Update on Fellow Ode with SSP burrs for espresso? Burnt out motors?

#1: Post by **cactus_farmer** » October 2nd, 2022, 5:41 am

It's been a couple of years now that some people must have been using their Ode to grind espresso on a semi-regular basis with the SSP Multipurpose burrs?

Has anyone done this and managed to burn their motor out yet?

It seems like the Fellow Ode has a more powerful motor than something like the Wilfa Uniform or the Option O Lagom Mini - yet those grinders are rated at least as being able to go espresso fine (even if that isn't their forte)... Are Fellow just being overly cautious?

#2: Post by **Jonk** » October 2nd, 2022, 6:15 am

I have also wondered about this. That combo certainly works for espresso - but I have mostly been avoiding it because at least with dense, light roasts the Ode can shake violently while grinding for espresso, almost to the point of tipping over. There's about 0,5g of retention at such a fine setting as well (RDT, no bellows).

Motor failure seems to be happening with Lagom Mini at least..

#3: Post by **malling** » October 2nd, 2022, 11:23 am

I have been using it as I'm still waiting for an actual espresso grinder that is actually realistic to get, most currently isn't even available before 2023. No motor problem and I don't have much issues with massive shake and stalling since switching to cast, with MP that was indeed a noticeable issue and I don't think that would have been healthy for the grinder in the long run, but don't really seem to suffer that with cast. However as another also pointed out it dos retain about 0,5g that tend to get out with the next dose, so purging and using bellows is certainly necessary. It's not exactly something I recommend but can be used in case of emergency or as I in waiting for grinder to actually be released.

#4: Post by **buckersss** » October 2nd, 2022, 12:16 pm

Id expect anecdotal is the best way to compare. You may not be able to deduce much when comparing the specs.

The Mini has conical burrs and a DC motor, I can't find the wattage though.

The Fellow has 64mm flat burrs and what appears to be a 140watt AC motor?

Could try to normalize for both surface area of each burrset, and motor efficiency.

Conical to flat burr surface area?

#5: Post by **truemagellen** » October 2nd, 2022, 2:53 pm

It's a flat burr so it requires a lot more power. Prebreaker/auger also puts load on motor. If it is truly 140w ac it is underpowered for the tast. Maybe swap in a high power motor and weigh it down or secure it but it may bend or damage the frame.

#6: Post by **Jonk** » October 2nd, 2022, 3:06 pm

Why would a flat burr require more power? I don't believe this is the case.

It's tricky with these anecdotal things. I have heard about failed Lagom Mini's from plenty of sources (might've been adressed by now) and Uniform from a few, but not the Ode so far. But I can only agree that it is a bit underpowered, at least for grinding light roast espresso - something it was not designed to do.

October 2nd, 2022, 3:17 pm

It's not just underpowered it's also to light, you really need something heavier to grind light roast

#8: Post by **yakster** » October 2nd, 2022, 3:23 pm

It would be interesting to see some power usage measurements (with a Kill-A-Watt) for before and after swapping burrs with light roasted coffee at espresso grind levels.

#9: Post by **ira** » October 2nd, 2022, 6:03 pm

Why are we talking about motor failures on a grinder that to the best of my knowledge has never had a motor failure? Just wondering? Is there some other forum where all those failures are hiding?

October 2nd, 2022, 8:31 pm

I've long thought this. Nearly every YouTube review parrots the same thing with zero stories of a motor failure let alone wide spread failures from the "abuse" of grinding fine. My relatively cheap power drill keeps going with me driving thousands of screws into my deck on a 90F day in the sun without rest for hours. That's more abuse than a home grinder will see in a lifetime, yet the drill is 8 years old and keeps going. I'm unaware of all these frail electric motors in anything that fail regularly other than the cheapest junk you could find which is not the Ode. A stalled brushed motor that keeps power flowing through it can certainly overheat and fail but as far as I know the Ode has stall protection and won't do that.

Electric motors are pretty robust.