Best Brewing Grinder

#1: Post by **endlesscycles** » April 9th, 2013, 5:21 pm

What is, in your opinion, the pinnacle of grinder excellence?

I would think a small scale roller mill would do, but I know of no such thing. I have no experience, but I also suspect the Compak R-140 may be the hot stuff in a Tim Allen sort of approach. Otherwise, the Mahlkonig EK-43 was used by Matt Perger to win the brewers cup last year.

#2: Post by **pacificmanitou** » April 9th, 2013, 6:14 pm

endlesscycles wrote:What is, in your opinion, the pinnacle of grinder excellence?

A Mazzer Robur

but for brewing I have heard nothing but good things about the Mahlkonig Guatemala.

#3: Post by **cannonfodder** » April 9th, 2013, 11:18 pm

I ended up getting a Bun bulk grinder. We discussed the topic at length

Why do bulk grinders produce a superior grind for non espresso preparation?

If you do a search for bulk grinder you will get several other threads as well on the subject.

#4: Post by **JmanEspresso** » April 9th, 2013, 11:37 pm

If I had whatever equipment I desired:

Mahlkonig VTA 6, probably in 3 phase trim. Ive seen it in use one time. Blasted through 45grams like it was 5grams. Most consistent french press chunks Ive seen, and as close to 100% dust free as possible.

Im sure many of the top Mahlkonig/Dittings and Compak R series are like this too, but the VTA also looks really cool

I also owned a Bunn G2 for a while. For wait I paid(ha!), and even 100times what I paid, it was amazing. I sold it to get a hottop, so while I miss it dearly..

#5: Post by **Socalsteve** » April 12th, 2013, 12:31 am

Vario W with the steel burr set...amazing coffee brewed in my Bunn Trifecta MB. Sometimes I actual prefer this over espresso...

#6: Post by **deity6667** » April 16th, 2013, 8:29 pm

I'm currently going through a process of deciding on a brew only grinder. No one in NZ imports the Baratza grinders and you can only get the Mahlkonig Vario from a limited few places. I can buy direct from the Mahlkonig importer but he isn't selling the Vario-w (with steel burrs) so my choices are from him the Ditting 804 or 805 - the 805 from ditting comes with the short hopper.

Otherwise import a grinder (like the vario-w) from Australia or elsewhere.... decisions....

#7: Post by **LaDan** » April 17th, 2013, 1:44 am

It's between the Mahlkonigs and the Dittings.

VTA 6 and Ditting 1203 both have the same burr size. 120mm. And now that they are merged, and Ditting uses machined burrs like VTA, I suspect that these two burr sets are identical.

#8: Post by **deity6667** » April 17th, 2013, 2:09 am

Does anyone have any thoughts on Ditting 804 vs 805 vs mahlkonig Kenia for siphon, pourover and press - single dosing everytime.

Looks wise i prefer the 804. the 805 is the cheapest and the kenia around the same as the 804.

#9: Post by **norschtein** » April 17th, 2013, 4:01 pm

The Kenia comes with exactly the same burr set as the Guatemala Lab (65mm, each disc fixed to the carriers by 2 screws) and -from my point of experience- does the nicer filter grind than a 'standard' Guatemala with 71mm burrs. Grind adjustment in 14 steps (see PS below). Of those three grinders you ask about the Kenia's outer shell is the easiest one to damage.

The Ditting 805 and 804 both have 80mm burrs and steepless grind adjustment. Discs are either fixed magnetically (805/Tanzania = 360 degrees of pure grind paths) or with two screws per disc.

The 805/Tanzania does have less residues than my 10 year old 804.
The 804 is easier to clean around & between the burrs, though.

I own each of them (I completly modified my Kenia to a Kenia Lab:) ) and am happy with any Grinder of the trias. (Well, that's not too helpful for decision making, I guess...

)

Robert

PS: One can change as a whole the spectrum of grind covered by those 14 steps deciding on how fine a filter grind one has need of. Irretating to read (see following post from Jim Schulman) that the grind range of brewers' cup grinders were not prepared/calibrated according to the needs of the competitors...
And - Yes! The Vario (with steel discs) does a superb filter grind.

#10: Post by **another_jim** » April 17th, 2013, 4:20 pm

At the brewer's cup this year, half the competitors skipped the supplied Guatemalas and used their own Varios. One person I asked about this said she needed finer grind adjustment for pourover brewing than was available on the Ditting and MK lab grinders.

In terms of grind quality, I've seen no convincing side by sides; but just in terms of my drinking the brews; it's obvious the Vario with the steel burrs produces a major league clean and clear taste.