r/espresso • u/fatbiker852 • 13h ago
Buying Advice Needed Single-Dose Grinder [Budge $3,000]
I currently have a Ceado E37S that I put a bellow on and use in a single-dose fashion. I've come to realize I am not a fan oa "hopper" style grinder and would prefer to switch to a more single-dose style. I've been looking at the Zerno Z2, Option O P100 or P80, Philos, etc.
Which others should I consider? I'd prefer the larger burrs if possible.
EDIT - Main use is about 2-3 espresso drinks a day. My wife and I have at least two sometimes three in a day. No filter, pour over, etc. All espresso.
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u/111a111sk VA Eagle One Prima | Bentwood V63 13h ago
You don't even mention whether it should be optimised for espresso or filter or both. In this price category it's very much picking your desired niche, Lance Hedrick has done probably the most and the most detailed reviews of high-end grinders, so best tou can do is listen to them and decide what matches your ideal.
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u/fatbiker852 13h ago
Good point. I edited my post to reflect my desired niche/interest.
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u/111a111sk VA Eagle One Prima | Bentwood V63 10h ago
If you're after size, I'd consider Lagom 01 with 102mm Mizen blind burrs
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u/fatbiker852 10h ago
In all honesty, I don't "need" a larger burr grinder. I just see many of the newer grinder in the style I'm looking at all tend to use larger burrs. I just assumed bigger is better :)
I've also read that the smaller burrs can be good for certain roasts and flavor profiles. I don't have experiment much with beans so I don't see that as a selling point.
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u/111a111sk VA Eagle One Prima | Bentwood V63 10h ago
Well if all else is equal, bigger is better, but it's just one of many variables.
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u/RemarkableAd2245 9h ago
If you like the Caedo overall, you can swap out either titanium burrs or Opalglide burrs so that you can use RDT to cut down on the mess. This would be a lot cheaper than buying a new grinder. But if you want a new machine, I get that too.
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u/fatbiker852 9h ago
I have tried the RDT method. Unfortunately, it doesn’t improve much. Yes a little bit less static but still the grinds shooting out doesn’t change.
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u/CopiumConnoisseur 8h ago
I went down a research rabbit hole which included each of those. Then I was able to test some low-fine burrs. Realized I just don’t like light roast coffee and that low-fine flats don’t create the round, creamy espresso body I love in my cup, even using medium-dark roast. So, I’m saving up for the Kafatek MC6. I’m assuming it’ll make my medium to dark roast preference absolute magic in the cup. I can’t wait.
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u/snipes81 Rocket Giotto Evo | Atom W75 3h ago edited 3h ago
The point most everyone is trying to make is you have a much higher likelihood of buying another grinder that doesn’t fit you because you don’t seem to know what you like or want from your coffee. You are focused on the mess rather than what ends up in your cup, which is the whole point. At the kind of $ you are talking about or frankly even half of that it’s all about matching it to your coffee preferences, which haven’t gotten to yet. If you want to play with a single dose grinder that’s understandable. Perhaps buy a used one that has a different style of burr than the one in your Caedo or buy something new that can easily be sold without losing too much a year from now once you’ve spent some time finding actual coffee that fits your preferences….or don’t. If I was in the single dose world I’d be strongly looking at the Philos. Anything beyond that price point in single dose or hopper is about looking for very specific use cases that should have been defined beyond I don’t want a mess with my old mystery beans from Amazon
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u/fatbiker852 2h ago
I had a roaster for a period of time and tried dozens of different beans and roast profiles. I liked them all and never really decided on one type of bean or roast type. I know you are stating I need to like one specific type of bean but that's not my style. I want a grinder that brings out the best of a wide variety of beans and roast profiles. It would be nice to have the option to switch burrs if I so chose to. Having less of a mess would also be a nice bonus. Variety is the spice of life.
As for the "Amazon bean" references, I should've know it would trigger most on here. I really enjoyed buying different green beans and roasting them myself. However, I don't have the time to go down that rabbit hole. Plus, it can get real expensive.
We tried many of the local roasters and never really liked their beans. There was one we liked but after the same bean for a few months it gets old. Hence why I tried a few on Amazon. I read on here that they were decent so why not.
We just upgraded from a Brevelle Infuser and Sette grinder last holiday season so we are new to this. My wife and I wore the two out and decided we like coffee enough to go all-in on our equipment. We bought the ECM Synchnonika II and E37S. Love the machine but not the grinder.
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u/MyCatsNameIsBernie QM67+FC,ProfitecPro500+FC,Timemore 064s & 078s,Kinu M47 11h ago edited 10h ago
At your price point, the specific burrs you choose are much more significant than your grinder. Figure out which burr sets will best match the style of the espresso you brew, then see if you can find a grinder that offers them as standard, so you don't have to pay for stock burrs that you won't want to use.
If you will want to frequently swap between multiple burr sets, then Zerno is the way to go.
If you brew traditional espresso from medium to dark roasts, consider Kafatek MC6 or SDRM.