Seems to be confusion re: claim of first variable auger prebreaker. Many have been quick to defend, and rightfully so, the existence of variable augers in other grinders. My claim in this video is NOT that this will be the first time variable auger speeds will be implemented; instead, my claim IS this will be the first time a grinder offers variable augers AS PREBREAKER. Big difference. One delivers beans largely in tact, the other has a direct effect on PSD by breaking at different rates. Bentwood was the first to use the auger as a prebreaker to my knowledge. This would be the first to use different feeding augers all acting as prebreakers. OK Thanks.
To stave off any comparisons to the Sculptor, please recognize the massive cost difference. This costs more than double the Sculptor. In the same way there is no debate whether the, say, P100 is better than the Sculptor, I'd ask a similar exercise of judgement be used here. The Zerno is built with a different end goal in mind, whereas the Timemore grinders are obviously much more budget friendly! I take this over the Sculptor if the budget is there. Ok. Rant over. Much love.
Hmmm, hard to see Zerno 64mm burrs being better for filter in the cup compared to Sculptor 78mm turbo burrs. You even said the turbo burrs bested the 64mm SSP MP on the ode. Not talking about build quality here, only the cup result.
I love the switch, very industrial-looking. It's one of my favorite things about the Niche I had been jonsing for the P64, but I think I would be happier with this, honestly, especially if the retention has been fixed.
I just feel like it doesn't match the aesthetic of this Or the niche. granted, i'm not a fan of the look of the niche in general so doesn't really matter there lol
Next one might be 98mm! I think they're still updating and perfecting the Zerno Z1 though! From what I heard the 1st ones were great, I'll be getting a 2nd edition soon.
@@BensCoffeeRants I have little interest in 98mm burrs again. Absolutely great burrs but the grinder gets too big and costly. I did have one some years ago, I just got tired of the footprint of such a beast in my tiny kitchen
@@mikni4069 I don't think 98mm burr grinders have to be as huge as an ek43 the p100 isn't quite so big. They're doing 64mm smaller than they used to. Look at a 64mm Caedo grinder and look at the zerno, timemore or df64V.
@@BensCoffeeRants p100 is still a noticeable grinder and it needs to be, those burrs are really massive, I have a pair left in cupboard somewhere, you need a motor/gear that can supply sufficient torque to run it. The alternative is what Titus done, shrinking it as small as is really possible but only by making some part of it under counter. We have some local roaster who run these and they are great for filter, but you need to be able to hide parts of it, something that isn’t possible for everyone. P100 almost as big as the chamber/motor housing of the EK but it benefit in size because it’s made Horizontally rather then vertically, something I’m not that convinced is the best solution as 98mm burrs originally was designed with feeders and vertical mounting in mind. Also there really is limitations how small you make these. Also I actually don’t think making yet another 98mm really make all that sense from market perspective. We already have P100, Titus Nautilus, Kafatek Monolith flat Max, Ek43, PK100 SD. The market is already rather saturated as is. That isn’t really the case with 80-83mm that strike a balance between these two extremes and where we actually got burrs that isn’t all about clarity. The problem with 98mm is that you only really got that and majority of burrs are either strictly filter burrs or really not all fantastic at ratios under 1:3. 64mm have selections but lacks dept of larger burrs in the presentation of the coffee. Titus just done a 75mm Nimbus and we need more manufacturers delivering for the in between to give us better selections then just more 64mm and 98mm.
This video really was a splendid showcase of the merits of this grinder and the philosophy of the person behind it. Marketing matters. Unfortunately it is outside is my budget so I'll stick with the budget timemore 😂. All the best regards to zerno though.
Hey @LanceHendrick I've got a Niche Duo w/ SSP MP Burrs fitted. I'm considering purchasing this grinder on the next pre-order. Do you think there would be much difference in the cup between my current grinder and a Zerno w/ SSP MP? Upgrade, downgrade or side-step? Thanks!
Beautiful grinder. Hmmm...food for thought....Thanks Lance for the review. It is good to hear that so much has been considered for the design. Changing augers ..could that be a game changer for the grinder industry? I wonder how many more companies will start to consider this factor in grinding.
Yay! More coffee content :) Do you have a solid suggestion on "best", or your favourite espresso grinder under $1k USD, including mods/burr changes if that was relevant. Side question. I am new to specialty coffee for the last six months or so. I want to send you what I drink from my local roaster and get your opinions. Maybe a video idea? Do you have a p/o box lol
hey! I'm thinking the Timemore 078s for best under 1k. But need to do some more with it. Also just got in the kopi deva i'll be testing. And might be hard to ship as i'm out of country! Would be expensive and customs are buttheads
for sure. Off what I know from both, i'd be taking this. I can't stand the look or size of the niche duo. and they made it only for those mazzer burrs, which makes me think with more intense crushing and faster feed rates of SSP burrs, it may not be able to handle those.
Im glad that I did not order it in the end and went for the sculptor instead. It feels like a lot is still missing for this to be a final version and they seem to iterate every few months. For that price, this is not acceptable imo.
interesting! i'd honestly be happy with this grinder in its current form. And the constant improvements are, imo, welcomed since they are mostly retrofittable. That being said, depending on your needs, the timemores are way more than sufficient. I still think best sub 1000 tbh
@@LanceHedrick retrofittable in theory. I live in Germany and even ordering it here would be a huge pain with like 500€ more in import tax and stuff, so ordering new parts for it would again cost much more than the original price. So for me, it is quickly almost 4x the price of the Sculptor 078S and I don’t think the difference in the cup will be worth it. Sure, it’s beautiful and well build, but that’s a compromise I am willing to make ^^
ha! It is a difficult line to straddle- being impartial in reviews and also having products on the market. I can't see myself making a grinder, but time will tell!
If this had come out last year it would be competitive however its hard to justify the increased cost for the build quality when the greatest determinator is cup quality. Hopefully Zerno sells enough to continue in business to eventually drive down costs and produce more options as competition is beneficial. However we don’t really need another company like Fellow or Weber. We need more like Breville or Turin. Pumping out quality brews at reasonable prices. That way the specialty coffee market can grow and farmers can start making more (hopefully and eventually but capitalism is a helluva drug)
sure, but you also have to consider many Brevilles and Turins will end up in landfills. These machines are made with such high quality parts that not only will they last forever, but you can reuse many of the elements in other applications. same cant be said for lots of cheaper grinders.
@@LanceHedrick I love your content and being. Yet, the reality is that all of the grinders will end up in the landfill… not because they stopped working but because consumerism is a helluva drug and people would rather buy new then repair something they have. I appreciate your latest video on the topic. If someone is willing to put in the time to maintain and repair things the difference between them shrinks. I have replaced seals, hoses, and valves on my BDB which i purchased second hand. The Turin is honestly perfect for what it is and I do not expect to run in to any long term issues with it. However if the motor burned out… would any of these other companies offer a replacement part to fix at home? You may be able to send it back to them but they will likely just toss it in a landfill as well then send you a new one.
nice! tbh it is in a church building. the coffee program I built, though I was not a member of that church. It was an incredible work opportunity because what they offered me. at the time, being broke, it was an amazing opportunity to build a shop. was there for 8 months prior to joiniing onyx. Just fyi!
