Mignon Manuale

I haven't read all the replies to this thread yet. My only advice so far is to NOT buy any of the grinders you have shown. I have a Eureka Mignon Manuale which is very good, but I only use it for light roasts nowadays because I also have a Timemore Bricks 01s which cost me even less but I prefer it. My next step is probably going to be to replace the Eureka with a Timemore 064S or a Lagom Casa. I am just waiting long enough to avoid my wife's annoyance at yet more investment in grinders even though the coffee we share is already excellent!

I have had 3 Shardor grinders, 2 of them being the model shown, one being a replacement for a cheaper one, the third being a replacement for the second. The first 2 lasted less than 6 months in combined total, and the third showed signs of exhaustion on speciality coffees, at which point i moved up to a Eureka Mignon Manuale. You are much better off with a Barazza ESP or a Breville SGP. Or even a DF54.

Sorry I have no experience of this particular model. (I misinterpreted the original photo, I had 3 cheaper grinders with smaller, conical burrs) However their after sales service was quite good for me, they replaced or refunded for all 3 of my faulty models. So maybe it would be worth the risk, but I wouldn;t buy one myself. The Manuale is rock solid and gives good results, but it is tedious and inconsistent if you change grind settings frequently. I now have mine on a fixed setting for the locally roasted decaff beans I drink every day, and use my Timemore for 4 bag medley taster packs I buy online.

I have had 3 Shardor grinders, 2 of them being the model shown, one being a replacement for a cheaper one, the third being a replacement for the second. The first 2 lasted less than 6 months in combined total, and the third showed signs of exhaustion on speciality coffees, at which point i moved up to a Eureka Mignon Manuale. You are much better off with a Barazza ESP or a Breville SGP. Or even a DF54. (Phillintheblank90 suggested I move this post to where it would be more obvious, to act as a warning. I must admit that the vendor of my Shardors gave excellent after sales service, both free replacements were sent free, but that might also suggest that they were resignedly familiar with the problems.)

Go for the eureka and buy the bigger dial. It’s the one that’s built the best , like a tank, and has little to no quality control issues. Unlike the others in your list.

Other benefits : Eurekas are built like tanks. Quality components. Tried and tested longevity. Excellent uniform grind. DF have known quality control issues and are built cheaply. DF grinders are fairly new so nobody knows how long they’ll last With you being in Europe where the price is so similar eureka should be a given. Stateside where Eurekas are much more expensive people tend to go for the DF. But totally your decision !

I would absolutely look into a eureka Do not get a DF grinder - for a similar price Eurekas are built a whole lot better, will last longer and produce better grinds. No SSP burrs with eureka but I’d still go with them regardless. How are you going to steam your milk ? Make sure you get good (ideally locally ) roasted beans from a speciality roaster. This will make a massive difference to the quality of the espresso (you say that straight espresso is too bitter but I’m sure that’s because ones you’ve tried are dark roasts or non-speciality roasts and /or with robusta beans in the blend. ) Good luck with the decision !

I’ve got the Eureka Mignon Manuale. A bit loud but I don’t care. It does a great job.

Search this sub for "Opus" and note the many issues reported with it. You might want to take it off your list. The other 3 grinders are all solid choices. DF54 and Manuale are worth more than the ESP if you are willing to spend the money.

As a former barista I think you will be most comfortable with a Gaggia Classic E24. It will feel closest to the commercial machines you've used in the past. Don't forget to budget for a good grinder. When brewing espresso, the grinder is much more important than the espresso machine. lf you really have a budget for $1K, an E24 for $450 will leave you $550 for a grinder. Spend as much of that as you can stand. If you want to single dose, Timemore 064s would be a great choice. Get it at one of Amazon's frequent 20% discount sales. If you want to grind-on-demand with a hopper, then one of the Eureka Mignons.

Consider one of the Eureka Mignon grinders. They are flat burr, but (except for the new 65 AP burrs) they have the flavor profile of a conical burr grinder. When I used to own both a Niche Zero and a Eureka Specialita, the espresso brewed from both tasted nearly identical.

How’s the grind consistency with single dosing on the Manuale? I tried it for a bit and while retention even without bellows was 0, shot times varied by about 5-10 seconds. Has been incredibly consistent with hopper dosing!

Stay away from the Opus. The ESP is a good choice, though I feel like the Mignon Manuale/Facile/Notte is the best budget espresso grinder you can get, and SCG has it for $280. ESP for the easy adjustments if that’s important to ya.