MOTORIZED HAND GRINDER?: Review of the Skope Motor for the Comandante

[@itsxris]

well timed! literally working on my video of the skope now!

[@LanceHedrick]

Oh nice! Curious to see it

[@hodgesmt]

My arm is variable speed, start fast and the more tired I get the slower I grind. :) My brain automatically goes to "Can I 3d print that and use my variable speed Dremel?" Not going to try, but my brain goes there anyway. Keep up the great vids and I am enjoying some of the Onyx Micro-Lit coffee this morning!

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahaha yes your arm is variable. I'd be HELLA impressed I'd you could spin at 184 rpm, though! Haha

[@Daddy-Samy]

Don't ! you motor might stall or you might damage your grinder.

[@Boyetto-san]

Really interesting. I tend to wonder why it seems most pourover brew guide videos I watch tend to have much slower drawdown times than I tend to get with my V60. This is especially so when I try to bloom: when using a 2:1 or even 3:1 water-to-grounds bloom ratio, the water always draws down way too fast for me to do anything like what James Hoffman does in his V60 guide during the bloom phase. The effect of slower RPM presents one possibility since I use a hand grinder, whereas most coffee KZbinrs use electric grinders, which may mean that my grounds may have a smaller proportion of fines that speeds up my drawdowns relative to the norm.

[@actionfuzzi]

i recognized the same with my v60! i always wonder why in my experience i have to grind finer compared to other v60 recipes on youtube.

[@peterlustig7600]

I had the same problem with blooming. It was always just like a foam and I couldn't stir it. Quickly wetting all the grounds and general faster pouring during this phase worked for me. Also using a hand grinder.

[@jfgad]

Great video! Thank you!! Nice to meet you Jason!

[@LanceHedrick]

Thank you for watching!

[@davidmaurice1294]

My endgame grinder would be an electric that has zero retention, is simple to clean, and is highly customizable (swappable burrs for different situations, variable speed - i.e. somewhat future proof). My pet peeve with most high-end electric grinders is that you might spend thousands, but you basically only have one profile with that grinder. I'd rather have several, specialized ones instead. If this motor had adapters for other hand grinders, I think I'd have what I was looking for. Compared it to an equivalent electric grinder with the same quality of results, I think that price is actually reasonable. I would seriously consider buying one if they had adapters for other hand grinders. I might have to buy one and make my own 😁!

[@LanceHedrick]

Do it! If you can make an adapter, that would be huge!

[@slvrbach]

This is why, 4 months after buying my DF64, I still haven't gotten rid of my Niche Zero. 😉👍

[@BensCoffeeRants]

With variable RPM you can kinda DO have multiple profiles. If you want a bit more bitterness and body at the expense of clarity, choose higher RPM, if you want more clarity, less body, (and don't mind a longer grind time) choose lower rpm. If you can't decide, go somewhere in between :p

[@davidmaurice1294]

@@BensCoffeeRants great point 😁! Definitely didn't mean to imply total limitation. What I was more referring to was burr geometry. Some are better optimized for certain brews. Also, I've seen some people that have two or three of the same hand grinders. Seems using multiple grinders/burrs can have benefits for when switching between methods (e.g. espresso to pour over) or beans. Less to think about in terms of grind adjustment and retention from the previous setting. I know at some point this can seem ridiculous 🤣, but I'm just after total flexibility. I guess what I'm thinking is a modular system.

[@LanceHedrick]

Just get a motorized hand grinder with a burr geometry you like and then a flat burr grinder with lots of Burr options, like 64mm or the like. Then you can switch out as you like haha

[@jensleeuw]

I’ve been screaming for this for so long! So happy it’s here I’ll buy one right away 🤣

[@LanceHedrick]

Love it! Glad you enjoyed it

[@BensCoffeeRants]

Pretty neat, I was surprised you noticed one cup was better than the other and then thought the better one was the high rpm one! From my experience with a variable RPM grinder, it does seem like you get less fines at lower rpm which results in less bitterness, but also less body. I find for brew / drip / aeropress type coffee at coarser grounds the more unimodal grind distribution or just less fines (low rpm) does produce really enjoyable and clean / transparent cups BUT for espresso I kinda like some more body / bitterness sometimes. But that could change depending on the coffee (or my mood maybe).

[@LanceHedrick]

So, as I said in the video, the only reason I assumed the higher rpm was the one I preferred is solely based off the specialtion that lower RPM causes fewer fines. So, I figured the vegetal tasting one was more underextracted. One with less fines would've let the water through faster, which the slower rpm did by 20sec, so I figured that must've been it. I hadn't dialled this coffee in prior to filming purposefully to make the blind comparison a little more legit.

[@thearterycommunityroasters5872]

We've been using a drill to motorize the kingrinder k6 and it works really well.

[@LanceHedrick]

Very cool! I need to get on this drill game. See if I can make it work with all mine

[@louisd95714]

I am kind of on the frugal side. I have a hand grinder where the handle can easily pop off. All I have to do is use my variable speed drill, tighten the chuck on where the handle usually sits, and grind away. I can use any speed i want. Of course, depending on the type of grinder, your mileage may vary. I would also not do this on a new grinder. Only one that has been collecting dust.

