NEW CONICAL KING?: Review of the Femobook A68

Small updates-
120watt motor is technically same power drawn as Lagom Mini. Perhaps the step down allows for greater torque, which is why I saw no stalling even on much larger burrs.
8micron steps! 300 steps.
Find the FemoBook here:
femobook.myshopify.com/produc...
Let me know your thoughts below!
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Time Cues:
0:00- Jack Black of Coffee
2:00- Teardown
5:12- Comparison Overview
6:57- Filter Comparison
11:26- Espresso Comparison
15:48- Workflow (for Dave Corbey)
18:45- Burr Comparison
19:55- Concluding Thoughts

[@patrickhayes3968]

Lance, you’re the Jack Black of coffee 😂

[@zdzislawaprzyborska5653]

Yes you are!

[@BrokCanRock]

Our John Snow of coffee. Protector of the Wall. The Wall being between us and the Starbuck frappe caramel sucking White Walkers

[@zeropuckprep]

I think I’ll go with Jon Black Snow

[@ornn6177]

@@BrokCanRock john snow is not a try hard comedian

[@nikivan]

More like Ron Jeremy :)

[@error.418]

That 0 calibration looks like a really clean execution, much easier than many others I've used. Also glad to see the safety switch.

[@michaeltrujillo9092]

Another good video, well done. Lighting looked really good, keeps getting better. Cheers

[@kanotrt]

Great intro to a new grinder. on my list to consider. thanks!

[@davidmaurice1294]

Really love the modular nature of this design. Opens up the possibility of having swapable burrs. Also seems like they may have learned from some of the missteps of other motorized hand grinders (i.e. Lagom Mini stall, ARCO high RPM).

[@LanceHedrick]

agree. They have definitely been paying attention, which is certainly helpful!

[@viavelum]

Thanks for this review, Lance! Very interesting grinder.

[@danielmerka4883]

love the small footprint, do it all capability and the colour choices for this grinder - I'm heavily considering this grinder to replace my Comandante as do it all grinder as the fine tune of espresso is impossible with the clicks. Thank you very much for this video and get to the point style that well explains the product and provides valuable infromation.

[@lightspeedM3W2019]

I have been using a 60rpm 83mm conical burred grinder for years and the consistent slow speed is great. I put a commercial right angle gear motor on my HG1 and love the capabilities. Your findings validate mine and i must say kudos to producing this video👍

[@taoofthings]

What grinder is the 60rpm conical burr?

[@lightspeedM3W2019]

@@taoofthings Lynn/Weber HG-1 with a custom motor.

[@pjacksonconstruction]

Love this. I keep going back to hand ground for my drip and on special occasions I hand grind my espresso. This might be my next grinder!

[@error.418]

Those are muddier beds than I expected, but I think that speaks more to my grind size than yours. I'm still dialing in the finer grind side of pour overs, so it's nice to see where you are. Often the beds are out of frame, appreciate you having them in frame. The fun part about pour over is there are so many recipe variations to play with to find your personal pleasure target.

[@Mark-jq6en]

Thanks Jack black of coffee! Can definitely see the 1zpresso inspirations around the dial especially. Love all the magnets of course

[@error.418]

The black and red colorway is *chef's kiss* They show that the catch cup nicely fits a 58mm portafilter, which is great to see. Looks like they say it's 8 microns per click.

[@ihavenospacebar231]

Keep at it lance, you're awesome.

[@davidb7723]

Love the design of the grinder!

[@SeanGordon-ym4yf]

Thanks for another great review!

[@dmdrosselmeyer]

I gotta say, it's absolutely gorgeous

[@GoTellJesusSaves]

Very nice piece. Would love to have one for personal home use.

[@HoratioBannister]

Love it, and your channel! Cheers.

[@Noyb266]

Lance, you’re the Snap Back of coffee!

[@pdxrunner]

Lance, you are the Jack Black of Coffee. I saw the resemblance a few months ago, but hesitated to post. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[@phillewis3108]

Lance, you are the Jack Black of coffee! Also, you keep answering my dumb questions, so I joined your patreon!

