Niche Zero - One Year in Review

tompoland More power to you for disagreeing. But maybe refrain from the put downs. Having a different preference doesn’t make someone an idiot. Personally there are a long list of things other than my espresso preference that qualify me far more credibly (including my first paragraph above).

I must have used the wrong words as I absolutely didn’t mean to disagree or put down anyone! What I meant is that the video seemed to me that LH very clearly doesn’t think the Niche is a good grinder. I thought that when people said it was balanced, they thought that his verdict is mixed, and for me it came across as a clear cut against. That is all.

I also didn’t say anything against this conclusion as I understood it. Unlike you, the Niche is by far the most expensive grinder I ever had, and I doubt that I will ever have anything more expensive. I’m therefore in no position to compare it to better grinders, which I am sure exist.

In short, and I am not in favour of anyone here. First, YouTube has different revenue models such as using Pateron only content as a way to minimise bias. Second, lets be honest any social facing platform will have-even if not felt or intended- a mix of subjective and objective opinion. Third, what he mentioned was on point and nothing new nor surprising.

Importantly, an equipment is something we use to help us make coffee and enjoy the process. Everyone will have a preference and no one should feel insulted. I might hate something that someone else loves… should i say that the other person is an idiot? Hell no… lets not forget coffee is about the beverage and people not about equipment.

Finally, working, having a family and creating/growing good content on YouTube or other social platform is not a simple job and it comes with a hefty price not just physically but mentally. So lets not forget about that and just blow the guy off. FYI, I don’t agree with him on everything nor i am defending him but he put a lot of effort to just rubbish him for a simple comment.

Lets not forget that we are on thread with two developers of the own machine we use.

Watched his review…I disagree with his opinion on Tim Wendelboe’s beans. I have had the beans he used for the tasting and have had several others from him - I cannot say that I get bitterness in the cup with using the Niche on Wendelboe’s beans. Sure, if I overpull on the shot (over 30 seconds generally) the bitterness will come out…but I generally aim for 28-30 seconds which 9 times out of 10 gives me a nice balanced cup without the bitterness. Must have had at least 10 different bags of beans from Wendelboe and have never found bitterness to be an issue, unless it’s my own error with “bad” shot timings.

Lol - he replied to a comment I made on his video but he must be doing some sort of jedi mind-trick because it looks like he is completely ignoring what I said. I told him from my experience I don’t detect bitterness when using the Niche on Wendelboe’s beans - his response, “This isn’t an issue with his beans. It is an issue with the niche. I love Tim’s beans. Perhaps you enjoy bitterness a bit more than I, which is completely fine. I prefer pulling his coffee on other grinders.” I don’t detect any bitterness translates to I detect bitterness. 😅

I dunno, those who choose to promote donso at their own will,

After seeing the Hoffman behind the scenes video where he shows probably in excess of £50k worth of gear, it’s more than just a love of coffee it’s an income.

The main problem with most coffee is it’s subjective and goes off ones own taste buds and the ability to use hundreds of pieces of gear.

His video’s done it’s job though and created enough talk around his channel. I’m presuming in his next few vids we will see something ‘big’ drop.

I know he’s been bugging up the Weber pf,

His comment on the Niche producing excessive fines seems to contradict what Spromethesus found with sifting the niche output.
Obviously sifting isn’t laser death star defractionation but still.

If the Niche produces excessive fines then why do people use it for brew too? V60s are killed by excessive fines. In espresso I think fines are not only ‘not bad’ but they contribute to a fuller flavour profile.
In trying to decide if I wanted a Niche (which I didn’t end up getting) I wanted to know what it could do with a V60 and the reviews always seemed positive.

Maybe, his Niche isn’t performing well?

If people like James, Spro and others were saying the same things then maybe, but they are not.

That’s what was on Instagram too, on the Weber page from memory..

Beverast he must be doing some sort of jedi mind-trick

“These are not the comments I was looking for”?

audiomacgyver ñ Funny you should say that…….lol! It’s precisely what I’ve pretty much settled on. Mind you my taste buds aren’t much to go on

There is a lot more that goes on in the industry that people will be blissfully unaware off. I have had a lot of industry connections over the last 18 years, and many things I have found out have surprised, shocked and sometimes annoyed me. It extends from the biggest corporate down to the smallest wide boy. Ending in the plankton of the consumer.

The SCAA have done a marvellous job of actually having the consumer look to them as a source of authority and truth…incredible considering who they actually represent..

The industry is like a big iceberg and most people only ever see the tip.

I think you guys are taking this video too seriously. My take is this is just a professional YouTuber doing what YouTubers need to do to maintain their income. Controversy leads to engagement (comments, sharing etc) and engagement leads to the video being recommended in more users feeds by the mysterious YT algorithm.

He may or may not believe what he says but he could have said what he had to say in a quarter of the time. I think he is just making content for views.

Worth a watch -

Hence my comment about spromethues weber

Beverast He made the same mistake with me matey. He comes across as someone who has a big mouth and would rather let it flap than say anything meaningful. Does he really think that 5 years post launch, the coffee industry is really waiting with baited breath for his review? There are folks like @MWJB whose opinion I really value and he does successful pour overs with a Niche. A lot of ths issue is his choice of beans, which leads us to thr whole point of his review. As opposed to being late at the table to sing its praises he took the other route in the hope of scoring more views…….very cynical! He completely ignored the good aspects. Niche have held the price over 5 years. They have set the bar for standards making other manufacturers raise their game. Their reliability is second to none and more importantly, he could not (apart from the endless Sage plugs, a company that he claims to have absolutely no affiliation with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) he failed to name any serious competitor at or around that price point.
Other than that, it was an excellent review…….>LOL

I’m a relatively new comer to this game starting a couple years ago, purchasing my first home machine just over a year ago. Thankfully I wandered across you guys (you in particular @DavecUK ) during the research phase! I couldn’t go shelling out the money involved without some level of confidence in what I was paying it for. Probably in that length of time the industry has expanded a huge amount still with the pandemic etc.etc. but I am now realising that the money makers have swooped in on this currently buoyant enterprise and attacking it from all angles with the marketing etc and it’s funny how it takes shape!! If this guy on this video here doesn’t make his bit there will be a hundred others lining up with their shpeeeel😂 So, great to have some sound knowledge and a place one can actually ask a straight question and answer (here) and meanwhile pass some time (and hopefully not too much money) looking at the various yt shows etc. out there

Gagaryn He may or may not believe what he says but he could have said what he had to say in a quarter of the time. I think he is just making content for views.

When he reviewed the La..gome Mini, I watched for 25 minutes expecting to see the grinder in action, grinding from beginning to end and then watch a shot made from it….He had one job to do in that review as far as I was concerned and my expectations were not met….

In that video, the only time I actually saw the Lagom grind beans (not the brief inset of it stalled), was when he picked up a bout 5 beans and tossed them in to show how quiet it was. 23m 12 seconds in. For the entire 25m he just woffled on and showed nothing of the grinder grinding.

DavecUK There is that WOFFLE word again!