Haven’t even finished but am totally loving this video. The video length makes it feel like a Lance Hedrick podcast (cause I’m listening while at work). I mean, considering how much Lance talks and at length, his content begs for a podcast. I would immediately subscribe.
I own the Specialita and you don't need to remove the dial to remove the lid. Simply lift in back and slide to the rear. I use the Single Dose Brew bellows/hopper. I have retention of 0.8g when I measure what's in the grinder when I clean it. Most of the grinds are in the joint between the upper and lower burr holders. The bellows will blow apx 1.4g out of grinder. My in vs out is +/- 0.1g. I tried a 9° tilt base but saw little difference. The way the motor "hangs" in the Specialita, it seems to "cock" in it's mounts due to gravity when tilted. A comparison of single dose bellows/hoppers would be interesting.
@@LanceHedrick @mahlkoenig another great video indeed! what is the exit shoot you mention at around 6:45? Am having some issues with unexpected grind size changes while grinding that the distributor said might have to do with the flapper so came back to this video and wondering if that is related …
@Mahlkoenig - any tentative date when is the new release? We’re looking to purchase X54, but happy to wait if new one is coming real soon. We basically use for expresso.
A new design for pro-home use would be a welcome, as this grinder as pointed out has a number of issues others do not. Love the commercial stuff, yet maybe more time on the drawing board vs the production line on the next model. Yes, that lock on the hopper and size are issues, but the smaller of, as the settings being stuck until it runs to change would be the #1 issue . Home use, the care one has to give to grinding is dictated by the super high price paid for coffee, so each microgram is accounted for. This would be a good area to focus on, not wasting coffee. (Sorry I am harsh on my other comment, but just being honest, and hope its taken constructively).
For someone who only grinds for espresso and doesn't single dose, I went for the Specialita. I love the stepless adjustment and timed dose. The user experience and flavor is fantastic. I'm very happy with it.
I'd love to see a video about Eureka's budget line grinders, specifically the Filtro and Crono etc, because there's an awful lot of smoke online about utilizing them as dedicated espresso grinders with a burr swap, and I wanna see some fire, Lance. Stack them up against the Urbanic grinders and you'll make your fans happy. Thanks for the great content. I especially appreciate the tribute to your friend in the design of the machine. Very nice touch.
@@Stevesbe I ended up getting the filtro and LOVE it. Swapped the on button for a switch and got a silicone bellows for retention on ETSY, and a single dose hopper, and it's awesome. Can confirm some new models ship with filter burrs. Worth asking Whole Latte Love about it.
How did you managed to change the button? I seen one post about it but being honest totally dont know what to do with it due to lack of electric knowledge -.-
Great vid thanks. I’ve had a Specialita for a couple of years now and only use it for espresso with the hopper. I love it. I can’t think of anything about it I’d change. As a note, it’s MUCH quieter with the lid of the hopper on.
I know the first couple of hours of a video releasing can be both nerve-wracking, and encouraging. So let me be encouraging - this is great! Properly merry, but properly good. Just purchased the X54, I’m a big fan. Really interested to watch the full video and hear your thoughts! Keep up the brilliant work!
Thanks Lance! Awesome vid - the bellows and a quick flick of a pastry brush up the spout of my mignon gets me to just about zero retention - I'm sure I'll eventually take the leap to the leaning stand. Kind of makes sense that it needs to be put on a lean, though; classic Italian engineering technique.
Thank you for the video, I'm just learning about coffee since last February. You are among the 5 top coffee related creators that I deem essential in learning about coffee and coffee related gears.
Don’t you dare apologize for the length of these videos! This is perfect for me because by the end of this year I will be replacing my Encore and these are some grinders I have been considering.
In the EU and love my X54, I am a full hopper user and if I want to experiment use my commandante for single dose filter. I loved the breakdown and agree with all your comments about single dosing. I always clean between bags and follow your steps. For my workflow it's great. If I was all about the single dose, I might not have chosen this model or done the upgrades shown. I might have to try changing the burrs eventually which is a great shout! Right now I have it dialled in to my favourite bag and the consistency of shot for me is what I love about it. Bag after bag, same setting same great results. Which for me is perfect start to a morning. Also could you link the 3D print mods for the X54 ❤️
Hi, just letting you know that we are actually watching the full 57:10min of this video - because it's worth it. A breakdown this thorough is much appreciated, especially for a risk-averse buyer like myself. This is really valuable, so please rest assured that we do value you a lot for all of this and for your putting up with all the mess it creates sometimes! Also I salute you for not mixing up any of the parts and screws... Lol. I would've certainly lost at least one!
In real life home use, Eureka is super quiet, fast and delicious, just grind 1gr between when you change how fine you grind... It is also much quieter if you put lid on the hopper .
Love long videos where I can cherry pick what I watch by making use of good time-code links by watching a nice summary at the end that ties well with the links.
35:11 you gotta put the lid on when you measure the volume. It makes a big difference, it's also important that the container sits well in the top of the machine. When you replace the lid with one of the many available options on the web (wooden, etc.), the grinder becomes even quieter.
I already spoke with Lance via instagram about this, but you can get filter focused burrs for the Eureka Specialita. Not a lot of people have tried them or done any comparisons, but I have heard a couple (literally lol) of good things abou them
The "ditting burrs" are the same as the Baratza Forte or Vario w+ steels as I understand yeah? It might be hard to find them if you are searching for 54mm ditting burrs and probably easier to search for 54mm Baratza steel burrs
This is super helpful! I own a Specialita and always wondered if it was a high clarity grinder as I have no other experience with other grinders. Looks like a df64 with SSP MP burrs is in my future as I want to explore more with light roasts and high clarity
I have the vario W with the forte burr carrier and the steel burrs. I would certainly recommend this setup for People that like 2 buy second hand grinders. Only downside is the time to get you 19 grams off coffee.