[@letsfoolgravity]

Jack Black is the Lance Hedrick of comedy.

[@cheekster777]

Thanks Lance.

[@AviadMD]

I'm just sitting here enjoying a cup from my 1zpresso ZP6S while watching a new Lance video

[@Kiaulen]

Lance, you're my favorite beat boxer in coffee!

[@claudiolevermag]

Very nice review 👏

[@firstfret]

Thanks Lance, love your work! Waiting for a Niche alternative paid off, hoping for a huge upgrade over the Barista Express grinder! Is there anything else in the pipeline I should wait for or just go for it?

[@demmidemmi]

Lance you're becoming more the Jack Black of coffee every video.

[@aaroncook5928]

Hitting the Like button because of the excellent voice at the beginning! Also, already subscribed, so couldn't help ya there :P

[@eddieliao1500]

A fun fact here. To anyone who wonders why the name of grinder is named "Femobook". it's the Chinese pronounciation similar to the meaning "You gotta grind". :)

[@daviddyer6751]

I got in on the early pricing for the Femobook and have had mine for a short while now. With RDT, I basically have no retention whatsoever. Hard for me to think of this grinder as flawed as you suggest, when absent RDT, many grinders retain more than desired. Thanks for your review of this. It really is a great grinder, and I too am excited for it to be an option for coffee lovers of all stripes. Really streamlines the workflow when it comes to achieving good puck distribution. If the grinds fall perfectly straight downward like the Key, Sette, and Versalab, and the beans can be ground directly into the basket and arrive there symmetrically and clump-free, then there is very little left to do for distribution before tamping and pulling the shot. Achieving great distribution with little effort is such a time-saver, and results in such a great low-stress workflow overall,

[@dalesjen]

You have a Femobook? I have been trying to find an actual owner. You are the only person whom I have found in receipt of their Femobook. What are you using your for?

[@hugotendam5349]

I'd love to get one. However the website is confusing. 20.000 for this little thing???

[@daviddyer6751]

@@dalesjen hello. I'm sorry, but I am only just now seeing this, six months late! To answer your question , I use my Femobook primarily for espresso. My Baratza Forte does a better job than the Femobook with filter. But that is not to say that the Femobook does not do a decent job with filter. The Forte is after all a pretty darn good flat burr grinder.

[@ShuhDonk]

Just ordered one, can't wait to try it out, thanks. I for years have only been drinking espresso, I have an ECM Synchronika espresso machine and currently using a niche grinder and roast my own beans with a Quest M3 roaster. I would like to start trying/drinking drip coffees. Do you have some videos you recommend of which equipment to look into. Thanks!

[@Avatar711Wizard]

Yep it is a Niche Killer. Thanks Lance. Great review.

[@Tass...]

It's got a power supply that you would plug into an old laptop. Easily scratches when cleaning it and little brushes built in that aren't going to last more than a year or 2. That doesn't scream quality to me. Didn't get to see the motor so i don't know if it's a cheap Chinese one used or not. (i'm willing to bet it's not as good as the proven high quality motor used in the Niche tho) And remember Lance did say this grinder was made by a friends company. So a good pinch of salt is needed.

[@roykositzky2252]

im a dad as well i really need to work with something i love, i just cant do dead end jobs any more, i walked yesterday because i was done working for the dollar tree i cant do it lol, thanks for being here bud have a great day

[@howienordstrom1290]

Based on workflow and aesthetics I'm gonna stick with my Niche. Thanks for the review!

[@wakeawaken430]

Oh new video from the twin brother of Lance, without the pimp stache 😂 I love you brother ❤️

[@JeronimoJGC]

Niche is facing a very different market from when that launched their first grinder and are definitely up for an update. Let’s see if they can stay on top.

[@zixzysm]

Yeah, they still have a very good product, even though taste profile has swung wildly since it came out. NZ is still the easiest grinder to use.

[@rxonmymind8362]

This. Still good but the competition is nipping at it's heels.