Phenomenal review Lance! You are so good at this that 30 min feels like 10. Although I know balancing depth with YT digestability is such a difficult balance.
According to Zernos FAQ the blind burrs give you under 9% more grind area. According to a few people who have tested with blind vs non blind burrs on the EG1 they mentioned they didn't notice a difference. That would be an interesting test. Are the blind burrs really that beneficial? NO WAY that it equates to more surface area than a 78mm burr, look at the inner diameter of those 64mm burrs vs 78mm burrs (I think 75m as well) the 78s have a much larger surface area even more than an 83mm burrs which are also thinner due to having a larger inner diameter. I think the pre-breaker / auger feeding system makes MORE of a difference also the alignment which is really the main benefit of this grinder, as well as the build quality. Shipping to Canada it's ALMOST as expensive as a P64 (supposedly no duties since it's MADE IN USA! hopefully that's true). And I think RPM DOES make a difference in taste, at least with most 64mm burrs. 900RPM should be good though.
Hey Lance, being the burrman and all, can you put a video about differences between burr sizes 64 Vs 98 Vs xx. With the rise of the home market, many home baristas are looking to buy a grinder that will last 5+ years (without getting the itch to upgrade) Can you comment on what you see coming in the industry of home grinders? E.g. a budget 98mm ? an explosion of burr options and geometries? do you see burrs bigger than 98mm coming soon? with your work for Pietro, do you plan more burr design work? With your lotus water, do you see people starting to dial in their own water recipes based on the grinder they have or is it more appropriate per individual bean Love the content and the curiosity you have driving the industry forward!
Hey! Good comment. Lots of questions ha! I'll chip away at some. I see people with upgraditis all the time. This grinder would be one to NOT upgrade, imo. This is an "end game" 64mm. I see people getting more than one grinder on their bar. I have a friend that sold off his 98mm and 75mm grinders to keep two zernos lol I think there will be a budget 98mm trend, but I doubt it will last. It would be designers taking advantage of the desire based off the flawed ideology of "bigger is better." Bigger than 98mm already exist. Look at Molar Z More burr work? Possibly, though i'm not actively searching for it. I wanted to help Pietro because it is the first ever marketed flat burr hand grinder. I'm always excited to help on completely new things. Lotus- people should dial to roasters IMHO
I think the location of the switch is strange. Smack dab in the middle throws off the sleek design. Perhaps if they moved it more towards the back it would be more pleasing to the eye.
@@jennifermarchlewski1607 The case looks like it might be a pretty tight fit around the motor. There might not be room for the switch and wiring farther back.
@@jennifermarchlewski1607 Uh, no not somewhere where it's going to be AWKARD to reach so it 'looks' nice. Don't do that lol. If that's the on/off switch you use every time you grind, you want it somewhere convent.
Have a Z1 with Espresso HU burrs on order for January '25 but saw your video on the Bentwood Vertical 63 and wonder how you compare these two grinders in terms of quality and taste (understanding that the Z1 would have to switch to other burrs to cover pour over which the Bentwood already covers). I currently have a Kafatek MC6 with Shurikone conicals and get great tasting shots from virtually 100% of the time, so what advantages/differences do you see comparatively with the Z1 and Bentwood?
Great video, got mine on order. Now they've released some of the optional pre breakers, any chance of a follow up vid looking at how those perform, and burr options?
When you say burr lock, you mean that it's past chirp, right? Like I couldn't spin the burrs with my finger? What's the reasoning behind doing this? Does it give more range? Keep up the good content!
correct! You go until the burrs are literally locked face to face. I do this because I want the micron measurements to be as close to actual peak micron measurements. If chirp was at 0, then 10microns on the dial would actually be like 120 or so
and now, of course we have to compare this to the mazzer philos,... the mazzer - no adjustable auger and the auger is not a pre breaker? I don't think, but it is a mazzer
The 3rd Drop (of 250 Zernos) pre-orders just sold out in a few hours yesterday. Seems like they're selling out faster than the last batch, you might have helped with that.
Thank you for the great Video Lance and Hugo! I am in for a new grinder to pair it with my decent and replace finally my niche. I was thinking about the EG-1 or P100 (tried the P100 at a friends place and really liked it but haven’t had the chance to try the EG-1 yet). But you wrote in a couple of comments above, that burr size is overrated. What would you buy? -> Changing burrs from time to time is no problem. I like medium to light roast espressos and filter as well and really do not like bitterness / astringency. Is the Z1 a grinder you would personally get over the EG-1 / P100?
Personally, as of now with my experience on all three (I got a P100 about a month ago), i'm still going EG1. Is it best for the money? No. I think Zerno is best cost-value, but I most enjoy EG1 out of them all thus far.
All these expensive on-demand grinders are literally the same engineering formula: 1) Make or use an existing set of well-spec'd burrs (of which there are MANY) 2) Spec out a motor with sufficient power and the right grind speed (or make it varible; not difficult), 3) Make the grind easy to adjust 4) Make a cool housing that is slightly different than the competition. I think we are at the point where grinder manufacturers are just regurgitating existing solutions in a slightly different design language. I guess that is alright, but is just kinda boring now to me. There really isn't any good reason for this being a $2000 grinder other than design language. Thanks for your insights Lance.
I sympathize but even still, none are perfect. Loads of flaws in many of them. And a gaping lack of innovation. I'm excited for the adoption of blind burrs here (weber has already done this), and more importantly, variable augers. I think this is a massive change that is way more important than variable rpm. Thanks for watching!
@@LanceHedrick Yeah, the flaws in most manufactured products like this are results of cost engineering, sadly. Regarding the blind burrs, did the designer note why he decided to use additional pins for alignment rather than just using the center hole? the center hole on the burrs should be concentric to the main axis of the burr (or could easily be spec'd that way with GD&T...) to a concentric feature on the mating surface. That would eliminate the need for additional pins and additional tolerance stack to the individual pin position, resulting in a more satisfying interface (I'm an engineer, I like things simple...) and lower production cost. The same concept is already in use on almost every automotive wheel/hub interface. No pins needed to align those bad boys. Anyway, thanks for your perspective.
@@MBergyman The designer did mention on Discord that that some burr manufacturers (such as Mazzer) don't release data about their manufacturing tolerances so this slightly overengineered approach was taken to insure maximum burr compatibility.
Hey Lance! Amazing video as always. Informative, relevant, and entertaining. I currently have an aligned Vario with steel burrs primarily filter. I was wondering if you’d expect a solid jump in grind quality. The zerno has a ton going with it for maintenance, workflow, etc but I’m wondering if the cups produced will be that much better. I’m really hoping to push clarity and am interested in the SSP unimodal brew burrs. Let me know what you think!
Nice review. You cover many important subjects about this grinder. When you will review the timemore sculptor 078s? I really want to know how the 78s burr taste, grinding espresso. If they more close to SSP MP or more close to SSP HU . I do not know If I should buy the 78s or 64s and put SSP cast v2.
@@LanceHedrick Thanks you so much. If you can, also compare it to the niche zero as it is the only grinder I have experience with. I use light roasted coffee to make espresso with the decent de1.