Thank you brother for this review, I have a DF-64. Kind of hate it, using for drip and espresso. Always getting chirping sound and have to back off. I considered these 3 options but ended up going DF and I regret it
On the X54 I use single dosing with the hopper on it all the time, there's retention carry over but it's generally not an issue even when switching coffees which I do regularly. There's cross over of beans of course, but a gram or so I can't taste it. Also switching from espresso to pour overs you can do it pretty much immediately if you're not too anal about some fines in your pour over. Generally I have found the Hopper to work well enough for my single dosing usage
I have also found the same - the X54 actually performs really well with the hopper on and used single dosing. I pretty much get out what I dose in each time when I let the grinder run fully out.
@@azza2575 espresso compared to pro shop, it's quite close but missing that kind of clarity. Considering the price, I'd say this grinder does a pretty good job. As for pour over, I have limited experience I can't really say.
Lance, after some studying I realized that the bg burrs should fit eureka specialita but only pre 2018 models where the burr holes were different. However still have to face another big problem is the direction of bg burrs is left hand while specialita is right
Really curious how you feel about Eureka's cheaper Mignon grinders - the Filtro, Crono, Manuale, Silenzio, etc. all fall into a notably lower price point, but seem to have essentially the same internals apart from the control panel (and different switches). I've been single-dosing the Filtro ($209 USD) with bellows and tilted stand (haven't printed a larger dial yet), and the retention is essentially 0 with those mods (less than 0.1g). At that price point, it's in competition with the Urbanic and other cheaper grinders, rather than the Vario or Specialita. How do you think they stack up?
Just started this video and probably cannot afford any of these at the moment (but will watch until the end). So i just wanted to say how much i love your channel and your passion for coffee. Thanks Lance, keep on being awesome :)
I have the specialita and the vario (amoung others), the specialita is by far the quietest grinder I own. I'm not sure what dB it puts out but it's quieter when the lid is kept on (that goes the same for the vario)
Great video as always Lance! I love these long form videos! Don’t feel bad about asking for a like. I would never remember if you didn’t remind me 😁. Never ceases to amaze me how people keep recommending and linking to the wired gourmet, when he does nothing but trash everyone else on coffee youtube…
Excellent review, Lance-as always! I've had an X54 for about 6 months and have a love-hate relationship with it. It's very quiet and produces consistent fluffy grounds. Getting the grind size dialed in is another issue. I've seen reports of others having the same problem, but then reports of others not having a problem at all. Makes me wonder if there are some poor manufacturing tolerances or design issues. I've gone back forth with both the distributor and manufacturer several times on this issue. Both say to change the grind fineness (both more coarse and finer) with the grind chamber empty. I do that, and it's still hard to dial in. My expresso machine is a Lelit Bianca, so I can readily read the pressure with the flow control wide open. Frequently I can change the grind fineness one full notch with the grind chamber empty and it running and it won't make a difference in the espresso shot. I do this incrementally and no change. Then, all of a sudden on one of the adjustments it will jump 3-4 bars of pressure. I've also tried running the grind setting coarser and finer while it's empty and running and then setting it one notch more fine or coarse, and that doesn't seem to help, either. It seems that every month there are more and more nice single dose grinders coming on the market and I'm going to wait another 9 months or so to see what is on the market at that time and then swap out for something easier to dial in.
Quite interesting, especially that the Eureka produces a particularly sweet espresso. That's very desirable for me, not for the sweetness itself but that it should allow the use of even Turkish level grinds for Espresso or Cappuccino and not lose some sweetness and balance. I've only used mine for a few days but that's exactly what I'm gravitating to doing with some fresh Monsoon Malabar for example - wonderful smoky, spicy but still balanced tastes! My dial is on 1 and there is no blade contact. I have the single dose/bellows hopper on order which should solve the retention issue.
Damn, that's the kind of dedication to make a comparison video that I was looking for. Great work as always, Lance. You rock 🙂 I'm not too much into modding my grinders, but it's interesting to see how far you can push them if you invest in it a bit more.
Incredible overview, and perfect timing for me. I was considering the Vario+ with ceramic burrs as a single-purpose grinder because I once had a traditional espresso that was pure “coffee” flavor: sweet, rich, simple, and not a trace of bitterness. It would complement SSP Multipurpose burrs so well. 😁
Your Vario content always reassures me that I made the right decision to buy the OG Vario refurbished (from Baratza) for $300. Couldn't figure out why it was so cheap and a year later the Vario+ was announced. Still super happy with the ceramic burrs for espresso, though one of these days I'll probably experiment with the steel burrs. Great video as always!
Fantastic video. So much info but great stuff. I was totally under the impression the X54 and baratza w+ with steel both had the same ditting burrs. Glad I haven’t pulled the plug on the baratza yet as I’m still thinking about the DF w/SSP MP or fellows w/SSP MP as I am more pour over centered and my niche really doesn’t cut it with pour overs.
If you live in a smaller apartment or anywhere where space is a premium the Eureka just has a slick footprint compared to a lot of grinders and it isn't like it skimps on power or anything..
