The EK is iconic, classic, and the watermark of specialty coffee. Do I want one at home? Absolutely. Out of my budget? Absolutely. Does that stop me from wanting one? Absolutely not.
If you're OK with over priced/hyped flat burr crap, then yeah go for it. Wouldn't tolerate that sort of barely tolerable performance for what I like in espresso. Guess on the positive side at least Mahlkonig finally got their head out of their ass and figured out decent factory alignment for a change.
I own one and it’s great. Major downfall is the mess. The noise is for just a few seconds. That being said it’s definitely not for everyone but I consistently grind out perfect pour overs and espresso for myself and friends and family and they are amazed my the quality of the brew. Your classic car analogy is spot on!
That was a good note saying the EK43 shaped the coffee industry as a whole. It's like everyone knows what a Lamborghini is and what it's shaped like. Lamborghinis are driven by few, yet everyone can recognize one. The EK43 is the same in the coffee industry
Rewatching this after the EK omnia announcment, I can't wait to see review on it. It fixs the main complain of the EK 43, while keeping all the good stuff from the ek 43
Great video! Got an EK for about 4 years now. Still fully satisfied. SSP just announced that they will make cast burrs for it. Quiet curious to see that! Here in Germany it was possible to get the EK a little cheaper, making it a little easier to justify. Alignment is actually not an issue anymore since they change their production flow, together with the introduction of the EK43s. I included an aftermarket Aluminium dosing hopper as well as a magnetic dosing cup. This increased esthetics and workflow and reduced the mess a lot. Zero regrets with the new release of the EK Omnia. Very different grinder. Wouldn’t wonder if they will keep co-existing. IMO that’s how a new product introduction should be done. Unlike what Weber Workshop has done with the key. Here I quiet regret being early adopter. Looking forward to your vectis video!
Hi, does it mean the ek43s are all better aligned since it’s newer production? Also, is that true that for single dose user / home user, you will need to align more often? Thanks 🙏🙏🙏
@@Syd7088 hey 👋. I think ek43s was launched in 2016. with that Mahlkönig updated their production and alignment issues are not an issue anymore. I actually got the measurement kit from Titus. My ek (production year 2018) was as well aligned so good out of the box that I didn’t start to shim anything. This applies for both ek43 and ek43s. The burr carrier is however still the same. It is worth to upgrade it with the Titus one. But that’s easy and not too much of an investment. I haven’t heard that you need to align more often when single dosing. This is kind of the only way how to use an ek. Especially for home use, the actual frequence that the ek is used is actually a joke compared to the cafe environment it was designed for. Typically alignment is permanent as long as you do not open it up and unscrew burrs.
@@bungeoppang210 thanks very much! I took the bullet and bought a second hand one picking it up tomorrow. Hopefully it’s a beautiful machine without any issue 🤞🤞
Nice Review :D Seeing the Zerno next to it brings into perspective how big this thing is! Talking about the Zerno, I'm itching to splurge on it when it will be available again, will you do a review of it as well?
Yes! The zerno here is a launch edition. Vel from zerno is going to send me a loaner current edition, once I have that I’m going to get a proper review together!
V60 from my neighborhood coffee shop using their ek43(dunno what burr) produce damn clear transparent brew..using same coffee that i bought from them using pietro at home,i will say they were appreciable difference that i really sought the taste of coffee presented by this ek43..whats your opinion on it for v60?
I have both the Pietro as well as the EK43. While the Pietro does do a bangin filter cup and is super clear, I agree, there are absolutely some differences in taste. If you’re chasing that EK dragon… others can get close but there really is only one
You’re going to get varying answers here, but anything with a more Unimodal distribution and higher clarity profile will get “close”. I’ll also say that there is only one EK and all will vary in one way or another. These grinders include anything that can house higher clarity aftermarket burs (Option-O to Turin DF series), Pietro, Fuji royal etc.
I bought a less than a year old second hand ek43 with post 2015 standard burr. I just it grinding too fine not sure what to do about it 😢 Im setting at 11.5 still running over 3mins for a 15g brew.
