XeoLeo Vs Fellow Ode Vs Wilfa Uniform: A Grinder Comparison

[@emmett3067]

James has captured the zeitgeist with his channel this year. So many people stuck at home and need their coffee fix and therefore home brewing.

[@aounay]

Agreed, James' unparalleled combination of coffee expertise with the polite sensibilities of the British Bake Off. Thanks James

[@CertifiedSlamboy]

@@aounay The Great British Brew-off

[@qwertyCandy]

That, plus the videos are genuinely soothing, which is quite useful given how crazy the year has been :)

[@sahirdiesh6386]

Elyse?

[@jozefbrodala5318]

@@qwertyCandy I think it makes a massive difference that, since he doesn't work with the companies whose things he reviews, he can be more relaxed and less 'selly'

[@thomf4215]

I litterally thought, how the hell would he know it's 500 microns wide, then he pulls out a ruler. Lesson: never question James Hoffmann

[@fluffycritter]

Yes, never underestimate the amount of fiddly precision he’ll undergo to make a point.

[@aounay]

A brewler*

[@waynevanniekerk8736]

Hilarious 🤣

[@raypecina5812]

Thought the same thing and I learned today.

[@elliottmanley5182]

When I used to be a typesetter, I could easily tell type misalignments in 100 micron increments up to about 600 microns (it gets harder to judge after that). It's just practice. I have no doubt James can tell just by looking with his experience of coffee. (BTW, I tried again recently - about 20 years later - and I can't do it any more. No surprise there.)

[@johnsarnecki6188]

"nothing too complicated" (takes out electron microscope...)

[@Sinister_Monster]

I like the fact that he has a very strong sense of ethics, morality, and avoids conflicts of interest. And he follows them strictly. This makes James very trustworthy. I wish every human had these

[@Coffee-Comrade]

Seriously. He maintains a level of disclosure, honesty, and consistent refusal to do anything that could be deemed as unethical. It's truly impressive to see and incredibly admirable.

[@scottleggejr]

Effort justification is a hell of a drug.

[@ifyouloveChristyouwillobeyhim]

Is this a joke? I mean I appreciate his honest reviews but his ethics are your typical virtue-signaling modernist ethics.

[@anguswalker104]

I've had a Wilfa Uniform for 8 months now, it's the first electric grinder I've owned and I use it to brew filter coffee. 1. Its easy to clean and is not messy at all. 2. The speed is no problem for me as you can do something else for 30 ~45 sec, ie boil water which take 2~3 minutes or prep your V60 paper etc ...! 3. Grind retention is about 0.7~0.8 grams. 4. I have a small kitchen, so it gets put away when not in use, which is easy given its small footprint & cylindrical shape. 5. The refinement in the grind settings is really good. I have come to appreciate this over the last couple of months as my brewing has improved. Thanks to James for the many coffee reviews, tutorials & giveaways during the course of this year.

[@NeilBruder]

Even though I don't typically have follow up questions, I do really appreciate the prompts you give at the end of each video. I think it's a smart way to communicate with your audience, inviting them to contribute their knowledge whilst acknowledging that you don't have all the answers.

[@benwinoker1]

I've watched like 100 of James videos in the last week, by far the best part of this channel is how I believe that he genuinely hopes I have a great day, every single time.

[@coltenwimmer4861]

I can still see the Lagom in the background there, Mr. Hoffmann. A review would appease the masses. EDIT: 25.01.2021, it happened! Thanks for yet another great review.

[@benjamincottle8500]

Cheapest option is $1475..... aesthetically incredible though - I’d like to see if the results justify the price tag

[@coltenwimmer4861]

@@benjamincottle8500 Yea, I too am very interested in the performance. Either way, it's a beautiful machine.

[@MattHarris85]

Would love to know how the Uniform and Ode stack up against the Commandante in terms of what's in the cup. They're a pretty similar price, so if one is willing to do the work of hand grinding, the question is whether it's a better option

[@464279953]

I got myself a used wilfa svart after you recommended it. I have a morning routine making my coffee now, and it's much more comfortable than using a hand grinder. Thank you!

[@HRKnight]

I’d like to see a tiered list of grinders. I hate saying “buyers guide” but that’s the closest example I can come up with. More so to illustrate “here’s the 4/5 most popular grinders in each price range, here’s why you might pick one over the other” for 2021. Doesn’t have to be a review of 30 different grinders, as you can just reference to previous videos for that, but rather some quick thoughts on each one-impressions.

[@jackaw1197]

I'm just visualising him assembling a Tier list while twitch streaming and interacting with chat

[@drthmik]

This would be very useful

[@sarahgiggles9444]

He actually uploaded a video yesterday that is somewhat near to what you're describing, in case you haven't seen it in your feed already :)

[@HRKnight]

@@sarahgiggles9444 haha I saw that! I haven’t watched the video yet but I hope I contributed to this idea!!!