After watching a few other videos and checking around, I've found some very excellent grinders with 64mm burrs that are pro level quality construction. Made by Ceado. E5pro, E6P & E7J ranging from $700 - $1000. I know this video is about grinders with smaller burrs, but I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised at what they can get for $1000 or less. These are some really great options. Would love to hear your thoughts on Ceado and how they stack up to these grinders on this video. I'm thinking about making one of these Ceado grinders or even the E37S (higher priced) my electric grinder purchase, as I can use them at home and then professionally when I open a cafe or coffee cart.
Loved this, thanks Lance! I listened while at work and like some other have said already took this in kind of as a podcast. Would definitely listen if you decided to go that route, ya know since you have so much free time I imagine lol.
A great look see…but you might want to put the burr carrier flat on the table when unscrewing/screwing in the burrs rather than holding them in your hand. I have a half inch scar and permanently scarred finger tendon that kind of backs up this little suggestion…lol.
Decisions decisions decisions... I thought I'd be happy with my Rok grinder GC (I'm into manual stuff), but let's just say it has it's quirks ... Probably would have been happier with a commandante with "red clixs". But I'm considering more and more electric grinders for the convenience, especially when having guests and most of all, the adjustments wheels tend to be much more intuitive with clear markings.
The specialita can be had easily for less than $450. I know Lance didn't mention it because he got his from Seattle Coffee Gear. It's less expensive than the other 2. I'm waiting on the "DF83" that espresso outlet is developing and importing. Should be less than 1K.
I recently picked up a Specialita for espresso. I have to agree it's not the best for filter, definitely a little hallow tasting imo. This may be a personal preference thing but I actually prefer my M2 Burr Encore for V60, even though it's a little thicker tasting and has a little less clarity with it being a conical grinder. For espresso I've had some great results from it with a medium to medium dark roast coffee, it strikes a good balance between some traditional body espresso and a little bit sweeter/acidic modern style. I do wanna try some single dosing mods! I noticed the first time I used it it ate like 2g of coffee. Since then it's usually no more than 0.2 - 0.4g retained which is manageable, although I'm sure some of that is older coffee getting pushed out. Great video, I watched the whole thing while waiting for calls at my help desk job lol. Appreciate how much depth you went into!
Lance I just started watching your reviews a few weeks ago & I'm absorbing a lot but my head is also spinning lol! I am seeking the best grinder for french press first and foremost and maybe also one that will perform equally as good for a technivorm moccamaster. Best quality is the first priority next priorities would equally be quiet and not very messy if possible. Would prefer keeping it to $1,000 or less for this one. Most reviews seem to mainly talk about espresso & or pour over but generally not so much on the coarser end of things. Look forward to hearing your thoughts & thanks in advance.
Great video, thank you. Wish you had been able to include the Ceado 5P as for the price it’s right there but gives you bigger, flat burrs. Have been eyeing that instead…
Amazing video man! I love your dedication. I actually got a Vario+ yesterday and swapped out and aligned the burrs. I also flipped the flapper around, but retention is still not great. I have the Baratza single dose hopper but I may need to get some actual bellows to help with that. Still, I think I made the right choice overall- especially being in the US. Looking forward to your alignment video haha.
I personally prefer the taste of the Specialita over the Niche. But cleaning the Specialita is a lot more demanding than the Niche so that’s what’s on my bar right now. Honestly weighing the pros and cons I bought the Niche for the easier and less frequent cleaning haha.
With the popularity of Eureka grinders, I'm curious as to why one of these burr manufacturers haven't made burr upgrades available. Certainly there is a market for it, right? I also wonder if problems with retention are sometimes overstated. If one is grinding daily, i just don't think it really matters. I have a hard time believing the average user will detect a difference between 18g fresh and 1g of yesterday's coffee mixed with 17g fresh. I fully admit I may be way off base and, at the end of the day, don't know poop about anything.
The reason you don’t want retention is mainly because you don’t want coffee from a previous grind size or coffee variety in your shot. Really handy to have low retention if you are dialing in a coffee. But because bellows make most grinders zero retention it’s a bit of a non issue
Did anyone else notice the 2 1/2 revolutions were actually 1/2 revolutions or 1 1/4 full revolutions on the eureka I have the Eureka Zenith Neo and 2 1/2 full turns you begin to feel the tension release on the burrs
How much of an upgrade would you say these grinders are compared to the Encore for filter coffee? I know there’s the flat vs conical difference, but I want to upgrade my Encore and I’m curious.
Lance excellent video and thank you for all the effort and info given. Do you feel the motor on the x54 is an issue when grinding lighter roasted beans compared to the specialita?
Great video and I love your content, I have a forte BG for filter/espresso. I feel like the Vario w+ would have probably won if it would have made it in the video.
I actually just swapped out my ceramic burrs in my Vario+ to the steel burrs and I was surprised how much longer it takes to grind the exact same dose with the steels over the ceramics. Contacted Baratza about it and they said that was normal.
That is normal and also very sad at the same time. I kept switching back and forth as I cudnt decide between higher clarity and quicker grinding. Finally.. just went with quicker grinder as my steel burrs took almost 30secs for esp - just way too long for me.
Great video. I’ve done some videos, and some video work in the past. But nothing like an hour long video on 3 grinders. You rock. One thing I’ve been intrigued by is the new “pro filter” burrs that eureka came out with. Wondering if they would do some tasty modern espresso if they can get fine enough. I’m definitely leaning for a vario with ditting steels.