I think the Timemore grinders are kinda a no-brainer at their kickstarter prices as long as they don't mess em up with poor quality control. Zerno is on another quality level though being built in USA and produced in small batches! I have a referral link on my profile for the Timemore if you do go that route :)
Hi Lance, another great grinder review! (I was late watching it). Question for you, with all the experience you’ve had with 64mm burrs, how much difference do you think the pre-breaker is making in the cup? Put another way, do you think it will taste significantly different than all the other 64mm grinders (which would include the presumably superior alignment in the Zerno + pre-breaker effects).
@@matumatatasify The Duo I think is a little late, with the DF83 already being out and the Timemore 078s being out, better featured, and cheaper with probably larger burrs (look at the design of the 83mm burrs vs 78mm the inner diameter is smaller on the 78, meaning more surface area) The main benefit of the Duo is the lower RPM and easy burr swapping which is neat, also if you have a Niche Zero and want a matching flat burr grinder I can see a lot of people getting it for that reason. The 078s is the best value right now with their kickstarter if they don't mess it up with poor quality control! I have a referral link in my profile if you decide to go that route!
Like the concept of this grinder. Wondering since it has a pre-breaker with auger why not utilize a burr with a greater mid grind and greater polishing area similar with what Versalab did with their flat burr utilizing the conical burr as the pre-breaker.
Interesting about the Lower RPM requiring less power if done right, I guess that explains how they managed to get the 83mm Flat burr Niche DUO grinder to grind well at such a low RPM with a low wattage motor! They must be doing some gear box magic. Especially when some variable RPM grinders will struggle with higher power motors when grinding light roast for espresso at low RPM (Weber Key/EG1 etc).
Quick question: I still have the Gevi 4-in-1 (stock Gevi burrs)--any thoughts in comparison to the Timemore Sculptor 78/Z1 for filter and espresso performance? I backed the Sculptor Kickstarter and will definitely be picking it up--I'm just prepping my setup to accommodate my first pro-sumer grade espresso machine (likely a Profitec Go). I make daily filter coffee to take to work (usually with the 1Zpresso X-Pro) but have been wanting to finally take the deep-dive into home espresso. Thank you in advance and always appreciate your enthusiasm/commitment to the coffee industry!
Great review as always! I have one coming in June, and I can't wait. Got the HU burrs but I'm probably going to grab a set of the blind MP burrs. It's really cool to see how excited you seem to be about this one. Coming from you, that's very high praise haha definitely makes me more confident in my decision.
Thank you for this! I have the v2 on order and impatiently waiting haha Great to hear your feedback just solidifying even more on my decision, I can't wait! I also love how interactive Zen is in the discord and I think it's incredible. You just don't see that, and that goes for any industry but the benefits are huge for both growth of the company and the customer side as well. I ordered mine with the HU burrs but can't wait for blind HU burrs, I'll definitely pick them up whenever available. Thanks again Lance!
Great video Lance. Really appreciate how much time you spend on these. I was lucky enough to grab a June order. Would be great to see a follow up video if you spend more time with the different pre breakers and/or burrs.
I like wood, as much as the next person, but I feel black and light wood, it feels bad man, go with something darker, or with a nicer grain, that looks like someone used a circle saw on some cheap pine furniture.
Great video Lance! Smooth sponsor transition haha. Unrelated to this video but I am looking at an “end game” grinder with a budget up to the Lagom P100. I drink 70% filter 30% espresso and want something beautiful, modern tasting, high clarity and a joy to use daily at home. I want to avoid buying something and then seeing something new come out and wondering what if. What would you recommend? SG-1 is unfortunately out of my budget 😢😂
@@LanceHedrick P100 is about $4000 AUD which is my limit for a single spend (and wife’s limit on a single item). I’ll be wanting to get some different burrs to try maybe after 12 months, can assign them to bday gifts 😁. If looking at a 98mm grinder I’m not sure what’s good burrs to start with given I like high clarity, mostly use light roast, and make a decent amount of espresso even though I lean to filter. Keen to hear your suggestions!
It's 1200 in EU, I would rether wait for 078S or df64/83v. If I was to spill over 1,2k for a espresso grinder rether buy something endgame like Monolish with shurikens
That's like 3 times the price ha! There are many who are prepared to only spend 1.5k for an end game.. this would qualify. The obsession with bigger burrs is certainly fascinating. There is no proof 98mm produce any better coffee than 64 lol
@@LanceHedrick Whats up with 98m burrs? Kafetek Monolith with shurikons have 71mm conical burrs. It's the best Single dose conical burr grinder. Not that there are many to choose from as far as I know. Double the price plus shipping. But for me if you are going to overpay just go for endgame IMHO.
Between Zerni and the EG1? Deciding which to try next… Is a grinder with an auger just >>> non-auger grinders like the EG1? How about this vs an EK43? I understand the difference in the prices of these grinders, but if cheaper can achieve same or better results & workflow, I’d much rather go for cheaper…
You said the blind burr is held in place by 3 screws into the backside of burr. At least that's what I thought you said. Perhaps I misunderstood your meaning. I watched a video by the designer about how to install blind burrs. If I understood his video correctly, there are 3 magentic screws he installed in the carrier. The rear of the burr sticks to those magnets by magnetic attraction. Then he installed 3 screws that push against the sides of the burr. His video about it is very informative.
Hey Lance, you briefly talked about variable RPM and now I‘m curious: does having a coarser/finer peak mean I can shift my distribution closer to a certain grind spectrum? To out it simply a alledged grinder has 25/50/25 percent fine/mid/coarse distribution and with variable rpm I could make it More like 75/0/25 and the other way around?
no. That would be changing PSD, which is decidedly what i'm saying is not happening (according to the PSDs i've seen at 500 and 1500 rpm). Instead, what seems to happen with most flat burrs is the peak shifts- meaning it starts at 25/50/25 with a peak at 500microns. go faster and the peak shifts to 600microns but still 25/50/25
I like to grind my beans using a hollow copper tube drill. Instead of using sand, I use the beans as my abrasive. Ancient Egyptian hi Coffee High Technology. Two ibises, one stone.
is there someway to discuss diminishing returns in quality? I've got a ditting at home that I bought off my old work but want something smaller and nicer looking. A year ago I asked if I sold whatd you buy and you said the ode, but now the sculptor looks rad, and now this beauty. I only brew filter at home. Please hit me with a subjective 5 percent minor difference or 20 percent improvement in cup clarity. I realize that doesn't tell me anything but it's enough to appease my GAS. Also I have a bad habit of hanging out in the comments and wish you wouldn't waste your time with trolls (the ad guy)
i never knew you could spend so much on a grinder... and for coffee.... and your calling it the mid-range option. I mean I thought I liked coffee... some people really like coffee huh?
from a product design perspective: black anodize the stand and have the ring on the cylinder be available in different color upgrades, yes it would either need 2 steps to color or 2 parts.
@Lance Hedrick I just don't think I could personally justify spending hundreds more for smaller burrs. DF83 and Niche Duo both come with 83mm and the DF83 has a more powerful motor. I couldn't find any info on the Niche Duo's motor though. You are obviously invested in the Zerno, which is fine, but even after watching this video I'm not sold on this thing vs the Niche or DF83 at its current price. Also, as a guy who has worked on electrical motors, I have no idea why you would use brushed motors in consumer equipment.
