The Fellow Ode 2: Excellent Coffee Grinder With One BIG Problem! 

Here's a gentle reminder to like and subscribe if you enjoy our content. I ton of work goes into these videos and the simple act of hitting that like and subscribe button make a huge difference to how fast this channels grows! CORRECTIONS & THINGS WE MISSED: 1. At the end of the video we say Sculptor 078S instead of 078. 2. Some of you have commented or messaged and told us you can just pour out of the back of the catch cup to avoid the fins -- now while this is true and is something that we wanted to mention and missed the catch cup is still one of the widest we've used and is your pouring in an Aeropress or Stagg X for example, things are going to get very messy. These reviews are designed to be critical so people can make an informed decision. Similar to the UX world when it comes to apps, there maybe a way to perform a certain task but if it isn’t a pleasant experience then there’s room for improvement. Fellow have set high standards in design and these fins are most certainly not their finest work. Even the lead designer at Fellow agreed that he didn’t have the time or freedom to improve it. The one in the Opus seems to be a lot better but we’re yet to try that one out.

Upvote for the unexpected percussion

These reviews are becoming highlights of my day. Appreciate being straightforward but balancing out with humor (and great percussion) where it’s highly entertaining

Excellent review overall. I have had my Ode 2 for about a month and completely agree that the fins in the catch-cup are an obstruction. But you can avoid the issue of the fins by simply pouring the grounds out the other side of the cup. Works like a charm.

Really like the format and how you naturally progressed and transitioned through the different talking points, the lead-up for each talking point, humor, b-roll shots and everything else were really nicely timed and composed. I got all my questions answered and then some. Cheers!

I really appreciate that you take time to do reviews - so many times reviews will speculate and say things like "I imagine this will be the same in 3 months from now" or "i haven't had a chance to test this aspect much, but it seems like this is okay." Now, naturally no one can attest to the absolute lifespan of a relatively new product, but I don't live when reviews feel premature. Kudos on avoiding that trap and being thorough!

I have the Ode 2 grinder (which I love), and I’ve watched several Ode 2 review videos. Yours was the first one I remember seeing mention the note about cleaning the ionizer… which I immediately did, and cleared out a LOT of fines and chafe… thank you!

Your production values for a review are off the charts, love it!

The tip about cleaning out the ionizer was a gamechanger for me. I've had my grinder a few months now, and it had steadily been more and more static. Now it like new again. Thanks! Your review was excellent btw.

Most high quality reviews out there! I value your strong opinions and psychotic attention to detail. Every video is a treat

The percussion was really awesome stuff. I have the Gen 1 with the Gen 2 burrs. I almost never have any beans stuck in my hopper and always RDT so still pretty happy with it. I only got a filter grinder because my Eureka tends to produce alot of fines when trying to grind coarser so that's espresso only on my brew bar.

I've had my Ode Gen2 with stock burrs since November 2022. I've been very pleased with it the only gripe I had went away when I started using RDT and ditched the cap on the catch cup. Without RDT, I needed to clean the burrs manually about once a month as it would get messier and messier, even after brushing off the ionizer. With RDT, I basically just have to brush off the ionizer once a month and clean the burrs chamber out whenever I feel like it. I'm super happy with it and don't see myself getting anything for awhile. I don't make espresso, yet, but I got an 1zPresso X-pro for travel and to have the ability to grind espresso when I decide to get an espresso maker. I may upgrade the burrs, but I'm not sure I'll even do that. The only minor gripe I have is that when I grind dark roast for my partner, I still have to poke the beans down, but this is minor and I don't make her coffee everyday. All in all, I fully expect to keep it until I get my "end game" grinder, which will be a long way off, and even then, I'm sure I'll keep it to have a different option. After all, it's not like I'll get a huge return if I decide to sell it, and it does make delicious coffee.

Good, honest review. This made me subscribe. I have the Gen 2 and can tell you that your "nitpicking" is very warranted. It's a great grinder (I have the SSP MPs) and now that I have had some time to play around with it, it's beginning to make some nice coffee. I would recommend it with or without upgraded burrs.

Love the catch-cup solo! That along with good info and great humour earned a sub!

