grebe Senior Member Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 30 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Feb 12, 2008, 8:49pm Subject: grinder research questions
Hello all,
I am a new coffee geek guy trying to do some research on getting some better coffee around here. I was leaning towards buying a nice espresso machine, but I ran into your site and now I want a grinder first. My hobbies will break me one day...I swear it!
Alright, on to the questions:
-to simplify things i decided to just get a dang rocky...but everybody seems to have bought them up (refurbs and used ones anyways). I did get a CG'er give me a good price on a doser, but I heard to steer clear. So, I started expanding...hoping to get lucky with a mazzer or something used, but all the ones have dosers too. What's the deal here? Steer clear of all dosers, or just the rocky?
-Stepless seems to be all the rage, but it seems to me that a stepper would be easier when switching from drip, press, and espresso for a newbie...is this true? What should I be thinking here as far as ease of use?
-Is it realistic to believe that one quality grinder will service all my coffee needs? Please say yes.
BTW, I am looking to keep the grinder under $250...and I would prefer a quality used/refurb over a new cheaper made. Wish me luck.
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read/respond to this.
xdavez Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 1,157 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: Professional
Espresso: La Spaziale Vivaldi II Grinder: Mazzer mini Vac Pot: none Drip: Technivorm
Posted Wed Feb 13, 2008, 4:13am Subject: Re: grinder research questions
dosers aren't a bad thing.
the doser on a rocky is a leetle sloppy, but workable. Just run the motor until you have enough, then pull the handle several times to eject all the (just ground) coffee.
I've never owned a doserLESS and I've done just fine. Gaggia, 2 rockys, la cimbali, mazzer.
The barista Championship grinders? ALL DOSER type.
grebe Senior Member Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 30 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Wed Feb 13, 2008, 12:11pm Subject: Re: grinder research questions
Dave,
Thanks for the reply, makes sense to me.
How many pulls of the handle would it take to make a filter of drip coffee (10 cup) on that rocky?
Also (on the Rocky), how hard is it to switch between beans? I was admiring the super jolley at the corner shop just now and noticed that there is a damper at the bottom so that you could pull the hopper off without dumping beans everywhere. Or do you just use the beans that are in there for all your coffee until gone.
Posted Wed Feb 13, 2008, 12:44pm Subject: Re: grinder research questions
I use my Rocky mostly for drip and press coffee, and I measure (only what I need at the time) and dump the beans into the hopper so that there isn't anything sitting in the hopper between uses. The dosers aren't so bad, but with the doserless Rocky you can remove the portafilter fork and grind directly into the basket which is a great feature in my opinion. The differences between a Rocky and Mazzer are definitely noticeable in power and build quality. I just bought a Super Jolly and it's very impressive, but to me it's more of a grinder for espresso use which is what I bought it for.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,671 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Feb 13, 2008, 2:16pm Subject: Re: grinder research questions
I have a Solis that I use for drip and a SJ for espresso. Shop and take your time and you could buy both for a good price. I first thought of using the SJ for both drip and espresso but after using it for a little while, I decided I needed a different grinder for drip, it is just easier that way.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
xdavez Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 1,157 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: Professional
Espresso: La Spaziale Vivaldi II Grinder: Mazzer mini Vac Pot: none Drip: Technivorm
Posted Wed Feb 13, 2008, 2:29pm Subject: Re: grinder research questions
grebe Said:
Dave,
Thanks for the reply, makes sense to me.
How many pulls of the handle would it take to make a filter of drip coffee (10 cup) on that rocky?
I really don't know! never done that. 10 -- 20?
Also (on the Rocky), how hard is it to switch between beans? I was admiring the super jolley at the corner shop just now and noticed that there is a damper at the bottom so that you could pull the hopper off without dumping beans everywhere.
That's so they can take the beans off to clean the grinder. -- the rocky? turn it upside down over a container.
Or do you just use the beans that are in there for all your coffee until gone.
I always load the hopper on my mazzer full, reasoning that spooning it into the grinder exposes the coffee to much more air and "staleness."
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