Fuji Royal R-220 grinder review.
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bustelo12
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 4 years ago
The R-220 can be ordered in two different models:
Mirukko DX [Standard] is meant for drip or coarse grind.
Mortar cut version is for espresso.
Both are available on Amazon or Ebay as well as rakuten.com
I have read that it's possible to buy separate, stand alone Mortar cut or Standard teeth, which would allow the same R-220 to grind from espresso to french press by just swapping out the "teeth", but have not found the teeth online.
I purchased the Mirukko DX [Standard]. I don't have an espresso machine. I brew coffee.
I was initially intimidated by the Japanese only instruction pamphlet, but quickly found the R-220 to be intuitive and easy to use.
Several videos are available on youtube in Japanese which show how to operate, clean and calibrate the R-220. Easy to follow even without English.
Out of the box without any modifications or recalibration, I have the best results grinding at setting 7.5 (dial settings are 1-10) which produced a nice medium coarse grind and produced a flavorful balanced brew using my Bonavita ceramic immersion dripper. Much better than my old Ariete-Delonghi grinder which became unreliable and probably needed a burr adjustment or replacement. I find I am using less coffee grounds to get the same strength coffee over time.
The R-220 is a very substantial machine, heavy, and does not vibrate or move when grinding. It is built like a tank and I expect it will last a lifetime.
The "ghost teeth" are grinding surfaces which are unlike most popular grinders and sit in a vertical position. There are other posts on HB that have pictures of the grinding surfaces.
Retention is very good: 30 grams of beans in. 29.5 - 30 grams of grounds out. I just started using a 400um sieve which eliminated fines but loses an additional 4 grams of coffee. This plus occasionally using a grinder cleaner makes a reliable smooth cup of coffee.
Cleaning is a breeze. I use a small shop vac on the exit chute. If the coffee has an off taste, I use a grinder cleaner.
The footprint is tiny. About half the footprint of the typical basic drip coffee maker (think Mr. Coffee), and about the same height, easily fitting under my kitchen cabinet.
I paid $630 on Ebay which includes shipping from Japan and tax. Roughly $130 more than the Baratza Vario and hundreds less than the Baratza Forte BG.
Additional expense is a necessary transformer (model VCT VT-500J) available on Amazon for $40.
I am impressed by the thoughtful design and engineering that went into the R-220.
This grinder plus my Coffee Freshness coffee storage unit (CO2 injected) makes great coffee time after time. I am thrilled with my set up.
Mirukko DX [Standard] is meant for drip or coarse grind.
Mortar cut version is for espresso.
Both are available on Amazon or Ebay as well as rakuten.com
I have read that it's possible to buy separate, stand alone Mortar cut or Standard teeth, which would allow the same R-220 to grind from espresso to french press by just swapping out the "teeth", but have not found the teeth online.
I purchased the Mirukko DX [Standard]. I don't have an espresso machine. I brew coffee.
I was initially intimidated by the Japanese only instruction pamphlet, but quickly found the R-220 to be intuitive and easy to use.
Several videos are available on youtube in Japanese which show how to operate, clean and calibrate the R-220. Easy to follow even without English.
Out of the box without any modifications or recalibration, I have the best results grinding at setting 7.5 (dial settings are 1-10) which produced a nice medium coarse grind and produced a flavorful balanced brew using my Bonavita ceramic immersion dripper. Much better than my old Ariete-Delonghi grinder which became unreliable and probably needed a burr adjustment or replacement. I find I am using less coffee grounds to get the same strength coffee over time.
The R-220 is a very substantial machine, heavy, and does not vibrate or move when grinding. It is built like a tank and I expect it will last a lifetime.
The "ghost teeth" are grinding surfaces which are unlike most popular grinders and sit in a vertical position. There are other posts on HB that have pictures of the grinding surfaces.
Retention is very good: 30 grams of beans in. 29.5 - 30 grams of grounds out. I just started using a 400um sieve which eliminated fines but loses an additional 4 grams of coffee. This plus occasionally using a grinder cleaner makes a reliable smooth cup of coffee.
Cleaning is a breeze. I use a small shop vac on the exit chute. If the coffee has an off taste, I use a grinder cleaner.
The footprint is tiny. About half the footprint of the typical basic drip coffee maker (think Mr. Coffee), and about the same height, easily fitting under my kitchen cabinet.
I paid $630 on Ebay which includes shipping from Japan and tax. Roughly $130 more than the Baratza Vario and hundreds less than the Baratza Forte BG.
Additional expense is a necessary transformer (model VCT VT-500J) available on Amazon for $40.
I am impressed by the thoughtful design and engineering that went into the R-220.
This grinder plus my Coffee Freshness coffee storage unit (CO2 injected) makes great coffee time after time. I am thrilled with my set up.
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ripvanmd
- Posts: 176
- Joined: 9 years ago
I think you'll love this grinder for those purposes. I would definitely calibrate the grinder per the instructions that you mentioned. I was initially confused as I assumed the grinder marker was on the top but really it's at the six o'clock position. A bit tough to see. It's gotten better as I've broken it in through general daily use (rather than running a lot of throwaway coffee through it).