I just discovered your channel. I love coffee and pretty much only do filter coffee, French press, pour over, and aeropress. What grinder do you recommend? I have an older Baratza Encore... was wondering if it is worth upgrading. I would consider between $200 to $400
Thank you for this in-depth review. I ordered version 2 so it was great to see your comments. I purchased it to go along with my Strietmen C2. Should work and look great.
BTW, not $999 anymore. Got a pre-sale promo from them. It says: "Price: Starting at $1299." 30% more costly than when you first looked at it. Does that change your assessment?
Looks so fresh and clean. Currently running an Ode V2 for brew and an MC4 w/ Mazzers for spro. Have a Sculptor 078S inbound as I suspect I will prefer flat burr espresso clarity, same price as Shurikones. Wonder if the Zerno could eliminate some of these ...🤔 Lance, any Kafatek content coming in the future?
Probably no kafatek. I am not a fan of the gatekeeping philosophy there with the burrs being only sold to kafatek owners. I like more open source type companies. One of the reasons I don't have an iPhone, for example, is they force you into their ecosystem. Quite annoying imo
@@LanceHedrick I know there's some Kafatek fanbois that claim Denis can do no wrong, and his company is certainly not perfect, but at least he does his best to own every step of the build process, and tries to keep his brand boutique. Some like the democracization of ideas, some like to claim that they offer the very best. Not saying Kafatek is "the best"... in fact after 2 years I'd like to move past mine into something else as I think $2400 for a Mazzer conical grinder isn't the best bang for your buck, but that's another topic.
@@JusBThankful oh i'm not at all saying he isn't doing a fantastic job. I'm just not super interested in getting a grinder just for the burrs. I've had a little experience with one and, from my limited experience, I prefer EG1 and P100 workflow and aesthetic.
Yeah worrying about brushed vs. brushless becomes relevant when discussing a car doing a million miles on a motor or a 100k hp motor on 50k ton battleship having to run for decades and being pushed beyond the design specifications while under fire, with the boiler 20 PSI from turning into bomb, outputting megawatts into the motors... While grinding coffee it's essentially irrelevant. What is relevant is power, and here I am constantly disappointed. My 210€ Silenzio has a 240 W motor for what is today considered tiny burrs that spin at almost supersonic RPM. now to see motors of just a few 100W more on LOW RPM well endowed grinders with 60-80 mm burrs is a travesty and of course half of the 500€ grinders stall or go into overheat protection. Let's not mention the one with ever popular pentagonal burrs and it's aesthetically delightful powerbrick. A grand for a 300 W motor. No thanks. I'll use my mighty adonis like biceps (in my fantasy at least) and do it manually for 10% the cost and comparable grinds. I'm not sure why grinders make me so angry, I will ask my therapist. Clearly some Freudian complex, no doubt. Edit: low RPM is tougher because the burrs have less momentum. A tough bean is more likely to stop the burrs and once they are stuck or draw to much power it's hard to get going again or the overheat protection kicks in. On high RPM even if you cut the motor the burrs have enough momentum to keep grinding for a moment while they slow down (assuming a full hopper, not SD).
Seems to be confusion re: claim of first variable auger prebreaker. Many have been quick to defend, and rightfully so, the existence of variable augers in other grinders. My claim in this video is NOT that this will be the first time variable auger speeds will be implemented; instead, my claim IS this will be the first time a grinder offers variable augers AS PREBREAKER. Big difference. One delivers beans largely in tact, the other has a direct effect on PSD by breaking at different rates. Bentwood was the first to use the auger as a prebreaker to my knowledge. This would be the first to use different feeding augers all acting as prebreakers. OK Thanks.
The SG-1 appearance at 26:45 was a nice touch
had to toss it in covertly. Good eye
@@LanceHedrick Oh, it was really obvious to any of us who have seen the SG-1 review. I have to admit I giggled. 🤣
HOW DID I MISS THIS?!???? lol
To stave off any comparisons to the Sculptor, please recognize the massive cost difference. This costs more than double the Sculptor. In the same way there is no debate whether the, say, P100 is better than the Sculptor, I'd ask a similar exercise of judgement be used here. The Zerno is built with a different end goal in mind, whereas the Timemore grinders are obviously much more budget friendly! I take this over the Sculptor if the budget is there. Ok. Rant over. Much love.
Yeah, great, but how does it compare to the Weber SG1 😂
we already know this. SG1 has no rival
@@LanceHedrick would you also say the EG-1 is strictly better than the Lagom p100?
Hmmm, hard to see Zerno 64mm burrs being better for filter in the cup compared to Sculptor 78mm turbo burrs. You even said the turbo burrs bested the 64mm SSP MP on the ode. Not talking about build quality here, only the cup result.
@@HansProbs Built quality also effects cup quality. e.g. regrinding
I love the switch, very industrial-looking. It's one of my favorite things about the Niche
I had been jonsing for the P64, but I think I would be happier with this, honestly, especially if the retention has been fixed.
I just feel like it doesn't match the aesthetic of this Or the niche. granted, i'm not a fan of the look of the niche in general so doesn't really matter there lol
Damn your intros are a mixture of Apple and Hoffmann .. love it
the intros are HUGO!!!!! haha
he has a specific style from 20+ years of videography. He rocks. Thanks for the love!
Shoutout to Hugo then! 🙌🏽
That looks like such a nice grinder. I did consider it really hard, but wanted bigger burrs. I hope they make a 80ish version some day
Next one might be 98mm! I think they're still updating and perfecting the Zerno Z1 though! From what I heard the 1st ones were great, I'll be getting a 2nd edition soon.
@@BensCoffeeRants I have little interest in 98mm burrs again. Absolutely great burrs but the grinder gets too big and costly.
I did have one some years ago, I just got tired of the footprint of such a beast in my tiny kitchen
@@mikni4069 I don't think 98mm burr grinders have to be as huge as an ek43 the p100 isn't quite so big. They're doing 64mm smaller than they used to. Look at a 64mm Caedo grinder and look at the zerno, timemore or df64V.
@@BensCoffeeRants p100 is still a noticeable grinder and it needs to be, those burrs are really massive, I have a pair left in cupboard somewhere, you need a motor/gear that can supply sufficient torque to run it. The alternative is what Titus done, shrinking it as small as is really possible but only by making some part of it under counter. We have some local roaster who run these and they are great for filter, but you need to be able to hide parts of it, something that isn’t possible for everyone.
P100 almost as big as the chamber/motor housing of the EK but it benefit in size because it’s made Horizontally rather then vertically, something I’m not that convinced is the best solution as 98mm burrs originally was designed with feeders and vertical mounting in mind. Also there really is limitations how small you make these.
Also I actually don’t think making yet another 98mm really make all that sense from market perspective. We already have P100, Titus Nautilus, Kafatek Monolith flat Max, Ek43, PK100 SD. The market is already rather saturated as is. That isn’t really the case with 80-83mm that strike a balance between these two extremes and where we actually got burrs that isn’t all about clarity. The problem with 98mm is that you only really got that and majority of burrs are either strictly filter burrs or really not all fantastic at ratios under 1:3. 64mm have selections but lacks dept of larger burrs in the presentation of the coffee.
Titus just done a 75mm Nimbus and we need more manufacturers delivering for the in between to give us better selections then just more 64mm and 98mm.
