I recently purchased one and currently have mixed emotions. On the plus side, it is beautiful and built like a tank with overall quality parts. Grinds nice and uniform. Control panel is easy to use to create custom grind times. I use this grinder exclusively for brewed coffee. I have a Niche for single dosing espresso. On the negatives, the biggest one is excessive static all over the machine. It’s a real drag. Other downside is retention. Coffee remains in the chute frequently. Could I single dose and use a bellow to ensure I get out what I put in? Yes of course, but when a grinder is designed with a large hopper such as this one, you should not have to single dose. So the question to answer is….. would I buy it again? For the money they want for this I would have to say no. They need to address the negatives to make it worth the money.
Have owned it for a little week and love the coffee it delivers. I fully agree with this review. Couldn't put it better. The coffee's Great and I'll keep it. For some reason, it is significantly cheaper in Europe
@@Sprometheus yeah, sure! I like that you approached the grinder on its terms. It’s a cafe grinder in a home setting, which some (not all) people will like. It’s an MK for less than half price. I think the other reviews you alluded to looked at it through the lense of flavor-of-the-week grinders like Niche or D-64. Both are great, but retention and single dosing aren’t concerns for everyone. I know people who load up hoppers with one kind of bean and make cappuccinos all day. Others are home roasters and want to pre-grind pounds and pounds for family and friends. It’ll work for a lot of people.
My Specialita has easier controls, bigger burrs, is low retention and is less expensive. I dont have any clumping issues, and you can easily clean w/o loosing your settings - VERY helpful for flat burrs which WILL jam once in awhile. EDIT: you should always run a flat burr when changing settings.
I think the clumps are a little disappointing as well, but I do remember having a similar issue with my Mazzer. But at this point any espresso grinder should be capable of busting them as they come out to keep clean.
totally agree. my first grinder I bought was a $100 timemore and I use it for everything outside of espresso. not sure why people wouldn't just get a hand grinser for filter grind
Seems like a winner when compared against my $700 Specialita, honestly speaking, but not to the point that I'd make the upgrade. One thing that I wish that grinder reviews included, including stepless grinder reviews, is a comparison of the resolution of the grind adjustment. ie. by making the smallest turn that I can make with my hand, how much does that change the 18:36 dose time on a normal 9bar shot. Especially with these grinders that are intended to cover the entirety of the espresso range within 5 relatively small graduations, I can't help but wonder how precisely you can dial the thing in. 0.5-1g of retention really isn't that bad compared to a lot of other popular grinders.
Yeah I found the lack of space for adjusting for espresso kind of wild, so when I realigned the burrs I went super fine, so it gave me a much wider range for getting the shots right, but still at the upper end I could make my filter coffee as well.
Hey Spro, nice machine. If this home grinder is built like legendary Mahlkonig commercial ones they're worth the cost. At this point Mahlkonig's strength is volume grinders perhaps they can focus on single dosing for their home machines.
A Eureka Specialita is half the price, will do pretty much the same with a 55mm flat burr with lower retention and much better for single dosing with some 3D printing mods. At similar price point, a Mignon XL has a bigger burr, grinds faster, and less clumping. I can’t think of too many reasons to choose X54.
I do agree but sometimes Italian engineering isn’t really known for it’s consistency in tolerances and quality as well as speed to innovate. I got a Silenzio but sometimes I wish Italian design made maintenance and alignment easier.
Price and hopper design aside, between the Niche Zero and Mahlkonig X54, which one does a better job grinding for single dose pour over and french press? I read that the Niche w/ conical burr was a bit more inconsistent in grind and therefore suffered a bit with pour over. And if we're strictly chasing the best pour over grind in this price range, would the Baratza Vario W+ be the best choice?
glad to see the selection of beans you have on hand at 6:15. I like learning about different coffee roasters from around the world. can you do a video on your favourite roasters, outside of Little Giant obvs 😉
I have it. No way to find a grind setting to make an espresso. Can you tell me what coffe and what number did work and what grams you put in the basket?😮 thanks
Very good and thorough review. It's funny hearing you say it's maybe too expensive for some people, because if you live in Canada this and the Niche Zero are basically the same price. From where I'm sitting, most of the really good grinders are just bloody expensive. "It's a big investment for a home brewer." It is, and it sounds like it has some issues with clumping and calibration, which is not okay - but pretty much all of the grinders in this class are. Especially the Niche, which doesn't technically have a North American distributor and ends up nailing you with import/duty fees, currency conversion fees, and crazy shipping prices. If you're looking at this class of grinder - ESPECIALLY if you're comparing it to a Niche Zero - I'm not sure price really matters?
For sure, and I think comparing to the Niche generally isn’t all that fair, I just knew that question would come up so I figured I’d get ahead of it. In terms of cost, yeah they are both pretty expensive. We used to have a North American distributor, that’s how I got mine, but that ended last year I think, but in the end, we get a little cheaper grinders, Canadians get free healthcare, I know who’s winning…(hint it’s not us). Haha
@@Sprometheus makes sense! Thank you for the reply. Is "how is it compared to the Niche" the most common question you get when you review a grinder? Like in your opinion, do you think the "coffee public" considers it the top home grinder?
@@rileydmcdonald I would say it’s the one to beat on the market right now. And I’m almost a year and a half in on ownership and love the freedom it offers in terms of brew methods.
my only hangup is the 54mm burrs. ssp doesn't make 54mm burrs (not that I need ssp) but what I want most is the ability to play with different burr sets. What are some other flat burr makers that could be a reliable implant if I chose to change them out someday. that versatility is the big thing keeping me from the conical burr grinders like the niche.
@@Sprometheus Oh yeah thanks I saw that too, did not look easy pulling the knob out pushing it in and tuning the grinder while it was on. Is there a specific sound you are looking for if you do not want the blades to touch?
So update on it. It’s now about $550 for a 250g hopper which is a better deal than when this video posted. I also do prefer that you can swap between grind settings. While Niche IMO makes one of the best grinders. I do believe having to swap out your burrs for different brew methods is a demerit. I think for me it’s I want coffee as soon as possible and don’t have to take my grinder apart for that purpose.
That's what I was thinking throughout the entire video. He kept on mentioning the niche and df64, but I was constantly saying to myself "and the sette 270?" You can buy little dosing funnels from Etsy for the 270 to turn it into a surprisingly capable single doser, too.
