Posted Mon Nov 12, 2012, 8:06am Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
Have you had hands on with the modded Skerton? The Lido is too expensive for a manual grinder. For $165 the Baratza is cheaper.
I read on OE that with the mod it pushes the burrs apart just enough to be not suitable for espresso. Soo much confusion.. I feel like I should just suck it up and go big or go home.
UPDATE: I have found a few threads that explain that the Hario grinders will work for espresso better without modification but for course grinds a the OE skerton would be ideal for a cheap manual grinder it's a trade off both of which will not last more than a few years. I think in my case wither a Baratza grinder or the Lido or Pharos is my best bet. A $100 budget will really only buy me a temporary solution.
Posted Mon Nov 12, 2012, 12:55pm Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
Baratza sells refurbished grinders. :)
The Encore is only $85. I may go with the encore so I can grind course. If the Encore is capable of choking an espresso machine then I am sure I can produce great shots by adjusting tamp pressure and dose to make up for the lack of steps. Before I make my purchase I want to find out if the Skerton wih the low bearing kit can also do the same. I may have come accross another modification involving a spring to stabalize ths shaft while grinding.
UPDATE the OE PFP Skerton does grind for espresso.
Bottom line: You can get the manual OE PFP Skerton for $50 + shipping. Or You can get the Baratza Encore Refurbished for $85 + shipping.
oktyone Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 26 Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Nov 12, 2012, 3:53pm Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
Of all the new japanese hand grinders the Porlex is probably the best option, it too has consistency issues, less than Hario/Kyocera ones though, but frankly once i stopped obsessing about it and over-analyzing every single grind, i started to enjoy my cups even more.
I've heard good things about the Zassenhaus Havana as well, not so much about the rest of their models, which suffer from having some plastic pieces prone to wear, they're all incredibly beautiful though.
A Sözen Turkish Mill, might also be a reasonable option, they have a model specifically designed for coarser grinds, i've never tried it, but if it works as well as their other models work for ultra fine to fine grinds, it should be pretty good.
Other than that, for less than 100$, your options narrow down to vintage/used hand grinders, you can have some incredibly consistent grinds, maybe even comparable to those of the Lido for considerably less money (30$-80$), you'd have to know where and what to look for though, some manufacturers to consider should be PEDE, KYM, Zassenhaus, Tre Spade and Peugeot.
Posted Tue Nov 13, 2012, 6:47am Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
After doing a lot of research on the Hario Skerton the OE sells with the low bearing kit consistency is improved greatly. I contacted Baratza and it turns out they don't ship to Canada. I've seen videos of the Skerton choking commercial espresso machines and theres also a stepless mod if I really want to go crazy. This should do fine for my French Press and drip too. I don't need perfect coffee grounds. This can tide me over until I can afford a Baratza.
russ5679 Senior Member Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 26 Location: WI Expertise: I love coffee
Roaster: IRoast
Posted Wed Nov 14, 2012, 2:53pm Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
I decided to go with the Baratza Encore. It arrived today and I've made 3 cups of coffee with it so far.
Very pleased with my purchase. It's amazing how much a good grinder improves the taste. I was getting to much dust with my hand grinder. This grinder is way more consistent than what I've been using. It isn't perfectly consistent at the french press grind, but still way better than what I had.
Posted Thu Nov 15, 2012, 1:24pm Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
For some strange reason the Bodum Bistro you mentioned early in the thread is significantly less expensive in Canada than the USA. It is $90 on amazon.ca and $120 on amazon.com. As I'm sure you noticed essentially all other grinders are the reverse. I didn't know if you were aware of this price abnormally.
In your first post you said " This grinder will not be for espresso". The modded hand grinder you have zeroed in on may very well give you a consistent coarse grind but in general a grinder which can choke a commercial espresso machine would have me very concerned about the amount of powder in my coarse french press grind.
I have seen $55 items shipped from the USA end up at $100 after brokerage fees, taxes and shipping were eventually paid. I've been told that items shipped parcel post and valued under $40 have the best chance of avoiding brokerage fees.
I've noticed that Netphilosopher has started a detailed "Grinder assessment using sieves" of several lower cost grinders, including the Bodum Bistro. I have searched extensively for something like this, but have only been able to find it for more expensive grinders.
Mine has worked well for the last 3.5 years. 8-50 g batches for drip, Aeropress, and pourover. Easy to adjust grind, not too much static cling, even particle size. It has many more than ten stops within its range, though I cannot say if there is an actual change in grind size when you move by a small number of clicks.
Posted Sun Nov 25, 2012, 11:24am Subject: Re: Looking for a good burr grinder for drip/press
I purchased the OE PFP KYOCERA CM-50 (Skerton) modded for course grind. Once I recieve it I will brew some espresso, pourover and press. Only costs $52 with the low bearing kit installed. :)
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