Mazzer Philos | A Classic Italian Gone Modern

Mazzer has a storied history of robust, commercial cafe grinders, but with the new Philos they are finally dipping their toes into the modern trends of 64mm flat burr, single-doses. So the question is, can all of their grinder experience translate? Let's find out.
↓CHAPTERS↓
[00:00] Intro
[01:33] Standart Sponsor
[02:24] Build & Materials
[03:43] Usability & Workflow
[07:13] Grinding & Brewing
[11:20] Final Thoughts
Learn more about this video's topic.
Mazzer: www.mazzer.com/en/product/phi...
Help me create content and pay bills by supporting my sponsors:
Become A Member: / @sprometheus
Standart Subscription: www.standartmag.com/sprometheus
Third Wave Water: thirdwavewater.com/sprometheus
If you can't get enough check out my socials.
Instagram: / sprometheus
Tik Tok: / sprometheus
Threads: www.threads.net/@sprometheus
#sprometheus #coffee #espresso #mazzerphilos

[@SetaRossa83]

A standup applause for the impressive quality of the images in this video. Amazing definition of the details of this beautiful product.

[@brandonfisher9170]

Love the new studio look! Excited to see how it evolves over time.

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks Brandon, I appreciate that. It was a lot of work. You can’t tell from that angle but I painted the entire room matte black from white, still a work in progress though as I think I still need to put up more sound dampening and work a bit more on the layout.

[@coreycannon4511]

Nothing is ever perfect. Every time I think I have my brew bar just right…

[@portnaluinge]

I love the look of this grinder - it looks purposeful and well made. Matches the Decent well too.

[@Sprometheus]

It definitely is a statement piece of a grinder, especially in a market filled with super simple, black tubes haha.

[@davidhunternyc1]

It would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison video of the Mazzer Philos vs. the Zerno Z1.

[@Sprometheus]

Ask and you shall receive, my Zerno is supposed to land between September and November.

[@davidhunternyc1]

@@Sprometheus You're awesome. Can't wait. 🙏🏼

[@orbit354]

The zerno is definitely way better looking imo and also has a much smaller footprint

[@Nvik1]

Had the grinder for 3 weeks now and I love it. Coming from a Eureka Mignon Perfetto this is an upgrade worth the investment, in my opinion. The grinder provides the repetitiveness I was looking for. And also the ability to grind for specialty coffee. The adjustment wheel in the back is easy to handle and there is nothing negative about it. It is now easy to switch between grinding sizes and producing the same result over and over again. Eureka grinder for sale 😂

[@Sprometheus]

Glad to hear you’ve been enjoying the upgrade! Cheers to better coffee!

[@brendansmith]

Phenomenal grinder for high-end home and single-dosing SEO for cafes. Really excited for this one and I think I will pick one up myself.

[@trevorwolf2107]

THEMperors?!?! ❤❤❤ Thank you Spro, I'm using that one!!!😂

[@nichj487]

I recently had to move a long distance, and needed something to fill the void of my EK43 sadly abandoned back home. Your first unboxing/initial-thoughts video was one of the main reasons I waited for the Philos, and I’m glad I did. Results in the cup are excellent, and the build quality bodes well for the longevity of this little grinder. I wish the hopper were more sturdy though! Thanks for your work, Spro ❤

[@stevengarman9112]

Auger/pre breaker is way more important (imo) than variable rpm. Price is super reasonable for the features it is providing. It’s a win for the home baristas for sure.

[@Sprometheus]

I think this is true as long as it works as intended, and from the performance perspective I’d say it does but it’s hard to prove with the exit being slightly blocked.

[@pdxrunner]

This grinder is a definite upgrade step from my DF64E. The quality, consistency and prebreakers with a reasonable price makes it a worthwhile choice. I love no bellows and the antistatic is an over rated feature. I have a cheap plug in ionizer. The blind burrs would be expensive and limit currently available burr options.

[@Sprometheus]

Absolutely a step up from any of the DF models I’ve used thus far, including the 83V which I don’t love looks wise. I also don’t like bellows, and I agree that blind burrs are so new and would require them to literally design and make their own which would only add to lead time and cost in the long run

[@azamudinishak]

which burr did you get it?

[@Highflo]

Awesome review and loving the new renovation!

