Duo

When I had a Niche Zero I almost bought a Fellow Ode with the SSP Burrs for brew usage. Got a Niche Duo instead just to keep the counter tidier.

I have the Niche Duo and Niche Zero. I use the Duo for filter, Zero for espresso. I like them both. 🤷‍♂️

As a niche duo owner, big fat NO on it. I even switched to SSP MP, which improved the taste, but the retention is horrible. You have to shake it, bump it, and pull every move possible to get the last gram or two out.

I have owned the following burr grinders, in order: Breville Barista Express built-in, Niche Zero, DF64, Niche Duo. Currently, I use the Niche Zero and Duo, only, with the former servicing my decaf, and the latter servicing my regular. My only brew method is espresso (on a simple garagist-built E61 machine). My main method of puck prep (for my own drinks) is a blind shaker and tamping. Sometimes I use an OCD, if my blind shaker dump is clumsy, even though it seems to mitigate the benefits). My first-gen DF64, despite regular cleaning, is highly self-fouling, and just will not stay in operation, so I stopped using it. At one point, I had all three. I have not tried the gen 2, but I appreciate that it does fix some of the most obnoxious design flaws of the original. As far as delivery of coffee grounds for delicious espresso, I think all three grinders are highly capable. My favorite of the three is the Niche Zero, for a number of reasons. Although its medium-size conical burr does give higher grind variability than the bigger flat burr, the difference is not highly perceptible in espresso. It runs quietly. It's reliable. It doesn't take up much space. It's visually-pleasing. It's easy to work with. The cost is high, but it is not a bad value for money. The glaring weakness is the funnel size not being big enough to fill a pour-over basket. This isn't a problem for me, but the Duo does solve the problem. (However, it's not why I got the Duo.) Unfortunately, while it solves some problems, and offers marginally more uniform grind results, the Duo is louder, takes up more space, costs more money, and for my brew method, delivers a slightly better result, but it's on the verge of imperceptible. The original DF64 was awful to use. Big footprint. Heavy. Loud. Extremely messy. Cheap-feeling parts, and a start-stop switch in the worst possible place for comfort. So, Gen 2 fixes those things and still delivers a really nice flat burr grinder at a price below, or near, the Niche Zero. Sounds great to me; I wouldn't refuse to buy it out of arbitrary loyalty, but I don't need a fourth grinder right now. This is not so for pour-over people (which I'm not) but if your brew method is immersion or espresso, then, at or above the quality of the Niche Zero or DF64, good use of the grinder (i.e. dial-in, puck prep, brew recipe) matters more than the differences in the grinder itself. So, my advice is to choose based upon what you want to operate, look at, listen to, and are willing to take the time to learn to master. That's more important than this brand versus that brand, or what type of burr. But, overall, my workflow experience with the Niche Zero was far more enjoyable and "joyful" than it was with the OG DF64; I would expect the Gen 2 DF64 to be an improvement. I wouldn't discourage anyone from getting one. I would encourage anyone to focus more on *the way that you use it*.

This, my gen 2 Ode makes fantastic v60/switch, Aromaboy and Aeropress brews. I also have a Niche Duo with both sets of burrs, the filter burrs are better than the ode, but not £500 better.

I got Micra, Niche Duo and Eureka Specialita. I had the Specialita for a few years and upgraded to Niche recently, which is really great for medium/light roasts. I love the fact that I can use different roasts whenever I feel like, rather than waiting to finish the hopper.

For espresso? It will slightly muddle everything which makes dial in a bit easier. So ... nothing much. For pourover? Its espresso grinder with ungodly fines production. Regardless of burrs, the coffee lacks clarity.

Niche makes a very approachable cups ... but for me, that defeats the purpouse of flat burrs and pourover. As for the DF, I will put it like this. People sometimes ask me, what 3D printer thay should buy. And I will ask them if they want a tool or project. DF is more on the project side of things.