@@Sprometheus honestly this is a end game grinder for me , i bought it with the red speed burr and honestly it fullfil my need and above , the grind quality is just perfect and the grind time is soo fast and quiet ... also i remember using it the first day with some beans that im very used to and the difference was dramatic on the shot even visually...anyway its just my two cent , i dont see myself selling it for any other grinder . Your content and style is awesome btw ! Thanks for making this stuff
Thanks for actually making an espresso, haha! I would love to know how does it compare to the Eurika that you tried? I remember you enjoyed using it and its espresso but it did not highlight the light coffees that you like very well.
@@Sprometheus I think it's the step up from my sage we've been getting by with till now. If I can persuade my Fiancé it's a good step up. Tempted by the Eureka as well though. I'd go for a niche but my family aren't as perfectionist as me. And I need something easier for them. Thinking maybe I'll need to get a larger VST basket rather than the 14g at the same time. Using a Brewtus (leva in the UK I believe). Still tempted if I can get one
I think we should have a permanent segment at the end: Does it give you the barista tingles? Please lord, are you getting a DF64 to compare to the Niche? That would be epic. I sold my Niche and have a DF64 on preorder. Also, have you seen the Mignon Single Dose? I was debating on waiting for that one vs the DF64 but what threw me off of it was the 65mm burr sett.
Haha, well maybe I should think on that barista tingles segment… I’ve been tempted by the DF64 but there are just so many people posting content on it and not sure my two cents at this point are needed. I’ve recently heard about the single dose Mignon, may have to start trying to source one.
@@Sprometheus For a lot of people who are watching your videos your 'two cents' are very much needed. Very good and informative video, as always. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Spain.
In my country, niche zero is very exspensive so its not an option. Mahlkonig x54 vs baratza sette which one should i buy? I make 50:50 filtered coffee and espresso
x54 vs throw back K30 ? ... are the MK "guts" aka motor & burs the same and the slim down model is just a facelift w/ top dial adjustments now moved to the side?
Yeah I’m a little confused about the side dial. It just feels like something that may over-complicate it. Not sure but there has to be some kind of long gear that adjusts the grind.
yea i wanna know that as well. i've been using the NZ and single dosing, but have noticed with my peaberry roast, it takes the NZ forever to grind vs traditional arabic beans.
Super! I’m looking for a single dose grinder to pair with a robot and it seems like this isn’t it. The kopi deva was on my radar and the new Weber key looks like an end solution since I want dual power system. Do you agree that a conical does better pour over and flat better espresso? Both are pricey enough so I don’t wanna jump in blind!
I’ve had my eye on the deva and key, both seem like solid options. Personally I’ve heard more often that conicals are better for espresso and flat for filter, and I would say I generally agree with that notion. But I do actually love my conicals as all around options and they make great filter too.
Sounds good for a 2nd grinder. Say x54 for espresso and Ode for filter, or a hand grinder for filter. By itself it would feel limited unless you only do espresso. If you use it for one thing and you home roast (cheaper for beans), then it would probably be comfortable to not have to weigh stuff so much.
So I’m curious about the Ode. I’ve heard mostly negative reviews from owners who find the burrs not capable of grinding fine enough to properly extract light roasts.
How do you think this grinder would do for small commercial settings such as caterings? Definitely doesn't fit the bill for a home grinder in my opinion but it seems like it would shine in that area. What do you think?
I think it would be great in a lighter commercial setting, but with the caveat that you’ll want to choose one method or another. Honestly I think it’s meant to be an espresso grinder, but just can be adjusted coarse enough to brew filter.
@@Sprometheus Yeah, we’d use it as an espresso grinder 95% of the time, and filter only if we did a separate pour over bar, but never at the same event. Thank you for the feedback!
The Sette 270WI is as close to single dosing that is affordable and weight based, beans in a hopper, using a very sensitive scale system. If not changing beans frequently then the I(intelligence} part refines to the set weight closer and closer, achieving 50% perfect weights while the remaining 50% would vary by .1 to .2 gm.
Got a new eureka atom pro with 75 mm burrs and bellows with 300gm hopper for home use as single dose after looking around for quite a while for something suitable to keep .It is more expensive ,cost me £1200 ,it has got very low retention, using the bellows and is very quiet compared to my old mazzer mini with 64mm burrs ,i don’t think there are that many really good single dose grinders around at the moment unless you go for the Ceado top end single dose grinders costing an arm and a leg . Good video , can’t see why they have such a large hopper for home use?
Hello, love your channel and your reviews. Currently tossing up between the X54 and Rancilio Stile for general home expresso making. I live in the country and therefore want reliabity up and foremost. I'll match either grinder with the Rancilio Sylvia Pro X with the same reasoning in mind, as well as a very capable expresso machine. I would love to have your thoughts on which grinder you would choose with minimal retention in mind, reliability should be similiar on both......Thanks again.........Kevin
I don't understand why a grinder with a hopper is not represented as single dose capable. In what way does the hopper change the way you'd do a single dose? You don't have to fill the hopper up. You can just pour in that single dose.
That’s true, and that’s what I did to test it as a single dose. But most single dose options are designed to not retain grinds in their chutes or chambers, meaning you measure out your dose and grind it and you get less out, in this case up yo .5 a gram, which is significant. Also, popcorning caused by the burrs flinging beans around in all they open space leads to a less consistent grind quality.
Yeah, I feel like they didn’t do their due diligence while determining the needs of your average home user and built a grinder using parts and a design that has been popular in cafes.
Is the coffee chute adjustable or is it set in place? Had no idea this was coming out but an considering upgrading to it from my Mignon Specialita given I already have a Niche Zero, the hopper set up works better for me and my girlfriend when working from home plus I prefer the design of this over my Mignon
I just find one of these grinder for less than 600 euros. Considering I leave in France and the VAT and custom taxes are quite scary when buying from outside of the EU, the Niche Zero was not really something I can afford.
Personally I thought they both do a great job in terms of what ends up in the cup. I just tend to prefer the conicals for espresso. I definitely want to get ahold of that Eureka!
Love the video. Not sure if this is unique to flat burrs (I don’t think aligning conicals is a thing since they don’t sit on top of each other maybe?), but I feel like I keep reading accounts of people ordering these objectively expensive grinders only to have to align the burrs almost immediately. Is there any sort of objectivity with burr alignment, or is it simply preference where people can make modifications?
