Hario Clear ?

Recommendations for buyers and upgraders from the site's members.
sandys
Posts: 5
Joined: 12 years ago

#1: Post by sandys »

hi guys,
has anybody used the new Hario Clear ?
From the video, it looks like its grinding pretty fast - which was one of the things that rankled me about the skerton (the exercise). Anybody know how good it is ? I'll take a slight degradation of grind in exchange for a grind time speedup.

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orphanespresso
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#2: Post by orphanespresso »

Haven't used one. Video is interesting... especially how the mechanism wobbles around inside the case, and doesn't appear to be actually firmly attached to the case. Stepped top adjustment, burr wobble, perhaps the same burr & burr mechanism as the Skerton. Not a fan of the giant suction cup either. I think you would get more than a slight degradation of grind quality with this one. Keep in mind - you don't get more speed without a more aggressive burr, and a more aggressive burr means more force on the mechanism & more energy must put into the system to turn the agressive burr. The energy comes from you, and must be held by the structure of the grinder, and directed to the burrs, and the coffee beans. The Clear looks to have some too light duty aspects to expect an aggressive, fast grind. Again - we haven't used it, just observations from watching the video.

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[creative nickname]
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#3: Post by [creative nickname] »

I haven't used one yet.

Aesthetically, it looks like a modernist update of a classic European design, which I like. It is somewhat weird to take a design that is perfect when used as a knee-mill and incorporate a suction-cup for countertop use, but I guess that just makes it more well-rounded.

But I have to agree with Doug that the mechanism looks poorly designed, basically making all of the same mistakes as the Skerton (which was my first travel grinder, and so I am very used to its defects). Stepped adjustment and lots of wobble will make this at best a passable grinder for drip and press, and hopeless for espresso. So basically they have made something that mimics the classic grinders in form but not in function.

As far as exercise: I guess it depends what you like. More, but smoother, turns sound better to me than cranking harder to grind the beans in fewer revolutions. YMMV, of course.
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Phasor
Posts: 42
Joined: 12 years ago

#4: Post by Phasor »

Hi Sandys,

I haven't used a Hario Clear either, but the carrier/burr wobble that Doug points out in his comment was something that frustrated me with my modern Zass knee mill (especially at coarser settings). So, I retired it and picked up a hand-made grinder from Doug and Barb at Orphan Espresso http://www.orphanespresso.com
In case you haven't heard about their grinders, it's worth a look for their Pharos espresso grinder and LIDO "cupping" grinder. I own both, and am very happy with the price, speed, quality of build and grind quality. If you are looking for a hand grinder, Doug's are among the best in the world (in my opinion, they are the best).

Here are a couple of the threads dedicated to the grinders:
Pharos: Owner experience with Pharos manual coffee grinder by Orphan Espresso

LIDO: Owner experience with LIDO cupping coffee grinder by Orphan Espresso

All the best.

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beer&mathematics
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#5: Post by beer&mathematics »

Doug is the master of all hand-y things :lol: He is right about grinding speed. I have a Hario Mini which is easy to turn but takes forever (3-5 minutes for an espresso, say, 16 grams). I also have Doug's hand-made Pharos grinder which is fast. Super fast, 15 to 20 turns for me (so the grinding is done in less than 20 seconds). But that speed comes at a price--it takes herculean effort in the holding hand and moderate effort in the turning hand. I highly recommend the OE hand grinders--they are worth every penny IMO. Although you will have to wait for a few months to get them as OE is developing a Lido II and waiting for new burrs for the Pharos (I think both expected around October). Doug please correct my dates if I am remembering them wrong.
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happycat
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#6: Post by happycat »

beer&mathematics wrote: But that speed comes at a price--it takes herculean effort in the holding hand and moderate effort in the turning hand.
Roast makes a big difference. Light roasts are harder than dark roasts on the Pharos at a fine espresso grind.
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