Great review - thanks. I’ve had a Niche Zero for about 3 years - love it for espresso, never liked it for V60/AeroPress. When the Sculptor KS started I decided to take the punt and back it. Eventually I pulled out and bought the Ode Gen 2. So I can’t compare it to the G1 at all, but I do find it an outstanding compliment to the Niche. I’ve dispensed with the cup lid and just pour from the “non-fin” side of the cup and it works fine for me. Very happy with this.

Thank you for documenting the noise it makes; the other reviews don't typically cover this aspect of the product.

Nice review! I have the Ode gen1 with SSP MP burrs. Love it!!! I’m a dedicated pour over aficionado and with RDT my workflow and messiness of this grinder is easily manageable. I don’t even mind the catch cup lid. It works for me.

Loved the intro, the rants, the humor, and the drumming!

I have owned my Gen 2 for a little over a month now and I can say that your review is absolutely on point. I added the SSP MP burrs to mine because of a great discount I had. The point you made about the sounds it makes with these burrs is so true😅

I enjoy your commentary. Informative without the overly verbose of the other ones. This helped me a lot in my choice.

Thanks, I’m in the market for a new grinder and this was some useful information!

best review ive seen for this grinder

I've had my Ode2 for about 4 months. Am pleased with it. However,.... I bought a second Ode 2 to give as a birthday present to my sister. It was put into use mid-August. It stopped working properly mid-September. Now, you usually need to hold the button to keep it grinding until done. Fellow's reply to email warranty request: "Send us a movie of it malfunctioning." !!!!!! I also purchased a Fellow tea kettle. No issue there. BUT ... (a big butt) I am done buying anything else from Fellow. Your review: Spot-on. 👍👍👍👍👍 Thanks

Really love your videos, always quality, entertaining, and full of value!

thanks for this review. It is really helpful. Now I'm off to buy this grinder.

I just received my Ode 2 today, the blades in the cup are now in angle!!! (2023-11-30)

You always give me a laugh or two in your videos. I wholeheartedly agree with the uselessness of the blades and lid of the catch cup. Sounds are lovely to me coming from a Baratza noisemaker

+1 for percussion demonstration! Nice review here.

I like that the dial goes all the way to 11

That percussion moment... just damn terrific!!!

I've no idea who this guy is, but his video is excellent!

Keep it up. This is quality content - and the percussion is 🔥

Interesting thoughts about the grinder and quite different from what's been available so far. For me, planning to buy an timemore 64s over this. P. S. Great work with the percussion. 👌

Glad to see such amazing production quality from India! On par with niche youtubers like Morgan drinks coffee or Lance Hedrick. As a fellow owner of Ode 2 since last couple of years, totally agree about the lid. And price definitely hurt especially since just few months later, they released Opus which was all purpose and at a lower price than Ode 2. I feel played Fellow.

I have the ode g2 and I love it. Have thrown away the lid immediatly too. Ioniser is great as well as the whole user expirience

The discussion of how the grinder sits nowadays in the market is an important one and I'm glad it's how you capped off the review! Also love the tone, dry humor, and percussion! Thanks to the Gen 2 coming out I got the white Gen 1 with SSP MPs for under $300 USD which was an incredible value proposition and looks to be a pretty common price nowadays. I've seen people complaining that the Odes are annoying to align, and I do wonder if an extra $50 for the quality of life improvements would've been worth it. But for me, using it as the occasional drip, cold brew, and turbo shot grinder, the messiness of the grinder isn't a huge deal. I also stuck some ugly little bellows on it to help with retention and increase the amount of chaff it sprays all over my bench :D

Bonus points for the drum solo!

Ode 2 beautiful machine. Great grinder flawlessly lasted 31 days then started to jam and not grind. Was not overloaded at all just 1 full hopper 1/3 way jammed. Fully cleaned 1/3 of 2 scoops and jammed again. Returned. Also fins need to go, I can see them cutting your finger on hand washings grinds stuck under the fins! Also if you clean/brush it everyday as I did bottom chute, holds tons of grinds even while using the knocker several times. My friend has Ode 1 with ssp burrs for about a year and no issues. I was not so lucky.