@@Syd7088 I will say that I grind finer for filter than what I sometimes see reported online. I’ve aligned mine as well - for a 16g dose on Orea V3 using sibarist fast filters, it’s not uncommon for me to grind 10-11 and brew at 2:30-3:00. That is a fairly fast flowing brewer. I would just adjust your grind to taste and you should settle into a good zone ☺️
I want one because i simply have never had a better cup of coffee other than one coming from an EK43. its sad because ive wanted something comparable in flavor that is smaller and more affordable for a decade now. but so far “no replacement for displacement” rings true in cars AND coffee. that 98mm burr just does things smaller burrs cant
Amazing unit -- likely the very best you can buy. However, it's just too big to be considered a "home" coffee grinder, in my opinion. It would be an albatross on all but the largest of kitchen spaces and countertops.
i am in a "no" group. it hard to justify purchase based on legacy alone. don't get me wrong. i,m pretty sure its good. but its surely in a diminishing return region.
Totally get this. To be fair, most grinders in this price point could be considered to be in the diminishing returns category, and it’s pretty remarkable that the EK is still a standout in that class
I am just a regular guy. My espresso machine is a $250 AUD Sunbeam mini Barista. My grinder is a Chinese 1Zpresso hand grinder. My beans are what the shopping centre has on sale for that week. At over $4300 AUD, this grinder doesn't fit my budget.
If it costs 3k shouldn’t it come aligned? Why do retailers even have the opportunity to charge $300 for burr shimming and alignment services that will have the burrs “shimmed and aligned within 0.01 mm of perfectly parallel”. You’d think that for 3k it would come like that out of the box? Unacceptable…
Great question and fair point, especially for home enthusiasts. A couple counterpoints and things for consideration. This is an OLD design and was around long before extremely tight alignment tolerances were even considered. These grinders were originally designed as spice grinders. Alignment is a lot better than it used to be - it used to be really bad. Its still not perfect, as evidenced by the fact that I shimmed my unit, but it is a lot better. Also, the larger a burr get the harder perfect alignment gets. Delivering a clean wipe on a 64mm is a cakewalk compared to 98mm. Also, for anyone doing filter only or large batches this level of alignment is a lot less critical. Espresso on these grinders used to be an edge-case, not a primary use case. I think for anyone who REALLY wants an EK43, this is just part of that "classic car" style package. Will be interesting to see if the EK omnia offers improvements in this area. But, yes. You can absolutely get better aligned grinders at lower costs these days.
The EK is iconic, classic, and the watermark of specialty coffee.
Do I want one at home? Absolutely.
Out of my budget?
Absolutely.
Does that stop me from wanting one?
Absolutely not.
If you're OK with over priced/hyped flat burr crap, then yeah go for it. Wouldn't tolerate that sort of barely tolerable performance for what I like in espresso. Guess on the positive side at least Mahlkonig finally got their head out of their ass and figured out decent factory alignment for a change.
@@commandodude333 or just hear me out. You stop talking BS because you can’t afford one 😂
Has nothing to do with affordability, more along the lines of not being impressed.
I own one and it’s great. Major downfall is the mess. The noise is for just a few seconds. That being said it’s definitely not for everyone but I consistently grind out perfect pour overs and espresso for myself and friends and family and they are amazed my the quality of the brew. Your classic car analogy is spot on!
Hey, try putting a strip of foil in your dosing cup it reduced the mess by at least 70%! Try it
EK43 produces amazing cups. Nothing I’ve had comes close.
Compare to a Lagom p64 let’s say?
no regrets! had a tall one for a year, and just swaped to the limited ek4s ICON shorty...yes for HOME! hoho
Amazing! My only question is… Omnia y/n 👀👀😂
n for me, too much tech, im sure old school ek43 can outlive it 5 times @@DaddyGotCoffee
That was a good note saying the EK43 shaped the coffee industry as a whole. It's like everyone knows what a Lamborghini is and what it's shaped like. Lamborghinis are driven by few, yet everyone can recognize one.
The EK43 is the same in the coffee industry
Rewatching this after the EK omnia announcment, I can't wait to see review on it. It fixs the main complain of the EK 43, while keeping all the good stuff from the ek 43
ek43 still better looking than omnia
Great video! Got an EK for about 4 years now. Still fully satisfied. SSP just announced that they will make cast burrs for it. Quiet curious to see that! Here in Germany it was possible to get the EK a little cheaper, making it a little easier to justify. Alignment is actually not an issue anymore since they change their production flow, together with the introduction of the EK43s. I included an aftermarket Aluminium dosing hopper as well as a magnetic dosing cup. This increased esthetics and workflow and reduced the mess a lot.