[@pkaertko9642]

Your consistent efforts to demonstrate lack of bias in your research is highly commendable and we respect you all the more for it. Outstanding

[@9abe9]

Boy, never got to see a video this quick! I'm a huge fan of yours. I've been binge watching all of your content, and I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed a single channel that much. You always excel at giving us a lot of info and awesome b rolls! I'm a fan of your honesty and compromise with your viewers. Keep up the outstanding work, One of your fans from Brazil.

[@johannes4518]

I’m dreaming of being in the position one day to cup different grinders.

[@enado18]

If it's important to you, plan it, break it into small bite-sized steps and tackle them one at a time.

[@ethanholz3733]

This is the most relatable comment I've seen to date!

[@alpthepianist7690]

dream of being in the position to taste espresso from several espresso machines

[@kasahacker]

I really like this comment

[@zephyrpp]

I purchased a Uniform a few days ago primarily based on your videos. The one year review was particularly useful. If James Hoffmann can use it for pour over an entire year and still like it, so can I. Very happy with it so far.

[@yusufsutanto]

One of the thing I wanna see in your review is “How is the wilfa or ode against a manual grinder like comandante, or maybe a kinu with pour over burr set?”

[@KNURKonesur]

Add a Feld47 as well seing as it's made in the UK as well. A Kinu 47 and a Comandante would be great in that comparison.

[@sebaba001]

I think Comandante would blow them out. Comandante vs Niche maybe would be fair. Just going off his and other baristas reactions and taste haven't tried either 😭.

[@shoppster300]

The Kinu Pour over burrs make average pour over coffee. I didn't discover this until I bought a flair and put the espresso burrs in. My pourovers came alive. Weird, but my experience none the less.

[@MattHarris85]

+1 especially for filter/manual brewing where a decent hand grinder makes sense. Would be nice to hear what James thinks

[@doxman13]

I'm voting for this to happen!

[@jaytorr6701]

The XeoLeo also comes with flat grinders. Would be interesting to see whether it improves with a more standard grinder type.

[@waelkambris6188]

Watching you became an addiction. Trying to mimic your techniques to improve the coffee taste became an obsession (specially with the huge difference in equipments). You’re simply amazing.

[@NikolaiEfimov]

I just bought an Orphan Apex grinder, which is a ghost burr set painstakingly engineered into a hand-driven grinder. I'm a big fan of Orphan's designs and hand grinders in general and so far it makes better brewed coffee than anything else I've tried at home. I'd LOVE to see more investigation of ghost burrs, their properties and comparisons between different ghost burr grinders.

[@johnnyb4631]

James, you changed my world of coffee. I was a Nespresso drinker for years and have now almost completely stopped that even though never even mentioned them. Just by watching your videos my view and expectation and experience of enjoying coffee has completely changed. I bought a Wilfa svart grinder and get shipping of awesome coffee from squarmile every few weeks. I know that one of your goals is to make people more interested in coffee and make them enjoy it more. You certainly did that for me so I really wanted to thank your for that. Keep up the great work!

[@nishwag]

All of us asking James to review grinders like a crowd asking a DJ to play their favourite songs at a club or party🤣

[@boojumhunter1]

Thank you for showing the entire grind time. Need to find a replacement for my dying grinder, and noise level is a key consideration. Seeing the Fellow on its own was interesting. Seeing - or rather hearing - it along side the others certainly confirms how relatively quiet it is.

[@RyanPlugs]

I’d be interested knowing how the xeoleo compares to the wilfa svart and baratza encore seeing as it’s in the same price range as those grinders.

[@POVShotgun]

I think they sell industrial grinders at that price

[@parasbhargava6047]

I am betting the encore and svart are better at light roasts

[@Tinster4x4]

@@parasbhargava6047 the home barista community likes the xeoleo over the encore mostly for consistency

[@bluemystic7501]

@@Tinster4x4 It sounds like the Xeoleo doesn't even make great coffee.

[@samroesch]

@Curtis Amrein Actually just recommended the Bodum bistro to my parents. It’s a burr grinder that normal people can afford.

[@markandrew6168]

Have just realised that James taste testing the world's darkest roasted coffees would likely produce the single largest collection of "ohh....nooo!" moments in any video, ever!

[@rutkowski1490]

For days Im flirting with the idea of making a supercut of all james' "ohh nooo"

[@markandrew6168]

@@rutkowski1490 give the people what they want, my friend

[@olliojenarter]

I'm so here for this!

[@segamble1679]

I really want a dark roast review from James.

[@westonthomas554]

Dark roast review! ⚫️☕️=👨🏻‍🦳😖

[@Armuks]

Oh just casual magic at 3:54 with the vanishing metal cup.

