IMPORTANT: If you see an ad on UA-cam for a site selling this grinder for a very low price: IT IS A SCAM! Please report the ad if you can. (Sorry to make the pinned comment about this, but it is a real issue)
It is beautiful, it's like watching a little adorable robot from a pixar movie. You should be proud, James tend to dislike everything ha ha, this product of yours gave me hope again :)
Yep. At first I was "okay nice grinder", but every single new video it's right there on camera and it makes me think that if James Hoffman himself is using one months and months after review without ever mentioning it - it must be one hell of a good grinder :D
@@Reynevan100 It looks very nice (on video), it's compact so it's it doesn't take up much space in frame and is easy to move around, it's good and consistent, it has very little retention and it's an British brand, I'm sure that means something to him as well.
I got my Niche Zero recently and came back to watch this, it's worth noting that since the release of this video, Niche have addressed the "popcorning" issue by adding a little plate over the burrs inside the coffee funnel, it prevents beans from popping back out and works quite well!
Just to mention, "pop-corning" is promptly addressed by the Niche - they have now NFC disks. And I just had an update, that states: "All new orders will include the NFC disk pre-fitted." Great work Niche! I'm more than happy to support manufacturers, that listen to the problems of their customers!
I was one of the first 100 Indiegogo backers and from forum traffic late in 2018 probably the 2nd person to receive theirs once the 'perk' was 'fulfilled' hence I have about 9 months using the Niche now (and previously used Macap, Mazzer and Ceado grinders through many years). Good balanced review and echoes that it isn't designed for machine-gunning dosed shots to a queue of customers in the commercial world, simply a superb, low-priced (by coffee equipment standards!) grinder that handles home made espresso, moka-pot, cafetiere and brewed coffee and happily partners with high-end kit. I agree on the popcorning and unless/until a lid with an additional insert is introduced my simple fix has been to use the clear plastic lid of a Pringles carton on the beans reducing the distance those splinters can travel and stopping any from falling outside the edge of the lid :-)
I wish i could recreate this guys passion levels. If he hates or loves anything to do with coffee he just shows incredible passion for his trade. Probably one of the reasons he is so successful.
I love my Niche. It is a gorgeous machine that just works. I also love that most of the issues here have been resolved. The anti-popcorn disk is genius and works like a charm. You can now have a flat burr set, if you wish. More colours are available. We understand how to repeatably grind coarser for pour-over/filter methods. Sure, my grinder cost ~3x the price of my espresso machine, but I'm good with that too.
Sorry, unrelated comment: I sat down to watch this in my studio. Halfway through the video my assistant (who's never seen one of James' videos) walks in and goes "Oooooh my gosh what a soothing voice! I could listen to this guy ALL DAAAAAAAAY!" 😂
Yes.....agree re the soothing voice. @jameshoffman ....I don't want to imply that you send me to sleep but I find if I watch one of your videos just before bedtime.....I get to sleep really quickly!
Placing a portafilter BACKFLUSH DISK upside down on top of the beans will minimize the popcorn effect. Been using mine for 6 months now and love it. Sold my K10 Barista Pro and never looked back. Because I don't have to sweep out the grinder and double weigh the grinds, the speed to make a shot is much faster. The price point is stunning for the build quality and taste performance.
I do the same... pour the beans into the funnel, invert a blind portafilter basket over the beans, start the Niche. No muss, no fuss, no popcorning beans dancing about. I am very happy with my Niche Zero.
@@Cenot4ph The Sette range of grinders have a cover that you can rotate into place. It's not intended for this purpose, it's intended to prevent the beans from falling out the bottom if you remove the hopper, but it handles that well, just as long as you close it as soon as the beans allow you to. I suspect that any grinder with an equivalent feature is probably going to be able to do that.
I have one of these. It has been with me this last year. Im very happy with it. It is my first grinder. Sometimes I have problems with the adjustment but nothing serious. It is small, minimalist, not noisy, ... what else. Love it. It fits perfectly in my small kitchen.
My best investment in coffee gear by far. 350GBP when published on Indigogo bought me a considerable upgrade from my Mazzer Mini E. No need to waste coffee, dialing for Turkish and then back to espresso with no purge at all, easy to clean and usable when grinding directly into the Portafilter using a funnel. Probably the last grinder I will ever need.
They fixed the popcorning problem by adding this: "The Niche Flow Control Disc is a simple after-market installation for first generation Niche Zero grinders. Please note that current Niche Zero models come with the Niche Flow Control Disc pre-installed. The small (40mm), clear disc is made from food grade polycarbonate. When installed into the bean funnel, the Niche Flow Control Disc prevents 'pop-corning' - coffee beans jumping around the funnel prior to being fully fed into the burrs. Because the Niche Flow Control Disc feeds beans into the burrs at a steady pace the grind consistency is also improved."
I had watched your terrific review of the Niche Zero and after a year I decided to purchase one of the new black models. I have become a mad scientist checking on the retention levels of the Niche using different coffee beans and grind sizes. I can honestly say the retention level isn’t “amazing small” It as become a non issue. I have never had anything larger than two tenths of a gram. And in a Great majority of measurements, it’s one tenth or zero retention. I do have a method to keep it this low, and I find it simple. +++Just tap on the top of Niche with some exuberance a few times.+++ I
I took the risk during the preorder phase and have been using mine for a while now. What didn't get mentioned (directly) is the ability to change between espresso and filter coffee. The dialing stays the same, so if it was 17 for espresso, it's going to be 17 later as well, even if you do filter coffee in between. I do this adjustment almost daily, morning coffee through Moccamaster and later during the day some other variety (cappuccino usually).
Hey just wanna ask, what dial setting are you using for filter coffee(take v60 for example)? I cant seem to find a right setting for it. Had been getting a heavier bodied coffee with this grinder, which I dont prefer. So just wanna understand the preference on everyone’s filter setting.
Michael Burman hi I really want to order this Grinder but the whole contribution buying phase scares the hell out of me, in the small print it says many times that there is no guarantee you will get it, how did you pluck up the courage to put the money down do you think it’s a risk worth taking, and do you think when they start selling this properly it will be much more expensive? Would love to hear your thoughts
@@dylanthedyslexicvillain4294 I think you better contact Niche Coffee for that one, but I assumed at this point it's a guaranteed buy already (it's no longer preorder).
Using it for about a year now and I'm impressed. Great for using if you try different beans for espresso as it's quick to dial in. Pour over can be a bit tricky, especially with the marks going up to 50 but sometimes I need to go past the marks for a coarser grind (especially for larger batches and especially for cold drip/cold brew). But overall really good!
I found this channel quite unexpectedly, and have to say that I absolutely love it. Not only is the content informative, but the presentation style is so neat and cohesive that I believe absolutely every word I heard. Really well done!
Great video! This is how you do the second marker for anyone that is interested. 1: Set the grinder to 50. 2: With grinder set to 50 put A SECOND mark at 0 (I just used a blob of tippex).
3: You should now have 2 markers; the original marker at 50 and a second (tippex) marker at 0.
4: now set the second (tippex) marker to 20 (for reference the original marker will be around the back of the dial around where the allen key socket is). With this technique I set the Niche to around 65 for V60. I've also been using the 4:6 V60 method which needs a slightly coarser grind and for that I'm set around 80. I've had mine from launch, love it, great tasting coffee, really easy to use and switches between filter and espresso without a problem.
Early adopter & it's a terrific grinder - use it with my ACS Vesuvius machine. To avoid 'popcorning' I place the plastic top of a Pringles can over the beans. Close lid, flick switch & job done. Simple!
I am a happy nice grinder zero user for about almost a year right now. I am so happy to see this review which i am quite totally agree with. I use this grinder especially for filter coffee and I have to say I have always pleaseant results. As for the pop corning i do the same thing some other did, I stop for a second and turn on again. Other interesting aspect, especially compared to the encore is that is less noisy (i don't know if you thought the same). Beautiful design, easy to take away with you. A beautiful indie gogo story this time. The only issue (talking from Italy) is the price; for home use in Italy people thought that this grinde is just too expensive. But I think we will hear always more about the guys from Niche! Thanks for the video!
Hi Lucas. I just ordered my Niche through Indigo. Should arrive to my home in Austin, TX be the end of the month. I do not make espressos. I make Chemex and French press. What settings do you use? Will this machine do a consistent coarse enough grind? I'm currently using Baratza Virtuoso+. Also, It seems the burr on the Niche is of much higher quality than the Baratza. Thanks so much.
@@jacobpetersen5662 no problem at all! You can rotate as much as you want to go coarser on coarser and the consistency is really really good (i use chemex too). The burr quality is very good and the grinder is much more silent compared to other :)
@@CoffeeAndLucas At 63mm, the price is unbelievable Affordable I think. The 42 on my Baratza Virtuoso lacks a tiny bit for me. I'm hoping the Niche to be a tad more consistent in its grinds. I just ordered it this morning through Indigo. SUPER stoked! Thanks for the quick reply Lucas. Glad to hear I'll be good with the Chemex and French press.
I think I watched this video at least 5 times since it came out ... My old Grinder died this week and I knew I wanted to get an upgrade but wasn't sure if the Niche Zero was right for me. But thank you James for including this product in a lot of videos, made the decision real easy, I just bought one an hour ago.
