I was wondering if grinders can handle light roasted and dark roasted beans equally well. Or are some grinders more suitable for dark and oily beans and others for very light roasts. And if so which grinders do the best job -tastewise- when it comes to dark and very dark roasts.

And could a newbie even tell the difference?

In one post I even read that the K30 underlines the chocolate and caramel notes much more than other grinders.

Did anyone else make this observation as well?

I just went from an HG One to an EKK43 and I'll whole-heartedly say yes.

Bright roasts have never tasted this good and darker ones are absolutely horrible now.

Thanks for your feedback!

Is there also such a grinder for dark roasts?

Dark roast oily beans do better with conical burrs as they are less likely to clog on fine grinds such as espresso than flat burr grinders.

There seems to be some acceptance to grinder burr type with regards to taste.
Flat burrs highlighting more of the chocolate and caramel.
Conical burrs highlighting more of the brightness and fruitiness in the grind.

redbone wrote:Dark roast oily beans do better with conical burrs as they are less likely to clog on fine grinds such as espresso than flat burr grinders.

There seems to be some acceptance to grinder burr type with regards to taste.
Flat burrs highlighting more of the chocolate and caramel.
Conical burrs highlighting more of the brightness and fruitiness in the grind.

But those aren't universally accepted viewpoints... I've read those assessments, and also ones that assert that flats highlight fruitiness!?! I have NO experience with a large conical. I do have experience with a large flat...

A variable-speed, flat, single-dosing grinder does allow dialing in for ANY coffee...comes with a hefty price tag...but you can get all you need out of whatever coffee you have, with that set up, IMO.

The hard part is, I think there's lots of subjectivity.
Taste is subjective.
Are you buying coffee for caramel/chocolate and wanting to emphasize that OR balance it out?
Are you buying coffee for fruitiness, and wanting to emphasize that, OR balance it out?
What does that mean to you (vs me, or any other observer) in this journey of coffee taste?

Most of us can't afford a different grinder for different coffees (for a given preparation style), so we look for one that fits our patterns best.

7 or 8 years ago, it was common "knowledge" that conical burr grinders definitely emphasized fruits and bright notes, and flats like the Mazzer Major highlighted the chocolate, base notes.

Much that is written is the often parroted inherited wisdom. Take it for what it's worth. In 8 years, the pendulum will swing the other way.

It's my honest belief that only very few people have actually put in the amount of diligent work to rend the truth from the fiction; people like Jim Schulman and Ken Fox.

I've spent a lot of time with the Major, Robur, K30, Peak, EK43 and a few others.

I work as a roaster and I've came very close to pulling my hair out while experimenting and troubleshooting.

Light roasts prone to extract well between 2.2-3:1 ratios on large flat burr. They seem to do well at 1.75-2.5:1 on medium/smaller flats. Conical is close to the same range as the medium flat burr set.

The difference I taste in conical(I may be crazy), is there is simultaneously more sharp acidity and more low end and body, almost like scooping out the midrange frequencies out from your stereo, or increasing your bass and treble. Where the flat burrs have a little more balance and midrange.

I have been very unsuccessful in extracting dark roasts on the EK43. The Peak is very similar. If I want a little more chocolate or caramels, or heavy bodied ristretto style coffee I usually throw it in the K30 at home or a Robur at work