[@dnmr]

i bet the wilfa don't do that

[@therealcpltrolllol]

So casual that I didn't notice it until you pointed it out lol

[@CoffeeReviews]

Wouldn't be a James Hoffmann video if he didn't give us super specific details about stuff he himself deems meaningless 😂 I really enjoyed this video. I'm dying for the Ode grinder but I keep hearing to hold off just a bit. Great video again James 👍

[@KemAlimole]

I love mine. I would absolutely recommend it.

[@CoffeeReviews]

@@KemAlimole I appreciate that but I have a decent Baratza so I can wait a bit 😊

[@sebaba001]

Save a bit more for the Niche 👀💦. Literally hasn't had a bad review like ever. Thing is magic.

[@mixeddrinks8100]

@@sebaba001 yes! but the ode is great for the office, cheaper, smaller footprint and easier to let your co-worker to use as well, the dials are much bigger and easier to set and forget

[@jordanjones6119]

I'd hold off for Ode 2.0. The thing is gorgeous, and really functional... it's the only thing I take issue with in James' review: after several weeks of use, the retention really stops being an issue, and it grinds like a dream. However, the coarseness really does feel like a deal breaker. I have the Ode, and have had issues, so I've chatted with a few industry people, and roasters. Most recommend a setting 1 for v60 (that's always up for debate of course), and I've gotten a few private DMs with fairly significant criticisms of the way it grinds itself. Overall, it's a nice budget grinder that doesn't grind quite fine enough for light roast (again: up for debate). Personally, I'm going back to hand grinders for the time being. Though I do look forward to the incremental upgrades Fellow will put out.

[@marcusmason3100]

I must say how good it makes me feel to see the condition of the Wilfa grindr. It looks dinged smudgeed and dusted with loose grinds. When I watch these videos and my own equipment doesn't look quite as pristine, I wonder if I'm not doing enough to brush clean and tidy up. That grinder looks like it is being used by a real human being in the real world.

[@geof3j]

As a beginner, I’m learning so much from your channel. Surprised at the variety of equipment and numerous methods available. I’m enjoying the slow approach and methodology. Need to remember to enjoy the coffee, though!

[@LasstUnsSpielen]

I always forget how huge James‘ channel actually is.

[@mickeyprindiville3790]

It has exploded this year! Congratulations James!

[@Nathanaelkelly9053]

Visitor from the future here - he just hit a MILLION!

[@iangillis2230]

I bought a Xeoleo. I grind for V60. I use the sieve/shaker to reduce fines. I'm quite happy with the brews I get. I occasionally store up some of the fines and brew Turkish style coffee. Since my Baratza Encore failed, this is my only electric grinder, and I'm fine with that.

[@t0m714]

Blind taste test! Yes.. thank you James (that made me disproportionally happy, which shows how sad my life now is..)

[@FirestarterAJ12]

I adore these comparisons just to see how phenomenal James is at blind taste tests. To guess a grinder from a sip of coffee is exceptional. The instant coffee was just as impressive. It gives so much more weight to everything he says.

[@EntelSidious_gamzeylmz]

The biggest thing giving weight in my opinion is that he is the 2007 wbc

[@squelchedotter]

​@@EntelSidious_gamzeylmzWBC is a very different skill set from KZbin reviews though. I don't think it's a good idea to base it on that.

[@ElecBrane]

Thanks, now I’m waiting for Ultra vs Lagom vs EG-1

[@Adam-vx6to]

Eg- 1 *

[@stephengoldberg7609]

And Kafatek!

[@tdsqsdor]

please do!

[@nikolai3820]

Can't wait!

[@e30Birdy]

Thats one i want to see too.. I am tending toward and ultra because it isnt an f5 battle. I like big burrs and I cannot lie

[@jagz21]

Why did I ever start watching your videos!!! Now I hate instant and aspire to better coffee in life. I loved my simple life but no more! Thank you Mr Hoffman!

[@nickolaypalamarchuk4100]

Also good fresh coffee is more expensive. I hate Hoffman too. My house is full off brew devices, grinders, his books now. I even got this Xeleo grinder. Get my life back!

[@stirfryjedi]

The Wilfa remains, undisputedly, 3x faster than my hand grinding speed 🤣 (Hario Skerton)

[@jko8888]

Yes, this! I used a hand grinder for years. Upgraded to the Wilfa Uniform last year and it has changed my (coffee drinking) life.

[@_sootyfoot]

I'm ashamed of how many times I have to swap hands for 30g.

[@sikaheimo]

Presumably with a ceramic hand grinder? The difference in speed between ceramic and metal burrs is huge! Have a Xeoleo hand grinder with metal burrs and takes around 30s for 20g of beans.