[@captainldd]

Great presentation. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@abueloraton]

I've lately been enjoying light African espresso drinks with my Niche Zero--might not give me "balanced' flavors, but definitely super smooth flavors and consistency. I have been enjoying my Niche lately with light roasts. I never thought it would give me the desired smoothmess.

[@eric2005]

Great video Lance, I appreciate the level of detail. The driving shaft that connects to the burr housing provides power only, not alignment, correct? Is there is another bearing inside the modular burr housing to facilite alignment? Any other thoughts on how that part has been constructed? Great content!

[@nipunlokuwithanage4149]

i have a feeling there are a lot of parallels between machining and coffee grinding. when machining materials on a a lathe or mill theres a few variables that are taken into account to make the cut clean and efficient leaving a good surface finish etc. theres the feed and surface speed which together dictate the the cut size and load on the cutter. theres obviously a lot more involved but these are the basic ones. the difference in feed is what i think provides a huge connection or correlation between conical and flat burrs which explains the differences in optimal rpm. also with woodworking theres a distinct difference between hand tools and powertools that can carry through to coffee considering the similar cellulose material properties. powertools tend to have very low chip load and high rpm which often leaves a fluffy finish and powdery chips (fines maybe?) and hand tools take a higher chip load with lower surface speed producing clean shavings. just thought the parallels where interesting.

[@LanceHedrick]

thank you for commenting! those are interesting parallels and ones i'd never make since I don't own a lathe haha! APpreciate that insight.

[@jiewwantan977]

This is the most thoughtful review for this grinder, thank you! I've been searching for a conical burr grinder. Is the RPM adjustable like the Weber Key? Does the espresso it produces as creamy as the Niche or better?

[@thestudio.coffee]

They say you shouldn't buy your coffee gear because it looks good. But that is a beautiful piece of equipment 😍

[@sunvalleydrivemusic]

Thanks Jables! This is a cool video, but honestly, it just proves to me once again that the Niche is hard to dethrone. Workflow, retention, grind quality, price, build quality, calibration, style, even how easy it to is to clean. Other grinders come out with some aspects better than the Niche, but just don’t seem to hit all those categories the same way for me. Does the Niche score a 10 in all those categories? No, but in aggregate, it still reigns supreme. I don’t expect I will buy another grinder unless it’s a flat burr to supplement the Niche. That said, I’ll keep clicking on these reviews just in case a real niche killer comes along.

[@PK-vd3vo]

I would probably agree. I just received my Femobook, and have been a long time Niche owner. The Femobook is an amazing feet of engineering, and I'm still getting used to it, but the workflow just isn't as solid as the Niche. Static with it is much more of an issue than I was expecting, so I'll have to take some action against that.

[@stuartizon]

Recently bought a Lagom Mini. Interesting that it didn't do too well here but seems like it's in a similar ballpark and it's about $200 cheaper...

[@David-wh7rm]

After 51 seconds I immediately liked the video 😆

[@DaveCorbey]

Nice and informative video, hitting the required detail well. What was the grind speed for Espresso?

[@LanceHedrick]

Haha thanks! And for traditional espresso grind size, around 40 sec.

[@Hildichimo]

Are you planning on a review of the Arco grinder? Great video by the way!

[@alexblank91]

That Jack Black impression is really solid, vocally

[@bctrailbagger]

Lance, you're the Jack Black of coffee... thanks for responding to my Reddit AMA post. I got it now! LOL

[@LanceHedrick]

hahaha! Absolutely. Thanks for joining!

[@rahmeleon]

Lance, you're the Jack Black of Coffee!!!

[@krihanek117]

Lance you are the Ron Jeremy of coffee.

[@LanceHedrick]

But no stache. We've moved into a new era

[@dickensyuen6137]

refreshing look

[@BBB_025]

Clean shaven during No Shave November??? What a power move!

[@tommos1]

Lance, you're the black jack of coffee ♠

[@duppex3163]

Teasing us with the new Lelit “MaraX PL62X 🤣. I'm waiting on delivery of the Matt Black version. I look forward to seeing your review.