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks! It was a lot of work. You can’t see it but I painting the entire room matte black. Installed most of the slat panels. But I’m still trying to dial in the layout, sound, and lighting. A work in progress for sure.

[@s96822]

I have owned Mazzer in past. super solid, reliable and built like a tank. non variable rpm is in line with Italian traditional grinders and not with 3rd wave fine tuning. a variable rpm would be nice especially with 400 watts behind it. rpm 1400-1600 standard. likely that initial vibration due to changes during shipping as mazzer certainly setup and fine tuned the review sample pre post.

[@jslanfranchi]

Very nice video! Been rocking the Philos for a month now, and really liking it so far. Like mentioned in your video, I really enjoy the fuss free simplicity and tank like build quality. And the cup results I have been getting with it (paired with a Decent) are amazing. Although it’s clearly clarity focused (i200 burr set), I do feel the burr set is also not lacking as some other burrs on the body department (and are also easier to dial). Another thing I have noticed is that extractions can be pushed about 1 to 2% further from my other grinders (Eureka Oro SD, Pietro, C40, Timemore) without cup loosing its balance and bitter astringency taking over. Overall, I find it to be amazing value. Only nit pick on my end would be static. May add an aftermarket ioniser at some point but definitely not a deal breaker. Interested to hear your comments and experience about burr swapping (notably with regards to alignment).

[@gggeeeooorrrggg]

Thank you for the video. The dosing cup is grounded and that is an anti-static measure. The grinder does not need any extra ion generators or similar.

[@Kiaulen]

Thank you, Spro!

[@bacca71]

Thanks for a very nicely-done review. Like the new studio look. A lot of work with very worthwhile results! I have to ask: In your nice graphic at the 9 1/2 minute mark, what constitutes the value "ratio?" Putting the grind adjustment at the rear, away from all the messy bits, makes great engineering sense for this design style. I read somewhere that adjusting the grind setting with the motor running is a lot easier than adjusting with the motor off.

[@user-ns4em5sk9b]

Nice video, sharing some background and first impressions

[@cameronbatko]

This definitely seems like a good grinder to upgrade from the DF64 possibly, It has a nice work flow and some smart design choices. I don’t need variable rpm but being able to grind for all brew types in 1 grinder with a nice large dial is nice. The looks are interesting but I am also someone with a niche zero. As long as it does its job well, I don’t mind the design. I do appreciate the nice materials though. $1k is a great price point for this grinder.

[@kerrycoyle8930]

From what I've seen and heard... I'm extremely interested in the new Mazzer Philos

[@_Brewn]

Got Mine since 5weeks and ITS amazing! (I200D)

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

The best i have had!

[@Sprometheus]

A solid grinder for sure. Worth having on your short list for 64mm single dosers

[@nywoodfloor]

⁠@@_Brewn how do you find the 120 burrs? Are they covering well the entire roast spectrum?

[@mtpastor4546]

I was making a decision between Mazzer Philos and Zenro Z1. To me Mazzer is a synonyms of reliability, like La Marzocco. However, after viewing some reviews from KZbin, I go for Z1 for: 1. Smaller footprint 2. Well engineering 3. Various burr sets choice

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah, they can be in a similar position, price point as standard isn’t too much more for the Z1. I did also buy one, should be landing in Sep/Nov. I’ll give you the smaller footprint, and more burr choices, but on the engineering front I’d say it hard to rely on a few YT videos to determine it’s superior on that front.

[@mtpastor4546]

@@Sprometheus I am looking forward to your compassion between Philos and Z1

[@cheekster777]

Thank you my friend.

[@Sprometheus]

Of course! Nice to hear from you Cheekster!

[@cheekster777]

@@Sprometheus 🤝

[@dabougi8063]

Variable rpm is not only a thing that no one really understands in general (because it can work out in many ways, depending on the bean) But more electronics could also mean more liabilities. I would always go for fixed rpm. FWIW, do I really need ANOTHER variable? Grindsize, Burr choice, Beans (and their age), Temperature, Pressure (and profiling of these), Preinfusion, Ratio and so on... I just think the philos is a tad big- and I am not completely sure if this is necessary. But I like the looks in general- But next to a strietman it might be too mighty

[@majs2009]

Thank you for the review. When are we getting the Lagom 01 review? I have been waiting for that for months... I do not see it on your coffee bar anymore :(

[@JonFairhurst]

I plan to order one as soon as it is available in the US. I like the simplicity and don’t care about variable RPM or ionizers. Sure, it could be more svelte or have bigger burrs, but it’s super solid at a reasonable price, so it has a nice balance. The auger/prebreaker is an important feature for me. The unique win is the rear adjustment, which enables fast cleaning without affecting alignment. So… when do we expect US availability?

