1Zpresso X Ultra Grey Version Unboxing and Introduction (No talking)

[@matthewross1494]

Looking forward to the in-depth comparison between the X-ultra and the X-pro

[@mightymightyironhead]

I am literally just trying to finish that video up. Where i live this time of year is a very busy time for me, so i have fallen a little behind with other things. I also recorded a lot of things that i wanted to include in the video, but the video would be far too long and boring, so i have cut and edited about a dozen times now and i have decided to try and keep it simple.

[@jmdeleon1164]

@@mightymightyironheadany initial thoughts on the difference?

[@jonmoore4588]

Is the internal gear at the top (internally) made out of metal on the X Ultra? Looks like this from the video. I believe it's plastic on the X Pro. Is this correct? TIA

[@mightymightyironhead]

The only plastic past on the grinder is the frosted plastic popcorn guard on the end of the grind handle. However its pretty thick and sturdy.

[@jonmoore4588]

Having ordered an X Ultra (which should be arriving shortly), I've been reading up on it and came across some discussion on reddit about the inner and outer burrs being different to the X Pro. Someone has posted photo's of the inner and outer burrs for both and they're definitely different, especially the outer burr - its teeth are sharp and not chamfered like the X Pro. There's also a coffee reviewer (Coffee Chronicler) who has compared both, X Pro vs X Ultra and found the X Pro to be much better, flavour profile wise, as a consequence of the different burrs. Just wondering if i should swap to an X Pro in lieu of the Ultra now. And also wondered if you'd compared both grinders and had any comment? (P.S. this is different from the recall issue, which, as I understand, was sorted out some time ago)

[@mightymightyironhead]

Yes this is correct, the X-Ultra does have a slightly different shape on the cutting edges of the outer burrs, the X-Ultra are very slightly more sharp as apposed to the X-Pro being a little more rounded towards the edge of the blades. I am also aware of the article that the Coffee Chronicler wrote about this difference in the burrs and that he thought that the flavour profile with the X-Pro was much better than the flavour profile with the X-Ultra. I am not saying that he is wrong, but when i tested both grinders side by side i did not really find much difference in the flavour profiles for both grinders, using the same beans at the same grind settings and too be honest unless you have both grinders side by side to test each brew yourself, again side by side you would probably not notice the difference. Please bare in mind that i did not do any extensive comparisons, i did test a few different beans with different processes (natural, Washed and Honey processed) at different roast levels (medium roast, medium/dark and dark roast) for Pour over, French press, drip coffee and Espresso. There was definitely a slight difference in flavour profile at the medium and course grind range (Pour over and French press) but this was not so noticeable at finer grind settings. Also i often think that when people say this type of thing, it can also be more of a personal taste, coffee is like that, i might prefer a certain type of bean, roasted at a certain level and brewed in a certain way, but you might hate that. I do think that the Coffee Chronicler knows what he is talking about, i have read some of his articles and watched some of his videos and i like his stuff. But he put that article out pretty quickly after the release of the X-Ultra, so i wonder how much testing he did in that time, also the burrs would have not really had time to be seasoned, so that could also impact the flavour a little, again i am not saying that he is wrong, but maybe a little subjective and honestly i get asked quite a few times about this, so i do think that this type of article can confuse people. Generally Conical burrs with sharp edges (X-Ultra) are typically considered to be more efficient in grinding coffee beans. The sharp edges can cut through the beans more effectively, leading to a more uniform grind size (less fines). This consistency is important for achieving an even extraction during brewing, which can result in a well balanced and flavorful cup of coffee. On the other hand, some argue that conical burrs with rounded edges (X-Pro) can produce a slightly different flavor profile. The grinding action may be less aggressive, potentially generating less heat during the grinding process. Some people believe that this can help preserve the delicate character and flavors of the coffee beans, especially with light or medium roast coffees. So its not so easy for me to say that the flavour profile that you get with the X-Ultra is better or worse than the flavour profile that you get with the X-Pro, its just slightly different. In my opinion both grinders are excellent and produce a very uniform and consistent grind and both produce a very nice flavour profile. If you have the choice to replace the X-Ultra for the X-Pro and think that you might enjoy the X-Pro better based on what the Coffee Chronicler said, then by all means take advantage of that, maybe you would notice and prefer that subtle difference in flavour profile more than me. Sorry i can not advise you more than that.

[@jonmoore4588]

@mightymightyironhead can't thank you enough for taking time out of your day to reply so comprehensively. Plenty to chew over there. I'm completely new to this topic. Three days ago I didn't know such a thing as manual coffee grinders even existed so it's all a bit of a learning curve. Do you stock the X Pro, old burr version btw? I understand the latest X Pro's also have the X Ultra style sharp burrs now.

