Monolith vs. Versalab, your experience/comparison?

#1: Post by **Tonefish** » July 28th, 2017, 2:39 pm

Hello fellow grinders and pullers (or button pushers)!

Been studying grinders a lot here and I see that in the higher end there is much interest in Monolith with a choice of flat or conical burrs, and I'm wondering why I don't see much about Versalab who builds grinders with both burr types in stages. Does anyone have experience with both, or can provide more information on your Versalab experiences? Have you found an advantage with stages or does it cause more retention than it is worth?

Thanks and Happy Pulls!

#2: Post by **another_jim** » July 28th, 2017, 3:24 pm

I had the Versalab when it was a delicate work in progress built by a super-genius from the Hi Fi world. It made a lovely clonk when I threw it down my building's trash chute. Current production is apparently less delicate; but built by the same super-genius.

I've tried both Monoliths -- nothing delicate or super-genius about them, just solidly built and beautifully thought out for amateur use. Both burr sets are well proven and grind beautifully for all kinds of espresso.

The Versalab burrset is from DRM grinders. These too are well proven flat burrs. The conical section works as an augur to draw in the beans; this allows the flat burrs to have more real estate, and they work just as well as the larger titan class flats. So when the Versalab is working properly, it is a superb grinder. However, the engineers I know all believe the design -- a belt driven burr on a long shaft with a single mounting point and bearing -- is inherently flawed; although recent grinders apparently have less problems with the bearings, belt, and burr wobble than I or other early adopters had.

Personally, I'd make either Monolith my regular grinder any day; but given my experience, I'd be leery of the Versalab. YMMV.

#3: Post by **atao** » July 28th, 2017, 3:42 pm

I had a Versalab for about 6 years and have been using a Monolith Flat for about 6 months.

The taste I would tend to get out of the VL is what I'd describe as compressed, highs not as high. The MF gives an HDR experience, more transparent (I think), highs more high. With VL, I used to wonder why i wasn't getting espresso that tasted like the tasting notes on the bag. Now with the MF, I see a lot more correlation between what the bag claims and what I taste, and I don't have that sinking feeling that my grinder is holding me back.

The VL distribution was a bit nicer than MF. With MF I tend to WDT but with VL, I would just shake the PF and go. You've probable heard that the MF is a bit more finicky than the MC. So perhaps this is less chute geometry than burr geometry.

On the VL, the belt would slip periodically with lightly roasted beans. I really disliked that. I also disliked that i had to put an ugly plastic lid over the grinding chamber. The Monolith grinders solve these issues beautifully.

Andrew

July 28th, 2017, 3:55 pm

Thank You Jim and Andrew!

From what I can tell from the pictures it looks like the Monolith motors are nearly directly aligned with the burr shafts, but not quite. Do you know if the connection is geared, or maybe a toothed belt?

July 28th, 2017, 4:43 pm

The gearbox causes the offset.

July 28th, 2017, 5:37 pm

Gears ... cool! Thanks Michael!

#7: Post by **bettysnephew** » July 29th, 2017, 8:40 am

We used very similar motors in the industrial food industry from which I am retired. In home use, I doubt any of us will be able to wear them out. The gearmotors are very durable. We do not do wash downs/sanitizing steps as required by FDA so there should be few related issues. Denis made a good choice for his base design.

#8: Post by **Nik** » July 29th, 2017, 10:24 am

I have had a lot of high end grinders but the VL was the only one that I kept for a long time. The taste was better to my palate. Continuous cleaning of the VL was a big hassle to me. When I got my first Monolith I lost interest in looking at other grinders. The FLAT Monolith took it to an even higher level which was a big surprise.

I have read many complaints about service from VL but I never experienced it. In my opinion they should have updated the VL and it would still be a desirable grinder.

#9: Post by **FotonDrv** » July 29th, 2017, 2:37 pm

I had a VL which after a year of ownership I sent to Frank Durra to have it modded with larger shaft and large double bearing setup. What Frank did was make the grinder great. He decided to make his own grinders, similar to a VL but much more robust with variable speed motor and an enclosed toothed belt which no longer gathers dust because of the enclosure. He coats them to make coffee stains and finger prints a non issue.

I own a Monolith Flat currently and love it. Quiet with a variable speed motor w/readout and offset gear drive. It is small/compact and a wee bit smaller than the Baratza Forte' that I just sold. The Monolith Conicals are taller and I believe they have no gear box and just direct drive. A very simple setup.

I also have a motorized HG-1 83mm and a 73mm set of conical burrs. I love it and use it as the grinder for a second coffee that always sits in the coffee bar so I don't have to be switching back and forth.

The flavor differences between the Flat and the Conical are very slight and the VL Modified seemed to have a thicker mouthfeel, but that was a while ago and it could have been just the bean.

#10: Post by **FotonDrv** » July 29th, 2017, 2:41 pm

another_jim wrote:I had the Versalab when it was a delicate work in progress built by a super-genius from the Hi Fi world. It made a lovely clonk when I threw it down my building's trash chute. Current production is apparently less delicate; but built by the same super-genius.
I'd be leery of the Versalab. YMMV.

Funny and well said