[@TerryManitoba]

As usual - That was good fun. My brewing game has increased largely to your content. Or you could not be lazy and grind it manually. I have 3 manual grinders (no electric grinders - well - except for my Braun circa 1980s blade grinder-:) I brew 4 times a day (2 Kalita & 2 espressos) and still enjoy the manual grinding process. & as you age you need to find any way to keep each part of your body active! & in this case, the reward keeps you motivated to maintain the manual grinding habit...

[@LanceHedrick]

Sure thing! I don't think this is meant to replace the manual aspect wholly, though I get your point! Thanks for watching, friend

[@TerryManitoba]

@@LanceHedrick All good - Just me thinking out loud.

[@rohandias1244]

@@TerryManitoba agree except for when you need to entertain and make like 4 coffees at once

[@TerryManitoba]

@@rohandias1244 True to - or, you could put the guests a grinding-:) while you are cutting up the pie...

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahaha! Welcome guests. Today, we have a splendid meal, but you have to work for it. Here you go..grind your own d*mn coffee! 🤣

[@ITSDRJMMG]

I need this! Awesome video! Finally someone talking about motorized kits for the comandante!

[@LanceHedrick]

Thanks so much for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@coffeeblogua]

I'm noticed that glass works much better with Comandante. Not that high retention due to statics, easier to clean

[@LanceHedrick]

These new ones I'm really digging, tbh

[@SxWerks]

Love the concept. The direction of the small form factor with an electric motor is great. Unfortunately, the price is a deal killer. May want to sell or license the design to Commandante for an upgraded version.

[@simply_psi]

You may find it's down to particle shape rather than size, I have seen others do a Kruve sift test at different rpm's and they had similar number of fines, but only on a visual inspection rather than through an electron microscope, but different particle shapes give different surface areas for extraction.

[@LanceHedrick]

Oh for sure. Particle size is massive. Issue is, this is even more difficult to quantify than distribution. But yes. This is a big point bentwood preaches with their grinder- they're making much more spherical grounds. Big difference, assuredly

[@saurabhdutta3931]

Your video Lance, convinced me to buy one and put a hold on my Oro SD order from espresso coffee shop. I keep coming back to the comandante taste profile for espressos. However even with redclix, one has to resort to dose variations for that proper dial in.

[@lorenzerikwittjen7849]

Maybe I missed it, but it would be great to see and hear this machine running. I think the noise it makes decides whether it is perceived as a premium product (like the Commandante) or not.

[@LanceHedrick]

I ran it in the video a few times. It is silent.

[@lorenzerikwittjen7849]

@@LanceHedrick wow, then with beans in it just the „normal“ Commandante noise?

[@LanceHedrick]

Yep! What you hear in the video is an accurate representation of my unit!

[@coffeeblogua]

For all those who tired of grinding coffee - get kettlebell and do swings!)

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha! Making us all into CrossFit people, eh? Lol

[@coffeeblogua]

@@LanceHedrick it's not a CrossFit inventory) And really improves grip. Most importantly, it's fun

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha I was only joking

[@TCMx3]

I would have bought this if it were available two years ago. I had a comandante that I liked, but because of RSI I was forced to get a motorized grinder. I really like the coffee my Forte BG makes, but it was close to 1000 USD and this would have been a lot cheaper than doing that. Plus I still travel with the comandante because just a day or two of it doesnt really wear me out like using it every day. The Fellow wasnt available at the time.

[@Daddy-Samy]

I wish I'll have the time to design one for cheap in the future , not even kidding. I design BLDC motor controllers from DC power for a living, with some help from another engineer or just one my own with enough time. I would definitely make one. I own a jx pro and this idea is rolling in my head for some time now

[@LanceHedrick]

That'd be great! There is one for the jx pro made in south Korea, but is $800 haha

[@Daddy-Samy]

​@@LanceHedrick OOF, That's a lot, I really hope I'll have time to look into it. Do you know what kind of motor the Korea one uses ? If it's a DC motor with a gearbox that would be stealing to ask 800 for it. But if it uses high torque BLDC motor that would be "a bit"understandable. I will definitely look into this when I have time or find someone who would like to help me on it either on the programming side or the mechanical design side. Do you have a link for the one in South Korea ? :D Ah and by the way, thanks A LOT for your response, your videos are awesome !

[@davidtriune8028]

it's nice that my kingrinder k6 with comandante-like burrs can basically do this with a power drill.

[@1257mp]

Super interesting info on the variable speed grinding. Loved the vid!

[@LanceHedrick]

Thank you! Appreciate you watching it!

[@arianyazdannik968]

Hi Lance. Great great video as always. Just wanted to note one thing, I think there is a better option as conical motor powered brewing grinder and that's lagom mini(which has the same burr geometry with stepless adjustment and the cost is around the same to this setup) I would love you to review it someday.

[@NashvilleFanatic]

My lagom mini seems to produce so many fines and I've wondered if this is the grinder or maybe it's misaligned - have others had good results with the mini? If yes I'll definitely try a re-alignment! Thanks very much

[@arianyazdannik968]

@@NashvilleFanatic which burrs are you using? The 48 mm burrs are very good I heard from many people

[@LanceHedrick]

I need to grab one to check it out. Only recently was released, so haven't had the chance yer

[@Cenot4ph]

Chestnut G1+ is in the same range as those 3 you mentioned, but i wouldnt add any motorization to it. These things are meant to run low rpm ie hand use.

