Lagom 01

Haha, I appreciate the check in. I’ve noticed light espresso can be polarizing! I’ve been blessed to have a coffee shop with a EK43 and a Lagom 01, so I have been able to experience some really crazy espresso, even from beans thst really should not have a shot pulled from them. You’re spot on though, light espresso is a whole other ball park. A shot of good Kenyan can taste like juice!

Lagom 01, wanted an amazing single dosing grinder and it ticked all the boxes (after having looked at basically everything out there for unhealthy amounts of time). Cost 2.650 USD plus some additional 250 in shipping. Love it, it produces amazing coffee and the workflow is just brilliant. Also love the fact that my burrs are at least 4mm wider than yours 😉

Yeah, I don’t think switching between different drippers gets you all that much in cup quality (unless you, like some, prefer immersion or hybrid recipes over straight percolation, in which case the Hario Switch is a nice upgrade). On the high quality coffee front, I think there’s a meaningful step beyond ‘top roasters’ to ‘preferred varieties from preferred producers’. On the electric grinder front, from personal experience, I think you’d see a difference in the cup with a Timemore 078 or Lagom 01. Whether you prefer it depends on your preferences.

In that budget range - you’re not getting a one to “rule them all” grinder. Having gone to the extreme and having bought almost every high end grinder on the market (EG-1, Lagom 01, M98V, SDRM, EK43, etc) and multiple burrs for most - the only “rule them all” grinder I think can even fall into that space is the Lagom 01 with 102HU burrs. It does spro extremely well (modern spro to flat 9 bar), and if dialed in properly for pour over -it’s among the best of the best. It has a tremendously high ceiling, and the pre-crushing system makes in far more versatile, as at low RPM’s you get a dynamic and more bimodal grind and at higher RPM’s the PCS works better and you get a more uniform and focused cup. For PO - the best way to describe it is that it has a Pietro profile on steroids. It’s not at all like the 80ULF, 98 brew, etc - but has the big peaks and valleys and long finish like the Pietro, just noticeably clearer, more separated and louder. The Lagom 01 is also the only grinder I have used where switching from PO to Spro back and forth is not only feasible, but downright issue free. It takes 2 seconds to rotate the dial between PO and Spro settings, and there is zero retention, so if you pull Spro, then move to PO settings, you aren’t getting fines in your cup left over from the Spro grinding. That said - after shipping, but the time it’s all said and done, it’s a $3k grinder.

I drink mostly clean washed ultra light coffees. There is no need to save up and get a more expensive grinder than an M01. A well dialed M01 cup is extremely close to as good as my $4.6k EG-1 or $3k Lagom 01. In fact at that same coffee meetup, there was a Lagom 01 with 102 SSP brew burrs and someone broke out a $600/lb coffee and asked to use the M01 to brew it for the group instead of the Lagom 01. The coffee on the M01 was sensational. Buy an expensive electric grinder because you either want a very specific profile (which you’d only know by tasting it) or because you just want a really cool, well made power tool. Don’t buy it expecting materially better coffee.

I have a Lagom 01 with both 102 brews and 102HU burrs. The 102HU burr makes amazing pour over, it has the profile of a Pietro on steroids. The 102 brew has a cleaner profile - less complex and not as long as a finish as the Hu, but it’s impossible to call one of them better than the other for pour over - they’re just very different. I can also build pressure with the 102 brew burrs for espresso - so it certainly could be used for espresso as well. In my personal opinion - the 102HU is among the top ~5 high clarity pour over brews on the market, full stop. I would also say, that at least for my palate - the 102HU is the most impressive high clarity burr for espresso (and soup especially) available today. It is worth noting if you do a little research, you’ll see comments on home barista and other sources about the development of the 102HU burr - and Option O was having a hard time naming it, so they went with HU, and while it is similar to the 98HU which is designed for espresso, the 102HU was specifically tweaked to be an Omni burr - so it is designed to be more uniform. I have also found that with the right RPM (6-7 on the dial) the PCS system works especially well, and the brews are noticeably clearer to the extent that some folks I know who run the 102HU for pour over keep the RPM around setting 3 to make it LESS uniform as they prefer the more complex (yet still mega clear) cup from two more well defined grind peaks. There is such a thing as a grinder being TOO clear, and some would call the cups sterile and less exiting - but on the flip side, there are folks who like that profile. It’s all personal preference as well as the types of coffees you enjoy. I personally prefer the 102 brews for pour over, but it’s only a slight edge. The 102HU is outstanding, and in my opinion the best Omni burr on the market.

Lagom 01 with 102HU burrs, simply because I have a Decent Espresso machine - and the 102HU burrset is the only one I’ve used that can do both S-tier espresso and pour over, and is simple and effortless to switch between spro and PO settings.