[@danieljones6917]

Yes! I upgraded from a hand grinder to the Uniform. It is slow, but I start it off before getting everything else ready so it isn't a huge issue for me. And yes, so much faster than me trying to grind 30g of coffee beans.

[@Julumon.]

Commandante is faster kinu even faster.

[@waitercheckplease]

On some U toob channels there will be a point where the host will say something in a effort just to get people to enter a comment. I really believe James wholey wants and appreciates the input in comments. I appreciate his intelligence, knowledge, skill, diligence, and the humble ease and sincere way he presents information. Thank you, James.

[@RoraighPrice]

I'd like to see you dig more into the grind distribution of the ground coffee, look at why one tastes more bitter than the other two, my conjecture would be that the cheaper one ether has a wider distribution or leans toward larger pieces in each bracket. you seemed to think a more uniform grind might produce a subjectively better cup. it does make me wonder though if uniformity is the goal, if you had perfectly uniform grounds down to the micron how would it taste, would it taste flat and dull or be brilliant, would you be removing bad-tasting variances or complexity? and if so? could you blend, specific micron grinds together to produce different flavour profiles

[@olliojenarter]

All interesting questions, for sure.

[@mastersingleton]

Finally, a grinder comparison with a coffee grinder bought from Aliexpress. I was planning on buying a coffee grinder on Aliexpress but have some doubts and you just cleared up my doubts. Thank you, James.

[@MatiasLoyt]

I'm super happy James Hoffmann is always doing these kinds of actual comparison/review videos! For some reason it seems that most "review" videos in the coffee industry on KZbin are actually showcase videos, with no actual review elements present in the video. They can still be nice and informative videos, of course, but I wouldn't call them reviews by any stretch of the imagination. And that's why I always see first if Hoffmann has done a video on any given subject, before I even think about looking around other channels! You can always trust in James to provide actual reviews :) The strangest example was from a major coffee machine channel on YT, where it was 25-30 minutes recorded in the offices of the manufacturer, where the "reviewer" was just reacting positively to the presentation/sales pitch given by the representative of the manufacturer! And it was labeled "Review" in the title and the description. Something in that whole setting just made me feel uncomfortable. Just to clarify, I'm not against showcase videos at all! It's just those moments when the line between showcase and review gets broken that I'm left baffled.

[@WhiskyTanuki]

I got the SSP 64mm Mazzer brewing burr with Silver Knight coating, it goes so much finer that I actually calibrated it 10 clicks from churping to get a more usable range. Definitely a worthy upgrade, and still makes the grinder cheaper than like a Baratza Vario. That said I didn't go to 1-2 like James did with his coffee despite me drinking light roasts as well, I typically stayed at around 3-4 range up or down. I really hope to see a video from James on how to dial in coffee, how to achieve consistency from various roasters, and how to approach buying various processed coffee from around the world, its probably a challenge to put together a video like that, but I think a lot of ]viewers are buying coffees from various roasters not just from their home town but, around the country they are in, and perhaps around the world.

[@Joe1729]

9:18 "there's no more granular information about the distribution" nice

[@ajc5869]

I’ve had my XeoLeo for a little over a year now, I really do have to say that I love it. I love its simplicity, it’s built like appliances used to be made, no BS and it’s actually very good quality especially for the money. The whole housing is metal and the motor is actually built into the housing like an old mixer or something, I really appreciate this type of construction that doesn’t exist anymore. I do think that it really shines with darker roasts which is primarily what I drink, so I use it most of the time actually. With some RDT it’s not too messy, I hold the cup up to the opening which dramatically reduces mess, and it grinds so fast so it’s not a nuisance to do that. Overall, I would definitely recommend picking one up!

[@JasonicAus]

The one major thing I’ve learnt from the channel is how important good grinders are to good coffee and how bad grinders can make good coffee taste bad. Is that the same for commercial coffee? Should we be looking for coffee shops with better grinding equipment rather than the coffee they offer?

[@normanski5074]

My Wilfa Uniform arrived on 28th Nov, my birthday. I love, love, love it. It is a little messy due to static, but I love the fact that it's flat burr and runs slowly. If it was faster it would generate more heat and potentially burn the Coffee, maybe that's the burnt taste your getting with the XeoLeo. Waiting 30 seconds to grind is worth it, for that better-tasting cup.

[@AyAy008]

Me: **Cries in Baratza Encore**

[@ariellubonja7856]

Is it good for espresso? Everyone seems to recommend that as a first grinder

[@MackerelCat]

I have a Wilfa uniform. Very happy with it since it can do coarse, fine and everything inbetween. The slowness doesn’t bother me at all, since I’m waiting on the kettle anyway.

