Bought our Rocky in 2009. Used every day for the past ten years, never had a problem, always a great grind. I replaced the burrs recently and it's like a new grinder again. The Rocky is twice the weight of any other grinder in the price range. No gimmicks, just solid quality parts.
Regarding adjustment, the factory instructions specifically say NOT to have the motor running while adjusting the grind setting. The design is purposefully made to be hard to activate the motor and grind adjust at the same time.
Then it's simply not possible to go from courser to finer unless you first clear the machine of beans. That's definitely a con. But I agree with Gail, despite those cons it's a tank of a grinder that does a really good job for its price.
+1 on Gail's comment about being a stepped grinder. If you want to fine tune your espresso extractions down to the gram, I would not recommend this grinder due to it being stepped. I often find myself wanting a setting between 4 and 5 to get the exact extraction I'm looking for. As another person commented I'm also getting a 270W for espresso and my Rocky will become a dedicated pour over grinder. The Rock is totally solid and I'll be keeping it for a long time, but it'll be playing a different role in the coffee gear arsenal. :)
I purchased a second-hand Rancilio Classe 6 3GRP from a guy here in Asheville, I was so impressed with the build of the Classe 6, I wanted a grinder to match. Just purchased one from your website and I am so excited to start making coffee with it!
Rancilio certainly takes these reviews seriously, since they referred me to them instead of actually helping me with my problems which are 1) the device is becoming increasingly impossible to towards the finest setting 2) Even after disasembling and realigning it, I can no longer get a fine grind for espresso. To be fair, I did for 2-3 years. Perhaps the burrs need replacement, but I don't know how to diagnose this
Helped a family member deep clean their Rocky SD... to the extent I disassembled the lower burr from the carrier to clean years of oily bean residue. After meticulously cleaning, while reassembling I noticed the upper carrier felt loose in the threads as I screwed it back in (maybe this is normal, I don't own a Rocky). Re-calibrated per SCG instructions, then tested, but between the 25 to 38 grind setting range the upper burr assembly (i.e. carrier and hopper assembled) starts slowly spinning out of setting until it settles to approx. 38 setting. It stays in place fine 38 and above or 25 and below... If I adjust the grind setting while the grinder is empty, and I set it to within that same range (25-38), when I release the adjustment button so that it's locked in a setting, you can still turn into another setting just by turning the hopper without needing to press the adjustment button, meaning it won't lock into a setting within that range. ...ever heard of this? I'm wondering if the threads are damaged?
teflon thread seal tape like the plumber uses. Wrap 1-2 turns around the threads. This fills the gap between the thrads of the upper carrier and the lower burr carrier
grounds are packing in between grinder and chute. took apart and cleaned, ran white rice through and went back to using, noticed that grounds weren't coming out, took chute off, they were packing in tunnel, had on 4 setting, raised to 14 setting still packing in tunnel, grounds will eventuality come out on the 4 setting, called Rancilio, they attributed to oilness of bean, roast, or something else. No solution other than keeping machine clean, which i had done. I suspect this happens more often than realized.Unless you remove the chute you have no idea.
Purchased this item after watching this review and i must say I am not disappointed. I felt like i know the machine inside out thanks to great videos that you have put out.
good grinder! I have had one of theese! I would sak there are 3 major cons! 1: coffee get stuck in the shute! 2: Coffeebeans tends to always get stuck in the holes where the screws are in the finger Guard. This is annoying and could easily be fixad by Rancillio! But no! you have to pick them out with the screwdriver! before you can reach the screws! I solved it buy puttning piecies of Rubber there! 3 The thing you mentioned! Rancillio could have come up with a better solution about the power switch! Other than this, it is good!
I had one of these and couldn't wait to get rid. The steps are to course and you never quite get what you want. For the money buy a second hand mazzer to start and loads of coffee. If your going on the grinder journey it is a hard and long road. Just go stepless....you soon end up realising the grinder is the route to good espresso.
