antopoftheworld wrote:Hey all,

I currently have a DF64 with v1 brew burrs. I'm drinking at least 1-2 pour overs in the morning, and then make the switch over to espresso in the afternoon, usually pulling 1-2 shots as well.

The workflow on the DF64 is pretty frustrating with changing it back and forth everyday, so I have a couple of options.
SNIP

It seems like most discussions are folks doing 1 or the other. Does anyone do 50/50 of both and have an end-game grinder? Will I be frustrated switching back and forth between the two settings?

My espresso grinder is not what anyone here would consider "end game". But it is dedicated to espresso, and does a very good job IMO.

My solution to your issue is to have two grinders. One for espresso, one for drip. The one I use for drip is a Bunn dual chamber. A few months into Covid, a bunch of offices started dumping these. In many cases literally dumping them in the trash; in many other instances, selling them very cheap. Mine sits in my basement, as it's large and cumbersome and gets used once daily. No need to have it cluttering up my kitchen.

This frees up my espresso grinder to do exactly that. Spares me the immense headache of constantly having to reset and recalibrate a grinder.

Seems to me that folks who are willing to fork over the $$$$ for "end game" espresso grinders would, if they have the space, gladly spend a few hundred more to get a second grinder and thereby eliminate the headache.

Welcome to HB!

When I first started in the hobby, my holy grail was to find a grinder that could serve dual purposes. However, over the years, after using various grinders that could switch between settings relatively effortlessly (I believe most single-dosing grinders capable of minimal retention fall into this category), I've come to realization that it will never match the convenience of having two dedicated grinders. Not having to remember your last grind setting is a game changer, and so having two dedicated grinders and 'set it and forget it' is probably my new holy grail now, in my opinion.

There're multiple ways you can go about it, depending on your situation and need. If you have a fixed budget, you can portion and allocate your budget and still get pretty good grinders for your money (budget electric grinder+hand grinder can be a good option if you don't mind putting in a bit of elbow grease). If bench space is a limitation, there are quite a few smaller compact coffee grinders (running two of these wouldn't break the bank either). If you have a bit more disposable income with bench space, you're knee-deep in this hobby, you could 'invest' in a higher-end grinder for your favorite coffee type (be it espresso or filter), and then opt for a decent/compact grinder for the other. Given the wide range of grinder options available these days, you should be able to achieve this without breaking the bank (relatively of course - there are way more affordable great grinders these days compared to what it was 5 years ago), and still get you really good grinders and in-the-cup results.

One of my favourite pairing is actually running a big flat alongside a small compact conical burrs grinder. This way I can cover the best of both worlds. Big flat for covering my main need for more modern style light roast espresso, which also performs admirably for filters. There are some smaller conical burr grinders (38-48mm burrs) that don't take up much space at all, and these models typically produce more than satisfactory filter coffee. If you ever miss those rich, full-bodied traditional style shots, these smaller conical burrs will easily cover that.

There are many ways to skin a cat, have fun!

I will say that the Option-O Lagom Mini has surprised me with how versatile it is and how good it is in the cup for both filter and espresso, from respected espresso blends up through the "lighter than Tim†" coffees that I enjoy. It has a well-deserved spot on my counter in between some huge grinders. I know I'm not the only one that may trade out grinders or burrs over time but have no intention of letting go of the Lagom Mini. Extra bonuses in that it is smol and affordably priced.

† Wendelboe, not Horton's

What exactly is the issue with switching between espresso and filter on the DF64? Doubt you'll find one solution that's easier than literally moving the grind dial 45 degrees and puffing some coffee out - but if you're switching burrs that's a different matter.

I can't add much other that what's been said but I also spent years trying to find a grinder that does both but settled on two separate grinders. I guess there's the Niche but it's always been a big no from me based on how it looks.

I also like to dose on-demand for espresso and single dose for filter which added an extra factor.

Currently using a Mahlkönig x54 for espresso and a Fellow Ode Gen 2 for filter. Very happy with the setup.

I was using a doserless Super Jolly for espresso but after trying a seasoned X54 I was sold and I'm super happy. Probably not considered end-game but I love it. They also don't take up much space together and look great next to the Linea Mini...

Allongedaze wrote:What exactly is the issue with switching between espresso and filter on the DF64? Doubt you'll find one solution that's easier than literally moving the grind dial 45 degrees and puffing some coffee out - but if you're switching burrs that's a different matter.

Retention between the two. Sometimes I'd get fines in my filter, sometimes I'd notice some in my espresso.

Sometimes I'd get dialed in at a number for espresso, change it to filter, put it back, and it would be off.

That's fair. While I don't doubt that the workflows of the more expensive Lagoms and Monoliths will be nicer, you'll still have issues with retention with each of them when going from espresso to filter and back again.

Seems like using a dedicated grinder for each is your best bet and I'd get another 64mm (Ode, DF series, Sculptor, etc.) for filter and retain the option to swap burrs around. NZ is great but try the DF stock burrs for espresso first and see how you get on.

Get a manual grinder for pourover (e.g. ZP6), keep the DF64 for espresso or replace it with another grinder for espresso that you find more appealing.

I'm of the mindset that manual grinders have a role to play. My main espresso grinder (or soon to be main grinder) is a Kafatek Monolith Conical 6. It has not arrived yet, so I'm using a Niche Zero, but when the Kafatek MC6 arrives, I'll use it for espresso and I think it should be able to cover light roast to dark with high quality across the board. I then have two hand grinders. A Kinu M47 that I sometimes use for a manual espresso grind, but not sure I'll actually do that post MC6. I also have a Comandante C40 for my Aeropress and V60. I think a good hand grinder works well for pour over / immersion, especially if espresso is your main driver.

antopoftheworld wrote:Hey all,

I currently have a DF64 with v1 brew burrs. I'm drinking at least 1-2 pour overs in the morning, and then make the switch over to espresso in the afternoon, usually pulling 1-2 shots as well.

The workflow on the DF64 is pretty frustrating with changing it back and forth everyday, so I have a couple of options.

1. Pick up a Niche Zero and use that for espresso. Use the DF64 for only filter coffee moving forward.
2. Sell the DF64 and upgrade to an end-game grinder. Zerno, EG-1, p100, monolith flat max.

It seems like most discussions are folks doing 1 or the other. Does anyone do 50/50 of both and have an end-game grinder? Will I be frustrated switching back and forth between the two settings?

This all seems to ignore the impact of the burr choice and grinder on the drink, though the subsequent discussion picks it up a bit. One question that you would have to answer is whether or not you would be happy with the same burr set for everything. I'd expect that a NZ would give you espresso with less clarity of flavour and more muddiness (I guess people call it body) than a dedicated brewing burr.

I was using 98mm HU burrs for both espresso (or, rather, the very aromatic espresso volume thing that I like and that others would no doubt say is too thin and acidic for them) and filter and it wasn't bad for both. A friend has lent me the 98mm SSP "brewing" burrs, which I gather are the same but with a deeper outfall depth and they certainly seem a step up in clarity of flavour and aromatics for brewing. So I'd think that it's entirely possible that your "endgame" dream burr set might not be the same for espresso and for filter.

Assuming you're happy with the same burr set for both, to be honest, I think you probably could use something like a monolith, p1000000, ultra, etc, for both; I have.