Yeah you know now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve had to align conicals. When I think of alignment with them it’s more of making sure grind points land where they were before. Like with the numbers on the Niche. I think there is some objectivity here though. If something as little as temperature or humidity can cause you to have to change your grind I’m sure where the burrs are tested or placed is likely a lot different from where it may end up with the user.
It's true that the factory grind setting for espresso at 0 or 1 was way too coarse and I had to manual calibrate it to a finer setting for espresso. It seems to me that the stepless grinder isn't very sensitive to the dial change. The grind size was the same from 1 to 5. I wonder if I have to really leave the grinder on to make real adjustment and sacrificing some beans?
you have spoken on several grinders in this video. Is the niche really a filter grinder? People speak also always from the eureka but all seem to me are espresso grinders
Given that they designed it for the home, why is it almost 17 inches tall? I had previously been interested in one of their commercial grinders, and with a short hopper, it would have fit under my 16” cabinets. Even with the Mazzer Mini, I had to remove the hopper lid to slide it under the cabinets, I’m okay with the price, but not with the price of the kitchen remodel that I’d need before owning it. But it’s moot. I’m a Niche owner and single-dose convert. I’d only upgrade for large, flat burrs, a bit more power (the Niche can stall on very light, less-than-uniform roasts), that fits under lowish cabinets. I like hops, but no longer like hoppers.
@@Sprometheus - The body looks short enough that a short hopper would work. Maybe they’ll offer that in the future. No need for a large hopper in most homes. Not everyone has low cabinets, but it’s odd that companies would limit their market with tall designs.
I didn’t actually take it apart as it was loaned to me and the manual had no directions for that. The burr alignment can be done using a weird process the dial so I thankfully didn’t have to dig that deep into it.
Retention can kind of go two directions, but in this case I was saying it retains grinds. So when you grind coffee most, if not all grinders hold some grinds in their chambers and other internal components. So for home use low or zero retention designs are super popular, like the Niche.
If this grinder had been available 5-10 years ago when all the crave where about the commercial grinders and the only decent home grinder where the Baratza Vario , not many if any would have bought commercial grinders such as a k30, Mazzer… but really a hopper fed grinder is 5 years behind current development and not where the trend is going. Personally I don’t fancy the profile of Conical grinders, I have owned a few, and done triangular test with flat, always preferred the cup from the flat. But like everything else it depends what you want to underline. I just wish there where a flat SD without bellows at this price range… the cheapest is currently the Lagom p64.
For sure it seems a little behind the times. Not a bad grinder, but whoever did the market research should be looking for a new job. I do like the idea of having a flat option, in fact I had a few filter coffees with the flat burrs that were popping in ways I haven’t had from the conicals.
So if you pour in 250g of coffee into it and consistently use it it will be awesome, if you do grind per shot it will be a bit off? That doesn't sound that bad :) Unless you are used to drinking different coffee blends during the day. Thanks
Appreciate the review, as this grinder piqued my interest recently. Wondering how this would compare with other similarly priced hopper-based grinders like one of eureka’s offerings…I’ve found mignon specialita to be excellent for espresso, just not great at switching between beans and brew methods.
I need to get a hole if a Eureka, they’ve been popping up a lot lately. Not sure how it would compare to that one, but I did find it to be a similar experience to my old Mazzer Mini E. But the things I didn’t like about the Mazzer I didn’t know I didn’t like until I borrowed a friend’s Niche.
@@Sprometheus Exactly! I recently got ahold of a niche, and really don’t feel it’s quite as good or convenient as the eureka for espresso, but after trying out single dosing I’m not sure i want to go back. I never felt the need for WDT on the eureka and got consistently great results.
From a review I found: "Mazzer Mini E has an amazing 64mm burrset dedicated for espresso, can be swapped with SSP. X54 has small espresso-to-filter burrs. Mazzer has a high quality build, X54 is full of plastic parts and is made in China. X54 is a wanna-be-big-boy Mahlkönig, but it's really just an entry level beginners grinder with poor build quality and cheap plastic parts. It will sell mainly due to the branding and design language taken from higher end Mahlkönig grinders."
I don’t see the market they were trying to hit with this one. Keep all the features and put it in a single dose, low retention design and they wouldn’t be able to keep them in stock. As it sits, the people looking to spend that much on a home grinder are not looking for a hopper based design, taking this out of consideration immediately.
I think there’s a market out there for people that have more of a coffee vision over practicality, which is definitely a market that only an established company like Mahlkonig has. Think old school. People that want a cafe style grinder, with both the look and feel of their cafe grinders, which includes having the Hopper based system. There’s also a good number of people with coffee stands/stalls that need a cheap and small hopper grinder set-up. I’ve seen those typically with something like a Mazzer Mini (occasionally a niche) and it seems like it might hedge that market too.
Pourover/filter coffee: Baratza virtuoso + Espresso: df64, baratza sette 270 (build quality is meh), or niche zero (if you got the $ and don't mind waiting). Good luck. Mr. Spro feel free to chime in.
My first grinder was the Baratza Encore. It did a great job for what I needed it to do (filter only) and when I got an espresso machine I had a Mazzer Mini E that worked well too. As I got more in brewing both getting a niche was perfect because it ran like a 2 in 1, so I wasn’t too bothered by the cost. It really depends on what you’re wanting to brew. Espresso is much trickier and needs much finer adjustments than a lot of the more basic starter options.
@@Sprometheus thank you for the suggestions. Ive been looking around and doing some research on a “starter” espresso machine. Any suggestions on a not to pricey machine?
@@ctt4811 for sure, happy to help. It really depends on your budget. The Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia are great options to pair with a good grinder. I would recommend going higher end on the grinder because that makes so much more difference than a machine that essentially just makes pressurized hot water.
I'm sure when someone has modded it to have a single dose hopper with bellows to fix retention, make a good alignment procedure and throw the ditting 54mm burrs to get more uniform grind setting it will be a pretty good grinder even for single dosing, however at that point people really should just modify a vario instead if they want to go the DIY route, much better value, already have all the mods documented and has a community to support it. I just feel like this is a much more expensive vario that looks a bit nicer or maybe a bit closer to the forte maybe? (but then again, that's technically a commercial grinder) The people who want hoppers already had those options so I don't really think this is giving consumers any options they did not have before
OUCH, that pricing. In the UK (before tax) it's $580; no idea where the extra $269 for the Yankees came from. Still, even with a much lower price, I already own a Sette 270 so there's really no point in buying literally anything else.
