RANCILIO STILE - Can The Hopper Make A Comeback?

[@nicbrownable]

Single dosers are probably more visible. The sort of person who enjoys that sort of technical coffee making is much more likely to make social media posts of their coffee making, or generally talk about their preferences. I am in Australia of an age where people have pretty serious setups. Of the espresso machine owners in my social circle, none of them have single dose grinders. There is one pour over enthusiast that does, but people generally want to simplify their coffee making. Most of the machines are E61 variants. A couple working from home here will probably make 6 coffees from breakfast to post lunch, more on weekends with guests. You can eyeball 150g or so of beans into the hopper and you will use them before there is any credible impact on freshness.

[@drazenbabich]

Hopper grinders actually never went away from home barista kitchens. There’s certainly lesser number of them these days with proliferation of SDLR grinders but for many they’re reliable go to staples and are often used paired with and alongside an SD one.

[@chipkk7868]

I enjoy my Sette 370i as it is a weight-based delivery system. I must admit that I have not weighed a series of 10 grindings or so to see the consistency, but with my current level of being able to notice differences in the shots I pull this does address my needs. I have found that maintaining a set level of beans visually produced the most consistent grindings. So, with enough beans to cover the dome in hopper by about half an inch I am pleased with its performance now. As time goes on, perhaps something else will find its way onto my coffee bar.

[@Jaroslav.]

About time that they replace the Rocky! Good competitor in the price range, nice grinder. I'm wondering whether 58mm SSPs would fit or not.

[@Sprometheus]

I wanted to test to see if the Mazzers fit, but was worried I’d be snapping something. But I think there’s a good chance they would fit, unless they just use a completely different screw format.

[@Jaroslav.]

I’m sure someone will give it a try some day. Nice review 😊

[@williamfasoli]

FWIW I just emailed mazzer and they mentioned it doesn’t fit. Not sure if that means they never tested it and it wasn’t intended to fit or if it flat out doesn’t fit. Just wanted to post the update

[@AD.H.]

When he says "better than expected", why would anyone expect less from Rancilio? I always have high expectations from this great brand.

[@commandodude333]

No doubt as other manufacturers have their fanboyz, but Rancilio is easily as good as anything on the planet. They produce equipment that simply works and does it well/indefinitely without all the flash/ridiculous expense as with the majority of garbage flooding the market.

[@vinct7023]

I bought a Rancilio Stile. Do not regret as it is relatively small, pretty quiet and is able to get good result as single grinder dose while being able to be used fully loaded when you have many cups to do in a short time. Overall I am very happy. Doing exclusively espresso with very good result in cup. Bought for 450€

[@themariokartlick]

I bought it too :) in Europe the price is much more attractive than he mentions. $650 (excluding tax I assume) is crazy, but I paid 450€ and that’s a good deal

[@vinct7023]

@@themariokartlickSame price. I tried to buy a second bean upper to have one extra dedicated to decaffeinate coffee but so far nobody sell it. Even Rancilio don't have that option...

[@88sstraight]

A balanced and fair distribution for pronunciations of Rancilio

[@eduardoa.delimamorales9695]

I think it was expected for an Espresso Machine Factory to make an espresso oriented grinder to match its machines. I think Rancilio quality and design are timless and am sure this grinder will look great and work great in 20 years time.

[@ED-fd7rh]

Nice grinder by Rancilio. A good comparative grinder will be the Fiorenzato Allground Grinder. Hope you get to do a comparative video spro!

[@ThunderRunner]

I went to single dosing for a couple of years with a niche and df64…picked up an atom 75 and have really enjoyed hopper based dosing, it’s accurate enough for me once dialed in, and you can’t beat the convenience (not that single dosing is terrible), curious to see if the pendulum does ever swing back for the home user.

[@Sprometheus]

I definitely see the draw of a hopper based grinder, especially when it’s a grind-by-time. The biggest issue I have is whenever you make adjustments, even small ones it throws off the weight of the dose. But it will be interesting as many trends are cyclical and single dosing could be the same.