[@TovaHolmberger]

I got the Uniform for around 175£ yesterday and I feel quite safe with my purchase now 😎

[@KNURKonesur]

That's an amazing price for the Uniform. Who sells it for that money?

[@TovaHolmberger]

@@KNURKonesur it was a "Black weekend" deal at a swedish electronics chain (Elgiganten), though it was only in stores

[@abul7uss]

Finally! That was awesome thanks James! SSP also do brew burrs for the Uniform and since the no scale version is at the same price/ cheaper than the Ode, I stopped seeing the selling point of the Ode if you don't mind the speed. The Uniform is less messy and has the same auto off feature.

[@Bakajinsama]

This has honestly gotten me curious about burrs in general! I'd love to see something like an in-depth look at what all variations are out there, how they're shaped and why, etc. Not something as easily attainable, though, I'd imagine? Can you just order burrs separate from a grinder? In any case, this was an interesting comparison.

[@brunocyclist]

Not only is your content well-made, pleasantly-brought and very interesting, you take great care of safeguarding your integrity. Great respect.

[@oliverbodeker4178]

It's not only grainsize or grainsize distribution. It's also very important to know the shape of your grains. In sedimentology we use flowcams to see different grainshapes. That might indeed have an impact on specific surface and you can't see it in distribution alone...

[@justapotter]

this is an interesting thought and aligns with what James was saying as well. The shape affects surface area which would in turn affect the taste.

[@楊厚怡]

When it comes to ghost teeth grinder, I think the best ghost teeth grinder is Fuji Royal RX-220. Maybe you could give it a try!

[@2ny4ever]

Not to draw conclusion from a single test, but it is interesting that the worst tasting cup came from the grinder that produced the most difference between the fines and the boulders. This is especially interesting given that the XeoLeo produced more grounds (by percentage) within the middle range than the Fellow Ode did. I wonder if the fines and boulders produced by the better grinders are in a specific ratio that balances the over-extraction done to the fines and under-extraction done to the boulders. If this is true, it would be interesting to figure out the best ratio for this. I would love to see a video exploring this in the most detail that is feasible for a youtube video.

[@HomerIncognito]

That's a bit too oversimplified. Size is just a rough indication of overall surface area, which is what truly matters. And then there is actual grind size (or better surface area) distribution (i.e. not just amounts of boulders and fines), which is really hard to measure, but is needed if we want to get a full picture. So overall, taste tests are the only practical option in most cases.

[@VinceAmin]

Fellow Ode is the grinder for me. I'm excited, myself, to see & test the new burrs. Thanks, James.

[@mike216514]

To get the genuine performance for “ghost teeth” burr, please get a Fuji Royal.

[@koptify]

is everything else that looks like xeoleo, knock off of fuji royal?

[@mike216514]

Yes. Poor, under-performing, misleading knock off of Fuji Royal.

[@jaredlai5747]

Please listen to this man James got a knockoff and all the Asians know it

[@peterdyers5807]

Can't wait to hear about your channel takeover, I submitted my idea and looking forward to hearing back! I love your videos

[@ejtc25]

Waiting for the high end grinder comparison. Some of the stuff in the background is teasing us.

[@ChrisWilliams-oh1gh]

Hi, I enjoy your videos ,very informative Now I know why I have such bad tasting coffee, I use a spinning blade coffee grinder which is terrible and I have an old Sunbeam coffee machine,!!! I was going to buy the coffee grinder and coffee machine from Aldi’s but when I watch your review on it, I am not gonna waste my money on it ,thank you!! I am a 48-year-old pensioner with six kids so as you could imagine money is tight I would greatly appreciate owning a half decent coffee machine & grinder (I could never afford a proper one) I never put much though into coffee until watching your videos I just got used to putting up with the bad tasting coffee !!

[@Salaaran]

It would be cool if you could get some other burrs for the XeoLeo, just to see if you can mod it to be a 'better' grinder. It would actually be pretty interesting to get a series, where the focus would be to upgrade a budget friendly grinder in general.

[@duduoson5278]

Hey James! I don't know if you're going to read this, but XeoLeo makes pretty solid handgrinders. For their price they're really well-made and, most importantly, grind coffee really consistently. They'e great value, especially if you're from Eastern Europe like me, lol. Love the content, keep it up.

[@GarrettWease]

"reasonably hilarious" is my new go-to descriptor of humor

[@JakeWidmer]

Thanks for the rundown James! I’d love it if you’d do a video on burr sets. Comparison of shapes, sizes, and mounting directions. Maybe make recommendations for when to use what, what’s better for drip vs espresso, retention, etc.

[@genisis53]

“Reasonable hilarious pun” is such a James thing to say

[@jeremychristian5409]

I'm absolutely amazed. I came to this video, seeing "oh grinder comparison" and thinking it's just gonna be a specs-comparison, brewing coffee in each of them and describing the taste and how they compare, you know, the regular stuffs. And then the guy pulled out a sifting container and a ruler. I definitely didn't see that coming.