I find if I hold the step button down with one hand, and twist the hopper back and forth quickly with my other hand, I can "walk" it down to a lower setting without having to run the motor.
a couple rubber bands and a nickel made it a on off walk away grinder. beat mod I've ever done. Wish It wouldn't waste so much coffee. Grind retention is Terrible but I have done some mods to fix that but still a bit of a pain. thanks for the channel Gail 😁
Calvin Vanhofwegen I took it one step further. You can swap the wire from the momentary switch to the main power switch and whoola. The main power switch turns it off and on. Simple mod.
New Videos Every Week! Subscribe ▸ goo.gl/hRKEhR Over 100+ Crew Reviews! Watch: goo.gl/0jaOP6 Visit Us Online: www.seattlecoffeegear.com Thanks for watching all our videos folks! You're the best!
Here’s a hack to keep beans out of the screw holes in the hopper: Use foam earplugs. Roll them up & they expand nicely into the holes, and stay tight. Useful for single doses. Snip them in half and seat them flush if you’re concerned about them working loose and getting into the burrs.
It's really well-made and solid/heavy, but I have a number of complaints about this grinder. First, it won't hold a bottomless portafilter, so you always have to use two hands, which is annoying. Also, the coffee chute constantly becomes clogged up, requiring shaking or cleaning way more often than it should. The worst, though, is that it's insanely messy, spraying grinds every direction and the 'catcher tray' is hot garbage -- the vibrations of the grinder actually shake the grinds off of the side of the catcher. The thing SCG always says is that adjusting it is annoying but I found that to be a non-issue -- focus instead on the shortcomings that make this one of the most high maintenance grinders I've seen. Fantastic engineering on this grinder, but the design is meh.
I prefer espresso grinders with doser although I admit that electronic dosing version of the Mazzer is much better to operate than the stiff dosing lever. The reason I like it better is as you can see here in the video that the fine grinds have a lot of clumping going on and the doser breaks up these clumps.
Stefan, I believe i saw on another grinder a metal declumper that was actually inside the grinds funnel as a whole thing, kind of a zig zag pattern. Im trying to create something similar with a small wooden piece to see the results and finish it with epoxy. Maybe that will save me from buying an expensive grinder.
Hi, I would like to have your recommendations. I am looking for a grinder that will help me to make an extra-fine grind for Turkish coffee, grindings for espresso, drip and even a coarse grind for French press, thinking of homemade preparations. Would this rocky grinder consistently comply with those grindings? I am attentive to your comments and help. thanks
Hi Gail! I have a coffee collab for you ;) its kinda like Mocha but a cheat mocha Stuff you'll need: Double shot of espresso A chocolate bar (i recommend Meiji milk chocolate or dark chocolate) Something to mix with Steamed or frothed or cold milk (your choice) A mug/cup (to put the drink in) Steps: -pull a double shot of espresso, put 1 or 2 rows of chocolate -mix the two together until the chocolate has completely dissolved -top of with milk as needed (or not all hehe) This is a drink i make everytime im on the go and when i need a little bit of sweetness i hope you'll like it❤️
ok, so when I take my grinder (rocky) down to 4-5 to make my espresso (ranc silv) the drip is very, very little and slow. But I just tried it, and it was the best espresso I ever made on the machine. What can I do differently? The machine was thoroughly cleaned today so it's nothing like that
Hi, the tablet stopped moving in the middle and it became fixed to not close to the bottom or top. I don’t know what might have caused the course of the disc to wear. It was new, so I had a hard disc and found iron powder, but when the composition stops before the end
What I do to go from course to finer...I just run grinder for a few seconds, then its easier to go finer...might have to do it a couple of times...that saves from needing three hands! LOL
I cannot see the advantage on using the doserless!? A) you have one more button to operate at the front (hence you'd need 3 hands to adjust the grind) B) you never get the exact same amount of grounded coffee into your filter...
