Different espresso grinder needed, budget around $1000

#1: Post by **insatiableOne** » June 1st, 2014, 12:21 am

Recently purchased a LaPavoni STRADIVARI GRAN ROMANTICA - SGR.

Trying to use my Baratza maestro plus, the coffee just runs straight through with no crema what so ever.
The grind is unable to go fine enough, even with the 40 settings.

After somewhat extensive research, the Mazzer Mini- type B, electronic, doserless seems to get my attention.
I am looking to buy a stepless, doserless grinder for the is infinite adjustment and not to let a bunch of grounds get wasted.
This is just for home use, although I do drink espresso ALL day long.

Prefer to try and stay around $1,000 or so...
Not looking to upgrade again in the future.

Even thinking of just stepping up to one of the titans, like the K10 fresh???

#2: Post by **mivanitsky** » June 1st, 2014, 2:00 am

If you are able to spend $1000, you have many good choices. The best two in terms of grind quality are the hand grinders with "Titan" conical burrs: the HG-One and the OE Pharos. In new motorized grinders, consider the Baratza Forté or Vario. If you consider used grinders, there are many choices. You can often find a used Mazzer Major or Super Jolly on eBay. The Mazzer Mini-E is a good grinder, and you can put Super Jolly burrs in it, but it is trumped by the others listed above. I would never buy it new in 2014. Buy a used one for $400 if you like.

-Mike

#3: Post by **OldNuc** » June 1st, 2014, 9:05 am

mivanitsky wrote:If you are able to spend $1000, you have many good choices. The best two in terms of grind quality are the hand grinders with "Titan" conical burrs: the HG-One and the OE Pharos. ...
-Mike

+1^^^ For a bit less than 1/2 your budget you can have a fully tricked out OE Pharos that will grind rings around the more pricey motorized grinders. And it will not be eclipsed by next years model either.

June 1st, 2014, 9:17 am

Ditto...

#5: Post by **RioCruz** » June 1st, 2014, 9:24 am

mivanitsky wrote:If you are able to spend $1000, you have many good choices. The best two in terms of grind quality are the hand grinders with "Titan" conical burrs: the HG-One and the OE Pharos.

+1 For my taste and from my experience, the ergonomics of the HG-1 are much better than the Pharos. Much easier to use. Much pricier, too...but worth it!

#6: Post by **rpavlis** » June 1st, 2014, 9:30 am

The Pharos is indeed excellent. If you set it fine it will grind coffee beans to dust like needed for Turkish grind. It is not designed for a coffee shop. It is designed to produce excellently ground coffee. Many modifications have been made to these machines. It works quite well stock. (I did replace the spacers with aluminium ones and put a 7th spacer where the tool holder was to serve as a handle because I had difficulty holding on to it in its stock condition.)

#7: Post by **SpaceTime** » June 1st, 2014, 9:31 am

mivanitsky wrote:If you are able to spend $1000, you have many good choices. The best two in terms of grind quality are the hand grinders with "Titan" conical burrs: the HG-One and the OE Pharos. In new motorized grinders, consider the Baratza Forté or Vario. If you consider used grinders, there are many choices. You can often find a used Mazzer Major or Super Jolly on eBay. The Mazzer Mini-E is a good grinder, and you can put Super Jolly burrs in it, but it is trumped by the others listed above. I would never buy it new in 2014. Buy a used one for $400 if you like.

-Mike

Good summary. If $1000 is the budget, you want Titan grind / conical, and you wanted motorized, want minimal retention / waste, how about a **used** K10PB/WBC? You may have to stretch $100 and it is bigger, but the best of the best. The K10 fresh is $600 more, I would get a PB before a Fresh for single dose any day - don't assume doser less means less waste retention - not always the case, it depends - especially wit a modded PB which can be very efficient. Plus, with the newer model K10's coming out maybe you could even get lucky and negotiate a new K10pb in the $1250 range - again a stretch but that is what budgets are for, no?

HG One and Pharos are great too - can speak from experience, and if you have space and the budget the HG One is hard to beat. I like manual but everyone's needs are different...

#8: Post by **TomC** » June 2nd, 2014, 7:07 am

insatiableOne wrote:After somewhat extensive research, the Mazzer Mini- type B, electronic, doserless seems to get my attention. I am looking to buy a stepless, doserless grinder for the is infinite adjustment and not to let a bunch of grounds get wasted. This is just for home use, although I do drink espresso ALL day long.

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#9: Post by **drgary** » June 3rd, 2014, 7:32 am

For $1099 shipped you can get a new Fiorenzato Doge conical grinder from H-B sponsor 1st-Line Equipment with 71mm conical burrs. I just got one myself and am very happy with it and its Robur class grind quality.

#10: Post by **SpaceTime** » June 3rd, 2014, 10:45 am

Where is your head at on choice currently? Are you leaning any one direction at this point...?

BTW, I know this can take time, waffling can occur (if you are anything like me) - it took me a while when I wanted to step up on grinder capabilities.