So two weeks somehow became 4 weeks, sorry . The grinder has not exploded and neither have I.

I cannot give you a very comprehensive review nor can I compare to other similar grinders. The only other electric grinder I've owned is a Nuova Simonelli Grinta that I bought 2002. I should have at least changed the burrs a long time ago, but I've been looking for weight based grinder for while, so I haven't bothered. I first looked at the Vario-W and then Sette 270w, but due to reports on the quality issues I haven't purchased either of them. So when I found out this grinder and it seemed to be a simple and robust construction based on couple of photos/videos that I found, I decided to take my chances and order one.

There are a couple of reasons behind my decision:
Faster and easier workflow: Single dosing isn't for me. Most of the time I just don't want to put too much time for preparing an espresso. Weight based dosing helps in that sense. I can start grinding and go get milk if I'm doing cappucinos, come back, do the tamp and start the pull.

Consistency: With the NS Grinta I used the headroom after tamping as measure for the amount of coffee. It worked quite well but it wasn't perfect. With weight based grinder I do get better consistency. For a double shot I've set the grinder to deliver 15.5 grams, and probably most of the time I end up getting 15.5-15.7 grams (I don't have any statistics). The grinds come out fluffy, and I don't need any extra steps for distribution purposes. I do use a distribution tool for levelling the coffee before tamping. So the ZF64W works really well with a double basket. I still have channeling with the single basket, but I believe that is because of the shape of the single basket. With the Grinta the distribution coming out of the grinder was so bad that ground into a jar, gave it a good shake before pouring into the portafilter. Eliminating that step has not only speeded my process but also made my coffee station cleaner.

Experimenting: This isn't actually related to the ZF64W, but to the fact that getting new toys gives new stimulus for experimenting (at least for me). For a very long I've been making coffee without experimenting too much. During the last four weeks I've probably made more experimenting than during years before that, and that has made my espressos better.

So overall, I'm still very happy with the purchase. The only small problem with the grinder is that the humidity meter shows weird figures sometimes. I would also prefer having stepless grind setting.

I would also prefer having stepless grind setting.

It doesn't have stepless grind setting? I thought it had a dial on the top?

Also how loud is it? Looks like the casing should deaden the sound some what.

Overall it looks like a capable grinder. Could be the best of the cheap maybe?

It has a stepped locking mechanism, you see that in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6iJ_tJ-cwI

It is not too loud, I've definitely heard louder ones.

ok i see the locking mechanism. interesting that they did that, i guess it is cheaper to have a locking mechanism for stepped than non-stepped.

how big are the steps?

ethiopianbuffman wrote:ok i see the locking mechanism. interesting that they did that, i guess it is cheaper to have a locking mechanism for stepped than non-stepped.how big are the steps?

I don't see this as a big deal unless the steps are really coarse, but I would have preferred to have it stepless with some sort of mechanism to stop it from turning, not necessarily lock it. It's kind of big and ugly, but functionally perhaps it will be what the Sette 270 Wi should have been. That is, quieter and better built.

The steps are a bit too coarse for my taste. One step changes the shot time by several seconds. I may try to make it stepless at some point.

Bummer, but that's really good to know. Funny, I had the same thought about changing the locking mechanism in anticipation that the steps might be coarse. Based on the videos, they certainly look much coarser than they need to be. I don't think one would need a cog arrangement that totally stops the movement. There is a dial setting where the tuning knob can still move on one of my ham radios but takes intentional force. I bet one could remove the locking mechanism and substitute a screw-down stopper with a plastic or rubber end. It would simply add 'drag' on the top of the cogged wheel.

Thanks for adding your opinion on this grinder jpt, I was very curious about it, so much so that I even had thoughts of upgrading my 270Wi to one. Now I don't know. The lack of stepless control would be a downgrade, even in many other aspects this grinder seems like an upgrade. Grind control is one thing the 270Wi does very well, with both a stepped macro ring and a stepless micro ring. Too bad the markings are hard to see, or it would have been perfect. I guess nothing is.

jpt,

I have a few questions/requests. Please tell me the distance from the top of the bean bin lid to your countertop. I'm quite sure it is too tall to fit under the shelf above my countertop. The underside of the shelf is 19" (~48 CM) above the counter. What I have in mind is to cut some material off the top of the bean holder. I see it holds a kilo, which is way more than I would ever put in. Are the sides of the bean holder perfectly vertical, as they appear to be on the photos? If so, I could cut it down, and the lid should still fit. I bet I'm not the only one with such a height problem

Please also tell me the dimension and from the back to the very front of the scale. I've looked at the specifications online and am not sure if this dimension is listed accurately. My countertop space is a bit limited, and I'd like to be sure that it isn't too deep to fit without being in the way of other things.

Concerning your observation that the steps are too coarse for dialling in for espresso, did you develop a modification idea for the locking mechanism?

Sooner or later, my Sette is going to break down again. I've been looking for something stronger and quieter that dispenses the grinds directly into the PF by weight. This seems to be the only reasonably priced alternative.

Thanks!