I think the main advantages are: 1. doserless is simpler and easier in terms of clean up. Doser can accumulate coffee grinds around the inner edges, and in general it's another container that you need to keep clean. 2. with the doser, the above accumulated coffee grinds can make their way into your filter with the doser. WIth the doserless, the coffee grinds exit directly into your fitler, guaranteeing a fresher batch of ground coffee. You could always weigh out how much coffee you are grinding to measure your shot. I guess it comes down to personal preference in the end.
Hi - thanks for the info- so if you only grind for what you brew are you able to change the setting with the grinder turned off, or does it have to be turning regardless?
Mine just broke down a week ago after about ten years of service. The motor is running erratically, like a broken bearing. However, I took it apart and the actual motor seems to be running OK in horizontal position, but erratically in vertical position. Strange, isn't it? The capacitor or the choke (there are two electronic parts inside) might be the reason the motor is "deregulated." I should mention that lately I had 146 Volts in my house wiring for about a week. My iMac computer, my Yamaha keyboard, guitar effects and everything else is working fine though. Does anyone know what it could be and is it worth paying for repair?
Thank you for the informative videos! If I am not using an espressomachine, but a percolator should I use a coarser grind quality than that intended for electric espressomachines? Also, is there a measurement unit for the interval steps you can choose? Lastly, do I have to adjust the ratio when using different coffee brands or does it depend on entirely different things like the bean oilyness or the roast quality for instance. Thanks.
Yes, you'll definitely want a coarse grind for a percolator, similar to French press. If too fine a grind, the coffee will taste bitter. Thanks for watching!
Hi, I have a question. Im replacing an old grinder and dont think Ill be able to invest $200 plus for a new one (family before hobbies🖒). Would I be better off having the coffee shop grind my beans with their $2000 professional grinder or would fresh ground beans with lets say a Capresso 560.01 ($70-$90) ground for every brew be better. I use a Hario v60 and go through a pound of beans every 2 weeks. what makes a bigger difference. Quality of grind or freshness.
Does it use metal gears in the gearbox? What’s the internal build quality like? I’m curious as I’m debating between this and the Baratza Virtuoso +, which uses a plastic gear and burr carrier.
i've rebuilt my sh_t virtuoso 3 times in 10 years and it was no longer producing a consistent grind after the 3rd rebuild. just get the rocky. that's what i ended up doing. it has a MUCH heavier motor and flat burrs which should last at least 10 years with twice a day grinding (and sometimes more!). do the math...twice grinding every day of the year for 10 years = 7300+ cycles. i have no concerns with the rocky's build quality and durability. in retrospect, the rocky would have been MUCH cheaper over time to own vs. the virtuoso because i probably spent $225+ in parts, plus my time rebuilding it. the only thing i would say to get in addition to the rocky would be another set of flat burrs for when you need to change them out in 10 years.
@@nhojcamI agree the build quality seems much better. My other concern is can the Rocky do consistent enough large grinds, like for drip, pour over, or french press. With enough fine range of adjustment to dial in the perfect grind.
@@BigBear-- yes, it's really the "entry level" all-in-one. i did find a way to tweak my virtuoso to get the grind i needed for espresso, however this involved shimming (recalibrating) the lower burr to get it fine enough. i had to do this on the first rebuild. i knew at that point that i was hosed to get consistent and repeatable grinds whenever i took it down to 2 for espresso. with the flat 50mm burrs on the rocky, i have NEVER had an issue with repeatability. 30 for drip brew/pourovers, 38 for french press, and 6 for espresso. unless you are running waaayyy above the recommended water pressure for espresso, the rocky is a flat-out winner. it's a bit goofy adjusting grind level when running, but that is a non-issue for me because i do not store beans in the rocky hopper. i roast coffee as a side-hustle, and have cans with valves for my personal-use coffee storage.
It's a tricky thing, but basically when you are no longer happy with the grind consistency or notice a loss of quality. If you're just grinding for espresso once or twice a day, you might get 5 years out of them. If you're grinding for drip multiple times a day, it might be 2 years. Again, totally depends on your usage.