[@jlinphotos]

what i'm learning from james' channel is that the more money you invest in your gear, the more you understand coffee in its truest form. talk about a hobby i can't afford lmao

[@KNURKonesur]

I waited to buy an electric grinder for over half a year. Eventually got just fed up with the wait for the Ode, I just ordered the Uniform. Been using it for a month now and I'm quite happy not to have to grind everything by hand with the Feld 47. Now I actually drink more coffee at home :D

[@DavidM828]

What’s your thoughts of Sage’s grinders? As one of the biggest/well known/accessible coffee appliance brands it would be great to see something on Sage products

[@rodiona8781]

I believe James does reviews on Breville and mentions it is one-for-one same brand as Sage for the European market

[@relledk]

I see that you have a Bonaverde Berlin in the background. I'm a kickstarter supporter of that project. I have been loving my machine, with all it's bad solutions, but I have enjoyed it so much. Sadly Bonaverde went out of money, about a year ago, and sadly my personal machine died, just before Christmas. I would love so watch a video with your Berlin. Keep up the good work. Martin from Denmark, Copenhagen

[@JamesKimSydney]

Anyone want to see these reviews from James? - wdt tools: londonium stirrer vs duomo vs paperclip - porcelain cup comparison: loveramics vs acme vs other - mixing tea with coffee: like earl grey extraxtion with espresso (i find it to be nice and interesting)

[@Yirgamalabar]

First time I hear about mixing team and espresso. Can you share some specifics (ratio etc)? Thanks!

[@JamesKimSydney]

@@Yirgamalabar Hi James, I haven't experimented too much but I have tried a 1:1 ratio and drank it as a latte and i loved the lovely earl grey odour it gives but that could just be me as i love earl grey but perhaps you could try a few different ratios so it infuses just enough to give it that hint of aroma for your liking? could also try it as an iced drink too ☺️ For extracting the tea, im not sure if it makes a difference but ive put the two teaspoons of loose tea in a tea bag and dipped it in approximately about 50ml of 85 degree water so hopefully it gives off a stronger extract?

[@gabrielscoccola5960]

For sure a whole video (or series) about distribution in espresso, too many expensive gadgets and elaborate techniques but little to no actual data. For drinkware maybe an analysis of the kruve glassware and their claims of changing the sensory experience. But I feel like ceramics cup choice is 100% about aesthetics and feel, not a lot of meaningful things to talk about. Trying to extract other things in an espresso machine would be cool.

[@JamesKimSydney]

@@gabrielscoccola5960 i agree on the distribution there appear to be many factors involved that determine the outcome and the effectiveness as opinion on this subject is split in two halves as for the ceramics, i think there are different aspects and not just visual appeal such as heat retention, ergonomics, curvature of the cup to allow better pouring for latte art (why certain cups are used for competitions) and just the entire experience overall as a coffee consumer are all interesting points to look at imo

[@jko8888]

@@JamesKimSydney @OB I know it's not the same, but perhaps this may interest you. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuenyeung

[@JeremyJensenTheOriginal]

Great review. The points you make about the Ode definitely ring true in my experience with it. I have both a Niche and an Ode. I exclusively use my Ode for pourover brew, and Niche for Espresso. I've personally not had any issues with the grind sizing of the Ode, simply due to the fact my pourovers are always for 30-40g of ground coffee, so I usually grind around a 1 -- I'd be nervous using it for a single cup. When and if Fellow ever gets a new burr set, I'd totally upgrade since the coarse end of the Ode will never be used in my household... It really is a great grinder, but definitely not perfect.

[@AronBagel]

At this point I feel like every grinder video out there is an involuntary advertisement for the Niche Zero lol!

[@sebaba001]

The niche is too good 😭. Hard to find nowadays too.

[@sharpvaritvatjaraboonjoti4557]

Niche is a conical burr though.. the uniform and ode are flat burrs and they bring out a different characteristic to the brew

[@animus128]

Your results are very interesting. A week ago I had the chance to test a modified Xeoleo (reduced RPM) against my Mahlkönig Tanzania with SSP burrs. We used very light roasted coffees from Colonna (UK) and Nomad (Spain). The results from the Xeoleo surprised me in a positive way. The taste was definitely different to the Tanzania, but I wouldn't describe it as worse. The cups were still very clean with pronounced acidity. Maybe the lowered RPM has a large impact on this, but in general I though that this is a very good grinder for people that only do brew coffee. The Xeoleo feels like a toy however, but I kind of like it. That way you don't feel bad for heavily modifying it compared to aligning an EK for example.