[@Sprometheus]

I think last I heard was late summer early fall, we’ll see! You may be able to blame me for a bit if the delay since I was the first to have that uneven feet issue that they resolved.

[@rosiakm]

Hi, thanks for the informative review👍. May I ask how would you rate it against your lagom p64 in terms of both burr change difficulty and quality in the cup?

[@iordachelucian1953]

It would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison video of the Mazzer Philos vs. the Eureka Atom

[@owenrogers9528]

As an Atom 60 and 75 owner, I would guess the Philos takes up more counterspace, takes longer to grind, is louder, but has better workflow and near zero retention. The Atom is not designed for single dosing and the grinds produced when one attempts it are less consistent and produce a different cup than a hopper full of beans.

[@Persason]

From my understanding Mazzer made this out of mostly non-static materials. This reduces overall static and therefore there seems to be no need for an ionizer. What is your conlcusion from testing? If I am to spend 1k euros on a grinder it needs to remove RDT from my workflow.

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah this is true. There isn’t no static, but I’d say it’s relatively low. But you will need to use the knocker and you’ll likely be surprised by the amount of grinds the “shot finisher” can pull out after a bag of coffee goes through. Regardless, .1 grams without RDT and it evens out with the knocker so you can kick the bottle habit if you want.

[@jesussalinas3947]

I thought it was a commercial grinder at first!

[@Sprometheus]

It’s definitely not just a home piece, light commercial is definitely possible.

[@duriorYT]

Will the burrs - especially the I200D - fit something like the Zerno? A measurement of the burrs would be a nice to have to know whether they're proprietary or not :-)

[@CPSC_23]

Seems very interesting at a not-so-insane price

[@Sprometheus]

Definitely, I think that’s the angle they went for and more or less nailed it.

[@burgosmatthew]

Did you have to spend any time aligning the burs or was it good to go out of the box?

[@jblaze55]

Great review as always sprometheus! Do you happen to know when they plan to release in the US? And could I get similar performance witha 83V with SSP burrs?

[@Sprometheus]

Thanks you! And on the release date, I think last I heard late summer, early fall. And I think you could get similar performance with the 83V but there are more possible failure points, and the burrs are so much more expensive. I personally love the 64 size purely for the huge array of options and not crazy expensive.

[@jblaze55]

@@Sprometheus Thank you, appreciate the response!

[@AgathosKaiAlethia]

How do you compare these i200D burrs to the SSP MPV2 that you love so much? I’ve read what folks on HB say but would like to hear your opinion.

[@orbit354]

Is ist a massive upgrade in comparison to the timemore 78s after grinding it in? I‘m torn between those 2 😬

[@EDC_All_Day]

When will this be available in the US? I tried to buy their pre-order, but when I got to checkout, it wouldn't go through because of the country.

[@MitcheyBabes]

Does anyone know where he might have got the t-shirt? Can’t seem to find it online.

[@mericlis]

that decent is so beautiful

[@Sprometheus]

Thank you! I appreciate that!

[@granttheisen1140]

When are these going to be available in the US?

[@mimir1982]

Any idea when it will be available for purchase in the US?

[@jazzmaster89]

Would you say that the philos (I200D burr) gets anywhere close to the clarity of a 98mm burr for filter?

[@Dexterprog]

what has your expression been with this one and SSP MP installed? Deciding if it makes sense to move from a DF64v (with these on) to this grinder or if it's not making much sense

[@MGM_Think]

I have a quesion: These two burr sets that come with the Philos, do they work on Mazzer's other grinders like the Super Jolly?

[@nikosdeb]

Wondering if i200d is compatible with other 64mm grinders

[@azamudinishak]

arent anyone wondering when dialing in which burr move its position? since the motor is on the dialing side?

[@loganmontgomery1955]

Hey Sprom! Do you have any recommendations for Seattle area? My parents are traveling that way this week and I want to give them a few recommendations

[@Sprometheus]

Oh yeah, I love the Seattle coffee scene such a wide array of options. Personally, Anchorhead is one of my more modern favs, Push X Pull, Elm, Olympia, and many many more. But for that classic old school espresso, and a place that is credited for the popularity of latte art Espresso Vivace is a must.