[@mightymightyironhead]

No problem you are very welcome. Coffee and coffee equipment can be a bit confusing when you first start to get into it. I found out early on, that a lot of people online, either just repeat things that other people say, or just completely make things up. For example, a lot of companies that produce entry level manual (and electric) grinders market them as being "Espresso" grinders. This is not strictly true, these cheaper entry level grinders are ok for basic (pressurised) Espresso, but they really struggle with more advanced (none pressurised) Espresso. Its not enough to just say "this grinder can grind fine enough for Espresso, without explaining what type of Espresso they can be used for. I have several grinders that can grind fine enough for Turkish, but they are still not good enough for none pressurised Espresso. Technically these cheaper grinders can be used for proper Espresso, but because they have bigger microns (often 25 - 33 microns) they have big steps between each setting and they really can not finely adjust if your shot is either too fast or too slow, often you have one setting or number and any movement from that will be too much. So when choosing a good grinder, i always advise that you first check what the micron size is. If the micron size is 25 - 33 microns, its really a Pour over grinder, that can be used for other brew types, including basic Espresso (maybe even Turkish, depending on the size of the burrs). A good all round grinder, that can be used for every brew type including none pressurised espresso (proper Espresso) needs at least (in my opinion) 12.5 microns to have a decent amount of grind range to comfortably be able to dial in for proper Espresso, any less than 12.5 and your grind range will drop quite significantly. Burr size and type is also very important. Basic entry level manual grinders with usually have 38mm Pentagonal, or 38 - 40mm Heptagonal (7 core) burrs. The 38mm Pentagonal burrs are ok, but they are usually very slow to grind and dont give the best flavour profile. 38 - 40mm Heptagonal burrs are much better and are quite a lot faster to grind than the 38mm Pentagonal burrs. Comandante uses the 40mm Heptagonal 7 core burrs, so does the X-Pro and X-Ultra. These burrs give a very nice flavour profile for Pour over. Larger manual grinders like the 1Zpresso K-Ultra, J-Ultra, K-Pro ect all use 48mm burrs (either 6 core or 7 core and depending on the grinder, they use 7 core Heptagonal or 6 core burrs) so they are usually a little faster to grind, have smaller microns and can usually grind Turkish fine, unlike the smaller entry level grinders. Its important to also understand that there is a point where the micron size being too small can be an issue. Espresso grinders are usually step less or 0 microns (dont have clicks between each setting) so you can dial in your shot very easily and smoothly. This is great for Espresso because it gives you a huge grind range for dialing in your shot, however this type of Espresso fine grinder can and does produce slightly more fines and at the medium or course grind range, that can be noticeable for something like Pour over, where your draw down speed is very important. Because of these extra fines sinking to the bottom of your coffee bed, they can slow down the draw down speed for your Pour over and the longer that your coffee is in contact with water, the flavour profile will be effected. This is one of the reasons that i advise people to try and use the correct grinder for the type of brew that they mainly use, if they mainly use Pour over, choose a grinder with 48mm Heptagonal burrs (or 40mm) with around 23 - 30 microns. If they want an all round grinder, choose a grinder with 48mm Heptagonal burrs and a smaller micron size (preferably 12.5 microns) this will give you a good grind range to play with and a good flavour profile for brews that need that. Also this micron size does not produce slightly more fines like a proper Espresso grinder. After that, its obviously down to build quality, cheap grinders are cheap for a reason. Actually yes i do have some stock for the X-Pro with the normal inner burrs. I am not 100% sure if 1Zpresso have changed the original burrs for the X-Pro to the other burrs similar to the X-Ultra, i need to check my last shipment and verify that.

[@mightymightyironhead]

Hi Jon. I made this quick video showing the difference between the first batch of X-Pro that was released and my batch of X-Pro that i ordered a couple of months back. You can see that the inner burrs are both the same. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIi4p4etfJZ_aas

[@sammyrabbat384]

Is this painted or anodized?

[@mightymightyironhead]

Its Anodized.

[@stephaniejames6672]

Weird that a precision instrument doesn’t fit its case.

[@mightymightyironhead]

You mean the little grey square padding at the bottom of the grinder? If thats what you are referring to, its because this travel case is designed to also carry some of the other 1Zpresso grinders and some of them are slightly longer than the X-Ultra. So they include this piece of padding for the X-Ultra to stop it moving in transit and shipping. However i have taken my X-Ultra on trips with me and i did not include the padding and it stays in place very securely.

[@oOLilithOo1]

The item has been recalled by the manufacturer.

[@Grogg786]

Почему? Брак?

[@mightymightyironhead]

Yes unfortunately that's correct. That's why i did not do a full review video for the X-Ultra. I got a full shipment and just hours before it arrived at my place, i got a call from 1Zpresso to say that i need to return it because there is an issue with the burrs. According to 1Zpresso the X-Ultra will be available within the next four weeks.

[@optimisticpessimist.]

​@@mightymightyironheadhow about now after a few months have passed? Would you recommend it?