Calculating grind by weight is something that commercial grinders really should adopt more. For the home I still think single dosing is the best way to go. I have the Specialita and added a single dose hopper and bellows. I wish I waited for the Oro Single Dose but still love my choice.
This reminds me of a ammo reloading press with the way it measures out the weight. There are turret reloading press that does multple actions such as popping out used primers, straightening out the brass case, filling up the used case and putting a cast bullet onto the case. It would be cool if somebody like a high school student were to build a prototype of robotic a expresso machine that does everything from grinding to tamping, and pulling shots, then dumping the puck before doing the whole espresso process all over again.
Hello I'm still hesitating between that new model and the Specialita... I don't change my coffee beans so once the specialita is up & running I assume I wouldn't get more value from the Libra. Also the price is very steep both in the US & Canada compare to Europe... So would it be worth it to consider the Libra in my case? Thank you
The manual is not very clear on how to calibrate the grinder back to “zero”. Could you show how to calibrate to account for an observer over/under dosing situation?
I have Sage Barista Express with built-in grinder. World it be a big improvement switcing to the Eureka Mignong Libra ? (Easier dialing, skippinge the weight, other advantages?)
Hi n, Thanks for the question. The Libra with larger flat burrs will produce a better grind quality with more precise size adjustment than the smaller conical burr built in grinder. On top of that you will get more consistent dose weights.
Hello Erfan. The Caedo E5P is a wonderful grinder as well. From a specifications viewpoint, the E5P has larger burrs, so grind speed will be faster, but that is really the only area in which the E5P has a significant advantage. The Libra is smaller all around, has comparable (if not better) grind consistency, and has grind by weight functionality that truly sets it apart. --BRYAN
Just picked this up from you guys. very impressed so far. couple of questions (newbie at this). 1. the micro adjustment, it doesn't appear to have a start/stop point, and the instructions don't go into detail on it. I have been just using small adjustments based on bean type. is there anything else to think about here? 2. weight for a double shot on ECM 58mm - 18.5 seem about right?
Hi PBS, Thanks for your question and patronage. If you were to continue adjusting to a finer setting eventually the burrs will touch. You want all the beans ground out before making large changes to a finer grind setting. You can make small adjustments finer with beans in or partially ground but since you are moving the burrs closer together you may crush them and cause the grinder motor to not run if you go to far. Burrs touching briefly with motor running is okay. The outer edges of the burrs are slightly higher than the cutting edges so no harm if there's a brief touch and it's the way to find the finest grind setting. If they touch, back off slightly to a coarser setting and that is your finest grind setting. Be aware that setting will be too fine for espresso. Dose weight of 18.5g is on the edge of being too much for stock ECM filter baskets but it depend on density of coffee bean used. Lighter roasts are denser so fit more weight for a given volume than dark roast. If you see an impression of your shower screen in your coffee puck after extraction the dose weight is too high. Hope that helps!
I feel a bit silly asking this, but is this grinder exclusively for espresso? Or can I adjust the burrs to do regular filtered coffee? Thanks for the fantastic video! Just bought this grinder and was looking for some reviews on it.
Hi Brett. Not silly at all. It is a question that should be asked. According to Eureka, the Libra is exclusively for espresso. You could more than likely move the burrs far enough apart to get a grind size more suitable for a filter coffee, but being that there really isn't an easy way to operate the grinder without an espresso portafilter in the cradle, I think it would end up being more of a pain than anything else. --BRYAN
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks, Brian! I also considered the issues with the cradle. In addition, some people on Reddit are also saying that changing the grind size from espresso to filter is particularly annoying as you have to turn the dial several complete turns and it gets tiresome when you have to do that daily. Thank you once again for your reply and great video!
Hello Brian, Thank you for this great review. How does the Libra do on Retention? Can you share some thoughts? I am interested in medium dark roast syruppy chocolaty old school espresso. For this purpose, how does the amount fines / particle size compare with the Ceado E6P and the E37S?
You mentioned that the retention on the LX Italia is very low. I have the same question for the Libra vs LX Italia - I am interested in medium dark roast syruppy chocolaty old school espresso. For this purpose, how does the amount fines / particle size compare with the LX Italia
Thank you so much for the review! Between the Libra and the Atom, which one would you choose? I'm drawn towards the atom's quality and bigger burrs, but the grind by weight option from the Libra is really tempting!
Hello, Kiki. Both of these options are wonderful choices for an espresso grinder. One of the key benefits to the Atom (depending on the model) is that it is a multi-purpose grinder that can also easily grind for any coffee preparation, while the Libra is a committed espresso grinder. That is going to be the biggest difference maker between these two grinders. Obviously, the grind by weight of the Libra is very nice, but if you plan on using your grinder for also making a drip coffee or french press, etc, the Atom might be the better choice for you. --BRYAN
Thanks for the review! I have the grinder now a few weeks, but cannot use it properly with a bottomless filter holder. The vibration of the portafilter somehow activates the autostop. Have you experienced the same?