Usually I use setting 3-4 for espresso but with my recent coffee I had to take it down to 2 - and it still brews too quickly. I've even tried to press MUCH harder without a big change and I cannot put more coffee in the filter. What's your take on that? I'm thinking it's either coffee quality or maybe something with the burrs (cleaned them a year ago)?
I've had the same issue with my Rocky and using the exact same espresso blend from the same roaster. I just started dosing up about .5 g and it seems to get the same quality shot and hit my correct time. It's very possible that the varietals are different in my coffee even though it's the "same" coffee so that could have an affect on me, but not sure about your beans.
amorbavian Also, try recalibrating. At the 0 setting my burrs touch. I once accidentally recalibrated and did not have the unit as clean as I thought which threw of the alignment. This caused me to have the same issue you are having. I recommend a toothbrush and vacuum to remove all traces of grinds before recalibrating. The Rocky is an extremely durable grinder and has given me years upon years of exceptional service. Also, I do not feel the steps are a con since a single step provides nearly no distinguishable difference in the ground. Thanks for another outstanding review Gale!!
The Rocky is just a poorly designed grinder. In addition to changing the grind setting while grinding (did Rancilio do any design testing?), the portafilter rack is set so high that when you finish grinding, the coffee is above the bottom of the spout; hence, when you remove the portafilter, coffee is knocked off all over the counter (did Rancilio do any design testing?). A reputable company would redesign the rack and send new ones out to their customers.
I'm actually upgrading from a rocky to a 270W. Multiple people have said that the Sette is even better than a mazzer mini or Super Jolly. The way the burrs are set up it creates so much less clumping which is one of the biggest issues I have with my Rocky.
Baratza's build quality is sketchy. I'm looking at this to replace my thrice failed Preciso. Reviews mirror not only my experience with the Preciso, but with all of Baratza's models.
Dark roasts tend to do this because roasting to “dark” brings out the oil in the bean. Clean the machine THOROUGHLY and try using a lighter roast. Clumping not seen in cheaper machines because they generally are not capable of producing such VERY FINE GRINDS.
Bought our Rocky in 2009. Used every day for the past ten years, never had a problem, always a great grind. I replaced the burrs recently and it's like a new grinder again. The Rocky is twice the weight of any other grinder in the price range. No gimmicks, just solid quality parts.
Regarding adjustment, the factory instructions specifically say NOT to have the motor running while adjusting the grind setting. The design is purposefully made to be hard to activate the motor and grind adjust at the same time.
Then it's simply not possible to go from courser to finer unless you first clear the machine of beans. That's definitely a con. But I agree with Gail, despite those cons it's a tank of a grinder that does a really good job for its price.
+1 on Gail's comment about being a stepped grinder. If you want to fine tune your espresso extractions down to the gram, I would not recommend this grinder due to it being stepped. I often find myself wanting a setting between 4 and 5 to get the exact extraction I'm looking for. As another person commented I'm also getting a 270W for espresso and my Rocky will become a dedicated pour over grinder. The Rock is totally solid and I'll be keeping it for a long time, but it'll be playing a different role in the coffee gear arsenal. :)
I purchased a second-hand Rancilio Classe 6 3GRP from a guy here in Asheville, I was so impressed with the build of the Classe 6, I wanted a grinder to match. Just purchased one from your website and I am so excited to start making coffee with it!
Thanks so much Gail - you are great because you are REAL - one can learn from your personal experiences! thank you for your honesty!
Rancilio certainly takes these reviews seriously, since they referred me to them instead of actually helping me with my problems which are 1) the device is becoming increasingly impossible to towards the finest setting 2) Even after disasembling and realigning it, I can no longer get a fine grind for espresso. To be fair, I did for 2-3 years. Perhaps the burrs need replacement, but I don't know how to diagnose this
Change the burrs
That enactment of the awkward adjustment at 7:10 was hilarious. I love Gail haha!
hahah Cheers!