It looks like there is no non-commercial grinder on the market that can consistently cut anywhere near as fine as the Specialita or similar Eureka models. You need to check their website to see if they are designated for "Turkish" grinds. I'm really amazed at how ultra fine I can go with my new Specialita that has the stock burrs. I can't even imagine cutting finer that than. One sneeze on the coffee powder and you would have to start another grind from scratch :)
Aloha Lance. I am enjoying watching your very informative videos. My wife and i are looking to get into a new grinder... we drink French Press in the morning and cappuccino in the afternoon. We are leaning towards technology with good burrs, low retention and good serviceability over bells and whistles. So a single dose machine with great burrs makes sense to us. Your comments make us wonder about the wisdom of trying to get one machine such as a Eureka Oro Mignon to be a countertop saving single machine option, or to go with two grinders (countertop space is limited though)... and if so, which two grinders to go with that puts us in a total budget of $500-$750 or so. Any feedback much appreciated.
Something that works well for me on the Eureka Single Dose is turning the grinder back on to kick extra grind out of the chamber. The bellows end up being unnecessary. Curious if it's the same for the Specialita.
Love the detail and depths to which you dive brother.🙏🏼 Quick question: is the retention on each grinder observed with or without RDT? My sette is a zero retention beast with RDT. Looking for a flat burr set that will behave the same way.
Hey Lance! Thank you for being thorough with your breakdowns as always--I know it's alot of work but it's always appreciated and helps further our understand of coffee. I was wondering though--do you have any recommendations on accessories for single-dosing on the Gevi 4-in-1?
I just purchased a Breville Smart Grinder for 200 bucks. I mainly want to use a grinder for pour overs and drip. I have a permanent filter my Ninja and seem to be getting grounds in my coffee. I'm pretty disappointed. Do you think this is a grinder issue or a coffee machine issue? Also, do you think this grinder is worth the money or should I spend an extra $100 and get something else? Love your videos. I've been binging them. You're so witty and intelligent and fun to watch!
Loved this thank u so much Can u tell us whats ur recommendation on beans? Whats the best beans u have used for espresso machine? And how fine do u grind them?
Hey Lance, I've got an X54 and wondering if I'm only using it for espresso & flat whites usually medium roast, would you still recommend the ditting steels the x54's?
Love all your videos, as always exceptional information and production. Could you please give me a couple of recommendations for a dedicated grinder (including types of burrs in the respective grinders) for pour over light roasted coffee? I would truly appreciate if you could possibly respond. thanks so much.
I actually used the bellow on my Baratza Forte, that you used in your Vario plus review a while back, and I see why they don't recommend using one, after about 2 months of using the bellows, I performed my periodic deep cleaning, and the inside of the machine was covered in coffee grinds, there was at least a good 5-10g of grinds that came out of it lol. So needless to say I don't use the bellows anymore 😂 it was a good experiment though, actually now thinking about it, it's probably due to the reversed chute flapper mod. My Forte gets no more than .2g of retention so I'm not too concerned.
@@jack.m.rogers maybe it's manufacturing tolerances, I only get a bit due to the reverse flapper, as long as I don't use bellows. But I also have taken mine apart a few times for the alicorn alignment, so possibly I have put it back together a bit more snug than it was from factory?
Haven’t even finished but am totally loving this video. The video length makes it feel like a Lance Hedrick podcast (cause I’m listening while at work). I mean, considering how much Lance talks and at length, his content begs for a podcast. I would immediately subscribe.
Thank you so much! a podcast isn't a bad idea...
This ^^^^^^
@@LanceHedrick do you want to start a podcast about coffee, coffee shops, and beatboxing together?
I own the Specialita and you don't need to remove the dial to remove the lid. Simply lift in back and slide to the rear. I use the Single Dose Brew bellows/hopper. I have retention of 0.8g when I measure what's in the grinder when I clean it. Most of the grinds are in the joint between the upper and lower burr holders. The bellows will blow apx 1.4g out of grinder. My in vs out is +/- 0.1g. I tried a 9° tilt base but saw little difference. The way the motor "hangs" in the Specialita, it seems to "cock" in it's mounts due to gravity when tilted.
A comparison of single dose bellows/hoppers would be interesting.
Great video Lance! We love your content. Heads up a smaller X54 hopper is on way real soon. We look forward to the next video.
Oh fantastic! That would be lovely!
@@LanceHedrick @mahlkoenig another great video indeed! what is the exit shoot you mention at around 6:45?
Am having some issues with unexpected grind size changes while grinding that the distributor said might have to do with the flapper so came back to this video and wondering if that is related …
@Mahlkoenig - any tentative date when is the new release? We’re looking to purchase X54, but happy to wait if new one is coming real soon. We basically use for expresso.
A new design for pro-home use would be a welcome, as this grinder as pointed out has a number of issues others do not. Love the commercial stuff, yet maybe more time on the drawing board vs the production line on the next model. Yes, that lock on the hopper and size are issues, but the smaller of, as the settings being stuck until it runs to change would be the #1 issue . Home use, the care one has to give to grinding is dictated by the super high price paid for coffee, so each microgram is accounted for. This would be a good area to focus on, not wasting coffee. (Sorry I am harsh on my other comment, but just being honest, and hope its taken constructively).
For someone who only grinds for espresso and doesn't single dose, I went for the Specialita. I love the stepless adjustment and timed dose. The user experience and flavor is fantastic. I'm very happy with it.
