So I started with a Niche Zero but did not love it. I felt like I was buying great beans and not getting the most out of it. I then bought the DF 83 v and it was a significant step up. I then tried to upgrade the burrs but could not get one of the screws out which left me not happy. Then I watched the Brian Quan video where he visits Kafatek and fell in love with the concept build quality etc. I got one of the first Flat Max 3 and it has been an end game. Nothing I have tried (z1, EG1 or Philos) has touched it. The DF 83 v still makes great coffee at work. Probably the best bang for your buck I have come across for a big flat burr grinder. I also have a j ultra for travel.
Check out this video from this search, coffee influencer visiting kafatek https://share.google/lsHnK10dz67CPj8H9
Since I have a serious grinder problem and have owned a few of the “end game” grinders, I can weigh in. I have the Monolith Flat Max 3, EG-1 and Zerno z1 currently in the rotation. The z1 has been relegated to pour over and has the Unimodal brew burrs in it. Flat Max 3 has been my go to over a year with the LM burrs. Lately I have been using the EG1 with the core burrs a lot. It is more forgiving and maybe a little easier to use. The Flat Max 3 may be the best espresso grinder I have ever had but I am still drawn to the eg 1. It might be my desert island grinder. I have not tried the brew burrs yet. I would recommend either but also would not hesitate to get a z2 (so easy to change burr sets).
I’m a Kafatek fan, and yes they are single doze, but flat max3 + mc6 will knock it out of the park. Plus look up their origin story and how Dennis run the shop. Inspirational.
I have max 2, love it for pour over and espresso. Coming from df64, max2 changed my perspective on light roast and pour over. Now I do mostly pour over for myself.
Difference between DF something and a monolith is what is I can speak to, and it’s significant.
\- consistency- at the same number I get same results for pour over and espresso , every time, because tolerances are so tight on a high quality grinder
\- taste profile - for light roasts , all the things about clarity and different notes made no sense on df64. On Kafatek monolith flat max, the smell and flavour profile is on a different level.
\- build quality - you do get what you pay for here. There are no shortcuts.
Absolutely. Z2 looks better, is functionally better, smaller, machined better, not owned by dickheads and they actually appreciate user feedback and incorporate updates.
The angle creates more problems than it solves, which is my biggest hatred with the fucking flat max. Also it's less fun to use, shit always gets stuck in either the top hopper lip or the actual lower hopper or shards of popcorning sprayed everywhere in the lower hopper, and fines glommed up in the exit chute and along the burr edges. I just fail to see why anyone thinks it's so great for espresso anyway. There's less of these issues with filter coffee grinding. Vertical mounted burrs with horizontal feeds are so much more superior, it's just all those frustrations are not visible, they're down in the grind chamber. A few smacks of the top of the hopper tends to push most of it out. The baffles don't work worth a damn on the flat max
I have the flat max with SW burrs and it's a pretty big disappointment for espresso and filter methods. I am thinking about buying the LM burrs or EKB burrs.
I've searched far and wide and I cannot find a single user account of comparing SW to LM burrs. I know Hoffman had a Max with SW burrs but I don't think I've ever seen him even mention having/tasting coffee from LM burrs before. And I know for sure in a video where BQ tried the LM, CR, and I think SSP brew burrs, there were comments saying they'd let him try their SW burrs but still have never seen a BQ video or comment of his saying he eventually tried the SW burrs. So I'm going to assume they BQ probably either never tried it, or he did and definitely didn't like it to the LMs or CRs, otherwise there would be some sort of documented footage or comments about it.
Absolutely. Z2 looks better, is functionally better, smaller, machined better, not owned by dickheads and they actually appreciate user feedback and incorporate updates.
The angle creates more problems than it solves, which is my biggest hatred with the fucking flat max. Also it's less fun to use, shit always gets stuck in either the top hopper lip or the actual lower hopper or shards of popcorning sprayed everywhere in the lower hopper, and fines glommed up in the exit chute and along the burr edges. I just fail to see why anyone thinks it's so great for espresso anyway. There's less of these issues with filter coffee grinding. Vertical mounted burrs with horizontal feeds are so much more superior, it's just all those frustrations are not visible, they're down in the grind chamber. A few smacks of the top of the hopper tends to push most of it out. The baffles don't work worth a damn on the flat max
I got the launch edition of the z1 and it performs better than any kafatek grinder or the 078 IMO. I have every 64mm burr on the market and it makes those burrs perform so much better than in the shitty ass ode or df64.
We have an EG1 and both the core and ultra burrs. The burr changing is easy but annoying when you want to drink different coffees during the day (I WFH). So right now it’s got the core burrs in for espresso and I use a C40 for pour over.
However, we placed a deposit for a Flat Max so that it becomes our dedicated espresso grinder and the EG1 for pour over with ULF.
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DF54 Series
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Great value for espresso, but clogs and poor for pour-over.
Latinpig66
