Burr Coffee Grinders

[rockviper]

I've been using a Baratza Encore for a few years now. Produces a pretty consistent grind (40 settings), for our french press, aeropress, and moka pot. I have an entry-level Breville espresso machine coming this month (Cafe Roma) and the Encore is reported to be able to grind as fine and consistent as needed for good espresso.

 

[Merle]

Grinder: HG-1
Roaster: Hot Top

Exceptional return on investment, especially the grinder.

 

[MurderousCrow]

Grinder: HG-1
Roaster: Hot Top

Exceptional return on investment, especially the grinder.

After the travails with my OE Pharos, I think I should have spent the extra on an HG-1. The Pharos makes excellent coffee when tuned in, but it is a huge pain.

OP, I'm assuming you're doing pour-over or drip? For those methods and similar (aeropress, chemex etc) you'd probably be well served with something like the Hario hand grinder that was mentioned above.

For coarser grind settings Hario, Rhinowares & Porlex make quality grinders that are pretty quick, easy to use and very consistent - especially for the money. The adjustment steps while not suitable for espresso are great for other methods, offering plenty of latitude to dial in a bean, along with good repeatability.

 

[seabee1999]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I ended up getting a Baratza Encore. I use the the towel as a sound muffler and for me it works great for my needs.

 

[aldomarino]

I’ve actually wanted to roast my own beans for quite some time now. Just haven’t pulled the trigger quite yet on a roasting method.

Yeah, I’ve had some bad coffee while in the field and on a ship too. Definitely not the best.

One of the best cups of coffee I've ever had was just after daybreak having spent the night huddled in a mud-filled foxhole, getting snowed on, and just wishing that the morning would come.

Heated up a cup full of water with a heat-tab, dumped a packet of instant coffee from a C-rat into that, and gulped it down. Gratefully.


Just goes to show...not sure what, but that must show something.

 

[Lightcs1776]

One of the best cups of coffee I've ever had was just after daybreak having spent the night huddled in a mud-filled foxhole, getting snowed on, and just wishing that the morning would come.

Heated up a cup full of water with a heat-tab, dumped a packet of instant coffee from a C-rat into that, and gulped it down. Gratefully.


Just goes to show...not sure what, but that must show something.

Been there, done that, though it was a motar pit rather than a fox hole. I really enjoyed reading your account of your best coffee.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[martym]

One of the best cups of coffee I've ever had was just after daybreak having spent the night huddled in a mud-filled foxhole, getting snowed on, and just wishing that the morning would come.

Heated up a cup full of water with a heat-tab, dumped a packet of instant coffee from a C-rat into that, and gulped it down. Gratefully.


Just goes to show...not sure what, but that must show something.

I did something like that with the instant coffee from an MRE. I emptied the instant coffee grounds into my mouth, took a huge swig of cold water, swished it around in my mouth, and swallowed.

 

[JohnPS]

There can be only one... its very expensive but will last forever and produce the best result and give you pleasure every time you use it until the day you die and then it can be passed on to your relatives for their enjoyment.

I understand money is an issue but the quality of this thing is beyond anything one can imagine if never used before, phenomenal. It is a tank with superb grind size and much more. A league all its own. Pleasure, pleasure, quality, amazing... and it translates into the cup.

This is a Mazzer Mini Electric without the hopper... it delivers a precise amount of freshly ground coffee for the rest of your life. If you have the money it is worth it.

There is an old Japanese saying, translated it means "Buy cheap, buy twice"

 

[Mick]

View attachment 1213128

This is a Mazzer Mini Electric without the hopper... it delivers a precise amount of freshly ground coffee for the rest of your life. If you have the money it is worth it.

Mazzer is the standard every other espresso grinder maker tries to hit.

No compromises. Industrial parts (aluminum & steel, no plastic ).

I bought a super jolly from the 60's 70's and brought it into the 21st century by incorporating electronic doserless and new burrs.