I have been looking to upgrade my filter coffee grinder for a while, as we already have mignon specialita for espresso. After doing much research, I really think this might be the one! But any chance this one might be an overkill for just pour-over and drip coffee? I also have been eyeing on the Eureka mignon Brew pro which is a dedicated filter coffee grinder. Did you happen to have experience on this grinder as well? Any thoughts? Thanks!
Nice review as always. Pricing seems a bit wack to me (~595 USD in Europe with VAT vs ~850 USD here). I'm probably a bit of a curmudgeon, but I hate the control scheme. Adding a few buttons to change settings instead of having to do Morse code to change settings would be nice for user experience IMO, even if it makes it a bit less Instagram friendly.
Thanks for the video, it made up my mind to purchase one, and got one just a few days ago! It works wonderfully for espresso, but I find the burrs are not aligned properly (as you’ve also experienced), and I can’t find coarse enough for filter brewing. At 35 the grind is still too fine, clogging the filter paper. Are you able to share how did you perform the burr realignment? Thanks in advance.
I’m experience something similar, but I can’t get to to grind fine enough. I also dislike the entire grind adjustment system. It’s difficult when fining.
That is about a third the cost of their e65 gbw. Which is its closest mahlkonig grinder feature wise. Which uses a built in scale instead of time to measure the dose. Seems reasonable. Of course in Canada that would be a sixth. $6k for a $3k grinder in the US. (The air is more expensive here too)
Thank you for a wonderful review! We love your channel. Can’t wait for the next one 💕
Thank you for the kind words and support my friends!
I recently purchased one and currently have mixed emotions. On the plus side, it is beautiful and built like a tank with overall quality parts. Grinds nice and uniform. Control panel is easy to use to create custom grind times. I use this grinder exclusively for brewed coffee. I have a Niche for single dosing espresso.
On the negatives, the biggest one is excessive static all over the machine. It’s a real drag. Other downside is retention. Coffee remains in the chute frequently. Could I single dose and use a bellow to ensure I get out what I put in? Yes of course, but when a grinder is designed with a large hopper such as this one, you should not have to single dose.
So the question to answer is….. would I buy it again? For the money they want for this I would have to say no. They need to address the negatives to make it worth the money.
Have owned it for a little week and love the coffee it delivers. I fully agree with this review. Couldn't put it better. The coffee's Great and I'll keep it. For some reason, it is significantly cheaper in Europe
Do you use it for espresso or filter coffee, or both?
Been looking forward to this one, and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks Spro!
Well…any thoughts after watching?
I sea the pun
@@Sprometheus yeah, sure! I like that you approached the grinder on its terms. It’s a cafe grinder in a home setting, which some (not all) people will like. It’s an MK for less than half price. I think the other reviews you alluded to looked at it through the lense of flavor-of-the-week grinders like Niche or D-64. Both are great, but retention and single dosing aren’t concerns for everyone. I know people who load up hoppers with one kind of bean and make cappuccinos all day. Others are home roasters and want to pre-grind pounds and pounds for family and friends. It’ll work for a lot of people.
Three top class videos in one day 😁 you Lance and James whoop whoop 🙌 Love this hobby 😜
Thanks for watching my friend!
Been waiting for this review from someone who says it like it is. Thanks!
Thanks! I hope it helped you out!
This was just what i needed to hear and see before purchasing this for as a decaf grinder for our shop!! Thanks man!!!
Just picked up an X54 from Mahlkonig on Black Friday for $510 before tax. Can’t wait for it to arrive in a couple days.
I was just excited as you. I received a piece of crap. (see below) Hope your experience is better.
The best real review, clearly not paid for it and great comparison to single shot grinders
My Specialita has easier controls, bigger burrs, is low retention and is less expensive. I dont have any clumping issues, and you can easily clean w/o loosing your settings - VERY helpful for flat burrs which WILL jam once in awhile.
EDIT: you should always run a flat burr when changing settings.
Almost $1k for a high-retention, clumpy grinder? I can't see this being very competitive.
I think the clumps are a little disappointing as well, but I do remember having a similar issue with my Mazzer. But at this point any espresso grinder should be capable of busting them as they come out to keep clean.
Tiny burrs too. Easy pass
Probably need to break the burrs in. Mahlkonig name alone will help them sell. I'm interested
"Sticky Barista Paws" is my favorite band that doesn't exist
You can start it, you have my blessing.
Yes, maybe a neo-speed metal band!!
These reviews (which are done wel btw) keep showing me that buying a handgrinder was the right choice for me.
Haha, happy to help. Which hand grinder do you have?
@@Sprometheus The ever so popular comandante c40. Have it for almost 4 years now
totally agree. my first grinder I bought was a $100 timemore and I use it for everything outside of espresso. not sure why people wouldn't just get a hand grinser for filter grind
Just bought a X54 through your link by vision espresso and was able to get it in 2 business days.
Seems like a winner when compared against my $700 Specialita, honestly speaking, but not to the point that I'd make the upgrade. One thing that I wish that grinder reviews included, including stepless grinder reviews, is a comparison of the resolution of the grind adjustment. ie. by making the smallest turn that I can make with my hand, how much does that change the 18:36 dose time on a normal 9bar shot. Especially with these grinders that are intended to cover the entirety of the espresso range within 5 relatively small graduations, I can't help but wonder how precisely you can dial the thing in.
0.5-1g of retention really isn't that bad compared to a lot of other popular grinders.
Yeah I found the lack of space for adjusting for espresso kind of wild, so when I realigned the burrs I went super fine, so it gave me a much wider range for getting the shots right, but still at the upper end I could make my filter coffee as well.
Excellent run down on this new home grinder. Thanks, amigo.
Hey Spro, nice machine. If this home grinder is built like legendary Mahlkonig commercial ones they're worth the cost. At this point Mahlkonig's strength is volume grinders perhaps they can focus on single dosing for their home machines.
