Just some quick thoughts on the Mignon SD now we have production models in stock.

If you are deciding between the Niche and the SD the answer could well be a very simple one - if you want one grinder to do it all then you should still buy the Niche.

If on the other hand you are happy with a multi grinder set up or you only ever drink espresso then the choice is probably a little more tricky. My experience with Niche is not extensive and there is already so much info out there I do not think I can add anything useful to it so I am just going to give you some pro and cons of the SD.

Pros

  • Excellent clarity in cup
  • Large flat burrs
  • Speedy grinding
  • Very robust
  • Italian made
  • Opportunity to use third party burrs
  • Widely available

Cons

  • Ease of changing between brew methods
  • Slightly louder than other grinders in Mignon range
  • Portafilter holder and button holes left over from other Mignon grinders
  • Bellows design less than ideal

All in all if you can live with its little quirks and you want the best possible in cup for espresso at this price point I would say that the Mignon SD is worthy of very serious consideration. For me the quality of shots produced is on par with the likes of the Mythos and Helios grinders I had on the bench at the time of testing.

I have read some reports of motor vibration and slightly shonky finish on some parts from people that had the very first production run (these have all been sold through now I believe and we have the ‘tweaked’ models in stock) but personally the only gripe I have found on models I unboxed have been feet stuck on wonky. Annoying but not the end of the world.

I am very happy to have these in stock and I am sure they will become very popular indeed.

It has displaced the grinder in my kitchen and at the end of the day that is the best recommendation I can give.

Any questions please fire away.

David

Interesting comparison @BlackCatCoffee, and, I am in the exact market you describe: espresso only.

Yet, as I was googling to find things out, it seems that the Solo seems to be a far better product than the Mignon SD, allowing aftermarket burrs, and not much of an afterthought design if compared to the Mignon. Some say the Solo gives a much more flavoursome cup too. Have you had the opportunity to compare those two? Would be interesting to know if you have and know your thoughts.

  • LMSC replied to this.

    MediumRoastSteam Didn’t people have problems with Solo — at least with earlier version — re-clumps, medium dark / dark / oily beans? I am not sure if they fixed these.

        LMSC I am not sure if they fixed these.

        I think they have to an extent. And there are hacks out there to sort it out. Didn’t people have problems with the Mignon SD? 😉

            MediumRoastSteam

            I was discussing this with Dave in the General Solo thread yesterday. I have an original 1st release and the clumper works fine. You need to give it a clean every couple of months, but that’s probably the case for most grinders.

            That said, I don’t use dark oily beans

              I’ve only used a Solo for a few shots and I suspect there would be relatively little to choose between the SD and Solo in terms of in cup performance. That said, although the design of SD is not perfect, some of the decisions the manufacturer has made with the Solo would make it a total non starter for me. Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder though.

              I haven’t seen an actual hands on for the Solo vs SD yet, do you have any links?

              David

                Out of the three of them I’d say the SD is the nicest looking grinder. I prefer the look of the Solo to the Niche, which was a big factor in my decision to go for it over the Niche when I ordered it.

                I also love the look of the Minima - as you say David, it’s in the eye of the beholder, lol.

                Good to see you on here bud. Thanks again for arranging my Minima - I’m absolutely loving it.

                Ahh I am forgetting it has a different name in different markets.

                I would point out a couple of things though, given when the video was made he has one of the first run and things have been tweaked a touch since then and secondly the poor folks in the US seem to get diddled a bit when it comes to price of Eureka grinders. The Mignon SD retails at pretty much double the price of the Solo and as such I think it is a very different proposition indeed.

                  I would seriously consider a flat burr alternative to the Niche however I don’t think there is a suitable option yet which can match its ease of use and workflow. 

                  The Solo is an interesting prospect but not quite there in my opinion. They apparently  improved the clump crusher since the first generation however there is still an issue with some grinds retaining and regrinding in the burrs. With a few mods it’s a decent if unrefined alternative. 

                  The Mignon Oro SD reminds me of @DavecUK Evo Leva - bit of a Frankenstein 😄 Clearly Eureka are trying to carve out a share in the single dose market by cobbling something together without too much investment.

                  Like with many first generation products I’m sure they will make improvements with subsequent iterations but it’s a shame they didn’t choose to innovate out of the gate. 