[@loganmontgomery1955]

@@Sprometheus Thanks man! Love what you do

[@johnl.7582]

The size and reacharound ergonomics wouldn't work for me, but I'm glad it exists.

[@Sprometheus]

Yeah it’s a bit of a tank for sure, and I definitely can see quite a few scenarios where that adjustment dial can’t work. But as you said, it is a great addition to the market.

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

Reacharound is not required if you have space on your worktop to rotate the grinder 90 degrees. Works perfectly. For the price point this grinder has extreme performance and build quality.

[@GuidoHendriks1990]

It’s not quite big but for me, coming from a niche zero, it barely takes up more effective space on the counter. As the space behind the Niche wasn’t used anyway.

[@johnl.7582]

@@adrianmichaelsmith yeah, but if had 35cm of counter width for a grinder I'd probably get two narrow ones with different burr sets, or use the space to lay out the rest of my gear better, but if it works for you that's great. It just seems like a weird choice that is going to cost more sales than it gains. My biggest gripe with my current grinder is static which necessitates RDT, and I hate RDT, so it's a shame (for my personal preferences) that Mazzer didn't put in an ioniser. Static wasn't covered much in this review. I would pay $$$ for a grinder that banished static-related mess.

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

​@@johnl.7582 i use the space in front of the grinder for prep, tamp etc. The review is lacking in research in that respect I did post a link to a video where Luigi explains the decisions regarding static. Unfortunately it was deleted!! Spro didn't like it obvs.

[@barnabaas79]

Where does this grinder compare (if at all) to a Timemore Sculptor 078S in your opinion?

[@luisrenta7961]

I LIKE THAT T SHIRT,!!! WHERE CAN I GET ONE.

[@timothywargo3530]

Did you have any issues with the Beans stopping the grind. I have A brew pro that locks up all the time. Looking to upgrade.

[@Sprometheus]

@@timothywargo3530 nope, no stalls or stutters. The torque this grinder puts out from the start is very high, and if you hot start your grind, I don’t think it would be possible jam outside of putting rocks through it.

[@changomeister]

will you be doing a option-o lagom 01 review?

[@Sprometheus]

Absolutely. It’s on the docket for sure

[@changomeister]

@@Sprometheus looking forward to it 🫡

[@tomas_m]

It's so massive I was sure it must have 98mm burrs

[@wheelerlight8541]

"short statured kings, queens, and themporers." Ah yes, a perfectly extracted phrase.

[@Sprometheus]

I not only extract coffee, but also equity

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

Great review as always. I just got myself a DF83V because the wait/ availability on this one. I don't feel like I've missed out though. Its a crazy time for the home grinder market right now!

[@jags3661]

I had the df83 before and philos is so much better. Better alignment, quality and consistency

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

@@jags3661 I said 83v...

[@iconindexsymbol]

The Philos is the long awaited Niche killer.

[@SetaRossa83]

Definitely agree. This is the killer.

[@user-ns4em5sk9b]

Why and where should it kill the Niche? Certainly not for workflow - can't be easier

[@JPC326]

How it does compare to Zerno ?

[@texasbryan]

I’m debating between this grinder and the Lagom P64. What say you?

[@Sprometheus]

Oooph, that’s a tough one. I do love my P64, and it’ll likely remain my main grinder. But it is about twice the price and not really twice the grinder IMO. I do love the idea of having RPM control when I want it, but I don’t use it all that much. So I think the question to ask yourself is if you want to pay extra for that option and which fits your space better.

[@texasbryan]

@@Sprometheus thank you for the quick response. Even at twice the price, I like the smaller footprint, seemingly less static, and easier access to the grind adjustment. Plus I think it comes apart a little easier for cleaning?

[@user-ns4em5sk9b]

@@texasbryan Unsure on that one. With P64, RDT is mandatory?

[@thomasheidstra1268]

For a demanding coffee drinker that is not interested in the marginal gains of a Weber Workshops, this looks like a very interesting option to me…

[@markbrooks6979]

My biggest issue would be the lack of anti-static, but that isn't necessarily a deal breaker. IMHO, it looks good--definitely better than the DF grinders.