Helped a family member deep clean their Rocky SD... to the extent I disassembled the lower burr from the carrier to clean years of oily bean residue. After meticulously cleaning, while reassembling I noticed the upper carrier felt loose in the threads as I screwed it back in (maybe this is normal, I don't own a Rocky). Re-calibrated per SCG instructions, then tested, but between the 25 to 38 grind setting range the upper burr assembly (i.e. carrier and hopper assembled) starts slowly spinning out of setting until it settles to approx. 38 setting. It stays in place fine 38 and above or 25 and below... If I adjust the grind setting while the grinder is empty, and I set it to within that same range (25-38), when I release the adjustment button so that it's locked in a setting, you can still turn into another setting just by turning the hopper without needing to press the adjustment button, meaning it won't lock into a setting within that range. ...ever heard of this? I'm wondering if the threads are damaged?
teflon thread seal tape like the plumber uses. Wrap 1-2 turns around the threads. This fills the gap between the thrads of the upper carrier and the lower burr carrier
grounds are packing in between grinder and chute. took apart and cleaned, ran white rice through and went back to using, noticed that grounds weren't coming out, took chute off, they were packing in tunnel, had on 4 setting, raised to 14 setting still packing in tunnel, grounds will eventuality come out on the 4 setting, called Rancilio, they attributed to oilness of bean, roast, or something else. No solution other than keeping machine clean, which i had done. I suspect this happens more often than realized.Unless you remove the chute you have no idea.
Purchased this item after watching this review and i must say I am not disappointed. I felt like i know the machine inside out thanks to great videos that you have put out.
After watching this review, I decided this is the grinder for me. I look forward to trying it!
good grinder! I have had one of theese! I would sak there are 3 major cons! 1: coffee get stuck in the shute! 2: Coffeebeans tends to always get stuck in the holes where the screws are in the finger Guard. This is annoying and could easily be fixad by Rancillio! But no! you have to pick them out with the screwdriver! before you can reach the screws! I solved it buy puttning piecies of Rubber there! 3 The thing you mentioned! Rancillio could have come up with a better solution about the power switch! Other than this, it is good!
I had one of these and couldn't wait to get rid. The steps are to course and you never quite get what you want. For the money buy a second hand mazzer to start and loads of coffee. If your going on the grinder journey it is a hard and long road. Just go stepless....you soon end up realising the grinder is the route to good espresso.
I find if I hold the step button down with one hand, and twist the hopper back and forth quickly with my other hand, I can "walk" it down to a lower setting without having to run the motor.
Could you please do a comparison between the Baratza Sette 270 and the Rancilio Rocky? I'm trying to decide which way to go. Thanks.
a couple rubber bands and a nickel made it a on off walk away grinder. beat mod I've ever done. Wish It wouldn't waste so much coffee. Grind retention is Terrible but I have done some mods to fix that but still a bit of a pain. thanks for the channel Gail 😁
Calvin Vanhofwegen I took it one step further. You can swap the wire from the momentary switch to the main power switch and whoola. The main power switch turns it off and on. Simple mod.
New Videos Every Week! Subscribe ▸ goo.gl/hRKEhR
Over 100+ Crew Reviews! Watch: goo.gl/0jaOP6
Visit Us Online: www.seattlecoffeegear.com
Thanks for watching all our videos folks! You're the best!
How would you judge longevity? again thank you and much LOVE
Here’s a hack to keep beans out of the screw holes in the hopper: Use foam earplugs. Roll them up & they expand nicely into the holes, and stay tight. Useful for single doses. Snip them in half and seat them flush if you’re concerned about them working loose and getting into the burrs.
Can you leave the side switch on, does it use any power in that state? Is there maybe a transformer in it or something that would consume power?