[@savioneves8791]

Jack Black, you are the Lance Hedrick of music.

[@Ar0kat]

"This hits that Niche really well" :D:D

[@hugoferrazporto]

Jack Hedrick is the Lance Black of coffee

[@KaneM]

Lance you're the jack black of coffee!

[@AlejandroPDX]

So nice to hear the Niche didn’t finish last on something 😂 my poor Niche. I wish they could come out with some burrs to help it in the filter department *sigh* how do you think the Femobook compares to the K Max you were holding at one point? I recently picked one up and it’s significantly better for filter than my Niche but i can’t figure it out on the espresso side…yet. P.s you are the jack black of coffee!

[@ColdCoffeePhotography]

Lance, you’re the Jack Black of coffee - Really like the look of this, hope they manage to keep the price competitive on launch

[@markmaterum]

Given your preference for slower speed conicals do you have any opinions on the Molar grinders?

[@Brocolissimo]

Lance, you are, indubitably, the Jack Black of coffee.

[@zenadventurer69]

I think Lance offers more subtlety than Jack Black. More like Josh Gad. Or, with the mustache, the Ron Jeremy of coffee. As for all the Niche killers out there, what is there to kill? Trying to recall, but I can’t seem to recall a single grinder comparison involving the Niche in which it comes out on top with regard to actually making good-tasting coffee. It’s cute. It’s easy to adjust. The workflow. Yada yada yada. But where it really counts - the quality of the coffee that comes out of it - the Niche never seems to win. Femobook looks promising, indeed. Thanks for a great first look. Excited to see more.

[@BurdsNerds]

Lance, you are the Jack Black of coffee. ❤

[@hotfishy]

I was considering DF83 and this popped up! I really wish you have a chance to test Molar grinder one day! Also slower speed and they have both flat and conical burrs

[@iSee91]

DF83 and this is totally different. Already Flats vs. Conicals are hugely different tastewise and from a work flow perspective when dialing in and pulling shots. As someone who just switched from Concials to Flats I'd recommend to first think about the kind of shots you want to pull and the resulting flavor profile and then choose a grinder within the respective realm (Conicals / 64mm-Flats / Big (83 / 98mm)-Flats)

[@hotfishy]

@@iSee91 Thank you Johannes for your detail reply! I have a e5sd and sette 270 and I really like conical profile and given the price & shipping freebook (230cad to Canada!!) will end up almost price of hg-1 prime! So much choices @@

[@iSee91]

@@hotfishy if you really like the conical profile then I‘d not go for large flat burrs bur rather a top tier conical one like the Niche or the Femobook. Regarding HG-1: I think Daddy Hoff put it quite well: if you have a manual lever machine like the flair 58 and you‘re reeeaally into the manual process then it might be a nice part of your workflow. Otherwise, it‘s a lot of money for a conical hand grinder.

[@rxonmymind8362]

Bruh, you are testing a $4300 grinder against a $500 one? Seriously?Molar is nice but in a different category.

[@hotfishy]

@@rxonmymind8362 I think I just wanted to watch ppl testing expensive grinder...hehe Coz I couldn't forkout the money to buy those things :)

[@abueloraton]

I also do like the looks of my white Niche Zero perhaps a bit more than the looks of the Femabook. The little declumping needles of the Femabook give me a finnicky feeling about its durability. I would first try an 1ZPresso grinder.

[@rideitalia]

Jack, you are the Black Coffee of Lance - or something 🤔😁👍👍

[@LanceHedrick]

this is it. This is lit.

[@davida7586]

very nice singing voice Lance!

[@PtWhiteBelt]

Not that I'm in the market for something like this, but now I have to google what the brick looks like. (Also, lack of a brick is why I went Kafatek Monolith instead of Levercraft).

[@barjee8965]

the colour choices are....unique XD

[@subramanian-elavathur]

Lance, you’re the Jack Black of coffee 🚀

[@juliemvo]

Lance, you're the Jack Black of coffee ✨

[@mexicanhalloween]

A "magic tumbler" would go so well with this grinder. It's nice to see the shift to slow conicals to compete with hand ground quality. I've had my Wug2-M1 down to 2 rpm, but it takes forever and I can't really tell any difference from my usual 33ish rpm.

