Mazzer - Philos

Mazzer Philos if your budget allows

I ended up getting the philos with I200D. Ran two shots just to get somewhere with the setting and already tastes amazing. There is enough body to keep this burr set instead of experimenting with something like SSP cast V3. Of course, acidity and sweetness are amazing on this thing, I feel I finally reached the speciality cafe level product I was looking for for years. I recommend anyone to buy a better grinder instead of the machine, I probably could have kept my modded gaggia classic.

Mazzer Philos. Bought it second hand with two sets of burrs for $1300 CAD.

That's right! That grinder is truly amazing.

I haven't tried the I200D burrs yet. I got the machine with the 189 burr set installed, and haven't changed them since. I'm driking medium roasts most of the time, and the 189 have been really good so far, but I'm tempted to switch to the 200 set over the weekend to give them a try.

This. Absolutely fantastic grinder. And you’re getting a Mazzer product. My Philos came with a little handwritten note by the person that made it in Italy. I found that a really cool little touch.

Regular hopper (Ceado) and Philos for decaf and messing around with single doses

For a different conical, gbw: Etzingeg Etzmax LM Built like a brick to last a lifetime, but not sure how good for dark roast: Philos with 189d burrs, it bests Ceado in grind quality with the 200d for medium roasts

Mazzer Philos i200d at home, Ceado E37S at the office. Both spectacular, just very different use cases.

Have owned all the grinders on your list, at one point or another. Agree that Duo might be your best bet. Ability to play with other 83mm burrs is a good hedge against future curiosity. Recommend getting second (filter) burr option, because having the extra carrier for fast(ish) swaps is nice. Cannot recommend the Eurekas. Good build, very pretty, but burrs are proprietary and the grind chamber/chute design is antediluvian. Fine for hopper base on-demand grinding, but crap for single dosing. Even with the mods (tilted base, bellows), retention is terrible. Eureka’s attempts at single-dosing focused grinders are not honest efforts. Just a new model name and superficial accessories. And their new dial is just…stupid. Still not enough ratio to overcome the thread lash in their adjustment screw. The rev counter is nice enough, but a big dial like [this](https://www.amazon.com/ARO-EspressoTM-Eureka-Mignon-Adjustments/dp/B0CLCB8VQ6/ref=asc_df_B0CLCB8VQ6) is much more effective (and not stupid looking, imho) Libra portafilter contact sensor was unreliable. I heard they fixed it, but I had given up already and moved on. When it worked, it was…ok. Weight accuracy wasn’t bad, but irrelevant because it was a hot mess of sprayed grounds. RDT absolutely necessary in my environment (20-50%RH over the year), but the extra moisture caused caking/clogging in the chute. From a taste perspective…it’s ok. Blendy, decent body, not a lot of clarity. Little unkempt and harsh. Good in milk drinks. Niches — good workflow, probably among the best, even compared against titan grinders at 5x the price. Personally, not a fan of Mazzer burrs. Harsh and bitter finish. The Zero doesn’t have any options for their 63mm conical, so you’re kinda stuck. The stock Duo espresso burr was, to me, a cleaner version of Zero profile. Other options: Mazzer Philos. The grinder itself is a bit pricey, and rumor has it that the i200D and 189D burrs are big improvements over Mazzer traditional flavor profile — but it’s a good platform for 64mm burr space, where you are spoilt for choice and the burrs are cheaper than 83mm. Hope that helps

Best "around" $1000 - Mazzer Philos IMO

This list seems somehow outdated, and is missing some important items, that are popular and offering a great value. Hand grinders: **Kingrinder K6, K2, K0, Timemore C3S, C2S** Electric: **Zerno Z1**, soon also **Z2** (80mm, now in a prototype stage), **Mazzer Philos, DF64V, Sculptor 078s,064, and Lagom 01** (although grinders with burrs larger than 83 mm is a rather niche ultra-high-end, so not sure really, if EK43, P100 and L01 make sense to be included in such a list) Also: In this list, the **Fellow Ode2** is placed in "budget-friendly", while **Fellow Opus** in "mid-range/prosumer"?? :) Ode costs almost twice as Opus, and while Ode is rather popular for manual brews, Opus is not that popular neither for brew, nor for espresso, although technically "it can do both". (edit to add) Also missing, the **DF54** low-cost electric grinder.

Espresso machines and grinders still have significant manufacturing in Italy and other western countries. None of my equipment is made in China. Mazzer, Kafatek, LA Marzocco, Elektra.