon, or what I need to do to restore it to its former glory:
(Espresso grind)



(Coarse grind)

It could be the bearing. I have one that I bought cheap and it sounded like that. It was still useable, but I did something that you can now do as well.

I moved the SJ Burr carrier to my Mini, so I have a Mini with SJ burrs! Works great and smaller. Make sure that you put new burrs in.

The burrs are touching each other.
You use light roasted beans or the burrs are badly aligned.

Yes, could be that. Loosen the grind by a full turn and see if the sound goes away. If it does, it is not the bearings.

Thanks for your replies.

If I turn towards coarse, the sound reduces, but does not really disappear.

The other issue is that then I can't get an espresso grind! The only way to get fine enough for a proper espresso is to turn it until that sound starts happening.

I had a bad top bearing in my SJ. It does sound like your burrs are hitting though. Did to take everything apart including lower burr carrier, clean and reassemble? If not, well thats the first thing to do. If this is an ex coffeeshop grinder, replace the burrs.

s0uthpaw wrote:Picked up a Mazzer Super Jolly grinder going cheap from a café over the weekend.... I can't get an espresso grind! The only way to get fine enough for a proper espresso is to turn it until that sound starts happening.

I'll bet the burrs are shot. Cafes are known for running them until the burrs are smoother than a baby's behind. From How to know grinder burrs are worn out?

HB wrote:Wear indicators include coffee overheating and clumping, having to grind finer and finer, shot volume decreasing before blonding and grind time increasing. As you suspected, you're at the end of the burrs expected usage; changing them out is an easy 15 minute job with time left for cleaning.

Thanks for all your help. Sounds like it's the burrs. I'll replace them, and see what happens.

Before you change the burrs, you can try removing the entire upper burr collar, cleaning the threads and PROPERLY screw the upper collar back in.

Ok