Buying a Z2 over a Lagom 01 for the same money is crazy. One burr (SSP 102HU) on the Lagom 01 and you have S-tier pour over and espresso. It has a better workflow, cleaner operation, and it’s rated for commercial use and has been used in demanding commercial environments for years - so it’s battle tested. The Lagom 01 is also the official Brewers championship grinder. I have the two easiest grinders on the market to change burrs on, the EG-1 and the Varia VS6 (5 min change on the EG-1, sub 2 min on the VS6) and despite having multiple burrs for each - you’re basically going to just find one burr you like and leave it in the machine, so burr change ease is somewhat moot. In the “one grinder and one burr to rule them all” segment - the Lagom reigns supreme. The 102HU would be my first choice and the Mizen my distant second. My .02 - figure out the burr you want/need for your use case - then buy a good grinder than runs it. Worry less about the grinder and more about the burr you think you want. Based on what you’re saying, it’s 102HU. I have the Lagom 01, EG-1, Kafatek M98V, Max 2 and SDRM along with more than a dozen others (including an 078) - and if I could only have one grinder to do everything, without hesitation it would be the 01 with 102HU burrs. I would argue the 102HU is THE best high clarity espresso burr on the market, and in the top 5 pour over burrs. Mega impressive.

Mizen is a different burr than the 102HU - they are the two standard options for the Lagom 01. The Mizen is more of a general all rounder and isn’t as clear, focused, sharp and acidic as the 102HU option. It’s still very clear - but it is more laid back. With water dialing, the right brew method and grind size - you can make either burr sweet, but the 102 Mizen will be more so. For that matter though - the P80 grinder at $1500 with the stock 80 Mizen burr actually sounds like it might be the best fit. It’s a very solid 80mm grinder for around the price of the Z1 - and with that one burr will do espresso and pour over very well. It certainly has a better workflow than the Z1, Z2 or Philos - and it has a much smaller footprint than any of those three options or the Lagom 01.

SCRv3v2 in the M98V - however it really depends on the particular coffee. It’s not my favorite for Ethiopians for instance, but for Gesha’s and PB’s it’s spectacular. It’s worth noting though - the 102HU is extraordinary, and a Lagom 01 with that burr is nearly 1/2 the cost of an M98V after shipping and config costs. If tomorrow I only had the 01 with 102HU burrs as my only pour over and spro grinder, I wouldn’t feel any fomo.

I was kind of on your journey before and decided to go with 01 102OM burr thinking it could do both, and it's quite good for espresso but left a lot to be desired for pour over then my mate gave me mavo phantox pro (a hand grinder) to try out and that's been my endgame pour over grinder since if i were you though, I'd go with a brew burr or whatever 64mm version that is most suitable for pour over and be quite content with it from P64 onwards you'll get marginal improvement but double, triple or quadruple the price you'll get much more enjoyment from buying better and/or different coffee than chasing gears

Single dose. They don’t make them anymore but this is the new model https://www.option-o.com/shop/p/lagom-01

The 80mm Ultra/DB-2 and SSP Brew are probably not options if you want normal espresso. Probably ok for turbo/soup... Forgetting about which grinders for a second...Having a single grinder sounds like a good idea but it rarely is...The workflow sort of sucks and you're likely compromising somewhat. There are burrs in 64mm and 80mm that can do both fairly well...and if you enjoy those profiles, I think that's great...that's the only time I'd really consider it. So for example, if you like the Mizen Omni profiles for both espresso and filter, that's a great consideration for all in one a good example is the Lagom01. A lot of people like the 102 Omni for filter and espresso...some people want something else. If you like MPv2s for both, that's another great option. If you want 80mm Ultra, all in one probably isn't a great option. So first thing is decide (if you know) which profile you really want and if you're willing to compromise. I'd prioritize filter since that's what you do...everyone thinks they'll get into espresso...but once (If) you do there will be new things out there or maybe you swap burrs out and this grinder you're going to buy will do that and you'll find a new filter toy. Use your budget (or most of it) for something now. If I'm buying for filter only right now...and if I'm itching to get Ultras or Brews...I'd definitely think P80 since I can get it sooner....I'd also consider the Bookoo but that requires some waiting and it is an unknown. Z2 is great as well but it exceeds your budget and you'll have to wait. If I'm deadset on an all in one...P80 with Omni. Lagom 01 (above your budget). Zerno Z1 with MPv2. P64 with Omni (probably need to buy used). Another option is to go cheap on the filter grinder and get something very good..the A4Z is a good price and a good grinder. Save your money for an espresso grinder later on but this comes back to, will you ever do espresso? Will you always be wondering what things might be like with a different grinder?