I have had about 3 weeks now with my Macap. I moved from a Sette 270 to this huge, heavy, metal monster. I am so glad I did. I ordered a single dosing bellows for it and I have literally zero retention. The big flat burrs are an improvement over the conicals of the Sette - though I know that is a preference thing.

Pros:
1. The worm gear adjustment seems like there will be no burr travel.
2. The build quality is unbelievable - it seems more like a machine you maintain and use for years rather than a cheap kitchen appliance.
3. The ease of disassembly and cleaning is a marked improvement.

Cons:

1. Size - This thing is huge.
2. Timer. The timer function is worthless. It is made to run for 40 seconds then off for 60 seconds for an extended period of minutes - maybe to fill a bag, not a portafilter.
3. The chute is very big, again made for a bag, not a portafilter. I have compensated by using a milk pitcher while I look for a wider dosing funnel. This is in part due to me using 53mm equipment.

Overall, I love the profile that I get from this machine. Using the same roast and dose, I am consistently at a 1:2 ratio in 28 seconds regardless of human error like tamp pressure.

Built to stand up to hard daily use in a cafe setting. My mc4 is going strong 15 years later. Just needs a cleaning every so often and burrs are inexpensive and long lasting at home. I am on my third set of burrs just seasoned and settled down. My only reason to upgrade is larger burrs and stepless, as the old model I have only came in stepped adjustment.

Kaffee Bitte wrote:the old model I have only came in stepped adjustment

My MC4 is also 15 years old and came stepless.
A gear drive is available.
@ site sponsor Espresso Care:
Macap M4-M5 Stepless Collar Gear
Macap Grinder Stepless Adjustment

My Elektra MXC came stepless, but wasn't for long

Do you need to drive new holes for the stepless switch out? That's something I prefer not to do.

The stepped isn't bad. It has advantages if you switch grind levels a lot. Which I do for turbos or french press on occasion. It is nice not to blow through coffee to dial it in. But at the same time I use stepless at work and love it for espresso. I am probably going to keep this and turn it to decaf and french press duty and get a second stepless.

Kaffee Bitte wrote:Do you need to drive new holes for the stepless switch out?

It's more than 10 years since I updated the MXC, but I don't think so. I don't have a drill press that would accommodate a big grinder and would not attempt otherwise.

Cool. It's not very expensive, way cheaper than a new grinder. May just see what YouTube's got to watch on it.

Are you trying to cure my upgraditis? Lol I have been close to pulling the trigger on a 64 or 75 recently. Just indecisive on brand and burr.