[@LanceHedrick]

Sure! If you listened, I do point out that the speed I use with the motor immulates hand speed. It just gives more consistency, which can give arguably a better grind distribution.

[@1Caja]

With the hat on you look exactly like Itaru Hashida from Steins;Gate. Incredible!

[@LanceHedrick]

Not sure who that is but I'll take it as a compliment haha! Thanks for watching!

[@GabrielGGabGattringer]

I´d absolutely love this kind of motorized mechanism for my 1Zpresso Q2!

[@LanceHedrick]

For sure! Need to find a hack😜

[@LilyWillow22]

have you seen this? Hario Mobile Mill Stick plus Comandante Adapter

[@davebesansonoriginals9932]

Question that could make a good content for comparison video. This verses electric grinders in a similar price range. So basically at the cost of the hand grinder, motor and variable speed vs a similarly priced electric grinder. Which is better for your buck? Benefits and draw backs of both.

[@LanceHedrick]

Yeah. That becomes really subjective. Some people are huge freaks for the Comandante profile, so it makes sense. I'm not sure a video with my opinion would do much justice because it is so difficult to make any of that comparison objective, if that makes sense.

[@jmangus83]

Looks like a small funnel port. Do the beans clog up the funnel if say you dump them all in at once, or does this require you to pour them in slowly. I have a funnel on my current grinder with a 20-22mm opening and I have to occasionally stir the beans to get them to drop into the burr set. That funnel looks quite abit smaller than that

[@LanceHedrick]

The tip is small and I believe it is to disincentive dropping all in at once. But that's pure specialtion. I would argue, and Hoffman has done a little test on this, that dropping in at a slower rate allows you to grind finer and can arguably give you a better and more consistent grind. But even more importantly, dumping them all in at once had the potential, if going at a low rpm, to stall the grinder.r

[@GoTellJesusSaves]

I love this! I was just thinking last night about how to make an electric motor for any hand grinder. 1 upgrade I see for this... a hand tightened screw with a lever latch. But in this case where it's ONLY for a comandante, the screw probably wouldn't be necessary. Just the lever latch that would latch flush with the collar at a fixed pressure. Hoping for a universal iteration of this motor! I've really been wanting to motorized my 1ZPRESSO and KingGrinder. Would be awesome to have one machine that would work with both!

[@orrinbelcher6593]

Nice video fun and informative, thank you

[@LanceHedrick]

Thanks so much! Appreciate it sincerely!

[@HardestManInTarot]

Haven't watched the video yet but feel like I need it.

[@LanceHedrick]

It ain't cheap haha. I go over price and my thoughts near the end

[@HardestManInTarot]

@@LanceHedrick I might just stick it to my power drill in that case 🤣

[@HardestManInTarot]

Cheaper than expected actually

[@LanceHedrick]

Not awful, but not an easy add on. Could buy a black Friday fellow ode with that price lol

[@HardestManInTarot]

@@LanceHedrick good idea for a comparison!

[@morganbakerable]

Could burrs be optimized for a certain speed, possibly based on the feed rate at the top section of the burrs? Just thinking of conical geometry that a more open top would let more beans in, and thus have weight pressing down from the top and potentially causing more crushing effect and more fines. I know there are a few variable RPM flat burrs now and from what I have seen in those, although I have not tasted yet, that higher rpms tend to create more fines in those also.

[@LanceHedrick]

Absolutely, and they are. Typically, pentagonal conicals are for darker roasts because faster feed rate whereas hexagonal, heptagonal, and octagonal are epitomized for lighter roasts with slower feed rates due to higher density. You're dead on here

[@Yirgamalabar]

The KINGrinder range of manual grinders is designed to be used (optionally) with electric screwdrivers. I hope other companies would follow this trend.

[@LanceHedrick]

Cool! And no issues with the axel breaking or any other issue?

[@Yirgamalabar]

@@LanceHedrick They claim to use beefed up bearings and shaft specifically to support the high RPM of electric screwdrivers.

[@LanceHedrick]

Oh wow! That's incredible! What is the top end model? I'll look into getting them to test

[@oneforallgaming4003]

I found that for espresso when I grind slow the shot time increases so I have to grind coarser

[@BensCoffeeRants]

Interesting, sounds like you're getting more fines at lower RPM (I thought it's usually the opposite). Which grinder?

[@oneforallgaming4003]

@@BensCoffeeRants 1zpresso jx pro

[@LanceHedrick]

This is intriguing! Hmmmm I'm wondering if going really slowly will somehow cause a reverse effect? How slwo do you think you're going? Below one revolution per second?

[@oneforallgaming4003]

@@LanceHedrick maybe less than one revolution per second but not much Maybe I get a more consistent grind because I can maintain the speed better🤷🏼‍♂️ I will check it the next time I make an espresso maybe i did something else “wrong” and I didn’t tested that often because the espresso tasted good and in the end it’s all that matters right 😁

[@LanceHedrick]

Well, if you were maintaining speed well, you shouldn't have high fines. An issue with hand grinding is the inconsistency in rpm. The more consistent, speculatively, the more even the distribution.

[@marknachmias423]

So you're using with Red Clix?