[@ThunderRunner]

@@Sprometheus Hoping eureka and others will build some more premium GBW hopper based systems, the orbit could work when they release the hopper system. The eureka libra looks interesting but would be a downgrade vs the atom 75.

[@darylfortney8081]

Problem is half the dose is half grinded bean from the day before plus some percentage of bean from weeks ago

[@ThunderRunner]

@@darylfortney8081 half the dose is a little aggressive, about 1-3g maybe, but for me that’s OK as my first coffee I make of the day is for the wife with 6oz of milk and sweetener so 🤷🏼‍♂️. I mainly just drink spro, but really not much of a concern if mixing with milk. Worst case I just purge a gram and am OK, we’re talking very slim returns here.

[@arnienz1962]

I have a Niche and have the same thoughts. Looking at Atom grinders for my next one.

[@iconindexsymbol]

0.2g of retention? I'd happily use it as a single doser. All I have to do is find out if SSP 58mm burrs fit! At that size, I could have one with MP and one with HU. Love how you have the dosing cup resting on the portafilter forks. It looks like a mini Ditting. Wouldn't it be cool if it had a similar adjustment knob on the side?

[@netheranimal8067]

Not surprised to see hopper based grinders. My whole family likes good coffee, but they're also the sort of people to not go to such lengths as using a WDT and weighing in their beans, which means they're also not the kind who'd single dose. I currently live with them and the grinder belongs to me, so I am taking it with me once I am moving out, and I think I'll buy them a grinder with a hopper, for sure.

[@N3RDLOGAN]

Love my X54 and it fits my work flow. As I C40 filter and only use X54 for fine grinded coffee. If it's price point was slightly less I think you'd see Mahlkonig sweating

[@TheYoyoma3]

Greta review! How would this compare to the Eureka range?

[@BruceWalkerPhotography]

As a supposedly do-it-all grinder, it seems inconvenient at best that it hasn't got a grinds bin option. Or did I miss that in the features description? I'm a home user who brews espresso, pour over, and french press, and I only have counter space for a single grinder. I just received my Baratza Vario+ last week and I am completely won over by it. Single dosing, no grind retention, swappable grinds bin and portafilter holder -- no contest versus this Stile grinder for me. Probably an almost identical grind profile too, what with 58mm flat burrs. So far I'm loving that.

[@nickkom7866]

One thing is clear by looking at the background: @sprometheus has a heavy preference for white coffee machines and grinders :)

[@normrubio]

Looks like a winner

[@ichallengemydog]

For people who need to pull several shots in a row, a hopper based grinder is still the way to go!

[@Sprometheus]

I can definitely see that, for me it’s all about the ability to change coffees on the fly.

[@Kats072307]

Rancilio definitely know the espresso business. Their design is not at high standards though. The downsides of Stile, reminds of the downsides of all hopper-based home espresso grinders. And I' m sure the coffee you get in the end is tasty. With both Rancilio Stile, Mahlkonig X45, Ceado E6P (it was my choice 3 years ago when I bought my first grinder - I' m still with the same - satisfied enough) A question that I have for you, is does it deserve to make the step for a high-end grinder. And what would that one be ? A Kafatek (if I manage to get in their list and hope for them to ship it in EU)? A Mahlkonig E65S? Eureka Atom or Victoria Arduino Mythos with 75 mm burrs? And what to expect out of it ! Better clarity, acidity ? What would be best for single origin, for low-med roast, or for other types? So many questions, and so few I have investigated so far in my free time 😄

[@CannedLaughter00]

I use a Fasutino for my dayli espresso addiction and the most anoying problem is the inconsistency when there is little coffee in the hopper. So to me a single dose grinder sounds like the perfect solution. But the real problem is that, at least here in Europ, it is hard to come by a SDG. The only big comercial brand to offer these types of grinders are Eureka and they are now part of Breville so who knows how that will impact the availability of Eureka in the comming years. Even Mahlkonig does not ship outside the US and Germany. You always need to find a retailer carrying the brand.