[@nickolaypalamarchuk4100]

Can you pls tell how do you reduse an RPM? Can you share any link to this upgrade?

[@jierenzheng7670]

Yea, how do you reduce the RPM? I would like to try it too.

[@efedonduran1704]

He finally mentioned Turkish coffee, hopefully he will make one in the near future

[@stepanbalakirev8422]

Hello James, I have used Xeoleo grinder for couple months and from my experience you have to grind coarser if you are comparing brew results to different burrs. I grind on 2.5-3.5 for v60, the trick is the pour, got to be really fine stream since it flows really fast, Ive had good results with pulses. If you have Gabi master B or Melodrip I think youll have much greater results on Xeoleo than the slightly bitter tastes you are getting. PS: I do use the siever for 5-10 seconds, usually get 1 gram out, so I do the math for that, since the grinder has near zero retention I account for the fines as my retention waste.

[@jierenzheng7670]

Have you tried with things like Aeropress or French Press? I got similar results for French Press compared to my 1Zpresso JX hand grinder but I have yet to try it with a V60 and Aeropress.

[@stepanbalakirev8422]

@@jierenzheng7670 I've had the grinder for 2 years now, honestly not impressed, its good for fast brews, under 2 mins the flavors are good, but compared to other grinders I've used, prolly wouldn't buy again.

[@EnormousSmartass]

Please please please test the Eureka Mignon machines! They are right in this "budget" price bracket and are tested to be, afaik, absolutely fantastic.

[@kaneblaber1217]

The Xeoleo has other models as well, branded as Precision, the other two models have flat burrs, one is classed as espresso only- though that means it could be perfect for your pour over style, and the other apparently can do both.

[@coffeeistheanswer5923]

I own the Xeoleo and it can fair much better if one forgets what one knows about how other grinders behave. It will lead to better cups with a different brewing technique using longer brews, longer ratios (1:18) and higher temperatures, i.e. +1C in a V60 or even better a double walled brewer like the Stagg X. You will get body, sweetness, fruits and or clarity just depending on the beans!

[@rengingurel3744]

I am that Turkish person who gets excited just to see James Hoffman mention "Turkish coffee" as a grind size measure. Little things make me happy. And expecting to see an ultimate technique for Turkish coffee as well! It would be interesting to see the Hoffman approach.

[@nickolaypalamarchuk4100]

If you are a Turkey patriot, here you some more facts. In Russian language Cezve is Turka The best andriod coffee brew app "Brew Timer" is also from Turkey

[@tenor79]

James: Compare the Wilfa Uniform to a manual grinder like the Comandante C40 using the same metrics (time, grind uniformity, taste). I drink 1 cup of coffee per day and an electric machine never seems to make much sense. But am I sacrificing taste by choosing to grind manually?

[@parasbhargava6047]

He c40 has a very uniform grind. I think it's a little better at espresso than press. Just a guess though did you see james's ultimate hand grinder video?

[@uber_duck]

In my experience manual grinders are more bang-for-buck as far as grind quality goes. Comandante C40 is an excellent grinder in its own right.

[@stephenduggan3751]

I completed a project in work to eliminate static on glass vials by having ionised air blown on them at a certain point in the process It worked a treat itd be fantastic if you could mess around with this idea and coffee grinders to eliminate the mess created with static.

[@springfieldleo6184]

Fuji Royal: Hold on a minute, James. You've never heard of Me???

[@freemanNYB3794]

Seems like this company really likes to pirate others product.

[@winelisthk]

@@freemanNYB3794 Xeoleo is the copy. Fuji Royal is the original design.

[@freemanNYB3794]

@@winelisthk exactly, that's why when I see the xeoleo show up at the screen, I got a bad feeling about this.

[@ralphlatorre6885]

Im from cali, my name is Ralph. household of 4, all drinking coffee. Kcups became to expensive so i look for a cheap bargain espresso, found a flair 2 pro for a super bargain but has a bad hand grinder with it. It came with a little amount of bean and the previous owner game me his settings. It worked well. But his beans are from a different state and also expensive. It would really help us to have a chance to win a grinder and some beans. Thank you very much! You have been the best reviewer for me. You made me appreciate good coffee specially my work hours consist of 12-16hrs on a good day. But covid hit us pretty bad :(

[@itsxris]

That XeoLeo looks like a tiny EK43

[@jason_chan]

I think that was the point. Make it look like a commercial standard you'd see at a specialty coffee shop and maybe you'd think this would be similar in performance.

[@tykjpelk]

Wait until you see the Fuji Royal, it's straight up a clone of it.