[@josiahbrown9128]

What are the differences between a conical and flat burr profile? And do we know precisely why a particular burr geometry affects the cup profile?

[@LanceHedrick]

Main difference is the particle distribution. In simple terms, flats tend to give a more unimodal type of curve where as conicals, a flatter and bimodal curve. Former tends to produce cleaner cups and the latter more traditional, in a nutshell

[@JMyers6T4]

Thoughts on the goat story grinder set up similar to this?

[@LanceHedrick]

I've not gotten to use it yet. Just seen pictures! I'm sure it will be good, but the question revolves around the efficacy of their burrs vs the nitro blade

[@TC_Prof]

Great lance cant wait to get mine. Well done brother! 🙏😇

[@LanceHedrick]

Thank you! I think you'll quite enjoy it

[@macht4turbo]

Interesting product. I think everyone with a hand grinder at one time thought about an easy way to motorize it. It would be interesting to have a taste comparison between careful handgrinding and low rpm grinding with the skope. I don't dig the 3d print aesthetic though. There are ways to smooth out 3d prints like tumblers, that would add an extra step in production, but the end product would look less diy.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Acetone is the easiest trick if you're using the right plastic

[@LanceHedrick]

Yeah! I don't think this prototype they sent is what the final product will be, but time will tell! And I'll need to do that test, no doubt. Though, there are wild inconsistencies between person to person. Might need to gather grinds from multiple people to do a proper test

[@macht4turbo]

@@LanceHedrick Person to person differences were not even on my mind, but you are right, this would have to be taken into account. Truth be told I never really try to hit a specific grinding speed, I will measure my cadence the next time I grind some coffee.

[@LanceHedrick]

I'd be interested to hear if you note any differences in messing around with them!

[@9abe9]

Ma boy! Always a pleasure to watch your videos! Always so nice and informative! One question: do you think it lives up to that myth that it is in EK43 league, regarding flavor?

[@LanceHedrick]

It really depends on what you look for in a cup. But, for me, it depends on the coffee. I have like c40 brews over ek43 often

[@9abe9]

@@LanceHedrick thanks a lot for your answer! Thats a big compliment to it! I own an 1ZPRESSO JX PRO and I'm always wondering whether In should buy a c40 or a flat burr, like the Vario. Or Urbanic

[@paulnest1232]

@@9abe9 or, you know, k series could be fun! 😄 (It is, so, so good!)

[@LanceHedrick]

K series is great. Will be working on a video to put it against kinu and c40

[@nameisjoey9985]

You mention the big 3 - Kinu, Comandante, and 1z. Are you interested in trying any of the Orphan Espresso hand grinders? Specifically the Lido OG and the Pharos 2.0? I have both a Lido 3 and a Pharos 2.0 and while they’re a bit more utilitarian than the brands you mentioned, they are really nice to use. The Pharos isn’t the most ergonomic but I think you’d be hard pressed finding a superior grind in the sub $400 price range. Mazzer burrs, incredibly fluffy grinds, and shots have a ton of body.

[@LanceHedrick]

I'd love to try those out, actually. I just haven't been sent them and simply can't afford all these grinders haha I have a Patreon budget, but I've overspent it every month by quite a bit. My wallet is hurting. I've got to rely on handouts 🤣🤣🤣

[@nameisjoey9985]

@@LanceHedrick Say no more fam, let’s connect after the holidays and I’ll send you my Pharos to try out.

[@LanceHedrick]

Heck yeah. That sounds great!

[@janpicha6357]

But to be quite honest, you might aswell just buy a niche at this point, I'm not sure if the comandante costs 400 aud tho I think it's around that mark, you might aswell just get a proper high quality electric grinder. Could also go for the DF64 if u want flat burrs

[@LanceHedrick]

Issue here is 1) niche is no good for filter coffee imo and 2) df64 is a completely different game to the c40. Flat burrs as opposed to conical..and neither one can be taken on trips. Lots of options at the price range, which is why I said it is completely dependent on the person!

[@janpicha6357]

@@LanceHedrick ah I must've missed that but you're right, the portability of it especially considering how good of a grind it can produce is a serious advantage

[@LanceHedrick]

For sure. But I do love the df64, so you're not wrong there haha

[@janpicha6357]

@@LanceHedrick Unrelated but I wanted to ask, is doing the preinfustion trick on the gaggia supposed to slow down the extraction because I've notice that it always seem to get a bit quicker extraction with the trick than without.

[@LanceHedrick]

No. It speeds it up once full pressure hits. It expands the bed and begins to extraction process. Need to grind much finer when doing preinfuiosn.

[@JoseCinnamon]

The Nomad guys are awesome

[@zondaz]

How would a comandante with the skope compare to a roughly similarly priced electric grinder eg a eureka specialita?

[@elganpowell9552]

I bought a washed kenyan a few months ago from Nomad, was £16 for the bag and promised jasmine and lychee, but the roast was so pitifully underdeveloped, as was apparent when cupped, all in could get was straw and grass. Just shows you that fancy, high end specialty roasters don’t always hit the mark!

[@LanceHedrick]

Hmmmm which Kenya? I've been LOVING their Kenya they just sold out of (I think they sold out). I'm curious because I've had two coffees from them and both were absolutely smashing.

