Too Much Coffee

With the problems at Zassenhaus and their lack of availability at the moment I was looking around for a good hand grinder I can take on my travels. I came across this, does anyone know if it works as good as it looks? Or any other recommendations for a hand mill to accompany an Aeropress?

Thanks,
Steven

Solis 166 or 177
Iberital MC2
Gaggia MDF
Rancilio Rocky
Macap M4
Mazzer Mini (E)
LaMarzocco Swift (or Mahkoenig)

Not really portable are they.

A couple of additions to what has already been mentioned:

£50-£150 (70-215EUR): Demoka M-203

Probably the best value for money out there at around €150. Doserless, stepless worm-drive adjustment, 250W motor etc. Not available in the UK for some reason?

£250 (360EUR) and over: Versalab M3

I have no personal experience on this one, but I find it's probably the worst value for money out the at around €1250 after shipping and taxes. However, it arguably has the best grinds distribution pattern of all grinders and minimal retained grinds in the burrs. Ideal cupping grinder?

Br,
Teme

The Demoka sounds interesting Teme. I wonder why it is not available in the UK? No dealer perhaps?

No idea why it isn't sold in the UK (or here in Denmark for that matter). It is very popular especially in Finland, Sweden and Germany and has a good rep. I tried one in Finland very quickly and I liked it.

Br,
Teme

As the saying goes 'you can't make a silk purse rom a pigs ear' so it is true for coffee. So whie I agree with the coment "the grinder is the most important buy" but only if you have good quality freshly roasted coffee beans. No matter how good the grinder crap rossted coffee beens = crap coffee in the cup!

Cheers,


DV

Whoops pressed the 'submit' button in error for 'preview' so apologies for the typos. I go for the architecture hierachy as follows: roaster => grinder => machine => experience => addiction to ever a better cup.

Me, I did it arse backwards and learnt the hard way. I started with (to me) an expensive expresso machine a Francis Francis X1 (cause it looked sexy in orange) and a poor grinder. Then added an Imex air roaster followed by a mini Mazzer E and then graduated to a Hottop roaster. I believe that the weakest link is the X1 but I am still gaining the experience and the cup just gets better and better especially when served in glass Bodium Pavina cups!

Next time the X1 packs up I'll then upgrade to a 'proper' expresso machine.

So I would recommend for a beginner to buy the best that they can afford second hand at least an Imex roaster and a decent grinder depending on finances. Start with French Press and Filter coffee then as interest and funds grow move on to making expresso - a different and more expensive game.

Cheers,

DV

PS and many thanks for all the help and support that I have had from the great guys (boys and girls) on this forum

scook94 wrote:With the problems at Zassenhaus and their lack of availability at the moment I was looking around for a good hand grinder I can take on my travels. I came across this, does anyone know if it works as good as it looks? Or any other recommendations for a hand mill to accompany an Aeropress?

Thanks,
Steven

I'll second that request for info!

Are there any good hand grinders available in the UK? And, are hand grinders any good as regard to price (ie. in the 0-£50 price bracket)? I've got a really rubbish electric grinder and I'm looking to get something better, though the option of 'saving money and waiting till I get enough dough to buy a decent electric grinder' translates for me as 'pigs will fly before...'

Anyway, any opinion/help on that would be much appreciated!

Forgot to say looking for grinder to use with french press, so don't need to grind to the molecular level

If you just want a decent French press grinder, the Solis 166/Dualit/Starbucks Barista is a good buy discounted to £42 from £60 at the local Starbucks outlet place near me. PM if you want one and I'll sort it and mail it to you.

many thanks for your offer to help!

the thing is i have an electric grinder; i was hoping i could get a hand grinder on the cheap side, thinking that i'd get a better grind - for a given, low amount of money invested - with a hand grinder than an electric one...Or am i thinking along the wrong lines?

Not sure about the grind quality because I have never used a hand type, but many others here have and will be able to offer opinions. I do see your point as you already have an electric grinder.

I have a Zassenhaus 156 "knee mill" hand grinder; I don't try clamping it between my knees as I'm concerned about painful side-effects (!). This mode of use may be unfair to the Zass but I **think** the grind quality is slightly less good than a £120 Iberital MC2 electric grinder and it's more of a nuisance to use. On the good side, errr... it fits into a briefcase easily.

I suspect it grinds a bit better than a Dualit but for cafetiere use, the difference may not be worth the aggro, fiddle and **extra** cost of the Zass.
Some on the SM homeroast email list worship the Zass so maybe I'm wrong but I still don't expect to use it unless I travel with it on a day trip or something. Our heat sources are all electric so it can't help us make coffee during a power cut.

Cheers,

Hugh

I use a Salter hand grinder for FP's, great coarse quality!!!! Loads on E0Bay