delta76 I don’t think it’s target of the negative comments. The comments were that makers are focusing on those instead of the essential functionalities of a grinder. Those are nice to have, but the must have are missing.
Exactly.
DF83V (expect the unexpected)
Amberale It is funny, there are one or two words I use, that I know are spelt wrongly but I always forget to correct. I cannot remember the other one now, but definitely not a spell check error…..many ta’s!
So initial feedback is that grinder seems fine. Hectic at work, so not got a lot of time to play about but it arrived with decent calibration as far as my basic tests can tell (dry wipe marker). No static which is nice.
Greyest area for me is the dial/end cap. I’ve managed to get the main part on with the silver arrow/sticker at the top each time which seems to have alluded some. The dial itself has a grub screw to calibrate. Seems to have slipped a few times which is a little strange. After taking it off I think this part feels like the weakest link. basically the grub screw is pressure on smooth metal. It’s quite a tight dial so think that it slips a bit occasionally. Its a small grub screw so I don’t want to strip the threads, and realistically it’s pushing directly against smooth metal without any which is unlikely to give.
How to fix this is a good question, maybe a second grub screw and a pressure spreader circlip. Or just notched for the grub screw to grip. A decent product designer/engineer would know more than me.
Also found that pressure on the dial (pushing towards the motor) can be transferred to push the burrs to chirp. Presumably against the springs, but slightly surprised me. Vaguely remember someone mentioning something similar on ek43. Others will obviously know more than me and have better info/opinion
Neither are deal breakers for me. Suspect this might be an area they improve next.
danielpugh it looks like someone felt the same - aftermarket option already
danielpugh silver arrow/sticker at the top
It annoys the beejesus out of me when manufacturers use stickers instead of laser etching.
I regard it as a short cut that says “we’re not too concerned about appearance or longevity with this grinder and we couldn’t be faffed organizing things better so we thought we’d let you know that by putting a sticker on top instead of getting it laser etched.”
I didn’t like the first generation of DF64s or DF83s but I do like the DF64V and I’ve got a DF83V coming once the DF factory re-opens* and maybe it will be great, but that darned sticker will still annoy the heck out of me. So this is not a “let’s bash DF rant, and all hail the mighty Duo” thing. I like most of the DF stuff, but a sticker at this end of the price range? God spare me.
I know I shouldn’t get so upset about a stupid little sticker but I can’t help but wonder if the manufacturer takes a shortcut like that on the outside, what shortcuts have they taken on the inside, hidden from view?
Agree, it doesn’t necessarily follow but how do we judge a book?
(* They started their move to a larger factory during Chinese New Year and it may take up to a month before production is in full swing again.)
PS anyone got a valium? Sticker-induced blood pressure is getting dangerously high….
tompoland To me a sticker says the manufacturer views it as a short-term throwaway item. I’ll be buying a Duo, but if not I’d happily spend more for P64, Zerno, Moca SD, or the new Philos; all built for the long-haul.
I am not impressed by the sticker as well and do think it could and should be a laser etched etc. At the same time I can’t agree this means the product is a short term throw away item.
My Vesuvius has an acs sticker, lelit maraX had a sticker and I would not class them as a this.
It’s only been a week of use so far from any serious judgment but it seems a better thought through product than the df83 was.
I didn’t have to slow feed even using light roast. I am using 600rpm at the moment so can’t comment on lower.
The grind consistency is very good. Using the same setting the pour seems to be consistent within ½ seconds.
No loose grounds flying around which I love. I literally had to brush off minimal amount once this week. The magnetic chute is also a nice feature.
Using RDT I always get everything out. Obviously this involves using the bellows. Without 0.3-0.5g gets stuck. Saying that there’s no ground flying anywhere while using the below which was the issue with df83.
Although it’s a nice feature with magnetic cup I much prefer the Niche design as it isn’t as thick and doesn’t touch all the way down to the basket when inverting to empty.
Found it very easy to dial in different coffees to this point.
One of the differences between this and duo I found is while getting same ratio at the same time with the duo the first drip occurs few seconds later but the flow rate is faster whereas on the df83v first drip comes earlier but get a steady lower flow rate at the moment.
Had no issues with the dial mentioned above. Might be because I tightened it once while adjusting the zero point on initial setup.
mailto:kafar@btinternet.com
prezes I didn’t have to slow feed even using light roast. I am using 600rpm at the moment so can’t comment on lower.
Does this include no longer needing to “hot start” e.g. feeding the beans in with the grinder running?
For the first three/four days I’ve not tried hot starting at all and had no issues with stalling etc.
this weekend I started doing it on an off to see if it makes any difference to the extraction but didn’t notice anything major.
I will make some notes on flow times hot starting and not over next few days and post an update.
mailto:kafar@btinternet.com
DavecUK Not for some user.
giampiero this looks bad! I tend to grind 7.6 / 15 g but on initial setup done few lots of 40g at once cold starting at had no issues.
My zero point seems to be set very much like his and I’m currently grinding between 6-14 on the dial.
mailto:kafar@btinternet.com
giampiero Not for some user.
There just seems to be something about these Chinese variable speed brushless systems, they do seem to have stalling issues. perhaps not all, or perhaps it’s for light roasted beans. I don’t know but too many reports about it now to not be a “thing”.
I have some suspicions as to what it might be and why some may start out not stalling then get worse and worse…
did see someone got one of these and they had grease on the burrs.
Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -
DavecUK The real differentiator between DF and Niche, Option O, Olympic, Zerno is that the DF stuff is first and foremost cheap. That is its principal virtue. I cannot conceive that anyone would purchase a DF instead of a P64 for example if they were the same price.
Since cheapness, not longevity nor reliability, is the chief design criteria, something must go. Otherwise it would cost as much as a P64. It is price versus quality.
DF83V is £799 in the UK
https://bellabarista.co.uk/products/copy-of-the-solo-df83-single-dose-grinder
DavecUK There just seems to be something about these Chinese variable speed brushless systems, they do seem to have stalling issues.
Agree, the pattern of stalling is well established at lower RPM and yes, there and there is a need to hot start.
I’m running light beans through the DF64V at the moment but at 1,000RPM and hot starting of course. Three days in and no issues at all. I’ll try 600RPM and see what happens.
(Personally I have no issue with hot starting or cold starting, but the manufacturer needs to be upfront and explicit about these limitations or requirments)
BrendaninBrooklyn I don’t think that price tag is the reason🤭
giampiero I think of Weber as a sort of Yves St Laurent sports car, i.e, not well-engineered but designed to appeal to a certain type of consumer. The fact that it is so while being expensive has nothing to do with the quality trade-offs in DF products. Again, assuming same price, who would actually not buy the Option O, Zerno, etc?