[@elganpowell9552]

@@LanceHedrick It was the Faith Estate filter roast. I'm sure it was just a one off roast mistake, but i couldn't finish the bag. Needless to say it was very difficult to crank it even at filter settings on a commandante!!

[@LanceHedrick]

Phew. That's one of my favorite kenyas of the year! Absolutely delicious! So much fruits. I sadly finished my last of it today. Wish I had the rest of yours haha!

[@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat]

Serious question... Is the C40 Better than a motorised grinder at similar costs? Why is the C40 so much better than other manual grinders. What specifically makes that difference? Thank you in advance for your detailed and kind reply.

[@slvrbach]

I want a variable speed motor for my 1Zpresso JE-Plus!!

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha for sure! I've heard people have found ways with drills, but I'm wary to use that lol

[@slvrbach]

@@LanceHedrick certainly you can do that. 1Zpresso even recommends using a drill on their FAQ page. I tried once using my electric screwdrivers, but they didn't have enough torque. I love my JE-Plus and would totally get rid of my Niche if I had an electric rig for the JE-Plus that did variable speed. Maybe it's time for me to Dr. Frankenstein something here! Muahaha..

[@LanceHedrick]

Please do! And if successfully, let me know and I'll spread the good word hahaha

[@oddsman01]

My old dewalt with a 1/4” socket the job

[@gnarster]

I saw you are using the red clix. What are your thoughts on it? I see everyone says it’s supposed to double but using it my grind settings are not all that different. It did double my lower espresso setting but for v60 with the red clix I’m at 25 clicks 2:30 draw down. 23 grams in 400 out.

[@kareem4131]

Awesome! I usually use my Commandante for Specialty Turkish coffee. Can you grind for Turkish on the Commandante using Skype Motor?

[@alexandral6218]

Expensive because Australia is a tiny market, shipping parts for manufacture (if it’s manufactured there) costs a lot more to do.

[@alexandral6218]

Australian living in the US*

[@gohn2023]

How do you feel about using this for expresso?

[@LanceHedrick]

It's great! Would highly recommend red clix, though

[@jfgad]

Hey Lance, something is lacking in the espresso video world. A nice video about pre-infusion. Pros vs cons. How to include the pre-infusion in the extraction times, etc… it would be nice to know more about this option.

[@LanceHedrick]

Good idea! I'll certainly look into doing that

[@scottdavis2036]

I believe that the lower rpm the more torque the motor provides. Maybe that’s why you like the lower rpm.

[@LanceHedrick]

Lower rpm hypothetically products less fines. This speculatively can assist in cup quality, but who really knows anything lol

[@dcuccia]

Great video! Pedantic nit: it's silicone, not silicon.

[@LanceHedrick]

Yes yes you are right 😢

[@bryanbenini2130]

Have you seen/tried the hario solo? That’s around $90

[@LanceHedrick]

I have not! Will look into it

[@timothyj1706]

Hahaha Lance, you are comical..definitely a good experiment as well. One thing I have to mention...You slurp..and your friend doesn't slurp and yet, you guys both chose the slow !

[@tjahjadialdo3012]

Hi Lance, for most case, for less Fine particle, Is lower rpm grind better for manual brew? As for the other side of the argument, whether high speed rpm better for espresso grinding ?

[@LanceHedrick]

Well, as I said in the video, it is truly all specialtion. As for fines theory, who really knows? Pull some shots with low fines and pull some with high. The former will have lower puck density, while the latter higher. Just need to figure out what your taste buds like most

[@tjahjadialdo3012]

@@LanceHedrick Thanks

[@LanceHedrick]

No problem! Thanks for the question and engagement

[@cha1ny104]

C40 vs Fellow ODE with SSP for filter. How big is the difference? I'm really torn here. Thanks!

[@billyruben6540]

I'd love to see a flat vs conical blind tasting.

[@LanceHedrick]

Good call! I'll line up a little niche vs urbanic for a side by side filter and espresso!

[@syedisharil]

How fast does it grind for espresso with the 1 revolution? Interesting if it’s an option for 1,2 espresso a day home barista

[@robertnbobn7664]

60 rpm is my crank speed. Love the slow rpm.

[@ScoffMathews]

I've always wondered about this, I have a cheapo grinder that crank with a drill, dunno if safe. Ok 3 minutes in, probably risky.

[@Timberjagi]

Done something simular with the Hario i have. after upgrading to metal burrs i was wondering how to motorize it. made a contraption that makes me use the homeblender on top of it. works perfect

[@LanceHedrick]

Yeah. I'd be nervous with these expensive hand grinders to use a drill. But feel free to do whatever haha! Thanks for the engagement

[@veganpotterthevegan]

So long as it's a low speed, I can't imagine it being hard on a well made grinder. Maybe 30-50% faster than a person could grind by hand is totally something a grinder should easily handle

[@BensCoffeeRants]

@@veganpotterthevegan But he found slower RPM tastes better, so maybe faster isn't better.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@BensCoffeeRants I was only referencing the time, not taste.

