Helor Flux (Helor 106): A review after 6 months of ownership. - Page 2

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
fliz (original poster)
Posts: 150
Joined: 7 years ago

#11: Post by fliz (original poster) »

I think it's also worth noting the Flux just received an update early last year, reducing the size and weight of the gearbox in the cap.

It would be odd to put work into improving the design only to discontinue it.

bakafish
Posts: 629
Joined: 11 years ago

#12: Post by bakafish »

Side by side, 1789 grams with the Gorilla Gear burrs, 500 grams heavier than my Rosco.


The original Helor 106 is with the Mazzer 186C burrs and has the dots on the inner burr.


I use the Gorilla Gear burrs so there is not any mark. But it is not a problem to me as I only use it for espresso and had ever used the first version of OE Pharos. The only inconvenience is I have to clean the bottom after use due to the space between the inner burr and the grinder body is too small so that some coffee grounds stick there. It's a compromise of size and weight.


The coffee grounds are always fluffy, never clumpy, very easy to prepare for espresso. Recently I found something interesting. I use 17g beans for espresso with Rossa PG. When I threw 17g beans in and ground all the beans, it took 45 seconds to pull 51g espresso. When I threw 25g beans in, ground and purged the initial 5g, and then turned the handle 70 rotations (the handle 4 rotations as the inner burr 1 rotation) to grind 17g out (3g remained in the grinder), it took 80 seconds to pull 51g espresso.

You can also use it this way. :D
Just remove the handle, not the cap.

jbviau
Supporter ★
Posts: 2133
Joined: 14 years ago

#13: Post by jbviau »

bakafish wrote:I got mine from original Helor on the Taobao China in August 2020. The service@helor.com is their email.
Good looking out--thanks. I emailed the above address ^^^ and got a prompt reply from Yong Huang at Helor to the effect that the Flux is expected to be available in 1 month. Not sure [yet] from which site online.
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

fliz (original poster)
Posts: 150
Joined: 7 years ago

#14: Post by fliz (original poster) »

what are your thoughts on the gorilla gear burr set vs the mazzer?

bakafish
Posts: 629
Joined: 11 years ago

#15: Post by bakafish replying to fliz »

I ever had a Monolith Conical MC1 which uses 68mm burrs and a custom made electric grinder using Mazzer 71mm burrs. Huie-71 espresso grinders with 71mm Robur burrs. The tastes were very different. With the Mazzer burrs, it often tasted harsh with high extraction yield. After I replaced the Mazzer burrs with the Gorilla Gear burrs, it tasted very similar to the MC1. As the MC3 uses the Mazzer burrs, and from the user experience, the MC1 and MC3 tastes are similar, I think the Mazzer burrs may need very precise alignment to make it perform better.

The Gorilla Gear burrs geometry is more like the MC1 burrs.
MC1


Gorilla Gear


Mazzer


MC1


Gorilla Gear


Mazzer

emedio
Posts: 2
Joined: 3 years ago

#16: Post by emedio »

Last week I bought a Helor Flux seconhand which was manufactured in summer 2020. The reduction has often been described as 3:1, but for my grinder the ratio is actually 4:1 - hence 4 turns of the crank = 1 turn of the grinding cone. The grinding speed for espresso is approximately 0.5 grams per second.

As fliz mentioned in post #11, the diameter of the gear box has been reduced to 58mm compared to previous incarnations of the Flux / 106. As a result, the grinder now weighs 1785 grams in contrast to 2185 grams before. The 400 grams less certainly make it more user-friendly :mrgreen:

I ground very lightly roasted Ethiopian beans with the Flux and it had no trouble whatsoever. As fliz noted, no RDT is necessary as there is zero static charge. This makes the espresso routine even more streamlined 8)

fliz (original poster)
Posts: 150
Joined: 7 years ago

#17: Post by fliz (original poster) »

Congratulations on your purchase, emedio!

emedio
Posts: 2
Joined: 3 years ago

#18: Post by emedio »

Hi fliz, thank you very much! I didn't find your review until after buying my grinder and I'm glad I can confirm your experience. What I can say about the result in the cup is that espresso tastes much cleaner with a better mouthfeel, compared to my hand grinders with conical burrs of 38 and 47 mm diameter. I'll be sticking to the original Mazzer 186C burrs, but it would be interesting to hear from users who have switched to coated or aftermarket burrs.

mdmvrockford
Supporter ♡
Posts: 570
Joined: 14 years ago

#19: Post by mdmvrockford »

fliz wrote:I no longer do RDT as I find it's now completely unnecessary. Retention is less than .1g
That is great. I see that emedio post #16 also mentions no need for Ross Droplet Technique (RDT) too with their Helor Flux (106). FWIW, that has not ever been my experience especially during Winter months with my Helor Flux(106) for approximately past two years.

After reading this thread yesterday, I intentionally did not use the RDT with the five grinds I did for myself and three guests this morning. All five grinds had static:
(a) same clumping as shown in 3rd picture in bakafish post#12 (one with visualized Gorilla Gear burrs bottom view) and
(b) static in catch cup and
(c) >0.1 gram retention.
This is despite my firm-tapping grinder's exposed outer burr and firm-tapping the catch cup. This has been my experience regardless of bean roast. The static is more prominent during Winter months (I live in Northern Hemisphere) when the relative humidity is lower. Today's beans were Paradise Roasters Nuevo. I have had same static issues with light-roasted beans. This morning my AccuRite-brand meter displayed my home's espresso corner with temperature 71F and 29% relative humidity. IIRC the same meter during Summer months typically displays in range of 45% to 50% relative humidity and ambient temperature 78-80F. During Summertime there was less static but still present. So I just RDT all the time.

I really don't mind RDT as I enjoy the process of making espresso. But on the rare occasions when I am preparing espresso drinks for guests then yes my efficiency suffers. But my guests are pre-warned that I don't prefer output from my electric flat burr grinder and I recommend grinds from the Helor Flux (106) hand grinder. Of course, if I have many guests then for efficiency's sake I use my electric grinder (64mm SSP Red Speed flat burrs in a well-aligned Mazzer Super Jolly).

I am glad to see this newer Helor Flux (106) thread since this is not a very common grinder. I read on this forum thread another post that states Helor (not Option-O) will be producing the Flux (106) again. Hopefully this will increase supply of this hand grinder (assuming there will be buyers) and thus more user experience posted here on HB.

To anyone else reading this thread and considering a hand-powered "Titan-level" (well-aligned) espresso grinder that does not have much hand-grinding effort, I would still highly recommend the Helor Flux (106) (mine has the Mazzer 0186 burrs). Please still search home-barista to review the positives and negative. If interested I posted a detailed review and my thoughts have not changed since then: Helor Flux (106) short review and owners thread
LMWDP #568

mdmvrockford
Supporter ♡
Posts: 570
Joined: 14 years ago

#20: Post by mdmvrockford »

jbviau wrote:........I emailed the above address ^^^ and got a prompt reply from Yong Huang at Helor to the effect that the Flux is expected to be available in 1 month. Not sure [yet] from which site online.
FYI update for those who may be considering Helor 106 (a.k.a. Flux) and want it brand new and/or with smaller upper top (which houses the gear reduction mechanism).

It appears the Flux (106) is available for order from the helor website.
https://www.helor.com/product/helor-106 ... e-grinder/

To be clear, I have never ordered from helor website. Please at least see their FAQ on website.
https://www.helor.com/faq/

I got both my Helor hand grinders in USA; 106 used off home-barista Buy/Sell forum and 101 from Prima-coffee.
LMWDP #568