Initially looked like a bargin espresso grinder, but the design flaws mean it has a limited lifetime.
Positive Product Points
You get a great espresso grind for the money, pretty consistent, very adjustable, easy to make very small grind adjustments for that ultimate tweakability
Negative Product Points
It has a number of design flaws including the spout gets clamped between the burr mount and the frame which over time causes it to crack and split, and it accumulates a lot of stale grounds in the exit spout.
The worm wheel adjustment means that its painfull to switch between espresso and other types of grinds.
Detailed Commentary
This was my first entry into the espresso grinder market, initially was really happy with it, it looked great, was getting a fairly consistent grind, was pulling some great shots with my Gaggia Coffee Deluxe. The worm wheel adjustment for the grind setting allows you to make really small grind adjustments, great for getting it dialed in exactly. The downside to that, is that it means its really a dedicated espresso grinder, changing between grind types is a long winded (think 30+ turns) affair.
It seems to have a static problem, a fair bit of grinds sticks to the inside of the spout, and the grinds have to travel a fair way from the burrs to the spout, this means you can end up with a significant amount of stale grounds accumulated in the burr exit & spout, and because of the angle of the spout, it can be difficult to clean it all out, but still for an entry level grinder it seemed ok.
It has a number of issues though, the spout is clamped between the frame and the burr mount, the virbration over time causes the plastic spout to crack and split. The collar to the bean hopper on mine cracked in the first week, so the collar was only 1/2 as high as it was originally. Finally, afer 8 months, the nylon drive wheel gave out and a number of teeth were sheered off, rendering the unit lifeless. Due to the change in importers its still not clear if this is fixable under warrenty, or even if the parts are available at all.
Comparing to the Mazzer Mini, the Mini is much much quieter, faster and more consistent. I'd say probably at least twice as fast to grind a standard double basket dose, and I've been getting much more crema with shots ground on the Mini vs the i2.
Now the price has jumped to ~$500, save your money and buy a Mazzer Mini instead.
Buying Experience
Ordered on-line from Our Coffee Barn, had no problems, came with a free lb of beans. Am hoping they can resolve the warrenty / parts issue.