[@joelraivid5581]

Putting this motor aside what would be a comparable electric grinder if you like the profile of the comandante? I love my comandante but sometimes wish I had an electric grinder

[@joelraivid5581]

Without going flat burr

[@LanceHedrick]

Phew. I can't say any conical grinder tastes like the Comandante, or any other of my favorite conical hand grinders. It's difficult to say. Even the niche doesn't make coffees like Comandante. Without going flat burr, im at a loss for equivalent, or even comparable, flavor profiles

[@joelraivid5581]

@@LanceHedrick ye seems like a massive gap, although I hear there is lots of potential with the Lagom Option O mini with the 48mm burrs. Although I only know about 2 people with it

[@LanceHedrick]

Yeah. I've not yet had a chance to get my grimy hands on one hahaha

[@joelraivid5581]

@@LanceHedrick fingers crossed!!

[@The_Coffee_Rabbit_Hole]

Hi Lance , what do you think of the comandante mk4 with red clix for espresso ? I have been super desapointed with mine 😥 , nothing about the grinder impressed me like i thought . I'll return it for a 1zpresso jx-max , im super happy with my jx-pro i want 2 hand grinder

[@Btrl8thnNvr]

Does anyone know the standard options motor speed? I can’t seem to find it.

[@MisterDibitybopty]

Wonder if you could just do a "dimmer mod" on a drill - tempted try that myself. ;D

[@LanceHedrick]

Probably could! I wouldn't recommend a drill, though. Could break your grinder based on torque

[@MisterDibitybopty]

@@LanceHedrick I use an 18v drill on my cheap £10 hand grinder and tbh it does a really good job. Been a few months now and it's still holding strong.

[@LanceHedrick]

Wow! That sounds awesome. I need to try my drill on some cheaper hand grinders.

[@MisterDibitybopty]

@@LanceHedrick Please do and let me know how it goes. Might even be worth doing a video! I'd watch that haha

[@LanceHedrick]

I can't NOT make a video on something weird

[@NashvilleFanatic]

Anybody else watch Lance's buddy Brian Quan do a video on the Helor Flux ($750 hand grinder with 71mm burrs) and now want to see that motorized?? I mean, it is a real question of why one would buy a hand grinder and then buy a motor for it, but sometimes you just want to see it BECAUSE it's crazy.

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahahahaha now I've gotta convince him to send it to me so I can tinker and motorize it haha

[@commandodude333]

@@LanceHedrick I'd say don't ruin a great thing as it is as this world has gotten so lazy with automated everything. Hand grinders are what they are for a reason. Some look at them as just a cheaper (than electric) form of grinding, but some grinders like the 106 will easily compete with anything made and does so with ease and style.

[@LanceHedrick]

Except for the fact that a hugely overlooked issue in particle distribution is consistency of rpm. An electronic 106 would best a hand ground one. Has nothing at all to do with laziness, though I can see the appeal to call it thus

[@commandodude333]

@@LanceHedrick I somewhat agree as I purposely 'time' my cranking as in finding 2 revolutions per second is ideal and I maintain that while timing it periodically. Been doing that sort of thing for many years now as I often see others cranking away with no rhyme/reason, just cranking to finish the task at hand. With different hand grinders I've used the same coffee, same dose, etc. and would grind 1 rev per second, then 1.5, and so on and going slower just involves more time. Really cranking away can cause some burrs to feed slower and actually require more revolutions to reach the same end result. Also noticed slower gives me more fines as in better extractions, slow/restricted like I dial in for. So to sum things up, I easily have that base covered as I even vary my speed a bit to offset burr load once things start to empty out, which is something no current electric can achieve. I will gladly call some being too lazy/non-enthusiastic with hand grinding due to the bit of effort/time involved and many people will admit that. They just can't be bothered with finer grind ranges, having to do a bit more at times to really dial a certain coffee in, etc. Of course some cheap/weak design grinders can be a nightmare to use no doubt as in minutes per dose, but something on the level of the 106 keeps me from ever wanting anything else.

[@LanceHedrick]

That's great! To each their own! If you're ever in Arkansas, I'd love to have you and I brew some coffees. You do your handgrinder, and I'll brew with the same one but electric. My bet is, blindly, you'd choose what I brew 🤣🤣🤣 Just messing. Glad you are so staunch with your approach! Shows time and dedication..bravo. Thanks for the engagement!

[@benmarchal]

It's a fun video but, as you say, there are excellent motorised grinders for the cost of this setup… I would find it a difficult purchase. Arco had this campaign for a hand/motorised grinder.

[@LanceHedrick]

thats true! My point is that there are people who prefer the comandante flavor profile over similarly priced electrics. This would be for that crowd, for sure.

[@lostinAR]

Hey Lance, i've seen a number of hand grinder "hacks" on youtube where people put a cordless drill on their hand grinders. Infact, Alton Brown does this with a pepper mill. Seems like a much cheaper way to motorize a hand grinder than this device, and everyone had a drill in their tool box (I have two). But based on your results in this video, seems like a drill's rpm maybe too fast to get good results and might actually damage a grinder. Have you tried it?

[@MrDarrylR]

1zpresso seems to approve use of cordless drills on its 6.35mm/0.25 in 'axle'. The JX is so fast grinding for pourover/Aeropress (~1.1 g/sec) that I haven't seen much point here for my morning dose (up to 30 g), but I were batch grinding a bag for quick use (probably into 60 or 90 mL specimen containers for the freezer), it might be worth pulling it out once every 2 weeks.

[@PauloMundo]

Mind blowing tool

[@yanhei1714]

as always a great video!!