It will easily grinding espresso long after I will be around.

 

[Merle]

Both of the citations for the electric-powered Mazzers' reinforce the interest I had in trying out the HG-1; the Mazzer 71mm Robur grinder assembly aftermarket treated with a Titanium Nitride ion deposition. All the performance of a world class mill set with the benefit of an easy to crank human-powered "motor."

That said, I have been in a recent conversation with another who has said things didn't go so well for him when he bought his HG-1. The takeaway I got was to check the vendor's facts, check out the recent reviews they've been getting, and at the least, get a chance to check it out in person before you buy. I've only had the best performance and greatest satisfaction in this particular piece of coffee preparation equipment. As it is said often around here: YMMV.

 

[Merle]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I ended up getting a Baratza Encore. I use the the towel as a sound muffler and for me it works great for my needs.

My first "real" coffee grinder. For the equipment I had at the time to prepare espressos, this unit was a significant upgrade in performance and consistency. Congratulations!

(...just, and if I may, be very careful about adjusting the grind. Do it ONLY when its' turning and has no load. Empty out the bean hopper and clear the grinding chamber before adjustment if you are going finer. Not so much a problem going coarse but you are adjusting to a plastic component block. Oh! and if you break it - the plastic burr block, they're cheap - maybe buy one before you need it? At least you'll save travel time when it matters!)

 

[Merle]

After the travails with my OE Pharos, I think I should have spent the extra on an HG-1. The Pharos makes excellent coffee when tuned in, but it is a huge pain.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds very much like the reason I chose otherwise, The Pharos just seemed "fiddly" to me.

And yes, it was the totality of design that attracted me to the HG-1. You could just look at it and realize there was nothing there that wasn't needed. But what was there was just beautiful. If I was in a position to vote, and my vote mattered, I'd submit it for nomination to the MOMA collection.

 

[Tirvine]

Mazzer is the standard every other espresso grinder maker tries to hit.

No compromises. Industrial parts (aluminum & steel, no plastic ).

I bought a super jolly from the 60's 70's and brought it into the 21st century by incorporating electronic doserless and new burrs.

It will easily grinding espresso long after I will be around.

Perhaps not as mechanically robust but IMO a very thoughtful design, the Baratza Sette 270 drops the digitally measured grounds straight into the portafilter.

 

[Mick]

Perhaps not as mechanically robust but IMO a very thoughtful design, the Baratza Sette 270 drops the digitally measured grounds straight into the portafilter.

I have been a Baratza fan boy since they started in business.

 

[MurderousCrow]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds very much like the reason I chose otherwise, The Pharos just seemed "fiddly" to me.

And yes, it was the totality of design that attracted me to the HG-1. You could just look at it and realize there was nothing there that wasn't needed. But what was there was just beautiful. If I was in a position to vote, and my vote mattered, I'd submit it for nomination to the MOMA collection.

I'm going to persist with the Pharos for now, but do still yearn a bit for the HG-1. I suspect I won't pull the trigger unless the price to import to UK comes down a fair bit. I'd pay the numeric of the dollar price, in pounds, so about 30% more. Nearly £1000.00 or $1300.00.

It is beautiful though, and it's great you're enjoying yours so much.

 

[Merle]

I'm going to persist with the Pharos for now, but do still yearn a bit for the HG-1. I suspect I won't pull the trigger unless the price to import to UK comes down a fair bit. I'd pay the numeric of the dollar price, in pounds, so about 30% more. Nearly £1000.00 or $1300.00.

It is beautiful though, and it's great you're enjoying yours so much.

Hopefully, someday soon, a well to do household has an estate sale that just happens to be along the way you travel most days... sad for them, but oh so very good for you?
(wishing no ill-will to anyone here, just recognizing the cycle of life)

 

[StillShaving]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds very much like the reason I chose otherwise, The Pharos just seemed "fiddly" to me.