It's really well-made and solid/heavy, but I have a number of complaints about this grinder. First, it won't hold a bottomless portafilter, so you always have to use two hands, which is annoying. Also, the coffee chute constantly becomes clogged up, requiring shaking or cleaning way more often than it should. The worst, though, is that it's insanely messy, spraying grinds every direction and the 'catcher tray' is hot garbage -- the vibrations of the grinder actually shake the grinds off of the side of the catcher. The thing SCG always says is that adjusting it is annoying but I found that to be a non-issue -- focus instead on the shortcomings that make this one of the most high maintenance grinders I've seen. Fantastic engineering on this grinder, but the design is meh.
I prefer espresso grinders with doser although I admit that electronic dosing version of the Mazzer is much better to operate than the stiff dosing lever. The reason I like it better is as you can see here in the video that the fine grinds have a lot of clumping going on and the doser breaks up these clumps.
Stefan, I believe i saw on another grinder a metal declumper that was actually inside the grinds funnel as a whole thing, kind of a zig zag pattern. Im trying to create something similar with a small wooden piece to see the results and finish it with epoxy. Maybe that will save me from buying an expensive grinder.
I really like your reviews. I wish you guys would include weather the gears for the grinders are metal or plastic. Thx again for your great reviews.
it says in this review what they are made of
Would you use the Rancilio grinder to grind black pepper?
Hi, I would like to have your recommendations. I am looking for a grinder that will help me to make an extra-fine grind for Turkish coffee, grindings for espresso, drip and even a coarse grind for French press, thinking of homemade preparations. Would this rocky grinder consistently comply with those grindings? I am attentive to your comments and help. thanks
So I it worth to buy used one? How solid is the motor?
yall think this would make good espresso for manual espresso makers?
Hi Gail! I have a coffee collab for you ;) its kinda like Mocha but a cheat mocha
Stuff you'll need:
Double shot of espresso
A chocolate bar (i recommend Meiji milk chocolate or dark chocolate)
Something to mix with
Steamed or frothed or cold milk (your
choice)
A mug/cup (to put the drink in)
Steps:
-pull a double shot of espresso, put 1 or 2 rows of chocolate
-mix the two together until the chocolate has completely dissolved
-top of with milk as needed (or not all hehe)
This is a drink i make everytime im on the go and when i need a little bit of sweetness i hope you'll like it❤️
Yum! A chocolate bar mocha! Thanks!
ok, so when I take my grinder (rocky) down to 4-5 to make my espresso (ranc silv) the drip is very, very little and slow. But I just tried it, and it was the best espresso I ever made on the machine. What can I do differently? The machine was thoroughly cleaned today so it's nothing like that
Same here! Just got the combo yesterday, I guess you need to make the grind less fine?
I usually have to bring a brush inside the chute to get the remaining grounds... is this an unavoidable problem?
Hi, the tablet stopped moving in the middle and it became fixed to not close to the bottom or top. I don’t know what might have caused the course of the disc to wear. It was new, so I had a hard disc and found iron powder, but when the composition stops before the end
Great redux. :) Any chance of seeing a CR comparison of the Rocky and Sette?
Thanks for watching! We can certainly make that happen! Stay tuned
Sweet. :) Looking forward to it.
What I do to go from course to finer...I just run grinder for a few seconds, then its easier to go finer...might have to do it a couple of times...that saves from needing three hands! LOL
Great tip! Thanks Kay!
That's what I do too. Run it a bit, adjust it a bit, run it a bit, adjust it a bit. After a while it becomes easier to adjust.
So can it go Turkish fine at the finest level?
I cannot see the advantage on using the doserless!?
A) you have one more button to operate at the front (hence you'd need 3 hands to adjust the grind)
B) you never get the exact same amount of grounded coffee into your filter...
I think the main advantages are:
1. doserless is simpler and easier in terms of clean up. Doser can accumulate coffee grinds around the inner edges, and in general it's another container that you need to keep clean.
2. with the doser, the above accumulated coffee grinds can make their way into your filter with the doser. WIth the doserless, the coffee grinds exit directly into your fitler, guaranteeing a fresher batch of ground coffee.
You could always weigh out how much coffee you are grinding to measure your shot. I guess it comes down to personal preference in the end.