Acquired it in the late summer of 2021. Arrived around the end of November and ever since it transformed my overall enjoyment of espresso drinks into a small home barista art. If I was to look to complain about something, since there is nothing obvious, is the fact it is still sold only in white and black color versions. I currently own one in US but have an intent to get at least one more for other locations where we are fortunate to have a kitchen equipped with an espresso machine. Just a great piece of machinery at a reasonable price for what it delivers....oh and by the way Niche has addressed the "popcorning" issue by adding a little plate over the burrs inside the coffee funnel, so lucky for me, I didn't have that negative experience at all.
8:52 Thank you so much for making a point of this. For months, I've been questioning the reliability of my hand grinder for producing variable sizes. But the "popcorning" makes complete sense in how the final result will end up. Great work as always James!
This is a year later so you may be doing something else by now, but I've started double-grinding with my hand grinder (set at a slightly larger size because most of the chunky pieces will get ground smaller in the second pass) and it's made a surprising difference for the better in the grind consistency I'm getting out of it. Bonus is that it smooths put most of the popcorned pieces coz they tend to go in first on the second pass.
I love watching your videos, man. Sometimes I'm stressed and need to escape and your detailed, interesting, and original content (on topics that completely diverge from my daily life) is just perfect sometimes.
Hello James For the popcorning issue, they actually fixed it by adding a part called Niche Flow Control Disc. You can buy it for $10 I think. Thank you for your review, I wish I can afford to buy this coffee grinder one day.
@@StePayne1983 popcorning isnt the issue, its the inconsistency created by having the last few beans popcorn. the disk makes the flow consistent so even if the beans bounce they are all flowing into the burrs at the same rate making a better overall shot.
@@demoniack81 It's free the $10 is for shipping it. Also the disk is included since Feb. How do you figure it's over priced compared to what else is on the market? Or are burr grinders in general out of your price range?
@@durkadur27 I'm not even taking blade grinders into account, they seem horrible to me and if you don't want to buy a burr grinder you may as well just buy preground coffee. Point is you can buy decent conical burr grinders for 100-160€ (Graef CM702, CM800) and excellent ones for 250-350€ (Baratza 30, Baratza 270); I'm sure there's many other good ones I'm leaving out. The only trick the Niche has up its sleeve is the low retention, which is just a function of how the grinder is angled and doesn't justify this massive price hike with anything other than "because we can". Is that really worth 200 to 400€? I don't know Rick, seems overpriced to me, but maybe it's just me. 10$ to ship something that comfortably fits many times over in a 1€ envelope is still ridiculous, especially considering that it came out to fix a design flaw in a supposedly premium product that costs *550€.* It should have been free of charge.
I've been using mine for almost a year now. I roast my own coffee and I have 40 origins with maybe 8 to 10 'on the go' at a time. To get my target of 18.6g of beans, 25 second pour, 25g of pour with 9 bar on the pressure dial I have a grind setting for each bean. I thought initially that I would have to keep adjusting those numbers whenever I changed anything, like clean the grinder, re-zero the calibration etc. But in fact the repeatability is so good that I have exactly one number for each bean (15 through 22) and that number remains accurate over different roasts, over cleaning and re-calibrating, and if I grind 9.3 grams each of two beans or 6.2 grams each of three different beans, I can grind each with its own number and get absolute repeatability. If I grind a bean one number too high (or too low) I will see the pressure go above 9 bar (or below), and the pour will be slower (or quicker). If I combine two beans and grind them with a number which is the average for the two beans things go slightly out of kilter: It depends which bean gets into the PF first, the too coarse or the too fine. Easiest just to grind each bean separately - unless of course they have the same grind number. Luckily there are a lot of '17' beans. Coming from a cheaper grinder (the Rancilio Rocky) I absolutely love the precision and repeatability and the zero retention. The Rocky lasted me 13 years but has around 3g to 5g of retention. The NZ has negligible retention. I used to just use 'one scoop' with the Rocky and weighing accurately would not increase 'repeatability' of the pour very much. Now I see a repeatable difference in the pour between 18.2g and 18.6g of beans (Equivalent to about 0.5 in grind setting). Never going back!
Hi Patrick! Retention aside how would you rate the grind quality of the niche zero in comparison with your old rancilio rocky? Do you also use the niche zero for pour over? If yes, what’s your feedback?
Thanks for the review. I was an early backer on Indiegogo and have had the Niche Zero for months. I really wanted the (near) zero retention and this grinder has been great. Grind adjustment is so easy, and its quiet.
Steve Frankel I would really like to buy this product but to be honest the whole backer payment thing scares the hell out of me it says in the small print that you’re not guaranteed to receive the product how did you pluck up the courage to put the money down? And do you think when this comes to market properly it will be much more expensive? Would really love to hear your thoughts thanks
@@dylanthedyslexicvillain4294 Its in Full Production now. Way past the risky stage. They have shipped thousands of units already. No known issues so far. Best addition to my set up, ever...
I'm thinking about buying this grinder for a long time. For now, I have too many other spendings, but I hope to be able to buy this within next year or so. I chose this one because I want to have one grinder for both: filtered coffee and espresso. Niche has easy grind adjustment and in addition, it's quite small. It's nice to hear your words of approval as I know your reviews are always honest and well thought.
Sounds like my favourite Sunday morning! - make it (real) Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and a perfectly soft-boiled goose egg (7 minutes from boiling or 11 from cold) and you have reached perfection!
Love mine, filter coffee brewed with is comparable to good hand grinders, knock etc. You need to go past coarse setting for chemex and perhaps v60 coffee dose dependent
So I used to be a barista at Martin's local shop. They would come to our cuppings and we'd have at length discussions about what we did and didn't like about grinders from our mythos and ek to the more traditional home ones. One day they brought in the zero and left it with us to play with and give feedback. I ended up testing it and I found it was a joy to use but I encountered some of the problems highlighted, we discussed attachments for feeding larger volumes of coffee etc. I was blown away by its consistency over particulate size. So often grinders claim to handle filter and espresso but realistically can only manage one or the other with any reliability. Long term I hope they make some minor changes and having seen the design work I'd he surprised if they weren't backwards compatible allowing long time owners to benefit. To parrot James, has anyone else had much experience with the niche zero? What did you like/dislike/think could be improved?
I bought this machine and brought it back with me from nyc to Córdoba, Argentina in a carry on. I find it beautiful and fun to use and made my first flat white with it today and my coffee was delicious, a big step up from what I had before. I’m charmed by it too. And it has the popcorning guard that helps.
I bought one of these after seeing this video. I already had a Baratza Sette 270 that works very well as a single dose grinder. There have been issues with my Sette but Baratza has been supportive and it continues to produce a very uniform grind. The Niche is easier to use. Much easier to see the grind settings when you go to change them and it goes further into the pour-over range than the Sette. It is also quite a bit quieter. Not silent but important at the time of day it is used. It also does not spray as much coffee dust around my counter as the Sette. There is still dust but not as much. It does have the plastic disc on top to reduce 'popcorning' but the hopper is still too small for more than a mug's worth at a time. In the US it is twice the price of the Sette but if it proves as reliable as it appears it is worth it.
I'm a big nerd. Not really a coffee nerd, until I started watching you videos, that is. Can't stop watching your videos and my wallet is in serious trouble now thinking about buying grinders, bean containers and weird brewing contraptions. Awesome content man, love it.
Picked up one of these as a Christmas gift for my better half. It really is a great grinder. Extremely well built, simple and highly effective, minimal to no waste and ridiculously easy to dial in. We pull shots typically in the morning and before or after dinner. This thing gets the job done. You do have to measure your beans before tossing in if you want to be more precise but that takes about 20 seconds. Have this paired with a gaggia classis pro. Great espresso and americano at home
Thank you for your comments. Does this grinder do well for more coarse grinds? Thank you for your reply. You have a great set up. I am looking at the Sage double boiler. Any suggestions?
Certainly, I'm pleased with mine. The popcorning is relatively minor, the ease of use and consistency are king. I find the adjustments highly responsive to small tweaks as a batch of beans ages. I dose directly into my portafilter with a funnel resting atop the basket, I used the centering screw for the wooden base to retain a PF cradle so the workflow is even more streamlined.
Simply brilliant, I love a simple yet well documented review that includes the pros and cons that a consumer should be aware before buying a product. Keep doing the good work!
Wow! I did buy this on indigogo in black! I guess i have been lucky in my crowdfunding on kickstarter & indigogo! I have backed a ton of projects and almost all of them have come through. This has been the best purchase so far! I think i have now been using this for almost 2 years....great review!
I brought a Niche to replace my hand grinder and have never looked back. It's pretty, it does a fantastic job, it's (relatively) quiet and generally makes me happier making coffee. The downside is that I am now drinking more coffee. Which means buying more beans. Oh and the amount of caffeine that I now consume could become a problem should I stop.
I moved from mazzer super jolly to Niche and I think it improved my shots tremendously, not just because that this has superior grinding compared to mazzer SJ but because of the simplicity of workflow. This is so simple for new home baristas out there to dial and get consistently good shots. Only complaint for me is pop-corning so I have used a hack to reduce it . Havent quantified the difference but works
Really terrific content. I'd like to express my appreciation to you for putting effort into honest, balanced and always insightful reviews. Your channel helped me dial in exactly how far I need to go in terms of equipment, process and knowledge to get truly enjoyable coffee with the amount of effort I'm willing to put in. For me that meant replacing my crusty old filter coffee maker with a nice new Breville/Sage Precision (happily bought via the link in your review), and sticking with good old Peet's (I'm in the SF Bay Area). Throwing you a virtual high five, James!
