Had to happen - EK has been given a makeover with lots of electronics to manage grind size and dose automation. Mazzer did the same to their line up with the introduction of the ZM. Will be interesting to see the price in UK when it becomes available. Price in euros is €3,000. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l57tFA7zWlo

I'm really not bothered about the electronics but there are some good features Some of the smaller upgrades that seem the most interesting are cast burrs (supposedly same as pre 2015), easier burr access and extra bearings, the new chute design and portafilter holder. Also a quieter motor will be good if it performs as well as the previous one. Also like the newer production ek43's it will have much better factory alignment than earlier ek43's

Will also be interesting to see if it does better than the ZM. I agree the most exciting upgrade will be better alignment than the originals. I’m also curious as to how well it’ll sell. Certainly in the UK I’ve only ever seen them used for bag grinding and I’d imaging the domestic market for them is pretty small. Still one of my favourite grinder designs ever though and I guess the electronic features are quite a nice addition.

> @"HarveyMushman"#p57036 Certainly in the UK I’ve only ever seen them used for bag grinding and I’d imaging the domestic market for them is pretty small. Virtually every specialty third wave coffee shop uses EKs primarily for pour over.

When I got my first EK back in 2014, after the buzz Matt Perger caused, coffee shops began to install them. One in Madchester got one using mark I coffee burrs which couldn't grind fine enough for espresso so they ditched the coffee burrs and went for Turkish which had a more aggressive edge profile allowing the burrs to grind finer. That sorted the problem for espresso. That said, EKs are best suited to shop espresso as the workflow is hard to keep up. I've seen places that pre-dose into phials which helps but dose on demand is much better. This looks like something the Omnia will address.

For a grinder that was destined to be consigned to history, the turnaround sales-wise for EKs has been phenomenal with Mahlkonig struggling to meet demand.

> @"Systemic"#p57040 Virtually every specialty third wave coffee shop uses EKs primarily for pour over. Interesting. It must have happened after I left London or I wasn't paying attention. I was living in East London for 10 years or so in the 00's/10's when places like Shoreditch Grind and Ozone popped up but don't recall seeing them. I moved not long after 2014 so maybe it was too early. The shops where I live now are 10 years behind so maybe they'll pop up more soon. Chatting to a guy at Origin's roastery a while ago he said it wasn't ideal for switching between different beans/roasts (for pourover). Is that not true?

3Fe in Dublin were the first to experiment with the EK43 in their coffee shot. When the shots were spot on, they reported the taste was amazing. Unfortunately, they also got sink shots with no warning making it infeasible to use the EK43 as the go to espresso grinder. I don't think many shops currently use the EK43 for espresso - for pour over definitely.

> @"HarveyMushman"#p57048 Chatting to a guy at Origin’s roastery a while ago he said it wasn’t ideal for switching between different beans/roasts (for pourover). Is that not true? I think he meant in a shop setting. No grinder, once set up for espresso grind, will like be shifted for other roasts and pourover and back again. That said, in the home setting, the EK43 is a joy. My espresso range is between 0.5 - 2.00, V60 11-12 and Chemex 15-16 (max coarse setting for my burr set). I can move back and forth in the settings with ease. There aren't many grinders that can produce excellent espresso shots and be equally good with pour over. That said, one feature of the EK43 is shot ratio. It's best in the range of 1:2 or higher. I pull 1:2.5 to get the shots I like with like roast but there is a trade off - you get less body/mouthfeel with longer ratios.

Actually, when I said the EK is a joy in the home setting - it is providing you have the space and don't mind standing next to an industrial motor when its running. Fortunately, the EK will grind 30grms medium coarse in 5-6secs so the motor isn't on for long.

@"Systemic"#p57053 Ok so this is a bit of a game changer then. I've coveted an EK43S for a while but for some reason thought it wasn't great for espresso and not easy to switch between brew methods. I'm not too precious about pourover but would use it for Moccamaster each morning and a couple of espressos in the afternoon. Historically we'd preferred med-dark roasts but since getting the Ikawa we're enjoying med-light / light roasts.

Mahlkonig EK Omnia

Systemic

I bought my first EK new in 2014 but my current EKs was bought second hand at considerable saving. If you are patient, and want one, they do come up on eBay etc. The EKs has a reputation for having tighter tolerances than the original EK43. I never had any with mine - maybe I was lucky. I have a dial micrometer from Titus engineering Germany which, when set up, can measure burr alignment. I have helped a few fellow owners service their first gen EKs and not found major problems with tolerances.

This is worth a watch.

HarveyMushman

Sounds ideal. And you’re using the factory burrs?

Systemic

HarveyMushman Sounds ideal. And you’re using the factory burrs?