Seems fairly disappointing for the price. At that price point, you'd be better off buying seperate grinders for espresso and filter coffee.
Yeah, I mean if you’re going to make an all round grinder, I’m not sure I understand going the hopper route.
Agreed. Having fairly recently purchased the Niche Zero I can’t imagine trying to toggle between espresso and filter without single dosing.
Yeah, but oftentimes the space on your counter would only accept one. Mine doesn't seem to have the space for one.
Looks good, but I think for the price I’d spend just a little more for the Eureka XL (and the forthcoming single doser).
I’ve been hearing more and more about the Eureka, I may have to look into it.
@@Sprometheus If anything is going to kill the Niche, it'll be the Eureka ORO. Similar price point and features but with flat burrs, can't go wrong.
@@Sprometheus It literally looks like a Minecraft render of a Niche ! Eureka know what they are doing.
@@Thetache hahaha I just looked it up that was the perfect description. I mean, it’s essentially an early niche prototype.
Having to re-align a brand new Mahlkönig? Some things never change lol
Haha home or commercial, you’re in for a little project straight from the box.
A Eureka Specialita is half the price, will do pretty much the same with a 55mm flat burr with lower retention and much better for single dosing with some 3D printing mods. At similar price point, a Mignon XL has a bigger burr, grinds faster, and less clumping. I can’t think of too many reasons to choose X54.
I do agree but sometimes Italian engineering isn’t really known for it’s consistency in tolerances and quality as well as speed to innovate. I got a Silenzio but sometimes I wish Italian design made maintenance and alignment easier.
Price and hopper design aside, between the Niche Zero and Mahlkonig X54, which one does a better job grinding for single dose pour over and french press? I read that the Niche w/ conical burr was a bit more inconsistent in grind and therefore suffered a bit with pour over. And if we're strictly chasing the best pour over grind in this price range, would the Baratza Vario W+ be the best choice?
glad to see the selection of beans you have on hand at 6:15. I like learning about different coffee roasters from around the world. can you do a video on your favourite roasters, outside of Little Giant obvs 😉
That could be a fun video, I’ll put some thought into it.
I have it. No way to find a grind setting to make an espresso. Can you tell me what coffe and what number did work and what grams you put in the basket?😮 thanks
Is the shoot adjustable? If so perhaps you have it pointed too far forward.
Can someone explain why the flat Burr is "better" than the conical? I say better just based on how he worded it
There is no better really, often times people seem to prefer flat, but its a preference. No real science or fact behind it.
Oh what a surprise, an expensive Mahlkonig grinder delivered with misaligned burrs. Well, at least you can say they are consistent at something lol!
Haha, sounds like someone who’s dealt with an EK43.
Thanks for this review. 👍🏻
You’re welcome, thanks for watching.
Very good and thorough review. It's funny hearing you say it's maybe too expensive for some people, because if you live in Canada this and the Niche Zero are basically the same price. From where I'm sitting, most of the really good grinders are just bloody expensive. "It's a big investment for a home brewer." It is, and it sounds like it has some issues with clumping and calibration, which is not okay - but pretty much all of the grinders in this class are. Especially the Niche, which doesn't technically have a North American distributor and ends up nailing you with import/duty fees, currency conversion fees, and crazy shipping prices. If you're looking at this class of grinder - ESPECIALLY if you're comparing it to a Niche Zero - I'm not sure price really matters?
For sure, and I think comparing to the Niche generally isn’t all that fair, I just knew that question would come up so I figured I’d get ahead of it.
In terms of cost, yeah they are both pretty expensive. We used to have a North American distributor, that’s how I got mine, but that ended last year I think, but in the end, we get a little cheaper grinders, Canadians get free healthcare, I know who’s winning…(hint it’s not us). Haha
@@Sprometheus makes sense! Thank you for the reply. Is "how is it compared to the Niche" the most common question you get when you review a grinder? Like in your opinion, do you think the "coffee public" considers it the top home grinder?
@@rileydmcdonald I would say it’s the one to beat on the market right now. And I’m almost a year and a half in on ownership and love the freedom it offers in terms of brew methods.
my only hangup is the 54mm burrs. ssp doesn't make 54mm burrs (not that I need ssp) but what I want most is the ability to play with different burr sets. What are some other flat burr makers that could be a reliable implant if I chose to change them out someday. that versatility is the big thing keeping me from the conical burr grinders like the niche.
Can you show a video of how you calibrated it to make it finer without damaging the burrs?
Actually if you search X54 adjustment there is a video by Mahlkonig themselves, that’s what I used as a guide to get it done.
@@Sprometheus Oh yeah thanks I saw that too, did not look easy pulling the knob out pushing it in and tuning the grinder while it was on. Is there a specific sound you are looking for if you do not want the blades to touch?
So update on it. It’s now about $550 for a 250g hopper which is a better deal than when this video posted. I also do prefer that you can swap between grind settings. While Niche IMO makes one of the best grinders. I do believe having to swap out your burrs for different brew methods is a demerit. I think for me it’s I want coffee as soon as possible and don’t have to take my grinder apart for that purpose.
I'm still waiting for Baratza to make a metal Sette for the market. I find that still to be the best bang for buck high quality grinder out.
That's what I was thinking throughout the entire video. He kept on mentioning the niche and df64, but I was constantly saying to myself "and the sette 270?" You can buy little dosing funnels from Etsy for the 270 to turn it into a surprisingly capable single doser, too.
The atom 75 perform better than all of the grinder mention in that video imho . Great honnest review btw , as usual 👍👌
Thanks, I appreciate that.
I personally haven’t tried the Atom 75, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. So many grinders, and so little time. Haha
@@Sprometheus honestly this is a end game grinder for me , i bought it with the red speed burr and honestly it fullfil my need and above , the grind quality is just perfect and the grind time is soo fast and quiet ... also i remember using it the first day with some beans that im very used to and the difference was dramatic on the shot even visually...anyway its just my two cent , i dont see myself selling it for any other grinder . Your content and style is awesome btw ! Thanks for making this stuff
It - almost - made you smile.
So - close - but so far.
I've been running a Heycafe H1 next to my niche and have just been blown out of the park by it. Would love to hear your opinion on it.
I’ve just recently heard about that one, I’ll have to look into It!
Thanks for actually making an espresso, haha!