I have two of these after getting the Decent Espresso grinder. They are in two locations and only for home use. I couldn't be happier and have not really had the pop corning effect.I use the Decent Espresso machine and these grinders are easy to dial in and use.
I have a Niche and love it. Some people (including me) have reduced the amount of popcorning by placing a Pringles lid, or similar, over the beans before grinding. It doesn't eliminate the popcorn effect, but reduces it by keeping the beans from jumping as high as they would without it.
I do have one of these babies and absolutely love it. You can kiss goodbye that little retention by giving a couple solid whacks on the back after finishing the grind (grinder off, please). I usually also tilt it a little to the front when whacking, more out of convenience than any other thing, but maybe also helps. Great videos James, thanks for sharing!
Excellent review, James. I've had mine for about 3 months now, and it is like a precision instrument to me which is consistent and so easily and instantly adjusted for a variety of beans and brewing styles, with effectively zero maintenance and concerns. I'm not doing espresso (yet), but I'm quite particular about my single-cup brewing (mostly using the little Technivorm Cup-One brewer), and this little fellow fits so wonderfully and perfectly into my coffee brewing workflow. I don't have a particular problem with the "popcorning" effect; as others have already said that can be quickly mitigated by briefly stopping/ starting (I do this by quickly and barely lifting and dropping the lid, which momentarily activates the safety interlock switch). But usually, I just let that last 1 or a couple of beans pop around until it's done...usually I'm doing other things to prepare for setting up the next cup anyway and it's only a few seconds extra to wait. I expect this to be the last grinder I ever purchase, and bought it in the first place for the apparent convenience and precision (and I've not been disappointed), and with the long-term plan to someday replace my little Nespresso with a real espresso machine.
Hi James! You may remember me from your trip to Hong Kong. This is Martin of the florist hybrid cafe, Hayfever. I first like to wish you and your family are safe and sound and free from any viruses. I was driven to leave this message as this is a coincidence that I saw this grinder recently in my friend’s coffee shop and I distinctively remember the “popcorning” (nicely described, by the way!) at the end and was not sure of the effect. Then a few days later, this video popped up! Totally appreciate the in-depth analysis which cleared up some of the doubt as I was intrigued to get one, as it is beautifully designed and built. Anyway, thank you for your contributions to the coffee industry and good luck!
I'd love to see you revisit the Niche now that the NFC disk is available. Personally I've seen a full removal of the popcorn effect, a more consistent grind, and less static.
Enjoying your channel so much. I spend several hours a week on kidney dialysis and your videos are a welcome distraction. Thank you so much for your efforts to make quality viewing material!
Pretty much my feelings and I also added one to my coffee stuff collection and no longer use the Ceado E92. It made a change to actually have something that was pleasurable to use....perhaps I am getting old ;)
Thank you both for the videos you have posted on this. I stumbled across it on coffee forum UK and I was considering ordering one today, so when I saw the notification on my iPad I was eager to watch this review... I’ll be ordering a white one tonight!
@@jameshoffmann Yes, even more so now the burrs have bedded in on the long term test US grinder.. It makes a great cupping grinder with small samples pulled from a roaster (no contamination), showcasing different coffees one after the other, mobile trainers etc.. I like that it's a British design and we still have skills to be proud of in the UK. Niche deserve to do well and I think it will have a positive impact on grinders developed for the domestic market. Most importantly of all, quality coffee is a precious resource and the Niche doesn't waste it!
Have it a year now. Love it. Consistent shots. Pleasure to use. Moving from dry Madrid took humid Brussels some little change. Bit more retention, bit more popcorning. But still all good!
I backed it on the 2nd round of the early bird so got it for a bargain. While waiting I bought an EK43 with Turkish burrs and a 'Franked' Versalab M3. I've used all three together when the Niche arrived. I've got to say it holds it's own between the other two behemoths. It's about the same size as a Versalab/Titus (but dwarfed by the EK). The grinds cup is great, and actually lives on my EK as I've got the Niche paired with a La Pavoni at my gf's house and it goes brilliantly with that in her small kitchen. I have a chopped yoghurt pot that sits in the pf of the La Pav and I grind directly into that. Yes the clarity isn't there compared to the other 2, but you can't really compare them as they each cost a small fortune and the Niche doesn't. But it's very good and I've had some smashing shots on the la Pav, and on my Speedster when I used it with that. I've used it for Chemex as well, and I've had some very nice brews. It's very easy to use, just weigh out some beans, chuck them in and switch on. While it's grinding you can do something else like wash the filter paper on the pour over, or steam some milk ready for a flat white. @Niche Coffee has done a great job and it was nice to meet Martin & Co recently and talk about it.
The Niche Zero isn't perfect but I think it represents something bigger. How we think about and make espresso and coffee in general is going through some big changes and the market is starting to react. The Niche Zero is part of this shift in a market they has been fairly slow to react and adapt. The Decent machine is as well. I love seeing all these new, odd, but heavily researched and incredibly will designed products coming out. The next 10 years look like they're going to be very exciting.
The Niche is such a cool product! Bought one a couple of months ago and absolutely love it. I actually sold the Mythos that I was using before right after I got it. They do taste slightly different but not as in significantly better or worse, plus, single dosing makes so much more sense in a home environment. Dialing in is a breeze and storing pre-weighted doses makes my workflow so easy. I do notice that I like to do some WDT before pulling my shot to mix the grinds from the beginning and the end of the grind cycle a bit.
Always so informative reviews from you Mr. Hoffmann. A big thanks for that. I have to say, as a Eureka Mignon Specialita user, that dialing in-wasting thing, annoys me so hard. We all want to buy and consume fair trade coffee and act as sustainable as possible, but the waste we have ... it makes me very angry sometimes. All in all a really nice grinder I would love to get my hands on and would like to pull some shots. Have a great day as well, best regards from Germany
@@jackienaiditch7965, I think it boils down to your needs. For me, these are the key benefits that NZ provides me but not the Specialita: 1. (almost) zero retention - i.e. you weight 18g in, grind, you can 18 (+/- 0.1g) out. In fact i would say maybe 40% of the time you can zero retention but a variance of up to even 0.2 g (about 1 bean) is already amazing. the way NZ works is that you weigh the beans in the dosing cup that comes with it, then you pour all the beans into the grinder, start the grind to collect the grounds into the same dosing cup and once done with the grinding, put the grounds and the dosing cup on the scale and you will see there is almost no retention. then you dose into the PF. Ok this is the "problem" if you are not using a 58mm PF (typical E61 group head). the dosing cup is designed for a 58mm PF. you just invert your PF and "cover" the dosing cup with the PF and the hold the cup and invert back (now the cup is inverted and shake it a bit to ensure it is leveled, then give the backside of the cup (now facing up) a few light knock and all the grounds would be nicely down in the PF for your leveling and tamping. (for me, I uses a very think stick to stir the grounds - WDT- before doing the dosing onto the PF). but this would not be good if you are using PF of another size. 2. I can change my grind size on the fly (due to zero retention, I have no need to worry too much about the "wrong" grind size), so I use NZ for drip/pour over and immediately, I can dial to my espresso grind with precision and no worries of having some coarse ground in my espressso ground. SPecialita cannot be used for drip/pour-over - it is for espresso only. before having the NZ, i have to use a hand grinder for my pour over - which is the usual routine for our weekend breakfast when we tend to sit around longer and talk. 3. using different beans (single dosing) - there is no hopper for NZ, so you weight in the beans (weight and type) you want and then grind. there is no worry if you want to grind bean A now and then next bean B, again due to zero retention. This is important for me because I roast my own beans and even for the same bean origins, I sometimes do different roast to test out my roasting. Specialita could never allow me to do this effectively or efficiently. I wasted so much beans with using specialita and was almost so ready to get a caedo (due to zero retention) until I read people on HB talking about NZ and then did my research. 4. In terms of noise, both these two grinders are all very quiet. I owned a bodum grinder too for my pour over grind in the office, and it is NOISY! 5. Maintenance wise - since NZ has no hopper, you do not keep beans on top of the grinder and hence you can clean it with a brush everytime you finish grinding and without the beans on top of the burrs means less oil deposit too I guess. I have not taken NZ apart to clean yet since I got it only in May this year but I think it is as easy to clean and maintain as the specialita if you are to compare them. 6. Direct Dosing to PF - if you prefer this way, then Specialita allows for this but you would sacrifice all the benefits that I listed in point 1-3. also, unless you have a special tool to WDT directly on the PF, I think the workflow the NZ provide is much better and less messy. after the grinding, you using whatever sticks, long needles etc. (self made tools maybe) to WDT your grounds in the dosing cup and unless you have >40g of ground in the cup (e.g. for drip/pour over), you ain't gonna have problem spilling the ground out as the cup is deep enough for your to stir/WDT your ground pretty aggressively. with 18-22g grounds for espresso, you would not have any issue or mess at all. then as long as your PF is 58mm type, dosing into the PF is so so easy and clean. the next is level and tamp. Specialita does direct to your PF, but you will have a challenge trying to do WDT, you will need to do it slow if you do not want to spill any ground from the PF. then the timed grinding depends on the age of the beans and the amount of beans in the hopper (the weight pressure pushing the beans into the burrs) to get the right weight. then weighing the PF and the grounds inside the PF on a scale (especially if you are using a small scale - usually for espresso machine use) is always a challenge, at least to me. so it took more time for my work flow with Specialita as compared to NZ. NZ just provided a more efficient and effective workflow. and this allows me to just focus on the weight (of beans and shot), time and grind size to dial in my shot. Hey, I am sorry to write a long essay to your reply but I think I owe to the community of coffee aficionados, who have taught me so much when I have questions, to give my most comprehensive opinion. Hope the above helps. oh yeah, one my point - all the above advantages that I find for NZ is for the home use context - i.e. you can take time to prepare your shots. I am not sure if NZ (or an army of NZ and lots of dosing cup) would make sense for a commercial setup. again, I am into coffee for my personal addiction and not so much of helping others' addiction :P enjoy the coffee!