Mine is fitted with SSP Silver Knight burrs. Also has a few mods courtesy Titus engineering Germany - different augur and static burr holder.

Systemic

HarveyMushman Sounds ideal. And you’re using the factory burrs?

When I got my first EK - you had a choice between coffee and Turkish burrs. As no-one had any experience of the differences, I went for coffee and regretted it as I couldn’t grind fine enough for espresso with light roast. Switched to Turkish burrs and problem solved. Reason I didn’t go for Turkish in first place, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to switch to pour over grind, i.e. not being able to grind coarse enough. That wasn’t a problem. Couple of years after I got my EK and probably responding to criticism from the coffee shop world, Mahlkonig quietly introduced Mk II coffee burrs which were more aggressive than the original coffee burrs but not as aggressive as the Turkish ones. Interestingly, Mahlkonig never acknowledged the change. It was sussed by a coffee head putting the Mk I and II burrs side by side where you could see a very slight change in the edge profile.

Systemic

This is a good example of what can pop up from time to time on eBay. This one sold in September.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186075979568?hash=item2b52fe1f30:g:170AAOSwr5ZlAA7r&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4KB7DrkSCKHbi8F3fWCfffe6rM92FRzltvf7HaPmfLRVpaSWDmN8EvARW14H%2Flz5U6UubTpT3bVsV%2BQKDpFRAtwERMRCa4Tn%2FDUgwUHX4tPHrXCUovhtBIEE0OwlitbYEC9hqEGoeZ29Skp2NKRoxC%2B%2FXrvAA%2FkLqDRDAxQjiFH4hFUS1xdG8mYTivg4QbWKKe4pX27uYqijaPrDwwBG4g6Cg8ScFp9UllMGsVJICYMolNgMTcy6tJK3j6CGyDA0iYuAySkHoMNcp%2B7uTU41ojTkp4v8o1ZqYCQSzJkxuG0n%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_KDn5GEYw

Systemic

I think Mahlkonig have stuck with the Mk II burr profile and not altered it. I have a friend with an EKs with stock coffee burrs. Interestingly, her range is about 0.3 - 0.5 stop difference to my SSPs meaning where she would grind at 0.3 on her EKs, I would be around 0.5 ish. It also means she has, when her EK is cleaned and serviced, to ensure the burrs are set to chirping point when zeroing them. She leaves that to me😀

Systemic

Servicing the EK is very straightforward. I do mine every six months - take off the front burr (very easy) clean and regrease and re-assemble and zero the burrs. Takes half an hour tops.

HarveyMushman

Thanks, really useful info.

I was planning to wait for the Mazzer Philos but that’s just using 64mm.

Looking at the new prices I’m tempted to just go new, especially as I’d probably want the S which I’m guessing comes up for sale less frequently.

Servicing is no probs, if I can keep old motorcycles running I can keep a grinder in good shape.

chlorox

The difference in price between the omnia and the 43 doesn’t seem that big. I find it hard to understand why the mazzer ZM and ZM+ are so expensive givne the price of the OMNIA.

Systemic

chlorox The difference in price between the omnia and the 43 doesn’t seem that big. I find it hard to understand why the mazzer ZM and ZM+ are so expensive givne the price of the OMNIA.

Mahlkonig are being very savvy - why change what is tried and tested and valued in the marketplace. History is littered with newer versions, particularly cars, which are a step back not forward. Pricing of the Omnia is also interesting. Always thought the ZM was overpriced - the Omnia will kill it.

chlorox

Systemic

Or at the least to persuade mazzer to drop the zx price to something a lot more reasonable?

Systemic

chlorox Or at the least to persuade mazzer to drop the zx price to something a lot more reasonable?

I suspect that might well happen. I had a play on one when it first came out and was put off by its tendency to be temperamental. Also, you can’t, as I recall, use the same burrs for espresso and pour over - it’s either or which is not the case with the EK and a deal clincher IMO.

chlorox

Systemic

Yes if I recall the espresso burrs is on the zm+

I recently saw two in quick succession in 2 branches of the same cafe but before that I had never seen any in any llcafd as far as I can recall. On the other hand ek43 are a dime a dozen and it’s almost that you aren’t a ‘real’ cafe if you don’t have one dedicated for pourover.

JimmyP

HarveyMushman

@ “HarveyMushman”#p57056 Having recently acquired an EK43 I’ve been surprised at the beans I’ve been enjoying at the darker end of medium (having been a fan of lighter stuff in the past). This grinder does behave very differently.

HarveyMushman

I did look at a couple of EK’s that were for sale but ultimately ended up getting a Mazzer Philos, very happy.

I enjoy both the espresso and filter from the EK but they’re just so enormous in the home, even the S model is massive.

« Previous Page