And yes, it was the totality of design that attracted me to the HG-1. You could just look at it and realize there was nothing there that wasn't needed. But what was there was just beautiful. If I was in a position to vote, and my vote mattered, I'd submit it for nomination to the MOMA collection.

The OE Pharos is really fiddly to adjust. I like its minimalist design except for being so minimal as to not have any good reference point to make small adjustments. One thinks twice and again before attempting to change the grind setting as it can be very difficult to get back to the previous more magical setting. Still I am glad to have it.

The two biggest "complaints" I have read about the HG-1 is 1) that when using as a manual grinder it wants to move around on the counter too much. And 2) that it takes too much effort without the electric motor upgrade. Have you found that to be true? My biggest issue with the HG-1 is the counter space it would take up. If grinding is really was difficult, I wonder why there was not an option for a larger flywheel. In any case compared to most hand grinders I would expect the HG-1 to power through a light roast without "stalling" out due to the flywheel effect.

 

[Merle]

Maybe it's because I'm 6 foot and have some leverage, but I'd turn that on its head and tell there are over ten years of couch potato here due to difficulty with a nerve problem after injury & surgery. I don't have any problem with it at all. I'm thinking a silicon pad underneath could keep it from walking. I get a small accumulation of drift over a week or two but things are pretty much in the same place. The footprint is about a foot square but you'll need to have the flywheel oriented for your arm stroke and plan resulting flight rights over and between whatever you park near it.

I've recently seen the "EG-1" and it looks different to the normal shop grinder, but not 3.5 thousand USD different enough for me to stand up and bark. I'll take the 'old fashioned Mazzer' at that point - or use one of my old grinders: a Zassenhaus mill, electric Kitchen Aid burr ring, (Note: I'm not kicking either of those very hard either, great equipment for specific jobs in my opinion. I still own them!), or a Braratza Preciso+Essato! But, I can do anything with my HG I could do with all of those - and more, better!

 

[JohnPS]

Mazzer is the standard every other espresso grinder maker tries to hit.

No compromises. Industrial parts (aluminum & steel, no plastic ).

I bought a super jolly from the 60's 70's and brought it into the 21st century by incorporating electronic doserless and new burrs.

It will easily grinding espresso long after I will be around.

That is a superb grinder... absolutely superb. You certainly know your grinders. I have the mazzer mini with hopper as I used to make coffee for many people when entertaining. Although I regret not getting the electronic doser.

Mazzer imo are simply the standard and yeah these grinder will be kicking long after we kick the bucket.

 

[StillShaving]

Maybe it's because I'm 6 foot and have some leverage, but I'd turn that on its head and tell there are over ten years of couch potato here due to difficulty with a nerve problem after injury & surgery. I don't have any problem with it at all. I'm thinking a silicon pad underneath could keep it from walking. I get a small accumulation of drift over a week or two but things are pretty much in the same place. The footprint is about a foot square but you'll need to have the flywheel oriented for your arm stroke and plan resulting flight rights over and between whatever you park near it.

I've recently seen the "EG-1" and it looks different to the normal shop grinder, but not 3.5 thousand USD different enough for me to stand up and bark. I'll take the 'old fashioned Mazzer' at that point - or use one of my old grinders: a Zassenhaus mill, electric Kitchen Aid burr ring, (Note: I'm not kicking either of those very hard either, great equipment for specific jobs in my opinion. I still own them!), or a Braratza Preciso+Essato! But, I can do anything with my HG I could do with all of those - and more, better!

The first time I saw the Weber EG-1 and its price tag I thought it must be a nice telescope.

Good feedback on the Weber HG-1. Especially the comment about needing a clear flight path. I would want to keep it stored under the upper cabinets, pulling it forward to the front edge of the counter to grind. But the weight of the grinder may make that problematic. Keeping it halfway deep on the counter may be a better strategy, but would need to verify that there is clearance for the grind handle.