I'd love to see a video about Eureka's budget line grinders, specifically the Filtro and Crono etc, because there's an awful lot of smoke online about utilizing them as dedicated espresso grinders with a burr swap, and I wanna see some fire, Lance. Stack them up against the Urbanic grinders and you'll make your fans happy. Thanks for the great content. I especially appreciate the tribute to your friend in the design of the machine. Very nice touch.
I bought the filtro 2 years ago and it came with the espresso burr set I can pull great shots with it
I think now the filtro has a burr set for filter coffee
@@Stevesbe I ended up getting the filtro and LOVE it. Swapped the on button for a switch and got a silicone bellows for retention on ETSY, and a single dose hopper, and it's awesome. Can confirm some new models ship with filter burrs. Worth asking Whole Latte Love about it.
@@jazzynotjeff which button did you purchase? Anything to share on the process? Thanks.
How did you managed to change the button? I seen one post about it but being honest totally dont know what to do with it due to lack of electric knowledge -.-
Great vid thanks. I’ve had a Specialita for a couple of years now and only use it for espresso with the hopper. I love it. I can’t think of anything about it I’d change. As a note, it’s MUCH quieter with the lid of the hopper on.
I know the first couple of hours of a video releasing can be both nerve-wracking, and encouraging. So let me be encouraging - this is great! Properly merry, but properly good. Just purchased the X54, I’m a big fan. Really interested to watch the full video and hear your thoughts!
Keep up the brilliant work!
Thanks Lance! Awesome vid - the bellows and a quick flick of a pastry brush up the spout of my mignon gets me to just about zero retention - I'm sure I'll eventually take the leap to the leaning stand. Kind of makes sense that it needs to be put on a lean, though; classic Italian engineering technique.
Lance, thank you for diving deep on the x54. That single does mod is CLUTCH
Thank you for the video, I'm just learning about coffee since last February. You are among the 5 top coffee related creators that I deem essential in learning about coffee and coffee related gears.
Don’t you dare apologize for the length of these videos! This is perfect for me because by the end of this year I will be replacing my Encore and these are some grinders I have been considering.
This is fantastic to read! Thank you for making me feel better about it haha!
In the EU and love my X54, I am a full hopper user and if I want to experiment use my commandante for single dose filter. I loved the breakdown and agree with all your comments about single dosing. I always clean between bags and follow your steps. For my workflow it's great. If I was all about the single dose, I might not have chosen this model or done the upgrades shown.
I might have to try changing the burrs eventually which is a great shout! Right now I have it dialled in to my favourite bag and the consistency of shot for me is what I love about it. Bag after bag, same setting same great results. Which for me is perfect start to a morning.
Also could you link the 3D print mods for the X54 ❤️
here ya go
Hi, just letting you know that we are actually watching the full 57:10min of this video - because it's worth it. A breakdown this thorough is much appreciated, especially for a risk-averse buyer like myself. This is really valuable, so please rest assured that we do value you a lot for all of this and for your putting up with all the mess it creates sometimes! Also I salute you for not mixing up any of the parts and screws... Lol. I would've certainly lost at least one!
In real life home use, Eureka is super quiet, fast and delicious, just grind 1gr between when you change how fine you grind... It is also much quieter if you put lid on the hopper .
Nice . I like my Specialta. I will have to try some medium to darker coffees. I have been using lighter roasts and generally happy.
Love long videos where I can cherry pick what I watch by making use of good time-code links by watching a nice summary at the end that ties well with the links.
i bought Specialita and very glad about it. quietness is an awesome feature.
Lance the amount of work you out into these videos is absolutely unrivaled! Great video!
35:11 you gotta put the lid on when you measure the volume. It makes a big difference, it's also important that the container sits well in the top of the machine. When you replace the lid with one of the many available options on the web (wooden, etc.), the grinder becomes even quieter.
Thanks for your sharing and testing for us to make an informed desicion.
I already spoke with Lance via instagram about this, but you can get filter focused burrs for the Eureka Specialita. Not a lot of people have tried them or done any comparisons, but I have heard a couple (literally lol) of good things abou them
The "ditting burrs" are the same as the Baratza Forte or Vario w+ steels as I understand yeah? It might be hard to find them if you are searching for 54mm ditting burrs and probably easier to search for 54mm Baratza steel burrs
This is super helpful! I own a Specialita and always wondered if it was a high clarity grinder as I have no other experience with other grinders. Looks like a df64 with SSP MP burrs is in my future as I want to explore more with light roasts and high clarity
I have the vario W with the forte burr carrier and the steel burrs. I would certainly recommend this setup for People that like 2 buy second hand grinders. Only downside is the time to get you 19 grams off coffee.
Lance - Thanks for your transparency. I wish more people in the industry did this. It is appreciated!
Thank you brother for this review, I have a DF-64. Kind of hate it, using for drip and espresso. Always getting chirping sound and have to back off. I considered these 3 options but ended up going DF and I regret it
On the X54 I use single dosing with the hopper on it all the time, there's retention carry over but it's generally not an issue even when switching coffees which I do regularly. There's cross over of beans of course, but a gram or so I can't taste it. Also switching from espresso to pour overs you can do it pretty much immediately if you're not too anal about some fines in your pour over.
Generally I have found the Hopper to work well enough for my single dosing usage
I have also found the same - the X54 actually performs really well with the hopper on and used single dosing. I pretty much get out what I dose in each time when I let the grinder run fully out.
Thinking of getting the x54, how is it clarity wise?
@@azza2575 espresso compared to pro shop, it's quite close but missing that kind of clarity. Considering the price, I'd say this grinder does a pretty good job.