[@_Brewn]

Im using the Philos since 5weeks and i dont Need rdt, everything went in the Cup. One knock and its done

[@markbrooks6979]

@@_Brewn Good to know!

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

It has anti static, by careful control of materials and earthing the grind cup. I have no issues with static on the philos

[@Sprometheus]

Yep, as I mentioned the knocker evens things out. RDT at this point is more for its other advantages vs static removal.

[@dumkopf]

Anti-static is a spritz bottle away.

[@user-qt5xh9mt7x]

You are wrong about anti-static. Ever wondered why the little plate the dosing cup stands on is made of metal? I get almost no fines stuck in the cup

[@Sprometheus]

Not wrong. Just a difference of opinion. Building a grinder with static resistant materials isn’t anti-static, especially in a market filled with plasma/ion generators becoming a bit of a norm.

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

​@@Sprometheusso are mazzer wrong when they say grounding the cup on top of their other measures has addressed the problem. also, ion generator on some grinders gives a lot more static than the philos has without it.

[@jags3661]

​@adrianmichaelsmith the cup has also been tested to show that it is grounded. If you try use a plastic cup it will show how effective the static mechanism is. Not sure what SP is on about

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

​@@jags3661yes . With my fluke i have 1 ohm between the cup and the metal wall socket front . Works as it is designed! Lack of understanding and research for this "review".

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

I find it much "better" to use rotated 90 degrees so the on off button is in front of me. Grind adjust at right and cup, beans at left. So use it properly and you will have less "issues!"

[@Sprometheus]

So first you say it’s “better” to use it sideways, then say it’s the proper way to use it. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way, but I don’t think the issues I discussed will be fixed but purely just the orientation of the grinder body. This also means you still have lean over the grinder if you’re shorter to see where it’s set since the adjustment setting is on the top of the body.

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

​@@Sprometheus i can only describe myself as short (with regards to actual height at least!) i have no issue knowing what setting I'm at with the grinder "sideways on" at the back of my work top. I can see "lengthways" as a good option if space is at a premium. Sideways on seems more of a natural workflow.

[@MaakBow]

OMG..why would visual appeal be the most divisive thing about a grinder and therefore the most important feature to discuss? . I think the bottom half of this device is butt ugly but if for a minute I thought this device would improve my espresso I'd be in with both feet.

[@Dexterprog]

I have huge concerns about those butterfly screw things

[@_Brewn]

Why? You cannot overtighten Them and they are stainless !

[@loganmontgomery1955]

They’re long enough that nothing will shake loose. Unless you’re planning on grinding rocks I don’t think anything will loosen them

[@Dexterprog]

@@loganmontgomery1955 more concerned about misalignment due to the not being tightened exactly the same amount

[@Sprometheus]

I asked about this way back in February with the Prototype and completely forgot to share the response direct from Luigi… “I have asked our team about tightening torque for butterfly screws and parallelism in the body of the grinder. Essentially, both mating surfaces of the 2 parts of Philos body are CNC machined, then they are controlled separately and in relation to the respective burrs. The centering of the assembly is granted by the metal plugs on the back assembly. The fixation is explicitly designed to be done by hand and a change in the torque applied by hands on such flat and parallel coupled surfaces is not making any significant difference on the final parallelism of the 2 burrs.”

[@Dexterprog]

@@Sprometheus ahhh so it WAS your video I remembered this comment from. Well, glad you covered this :). The grinder looks great to be honest, and a good option for those of us that can get the Zerno (Europe, etc) without importing it. Thanks, man Now I need to contemplate if this is worth moving from the df64v with SSP. the weight puts me off a bit, and it's bulkiness

[@dumkopf]

Yo spro. Good vid. Wondering if you attempted or can attempt to rit the i200d burrs to your P64.

[@knifexgunfight]

I really want to watch this, and might background it, but GD a REAR CONTROL WHEEL...I'M OUT

[@user-js2fi7qw2i]

It’s a nice grinder for reasonably price, but due to lack of RPM settings I would choose Weber EG-1

[@adrianmichaelsmith]

Ok Douglas! Philo is working great. Does not require variable rpm. Also, landed in the uk i can purchase 4 philos with some change for 1 eg1.

[@user-js2fi7qw2i]

For me price doesn’t matter. Quality first

[@user-ns4em5sk9b]

@@user-js2fi7qw2i RPM is not quality. It's just another variable