Zero regrets with the new release of the EK Omnia. Very different grinder. Wouldn’t wonder if they will keep co-existing. IMO that’s how a new product introduction should be done. Unlike what Weber Workshop has done with the key. Here I quiet regret being early adopter.
Looking forward to your vectis video!
Hi, does it mean the ek43s are all better aligned since it’s newer production?
Also, is that true that for single dose user / home user, you will need to align more often?
Thanks 🙏🙏🙏
@@Syd7088 hey 👋. I think ek43s was launched in 2016. with that Mahlkönig updated their production and alignment issues are not an issue anymore. I actually got the measurement kit from Titus. My ek (production year 2018) was as well aligned so good out of the box that I didn’t start to shim anything. This applies for both ek43 and ek43s. The burr carrier is however still the same. It is worth to upgrade it with the Titus one. But that’s easy and not too much of an investment.
I haven’t heard that you need to align more often when single dosing. This is kind of the only way how to use an ek. Especially for home use, the actual frequence that the ek is used is actually a joke compared to the cafe environment it was designed for. Typically alignment is permanent as long as you do not open it up and unscrew burrs.
@@bungeoppang210 thanks very much! I took the bullet and bought a second hand one picking it up tomorrow. Hopefully it’s a beautiful machine without any issue 🤞🤞
so do we need to realign the burrs everytime we clean the grinder?@@bungeoppang210
@@Syd7088 exciting - hope that you will like it 🤞🤞
this video resonates with me! exactly the reason I have an EK43 because I simply want it.
Great review! Love mine :)
If i could afford one I would 100% get one
They are a standard for a reason 💯
Nice Review :D Seeing the Zerno next to it brings into perspective how big this thing is! Talking about the Zerno, I'm itching to splurge on it when it will be available again, will you do a review of it as well?
Yes! The zerno here is a launch edition. Vel from zerno is going to send me a loaner current edition, once I have that I’m going to get a proper review together!
@@DaddyGotCoffee Wonderful! Can't wait :D
I’m sure you’re happy drinking today from the EK43. Wear earplugs when using it would be a good idea?
Pardon?
Hahahahaha jk. Yes, exactly!
V60 from my neighborhood coffee shop using their ek43(dunno what burr) produce damn clear transparent brew..using same coffee that i bought from them using pietro at home,i will say they were appreciable difference that i really sought the taste of coffee presented by this ek43..whats your opinion on it for v60?
I have both the Pietro as well as the EK43. While the Pietro does do a bangin filter cup and is super clear, I agree, there are absolutely some differences in taste. If you’re chasing that EK dragon… others can get close but there really is only one
@@DaddyGotCoffee
Have you tried sculptor 078 and what are your thoughts on that vs the pietro?
Yes ek43 vs 078…would love to hear an experienced opinion between those 2
@@HansProbs unfortunately I haven’t gotten my hands on an 078 yet 😢
Will you do a video comparing the zerno with it? 6:53
May I know which grinder is having a taste profile close to EK43?
if you want to save A TON of money, the Pietro flat burr hand grinder with the unimodal ghost burrs... I actually even prefer it.
Timemore Sculptor 078
You’re going to get varying answers here, but anything with a more Unimodal distribution and higher clarity profile will get “close”. I’ll also say that there is only one EK and all will vary in one way or another. These grinders include anything that can house higher clarity aftermarket burs (Option-O to Turin DF series), Pietro, Fuji royal etc.
@@DaddyGotCoffee thank you so much!
I bought a less than a year old second hand ek43 with post 2015 standard burr.
I just it grinding too fine not sure what to do about it 😢
Im setting at 11.5 still running over 3mins for a 15g brew.
Have you checked the alignment? That does sound a little long.
@@DaddyGotCoffee thanks for replying. Yea I did the alignment and all good to go. Visually it looks uniform but finer than I thought.
