Interesting read, this thread.

My only contribution is that while I’m tempted by hand grinders, all I have to do to dispel the temptation is to watch a vid (like this one) on what’s involved in using them, the effort, the physicality. To be clear, with bone cancer in my shoulders, even hand tamping requires gritting my teeth and enduring the pain. Grinding by hand? Thanks, but nope. A few years ago, had I thought of it, I’d have been all over this like flies on a …. erm, I won’t complete that analogy. suffice to say, for me, it (unfortunately) just ain’t an option.

However much I’m tempted, it’d be money wasted, I’ll just have to get my gear fix on hand grinders vicariously. So like I said, good read, this thread. :D

    Oh, and I’m not entirely convinced by that vid’s testing methodology. Someone (Stevebee I think) pointed out that the settings seemed to be aimed at a theoretical 20g / 2:1 / 27-30 sec target, which i fine for a starting point but surely, best tasting cup would be better, especially if you then proceed to judge which grinder performed in what way by the taste.

    If grinder X is, for instance, overly bright, what hapens if you change your criteria for time, ratio etc? And, of course, it all changes ith a different coffee. And, the whole thing rests one one person’s tasting of a very particular configuration whereas we all both taste differently, and prefer different tastes.

    His question was, can hand grinders produce good espresso? Self-evidently, from just seeing comments here, yes. But which is best, or best at a given price point, or vest given that the buyer likes this type of taste, or that? Not so much.

    The video seemed to spend about 2/3rds of the time demonstrating dialing in, which is fine if it’s a dialing in test, but a bit beside the point for the question he was trying to answer.

    tompoland No, I have one (E37S)! I like it, both functionally and aesthetically, but it was (I like to think) a ‘head’ decision, not a ‘heart’ decision.

    (90% of the coffee we make/drink is one bean - we may change it if we find something we like more, but a good ‘on demand’ grinder with a small hopper provides the best workflow for us, with a household with 3 people making coffee, 4 drinking it, but one coffeehead and three normal people)

      tompoland was there a link to a video in your post CPE? Or was it a reference to something earlier? Thanks.

      Just a reference to the one in post #1 - the grinder comparison. I should have been a bit clearer on that.

        Knluk HG1P vs NZ - I suspects that there is no difference in taste (I can tell).

        I really agree with this.

            dawsonpowell have to say the difference in flavor is quite marked between the two burr sets. The Mazzer Kony’s in the Niche give more chocolate flavor and the Mazzer Roburs more nut/origin flavors. That said, I like them both.

            Just my taste buds of course and full respect for others whose experience is different.

              5 months later

              CoyoteOldMan

              Hi, so somehow when I was researching the Omega I missed this thread totally… I have used mine for a week or so now… as its my first grinder I don’t have anything else to compare to - and tbh I don’t think my taste is ready yet to decipher differences in the coffee (and I do like a latte from a moka).

              Happy to say so far my oring has not come out of the bottom cup - maybe it’s been changed - or possibly the cold weather is helping.

              I wondered if you were still using it - and whether you have used it with your moka - and if so how have you got it dialled in ? From the various YT/reviews it seems that the numbers suggested in the manual do not seem to align with real life.

              So far I have it down at about 6 for my moka - though I am definitely at the testing phase where I keep changing the setting to see which makes the biggest difference (if good or bad).

              I will say I am enjoying the manual action of the Omega - its smooth and not had any popcorning whilst its in use - though it does seem quite static in the pot after you finish.

              I love the way the grinder is put together - the lack of having to recalibrate is perfect for me - and once in pieces very easy to clean.

              Cheers

              Matt

                  MattH Hi Matt! Happy New Year!

                  Definitely still using the Omega, particularly when experimenting with a couple of beans at the same time; a lot easier to change beans than on the Ceado - no tools other than a brush needed for cleaning.

                  I can’t really help with the moka - my moka has been sitting in a cupboard somewhere (I think) for the last 10 years… however, considering I need a setting for Espresso between 3.5 and 5.0, 6 sounds reasonable. Totally agree that the Mazzer indications of ‘espresso 4 to 7’ is wishful thinking.

                  I think I unjustly maligned Mazzer re: the bottom cup o-ring; I commented based on a month of ownership during the summer heatwave (first in Italy, then back in the UK), and it is not falling off at all since the end of the summer, so it probably was just the temperature.