20 seconds! I think i'm just broken because anything about 5s bothers me. But I'm a Robur fan. But, wow, this does look nice! My only critical comment is that I feel you left off price a bit. For $600USD you could get 4 of these for 1 Robur or EK43 or Mythos One. To come anything close is amazing for a fraction of the cost.
I just received mine a week after buying one. Note that it now comes with a small disk that controls the flow of beans and stops popcorning! A bit early to speak about its quality yet but it's a lot quieter than I thought.
Got the chance to see the grinder at a dealer. Looks beautiful and simple at the same time. And most importantly, it was after the review, so it's not just another grinder.
0:55 PID-Controlled Espresso Machine by Gleb Polyakov and Igor Zamlinsky 1,546 backers pledged $369,56 The product: $200 espresso Machine that was claimed be better than the rancilio Silvia with aftermarket PID Never was delivered
Decent Espresso was born out of Polyakov’s failed ZPM Espresso Kickstarter experiment, and we all know how that turned out :) a great article to shed more light on the whole story: www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/magazine/zpm-espresso-and-the-rage-of-the-jilted-crowdfunder.html
Great review. I have a Niche Zero and previously a Eureka Mignon. I am so happy to use the Niche. Great results, easy to use and simplifies my workflow. I'm happy!
@@Joshua-go4vz it was a Kickstarter back in 2013 that ended up with the founders selling the IP rights to Decent after two years of delay. People that backed the project got burned fairly badly and never received anything. Suffice to say, people were somewhat perturbed.
Hardly Germaine, but this fellow has it all: the Harry Potter face, the magnificent hair, the gentle authoritative voice, the big hands, the parchment skin.
I was coveting this grinder, and all that it promises, for a long time. I loved its looks, and that it didn’t have a bunch of digital interface and buttons. I felt charmed from afar, but maybe too charmed with aesthetics, so I waited until it was out in the world before buying it. Now I wish I’d gotten in on the early bird pricing. It has made home espresso accessible. My only complaint is that, although it is capable of grinding for filter, the company seems to have given short shrift to that end of the market. It feels a bit as though because it’s such an outstanding value as an espresso grinder, they’re leaving it at that. For the segment of people who want a good grinder before getting an espresso machine, this is probably the best investment in that it can also be put to use for filter in the meantime. It would be nice if the grind settings design took this into better account. I’d also like to see pour over or aeropress recipes from the baristas that Niche worked with, to help dial in for those methods.
I was an early backer and pleasantly surprised when I received my unit. I was very impressed by the quality. I didn't have time to put it to much use until very recently, however. As you found, it is very easy to dial in. Its also quiet compared to my other grinders (MM doserless and a Rocky). Grind is probably slightly more irregular than the MM. Call me a Philistine, but I have (after tuning with the scale) reverted to simply overfilling (slightly) the "hopper" and then timing the grind (11 - 12 seconds seems to work). My only dislike is the collection cup. It is nice, but it is opaque. That means that despite tapping, I often end up with coffee mounded up on one side or the other (may be the recent humidity) and spillage. What good is pre-weighing if you then lose some? So I have ditched it in favour of a clear acrylic tube that collects the grinds and provides good visual reference.
I bought a Niche Zero. I found it ground the beans much more finely that my previous appliance burr grinder. On the finest setting my Rancilio Silvia V6 couldn’t push the water through the dose! I’ve had to set the grind to almost midway - on point 20
I remember in an earlier video you don't have an espresso machine at your home. If you were to get a consumer/prosumer level espresso machine for home what would it be? I'm moving house and looking at Gaggia Classic Pro if you have thoughts
I have received my Niche Zero today, dialed in my espresso beans very quickly and was shocked to be finally able to pull shots with my Breville/Sage Oracle Touch (that will soon be replaced by a Rancilio Silvia Pro X) that doesn’t taste harsh. So I drank way to much espresso today but can’t stop smiling. I know there might be better single-dose grinders nowadays, but I am very happy with it nevertheless.
Got my Niche a couple of weeks ago. Got an Eureka Specialita also. My opinion: I am very happy, especially with the chance to mix up beans right before grinding. Espresso is very tasty, popcorning is no issue anymore - after they introduced the "smal plastic" thing. This prevents beans from jumping up out of the burrs and keeps them down. Works! Processing speed could be a bit higher, but my coffee routine is quite relaxed and I am using the grinding time to flush and wipe out the portafilter etc. Despite the design everything is nicely done. I Prefere black, that covers the "roundness" in shaping a bit. Finally in 2021 there is an 150.- Euro / GBP additional customs fee. Lifting the price tag on a "not cheap anymore" level. But as James stated - its fun to use and definetely charming in a way. For home users with no need to hurry its a good choice for a tasty espresso. I am using my comandante for filter coffee - so I am not able say how good Niche Zero would taste in comparison. But in my eyes it should be on a high level - differences may not be that big. Maybe I dont even would recognize it(?)
Nice looking machine and we're glad you like it. Next time I have five or six hundred dollars lying around I'll probably buy a new pitcher, scale and espresso machine instead of a Zero. I'll keep my Baratza Encore. One of the best advantages of conical burr grinders is their lack of retention compared to flat burrs.
Good review as usual James. I've got 2 of these and have enjoyed using both of them. I was very happy to be a beta tester for the Niche team and was already a backer before I was lucky enough to meet them. I use one for my pop-up events as a decaf grinder and occasionally filter coffee options + if I travel to make some samples for people I always take this. I also have one to use at home and use it regularly for a variety of coffees.
IMPORTANT: If you see an ad on UA-cam for a site selling this grinder for a very low price: IT IS A SCAM! Please report the ad if you can. (Sorry to make the pinned comment about this, but it is a real issue)
Damn
Thx, James. This grinder is still highly sought after. Gangsters may be triggered by this fact...
Thank you so much for pointing out this, I fell for the scam last December, but luckily I was able to get my money back
How much is low because I am looking to purchase one
@@brittanybutler2211 you don’t get one if you order from the scam site
So proud watching this review, thank you so much for making this video James
It is beautiful, it's like watching a little adorable robot from a pixar movie. You should be proud, James tend to dislike everything ha ha, this product of yours gave me hope again :)
@@matinx64 Thank you so much! We are very proud indeed.
Niche Coffee I am very tempted to get one. What are the actual delivery times? And can I order directly with you?
@Andy Williams we will have to get in contact with them!
Please develop a flat burr version :)
I'll sell my e37s for one :D
The biggest praise for this grinder is that James is still using one in his videos months later ;)
Exactly, because of that it’s now on my “want one”-list. Saving up will take a while but I’ll get there eventually.
Yep. At first I was "okay nice grinder", but every single new video it's right there on camera and it makes me think that if James Hoffman himself is using one months and months after review without ever mentioning it - it must be one hell of a good grinder :D
@@Reynevan100 It looks very nice (on video), it's compact so it's it doesn't take up much space in frame and is easy to move around, it's good and consistent, it has very little retention and it's an British brand, I'm sure that means something to him as well.
-- Mostly it’s because his Patreon backers vote on equipment in videos. I’m a backer so I know this.
Exactly. I'm buying one now. +James Hoffmann
I got my Niche Zero recently and came back to watch this, it's worth noting that since the release of this video, Niche have addressed the "popcorning" issue by adding a little plate over the burrs inside the coffee funnel, it prevents beans from popping back out and works quite well!
Thanks for this comment. I figured that's what that clear plastic plate was for, but good to have confirmation before running it for the first time!
And no upcharge
"Do I like anything? ... I do. I do like things." -James Hoffman
Not even slightly profound.
Just to mention, "pop-corning" is promptly addressed by the Niche - they have now NFC disks. And I just had an update, that states: "All new orders will include the NFC disk pre-fitted."
Great work Niche! I'm more than happy to support manufacturers, that listen to the problems of their customers!
That's really great to hear. I've wanted a Niche for a long time, and that's really encouraging. Thanks for sharing that update!
James Hoffmann at cocktail parties in June of 2019: "do you have a moment to talk about minimum retention indiegogo coffee grinders"
As if people invite me to cocktail parties anymore...
@@jameshoffmann I guess that's to be expected with Niche interests
@@sator_project Did... did you post your comment just as a setup for this one
@@AGenericMoron 300 IQ foresight right here
@@jameshoffmann Make more coffee amaro and they will :)
I was one of the first 100 Indiegogo backers and from forum traffic late in 2018 probably the 2nd person to receive theirs once the 'perk' was 'fulfilled' hence I have about 9 months using the Niche now (and previously used Macap, Mazzer and Ceado grinders through many years). Good balanced review and echoes that it isn't designed for machine-gunning dosed shots to a queue of customers in the commercial world, simply a superb, low-priced (by coffee equipment standards!) grinder that handles home made espresso, moka-pot, cafetiere and brewed coffee and happily partners with high-end kit. I agree on the popcorning and unless/until a lid with an additional insert is introduced my simple fix has been to use the clear plastic lid of a Pringles carton on the beans reducing the distance those splinters can travel and stopping any from falling outside the edge of the lid :-)
I wish i could recreate this guys passion levels. If he hates or loves anything to do with coffee he just shows incredible passion for his trade. Probably one of the reasons he is so successful.
