Well worth the money. Delivers a consistent grind with excellent control. Looks amazing and feels like a durable machine.
Positive Product Points
- Excellent grind consistency, granularity, control - Quiet compared to other grinders - Large hopper, which you can remove with beans in it without spilling them - Looks amazing
Negative Product Points
- Portafilter fork is too far from doser - Sweeping in the doser is not as effective as it could be (fixed with a simple modification) - Grinder land on the centre of the doser arms, which get stuck there
Detailed Commentary
This is my first serious grinder, which I got after upgrading from a Breville conical burr grinder. I got the short hopper, but it barely fits under my cupboards, so after a few weeks of experimenting, I've ditched the hopper and measure my beans and put them directly in the shoot.
The stepless grind control is really nice, and the machine operates at such a low volume that you can continue a conversation while you use it.
The doser could use a quick mod with electric tape to make it sweep a little better. The grinds from the grind shoot land of the centre of the doser arms, which get stuck there. I keep a brush beside the grinder to get them off, but I only grind one shot at a time. This wouldn't be a problem if you grind in higher quantities.
Other than looking very nice, it feels like a real machine. Even the plastic parts feel very durable. I really can't underscore enough how awesome this machine looks and feels.
Buying Experience
I bought this used off of eBay.
Three Month Followup
Coffee grinder is working really well - only issue is the doser doesn't sweep as clean as it could. Quick fix with electrical tape and it's great! I vacuum it out about once a week and took the hopper off to measure each portafilter's worth of beans in at a time.
One Year Followup
I'm still very pleased with the Mazzer Mini. It does tend to fall on the left side of the basket, as others have said, but I find being attentive to dosing and dosing in small increments (frequently using the thwacker while grinding) fixes this completely. I've looked into alternatives, but they all have cons of their own, so the Mazzer Mini is still, in my opinion, the best grinder for me. I love how sturdy it is, how reliable it works, and how consistent the grind is.