@@Syd7088 I will say that I grind finer for filter than what I sometimes see reported online. I’ve aligned mine as well - for a 16g dose on Orea V3 using sibarist fast filters, it’s not uncommon for me to grind 10-11 and brew at 2:30-3:00. That is a fairly fast flowing brewer. I would just adjust your grind to taste and you should settle into a good zone ☺️
@@DaddyGotCoffee never tried the Sibarist. Good idea to grind to taste!
Still new to a biggun like ek43 coming for years of c40 Comandante user 😅
Respect to a king…
I want one because i simply have never had a better cup of coffee other than one coming from an EK43. its sad because ive wanted something comparable in flavor that is smaller and more affordable for a decade now. but so far “no replacement for displacement” rings true in cars AND coffee. that 98mm burr just does things smaller burrs cant
Great video! What would you suggest for a $3k budget? Grinder and espresso machine.
I think a Silvia pro x and a niche would be a great setup for that budget
What kind of hopper is that on the Mahlkönig for single dosing, it looks different than the original one from Mahlkönig
R4D Creations on ETSY
Anyone compared the taste result with Mahlkönig E80S ?
ek grinders are great but I agree only for a certain type of person when it comes to the home market; and vectis video soon?!
Vectis vid is next week! 💪
@@DaddyGotCoffee Looking forward to it!
hououuuuuuuu, is that a Londinium Vectis I see there?
👀👀 Review coming soon..
I will wait for EK Omnia S 🤣🤣🤣
Hahahahaha would be super fun if they make one!
@@DaddyGotCoffee the truth is i can not wait any longer. Just pre order EK Omnia 😂😂😂
Mahlkönig EK43 EK Omnia - First Look
Amazing unit -- likely the very best you can buy. However, it's just too big to be considered a "home" coffee grinder, in my opinion. It would be an albatross on all but the largest of kitchen spaces and countertops.
If my wife can have a KitchenAid standmixer, I can have this
i am in a "no" group. it hard to justify purchase based on legacy alone. don't get me wrong. i,m pretty sure its good. but its surely in a diminishing return region.
Totally get this. To be fair, most grinders in this price point could be considered to be in the diminishing returns category, and it’s pretty remarkable that the EK is still a standout in that class
Few days after buying it, he knew he fucked up, omnia came out.
💀💀💀
I am just a regular guy. My espresso machine is a $250 AUD Sunbeam mini Barista. My grinder is a Chinese 1Zpresso hand grinder. My beans are what the shopping centre has on sale for that week. At over $4300 AUD, this grinder doesn't fit my budget.
And I think many others!
1zpresso was founded in Taiwan 👍
@@htu0921 Oh, very sorry. I will correct for the future.
That is okay. Now you know for the future.
If it costs 3k shouldn’t it come aligned? Why do retailers even have the opportunity to charge $300 for burr shimming and alignment services that will have the burrs “shimmed and aligned within 0.01 mm of perfectly parallel”. You’d think that for 3k it would come like that out of the box? Unacceptable…
Great question and fair point, especially for home enthusiasts. A couple counterpoints and things for consideration. This is an OLD design and was around long before extremely tight alignment tolerances were even considered. These grinders were originally designed as spice grinders. Alignment is a lot better than it used to be - it used to be really bad. Its still not perfect, as evidenced by the fact that I shimmed my unit, but it is a lot better.
Also, the larger a burr get the harder perfect alignment gets. Delivering a clean wipe on a 64mm is a cakewalk compared to 98mm. Also, for anyone doing filter only or large batches this level of alignment is a lot less critical. Espresso on these grinders used to be an edge-case, not a primary use case. I think for anyone who REALLY wants an EK43, this is just part of that "classic car" style package. Will be interesting to see if the EK omnia offers improvements in this area.
But, yes. You can absolutely get better aligned grinders at lower costs these days.
Lewis Timothy Robinson Margaret Perez Kevin
I would buy this but then my GF would kill me
Haha total overkill for home, looks lovely in white!
You gotta be a special kinda crazy to consider this a home grinder 🫣🤫😅
You do not want same size for the particles.
corrections, matt doesn't win wbc
Looks like a meat grinder 😂
Just say “out” properly, one time, for f sake, please
🇨🇦🇨🇦🫡
He didnt win the WBC in 2013.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Barista_Championship#Past_winners
Thank you for this correction!
he won the 2012 world brewers cup championship though with the ek43