Hello! I am interested in the Compak E8. I currently have a Mazzer Mini like to single dose with it using the Daniel Wong mod into a dosing cup. I am weighing out typically 18 grams of beans into a dosing cup and weighing the output after grinding. Been pleased but thought I'd upgrade my grinder to try and find better quality in my cup. I realize this is not the way the E8 was designed to be used but I'm curious how easy and how well it might work. Would it leave lots of grounds in the chamber and chute and how easy would it be to blow these out when changing coffees?

The big issue I have with my Mazzer Mini is the grind adjustment collar sticking because of coffee getting into those adjustment threads. I am at my limit on this. I'm trying to determine if the E8 adjustment design is similar where adjustment threads get exposed to coffee grinds and over time become clogged and affect the smooth turning of the adjustment ring. Seems this is something the Ceado design has gotten this right. Any knowledge there would be appreciated.

Thanks for your input and expertise. I'm another newbie who regularly watches this site and value the expertise that's here!

I've had the F8 for a few years and do like it. I hopper dose 75% of the time, but do think it successfully single doses. The main spot coffee from the previous dose gets stuck is behind the silicone flapper... I almost took mine off today to try without it, using RDT to control static... I'd be willing to try, and could take a photo of what the undisturbed remaining grounds look like, if you like. I'll send you a PM.

My adjustment mechanism is different... but I don't know exactly how the e8's is... I've never had any trouble with buildup making adjustment difficult. It is quite sealed off.

I have thought someday I'd get a Monolith, but sometimes I actually really like hopper dosing so I haven't. And for some reason my wife has not wanted me to part with it. I think she likes to be able to have it so quick and easy, plus it makes our setup look nice.

I'd be glad to give more specific feedback, if you like. Welcome to HB, lots of good info and people on here!

deebs wrote:Hello! I am interested in the Compak E8. I currently have a Mazzer Mini like to single dose with it using the Daniel Wong mod into a dosing cup. I am weighing out typically 18 grams of beans into a dosing cup and weighing the output after grinding. Been pleased but thought I'd upgrade my grinder to try and find better quality in my cup. I realize this is not the way the E8 was designed to be used but I'm curious how easy and how well it might work. Would it leave lots of grounds in the chamber and chute and how easy would it be to blow these out when changing coffees?

The big issue I have with my Mazzer Mini is the grind adjustment collar sticking because of coffee getting into those adjustment threads. I am at my limit on this. I'm trying to determine if the E8 adjustment design is similar where adjustment threads get exposed to coffee grinds and over time become clogged and affect the smooth turning of the adjustment ring. Seems this is something the Ceado design has gotten this right. Any knowledge there would be appreciated.

Thanks for your input and expertise. I'm another newbie who regularly watches this site and value the expertise that's here!

Well, I don't have a full report yet, but I did remove my flapper today. It was really old (over a year at least) and stiff. I decided to try without it at all, since it is the major source of retention. It serves two purposes: anti-static (which RDT solved well enough), and to help the grinds go down the middle of the chute instead of flying off to the side (this o could solve by sticking the portafilter with a dosing funnel right up to the chute). Getting rid of the flapper did eliminate that wad of grounds that gets stuck and I don't think a significant amount is left in the chamber (I'll test that better tomorrow). It also made the grounds much fluffier as, especially with darker roasts, the flapper is what seems to be causing any clumping.

So far quite positive. A few thoughts still to try going forward. I had wanted to go back and forth with the hopper still but putting a flapper back in and out really isn't easy in the current configuration. But I have thoughts...

After more looking and tinkering... I don't think there are super easy single dosing mods that get you down to near zero retention.

1. Without the flap the grounds really don't fall well into the basket and there isn't a real easy solution to that.
2. Even without the flat there is a bit of a flat part before you get to the chute that can leave some of your grounds behind and it's really hard to get up there to try to sweep them out. Some sort 3D printed contraption could potentially be worked out but it wouldn't be ideal, I bet.

With the flap (an old, stiffened one), retention issue:


Without the flap, still some retention sometimes on the flat surface, though sometimes it shoots out well enough that there isn't any left):


Cleaned out:


You may be able to see that without the chute in place there is also a gap into the body of the machine... step one would probably be to seal that up so grounds don't accidentally fall in there when the chute is removed.

So... I'm going to modify the flap a little, put it back in and not worry too much about things. The retention isn't super bad, such that I don't taste a problem or bother with purging, but it's not zero.