Excellent video! I'm looking to upgrade from my current Baratza Encore - I like the flat burr clarity better than the Encore's cone burrs. At the moment I only do pour overs at hime, but my next major coffee purchase after the grinder will be a Cafelat Robot that I will probably use only a couple times a month. And I want to stay in the "budget high end" price range, under USD $500. So far, the Ode 2 looks best to me, tweaked to make it stepless and maybe recalibrated to do better at the finer range. I know the Gen 2 motor isn't up to frequent espresso work, but it seems like a few shots a month won't kill the motor. I like Baratza's philosophy, they their customer will be getting into the machine and doing their own modding and servicing. They sell spare parts, I want that for any new grinder. For this reason, the Chinese grinders don't excite me. Opinions from the Aramse folk or other commenters?

I have the Gen1 with Gen2 burrs. I tossed out the catch cup lid and took some pliers and collapsed the fins. Those two items are dumb and much happier without them. Oh yeah: and I took the mushroom shaped anti-popcorning thingy off. I use the lid for that.

Drumming on the catch cup was the best thing I’ve seen in a while

Just received mine yesterday, and I don't seem to have any issue with the cup dispensing all the grinds out from behind the fins (regardless of grind setting). I like how the fins make it easier to dispense the grinds in a nice, neat little pile right where I want them. Could wetting the beans beforehand make them more likely to stay behind the fins and require tapping? Or maybe Fellow has increased the fin angle due to feedback, IDK.

Love your videos. I have a Kickstarter Gen 1 Ode with the Gen 2 burrs they supplied for free to the Kickstarter backers. On the catch cup, yeah, the fins are just dumb. I'm honestly surprised they kept them in the Gen 2. I avoid them by just turning the cup so I'm pouring out the grounds without the fins getting in the way. Works much better. With RDT and making sure none of the beans are on top of the anti-popcorning disk, I've had no issues with beans refusing to go to their deaths, but when I first started using the grinder and didn't use those tricks I definitely did. Even as I have no plans to upgrade, it is good to see the market for 64 mm grinders explode like this. Everytime I see anything on the Timemore Sculptors I get a little FOMO, but then I just remember I'm OG.

As a product designer I really like how you talk about design and form. Regarding the EKG - I was very interested to come across the sunbeam kettle by David Knott from a while back!

“Squarify”: v. To make square from round. There. Now it’s a word. Call Oxford. One of the strengths of the English language is its flexibility: if we don’t have a word for something, we’ll steal it from another language or make up a new one! Great review, by the way. While this isn’t the grinder for me, as I brew Aeropress and Moka as my daily brews (with a little Turkish on the side - that sounds filthy; you’re welcome), if I was a pour over guy, it’d definitely be a contender due to its quality/cost ratio.

Great review! I got an Ode V1 as a gift, but I found out you can buy the V2 hopper from Fellow for $10 plus screws from the hardware store, so I just ordered it to upgrade my V1. Are the V2 burrs louder or quieter than the V1 burrs? I might upgrade if it's not too much louder. If only I could add that ionizer...

Nice tabla work. Waiting for the Ode 3 ;)

Good review, will check out your others.

I have a gen 1 Ode with gen 2 burrs, for the price I'm extremely happy with the performance. That said the hopper and catch cup are a bit crap and if I was buying a new grinder in that price range now it would probably not be the Ode, but I won't be replacing it until it breaks.

James Hoffman also complained about the fins. I also mentioned to him that all you got to do is angle "upwards" slightly and then twist as you tap the remainder out like you would during a pour of wine into a glass. A generally gently tap the grinds out during the entire process. I really don't know why it's such a big deal. Because...if you REALLY have a problem with it...then why don't you just pour the grinds out the other side where there aren't any fins? It's also probably designed that way because of the Stagg XF which has a rather narrow opening, though even here, they provided funnel makes it so that you could probably just pour without the fins. The main aggravation for me is that it "bounces" a little when I turn it on. I asked Fellow about it. They consider that as normal. Thanks for your review. Also interesting to see what people have to say!

The old gen 2 grinder may have a few quirks, but hey, it's the perfect conversation starter when someone asks, 'What on earth is that sound?

lol the tabla on the catch cup

Hi Great explanation of the ode gen 2, I’m thinking of buying the ode gen 1 with the 1.1 burs as the price has heavily dropped on Amazon in the uk, Are the 1.1 burrs any good or will I need to upgrade for lighter roasts. Thank you

Have had the ode gen 1 from the early days. Went to SSP burrs soon after Fellow started selling them. Overall its been a great grinder. It's super clean with RDT but I do envy the ionizer of the gen 2. However I would only get it if I could remove RDT altogether which I would need to try to see first. At this point with RDT and the SSP, the sticky beans in the hopper is my biggest workflow complaint. The grounds cup has never been a problem for me. Just a few taps on the bottom empties any stuck grounds into the v60. The SSPs are outstanding but they do have a tendency to accentuate astringency in lightly roasted coffees. As a result, I decided to try the Kickstarter Timemore 078 with the ghost burrs. Just waiting for them to get ETL certification in the US which sounds like it might take a while.