I would love to know how does it compare to the Eurika that you tried?
I remember you enjoyed using it and its espresso but it did not highlight the light coffees that you like very well.
Very tempted by this one hoping it's a good review!
So what do you think after watching?
@@Sprometheus I think it's the step up from my sage we've been getting by with till now. If I can persuade my Fiancé it's a good step up. Tempted by the Eureka as well though. I'd go for a niche but my family aren't as perfectionist as me. And I need something easier for them. Thinking maybe I'll need to get a larger VST basket rather than the 14g at the same time. Using a Brewtus (leva in the UK I believe). Still tempted if I can get one
I think we should have a permanent segment at the end: Does it give you the barista tingles?
Please lord, are you getting a DF64 to compare to the Niche? That would be epic. I sold my Niche and have a DF64 on preorder. Also, have you seen the Mignon Single Dose? I was debating on waiting for that one vs the DF64 but what threw me off of it was the 65mm burr sett.
Haha, well maybe I should think on that barista tingles segment…
I’ve been tempted by the DF64 but there are just so many people posting content on it and not sure my two cents at this point are needed.
I’ve recently heard about the single dose Mignon, may have to start trying to source one.
Who else do you know that are selling their Niche? I'll gladly buy theirs for a discount. Manila-based.
@@Sprometheus For a lot of people who are watching your videos your 'two cents' are very much needed. Very good and informative video, as always. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Spain.
In my country, niche zero is very exspensive so its not an option. Mahlkonig x54 vs baratza sette which one should i buy? I make 50:50 filtered coffee and espresso
x54 vs throw back K30 ? ... are the MK "guts" aka motor & burs the same and the slim down model is just a facelift w/ top dial adjustments now moved to the side?
Yeah I’m a little confused about the side dial. It just feels like something that may over-complicate it. Not sure but there has to be some kind of long gear that adjusts the grind.
If you were just comparing the espresso quality of the X54 vs the Niche, would you say there is an appreciable difference?
yea i wanna know that as well. i've been using the NZ and single dosing, but have noticed with my peaberry roast, it takes the NZ forever to grind vs traditional arabic beans.
Super! I’m looking for a single dose grinder to pair with a robot and it seems like this isn’t it. The kopi deva was on my radar and the new Weber key looks like an end solution since I want dual power system. Do you agree that a conical does better pour over and flat better espresso? Both are pricey enough so I don’t wanna jump in blind!
I’ve had my eye on the deva and key, both seem like solid options.
Personally I’ve heard more often that conicals are better for espresso and flat for filter, and I would say I generally agree with that notion. But I do actually love my conicals as all around options and they make great filter too.
Sounds good for a 2nd grinder. Say x54 for espresso and Ode for filter, or a hand grinder for filter. By itself it would feel limited unless you only do espresso. If you use it for one thing and you home roast (cheaper for beans), then it would probably be comfortable to not have to weigh stuff so much.
but then again in what way does this beat Eureka Specialita? hmmm...
So I’m curious about the Ode. I’ve heard mostly negative reviews from owners who find the burrs not capable of grinding fine enough to properly extract light roasts.
@@Sprometheus lately what most people do is change the burrs and have a great time, from what I read at least.
Hoping to see the new Eureka singe doser and Fiorenzato all-ground on this channel! Great vid!
I’m definitely interested in that Eureka, will need to see if I can dig one up.
Feels more like a small private coffee shop grinder than something I'd want at home
How do you think this grinder would do for small commercial settings such as caterings? Definitely doesn't fit the bill for a home grinder in my opinion but it seems like it would shine in that area. What do you think?
I think it would be great in a lighter commercial setting, but with the caveat that you’ll want to choose one method or another. Honestly I think it’s meant to be an espresso grinder, but just can be adjusted coarse enough to brew filter.
@@Sprometheus Yeah, we’d use it as an espresso grinder 95% of the time, and filter only if we did a separate pour over bar, but never at the same event.
Thank you for the feedback!
i woule mainly use it for espresso all different kinds. is is good enough to mainly grind very fine? thanks
The Sette 270WI is as close to single dosing that is affordable and weight based, beans in a hopper, using a very sensitive scale system. If not changing beans frequently then the I(intelligence} part refines to the set weight closer and closer, achieving 50% perfect weights while the remaining 50% would vary by .1 to .2 gm.
Got a new eureka atom pro with 75 mm burrs and bellows with 300gm hopper for home use as single dose after looking around for quite a while for something suitable to keep .It is more expensive ,cost me £1200 ,it has got very low retention, using the bellows and is very quiet compared to my old mazzer mini with 64mm burrs ,i don’t think there are that many really good single dose grinders around at the moment unless you go for the Ceado top end single dose grinders costing an arm and a leg . Good video , can’t see why they have such a large hopper for home use?
Hello, love your channel and your reviews. Currently tossing up between the X54 and Rancilio Stile for general home expresso making. I live in the country and therefore want reliabity up and foremost. I'll match either grinder with the Rancilio Sylvia Pro X with the same reasoning in mind, as well as a very capable expresso machine. I would love to have your thoughts on which grinder you would choose with minimal retention in mind, reliability should be similiar on both......Thanks again.........Kevin
Are you going to review the DF64?
I kind of want to, but I’ve seen so many videos and reviews on it. Not sure I’ll have any more to say about it than anyone else.
So, Im quite torn between NZ and X54. Where I live NZ is 100$ more expensive than X54. Which one is the better grinder for espresso?
I don't understand why a grinder with a hopper is not represented as single dose capable. In what way does the hopper change the way you'd do a single dose? You don't have to fill the hopper up. You can just pour in that single dose.
That’s true, and that’s what I did to test it as a single dose. But most single dose options are designed to not retain grinds in their chutes or chambers, meaning you measure out your dose and grind it and you get less out, in this case up yo .5 a gram, which is significant. Also, popcorning caused by the burrs flinging beans around in all they open space leads to a less consistent grind quality.
Designed for home use yet not single dosing or low retention ? NO WAY. They dropped the ball. People will buy anyway based on the name .
Yeah, I feel like they didn’t do their due diligence while determining the needs of your average home user and built a grinder using parts and a design that has been popular in cafes.