I love my Niche. It is a gorgeous machine that just works. I also love that most of the issues here have been resolved. The anti-popcorn disk is genius and works like a charm. You can now have a flat burr set, if you wish. More colours are available. We understand how to repeatably grind coarser for pour-over/filter methods. Sure, my grinder cost ~3x the price of my espresso machine, but I'm good with that too.
Sorry, unrelated comment: I sat down to watch this in my studio. Halfway through the video my assistant (who's never seen one of James' videos) walks in and goes "Oooooh my gosh what a soothing voice! I could listen to this guy ALL DAAAAAAAAY!" 😂
John O. I cant watch his videos near my wife because she said he looks very swarve 🤨
Craig Ezard swarve 🤦🏻♂️
Coffee ASMR. Perfection.
Yes.....agree re the soothing voice. @jameshoffman ....I don't want to imply that you send me to sleep but I find if I watch one of your videos just before bedtime.....I get to sleep really quickly!
The Barry White of coffee industry 💚
Placing a portafilter BACKFLUSH DISK upside down on top of the beans will minimize the popcorn effect. Been using mine for 6 months now and love it. Sold my K10 Barista Pro and never looked back. Because I don't have to sweep out the grinder and double weigh the grinds, the speed to make a shot is much faster. The price point is stunning for the build quality and taste performance.
Brilliant idea. I've been using an old Pringle lid for the same purpose.
I do the same... pour the beans into the funnel, invert a blind portafilter basket over the beans, start the Niche. No muss, no fuss, no popcorning beans dancing about. I am very happy with my Niche Zero.
@@Cenot4ph The Sette range of grinders have a cover that you can rotate into place. It's not intended for this purpose, it's intended to prevent the beans from falling out the bottom if you remove the hopper, but it handles that well, just as long as you close it as soon as the beans allow you to.
I suspect that any grinder with an equivalent feature is probably going to be able to do that.
I currently have the K10 PB and am thinking of making the same change. A year later how are you getting on with the Niche?
@@jh-kx6kj Still works like a charm. Highly recommend this grinder. I'm sure you will be elated with the ease of prepping for a shot.
"What's the least I have to do, to get great results?" Words to live by 😂
I have one of these. It has been with me this last year. Im very happy with it. It is my first grinder. Sometimes I have problems with the adjustment but nothing serious. It is small, minimalist, not noisy, ... what else. Love it. It fits perfectly in my small kitchen.
Love the thoughtful dosing cup - should be an industry standard.
Solving problems you didn't even know you had. Hallmark of a great designer right there.
Does anyone else love watching his reviews on things they'll never be able to afford? His voice is so calming and I feel like I always learn a lot.
My best investment in coffee gear by far. 350GBP when published on Indigogo bought me a considerable upgrade from my Mazzer Mini E. No need to waste coffee, dialing for Turkish and then back to espresso with no purge at all, easy to clean and usable when grinding directly into the Portafilter using a funnel.
Probably the last grinder I will ever need.
They fixed the popcorning problem by adding this:
"The Niche Flow Control Disc is a simple after-market installation for first generation Niche Zero grinders. Please note that current Niche Zero models come with the Niche Flow Control Disc pre-installed.
The small (40mm), clear disc is made from food grade polycarbonate. When installed into the bean funnel, the Niche Flow Control Disc prevents 'pop-corning' - coffee beans jumping around the funnel prior to being fully fed into the burrs.
Because the Niche Flow Control Disc feeds beans into the burrs at a steady pace the grind consistency is also improved."
I had watched your terrific review of the Niche Zero and after a year I decided to purchase one of the new black models.
I have become a mad scientist checking on the retention levels of the Niche using different coffee beans and grind sizes. I can honestly say the retention level isn’t “amazing small” It as become a non issue.
I have never had anything larger than two tenths of a gram.
And in a Great majority of measurements, it’s one tenth or zero retention. I do have a method to keep it this low, and I find it simple.
+++Just tap on the top of Niche with some exuberance a few times.+++
I
I love James Hoffman's reviews, in that he goes to great measures to remain principled and remove external biases.
I took the risk during the preorder phase and have been using mine for a while now. What didn't get mentioned (directly) is the ability to change between espresso and filter coffee. The dialing stays the same, so if it was 17 for espresso, it's going to be 17 later as well, even if you do filter coffee in between. I do this adjustment almost daily, morning coffee through Moccamaster and later during the day some other variety (cappuccino usually).
That answered the one question I had - thanks!
Hey just wanna ask, what dial setting are you using for filter coffee(take v60 for example)? I cant seem to find a right setting for it. Had been getting a heavier bodied coffee with this grinder, which I dont prefer. So just wanna understand the preference on everyone’s filter setting.
@@isaacgun Depends slightly on the coffee I use, but as a general rule of thumb, I'm using around 0 (one rotation to coarse direction).
Michael Burman hi I really want to order this Grinder but the whole contribution buying phase scares the hell out of me, in the small print it says many times that there is no guarantee you will get it, how did you pluck up the courage to put the money down do you think it’s a risk worth taking, and do you think when they start selling this properly it will be much more expensive? Would love to hear your thoughts
@@dylanthedyslexicvillain4294 I think you better contact Niche Coffee for that one, but I assumed at this point it's a guaranteed buy already (it's no longer preorder).
Using it for about a year now and I'm impressed. Great for using if you try different beans for espresso as it's quick to dial in. Pour over can be a bit tricky, especially with the marks going up to 50 but sometimes I need to go past the marks for a coarser grind (especially for larger batches and especially for cold drip/cold brew). But overall really good!
I found this channel quite unexpectedly, and have to say that I absolutely love it. Not only is the content informative, but the presentation style is so neat and cohesive that I believe absolutely every word I heard. Really well done!
I’m a Texan who likes French press but I can’t stop watching your videos. Keep on kicking ass.
Great video! This is how you do the second marker for anyone that is interested.
1: Set the grinder to 50.
2: With grinder set to 50 put A SECOND mark at 0 (I just used a blob of tippex).
3: You should now have 2 markers; the original marker at 50 and a second (tippex) marker at 0.
4: now set the second (tippex) marker to 20 (for reference the original marker will be around the back of the dial around where the allen key socket is).
With this technique I set the Niche to around 65 for V60. I've also been using the 4:6 V60 method which needs a slightly coarser grind and for that I'm set around 80.
I've had mine from launch, love it, great tasting coffee, really easy to use and switches between filter and espresso without a problem.
Does niche in coarse grind setting left any muddy powder after the last pour? If it didnt i would love to order 1 for that price 😂
Early adopter & it's a terrific grinder - use it with my ACS Vesuvius machine. To avoid 'popcorning' I place the plastic top of a Pringles can over the beans. Close lid, flick switch & job done. Simple!
I am a happy nice grinder zero user for about almost a year right now. I am so happy to see this review which i am quite totally agree with. I use this grinder especially for filter coffee and I have to say I have always pleaseant results. As for the pop corning i do the same thing some other did, I stop for a second and turn on again. Other interesting aspect, especially compared to the encore is that is less noisy (i don't know if you thought the same). Beautiful design, easy to take away with you. A beautiful indie gogo story this time. The only issue (talking from Italy) is the price; for home use in Italy people thought that this grinde is just too expensive. But I think we will hear always more about the guys from Niche! Thanks for the video!
How taste Filter Coffee compared to a good hand grinder?
Hi Lucas. I just ordered my Niche through Indigo. Should arrive to my home in Austin, TX be the end of the month. I do not make espressos. I make Chemex and French press. What settings do you use? Will this machine do a consistent coarse enough grind? I'm currently using Baratza Virtuoso+. Also, It seems the burr on the Niche is of much higher quality than the Baratza. Thanks so much.
@@jacobpetersen5662 no problem at all! You can rotate as much as you want to go coarser on coarser and the consistency is really really good (i use chemex too). The burr quality is very good and the grinder is much more silent compared to other :)
@@CoffeeAndLucas At 63mm, the price is unbelievable Affordable I think. The 42 on my Baratza Virtuoso lacks a tiny bit for me. I'm hoping the Niche to be a tad more consistent in its grinds. I just ordered it this morning through Indigo. SUPER stoked!
Thanks for the quick reply Lucas. Glad to hear I'll be good with the Chemex and French press.
I learned a new coffee geek term today... "popcorning" and now I have one more thing to obsess over.
I love my Niche Zero. Thank you for the review and helping me decide which one I should get.
I think I watched this video at least 5 times since it came out ... My old Grinder died this week and I knew I wanted to get an upgrade but wasn't sure if the Niche Zero was right for me. But thank you James for including this product in a lot of videos, made the decision real easy, I just bought one an hour ago.
Wow beautiful, stylish and does what it claims. In my dreams I would own one 💭 so good to hear James with so many compliments
stop dreaming and get one ! It is great - It is all that and more.