As for pour over, I have limited experience I can't really say.
@@azza2575 it does well. You can always grab the Ditting steels.
@@Cenot4ph thank you
Lance, after some studying I realized that the bg burrs should fit eureka specialita but only pre 2018 models where the burr holes were different. However still have to face another big problem is the direction of bg burrs is left hand while specialita is right
love the deep dives and the time queues because I'll tend to watch this a few times even though I already have multiple grinders.
Really curious how you feel about Eureka's cheaper Mignon grinders - the Filtro, Crono, Manuale, Silenzio, etc. all fall into a notably lower price point, but seem to have essentially the same internals apart from the control panel (and different switches). I've been single-dosing the Filtro ($209 USD) with bellows and tilted stand (haven't printed a larger dial yet), and the retention is essentially 0 with those mods (less than 0.1g). At that price point, it's in competition with the Urbanic and other cheaper grinders, rather than the Vario or Specialita. How do you think they stack up?
This review has both quantity and quality, amazing job!
thank you! Appreciate the kind words!
Just started this video and probably cannot afford any of these at the moment (but will watch until the end). So i just wanted to say how much i love your channel and your passion for coffee. Thanks Lance, keep on being awesome :)
I have the specialita and the vario (amoung others), the specialita is by far the quietest grinder I own. I'm not sure what dB it puts out but it's quieter when the lid is kept on (that goes the same for the vario)
Great video as always Lance! I love these long form videos! Don’t feel bad about asking for a like. I would never remember if you didn’t remind me 😁.
Never ceases to amaze me how people keep recommending and linking to the wired gourmet, when he does nothing but trash everyone else on coffee youtube…
Congratulations on 90k subscribers, Lance. Won’t be long before you are presented with a shiny UA-cam Silver Play Button! 🤩
Excellent review, Lance-as always! I've had an X54 for about 6 months and have a love-hate relationship with it. It's very quiet and produces consistent fluffy grounds. Getting the grind size dialed in is another issue. I've seen reports of others having the same problem, but then reports of others not having a problem at all. Makes me wonder if there are some poor manufacturing tolerances or design issues. I've gone back forth with both the distributor and manufacturer several times on this issue. Both say to change the grind fineness (both more coarse and finer) with the grind chamber empty. I do that, and it's still hard to dial in. My expresso machine is a Lelit Bianca, so I can readily read the pressure with the flow control wide open. Frequently I can change the grind fineness one full notch with the grind chamber empty and it running and it won't make a difference in the espresso shot. I do this incrementally and no change. Then, all of a sudden on one of the adjustments it will jump 3-4 bars of pressure. I've also tried running the grind setting coarser and finer while it's empty and running and then setting it one notch more fine or coarse, and that doesn't seem to help, either. It seems that every month there are more and more nice single dose grinders coming on the market and I'm going to wait another 9 months or so to see what is on the market at that time and then swap out for something easier to dial in.
LANCE IS COFFEE UA-camR WE NEEDED BUT DIDNT DESERVE
I have the Eureka XL grinder, and I find just add extra time for single dosing, great video Lance 🙂
Quite interesting, especially that the Eureka produces a particularly sweet espresso. That's very desirable for me, not for the sweetness itself but that it should allow the use of even Turkish level grinds for Espresso or Cappuccino and not lose some sweetness and balance. I've only used mine for a few days but that's exactly what I'm gravitating to doing with some fresh Monsoon Malabar for example - wonderful smoky, spicy but still balanced tastes! My dial is on 1 and there is no blade contact. I have the single dose/bellows hopper on order which should solve the retention issue.
Nomad Coffee
Damn, that's the kind of dedication to make a comparison video that I was looking for. Great work as always, Lance. You rock 🙂
I'm not too much into modding my grinders, but it's interesting to see how far you can push them if you invest in it a bit more.
Appreciate the knowledge Lance has in all the details of coffee and equipment. The content truly stands out!
Incredible overview, and perfect timing for me. I was considering the Vario+ with ceramic burrs as a single-purpose grinder because I once had a traditional espresso that was pure “coffee” flavor: sweet, rich, simple, and not a trace of bitterness. It would complement SSP Multipurpose burrs so well. 😁
Your Vario content always reassures me that I made the right decision to buy the OG Vario refurbished (from Baratza) for $300. Couldn't figure out why it was so cheap and a year later the Vario+ was announced. Still super happy with the ceramic burrs for espresso, though one of these days I'll probably experiment with the steel burrs. Great video as always!
Fantastic video. So much info but great stuff. I was totally under the impression the X54 and baratza w+ with steel both had the same ditting burrs. Glad I haven’t pulled the plug on the baratza yet as I’m still thinking about the DF w/SSP MP or fellows w/SSP MP as I am more pour over centered and my niche really doesn’t cut it with pour overs.
What a BANGER!! This is a great niche for you to occupy imho!
If you live in a smaller apartment or anywhere where space is a premium the Eureka just has a slick footprint compared to a lot of grinders and it isn't like it skimps on power or anything..
After watching a few other videos and checking around, I've found some very excellent grinders with 64mm burrs that are pro level quality construction.
Made by Ceado. E5pro, E6P & E7J ranging from $700 - $1000.
I know this video is about grinders with smaller burrs, but I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised at what they can get for $1000 or less. These are some really great options.
Would love to hear your thoughts on Ceado and how they stack up to these grinders on this video.