@@mikni4069 timemore sculptor 78 😉
No money for that, but it does seem pretty perfect.
Btw. grinds behind augur is exactly the same issue that Ode has, wonder how he solved it.
This video really was a splendid showcase of the merits of this grinder and the philosophy of the person behind it. Marketing matters. Unfortunately it is outside is my budget so I'll stick with the budget timemore 😂. All the best regards to zerno though.
I have high hopes for timemore! Review coming soon
Hey @LanceHendrick I've got a Niche Duo w/ SSP MP Burrs fitted. I'm considering purchasing this grinder on the next pre-order. Do you think there would be much difference in the cup between my current grinder and a Zerno w/ SSP MP? Upgrade, downgrade or side-step? Thanks!
Beautiful grinder. Hmmm...food for thought....Thanks Lance for the review. It is good to hear that so much has been considered for the design. Changing augers ..could that be a game changer for the grinder industry? I wonder how many more companies will start to consider this factor in grinding.
EK43 burr carriers made by Mahlkonig or Titus have different style augers, so I don’t think Zerno are the first to do it, I’m afraid!
Yes different style augers. NOT prebreaking augers. Cheers
Lance where did you get your sick colour block button downs?? Always been wanting to know
I honestly can't recall. i sent a pic to my mom for christmas and she bought them for me haha!
Yay! More coffee content :)
Do you have a solid suggestion on "best", or your favourite espresso grinder under $1k USD, including mods/burr changes if that was relevant.
Side question. I am new to specialty coffee for the last six months or so. I want to send you what I drink from my local roaster and get your opinions. Maybe a video idea? Do you have a p/o box lol
hey! I'm thinking the Timemore 078s for best under 1k. But need to do some more with it. Also just got in the kopi deva i'll be testing. And might be hard to ship as i'm out of country! Would be expensive and customs are buttheads
Ok cool :) Thank you!
And yeah, I was thinking vacuum sealed 3-400grams would be worth it lol
@@LanceHedrick when do we get a video on the 078s? :)
How does this compare to the Lagom P64 for espresso using SSP HU burrs (even though the Lagom is more expensive)
Seem like a pretty cool machine.
it certainly is, imo!
@@LanceHedrick Would you hapen to now the taste difference between the Cast and the SSP MP ?
Curious as to how it compares to the new Niche Duo
for sure. Off what I know from both, i'd be taking this. I can't stand the look or size of the niche duo. and they made it only for those mazzer burrs, which makes me think with more intense crushing and faster feed rates of SSP burrs, it may not be able to handle those.
DADDY HOFF, DADDY HOFF, DADDY HOFF, HOFF, HOFF!!!!
Finally affordable grinder🙃
ha! I have LOADS of affordable grinder videos.
Can I just send you some beans to grind for me?… I’ll include a SASE.
Im glad that I did not order it in the end and went for the sculptor instead. It feels like a lot is still missing for this to be a final version and they seem to iterate every few months. For that price, this is not acceptable imo.
interesting! i'd honestly be happy with this grinder in its current form. And the constant improvements are, imo, welcomed since they are mostly retrofittable. That being said, depending on your needs, the timemores are way more than sufficient. I still think best sub 1000 tbh
@@LanceHedrick retrofittable in theory. I live in Germany and even ordering it here would be a huge pain with like 500€ more in import tax and stuff, so ordering new parts for it would again cost much more than the original price. So for me, it is quickly almost 4x the price of the Sculptor 078S and I don’t think the difference in the cup will be worth it. Sure, it’s beautiful and well build, but that’s a compromise I am willing to make ^^
yeah that makes sense, for sure. curious about their future distribution and how that would look
Looks like a desk hair dryer.
Ha! Never saw it like that. Funny
Do you ever consider making your own grinder? If I'd just blind trust anyone to make a near perfect grinder it would be you!
ha! It is a difficult line to straddle- being impartial in reviews and also having products on the market. I can't see myself making a grinder, but time will tell!
If this had come out last year it would be competitive however its hard to justify the increased cost for the build quality when the greatest determinator is cup quality.
Hopefully Zerno sells enough to continue in business to eventually drive down costs and produce more options as competition is beneficial. However we don’t really need another company like Fellow or Weber.
We need more like Breville or Turin. Pumping out quality brews at reasonable prices. That way the specialty coffee market can grow and farmers can start making more (hopefully and eventually but capitalism is a helluva drug)
sure, but you also have to consider many Brevilles and Turins will end up in landfills. These machines are made with such high quality parts that not only will they last forever, but you can reuse many of the elements in other applications. same cant be said for lots of cheaper grinders.
@@LanceHedrick I love your content and being.
Yet, the reality is that all of the grinders will end up in the landfill… not because they stopped working but because consumerism is a helluva drug and people would rather buy new then repair something they have. I appreciate your latest video on the topic.
If someone is willing to put in the time to maintain and repair things the difference between them shrinks.
I have replaced seals, hoses, and valves on my BDB which i purchased second hand.
The Turin is honestly perfect for what it is and I do not expect to run in to any long term issues with it. However if the motor burned out… would any of these other companies offer a replacement part to fix at home? You may be able to send it back to them but they will likely just toss it in a landfill as well then send you a new one.
@@user-jm8ky1kn2t zerno explicitly states they are willing to help repair motors. I believe I say this in the video.
Always a nod to daddy Hoff.
I was always taught to respect your elders
Coffee shop in Memphis? What was it called ?
the hub
I am actually in Memphis for work so I will stop by.
nice! tbh it is in a church building. the coffee program I built, though I was not a member of that church. It was an incredible work opportunity because what they offered me. at the time, being broke, it was an amazing opportunity to build a shop. was there for 8 months prior to joiniing onyx. Just fyi!
Copy that, I’m always on the road trying different coffee shops so if it even has a bit of your influence I bet it will be a decent stop.
have you found the pig yet?
also....don't watch emilee's video, well maybe like the first tiny little bit but NO CHEATING
haha I found it!
lol :)
First
you are so brave
This looks like a caulking gun.
hahaha! That's funny. Hadn't seen that until now.
Thank god there are companies like Zerno. Beautiful grinder, would be my go to for single dosing. Nice review!
agreed! And thank you!
Well done Lance.
thanks, friend!
Your video quilty is getting so much better with every video! You and Hugo are smashing it!!!
thank you!
Very keen to know how this compares to the P64 and P100!
It's a beautiful grinder but can you recommend the best stone grinder under $2,000?
none under 2k are that great tbh
Phenomenal review Lance! You are so good at this that 30 min feels like 10. Although I know balancing depth with YT digestability is such a difficult balance.
thank you! Means a lot! I try to make things I enjoy making, and that tends to be longer format lol
According to Zernos FAQ the blind burrs give you under 9% more grind area. According to a few people who have tested with blind vs non blind burrs on the EG1 they mentioned they didn't notice a difference. That would be an interesting test. Are the blind burrs really that beneficial? NO WAY that it equates to more surface area than a 78mm burr, look at the inner diameter of those 64mm burrs vs 78mm burrs (I think 75m as well) the 78s have a much larger surface area even more than an 83mm burrs which are also thinner due to having a larger inner diameter. I think the pre-breaker / auger feeding system makes MORE of a difference also the alignment which is really the main benefit of this grinder, as well as the build quality. Shipping to Canada it's ALMOST as expensive as a P64 (supposedly no duties since it's MADE IN USA! hopefully that's true). And I think RPM DOES make a difference in taste, at least with most 64mm burrs. 900RPM should be good though.
yeah I made all the measurements and calculations and posted on my IG about surface area. Check it out
Hey Lance, being the burrman and all, can you put a video about differences between burr sizes 64 Vs 98 Vs xx.