Acquired it in the late summer of 2021. Arrived around the end of November and ever since it transformed my overall enjoyment of espresso drinks into a small home barista art. If I was to look to complain about something, since there is nothing obvious, is the fact it is still sold only in white and black color versions. I currently own one in US but have an intent to get at least one more for other locations where we are fortunate to have a kitchen equipped with an espresso machine. Just a great piece of machinery at a reasonable price for what it delivers....oh and by the way Niche has addressed the "popcorning" issue by adding a little plate over the burrs inside the coffee funnel, so lucky for me, I didn't have that negative experience at all.
8:52 Thank you so much for making a point of this. For months, I've been questioning the reliability of my hand grinder for producing variable sizes. But the "popcorning" makes complete sense in how the final result will end up. Great work as always James!
This is a year later so you may be doing something else by now, but I've started double-grinding with my hand grinder (set at a slightly larger size because most of the chunky pieces will get ground smaller in the second pass) and it's made a surprising difference for the better in the grind consistency I'm getting out of it. Bonus is that it smooths put most of the popcorned pieces coz they tend to go in first on the second pass.
@@xiola What hand grinder do you use?
I love watching your videos, man. Sometimes I'm stressed and need to escape and your detailed, interesting, and original content (on topics that completely diverge from my daily life) is just perfect sometimes.
Could not agree more.
Haha, amazing twist "I'm gonna keep it"
Hello James
For the popcorning issue, they actually fixed it by adding a part called Niche Flow Control Disc. You can buy it for $10 I think.
Thank you for your review, I wish I can afford to buy this coffee grinder one day.
This disk does’t fix the problem with popcorning, just covers it)
@@StePayne1983 popcorning isnt the issue, its the inconsistency created by having the last few beans popcorn. the disk makes the flow consistent so even if the beans bounce they are all flowing into the burrs at the same rate making a better overall shot.
$10 for a piece of polycarbonate that costs $0.1 on a bad day, lol. Ridiculously overpriced just like the rest of the machine.
@@demoniack81 It's free the $10 is for shipping it. Also the disk is included since Feb. How do you figure it's over priced compared to what else is on the market? Or are burr grinders in general out of your price range?
@@durkadur27 I'm not even taking blade grinders into account, they seem horrible to me and if you don't want to buy a burr grinder you may as well just buy preground coffee.
Point is you can buy decent conical burr grinders for 100-160€ (Graef CM702, CM800) and excellent ones for 250-350€ (Baratza 30, Baratza 270); I'm sure there's many other good ones I'm leaving out.
The only trick the Niche has up its sleeve is the low retention, which is just a function of how the grinder is angled and doesn't justify this massive price hike with anything other than "because we can".
Is that really worth 200 to 400€? I don't know Rick, seems overpriced to me, but maybe it's just me.
10$ to ship something that comfortably fits many times over in a 1€ envelope is still ridiculous, especially considering that it came out to fix a design flaw in a supposedly premium product that costs *550€.* It should have been free of charge.
Got mine, just amazing!
Dramatic improvement in the cup and the overall espresso experience .
What grinder did you have before?
This thing is absolutely gorgeous. I almost don't care that it grinds coffee at all. I want it just a as a sculpture.
I was one of the original backers of the ZPM Nocturn back in my poor 2011 uni days and I noticed that cameo at 54.5 seconds 😭 Very sneaky.
I've been using mine for almost a year now. I roast my own coffee and I have 40 origins with maybe 8 to 10 'on the go' at a time. To get my target of 18.6g of beans, 25 second pour, 25g of pour with 9 bar on the pressure dial I have a grind setting for each bean. I thought initially that I would have to keep adjusting those numbers whenever I changed anything, like clean the grinder, re-zero the calibration etc. But in fact the repeatability is so good that I have exactly one number for each bean (15 through 22) and that number remains accurate over different roasts, over cleaning and re-calibrating, and if I grind 9.3 grams each of two beans or 6.2 grams each of three different beans, I can grind each with its own number and get absolute repeatability. If I grind a bean one number too high (or too low) I will see the pressure go above 9 bar (or below), and the pour will be slower (or quicker). If I combine two beans and grind them with a number which is the average for the two beans things go slightly out of kilter: It depends which bean gets into the PF first, the too coarse or the too fine. Easiest just to grind each bean separately - unless of course they have the same grind number. Luckily there are a lot of '17' beans. Coming from a cheaper grinder (the Rancilio Rocky) I absolutely love the precision and repeatability and the zero retention. The Rocky lasted me 13 years but has around 3g to 5g of retention. The NZ has negligible retention. I used to just use 'one scoop' with the Rocky and weighing accurately would not increase 'repeatability' of the pour very much. Now I see a repeatable difference in the pour between 18.2g and 18.6g of beans (Equivalent to about 0.5 in grind setting). Never going back!
Hi Patrick! Retention aside how would you rate the grind quality of the niche zero in comparison with your old rancilio rocky? Do you also use the niche zero for pour over? If yes, what’s your feedback?
Thanks for the review. I was an early backer on Indiegogo and have had the Niche Zero for months. I really wanted the (near) zero retention and this grinder has been great. Grind adjustment is so easy, and its quiet.
Steve Frankel I would really like to buy this product but to be honest the whole backer payment thing scares the hell out of me it says in the small print that you’re not guaranteed to receive the product how did you pluck up the courage to put the money down? And do you think when this comes to market properly it will be much more expensive? Would really love to hear your thoughts thanks
@@dylanthedyslexicvillain4294 Its in Full Production now. Way past the risky stage. They have shipped thousands of units already. No known issues so far. Best addition to my set up, ever...
Toaster Boy Thanks for the reply, I actually bought one and I agree with you best addition to my coffee set up too thoroughly pleased with it.
I'm thinking about buying this grinder for a long time. For now, I have too many other spendings, but I hope to be able to buy this within next year or so. I chose this one because I want to have one grinder for both: filtered coffee and espresso. Niche has easy grind adjustment and in addition, it's quite small. It's nice to hear your words of approval as I know your reviews are always honest and well thought.
just today its 80% off, so if you still want to get one, now is the time!
sunday morning, laptop, coffee, UA-cam and THIS!!
made my day
Sounds like my favourite Sunday morning! - make it (real) Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and a perfectly soft-boiled goose egg (7 minutes from boiling or 11 from cold) and you have reached perfection!
Love mine, filter coffee brewed with is comparable to good hand grinders, knock etc. You need to go past coarse setting for chemex and perhaps v60 coffee dose dependent
So I used to be a barista at Martin's local shop. They would come to our cuppings and we'd have at length discussions about what we did and didn't like about grinders from our mythos and ek to the more traditional home ones. One day they brought in the zero and left it with us to play with and give feedback. I ended up testing it and I found it was a joy to use but I encountered some of the problems highlighted, we discussed attachments for feeding larger volumes of coffee etc. I was blown away by its consistency over particulate size. So often grinders claim to handle filter and espresso but realistically can only manage one or the other with any reliability. Long term I hope they make some minor changes and having seen the design work I'd he surprised if they weren't backwards compatible allowing long time owners to benefit. To parrot James, has anyone else had much experience with the niche zero? What did you like/dislike/think could be improved?
I bought this machine and brought it back with me from nyc to Córdoba, Argentina in a carry on. I find it beautiful and fun to use and made my first flat white with it today and my coffee was delicious, a big step up from what I had before. I’m charmed by it too. And it has the popcorning guard that helps.
that musical hit @ 0:55 👌🏼 the needledrop approves.
@@jameshoffmann Woahh I didn't know you watched tnd! What're you listening to right now?
I bought one of these after seeing this video. I already had a Baratza Sette 270 that works very well as a single dose grinder. There have been issues with my Sette but Baratza has been supportive and it continues to produce a very uniform grind. The Niche is easier to use. Much easier to see the grind settings when you go to change them and it goes further into the pour-over range than the Sette. It is also quite a bit quieter. Not silent but important at the time of day it is used. It also does not spray as much coffee dust around my counter as the Sette. There is still dust but not as much. It does have the plastic disc on top to reduce 'popcorning' but the hopper is still too small for more than a mug's worth at a time. In the US it is twice the price of the Sette but if it proves as reliable as it appears it is worth it.
I absolutely love your channel, I’ve learned so much!
I'm a big nerd. Not really a coffee nerd, until I started watching you videos, that is. Can't stop watching your videos and my wallet is in serious trouble now thinking about buying grinders, bean containers and weird brewing contraptions. Awesome content man, love it.
10:02 Ladies, if your man talks about you the way James talks about this grinder, he's definitely a keeper.
Picked up one of these as a Christmas gift for my better half. It really is a great grinder. Extremely well built, simple and highly effective, minimal to no waste and ridiculously easy to dial in. We pull shots typically in the morning and before or after dinner. This thing gets the job done. You do have to measure your beans before tossing in if you want to be more precise but that takes about 20 seconds. Have this paired with a gaggia classis pro. Great espresso and americano at home
Thank you for your comments. Does this grinder do well for more coarse grinds? Thank you for your reply. You have a great set up. I am looking at the Sage double boiler. Any suggestions?
Certainly, I'm pleased with mine. The popcorning is relatively minor, the ease of use and consistency are king. I find the adjustments highly responsive to small tweaks as a batch of beans ages. I dose directly into my portafilter with a funnel resting atop the basket, I used the centering screw for the wooden base to retain a PF cradle so the workflow is even more streamlined.
Simply brilliant, I love a simple yet well documented review that includes the pros and cons that a consumer should be aware before buying a product. Keep doing the good work!
Such a great simple design! and I LOVE the Wood.