[@alanhamacher7263]

First! Interesting, but will stick with my Niche for now. Thanks!

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah I think hopper based grinders have an uphill battle especially at home.

[@cheekster777]

Thank you my friend. Happy belated Thanksgiving.

[@Sprometheus]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching and I hope you have a nice holiday weekend!

[@Canadastrong1]

Hi Shopping around for a half decent coffee grinder Good videos

[@DerKaffeelehrer]

Could you tell how much "Klicks" you use for espresso?

[@Cenot4ph]

How does this compare with the X54 ?

[@arthurskudra50]

It may be a bit ancient, but my Baratza Virtuoso hopper based grinder is still producing for me, and I got a single dose hopper for it from Etsy that seems to work rather well!

[@Sprometheus]

Baratzas are classic. I still have my first ever grinder, an Encore, and their customer service is top notch. The issue I had was the original encore can’t do espresso, but the Encore ESP is coming soon so I’m curious to see how it performs.

[@stirfryjedi]

@@Sprometheus thanks for the reminder about the ESP! That's definitely going to reposition the Sette in their lineup. 🤔

[@house9850]

Ditto. My first grinder as well, it's a solid entry level performer.

[@Joe-cr6gt]

The good old Rocky was introduced in 1989, so its successor has at least a 20 year delay 😬

[@IcemanYVR]

I'm a hopper person, and I'm sure there's plenty of others out there as well. I have no interest in changing out beans, so 2-3 days of beans in a hopper works for me.

[@mrhoborz]

Bold of Rancilio, but I guess there's a market for it. Some people want 'simplicity'

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah, I mean I felt the same way when Mahlkonig put out the X54, it seemed to get a pretty warm reception, and Rancilio has been around awhile so perhaps it’ll be a similar adoption? Time will tell.

[@nubinlyfe8462]

Looks like the fiorenzato allground will be a better option for me.

[@jamesb.ofdesertdistrict567]

I see a Bianca! Review?

[@Sprometheus]

In the coming weeks for sure. Don’t have an exact date. Next or week after I think.

[@prosunsport1]

What is clarity and why does it not produces clarity is the Eurika Specialita a better option

[@AD.H.]

If you have to choose between The Stile or the Mahlkonig X54, what would you choose?

[@hjdtrumpet]

So I just got my Stile… it refuses to even grind on a fine setting and will only grind starting at almost a 4. What is happening?

[@Andrew-wp1bz]

The dose size variations is the big issue here for me. .5 grams is just way too much for espresso, and .9 is way too much for filter.

[@Sprometheus]

I get that for sure, and agree. But in fairness those are the max margins, rarely was the gap that wide. For espresso though, it would be a lot more detrimental.

[@Yoku-San0]

Thanks for the review. Could you maybe access the burrs and confirm that the burrs are actually Mazzer Mini burrs (182D) or other burrs?

[@bjfeerus]

☕☕☕ Love Is Important

[@CraigBurton]

Great video thanks. What is it about a grind (and its grinder) that creates greater clarity in a coffee extraction? Cheers.

[@duffyrides]

I have the Eureka Filtro and I am able to grind for both Espresso and Filter coffee. Have you had a chance to test the filtro and how does it compare to this new Rancilio ? Considering the filtro is half the cost I think it represents great value to the home user. But I’m curious for your thoughts , thanks.

[@lordpillager8297]

I think flat burrs for the budget restricted coffee drinkers always produces less clarity compared to conicals. I was eyeing DF64 (Stile is still not available in Indonesia), however I heard it sprays coffee everywhere so I'll stick with my JMax for the time being. (And I don't like time based grinders since I am used to manual grinders)

[@barjee8965]

Less clarity compared to conicals? What is this witchcraft you speak of?

[@Ishiisan]

I would like to see good grinder that's good and cheap enough that when people are getting into this hobby, they don't get turned off by the cost.

[@Sprometheus]

In that case I 100% recommend baratza. They’re coming out with an encore for espresso which is one of their best starter grinders, and was mine before I moved into espresso. I should have one to review when they’re ready.

