Grinders, grinders, which grinder? Good for fine and coarse grinds! - Page 5

Recommendations for buyers and upgraders from the site's members.
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triodelover
Posts: 75
Joined: 11 years ago

#41: Post by triodelover »

oldbrit wrote:I can easily go with an MCAL if that's what I need to buy to meet my requirements.
Well, I've read through all your threads so I'll throw in my 2p because...well, it's Saturday night and I'm on my third Belle Meade neat so why not? :)

The advice on grinders (Lido 2 , Pharos, good vintage Zass or PeDe) is spot on. Only thing to add is should you win the lottery, buy an HG One.

But I'm a little puzzled about your eliminating manual levers because they require more "finesse". Vintage levers - spring loaded and manual - are a bit like post-war British roadsters. When that Healy 3000 or MG TD was humming along, they were a joy to drive. When they weren't there were two choices. Either keep your tool kit in the boot and relish rolling up your sleeves and getting grease under your fingernails or keep a mechanic on retainer. Vintage levers are a lot like that. They aren't plug 'n' play.

Vintage levers are finicky and require patience and TLC. The good news is they are simple machines and easy to work on. Both spring loaded and manual levers are finicky, just in different ways. Frankly, I feel like I have better control over my shot with the Cremina or Carravel than with the MCaL, where I'm somewhat at the mercy of the spring's strength. Some here have added a second spring to the MCaL, but at a minimum that requires a large bench vise bolted down to compress the springs in order to reassemble the piston assembly.

With the number of Pavonis out there at very reasonable prices (generally less than MCaLs) and the occasional Cremina that pops up at a good price, I'd recommend you consider a good manual lever if one comes along that fits the budget.

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