My work setup consists of a Hario Skerton, a Clever Coffee Dripper, and a Brentwood electric kettle. I've been dissatisfied for some time with the coarse grinding from the Hario. I've really been interested in purchasing the OE DIY kit, but I know once I do this, I'll lose fine grinding ability. I still occasionally (when I'm in an experimental mood) use the Skerton when I use the MyPressi at home, and I'd rather not lose that ability. So I have these questions:

1) How fine of a grind is the Hario capable of after implementing the OE mod?

2) What's the coarsest grind MyPressi users have had success with?

3) How distracting would a Baratza Encore be at my desk? (I have one at home... it would probably get me fired)

Of course the answers to any of these questions are sure to be highly subjective. I'm just trying to determine whether or not I really want to go through with the purchase and process, so any comments or advice are appreciated.

Why not get a proper espresso grinder and mod the hario? I wouldn't dream of using a skerton for espresso.

The modification is not worth it because the grinder will ultimately still burn out in the end. It would be more worth your money to get a quality grinder for brewing and one for espresso. Maybe this is not ideal, but it's the best route. Grinders and fresh beans are the most important part.

The course grind does not get a whole ton better with the kit. A LIDO or other quality hand grinder would be clutch! I use my LIDO at work (I own a Rosco too but that's an indulgence!).

Let me know what you think! I'm happy to continue discussing.

Currently the lido and Pharos are out of production. The lido is being replaced with a successor, and the Pharos is out of stock. Really, an upgrade is the way to go.

I understand the calls for upgrade, unfortunately that's not really in the cards for a while.

Sam, what do you mean by "the grinder will ultimately burn out in the end?" A $15 mod kit is a whole lot more affordable than a LIDO, original or future generations. And ultimately we're talking about coffee in the office. I almost always use fresh roasted (either my own or Counter Culture) unless I forget to bring some in for a while. I'm really just looking to improve the flow for my CCD. Will this mod assist in that?

Let me be clear, I have "pretty good" results at the moment. I pretty much have to adjust the flow based on dose. I'd like to be able to grind coarser with more consistency and use doses a bit heavier.

I have a Kyocera CM-50 (same grinder) with the OE mod and I like it a lot for coarse work.

I also have a Hario Mini for espresso.

why choose?

What I mean by burning out is that the Skerton's plastic parts will burn out over time with regular use. I'm sure you could google and read some threads on it and how to prolong the grinder's life.

You can definitely go that route if that suits you. I only recommend a LIDO as an investment.

I've had an Encore, Skerton + OE bearing, Slim and two separate Lido grinders.

My question is, do you not like the taste of the Skerton + CCD or the way the grinds look? How do you feel about your Encore + CCD using the same coffee?

I found that with a CCD my Skerton and Encore were comparable in taste. Draw down time was slightly different between the two but taste was no big difference. Note that with my Skerton I also added a flange bearing to the top to stabilize. This wasn't a "performance" upgrade for me. It was because the threaded shaft was eating away at the top plastic on the grinder.

You can't compare any of the other grinders to the Lido in the course range.

Hey Jessy,

I own the Kyocera CM-50 too. I have both the OE PFP mod as well as the stepless mod. I can grind great for my Silvia as well as for press. It's my backup when my Macap is "under the screwdriver". I've been using it off and on for over a year and I don't see any signs of the burrs going dull anytime soon. No need for the slim. The Skerton will do fine. I like the Skerton modded so much I plan to sell kits of them one day.