With the rise of the home market, many home baristas are looking to buy a grinder that will last 5+ years (without getting the itch to upgrade)
Can you comment on what you see coming in the industry of home grinders?
E.g.
a budget 98mm ?
an explosion of burr options and geometries?
do you see burrs bigger than 98mm coming soon?
with your work for Pietro, do you plan more burr design work?
With your lotus water, do you see people starting to dial in their own water recipes based on the grinder they have or is it more appropriate per individual bean
Love the content and the curiosity you have driving the industry forward!
Hey! Good comment. Lots of questions ha! I'll chip away at some.
I see people with upgraditis all the time. This grinder would be one to NOT upgrade, imo. This is an "end game" 64mm. I see people getting more than one grinder on their bar. I have a friend that sold off his 98mm and 75mm grinders to keep two zernos lol
I think there will be a budget 98mm trend, but I doubt it will last. It would be designers taking advantage of the desire based off the flawed ideology of "bigger is better."
Bigger than 98mm already exist. Look at Molar Z
More burr work? Possibly, though i'm not actively searching for it. I wanted to help Pietro because it is the first ever marketed flat burr hand grinder. I'm always excited to help on completely new things.
Lotus- people should dial to roasters IMHO
For $1000 I couldn’t be happier with my purchase of the Z1
heck yeah dude.
I like that switch! It looks fine. I expect it will be rugged and trouble free and have easy and positive action.
for sure. it does the job. Just hate the look tbh
I agree, I had those switches on my Quickmill Silvano, they're mechanical and satisfying to use :)
I think the location of the switch is strange. Smack dab in the middle throws off the sleek design. Perhaps if they moved it more towards the back it would be more pleasing to the eye.
@@jennifermarchlewski1607 The case looks like it might be a pretty tight fit around the motor. There might not be room for the switch and wiring farther back.
@@jennifermarchlewski1607 Uh, no not somewhere where it's going to be AWKARD to reach so it 'looks' nice. Don't do that lol. If that's the on/off switch you use every time you grind, you want it somewhere convent.
Too bad you can't actually buy it
No offense to anyone that likes the look but this is the worst looking grinder I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t buy it if it’s the best in the world
Hahaha! That's fair! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Definitely get a grinder you enjoy the look of!
This is, without question, the best-looking grinder I've ever seen. I absolutely love the aesthetics. What a phenomenal design.
Have a Z1 with Espresso HU burrs on order for January '25 but saw your video on the Bentwood Vertical 63 and wonder how you compare these two grinders in terms of quality and taste (understanding that the Z1 would have to switch to other burrs to cover pour over which the Bentwood already covers). I currently have a Kafatek MC6 with Shurikone conicals and get great tasting shots from virtually 100% of the time, so what advantages/differences do you see comparatively with the Z1 and Bentwood?
I don't think anything under $3000 is worth considering. You may as well use a flip flop.
Lol for sure. Tbh 4k or bust min
Great video, got mine on order. Now they've released some of the optional pre breakers, any chance of a follow up vid looking at how those perform, and burr options?
+1 would be interested in a follow up video when these become more widely available
When you say burr lock, you mean that it's past chirp, right? Like I couldn't spin the burrs with my finger?
What's the reasoning behind doing this? Does it give more range?
Keep up the good content!
I am also curious about this.
correct! You go until the burrs are literally locked face to face. I do this because I want the micron measurements to be as close to actual peak micron measurements. If chirp was at 0, then 10microns on the dial would actually be like 120 or so
and now, of course we have to compare this to the mazzer philos,... the mazzer - no adjustable auger and the auger is not a pre breaker? I don't think, but it is a mazzer
The 3rd Drop (of 250 Zernos) pre-orders just sold out in a few hours yesterday. Seems like they're selling out faster than the last batch, you might have helped with that.
Thank you for the great Video Lance and Hugo! I am in for a new grinder to pair it with my decent and replace finally my niche. I was thinking about the EG-1 or P100 (tried the P100 at a friends place and really liked it but haven’t had the chance to try the EG-1 yet). But you wrote in a couple of comments above, that burr size is overrated. What would you buy? -> Changing burrs from time to time is no problem. I like medium to light roast espressos and filter as well and really do not like bitterness / astringency. Is the Z1 a grinder you would personally get over the EG-1 / P100?
Personally, as of now with my experience on all three (I got a P100 about a month ago), i'm still going EG1. Is it best for the money? No. I think Zerno is best cost-value, but I most enjoy EG1 out of them all thus far.
All these expensive on-demand grinders are literally the same engineering formula:
1) Make or use an existing set of well-spec'd burrs (of which there are MANY)
2) Spec out a motor with sufficient power and the right grind speed (or make it varible; not difficult),
3) Make the grind easy to adjust
4) Make a cool housing that is slightly different than the competition.
I think we are at the point where grinder manufacturers are just regurgitating existing solutions in a slightly different design language. I guess that is alright, but is just kinda boring now to me. There really isn't any good reason for this being a $2000 grinder other than design language.
Thanks for your insights Lance.
I sympathize but even still, none are perfect. Loads of flaws in many of them. And a gaping lack of innovation. I'm excited for the adoption of blind burrs here (weber has already done this), and more importantly, variable augers. I think this is a massive change that is way more important than variable rpm.
Thanks for watching!
@@LanceHedrick Yeah, the flaws in most manufactured products like this are results of cost engineering, sadly. Regarding the blind burrs, did the designer note why he decided to use additional pins for alignment rather than just using the center hole? the center hole on the burrs should be concentric to the main axis of the burr (or could easily be spec'd that way with GD&T...) to a concentric feature on the mating surface. That would eliminate the need for additional pins and additional tolerance stack to the individual pin position, resulting in a more satisfying interface (I'm an engineer, I like things simple...) and lower production cost. The same concept is already in use on almost every automotive wheel/hub interface. No pins needed to align those bad boys. Anyway, thanks for your perspective.
@@MBergyman The designer did mention on Discord that that some burr manufacturers (such as Mazzer) don't release data about their manufacturing tolerances so this slightly overengineered approach was taken to insure maximum burr compatibility.
Hey Lance! Amazing video as always. Informative, relevant, and entertaining.
I currently have an aligned Vario with steel burrs primarily filter. I was wondering if you’d expect a solid jump in grind quality. The zerno has a ton going with it for maintenance, workflow, etc but I’m wondering if the cups produced will be that much better. I’m really hoping to push clarity and am interested in the SSP unimodal brew burrs.
Let me know what you think!
Nice review. You cover many important subjects about this grinder. When you will review the timemore sculptor 078s? I really want to know how the 78s burr taste, grinding espresso. If they more close to SSP MP or more close to SSP HU . I do not know If I should buy the 78s or 64s and put SSP cast v2.
i'l review it prior to the KS ending.