I'm thinking about making one of these Ceado grinders or even the E37S (higher priced) my electric grinder purchase, as I can use them at home and then professionally when I open a cafe or coffee cart.
Nomads - good old Barcelona roastery :))
Always checking them out whenever I am there super nice people there.
Also nice review Lance!
There is now the DF54 flat burr
that could/should be included as well.
Loved this, thanks Lance! I listened while at work and like some other have said already took this in kind of as a podcast. Would definitely listen if you decided to go that route, ya know since you have so much free time I imagine lol.
I’m here for the whole video.. this is the content I crave!
A great look see…but you might want to put the burr carrier flat on the table when unscrewing/screwing in the burrs rather than holding them in your hand. I have a half inch scar and permanently scarred finger tendon that kind of backs up this little suggestion…lol.
Decisions decisions decisions... I thought I'd be happy with my Rok grinder GC (I'm into manual stuff), but let's just say it has it's quirks ... Probably would have been happier with a commandante with "red clixs". But I'm considering more and more electric grinders for the convenience, especially when having guests and most of all, the adjustments wheels tend to be much more intuitive with clear markings.
Haven't watched the video yet but I just got the Specialita a week ago. Can't wait to see your results Lance!
Liked and Subscribed
Amazing video, thanks for all of the incredible effort you put into these, always look forward to a new video from Lance.
We love you Lance. Another amazing video. Can’t wait for the hand grinder showdown.
The specialita can be had easily for less than $450. I know Lance didn't mention it because he got his from Seattle Coffee Gear. It's less expensive than the other 2.
I'm waiting on the "DF83" that espresso outlet is developing and importing. Should be less than 1K.
I recently picked up a Specialita for espresso. I have to agree it's not the best for filter, definitely a little hallow tasting imo. This may be a personal preference thing but I actually prefer my M2 Burr Encore for V60, even though it's a little thicker tasting and has a little less clarity with it being a conical grinder.
For espresso I've had some great results from it with a medium to medium dark roast coffee, it strikes a good balance between some traditional body espresso and a little bit sweeter/acidic modern style.
I do wanna try some single dosing mods! I noticed the first time I used it it ate like 2g of coffee. Since then it's usually no more than 0.2 - 0.4g retained which is manageable, although I'm sure some of that is older coffee getting pushed out.
Great video, I watched the whole thing while waiting for calls at my help desk job lol. Appreciate how much depth you went into!
Thank you Lance!
Love my x54 with ditting burrs!
Where did you purchase the ditting burrs?
Friday night movie sorted! Fantastic vid 🕺🏻
Please make the "how to" hyperalign Vario video when you get a chance.
Thank you
Lance I just started watching your reviews a few weeks ago & I'm absorbing a lot but my head is also spinning lol! I am seeking the best grinder for french press first and foremost and maybe also one that will perform equally as good for a technivorm moccamaster. Best quality is the first priority next priorities would equally be quiet and not very messy if possible. Would prefer keeping it to $1,000 or less for this one. Most reviews seem to mainly talk about espresso & or pour over but generally not so much on the coarser end of things. Look forward to hearing your thoughts & thanks in advance.
Great video, thank you. Wish you had been able to include the Ceado 5P as for the price it’s right there but gives you bigger, flat burrs. Have been eyeing that instead…
Amazing video man! I love your dedication. I actually got a Vario+ yesterday and swapped out and aligned the burrs. I also flipped the flapper around, but retention is still not great. I have the Baratza single dose hopper but I may need to get some actual bellows to help with that. Still, I think I made the right choice overall- especially being in the US. Looking forward to your alignment video haha.
This should keep me busy during work!
Heck yeah! lol
That's a behemoth of a video!!
Hahaha! Truly. I didn't want to milk views on multipl3 vids. Thought I'd just toss em all in one with cues
@@LanceHedrick Looking forward to your hand grinder video!
Can you please quickly compare x54 and a Niche zero?
I personally prefer the taste of the Specialita over the Niche. But cleaning the Specialita is a lot more demanding than the Niche so that’s what’s on my bar right now.
Honestly weighing the pros and cons I bought the Niche for the easier and less frequent cleaning haha.
Well done buddy.
With the popularity of Eureka grinders, I'm curious as to why one of these burr manufacturers haven't made burr upgrades available. Certainly there is a market for it, right?
I also wonder if problems with retention are sometimes overstated. If one is grinding daily, i just don't think it really matters. I have a hard time believing the average user will detect a difference between 18g fresh and 1g of yesterday's coffee mixed with 17g fresh.
I fully admit I may be way off base and, at the end of the day, don't know poop about anything.
The reason you don’t want retention is mainly because you don’t want coffee from a previous grind size or coffee variety in your shot. Really handy to have low retention if you are dialing in a coffee. But because bellows make most grinders zero retention it’s a bit of a non issue
Love you Lance... keep doing your thing.
Eureka sells bellow-ish add-ons for their Mignon grinders, so they're not against the idea.
Will you try their brew-specific burrs too?
Did anyone else notice the 2 1/2 revolutions were actually 1/2 revolutions or 1 1/4 full revolutions on the eureka I have the Eureka Zenith Neo and 2 1/2 full turns you begin to feel the tension release on the burrs
This is a mess and you better appreciate me. 😂 I feel it and I love it!
How much of an upgrade would you say these grinders are compared to the Encore for filter coffee? I know there’s the flat vs conical difference, but I want to upgrade my Encore and I’m curious.
I watched the whole video Lance and as always thank you. I appreciate the mess you made.