Hi - thanks for the info-
so if you only grind for what you brew are you able to change the setting with the grinder turned off, or does it have to be turning regardless?
Always love these videos. Well done. (p.s. Perhaps there should be a special "SCG Blend" we can buy....:)
What grind is it for French press
Mine just broke down a week ago after about ten years of service. The motor is running erratically, like a broken bearing. However, I took it apart and the actual motor seems to be running OK in horizontal position, but erratically in vertical position. Strange, isn't it? The capacitor or the choke (there are two electronic parts inside) might be the reason the motor is "deregulated." I should mention that lately I had 146 Volts in my house wiring for about a week. My iMac computer, my Yamaha keyboard, guitar effects and everything else is working fine though. Does anyone know what it could be and is it worth paying for repair?
I have this pricey Rancilio Rocky coffee grinder; are the oily coffee beans Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger acceptable for it, for espresso setting?
Is it possible to use something like oats instead of Grindz to clean the grinder? Grindz are too expensive here in Norway.
What setting# would be good for the bialetti?
Manual stated emphatically not to adjust grind size while running. Contrary to video. Any comments?
which number is best for french press?
Brett Lancaster 40 is pretty good. Or higher
Love my rocky
Thank you for the informative videos!
If I am not using an espressomachine, but a percolator should I use a coarser
grind quality than that intended for electric espressomachines? Also, is there a
measurement unit for the interval steps you can choose? Lastly, do I have to
adjust the ratio when using different coffee brands or does it depend on
entirely different things like the bean oilyness or the roast quality for instance.
Thanks.
Yes, you'll definitely want a coarse grind for a percolator, similar to French press. If too fine a grind, the coffee will taste bitter. Thanks for watching!
Hi, I have a question. Im replacing an old grinder and dont think Ill be able to invest $200 plus for a new one (family before hobbies🖒). Would I be better off having the coffee shop grind my beans with their $2000 professional grinder or would fresh ground beans with lets say a Capresso 560.01 ($70-$90) ground for every brew be better.
I use a Hario v60 and go through a pound of beans every 2 weeks.
what makes a bigger difference. Quality of grind or freshness.
Hi Ryan, brewing with freshly ground beans is always the answer. At that price point, the Capresso Infinity is a great choice for pour-over.
Does it use metal gears in the gearbox? What’s the internal build quality like? I’m curious as I’m debating between this and the Baratza Virtuoso +, which uses a plastic gear and burr carrier.
i've rebuilt my sh_t virtuoso 3 times in 10 years and it was no longer producing a consistent grind after the 3rd rebuild. just get the rocky. that's what i ended up doing. it has a MUCH heavier motor and flat burrs which should last at least 10 years with twice a day grinding (and sometimes more!). do the math...twice grinding every day of the year for 10 years = 7300+ cycles. i have no concerns with the rocky's build quality and durability. in retrospect, the rocky would have been MUCH cheaper over time to own vs. the virtuoso because i probably spent $225+ in parts, plus my time rebuilding it. the only thing i would say to get in addition to the rocky would be another set of flat burrs for when you need to change them out in 10 years.
@@nhojcamI agree the build quality seems much better. My other concern is can the Rocky do consistent enough large grinds, like for drip, pour over, or french press. With enough fine range of adjustment to dial in the perfect grind.
@@BigBear-- yes, it's really the "entry level" all-in-one. i did find a way to tweak my virtuoso to get the grind i needed for espresso, however this involved shimming (recalibrating) the lower burr to get it fine enough. i had to do this on the first rebuild. i knew at that point that i was hosed to get consistent and repeatable grinds whenever i took it down to 2 for espresso. with the flat 50mm burrs on the rocky, i have NEVER had an issue with repeatability. 30 for drip brew/pourovers, 38 for french press, and 6 for espresso. unless you are running waaayyy above the recommended water pressure for espresso, the rocky is a flat-out winner. it's a bit goofy adjusting grind level when running, but that is a non-issue for me because i do not store beans in the rocky hopper. i roast coffee as a side-hustle, and have cans with valves for my personal-use coffee storage.