[@LanceHedrick]

Thank you so much! Means a lot

[@janzemke4622]

Sehr gutes Video. Viele Grüße aus Deutschland.

[@jerrybreseno967]

Would this motor be recommended if you want to grind for espresso? I like my Comandante, but was considering selling it help fund an electric espresso grinder.

[@ethiopianbuffman]

If you could mod this for the Q2 Hept it would make it golden

[@LanceHedrick]

Oh for sure. Q2 hept is legendary. I'll be looking at modding but I'm skeptical haha

[@Spartan9567]

I just took an impact driver an spun mine up that way lol.

[@LanceHedrick]

Lol! I hope that your grinder is fine even after doing that lol

[@TerrapinSuite]

Thank you for this very interesting presentation! Quick Question: I just purchased a Comandante C40 MK4 last week, my first hand grinder. I exclusively make V60 (with an occasional Kalita Wave). What would you recommend as a speed for operating the C40 by hand? About 1 revolution per second? Or somewhat faster? Also, it seems from your video that consistency in my turns are important (ie: less stoppages). During this first week I feel as though there have been times I have grinded too fast. Thanks again!

[@LanceHedrick]

I wouldn't worry about Rpm with hand grinding. Just focus on consistent revolutions

[@ethiopianbuffman]

Where’s the dimmer mod?

[@LanceHedrick]

Inside the variable rpm router 🤣

[@oddsman01]

Actually, a 20v battery powered version doesnt sound bad

[@orenshlo]

Please review the "unique" iRoastec Ceramic Conic Burr Grinder for 90$ at Amazon.

[@LanceHedrick]

It fits in the Comandante?

[@orenshlo]

@@LanceHedrick its a fully electric burr grinder, with the twist of having ceramic conic burrs. At that price range I did not see any electric burr grinders with ceramic blades.

[@LanceHedrick]

Ah gotcha. Yes. I'm not a fan of ceramic burrs, at least in my experience. Can definitely revisit

[@orenshlo]

@@LanceHedrick So you can prove a point that a Ceramic Electric Grinder is no more than a spin to make people think it's better.

[@LanceHedrick]

Oh I'm following now! I'll check it out

[@origav]

Hi dude! Really like your vids and I appreciate your high level of knowledge about coffee. I just think that writing a script (or a tighter one if you’re already doing that) would help your vids a lot. The way you’re presenting can sometime feel erratic and adds unnecessary “fluff”. Stuff like “emm” and losing your train of thought happens quite often… Hope that I’m not coming off as rude, just really want to see you “make it” on the platform!!

[@LanceHedrick]

I simply don't have time to write scripts. This is a side thing I do while running the wholesale department at onyx coffee lab, having a family with two kids, one who is 3mos old, a husky puppy and a wife. Id rather just make authentic videos than trying to fulfill some sort of KZbin caricature, if that makes sense. Thanks for watching and engaging!

[@origav]

@@LanceHedrick yeah totally makes sense. Congrats on the 3mos old!!!!

[@LanceHedrick]

Thank you!

[@marknachmias423]

Totally worth it IMO, especially if you own and like the Comandante

[@danymeeuwissen5973]

Cool video, so much thoughts! :-) Dropping beans one by one compared to putting all in, and then start the motor will definitely have an impact on the results. So that's a big difference compared to hand grinding. If I want some more fines for espresso, I sometimes hold my hand grinder at a 45° angle while grinding. It's slower, but also requires less effort. It makes sense that the comandante performs better at slower RPM, after all that's what it was designed for. Did you observe the burrs getting hot while using the faster RPM? Kudos for the MadKat name, that was also Prince's main guitar (which I brought back a couple of years ago)!

[@LanceHedrick]

Yes. Dropping them slowly has a big effect. Mainly, you have to grind finer than usual because of the lack of pressure from above. Holding at a 45 degree angle is a commonly used practice with hand grinders, for sure. I can't remember who, but someone I saw did many particle analyses doing 90 degrees vs 45 degrees. And sure, it makes sense that it was designed for that, but they tested it up past 200rpm and it's still in their preferred/target zone. So, really, it was designed for high speed as well.

[@ChuckNorris-bf5cj]

Buys hand grinder so doesn't have "to sit and hand-grind which is an incredible thing" :))))) This pretty much sums up the consumerism of our society.

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha cool! Though, I'm not advocating for abandoning hand grinding. Just showcasing a way to increase particle distribution while also making multiple shots of espresso in a row doable. Not sure if you have ever hand ground 5 shots in a row, but it is tedious

[@ChuckNorris-bf5cj]

@@LanceHedrick I haven't even had to grind for one yet :) Just starting my espresso journey. Got myself a Gaggia Classic, 2003 model in a very good condition. But did I even realize how much I need to spend on a proper grinder?!?!?!?! :DDDD And it's only the beginning for me so I want to be cautious how much I am spending before I know that this thing is really for me. I kinda know it is but still being extra careful :) Yeah, waiting for the manual grinder to be delivered so then I can look into further purchases/upgrades. And I know I have to get the screen, the basket, PID.... Daaaaaaamn, I need help! :)

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahahaha! Good news is you can hold off on basket and screen and pid. First, use the hacks I have for the gaggia. It wastes water, but will save initial money as you learn your tastes. Slow progression

[@malachistephenson8819]

this is both so stupid and so smart at the same time

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahahahaha the video in one succinct sentence

[@KhalidAl-Shammari]

It's useful for turkish coffee 😀 And buying electrical grinder that can do turkish is too expensive 😑

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha! Yes. Comandante can do Turkish, but is so hard to grind by hand..this makes it easy 🤣

[@Nikitikitavvi]

The price is hilarious, can just add 100$ and get DF64.... and this way I'll have two grinders haha

[@user-kd2ez2mb3c]

Depends. You're right if you prefer the flavour profile and clarity of DF64. Some people simply like the profile of c40, and have the option to take it as a portable handgrinder outside mltorizing it.