Great detailed video.
Lance excellent video and thank you for all the effort and info given. Do you feel the motor on the x54 is an issue when grinding lighter roasted beans compared to the specialita?
Great video. Very informative!
Great review, lance! Do you still plan on producing a walkthrough of the alicorn hyperalignment procedure for the Vario?
Great video and I love your content, I have a forte BG for filter/espresso. I feel like the Vario w+ would have probably won if it would have made it in the video.
I link out to a vario with the same set up as the vario w plus. My initial vario video has all the same insides as the w plus.
Gargantuan! Great job!
I actually just swapped out my ceramic burrs in my Vario+ to the steel burrs and I was surprised how much longer it takes to grind the exact same dose with the steels over the ceramics. Contacted Baratza about it and they said that was normal.
That is normal and also very sad at the same time. I kept switching back and forth as I cudnt decide between higher clarity and quicker grinding.
Finally.. just went with quicker grinder as my steel burrs took almost 30secs for esp - just way too long for me.
Incredible Video!!!
Great video.
I’ve done some videos, and some video work in the past.
But nothing like an hour long video on 3 grinders. You rock.
One thing I’ve been intrigued by is the new “pro filter” burrs that eureka came out with.
Wondering if they would do some tasty modern espresso if they can get fine enough.
I’m definitely leaning for a vario with ditting steels.
It looks like there is no non-commercial grinder on the market that can consistently cut anywhere near as fine as the Specialita or similar Eureka models. You need to check their website to see if they are designated for "Turkish" grinds. I'm really amazed at how ultra fine I can go with my new Specialita that has the stock burrs. I can't even imagine cutting finer that than. One sneeze on the coffee powder and you would have to start another grind from scratch :)
Nice to see a video where I could upgrade to this midrange tier. Aka 80-150 usd per machine. No more 9 usd eletric grinder.
Love it! Keep it coming Lance!
Thank you! Really appreciate the support. Sincerely.
Aloha Lance. I am enjoying watching your very informative videos. My wife and i are looking to get into a new grinder... we drink French Press in the morning and cappuccino in the afternoon. We are leaning towards technology with good burrs, low retention and good serviceability over bells and whistles. So a single dose machine with great burrs makes sense to us. Your comments make us wonder about the wisdom of trying to get one machine such as a Eureka Oro Mignon to be a countertop saving single machine option, or to go with two grinders (countertop space is limited though)... and if so, which two grinders to go with that puts us in a total budget of $500-$750 or so. Any feedback much appreciated.
Something that works well for me on the Eureka Single Dose is turning the grinder back on to kick extra grind out of the chamber. The bellows end up being unnecessary. Curious if it's the same for the Specialita.
Some stellar machines here! Curious to see the difference breakdown :)
I hope you enjoy! Thanks for clicking and engaging
Love the detail and depths to which you dive brother.🙏🏼 Quick question: is the retention on each grinder observed with or without RDT? My sette is a zero retention beast with RDT. Looking for a flat burr set that will behave the same way.
Hey Lance! Thank you for being thorough with your breakdowns as always--I know it's alot of work but it's always appreciated and helps further our understand of coffee.
I was wondering though--do you have any recommendations on accessories for single-dosing on the Gevi 4-in-1?
I just purchased a Breville Smart Grinder for 200 bucks. I mainly want to use a grinder for pour overs and drip. I have a permanent filter my Ninja and seem to be getting grounds in my coffee. I'm pretty disappointed. Do you think this is a grinder issue or a coffee machine issue? Also, do you think this grinder is worth the money or should I spend an extra $100 and get something else? Love your videos. I've been binging them. You're so witty and intelligent and fun to watch!
I'm trying to find the best grinder for pour overs and drip... I'll keep looking. I'm sure you have videos that will answer my question
Fellow Ode with SSP burrs ftw
Eureka Filtro for $209 maybe? Top notch build quality, stepless adjustment, handmade in Italy. I'm looking at it lately myself.
Loved this thank u so much
Can u tell us whats ur recommendation on beans? Whats the best beans u have used for espresso machine? And how fine do u grind them?
Hey Lance, I've got an X54 and wondering if I'm only using it for espresso & flat whites usually medium roast, would you still recommend the ditting steels the x54's?
Great video. Is 64mm burrs grinder comparison coming?
54 mm ditting or 64mm ssp MP? Sounds like a video there! Love this video! Thanks
Love all your videos, as always exceptional information and production. Could you please give me a couple of recommendations for a dedicated grinder (including types of burrs in the respective grinders) for pour over light roasted coffee? I would truly appreciate if you could possibly respond. thanks so much.
I actually used the bellow on my Baratza Forte, that you used in your Vario plus review a while back, and I see why they don't recommend using one, after about 2 months of using the bellows, I performed my periodic deep cleaning, and the inside of the machine was covered in coffee grinds, there was at least a good 5-10g of grinds that came out of it lol. So needless to say I don't use the bellows anymore 😂 it was a good experiment though, actually now thinking about it, it's probably due to the reversed chute flapper mod. My Forte gets no more than .2g of retention so I'm not too concerned.
I get quite a bit of buildup in the housing WITHOUT using a bellows or reversible the flap. Seems like a design flaw of the Forté.
@@jack.m.rogers maybe it's manufacturing tolerances, I only get a bit due to the reverse flapper, as long as I don't use bellows. But I also have taken mine apart a few times for the alicorn alignment, so possibly I have put it back together a bit more snug than it was from factory?