@@LanceHedrick Thanks you so much. If you can, also compare it to the niche zero as it is the only grinder I have experience with. I use light roasted coffee to make espresso with the decent de1.
@@LanceHedrick I think a lot of people are waiting on this before they make up their mind and back the 078s. I know I am!
I think the Timemore grinders are kinda a no-brainer at their kickstarter prices as long as they don't mess em up with poor quality control. Zerno is on another quality level though being built in USA and produced in small batches! I have a referral link on my profile for the Timemore if you do go that route :)
We’ll need a Philos comparison once you’ve tested both machines extensively!
Hi Lance, another great grinder review! (I was late watching it). Question for you, with all the experience you’ve had with 64mm burrs, how much difference do you think the pre-breaker is making in the cup? Put another way, do you think it will taste significantly different than all the other 64mm grinders (which would include the presumably superior alignment in the Zerno + pre-breaker effects).
Need a Timemore vs Niche vs Zerno video.
how about timemore vs zerno (though I can predict the winner lol). Niche I can already say is the worst of the bunch for espresso.
@@LanceHedrick are you talking about the Zero or the Duo? Incredible how much this price segment changed the last month 🙃😄
Lol forgot about the duo. I have it coming.
@@matumatatasify The Duo I think is a little late, with the DF83 already being out and the Timemore 078s being out, better featured, and cheaper with probably larger burrs (look at the design of the 83mm burrs vs 78mm the inner diameter is smaller on the 78, meaning more surface area) The main benefit of the Duo is the lower RPM and easy burr swapping which is neat, also if you have a Niche Zero and want a matching flat burr grinder I can see a lot of people getting it for that reason. The 078s is the best value right now with their kickstarter if they don't mess it up with poor quality control! I have a referral link in my profile if you decide to go that route!
I mean, it looks nice and all, but compared to your last grinder review, this one looks downright primitive. Stone age-esque, even.
hahahha! love it.
While you’re deploying massive hyperbole, one must at least acknowledge you’re not calling it “end game” lol
I don't think it hyperbolic to say best under 2k or most innovative. And I've owned around 100 grinders and currently have over 40. Lol
So im supposed to invest more than 1K€ to a grinder thats not in market and just "trust" it will last and perform years to come? yeah nah thx....
Lol okie dokie 😙
Cool. Here my comment to up that Impressions! :D
thank you so much!
Like the concept of this grinder. Wondering since it has a pre-breaker with auger why not utilize a burr with a greater mid grind and greater polishing area similar with what Versalab did with their flat burr utilizing the conical burr as the pre-breaker.
I am sure that will be a future iteration. As for now, they are working with variable augers. They didn't design a burr for this launch.
Interesting about the Lower RPM requiring less power if done right, I guess that explains how they managed to get the 83mm Flat burr Niche DUO grinder to grind well at such a low RPM with a low wattage motor! They must be doing some gear box magic. Especially when some variable RPM grinders will struggle with higher power motors when grinding light roast for espresso at low RPM (Weber Key/EG1 etc).
yes they have a gear box. My fear is i've read it is a plastic gearbox. Zerno has a metal one, which will last much longer and take a lot more strain.
Quick question: I still have the Gevi 4-in-1 (stock Gevi burrs)--any thoughts in comparison to the Timemore Sculptor 78/Z1 for filter and espresso performance? I backed the Sculptor Kickstarter and will definitely be picking it up--I'm just prepping my setup to accommodate my first pro-sumer grade espresso machine (likely a Profitec Go). I make daily filter coffee to take to work (usually with the 1Zpresso X-Pro) but have been wanting to finally take the deep-dive into home espresso.
Thank you in advance and always appreciate your enthusiasm/commitment to the coffee industry!
sculptor content will come soon! Cheers
How does this one stack up against the ceado E75S?
How's this vs. the EG-1 in the back hehe
Amazing video Lance ! Sounds great, but I think that it's not even close to the SG-1... :P
it really isn't! Nothing holds a candle
Great review as always! I have one coming in June, and I can't wait. Got the HU burrs but I'm probably going to grab a set of the blind MP burrs. It's really cool to see how excited you seem to be about this one. Coming from you, that's very high praise haha definitely makes me more confident in my decision.
yeah def need to grab blind MPs!
Me with 40€ second hand C3 handgrinder:
Yes this grinder looks quite good!
no shame in that! Good grinder!
Thank you for this! I have the v2 on order and impatiently waiting haha
Great to hear your feedback just solidifying even more on my decision, I can't wait! I also love how interactive Zen is in the discord and I think it's incredible. You just don't see that, and that goes for any industry but the benefits are huge for both growth of the company and the customer side as well.
I ordered mine with the HU burrs but can't wait for blind HU burrs, I'll definitely pick them up whenever available.
Thanks again Lance!
heck yeah! And blind MP and blind Cast. Really cool initiative
Did you get yours yet? I just signed up a few weeks ago. @jaimethenomad
Great video Lance. Really appreciate how much time you spend on these. I was lucky enough to grab a June order. Would be great to see a follow up video if you spend more time with the different pre breakers and/or burrs.
yes! Planning on it once I have all the upgrades.
I like wood, as much as the next person, but I feel black and light wood, it feels bad man, go with something darker, or with a nicer grain, that looks like someone used a circle saw on some cheap pine furniture.
You can pick different wood finishes, it doesn't just come with one.
yeah. Agreed. Glad they are expanding offerings!
Could not help but notice the lack of millstone on this grinder. They seem to be doing some cool stuff though.
it's because the budget there is like $55k lol
Great video Lance! Smooth sponsor transition haha. Unrelated to this video but I am looking at an “end game” grinder with a budget up to the Lagom P100. I drink 70% filter 30% espresso and want something beautiful, modern tasting, high clarity and a joy to use daily at home. I want to avoid buying something and then seeing something new come out and wondering what if. What would you recommend? SG-1 is unfortunately out of my budget 😢😂
if p100 is your absolute max, then I assuem you wouldn't be able to buy extra burr sets?
@@LanceHedrick P100 is about $4000 AUD which is my limit for a single spend (and wife’s limit on a single item). I’ll be wanting to get some different burrs to try maybe after 12 months, can assign them to bday gifts 😁. If looking at a 98mm grinder I’m not sure what’s good burrs to start with given I like high clarity, mostly use light roast, and make a decent amount of espresso even though I lean to filter. Keen to hear your suggestions!
It's 1200 in EU, I would rether wait for 078S or df64/83v. If I was to spill over 1,2k for a espresso grinder rether buy something endgame like Monolish with shurikens
That's like 3 times the price ha! There are many who are prepared to only spend 1.5k for an end game.. this would qualify. The obsession with bigger burrs is certainly fascinating. There is no proof 98mm produce any better coffee than 64 lol
Hilarious jump from 1.2K to kafatek 😅
@@LanceHedrick Whats up with 98m burrs? Kafetek Monolith with shurikons have 71mm conical burrs. It's the best Single dose conical burr grinder. Not that there are many to choose from as far as I know. Double the price plus shipping. But for me if you are going to overpay just go for endgame IMHO.
