jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Wed Aug 17, 2011, 7:55pm Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
There are hours of reading on the topic of grinders, hundreds of hours of contemplation, and thousands of opinions at your finger tips with a search of the forum or google it. Having been afflicted with this topic recently myself let me sum it up for you but by all means wrestle with this yourself but this is were i think you wind up.
1.) All grinders are a compromise in one way or another, freshness, mess, ease of use, expense and it goes on and on and on. 2.) Taste is subjective and your taste is all that matters 3.) ROI is subjective and your money is all that matters
In the end for me the Baratza Vario is pretty darn tough to beat when you consider all things. The K30 is a flat bur grinder much more like the Baratza Vario that the K-10 which is a large conical bur grinder. Personally I don't think the K30 is 3 times the grinder (price) the Baratza Vario is. When you get to the price of a K30 you can start thinking about the next hop would be a Robur, K-10 or the like. I recently purchased a Orphan Espresso Pharos which is a manual large conical. It much less costly than a Robur but it a slow, messy and has a rather steep and sometimes painful learning curve when it comes to dialing it in.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,608 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011, 1:22am Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
Given enough kitchen space (it's big) and an unlimited budget (it's expensive) I'd always choose the Mahlkönig K30 Vario. Unfortunately, I lack both.
The pros are easy stepless adjustment, consistent grinding on demand, hands free operation, programmable timer (e.g. for single and double shots), speed and high capacity.
Can't think of any cons apart from prize and size. If you want something smaller the Mahlkönig ProM All-Round-Grinder might be a good alternative.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
strfish7 Senior Member Joined: 7 Aug 2009 Posts: 174 Location: San Antonio Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Pavoni Europiccola,... Grinder: Vario Vac Pot: Bialetti Drip: Technivorm Moccamaster Roaster: Behmor, FreshRoast 8
Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011, 6:00am Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
Just passing by to note that my experience with the OE Pharos has been entirely different than the one posted above. I believe many other purchasers have had more of an experience like mine.
Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011, 7:55am Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
strfish7 Said:
Just passing by to note that my experience with the OE Pharos has been entirely different than the one posted above. I believe many other purchasers have had more of an experience like mine.
I have been following the thread over on HB and another forum as well - I am not ready to declare "user friendly" and "intuitive" must-use product sheet adjectives.
To say "there appears to be a learning curve with the Pharos" is an understatement.
To the OP - The K30 is a good grinder. It is large in diameter but not tall without the hopper at 12" from base to top ring. It is quiet and fast. I am applauding and fearing the easy adjustment provided by the electronic dosing controls at the same time on mine. If/when this fails I am not sure there is a mechanical over ride so I can still use the grinder. Since mine was used but still very expensive to me, I might not be able to afford the repair if the need arises.
I did modify my older style hopper chute flap so it stays open now. I do not find clumping to be an issue but i use lighter roast beans for espresso too - your mileage may vary depending on personal roast preference. I purchased a small 0.1g sensitivity scale from Amazon and weighed out 15g beans, then ground them and weighed my portafilter. The scale shows 15g after taring the empty portafilter and basket so for my unit single dosing is possible with minimal fuss. I did not brush clean and vacuum the inside of the grinding chamber and chute - I only turned the grinder on/off a couple times till nothing was coming out. I might have traded a half gram new grounds for old grind residue inside the unit, I am not sure but i am certain I do not care since single dosing robs this machine of much of the functionality I enjoy.
Fill the hopper, or a hopper of your choosing, hit the pre-programmed dose button, and let the grinder fill your basket in a few short seconds (4.1 seconds for my double shots) and then forget about it till you ready to pull another shot.
I chew coffee beans with my teeth while gargling with 195 F water to enjoy coffee. What is this "coffee brewing" device you speak of?
Grind quality is equivalent to a Mazzer Super Jolly. Also, the Mahlkonig K30 is one of the very few grinders that I applaud the build quality being in the same robust class as Mazzer (now I'll also add Ceado to that class).
The Baratza Vario can produce results in the cup that are indistinguishable from a Super Jolly or K30 Vario (or Ceado E7). The differences will be in adjustment mechanism, build robustness, speed and noise. If all you are asking about is grind quality and taste in the cup, then these grinders can all produce the same result.
What sets apart grinders in this class are looks, build quality, convenience (speed, noise, grounds retention), and features. So you will have to ask yourself how much these things are worth to you. The choice is individual and based on personal preferences and needs/desires/etc.
Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011, 8:52am Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
One more thing : K10 (or Robur, Doge Conico, Macap M7K, etc.) are a different class with the larger conical burrs. These also all produce the same results in the cup and prices vary depending on build quality, features, etc.
Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011, 9:07am Subject: Re: mahlkonig k30 vario
Of all the grinders I've owned (there are quite a few), the K30 is probably my favourite to use. That said, it is a flat burr, which is different from a large conical...
+1 In fact Doug himself has acknowledged the steep learning curve (when dealing with the fine grinds) in the HB thread just this evening. My comments were not intended to slight the product but to support "all grinders are a compromise" point.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
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