[@Nikitikitavvi]

@@user-kd2ez2mb3c I guess so. I do have c40 myself. I can admit, grinding for espresso on it is a chore, especially if you are making espresso not just for yourself. Pour over grinding is a child's play next to this though 😁

[@amandapeine6745]

"Isn't a better conical than the big 3 hand grinders". So Niche Zero is in a sense a downgrade?

[@natevirtual]

I might as well just get myself a 3RPM microwave motor and make a stand to hold my 1zpresso Jmax in place...

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha! Remember- I said 3 revolutions per second, not minute. It's 184 per minute

[@natevirtual]

@@LanceHedrick unbeknownst to you, i didn't watch the whole video so I had no idea you even said 3 revolutions per second 😂 yet I still want a 3RPM microwave motor for my hand grinder 🤣 Keep up the awesome content. Fan of the channel ☕😁

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahaha! Incredible. I love that 🤣

[@HaekalDaily]

"hand" grinder 😂👌

[@LanceHedrick]

You use your hand to turn it on 😜🤣🤣🤣

[@HaekalDaily]

@@LanceHedrick lol 😂

[@edoardodaidone8638]

Aren't you and James Hoffmann in his video kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHrNd5miYp16q5o (7:20min) on the same page even doing different experiments?

[@LanceHedrick]

Somewhat, it seems! I do drop the beans in slowly, but it is moreso to not stall the grinder. Though, his findings are absolutely consistent with mine

[@eSdarkenrahl]

Lost interest at the screw.. Thanks for the review anyway!

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahaha! No problem. Just trying to hit a little bit of everything with this channel. Thanks for watching regardless!

[@cheekster777]

Yo!

[@LanceHedrick]

First!

[@cheekster777]

@@LanceHedrick - Boom! 👊🏻

[@luckystrikehk]

Get a Bosch

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha don't wanna break the axel! Lol

[@adamzielinski7712]

I'm sorry, but why would you produce a nearly 20 minute review for this product and not show it grinding even once??

[@LanceHedrick]

I did show it grinding

[@adamzielinski7712]

@@LanceHedrick Are you referring to the slo-mo intro with music playing over it?

[@LanceHedrick]

Lolol yesssss. I cut out the jar filling with grounds because it didn't seem to be a helpful visual. Apologies!

[@adamzielinski7712]

@@LanceHedrick Just would have been helpful to see it working in real-time along with what it sounds like when it’s running beans through it. Everyone seems to like to layer audio over their videos when the real sound would be more helpful.

[@LanceHedrick]

Sure. I guess it didn't matter since I figured people would assume a motor powering such low rpm would be almost silent. Which it is. Shouldn't have assumed. Apologies.

[@EvanJGordon]

I built one of these for my Kinu M47 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2aqf3WDftWqoMU

[@LanceHedrick]

That is simply incredible. Send it to me haha!

[@yandeslongchamps]

Can I sub twice?

[@LanceHedrick]

Start another account and do it! 🤣🤣 Just kidding. thanks for supporting and the encouragement!

[@artur_akopyan]

Триангуляция? Нет, не слышал )))

[@szarvadyjazon]

Wow :D that's a lot of money for 15 bucks worth of parts and 30 mins of 3d design

[@LanceHedrick]

I would assume the parts are quite a bit more than $15 haha Also, this is a prototype. Pretty confident the final form is not this.

[@ChaseDaigle]

Gotta be honest I don't think it's acceptable to market and sell a product that is 3d printed that contacts food everyday. It's not food safe and it's one thing if you print stuff for you own use and or do the post processing necessary to make it food safe that's one thing but for the uniformed consumer to get this is a different matter. They will not understand that an FDM print can get bacteria into the layer lines that you cannot really clean out unless the filament is able to be sterilized at high temperatures (most aren't I wouldn't expect this one to be) For the mounting parts I don't see an issue but since the coffee is contacting the print in the chute etc it's problematic imo.

[@LanceHedrick]

Sorry, perhaps I didn't say it or perhaps you missed it, but this is a prototype.

[@nameisjoey9985]

Could you just hit it with a Quat based sanitizer and kill pretty much everything?

[@veganpotterthevegan]

It's not for commercial use, even though it's a prototype. But even if it were, old coffee on this plastic is far less of a risk than a wooden cutting board. *Also, 3D printed things can handle high heat with the right plastic. The chimney for my coffee roaster is 3D printed.

[@LanceHedrick]

I believe you could. I'm not worried about it, though. Dry coffee beans hitting it at room temp and passing directly to the Comandante. Idk. Not worried lol

[@LanceHedrick]

Agreed!