Between Zerni and the EG1? Deciding which to try next… Is a grinder with an auger just >>> non-auger grinders like the EG1? How about this vs an EK43? I understand the difference in the prices of these grinders, but if cheaper can achieve same or better results & workflow, I’d much rather go for cheaper…
I am interested in buying one!
You said the blind burr is held in place by 3 screws into the backside of burr. At least that's what I thought you said. Perhaps I misunderstood your meaning.
I watched a video by the designer about how to install blind burrs. If I understood his video correctly, there are 3 magentic screws he installed in the carrier. The rear of the burr sticks to those magnets by magnetic attraction. Then he installed 3 screws that push against the sides of the burr. His video about it is very informative.
What’s the difference between burr lock and churp ? 🤗
Chirp is first touch. Lock is when they are fully faced, meaning they can't move because they are fully forced together.
Hey Lance, you briefly talked about variable RPM and now I‘m curious: does having a coarser/finer peak mean I can shift my distribution closer to a certain grind spectrum? To out it simply a alledged grinder has 25/50/25 percent fine/mid/coarse distribution and with variable rpm I could make it More like 75/0/25 and the other way around?
no. That would be changing PSD, which is decidedly what i'm saying is not happening (according to the PSDs i've seen at 500 and 1500 rpm). Instead, what seems to happen with most flat burrs is the peak shifts- meaning it starts at 25/50/25 with a peak at 500microns. go faster and the peak shifts to 600microns but still 25/50/25
I like to grind my beans using a hollow copper tube drill. Instead of using sand, I use the beans as my abrasive. Ancient Egyptian hi Coffee High Technology. Two ibises, one stone.
is there someway to discuss diminishing returns in quality? I've got a ditting at home that I bought off my old work but want something smaller and nicer looking. A year ago I asked if I sold whatd you buy and you said the ode, but now the sculptor looks rad, and now this beauty. I only brew filter at home. Please hit me with a subjective 5 percent minor difference or 20 percent improvement in cup clarity. I realize that doesn't tell me anything but it's enough to appease my GAS. Also I have a bad habit of hanging out in the comments and wish you wouldn't waste your time with trolls (the ad guy)
i never knew you could spend so much on a grinder... and for coffee.... and your calling it the mid-range option. I mean I thought I liked coffee... some people really like coffee huh?
I want this grinder based solely on the fact that it looks like kirk's enterprise
hahahaha! That's hilarious
@18:20 Lance breaking out the fancy tools, a lens blower and a box to tidy up those grounds off the table....lol. ;-)
Yo!
yoyo!
from a product design perspective: black anodize the stand and have the ring on the cylinder be available in different color upgrades, yes it would either need 2 steps to color or 2 parts.
@Lance Hedrick seems you like Zerno Z1 more than df83 for espresso. How about filter ? How does compare z1 (which burrs) against 078 Turbo burrs ?
taste in cup vs. eg1?
I don't think I would pick this up over a Niche Duo or DF83
I Def choose it over df83. Have had one for months and months. I have a niche duo and I can't imagine choosing that over this but we will see.
@Lance Hedrick I just don't think I could personally justify spending hundreds more for smaller burrs. DF83 and Niche Duo both come with 83mm and the DF83 has a more powerful motor. I couldn't find any info on the Niche Duo's motor though. You are obviously invested in the Zerno, which is fine, but even after watching this video I'm not sold on this thing vs the Niche or DF83 at its current price. Also, as a guy who has worked on electrical motors, I have no idea why you would use brushed motors in consumer equipment.
matzer - not marzer!
sounds cheapy cheapy
Seems like the Zerno is in the "flex" section of home coffee tools, to be purchased by those who holiday in "Elevenerife"
Vertical flat burrs battle: Zerno vs Bentwood vs EK-43.
Which one would you have in your house? And why?
What are the reasons to get this over the P64? It’s cheaper but I seems much louder. Did I miss anything else?
I just discovered your channel. I love coffee and pretty much only do filter coffee, French press, pour over, and aeropress. What grinder do you recommend? I have an older Baratza Encore... was wondering if it is worth upgrading. I would consider between $200 to $400
Love seeing a ECM at the background! Looking forward to an review :)
new mechanika max! review coming soon
Thank you for this in-depth review. I ordered version 2 so it was great to see your comments. I purchased it to go along with my Strietmen C2. Should work and look great.
oh that will be a beautiful duo!
Man. Your sponsor segways are so fluid I don't even realize it's a sponsor section. Kudos for doing that so unobtrusively. 🎉
How loud is it? Let’s say compared to a niche zero or P64?
BTW, not $999 anymore. Got a pre-sale promo from them. It says: "Price: Starting at $1299." 30% more costly than when you first looked at it. Does that change your assessment?
No it does not
Looks so fresh and clean. Currently running an Ode V2 for brew and an MC4 w/ Mazzers for spro. Have a Sculptor 078S inbound as I suspect I will prefer flat burr espresso clarity, same price as Shurikones. Wonder if the Zerno could eliminate some of these ...🤔
Lance, any Kafatek content coming in the future?
Probably no kafatek. I am not a fan of the gatekeeping philosophy there with the burrs being only sold to kafatek owners. I like more open source type companies. One of the reasons I don't have an iPhone, for example, is they force you into their ecosystem. Quite annoying imo
@@LanceHedrick I know there's some Kafatek fanbois that claim Denis can do no wrong, and his company is certainly not perfect, but at least he does his best to own every step of the build process, and tries to keep his brand boutique. Some like the democracization of ideas, some like to claim that they offer the very best. Not saying Kafatek is "the best"... in fact after 2 years I'd like to move past mine into something else as I think $2400 for a Mazzer conical grinder isn't the best bang for your buck, but that's another topic.
@@JusBThankful oh i'm not at all saying he isn't doing a fantastic job. I'm just not super interested in getting a grinder just for the burrs. I've had a little experience with one and, from my limited experience, I prefer EG1 and P100 workflow and aesthetic.
Yeah worrying about brushed vs. brushless becomes relevant when discussing a car doing a million miles on a motor or a 100k hp motor on 50k ton battleship having to run for decades and being pushed beyond the design specifications while under fire, with the boiler 20 PSI from turning into bomb, outputting megawatts into the motors...
While grinding coffee it's essentially irrelevant. What is relevant is power, and here I am constantly disappointed. My 210€ Silenzio has a 240 W motor for what is today considered tiny burrs that spin at almost supersonic RPM. now to see motors of just a few 100W more on LOW RPM well endowed grinders with 60-80 mm burrs is a travesty and of course half of the 500€ grinders stall or go into overheat protection. Let's not mention the one with ever popular pentagonal burrs and it's aesthetically delightful powerbrick. A grand for a 300 W motor. No thanks. I'll use my mighty adonis like biceps (in my fantasy at least) and do it manually for 10% the cost and comparable grinds. I'm not sure why grinders make me so angry, I will ask my therapist. Clearly some Freudian complex, no doubt.
Edit: low RPM is tougher because the burrs have less momentum. A tough bean is more likely to stop the burrs and once they are stuck or draw to much power it's hard to get going again or the overheat protection kicks in. On high RPM even if you cut the motor the burrs have enough momentum to keep grinding for a moment while they slow down (assuming a full hopper, not SD).
torque is increased when one uses a gear box to lower RPM. It's fact. The torque on this is absolutely insane.