shadowfax wrote:I've heard some negative things about the Tanzania with respect to its bag-shaker clanging against vessels you grind into (especially metal ones), and having static issues.

I've been using a paper cup as a grind container and this has worked quite well for me. It also allows one to keep the nozzle inside the container while "tumping" with the bag holder.

Haven't had any serious issues with static so far (been using it for 1 year now).

shadowfax wrote:what's the retention like?

With clean burrs I've measured 0.5 grams difference with input and output. With dirty burrs it's between 0-0.2 grams.

Here's some (low quality) pictures of the burr assembly. There's not much space for the grinds to get stuck.



The upper carrier is kept in place with those three screws, so assembly/disassembly is very easy - don't bother with Grindz as the "manual cleaning" is a treat with this one.



Notice how the sweeping arms are one with the baseplate, unlike with Mazzer grinders (that I've seen) for example.

Thanks for the images. It looks like a very nice design; the chute seems quite tiny.

The Ditting website has some nice schematics. Here's a link for the Discharge Assembly that shows that there's actually a small rubber tube inside the chute.

I realise this post was started a long time ago but I can find very few people outside of a commercial setting using the Mahlkonig Tanzania and I have a few questions I hope you might have opinions on as I too recently bought this grinder so I hope you don't mind me digging it up

1) How important other than top blades go on top and bottom blades go on the bottom is their arrangement, the bottom plate has two different looking pins for the blade to sit on and I foolishly did not take note of the original position, the manual is no help stating only "Ensure that grinding discs are positioned correctly during installation. Observe the position of the driver!" which both makes no sense to me as to what part is the driver and would seem even if I did know it would be too late to pay attention now!

2) Does your Tanzania do a little jump to the left when you first switch it on? You see this is why I ask question number one because if others don't do the initial jump perhaps its blade alignment causing it?

3) When going as low as setting 1 on the grinder can you hear a little screech as if the the blades are touching?

Thanks

Hi

1) Don't know the answer. From when I took it apart, the burrs don't have screws to hold them up. And since there are no markings, maybe they could be swap (top-bottom) but I don't know. Never pull mine out of the place.

2) My grinder does not jump or move on the table. Maybe the burrs are misaligned (unbalanced).

3) Not sure. I adjusted the burr settings (very easy - 3 minutes) in order to make French press and Chemex. My smallest position is larger than for Turkish coffee. I would advise to do the same as the best use of the grinder is at coarser settings. One time I went to a cafe and they said they didn't use the grinder because it produced too fine grounds. They didn't know it can be easily adjusted for French press.

Cheers

Rafael, when I was at Starbucks we used a Ditting 1203. We put a large steaming pitcher (like a small bucket you've probably seen them) under the spout. We put a strip of velcro on the pitcher and a strip on the back plate of the grinder. It always held really well without having to hold onto it, even with that big pitcher completely full with a half pound of ground coffee. maybe give it a try. I like grinding into a metal container to reduce static and ease of cleaning.

I can't imagine that with the Tanzania with the vibrator plate on the front! The clanging noise would be enough to drive me out of the house I suspect like my KF804, the 1203 does not have this for bag filling.

Arpi wrote: 3) Not sure. I adjusted the burr settings (very easy - 3 minutes) in order to make French press and Chemex. My smallest position is larger than for Turkish coffee. I would advise to do the same as the best use of the grinder is at coarser settings. One time I went to a cafe and they said they didn't use the grinder because it produced too fine grounds. They didn't know it can be easily adjusted for French press.

With the standard factory calibration (burrs touching, backed off two notches) I can get fine Turkish dust to coarse boulders. The manual says you can back off further to get an even coarser grind, but considering I don't go near the end of the scale for FP anyway, I don't see why you would need to do this. Was their grinder calibrated too fine? The burrs must have been touching at lower settings.

danetrainer wrote:I can't imagine that with the Tanzania with the vibrator plate on the front! The clanging noise would be enough to drive me out of the house I suspect like my KF804, the 1203 does not have this for bag filling.

I hope nobody actually suffers through using the Tanzania or KR805 at home with that awful thing attached to the front. I made sure I could remove it before I even ordered the grinder, and it was the first thing I did after taking it out of the box.

stephencornford wrote: 2) Does your Tanzania do a little jump to the left when you first switch it on?

Yes, there is a slight "nudge" to the left - has always been. But the grinder does not move on the table. I've assumed that this is caused by the motor when it starts (rapidly)?