Wow! I did buy this on indigogo in black! I guess i have been lucky in my crowdfunding on kickstarter & indigogo! I have backed a ton of projects and almost all of them have come through. This has been the best purchase so far! I think i have now been using this for almost 2 years....great review!
It is the first grinder I ever bought. I was lucky to discover it. I am very happy with it. A Pringles cover reduces pop corning significantly
So you put the pringle lid under the plastic attached lid.
I brought a Niche to replace my hand grinder and have never looked back. It's pretty, it does a fantastic job, it's (relatively) quiet and generally makes me happier making coffee. The downside is that I am now drinking more coffee. Which means buying more beans. Oh and the amount of caffeine that I now consume could become a problem should I stop.
I moved from mazzer super jolly to Niche and I think it improved my shots tremendously, not just because that this has superior grinding compared to mazzer SJ but because of the simplicity of workflow. This is so simple for new home baristas out there to dial and get consistently good shots.
Only complaint for me is pop-corning so I have used a hack to reduce it . Havent quantified the difference but works
Wow, that is a high praise indeed, Niche vs Mazzer SJ.
Really terrific content. I'd like to express my appreciation to you for putting effort into honest, balanced and always insightful reviews. Your channel helped me dial in exactly how far I need to go in terms of equipment, process and knowledge to get truly enjoyable coffee with the amount of effort I'm willing to put in. For me that meant replacing my crusty old filter coffee maker with a nice new Breville/Sage Precision (happily bought via the link in your review), and sticking with good old Peet's (I'm in the SF Bay Area). Throwing you a virtual high five, James!
So Happy to hear you say niche. I literally watched you say that 10 times before watching the rest of the video. THERE IS NO "T" in NICHE!
I have two of these after getting the Decent Espresso grinder. They are in two locations and only for home use. I couldn't be happier and have not really had the pop corning effect.I use the Decent Espresso machine and these grinders are easy to dial in and use.
I have a Niche and love it. Some people (including me) have reduced the amount of popcorning by placing a Pringles lid, or similar, over the beans before grinding. It doesn't eliminate the popcorn effect, but reduces it by keeping the beans from jumping as high as they would without it.
I do have one of these babies and absolutely love it. You can kiss goodbye that little retention by giving a couple solid whacks on the back after finishing the grind (grinder off, please). I usually also tilt it a little to the front when whacking, more out of convenience than any other thing, but maybe also helps. Great videos James, thanks for sharing!
Excellent review, James. I've had mine for about 3 months now, and it is like a precision instrument to me which is consistent and so easily and instantly adjusted for a variety of beans and brewing styles, with effectively zero maintenance and concerns.
I'm not doing espresso (yet), but I'm quite particular about my single-cup brewing (mostly using the little Technivorm Cup-One brewer), and this little fellow fits so wonderfully and perfectly into my coffee brewing workflow.
I don't have a particular problem with the "popcorning" effect; as others have already said that can be quickly mitigated by briefly stopping/ starting (I do this by quickly and barely lifting and dropping the lid, which momentarily activates the safety interlock switch). But usually, I just let that last 1 or a couple of beans pop around until it's done...usually I'm doing other things to prepare for setting up the next cup anyway and it's only a few seconds extra to wait.
I expect this to be the last grinder I ever purchase, and bought it in the first place for the apparent convenience and precision (and I've not been disappointed), and with the long-term plan to someday replace my little Nespresso with a real espresso machine.
do you think it will work well for a regular Moccamaster- more than 1 cup I mean.
Hi James! You may remember me from your trip to Hong Kong. This is Martin of the florist hybrid cafe, Hayfever. I first like to wish you and your family are safe and sound and free from any viruses. I was driven to leave this message as this is a coincidence that I saw this grinder recently in my friend’s coffee shop and I distinctively remember the “popcorning” (nicely described, by the way!) at the end and was not sure of the effect. Then a few days later, this video popped up! Totally appreciate the in-depth analysis which cleared up some of the doubt as I was intrigued to get one, as it is beautifully designed and built. Anyway, thank you for your contributions to the coffee industry and good luck!
I'd love to see you revisit the Niche now that the NFC disk is available.
Personally I've seen a full removal of the popcorn effect, a more consistent grind, and less static.
Enjoying your channel so much. I spend several hours a week on kidney dialysis and your videos are a welcome distraction. Thank you so much for your efforts to make quality viewing material!
Pretty much my feelings and I also added one to my coffee stuff collection and no longer use the Ceado E92. It made a change to actually have something that was pleasurable to use....perhaps I am getting old ;)
Thank you both for the videos you have posted on this. I stumbled across it on coffee forum UK and I was considering ordering one today, so when I saw the notification on my iPad I was eager to watch this review... I’ll be ordering a white one tonight!
@@jameshoffmann Yes, even more so now the burrs have bedded in on the long term test US grinder.. It makes a great cupping grinder with small samples pulled from a roaster (no contamination), showcasing different coffees one after the other, mobile trainers etc.. I like that it's a British design and we still have skills to be proud of in the UK. Niche deserve to do well and I think it will have a positive impact on grinders developed for the domestic market. Most importantly of all, quality coffee is a precious resource and the Niche doesn't waste it!
How much could I buy one for?
Well James, you’ve now got the chance to test a Niche with flat burrs - the Niche Duo - please give it a look when it launches ( July 2023 ).
Have it a year now. Love it. Consistent shots. Pleasure to use. Moving from dry Madrid took humid Brussels some little change. Bit more retention, bit more popcorning. But still all good!
I backed it on the 2nd round of the early bird so got it for a bargain. While waiting I bought an EK43 with Turkish burrs and a 'Franked' Versalab M3. I've used all three together when the Niche arrived. I've got to say it holds it's own between the other two behemoths. It's about the same size as a Versalab/Titus (but dwarfed by the EK). The grinds cup is great, and actually lives on my EK as I've got the Niche paired with a La Pavoni at my gf's house and it goes brilliantly with that in her small kitchen. I have a chopped yoghurt pot that sits in the pf of the La Pav and I grind directly into that. Yes the clarity isn't there compared to the other 2, but you can't really compare them as they each cost a small fortune and the Niche doesn't. But it's very good and I've had some smashing shots on the la Pav, and on my Speedster when I used it with that. I've used it for Chemex as well, and I've had some very nice brews. It's very easy to use, just weigh out some beans, chuck them in and switch on. While it's grinding you can do something else like wash the filter paper on the pour over, or steam some milk ready for a flat white. @Niche Coffee has done a great job and it was nice to meet Martin & Co recently and talk about it.
The Niche Zero isn't perfect but I think it represents something bigger. How we think about and make espresso and coffee in general is going through some big changes and the market is starting to react.
The Niche Zero is part of this shift in a market they has been fairly slow to react and adapt. The Decent machine is as well. I love seeing all these new, odd, but heavily researched and incredibly will designed products coming out. The next 10 years look like they're going to be very exciting.
The Niche is such a cool product! Bought one a couple of months ago and absolutely love it. I actually sold the Mythos that I was using before right after I got it. They do taste slightly different but not as in significantly better or worse, plus, single dosing makes so much more sense in a home environment. Dialing in is a breeze and storing pre-weighted doses makes my workflow so easy. I do notice that I like to do some WDT before pulling my shot to mix the grinds from the beginning and the end of the grind cycle a bit.
I really like mine, just love the exact dose control after living with a timer based MC2
I really enjoy how analytical your comments are and that you are fairly unbiased. You do say what you prefer, but you are upfront about it.
Always so informative reviews from you Mr. Hoffmann. A big thanks for that. I have to say, as a Eureka Mignon Specialita user, that dialing in-wasting thing, annoys me so hard. We all want to buy and consume fair trade coffee and act as sustainable as possible, but the waste we have ... it makes me very angry sometimes. All in all a really nice grinder I would love to get my hands on and would like to pull some shots.
Have a great day as well,
best regards from Germany
Yeah, i moved from specialita to NZ... No regrets.
@@thyepeng I'm trying to decide between those two grinders. Why do you prefer the NZ?
@@jackienaiditch7965, I think it boils down to your needs. For me, these are the key benefits that NZ provides me but not the Specialita:
1. (almost) zero retention - i.e. you weight 18g in, grind, you can 18 (+/- 0.1g) out. In fact i would say maybe 40% of the time you can zero retention but a variance of up to even 0.2 g (about 1 bean) is already amazing. the way NZ works is that you weigh the beans in the dosing cup that comes with it, then you pour all the beans into the grinder, start the grind to collect the grounds into the same dosing cup and once done with the grinding, put the grounds and the dosing cup on the scale and you will see there is almost no retention. then you dose into the PF. Ok this is the "problem" if you are not using a 58mm PF (typical E61 group head). the dosing cup is designed for a 58mm PF. you just invert your PF and "cover" the dosing cup with the PF and the hold the cup and invert back (now the cup is inverted and shake it a bit to ensure it is leveled, then give the backside of the cup (now facing up) a few light knock and all the grounds would be nicely down in the PF for your leveling and tamping. (for me, I uses a very think stick to stir the grounds - WDT- before doing the dosing onto the PF). but this would not be good if you are using PF of another size.
2. I can change my grind size on the fly (due to zero retention, I have no need to worry too much about the "wrong" grind size), so I use NZ for drip/pour over and immediately, I can dial to my espresso grind with precision and no worries of having some coarse ground in my espressso ground. SPecialita cannot be used for drip/pour-over - it is for espresso only. before having the NZ, i have to use a hand grinder for my pour over - which is the usual routine for our weekend breakfast when we tend to sit around longer and talk.