Another amazing aramse video… i own the ode 2 with ssp … as got this during preorder… wasnt sure if the stock burrs were good… totally agree with the cons you mentioned… and love the quality of filter coffees that am brewing now with this… recently i got it calibrated as it had been around 8 months since i got this… after calibration am having lot of stalling and the taste of changed has gone downhill…. Need to troubleshoot this one !!

Great review! I personally don't mind the noise. I'm pretty well immune to grinder noise after owning a Sette 270!

Nice review Thank you.

Thank you for the informative and entertaining video! Your work deserves more followers! I realize that this is completely subjective, but as a crazed coffee nerd always in search of an upgrade, I must know, do you prefer the taste of the Ode Gen 2, SSP MP, or Timemore 078 burrs for pour over?

would you recommend the upgrade if you have the ode 1 with ssp burrs?

4:03 Ode grinder full length music video when?

I’m voting for more ASMR percussion with grinder catch cups!

excellent beats!

I do have an Ode Gen 2 with SSP MP that I received Mid March 2023. It was not as big of a jump from the Encore with M2 burrs that I had for the ~2 years before the Ode, but I am happy. The weird and inconsistent noises that the ode make constantly make we worried I broke something or didn’t put it back together correctly. I do have fomo that the Sculptor 78 delivers a better cup of filter coffee than the Ode gen 2 with SSP MP for the same price (on kickstarter), but in reality, I wouldn’t be able to do the kickstarter and I live very close to the fellow store which is a major advantage. So all in all, I am happy with the Ode, and I feel like I probably wouldn’t get the value for money I would expect for paying a lot more for something more expensive than the ode to make filter coffee

Nice review.

Having a Gen 1 Ode and as rapidly as they became available upgrading to the SSP burr set I've been using it daily for approaching 3 years. I really don't have any static issues, retention is small but I give the beans a spritz before putting them in the hopper. Sometimes they need a little push. Not going to upgrade to the new machine, but do have my eye on the Timemore. Fellow's next major product is possibly/likely a brewing machine. So the Ode isn't going to morph into the Timemore any time soon.

As someone who has the Ode 1 with SSP burrs, I don't really have many complaints or see a need for the upgrade. Sure, there is more retention than I would like. And yes, the slope in the hopper could be steeper. But overall, I still love the Ode 1 and use it daily to brew very tasty pour overs.

Great tabla playing! I love my Ode 2, but wonder if I’m the only person who has experienced this: after disassembling , cleaning for the first time, then recalibrating, it started to grind significantly finer at a given setting. So, for example, to get the grind size previously gained at 5.1, I had to move to 6 (and yes, it was calibrated before that). Of course, this doesn’t really matter-the number on the dial is just a reference point-but it does make it a little harder to follow others’ recommendations of grind size.

Quality video, Raghunath and Namisha! Hope we get to see a Raghunath x Lance music collab some day!

Nice review, and dryly funny. I have one and wonder if anyone else struggles with fast drawdown on a 1 cup V60? I calibrated and got maybe 10 seconds longer on a 15g dose. I pretty much do the Hoffman method other than that I really like the grinder and always pour the grounds from the other side without the fins. I'm grinding on the #1 mark

I love my Ode Gen 1 with SSP burrs, but I’d be curious if you know any mods to put an ionizer in the Gen 1? It’d be nice if older grinders started getting mods to add one.

Great review, very entertaining ! I find that with medium/dark beans the grinder gets clogged and needs to be disassembled and cleaned. Fellow says that it’s because the beans are dark. I feel it’s design flaw. Have you come across this issue?

I’ve had the Ode 2 for about a year now and I’ve NEVER heard that sound come from it. Also, concerning the fins on the cup, they are annoying, but if you just pour from the other side, it’s a non issue. I really like the grinder, but I have to admit to some ignorance here as it’s the only quality grinder I’ve owned.

