Niche Zero grinder - Page 204

#2031: Post by **prof_stack** » March 6th, 2020, 11:20 am

fishll wrote:Im contemplating the NZ and have a few questions for HB members. I currently brew at least one v60/wave a day as well as espresso and am happy using the Helor 101 to go back and forth which accuracy and consistency, though after a few years Im getting tired of hand grinding. Are you happy with the quality and consistency of the grind at coarser (v60/wave) grind sizes?

That's exactly why I recently put the Pharos hand grinder under the counter and got the NZ. I couldn't be happier with the quick adjustments between grind settings and the quality of the grinds/taste.

#2032: Post by **MPantani** » March 6th, 2020, 10:46 pm

splashalot wrote:My grounds look slightly clumpy in the cup, but perfectly fluffy and clump-free in the basket. I do give them a long and vigorous shake/agitation after inverting the cup into the basket and before lifting off the cup, though.

I would think that a long a vigorous shake would make the grounds settle with the big flakes going to either the top or bottom, and the little fine particles going to the other end of the puck. I'd guess the fines would go to the bottom but the real question is whether the long shake changes the extraction for better or worse?

March 6th, 2020, 11:23 pm

Indeed. My gut feeling is that vigorous shaking would break up clumps through the whole puck. Haven't fished through them to confirm, though.

I can't comment on any taste differences between clumpy v fluffy grinds, or vigorous shake v dump and tamp. But for what it's worth, I'm loving the taste in the cup across several different beans and grind adjustments from the Niche Zero using the dump then shake method.

#2034: Post by **Haskens** » March 7th, 2020, 12:17 am

fishll wrote:Im contemplating the NZ and have a few questions for HB members. I currently brew at least one v60/wave a day as well as espresso and am happy using the Helor 101 to go back and forth which accuracy and consistency, though after a few years Im getting tired of hand grinding. Are you happy with the quality and consistency of the grind at coarser (v60/wave) grind sizes?

I really like my Niche for espresso, but not so much for brew (v60/chemex). I find it produces muddy cups rather than the clean pourovers I would prefer to see. I have a baratza virtuoso that I leave at work for midday coffee and it produces better pourovers than the niche.

Switching back and forth isn't a pain so long as you depress the safety switch, otherwise it's a lot of small turns followed by running the grinder and sometimes the calibration ring will slip.

#2035: Post by **GregoryJ** » March 8th, 2020, 7:01 pm

GregoryJ wrote:...Then I stir with a chopstick to relieve any static...

I had always done this since I first got the Niche over a year ago, and never really tried without doing it. The last couple shots I have not stirred with a chopstick, and it comes out much fluffier and breaks up much more easily under a needle. Hardly any coffee is left in the grinds cup either. So, I found by removing that step, the coffee distributes much more easily, that makes me happy!

#2036: Post by **symbology** » March 10th, 2020, 11:56 pm

Moka 1 Cup wrote:That is the reason of my question. I am wondering if the part of the inner burr that is on the side of the hole receives and processes more beans than the other side.
By the way, if that is the case, would that create an unbalance of pressure between one side and the other? May that explain the reason why some have noticed a coarser grind after installing the disk (not having counterpressure on the other side may allow the burrs to open up a little bit)?

Just thinking out loud, since I do not have the disk yet and actually I know little or nothing about the amount of force/pressure the burr is subject to when grinding a bean.

I don't have a Niche yet, but based on what I saw in the few videos that are out there (especially the slow-mo video) it appears that there is enough room under the NFC for beans to pile up on top of the outer and then around the inner burr. This means that there will basically be no difference in wear on the inner burr. Especially after you factor in periodic cleaning of the grinder and replacing the NFC in a different positions.

#2037: Post by **thusband** » March 11th, 2020, 1:28 am

GregoryJ wrote:...and it comes out much fluffier and breaks up much more easily under a needle.

Sorry, I don't follow this. You're using a needle in place of chopsticks?

March 11th, 2020, 2:00 am

I had been using a chopstick in the cup, then a needle in the basket. But lately I've been doing nothing in the cup, our just a little shake, followed by a needle in the basket. This had made WDT in the basket easier and faster.

March 11th, 2020, 2:37 am

Got it. I'll give this a try. My stirring and then lateral shakes with the cup on the portafilter works but not all the time. I'll still get some clumps or lopsided grounds once in a while.

#2040: Post by **symbology** » March 13th, 2020, 10:41 pm

Can someone please provide with with the outer diameter of the drip tray on the Niche. I have one on order and am trying to fabricate a sample/test portafilter holder before it arrives.

Thank you in advanace.