Hello, Bart. When testing the grinder with a handful of different bottomless portafilters, I never experienced this issue. Granted, when using a bottomless, I found that getting a tight fit between the fork and the cradle was more important than it was with a spouted. When tightening it up as snug as possible, the grinder operated normally for me every time. --BRYAN
I have a Profitec Pro 400 and also the Libra and cannot use a Naked Portafilter because it just don’t fit and fall … any ideas ? I use the Normcore 58mm Bottomless Portafilter and it does not fit…
Hello. That's interesting. Although I have never used the Normcore portafilter, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I tested it with a handful of different bottomless portafilters, and if used in tandem with the accompanying dosing funnel and with it well-tightened in between the fork and the cradle, I had no issues. Not ideal, I realize, but maybe try placing some padding (like a folded towel) on the cradle under the portafilter for some added cushioning. I hope this helps. --BRYAN
I am a newbie and I want to buy my first grinder, I am between the mignon turbo and the libra, which of these do you recommend? Is there any advantage to the 65mm burr over the 55mm burr for making espresso at home?
Hi there. Larger burrs usually equates to faster grind times. The main difference between the Libra and the Turbo is going to be the dosing, with the Turbo using Timed Dosing settings and the Libra utilizing Grind By Weight. While the Turbo is a lovely grinder, if given the choice here, I would pick the Libra for its ease of use. --BRYAN
Hi Bryan, do you think it is possible to use it in a tiny 16 seat cafe with only a handful takeaways? Perhaps there is another grinder with similar price tag you would recommend? Thank you.
Hi there. While the Mignon Libra is not a commercially rated machine, the build quality is as such that it would likely work fine in a small cafe. For a commercial setting, my biggest concerns would be grinding speed and hopper size. Although much more of an initial investment, I would highly recommend looking into a Ceado grinder in the E37-- line. --BRYAN
I understand. I am looking for a grinder with weight function (if possible). What do you think about the ZF64W ? I see in the reviews that it gives much better grind quality that Libra. My plan is to start with rather budget grinder (up to €1000) and upgrade keeping this one as back up/ single dose/ decaf?@@Wholelattelovepage
Hi there. I can only honestly speak of the Libra, as I have never used a Niche. They are very different grinders. The Libra is espresso only, while the Niche is multi-purpose. The Libra is flat burr, the Niche (Zero) is conical. The Libra is made in Italy, the Niche is made in China. The Libra is hopper-fed, the Niche is single-dose. The Libra utilizes a grind-by-weight functionality, the Niche grinds while it is on and stops when you turn it off. I am quite fond of the Libra and am constantly still amazed at how well it works for a grind-by-weight grinder at that price. --BRYAN
I'm quite split between the weight function of the Libra and the 65mm burrs on the Turbo. I don't mind if the Libra is slightly slower, but do the 65mm burrs make a more consistent grind or is it negligible between the two grinders?
Hello Martin. In the case between the burrs in the Libra versus the burrs in the Turbo, the key difference would only exist in the difference in grinding speed (with the Turbo being faster). The would be next to no difference in grind consistency. --BRYAN
Hello Rob. Yes. A 53mm portafilter would work just fine. However, for clarity, the dosing funnel that comes with the machine is only for 58mm portafilters. --BRYAN
Hi there. Several key differences would be burr quality & size (XL = 65mm Diamond Inside Burrs, Libra = 55mm Hardened Steel Burrs) and that the Libra features Grind By Weight dosing while the XL utilizes standard timed dosing. --BRYAN
@@TK.919 factory though, you. need to turn it like clockwise like 4-6 full rotations until the burs are touching,nobody really covers this in the reviews, and its essential to get a really fine grind. I have one of these.
Hi NR, We've been going bottomless since at least 2016 - like in this video from 7 years ago: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rHG1EWbrk9Q.html We've also prodded manufacturers to include a bottomless with machines instead of a single spout based on survey results in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BIsNpBNi8DU.html
@@Wholelattelovepage it could be if they wanted it to be. China can make any quality level someone is willing to pay for. Maybe it would be the same quality for $200 less. Or maybe only $150 less for identical quality. Most of the quality is the fact that they use nice metal castings so it is heavy, unlike a Breville Pro grinder. As for the Italian assembly quality, Eureka had some teething problems they had to work through, so things can take time to sort out.
@@Wholelattelovepage what is funny is that when people think of Italian leather mgoods like Coach bags that are made in Italy, people envision Italians making the products. Reality is they use Chinese women and bring them to Italy. Not saying that is what Eureka does. They probably don’t.
@@rsilvers129 let's manufacture 100% of what we do in Europe in China. That will definitively help boost consumption till the moment 2 third of the population can't even afford it because they have no employment...