[@fredbloggs6080]

2 RPM? You mean twice as fast as the second hand of a clock? I would think that's way past the point of diminishing returns.

[@fredbloggs6080]

It just occurred to me this might be a good place to recycle some old jokes, like: Did you hear about the butcher who backed into the meat grinder? He got a little behind in his work; or, Did you hear about the optician who got caught in the lens grinder? He made a spectacle of himself.

[@mexicanhalloween]

@@fredbloggs6080 for sure

[@bobjwoogy]

Lance you are the jack black of coffee. As soon as you said it I saw it

[@naranja_casi_gris]

Lance, you're the Jack Black of coffee ☕🤘🏻

[@tjt6966]

Hey blackjack. What burr is in the lagom mini? Sort of disappointed it finished last for both of you for pour over.

[@eligonzalez3825]

Wow...this guy's are killing you with the Jack Black stuff...with regards to the "Niche Killer" suggestion, I think, new grinder will hurt the Niche, if it can meet demands. The Niche is a good grinder, but its scarcity, which fuels the price gouging, makes Femobook a great option for knocking down the current champ of conical grinders.

[@jacobforsman9256]

Man I had no idea Jack Black liked coffee this much. Really cool to see other aspects of his life!

[@LanceHedrick]

Hahahaha i'm flattered.

[@aviadler4102]

Lance, you are the Jack Black of coffee! Also I hear you give great piggyback rides 🤣

[@LanceHedrick]

Such good piggybacks it should be illegal.

[@GreenFlamingo]

Lance you are the Lewis Black of coffee.

[@OdPlomp89]

Lance you really are the Jack Black of coffee

[@jennifermarchlewski1607]

Hello, Jack Black of Coffee! 😂 Have you considered doing a video on the new burr sets for the Niche? Gorilla Gear, Sworks' flat burrs etc? While the Femo is attractive and has lots of magnets I am concerned with the retention. Is it ok to RDT with this grinder?

[@zeropuckprep]

This grinder looks impressive and the price sounds affordable

[@LanceHedrick]

agreed!

[@jimgauth]

I'm wondering if slower grinding would allow longer use for commercial use?

[@mathieulemay4788]

Hi Lance, thanks for the video! Do you think installing a dimmer on the Niche power supply cord would make it work slower, or will it just damage the motor? I’m sure somebody have tried that before…

[@jacobbice8540]

Just in case anyone is reading this, absolutely do not try to use a dimmer on a niche.

[@awint123]

Lance you are the Jack Black of Coffee

[@serenabalassi6024]

Lance! You ARE the Jack Black of coffee!

[@LanceHedrick]

heck yeah! Thank you! Now let's pray for a collab

[@franciscodeleonnava2849]

You are the Jack black of coffee!!! 🤟🏻🤟🏻 But I must say… I miss your moustache!!! 🥲

[@sdw9342]

How does this compare to a fairly expensive hand grinder like the Kinu in your opinion? It looks like it would give a fairly similar result

[@jnattress]

Lance, do you prefer big flat burrs or big conicals for espresso?

[@PurajitMalalur]

Lance your casual "kill two burrs with one stone" was probably the best joke I've heard in my life

[@erinsjourney315]

Lance, you’re the Jack Black of coffee!

[@kihoonchoi]

Niche Killer Lance.

[@lpersons]

Lance, you are the Black Jack of Cofefve

[@askroller]

0:56 I knew it! I told, team, not company)

[@danymeeuwissen5973]

I have many questions! Will they be at the Seoul coffee show? (I will) Can you puff through the hopper and get the grinds out? And which 1zpresso burr would compare closest in the flavor profile? K-series? Great singing Lance! 😉

[@theoperrin9653]

Hey Lance, what are your thoughts on the wug?

[@citizenkat05]

Lance you’re the Jack Black of coffee 😊