Niche Zero V2 ?

MediumRoastSteam just a heads up - I know they are highly regarded around for coffee equipment but I wouldn’t bother buying the DF64 from Bella Barista. I had extremely poor support from them with this grinder and basically their technical teams didn’t have a clue about it. I guess pricier espresso machines are their focus so spending time on a £400 grinder either isn’t their strong suit or just isn’t worth it for them.

if you are local to them then it might be easier but if not I’d just go elsewhere to somewhere that doesn’t expect you to pay for return postage if an issue arises within the warranty period. It all just comes from the same factory anyway.

I’m not sold on these Chinese grinders, saw on another forum one had cross threaded the top adjuster and the grinders now a paper weight.

There build to a price point.

Cuprajake

Isn’t that where the Niche is made?

FadedFrontiers wouldn’t bother buying the DF64 from Bella Barista

I get what you are saying, but in the UK there aren’t many other places from where you can buy this grinder anyway. Their price is not bad either.

Ernie1 Isn’t that where the Niche is made?

Think what Jake means is that those are designed in China. I’m not sure “designed” is the right word here, as if they do have a design team, they don’t quite understand what single dose is. For me, the biggest example is the chute screen. It’s now the fourth iteration of the df64 and it seems that they go from some sort of “slightly annoying problem” to “a very annoying one” - to the point the latest chute screen is double up and useless, according to reviews. It just increase retention and regrinding rather than actually fix the issue of retention. So the first thing people do is they open the grinder up and remove one of them, half cut the other or just buy a new chute+screen combo from Etsy. That I honestly don’t understand what goes on with the “design” team. If the community has been feedbacking and modding the df64 since V1, with readily available mods, why can’t they take the feedback and make the grinder as such, from the factory? I’d rather buy something that works out of the box rather than mod it.

Contrast that with the Niche which has a thoughtful and methodical design behind it (note: I don’t really care where it’s designed or made) to the point that Martin would not even contemplate releasing the product until he and his team are happy the product is viable and functional up to the high standards set. And that I applaud.

Sorry I meant cheap quality in parts , and materials. They can build as good as any in the world as long as the qc and materials are of a certain quality,

But presumably the pay master is in charge of the quality of stuff used not the guy on the shop floor.

MediumRoastSteam

I’d argue there are a few more mazzer out there than df64 though haha but I know what you’re saying

Cuprajake - that’s true!
I remember with the T64 I was extremely careful when removing the collar. Presumably one of the reasons why Grindz is popular and recommended! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ernie1 Isn’t that where the Niche is made?

• There are factories and there are factories
• there are workers and there are trained and skilled workers
• There are parts and there are parts
• There is manufacturing equipment and manufacturing equipment
• There is quality control and there is quality control

In reality there are chinesium products and proper products e.g. Iphone, Niche, etc..

Ernie1 I just meant I’m not sure if she’d be over the moon if I bought a second espresso machine.

Yeh I got that, I was just replying tongue in cheek

DavecUK In reality there are chinesium products and proper products e.g. Iphone, Niche, etc..

A lot of Chinese products are C-E marked. As industry has found out to its cost the C-E stands for China Export. At the end of the day, as you say, Good design and adherence to high quality standards results in good manufacturing, wherever the product is built.

I hadn’t looked for this info for some time

Another - indicates what DaveC was saying about good Chinese manufacture

Just to throw my two pence in !
I originally bought df64 and niche. It was a no brained to me and df64 went.

18 months later and still happy with niche but upgraditus kept kicking in and I really fancied flat burrs. Tried Major and loved it but way to large for my space.

Tried df83 and I’m delighted with it. Niche is gone now (saying that I would not hesitate for a second to buy another one as loved every minute of owning it).
With the df83 I changed the burrs to mazzer (can’t comment on originals as not used them at all), removed one of the declumpers and polished the chute with beeswax (thanks @tompoland).
Really pleased with it although it’s not really same price bracket as df64/Niche.

Nightrider_1uk A lot of Chinese products are C-E marked. As industry has found out to its cost the C-E stands for China Export

All CE means is that a manufacture has checked that a product meets EU standards where the apply. They should then have a declaration of conformity. Any manufacturer anywhere can do that if they want. It’s mostly self certification.

Odd thing is that countries may have different markings but all of the major countries accept each others so CE for instance can be found all over the world. There is zero difference really in what is needed.

prezes Really pleased with it although it’s not really same price bracket as df64/Niche.

I have a Solo which seems to be mentioned in the same breath as a DF64. I don’t like it. Wont sell it as I would have to say a user may have problems with some beans. Removing one of the rubber flaps on the grinds output helps but best replaced with spacing washers. ;) I think I was the first to notice it wont take Mazzer burrs.

Also tried HU burrs in it and found the same aspects about using them as a few others have mentioned.

Buy a pure Chinese produced and made grinder again. ;) Afraid not. Maybe when they have more experience.

ajohn think I was the first to notice it wont take Mazzer burrs.

There’s a thread where a few successful users are running the grinder with Mazzer super jolly burrs.

Not a perfect fit as some say, but nothing that can’t be remedied.