[@Ishiisan]

@@Sprometheus I think Baratza Encore is great 👍 but there are folks feel over $100 on a grinder is too much. I usually say it’s better to go big than keep buying cheap ones 😆

[@nicbrownable]

@@Ishiisan A grinder is far far more important than a machine when it comes to espresso. Quality of the grind dictates the consistency and controllability of everything that follows. I would much rather deal with the quirks and inconsistencies of a humble machine with a perfectly formed puck than try to run a serious machine with a $100 grinder.

[@Ishiisan]

@@nicbrownable I understand that.

[@datorgloki]

Is that a white lelit ? That looks really beaut!!!

[@jamesmclaughlin3460]

I'm buying the gaggia prestige and the Silvia Rocky next week. I like simple well built quality machines. The Rocky will produce quality espresso grinds I hope. I'm just trying to upgrade from my delongi coffee espresso combo I've had for years I barely know what I'm doing. And most importantly that's my budget. Opinion?

[@alanroderick7153]

Thank you, as always. Does Rancilio provide extra hopper(s) so that one can have two/three coffees in hoppers ready to swap between different origins/blends ? I like single dose grinders because I can easily swap coffees, but in reality I rarely have more than three differing bags at any one time.

[@Sprometheus]

They don’t, at least didn’t with the pre-release model they sent me. It would be a nice thing to have on hand for sure, or even a low profile option for single dosing.

[@tommihommi1]

I acknowledge there are people who make a milk drink or two using the same coffee every day all week, and I guess for them something like this, a mignon or other timer (or GbW) grinders are really great. Just not for me. Variety is what makes coffee interesting.

[@Sprometheus]

I’m with you on that for sure. There definitely are people who find a coffee they like and only get that, which I think is the market hoppers are aimed for.

[@hskrwr9495]

Single dose mods are clutch

[@oneforallgaming4003]

Variety makes coffe interesting for sure BUT one must be very careful, to not get lost in variety because it can become a curse.

[@caffeinated_slacker]

For me, it’s not an either or situation. As a home roaster, I use a hopper grinder for the majority of our daily drinks, and a single-dose grinder for when I want to try a new roast, or try sample blending some beans together.

[@house9850]

100%. I have a Rocky and use the same beans in the morning before work, it IS a little clumpy at the finer grind but fantastic consistency as a daily driver - I am single dosing it. I like the rancilio utilitarian look.

[@JoseGabelaCuesta]

It’s not a surprise anymore the reluctance to innovation from Rancilio, specially for its home market. The proof is in the pounding…20 years to PID the Silvia 😖

[@StefanFikar]

Nah. Rocky forever. Mine is working flawlessly since 2012 (as is the Silvia with PID-mod).

[@macehead]

Solid grinder no doubt. Hard for me to see hopper based grinders de-throne single dose in the home market. Even if I have a large amount of the same coffee to go through I am going to feel better about it being in my Atmos vs going stale in a hopper🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Yirgamalabar]

Why would anyone buy this grinder when the weight-based Eureka Mignon Libra is available for a similar price? Rancilio is again one step behind.

[@EdinbruehtKaffee]

Is it me or is Rancilio really stepping on the Gas recently? I always heared about the Silvia for the home market, but now it feels like they are pushing one out after the other.

[@Sprometheus]

I think the home market has really taken off since 2020, a lot of people have discovered they can make just as good coffee at home and companies are focusing on that angle.

[@EdinbruehtKaffee]

@@Sprometheus I fully agree. Also roasting is seeing the same development! And that's just perfect for us consumers (any KZbinrs of course :D )

[@nicbrownable]

@@Sprometheus With the advent of $5 coffee the economics of home brewing have changed significantly too. Multiply that $5 by 250 working days, and by the number of coffees you get per day and you end up with a pretty healthy budget. Of course you have to pay for coffee and running costs, but if you are buying into the prosumer end of things you have a 10 year plus lifespan for that machine and grinder to pay for itself.