[@mixeddrinks8100]

@@tykjpelk yep the OG of this type. bit pricer though

[@rcpmac]

When the timer started I scoffed thinking this is going to be really nitpicking... OMG! 43 seconds of grinding on that one machine! Absolutely a dealbreaker. James, there is a sound meter phone app. Sound level comparisons would also be interesting. BTW Baratza Sette espresso grinds are around 5 seconds and the Vario is around 10 seconds

[@hesa_jigalo]

Baratza encore is sick, whomever wins will be a happy barista

[@AllaMortify]

Apparently better with the M2 burr upgrade, but you have to take the thing apart to do it as it's impossible to remove the lower burr from the drive shaft otherwise.

[@hesa_jigalo]

@@AllaMortify I did that. Kind of a pain, but super worth

[@HisGrandNarrative]

I need to up my coffee game so I can add it to dishes I cook. This might be the grinder I need for that.

[@AllaMortify]

@@HisGrandNarrative Is that really necessary? I'd have thought (I've rarely cooked with coffee) that coffee used in cooking doesn't retain enough of it's individual brew characteristics to be worth it. I have wondered whether particular brew methods and grinds might affect say the flavour in say a coffee ice-cream etc, but I've not really noticed that it has in any impactful way beyond the difference in using lighter or darker roasts and the strength brewed. In the end, coffee in food just tastes like generic coffee.

[@HisGrandNarrative]

@@AllaMortify I think the process is part of the art. You may be right about the flavor.

[@gretchenlynn89]

For me, noise is always a top 3 concern, but it seems like most reviews don't mention it. I'd love if that became a standard part of your review!

[@lily4327]

Fuji Royal R-220 mill from Japan, It's the original ghost teeth, not the copy from Ali Express...

[@BasicBeachCommunity1]

Ooooh

[@Sean3614]

Very good comparison but, I pick up the kitchen aid burr coffee grinder with 70 settings and works very well for me. I got it on sale for $140 and it can also make great espresso unless my sense of taste is bad. But, watching what you post has made coffee fun for me and just getting my fist espresso machine a pasquini livia 90 I got in a junk store for $3.00 and getting it working has help me to decide what gear to buy.

[@taejaskudva2543]

Curious how the XeoLeo compares to the Encore, then. If it's punching above its division, how does it do with something of comparable price?

[@kennyhills8002]

I've just ordered some Red Brick coffee from you guys at Square Mile Coffee Roasters and I can't wait to try it out on my Rancilio Silvia V5 2018. I now have my 18g VST basket! So with some temperature serfing I hope to achieve the best espresso extraction so I get the maximum flavour from your coffee. Hopefully I can get as close as possible to the flavour as you guys suggest. I'm soooooo excited to try it!!!

[@Rhys635]

I’ve been very excited about this!

[@canbo7643]

Hi James. Thank you so much for all that you do for us. This has been a very welcome video for me since I recently purchased an Ode grinder. I have one small criticism though. Since “data” is plural, “this data” should be “these data”. Thank you.

[@Khangress]

Maybe give a darker roasted beans a try to see if X really shines as you have assumed here. Interesting to see.

[@winelisthk]

For Darker roast at coarser grind setting, the ghost teeth should perform quite well especially if it’s brewed as immersion method.

[@jko8888]

I own the (scale-less) Wilfa, and I cancelled my order of the Ode (from a local retailer, not Kickstarter). Needless to say, this video has reaffirmed my decisions.

[@sergioasch8096]

Hi James, have you seen the new hand grinder from orphan espresso? I believe they use the same kind of burrs as the XeoLeo. it seems very interesting.

[@joebass5795]

With a tool like the Bruler, it would be fantastic to get some micron targets for different brew methods and to move away from descriptors like “medium fine”. I think it would be interesting to be able to more precisely communicate and share brew recipes for a given roast between say a V60, Chemex, and Aeropress. We communicate this way for nearly all other factors - water temperature, coffee weight, time, etc. Why not do the same for grind size?

[@haydengriffiths5727]

It seems like the xeoleo has a bunch of different burr options on Ali express. Would have loved to have seen how the same grinder with a flat burr set compared!

[@jack4371]

I purchased the flat burr version on Amazon with a 200 watt motor. I am quite pleased so far.

[@danymeeuwissen5973]

Tim Wendelboe (who designed the wilfa) wanted it to grind slow because it tastes better (to him). I have a uniform too and love it. The only weird thing I've encountered is when I grind maragogype beans (those are huge), that sometimes they don't get caught in between the burrs and some just stay in the chamber.

[@Grabehn42]

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to hear "I bought on Aliexpress" on this channel.

[@Thetache]

He was ripped off it is £65 on Amazon

[@nickalderman5943]

a couple notes : Xeoleo make a great aluminum Hopper for this with a bellows to clear the burrs, I've got it on my Feima 600N, along with the sieve catch cup, which works, but also doesn't fit more than 30g with the sieve in. much like the ek43, the Xeoleo would benefit from aligning the housing.