Your great Gale! I want a shirt with your face on it ! Lol
Hi Gail and co.! I have another question for you :-) how might I tell if the burrs on my rocky are worn/need replacing? Thank you!
It's a tricky thing, but basically when you are no longer happy with the grind consistency or notice a loss of quality. If you're just grinding for espresso once or twice a day, you might get 5 years out of them. If you're grinding for drip multiple times a day, it might be 2 years. Again, totally depends on your usage.
The sign mine needed replacing was that I needed to grind on the lowest setting (or almost the lowest).
my rocky that i just got used has a flat stainless base instead of the black with the logo on it. does that mean's it's really old?
I think so, my parents' Rocky is like that and they've had it for more than 10 years.
Usually I use setting 3-4 for espresso but with my recent coffee I had to take it down to 2 - and it still brews too quickly. I've even tried to press MUCH harder without a big change and I cannot put more coffee in the filter.
What's your take on that?
I'm thinking it's either coffee quality or maybe something with the burrs (cleaned them a year ago)?
I've had the same issue with my Rocky and using the exact same espresso blend from the same roaster. I just started dosing up about .5 g and it seems to get the same quality shot and hit my correct time. It's very possible that the varietals are different in my coffee even though it's the "same" coffee so that could have an affect on me, but not sure about your beans.
Might want to try giving the burrs another cleaning
amorbavian Also, try recalibrating. At the 0 setting my burrs touch. I once accidentally recalibrated and did not have the unit as clean as I thought which threw of the alignment. This caused me to have the same issue you are having. I recommend a toothbrush and vacuum to remove all traces of grinds before recalibrating. The Rocky is an extremely durable grinder and has given me years upon years of exceptional service. Also, I do not feel the steps are a con since a single step provides nearly no distinguishable difference in the ground. Thanks for another outstanding review Gale!!
The Rocky is just a poorly designed grinder. In addition to changing the grind setting while grinding (did Rancilio do any design testing?), the portafilter rack is set so high that when you finish grinding, the coffee is above the bottom of the spout; hence, when you remove the portafilter, coffee is knocked off all over the counter (did Rancilio do any design testing?). A reputable company would redesign the rack and send new ones out to their customers.
Mine puts out clumpy grinds just like Gail's
the clumping is just due to the way the coffee exits the grinder vs the eureka mignon for example. this is really a non-issue.
can I use it to make flour?
I love my Rocky grinder but my chute has cracked 😭
Oh no!
Happened to mine too after about 10 years. Finding replacement parts for this tank is no problem. That's a big pro if you ask me!
since the arrival of Sette at same price point, i dont think anyone will now go for rancilio grinder
I'm actually upgrading from a rocky to a 270W. Multiple people have said that the Sette is even better than a mazzer mini or Super Jolly. The way the burrs are set up it creates so much less clumping which is one of the biggest issues I have with my Rocky.
Me, too.
not the same price point,the sette costs 650 euros vs the rocky 250 euros...
What if they want to make French press from time to time?
Baratza's build quality is sketchy. I'm looking at this to replace my thrice failed Preciso. Reviews mirror not only my experience with the Preciso, but with all of Baratza's models.
RRG
Rocky
Road
Gravel XD
This is the most Non ergonomic device I’ve ever seen
it's so clumpy on the fine settings, that's the main thing i don't like about it
it shouldn't be!?
Using the finer settings, the grounded coffee comes out like talc powder.
Dark roasts tend to do this because roasting to “dark” brings out the oil in the bean.
Clean the machine THOROUGHLY and try using a lighter roast.
Clumping not seen in cheaper machines because they generally are not capable of producing such VERY FINE GRINDS.
Duct tape the gear switcher first or get a friend to help you :)
Gail, where is Katt!? It's not the same without you and Katt. = (
A very poor grinder. Returned it after one use.