3. using different beans (single dosing) - there is no hopper for NZ, so you weight in the beans (weight and type) you want and then grind. there is no worry if you want to grind bean A now and then next bean B, again due to zero retention. This is important for me because I roast my own beans and even for the same bean origins, I sometimes do different roast to test out my roasting. Specialita could never allow me to do this effectively or efficiently. I wasted so much beans with using specialita and was almost so ready to get a caedo (due to zero retention) until I read people on HB talking about NZ and then did my research.
4. In terms of noise, both these two grinders are all very quiet. I owned a bodum grinder too for my pour over grind in the office, and it is NOISY!
5. Maintenance wise - since NZ has no hopper, you do not keep beans on top of the grinder and hence you can clean it with a brush everytime you finish grinding and without the beans on top of the burrs means less oil deposit too I guess. I have not taken NZ apart to clean yet since I got it only in May this year but I think it is as easy to clean and maintain as the specialita if you are to compare them.
6. Direct Dosing to PF - if you prefer this way, then Specialita allows for this but you would sacrifice all the benefits that I listed in point 1-3. also, unless you have a special tool to WDT directly on the PF, I think the workflow the NZ provide is much better and less messy. after the grinding, you using whatever sticks, long needles etc. (self made tools maybe) to WDT your grounds in the dosing cup and unless you have >40g of ground in the cup (e.g. for drip/pour over), you ain't gonna have problem spilling the ground out as the cup is deep enough for your to stir/WDT your ground pretty aggressively. with 18-22g grounds for espresso, you would not have any issue or mess at all. then as long as your PF is 58mm type, dosing into the PF is so so easy and clean. the next is level and tamp. Specialita does direct to your PF, but you will have a challenge trying to do WDT, you will need to do it slow if you do not want to spill any ground from the PF. then the timed grinding depends on the age of the beans and the amount of beans in the hopper (the weight pressure pushing the beans into the burrs) to get the right weight. then weighing the PF and the grounds inside the PF on a scale (especially if you are using a small scale - usually for espresso machine use) is always a challenge, at least to me. so it took more time for my work flow with Specialita as compared to NZ. NZ just provided a more efficient and effective workflow. and this allows me to just focus on the weight (of beans and shot), time and grind size to dial in my shot.
Hey, I am sorry to write a long essay to your reply but I think I owe to the community of coffee aficionados, who have taught me so much when I have questions, to give my most comprehensive opinion. Hope the above helps. oh yeah, one my point - all the above advantages that I find for NZ is for the home use context - i.e. you can take time to prepare your shots. I am not sure if NZ (or an army of NZ and lots of dosing cup) would make sense for a commercial setup. again, I am into coffee for my personal addiction and not so much of helping others' addiction :P enjoy the coffee!
I could not resist. Hope to get mine in January 2022. Thank you for covering this.
20 seconds! I think i'm just broken because anything about 5s bothers me. But I'm a Robur fan. But, wow, this does look nice!
My only critical comment is that I feel you left off price a bit. For $600USD you could get 4 of these for 1 Robur or EK43 or Mythos One. To come anything close is amazing for a fraction of the cost.
I just received mine a week after buying one. Note that it now comes with a small disk that controls the flow of beans and stops popcorning! A bit early to speak about its quality yet but it's a lot quieter than I thought.
I had seen the niche before, and at first, it had my curiosity. But now it has my attention.
Got the chance to see the grinder at a dealer. Looks beautiful and simple at the same time. And most importantly, it was after the review, so it's not just another grinder.
0:55 PID-Controlled Espresso Machine by Gleb Polyakov and Igor Zamlinsky
1,546 backers pledged $369,56
The product: $200 espresso Machine that was claimed be better than the rancilio Silvia with aftermarket PID
Never was delivered
Decent Espresso was born out of Polyakov’s failed ZPM Espresso Kickstarter experiment, and we all know how that turned out :) a great article to shed more light on the whole story: www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/magazine/zpm-espresso-and-the-rage-of-the-jilted-crowdfunder.html
Great review. I have a Niche Zero and previously a Eureka Mignon. I am so happy to use the Niche. Great results, easy to use and simplifies my workflow. I'm happy!
Better than the Mignon? When it comes to Coffee (espresso) taste ?
Ben the Niche is far superior in my opinion. It's a great machine.
Take a look at the Duo?
I have a little E2E Saeco machine and very little counter space, but this video still makes me want one of these
That flash at 0:54 gave me the chills, and sparked more than a little PTSD.
I am curious is this a video of his?
@@Joshua-go4vz it was a Kickstarter back in 2013 that ended up with the founders selling the IP rights to Decent after two years of delay. People that backed the project got burned fairly badly and never received anything. Suffice to say, people were somewhat perturbed.
@@ghsb ah thanks for the context
Dream grinder! ☕ I'm looking forward to this becoming more available around the world. 🇨🇦
Hardly Germaine, but this fellow has it all: the Harry Potter face, the magnificent hair, the gentle authoritative voice, the big hands, the parchment skin.
I was coveting this grinder, and all that it promises, for a long time. I loved its looks, and that it didn’t have a bunch of digital interface and buttons. I felt charmed from afar, but maybe too charmed with aesthetics, so I waited until it was out in the world before buying it. Now I wish I’d gotten in on the early bird pricing.
It has made home espresso accessible.
My only complaint is that, although it is capable of grinding for filter, the company seems to have given short shrift to that end of the market. It feels a bit as though because it’s such an outstanding value as an espresso grinder, they’re leaving it at that. For the segment of people who want a good grinder before getting an espresso machine, this is probably the best investment in that it can also be put to use for filter in the meantime.
It would be nice if the grind settings design took this into better account. I’d also like to see pour over or aeropress recipes from the baristas that Niche worked with, to help dial in for those methods.
I was an early backer and pleasantly surprised when I received my unit. I was very impressed by the quality. I didn't have time to put it to much use until very recently, however.
As you found, it is very easy to dial in. Its also quiet compared to my other grinders (MM doserless and a Rocky). Grind is probably slightly more irregular than the MM. Call me a Philistine, but I have (after tuning with the scale) reverted to simply overfilling (slightly) the "hopper" and then timing the grind (11 - 12 seconds seems to work).
My only dislike is the collection cup. It is nice, but it is opaque. That means that despite tapping, I often end up with coffee mounded up on one side or the other (may be the recent humidity) and spillage. What good is pre-weighing if you then lose some? So I have ditched it in favour of a clear acrylic tube that collects the grinds and provides good visual reference.
I bought a Niche Zero. I found it ground the beans much more finely that my previous appliance burr grinder. On the finest setting my Rancilio Silvia V6 couldn’t push the water through the dose! I’ve had to set the grind to almost midway - on point 20
I remember in an earlier video you don't have an espresso machine at your home. If you were to get a consumer/prosumer level espresso machine for home what would it be?
I'm moving house and looking at Gaggia Classic Pro if you have thoughts
I have received my Niche Zero today, dialed in my espresso beans very quickly and was shocked to be finally able to pull shots with my Breville/Sage Oracle Touch (that will soon be replaced by a Rancilio Silvia Pro X) that doesn’t taste harsh. So I drank way to much espresso today but can’t stop smiling. I know there might be better single-dose grinders nowadays, but I am very happy with it nevertheless.
bought one last night and picking it up today. get out of my head james!
Got my Niche a couple of weeks ago. Got an Eureka Specialita also.
My opinion: I am very happy, especially with the chance to mix up beans right before grinding. Espresso is very tasty, popcorning is no issue anymore - after they introduced the "smal plastic" thing. This prevents beans from jumping up out of the burrs and keeps them down. Works!
Processing speed could be a bit higher, but my coffee routine is quite relaxed and I am using the grinding time to flush and wipe out the portafilter etc.
Despite the design everything is nicely done. I Prefere black, that covers the "roundness" in shaping a bit.
Finally in 2021 there is an 150.- Euro / GBP additional customs fee.
Lifting the price tag on a "not cheap anymore" level.
But as James stated - its fun to use and definetely charming in a way. For home users with no need to hurry its a good choice for a tasty espresso.
I am using my comandante for filter coffee - so I am not able say how good Niche Zero would taste in comparison. But in my eyes it should be on a high level - differences may not be that big. Maybe I dont even would recognize it(?)
This review encouraged me to get one, until I saw the price. Guess I'll have to start saving.
Nice looking machine and we're glad you like it. Next time I have five or six hundred dollars lying around I'll probably buy a new pitcher, scale and espresso machine instead of a Zero. I'll keep my Baratza Encore. One of the best advantages of conical burr grinders is their lack of retention compared to flat burrs.
a new pitcher, scale and espresso machine for 600 bucks ? you mean "with" the espresso machine ? I mean a machine that makes espresso ? :)
teasing us with a pour over shot
that well in the middle when starting the pour was surprising! im so interested to know its benefits
😂😂😂
@@nachogonzalez01 the well helps keep the coffee bed flat after brewing
Good review as usual James. I've got 2 of these and have enjoyed using both of them. I was very happy to be a beta tester for the Niche team and was already a backer before I was lucky enough to meet them. I use one for my pop-up events as a decaf grinder and occasionally filter coffee options + if I travel to make some samples for people I always take this. I also have one to use at home and use it regularly for a variety of coffees.