I love your humor

Considering this, the catcher seems like a big issue. My workflow would have me pouring coffee into a 20g portafilter basket and make filter coffee on the decent. Will that be a giant mess? It’s this or a zp6 that I’m considering

Regarding the fins in the catch cup, can't you simply pour from the other side of the cup without fins?

I’ve found pouring the coffee out of the catch cup the other way around (I.e rotating 180 degrees) means it functions like the fins aren’t there.

A tabla catch cup! Brilliant!

Hi Totally enjoyed your video, love the catch cup percussion 🪇 I own the Ode gen 2 and have been using the Ode 2 for a year now Overall I like the grinder but if there were to be a gen 3 version these are the improvements I would make 1) I would enlarge the opening of the dispensing chute. I feel that fine grinds and oils accumulate in the tight space surrounding the opening and if not cleaned out properly the accumulated grinds jam the burrs inside the unit. 2) I would replace the screws on the unit for retention clips, or Allen head screws The OEM screws strip easily if not careful. And worse yet Fellows does not supply replacement screws, yes they sell calibrating screws but no replacement for the face plate and the larger screws for the auger. Which in my opinion should be retention clips. 3) better videos, first time disassembling the unit it is very easy to confuse the Ode gen 1 videos with the Ode gen 2 videos until you realize the units are completely different and you have to go down a deep rabbit hole to find some one who disassembled and calibrated the Ode gen 2 Sorry about the long post but these are my thoughts on the Ode gen 2..... which I'm happy with

How about a future video with the intro background score that is just percussion! Great content as usual!

Excellent video, sir. I'm still manually grinding with my 1ZPRESSO K-Plus. Does the job for me😊

NICE TABLA TECHNIQUE, BRO :-)

Calling for a special Jam session between Aramse & Lance Hedrick!! 🎉

More percussions please, you should do a video with all the stuff laying around, I'll watch it!!!

The Gen2 burrs make a lot of difference in grind quality and are very affordable. In Germany the Ode Gen2 is sadly sold for over 400 Euros, more like 450 and that is sadly overpriced. But you can get a Gen 1 as a "Hacker Edition" with the Gen2 burrs that you have to install yourself for a much more affordable price. The burrs can be easily installed in a matter of half an hour. And with mandatory RDT (which I do anyway out of habit) that eliminates most of the static and hot-loading the hopper so the beans slide in more easily, the issues with the Gen 1 are pretty much solved. For me ... that is. Your mileage may vary of course. That being said, once the Gen2 hoppers (that are already sold outside of Europe) hit the European market, I might just get one for a tenner, which I think is a reasonable price. So for me the conclusion was: - If you can get the Ode Gen2 for a reasonable price (not like what we are being priced in Germany -.- ): Get yourself the Ode Gen2 as a great little package - If the Ode Gen2 is as overpriced as it is in Germany (with the Gen2 being 150 Euros more expensive than the Gen1): Get yourself an Ode Gen1 "Hacker Edition" with includes the Gen2 burrs. Which in my case was 20 Euros more than just the Ode1. Swap out the burrs, do RDT, hot-load your Hopper, get some great cups.

Feel like we need yet another rendition with needed corrections to lid, catch cup and price adjustment back to $299 to both better compete with the new offering and improve this coarse grinder.

LMAO I've been a lurker but I subbed for this 4:03

what do you think are the main competitors to this one?

4:02 absolutely bonkers, i played this for my monitor lizard it began shucking AND jiving

Hmm. I have SSP burrs in my Gen 2 and it does not sound that bad or like how yours did.

How did the taste in the cup compare to the 078 Turbo? Vs Gen2 burrs or SSP, or both

😂 nice beat ragu.. But great through review

You said only for me but I shared to listen with all of others including me. So which one is “You” exactly ❤

training ragas while pouring the coffee. nice.

Just noticed that you mention an existing review of the Timeore 78S instead of the 78, the link in the description is also titled as 78S review, maybe you should correct this :) (I wish to hear your thoughts on the 78S but I will wait patiently)

I don't get the issue with the fin. I pour out the grounds from the opposite side. lol

"squarified" is now a word...thank you...tabla coffee catch cup percussion...nowhere else is this available in the universe

Now time for you to be on Percussions and @lance to rap to it

Percussion ❤❤

so can or can you not do espresso ?

Waiting for Baratza Encore Esp video