Agreed 100% it would have sold really well and been a smash hit 5 years ago... But a lot has changed and this is behind the times
Is the coffee chute adjustable or is it set in place? Had no idea this was coming out but an considering upgrading to it from my Mignon Specialita given I already have a Niche Zero, the hopper set up works better for me and my girlfriend when working from home plus I prefer the design of this over my Mignon
It’s set in place, adjustability would be a nice feature though.
@@Sprometheus The coffee chute is adjustable. Maybe it wasn't on the initial line.
IIRC the burrs are very similar to those in the Baratza forte. Need to petition for 54mm SSP burrs now.
Mahlkonig definitely is all about their own burrs, I’m sure there is a reason they kept it to an uncommon size.
@@Sprometheus I double checked! different burrs! the x54 ones are more espresso-ey, but definitely same size same screws.
I just find one of these grinder for less than 600 euros. Considering I leave in France and the VAT and custom taxes are quite scary when buying from outside of the EU, the Niche Zero was not really something I can afford.
Thanks for the review. Let’s see: high retention, no single dosing, hard to switch between coffees…thanks, it no thanks!!
Yeah it’s not a great fit for a lot of home baristas.
wait for the single dose hopper mod 😅
How do you think X54 stacks up against the Niche for espresso? Hope you get a chance to review Eureka Oro SD soon, appreciate the reviews!
Personally I thought they both do a great job in terms of what ends up in the cup. I just tend to prefer the conicals for espresso. I definitely want to get ahold of that Eureka!
Love the video. Not sure if this is unique to flat burrs (I don’t think aligning conicals is a thing since they don’t sit on top of each other maybe?), but I feel like I keep reading accounts of people ordering these objectively expensive grinders only to have to align the burrs almost immediately. Is there any sort of objectivity with burr alignment, or is it simply preference where people can make modifications?
Yeah you know now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve had to align conicals. When I think of alignment with them it’s more of making sure grind points land where they were before. Like with the numbers on the Niche.
I think there is some objectivity here though. If something as little as temperature or humidity can cause you to have to change your grind I’m sure where the burrs are tested or placed is likely a lot different from where it may end up with the user.
the beauty
It does look nice, should come in white though.
@@Sprometheus like niche zero :p
It's true that the factory grind setting for espresso at 0 or 1 was way too coarse and I had to manual calibrate it to a finer setting for espresso. It seems to me that the stepless grinder isn't very sensitive to the dial change. The grind size was the same from 1 to 5. I wonder if I have to really leave the grinder on to make real adjustment and sacrificing some beans?
I am having this same problem and even after calibrating I am on setting no.1 and its barely fine enough for a medium roast
This one has only 120w in power while most espresso grinders stand at 350w and up. Is that a bad thing?
you have spoken on several grinders in this video. Is the niche really a filter grinder? People speak also always from the eureka but all seem to me are espresso grinders
Hi, could you please tell how did you re-align the burrs? Because I’m at number 1 and I’m need to grind finer…
An aftermarket single dosing bellows will pop up soon I am sure.
I’m sure, it seems like a common thing that happens for most grinders. Now just to fix the popcorning.
Baratza and Mahlkonig are the same company (like Breville and Sage).
Save your pennies and get the Vario instead. Great wee workhorse of a grinder
I think you got that wrong. Breville bought Baratza. Mahlkonig, Hey Cafe and Ditting are owned by same company.
Given that they designed it for the home, why is it almost 17 inches tall? I had previously been interested in one of their commercial grinders, and with a short hopper, it would have fit under my 16” cabinets. Even with the Mazzer Mini, I had to remove the hopper lid to slide it under the cabinets, I’m okay with the price, but not with the price of the kitchen remodel that I’d need before owning it.
But it’s moot. I’m a Niche owner and single-dose convert. I’d only upgrade for large, flat burrs, a bit more power (the Niche can stall on very light, less-than-uniform roasts), that fits under lowish cabinets. I like hops, but no longer like hoppers.
I get you. Not sure why a lot of these grinders are going so tall. The Swift Mini had the same issue.
@@Sprometheus - The body looks short enough that a short hopper would work. Maybe they’ll offer that in the future. No need for a large hopper in most homes.
Not everyone has low cabinets, but it’s odd that companies would limit their market with tall designs.
How many screws do the burrs have/anything keeping them from being used on another grinder? Thanks.
I didn’t actually take it apart as it was loaned to me and the manual had no directions for that. The burr alignment can be done using a weird process the dial so I thankfully didn’t have to dig that deep into it.
Did you ever tried the Eureka Mignon Specialita? How does it compare?
I haven’t tried it, but I need to. I hear about them more and more. Need to find someone willing to part with one for a couple weeks.
It seems exactly the same as my Ceado E6P, although seems to be even cheaper. Nice !
PS I have to learn what high-retention is ☕
Retention can kind of go two directions, but in this case I was saying it retains grinds. So when you grind coffee most, if not all grinders hold some grinds in their chambers and other internal components. So for home use low or zero retention designs are super popular, like the Niche.
If this grinder had been available 5-10 years ago when all the crave where about the commercial grinders and the only decent home grinder where the Baratza Vario , not many if any would have bought commercial grinders such as a k30, Mazzer… but really a hopper fed grinder is 5 years behind current development and not where the trend is going.
Personally I don’t fancy the profile of Conical grinders, I have owned a few, and done triangular test with flat, always preferred the cup from the flat. But like everything else it depends what you want to underline. I just wish there where a flat SD without bellows at this price range… the cheapest is currently the Lagom p64.
For sure it seems a little behind the times. Not a bad grinder, but whoever did the market research should be looking for a new job.
I do like the idea of having a flat option, in fact I had a few filter coffees with the flat burrs that were popping in ways I haven’t had from the conicals.
Where is this grinder made please? Germany or China. Thank you.
How was the burr alignment process?
i'd suggest the Eureka Specialita is more effective in every way than this. Slightly bigger burrs, accurate dosing, and more compact.
I was considering the Peak or Ceado E37T. May you do a review on the Ceado?
So if you pour in 250g of coffee into it and consistently use it it will be awesome, if you do grind per shot it will be a bit off? That doesn't sound that bad :) Unless you are used to drinking different coffee blends during the day. Thanks
Appreciate the review, as this grinder piqued my interest recently. Wondering how this would compare with other similarly priced hopper-based grinders like one of eureka’s offerings…I’ve found mignon specialita to be excellent for espresso, just not great at switching between beans and brew methods.