[@vinct7023]

AVOID that grinder, as simple as that... I got a Stile 9 months ago, for roughly two dose of 18 gr per day since then. Suddenly motor stopped working (buzz sound but burr do not move at all). Apparently, this is an issue on this grinder. I bought it based on Rancilio brand reputation without checking if it was possible to remove burr for full clean up. I found no easy way to access the grind chamber to clean or replace the burrs (if needed). I think they designed it to be serviced only by a repair technician which is absolutely weird. As a consumer, I DO NOT recommend the Stile, there are better options offering full maintenance without needing a repair service for quite pretty basic maintenance like full burr cleaning.

[@savagefrieze4675]

Not sure why they’d stay with such small burrs.

[@youyouboubou3285]

Don't advise to buy it, mine has broken after only 15 months of domestic use, it doesn't switch on anymore, apparently eletronic card issu.... 😞

[@anyidulike]

It is very similar to Lelit Wiliam from what I see.

[@Sprometheus]

It seems a lot of manufacturers have a similar grind by time option. Very simple and widely applicable for home and commercial brewing.

[@anyidulike]

@@Sprometheus it is similar also in design and burr size.

[@nicbrownable]

@@anyidulike Few of the manufacturers have the in house capability to cast grind chambers and machine burrs. Like with the majority of ‘semi-pro’ espresso machines, the bulk of parts are sourced from larger industrial manufacturers, and assembled like Lego. Most espresso machine companies pretty much only handle sheet metal and plastic moulding. Maybe some parts are customised to order for them like touch screens, software flashed to PIDs, or aesthetic casting on E61 group heads, but everything else is a commodity part.

[@Jahloveipraise]

Hey man what’re some good coffee shops in oside that sell good whole bean coffee?

[@Sprometheus]

Personally I love Bound Coffee, they don’t roast but serve Passenger coffee that’s great. Revolution Roasters is also good. Steady State Carlsbad is a solid play for high quality single origins too.

[@Jahloveipraise]

@@Sprometheus hell yea man thank you for the quick reply, ill be sure to check them out 👊🏾

[@zanesmith666]

who the hell isnt making grinders with a scale in 2022

[@docforven]

fourth!!

[@Sprometheus]

Every view counts! Haha

[@wesleymatthews6356]

I only make espresso at home so the benefits of a single dose grinder is greatly lost on me.

[@Sprometheus]

I mostly make espresso as well, but the benefits of a single dose for me is so I can run a variety of different coffees I have on hand without cleaning out chutes, removing hoppers, etc.

[@Caffeine.And.Carvings]

Especially on espresso Single doing is King. You usually have smaller bags, and don't want the coffee to oxidize so fast. Letting it sit out In the hopper seems counter intuitive

[@ibate9833]

Single dosing also keeps your coffee more fresh so you get way more consistent shots than dumping 250g into a hopper and leaving it for a week or so

[@espressomatic]

So, an unrefined Mignon then? Pass.

[@gordanbabic8028]

also 200 USD more expensive! 😂

[@nicbrownable]

Yeah there are two questions you should ask yourself when buying a grinder in 2022. Why don’t you want a Mignon? If you didn’t want a Mignon, why aren’t you buying an Atom? And I say this as a long time Mazzer owner. If I had to get a new grinder, the current choice is pretty clear. Eureka are really setting the standard for serious home grinders at the moment.

[@socomon69]

I was disappointed that they failed to bring a single innovation to market with this grinder - there wasn't anything that was new, better, different, exceptional. It all felt very . . . meh.

[@mpj1969]

Rancillio aren't known for their innovation to be honest. How long did the Silvia remain unchanged for.

[@jacobburkh25]

that’s exactly why I just ordered one. built like a German tank.

[@ricovickers2755]

Hu just wanted to say. I loved your video quality. You make professional advertisement level videos. Quick question, French press or the aeropress. Or anything else? I'm a beginner in this new hobby what would you suggest? Portability won't be factor