                  Will be interesting to see what other single dose flat burr alternatives enter the market…I’ll stick with my Niche for now. 

                    BlackCatCoffee given when the video was made he has one of the first run and things have been tweaked a touch

                    Out of curiosity, when was the second run made? Was it really recent?

                        HVL87

                        Niche will obviously be aware of what is going on in the market and what people think (rightly or wrongly) about conical vs flat burrs. I would be very surprised indeed if we do not see a flat burr Niche in the not too distant.

                        David

                        • LMSC replied to this.

                            BlackCatCoffee That would be nice. It will be interesting to see their burr size; I wonder if they would keep it similar or go up to 83mm.

                            In fact, I asked them, before Christmas, if there would be a Niche II with a flat burr. I did tell them I am in the market for a SD electric. I wasn’t expecting a reply. They didn’t! 😊

                              BlackCatCoffee but post Christmas I believe.

                              Understood. The video was published on the 28th of January 2022 - that’s post Christmas. Is your understanding the guy on that video is using an older model? If so, how can you tell? For me at least, as a only espresso drinker, I’d like to understand which improvements have been made since the first run. In all honesty, as much as the Niche is great, I’ve been going on about flat burr grinders for a while, and I’m thinking of upgrading - but it needs to be right.

                                  MediumRoastSteam

                                  I will see if I can get a change log and serial numbers from the distributor so we can tell but had a check on some email updates I got on the production delays and they stated the second run was delayed to mid to end Jan. We literally got stock from that run on Tuesday so he is almost certainly on a first run machine. I think he says in the video something about a first model although he could be referring to it being a Mk1 as opposed to a launch model as such.

                                    My own thought process did include a two-grinder setup. I thought about it quite hard. A large part of it was that the Mignon was showing on a supplier’s site as being in stock. It wasn’t.

                                    But, the more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that for the amount of time I want to switch between espresso and, say, V60 or Clever, the Niche was a workable option. The Mignon? A bit of a PITA to do, so as a two-unit setup, maybe. As a dual-purpose but single-grinder setup, I prefer the Niche.

                                    Am I bothered about flat v conical? Not enough to buy both.

                                    Appearance? Subjective, but I prefer the Niche. To me, it looks like it was designed with some flair. The Mignon looks like someone hacked other CAD files to stick it on an angle, and added wood bits and feet because, hey, it worked for Niche. It looks to me a bit like wearing a knock-off Rolex or a local market ‘designer’ suit. I’d have had more respect for it if it wasn’t a wanna-be style.

                                    All told, by the time the Migngn SD was actually available, I already had the Niche, had decided I wasn’t buying both, and don’t regret it. If I was buying now, the only thing I think would sway me to the Mignon was avoiding the delay getting the Niche. And I doubt it would be enough to swing it for me.

                                    A flat-burr Niche? Well, if it ever happens, and at a sensible price, I’ll think about that, then. I’m not holding my breath, though. While they’re selling the current one faster than they can make them, I don’t see it happening as they would too much be competing with their own primary product. A lot depends on how much, if any, they want to grow the company. Do they want to try to be a big player, or just to be a very successful big fish in a specific pond? The effort, and especially capital demands, of scaling up to the level to be a much bigger fish means running a very different kind of company, and a very different set of risks. I don’t know the people involved, but it looks to me like they’re smart enough to not to too ambitious. Clever move, guys.

                                    I have a wilfa svart for pour over. Happy enough with that, i have espresso burrs in my major, if ssp did brew specific for the major id of happily spent another 250 on a second major, and get those. Sadly ssp seem to have focused on 64mm for three different burr types.

                                    The mignons that ive had have all been tbe £350 or less, 50 and 55mm versions and they have been ok. I really disliked my eureka 65mm, wasnt a good grinder. As for the sd mignon it looks like they have tried to make do rather than re invent, there not the best for switching between espresso and brew either.

                                    Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                    6 days later

                                    Interesting and honest review of the new Webey Key - I know it’s been discussed a lot here but it’s really surprising to me how good the Niche appears for the money and how much companies are struggling to equal it. I know all tech is diminishing returns at a certain point but this grinder is way more expensive.

                                    Don’t know if it will ever be mainstream enough to be classified a design classic but the Niche is certainly beginning to look like one to me.