I need to get a hole if a Eureka, they’ve been popping up a lot lately. Not sure how it would compare to that one, but I did find it to be a similar experience to my old Mazzer Mini E.
But the things I didn’t like about the Mazzer I didn’t know I didn’t like until I borrowed a friend’s Niche.
@@Sprometheus Exactly! I recently got ahold of a niche, and really don’t feel it’s quite as good or convenient as the eureka for espresso, but after trying out single dosing I’m not sure i want to go back. I never felt the need for WDT on the eureka and got consistently great results.
Once again, some feedback: pls include shots of the whole device! I still don't know what it looks like and how big it is etc
Was considering this for a pour over pop up shop. Do you think it would be difficult going back and forth between different pre weighed coffees?
From a review I found:
"Mazzer Mini E has an amazing 64mm burrset dedicated for espresso, can be
swapped with SSP. X54 has small espresso-to-filter burrs. Mazzer has a
high quality build, X54 is full of plastic parts and is made in China.
X54 is a wanna-be-big-boy Mahlkönig, but it's really just an entry level
beginners grinder with poor build quality and cheap plastic parts. It
will sell mainly due to the branding and design language taken from
higher end Mahlkönig grinders."
Is the hopper glass or plastic?
I took of the cap to calibrate and I can’t put it back on 🥲
I don’t see the market they were trying to hit with this one. Keep all the features and put it in a single dose, low retention design and they wouldn’t be able to keep them in stock. As it sits, the people looking to spend that much on a home grinder are not looking for a hopper based design, taking this out of consideration immediately.
Yeah I think they really dropped the ball on their market research on this one. Shame really.
I think there’s a market out there for people that have more of a coffee vision over practicality, which is definitely a market that only an established company like Mahlkonig has. Think old school. People that want a cafe style grinder, with both the look and feel of their cafe grinders, which includes having the Hopper based system.
There’s also a good number of people with coffee stands/stalls that need a cheap and small hopper grinder set-up. I’ve seen those typically with something like a Mazzer Mini (occasionally a niche) and it seems like it might hedge that market too.
Another question, is it an all metal body (painted) or plastic?
Great review, what grinder would you suggest for a just getting started home grinder?
Pourover/filter coffee: Baratza virtuoso +
Espresso: df64, baratza sette 270 (build quality is meh), or niche zero (if you got the $ and don't mind waiting). Good luck.
Mr. Spro feel free to chime in.
My first grinder was the Baratza Encore. It did a great job for what I needed it to do (filter only) and when I got an espresso machine I had a Mazzer Mini E that worked well too. As I got more in brewing both getting a niche was perfect because it ran like a 2 in 1, so I wasn’t too bothered by the cost.
It really depends on what you’re wanting to brew. Espresso is much trickier and needs much finer adjustments than a lot of the more basic starter options.
@@Sprometheus thank you for the suggestions. Ive been looking around and doing some research on a “starter” espresso machine. Any suggestions on a not to pricey machine?
@@ctt4811 for sure, happy to help. It really depends on your budget. The Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia are great options to pair with a good grinder.
I would recommend going higher end on the grinder because that makes so much more difference than a machine that essentially just makes pressurized hot water.
Nice! Would like a test between Niche, the single dose Mignon and the DF64 with SSP. Please!! 🙏🏻😅
I'm sure when someone has modded it to have a single dose hopper with bellows to fix retention, make a good alignment procedure and throw the ditting 54mm burrs to get more uniform grind setting it will be a pretty good grinder even for single dosing, however at that point people really should just modify a vario instead if they want to go the DIY route, much better value, already have all the mods documented and has a community to support it. I just feel like this is a much more expensive vario that looks a bit nicer or maybe a bit closer to the forte maybe? (but then again, that's technically a commercial grinder) The people who want hoppers already had those options so I don't really think this is giving consumers any options they did not have before
Mahlkonig x54 Or eureka single oro?
It costs roughly the same as Eureka Mignon XL and thus it's not recommended in this price category.
I haven’t tried the Mignon yet, but I need to. Can it also grind for filter or is it advertised as an espresso only grinder?
@@Sprometheus it can, although I am an espresso tribe member so you may want to double check that. 🙂
OUCH, that pricing. In the UK (before tax) it's $580; no idea where the extra $269 for the Yankees came from. Still, even with a much lower price, I already own a Sette 270 so there's really no point in buying literally anything else.
I have been looking to upgrade my filter coffee grinder for a while, as we already have mignon specialita for espresso. After doing much research, I really think this might be the one!
But any chance this one might be an overkill for just pour-over and drip coffee? I also have been eyeing on the Eureka mignon Brew pro which is a dedicated filter coffee grinder. Did you happen to have experience on this grinder as well? Any thoughts? Thanks!
Just get a fellow ode and change the burrset!
Has anyone received a unit where the grind size is almost equivalent across 1-33??
Nice review as always. Pricing seems a bit wack to me (~595 USD in Europe with VAT vs ~850 USD here). I'm probably a bit of a curmudgeon, but I hate the control scheme. Adding a few buttons to change settings instead of having to do Morse code to change settings would be nice for user experience IMO, even if it makes it a bit less Instagram friendly.
Yeah I get you. Personally I would rather not have all the electronic bells and whistles as I worry about reliability and all that with electronics.
750 USD
And for us that have a Linea Mini and dont want a grinder that looks like a truck, im going with the Eureka >_>
I wish you actually grinded a shot so we could hear it work too
Thanks for the video, it made up my mind to purchase one, and got one just a few days ago! It works wonderfully for espresso, but I find the burrs are not aligned properly (as you’ve also experienced), and I can’t find coarse enough for filter brewing. At 35 the grind is still too fine, clogging the filter paper.
Are you able to share how did you perform the burr realignment?
Thanks in advance.
I’m experience something similar, but I can’t get to to grind fine enough. I also dislike the entire grind adjustment system. It’s difficult when fining.
Pity it doesn't have the clump crusher :/
That is about a third the cost of their e65 gbw. Which is its closest mahlkonig grinder feature wise. Which uses a built in scale instead of time to measure the dose. Seems reasonable. Of course in Canada that would be a sixth. $6k for a $3k grinder in the US. (The air is more expensive here too)