niche customer service and design are amazing: i was cleaning the burr set and lost the two springs that calibrate/separate the upper and lower burrs. emailed support and they told me to look in the wooden base where they had stored two replacement springs. problem solved. when does design ever provide its own solutions? apparently with the niche it does.
@moose99moose
2 жыл бұрын
I had to look - it’s true. Spare springs at the ready 😊 Thanks!
@Nvlarr
2 жыл бұрын
Holy shit. That’s mad
@petervansan1054
2 жыл бұрын
"niche customer service and design are amazing" except they can't be arsed to refund the tax that you should not pay costing you a lot of money
@DavidRamseyIII
2 жыл бұрын
@@petervansan1054 niche doesn’t want you as a customer. You sound like a colossal tool
@nomorenames7323
2 жыл бұрын
Back when Maglite used incandescent bulbs, they would package a spare nested near the bottom where you unscrewed it, under the battery spring. I’m always impressed when designers think to do stuff like that.
@filiprehburg
Жыл бұрын
I'm not even into coffee, i watch your videos because they are well created, throughly researched and they cheer me up. Crazy how much random coffee knowledge i built up
@ice4142
Жыл бұрын
@@andreakhaid I don't drink coffee (although I may start) I found the channel through a Tom Scott collaboration.
@marcmougaard626
4 жыл бұрын
I own a Wilfa Uniform without the scale but a regular plastic lid. The plastic lid increases the noise substantially since it is not a tight fit and has no weight to keep it down. It is a rattling noise which can be annoying. An easy way to counteract it, is by putting some weight on top. I still really like the grinder, but choosing between the version with or without scale, this is a relevant piece of information I did not have beforehand.
@codymarwine8990
4 жыл бұрын
Could you add a rubber gasket to it to prevent the rattling?
@acninee
4 жыл бұрын
@@codymarwine8990 Might be hard and fussy to do aftermarket. I would think the manufacturer could include that as a design refinement without too much trouble, though.
@Jason-lp1rx
3 жыл бұрын
very useful information,thx. but,tast wise, are you satisfied with this grinder?
@onelegd1
3 жыл бұрын
Our over 15 year old Gran Macinino (Isomac) is still working great. It has a metal lid but I did find it rattling. Solution was to put a small bit of plastic/rubbery shelf liner across the back side of the hopper. Added just enough to stop the lid rattling and is grippy enough to just stay in place.
@ThomasKello
3 жыл бұрын
Well I also have the Wilfa without the scale and I have no problems with the sound. For me the experience is very muted and the grinder sounds great. Love this grinder 😍
@cjj7107
4 жыл бұрын
So this is how you celebrate 500k subscribers....by having a gorgeous new studio! :) Love it. Congrats!
@jameshoffmann
4 жыл бұрын
A happy coincidence! I look forward to growing into it.
@joneslareza9025
4 жыл бұрын
@@jameshoffmann please review bodum pour over..plss
@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat
3 ай бұрын
2.1 mil now
@amarit2519
4 жыл бұрын
"I do not make espresso at home. I don't have an espresso machine at home." I have to admit that's the most shocking statement I've heard since I started subscribing to your channel.
@brattingprincess
4 жыл бұрын
At times he secretly pre-grinds his coffee so he doesn't have to do it in the morning.
@davidf2244
4 жыл бұрын
Bizarre
@amarit2519
4 жыл бұрын
@@roryg137 I've owned two home espresso machines and used probably 2-3 other from friend's home. I make 3-5 cups a day (not just for me, for my wife also) and doesn't find it an "absolute pain" and always looking forward to the first cup in the morning. The amount of wasted shots could be a bit annoying at first, yes, but once you get a hang of it, you learn how to minimize the waste. Even with Eureka Mignon Specialita I use, which is an excellent grinder but without digital preset for you to come back to once you switch between beans, I learn to take note for future references and no longer spend more than two pucks dialing in for known beans. For new beans, I judge them from their roast level and roast date and usually get it close to perfect in 2 or 3 tries at most. I also don't know anyone who is willing to make their own espresso at home say it feels like a chore to them. So yeah, I have to disagree with you there. That said, I get where you are coming from. Why would someone who has access to all kinds of professional espresso machines want a home espresso setup at home, right? Well, while that seems like a fair point, I kinda expect someone of his caliber to have professional setting at home, not just home espresso even though he is not going to use it much. May be smaller scale but pro level machine. I get that a chef probably doesn't want to cook at home after long hours in the restaurant kitchen but I bet every chef you can find have cookware at home regardless. See my point?
@brattingprincess
4 жыл бұрын
@@amarit2519 He explained in WLCT 2020 that James seeks to stick to ONLY home appliances because those are his customers.
@keyrtan
3 жыл бұрын
You can tell he's single without kids. I'm a mini barista making espresso for myself, wife, daughter, at least twice each almost every morning. Sometimes my parents and neighbors too!
@sou_agua
3 жыл бұрын
I love that you showed the decibel meter with the FFT readout. Speaking as an audio engineer of 20+ years, I definitely prefer the tonal shape one of them. I love that the app displays the peak frequency as well. In short, our ears are most sensitive to the mid-range (we'll go with 250-2000 Hz). 2000 Hz is where the nasal sound transitions to the toothy sound in the back of the mouth just above the tongue. There is a brand of speakers that notoriously has harmonic distortion in the higher register of that range and all things being equal, will fatigue your ears faster. Looping that into this, though: lower frequency content in these sorts of appliances tends to irritate us less. It's one of those ways that sound does actually impact your nervous system. Mid-range sounds closer to the upper register tells our brain and body to "Pay attention!". The crossover of neurology and sound intrigues me a ton. In short, I submit this as food (or drink) for thought: that if you notice yourself having trouble focusing, examine the frequency content of your environment. Are there a lot of "grating", "bright", "shrill", or "metallic" sounds? That noise could also be adding mixed nervous system signals that rev you up. Thank you for adding this into your review. While completely niché, I will always be interested to see the tonal profile of any gear that makes noise. Please keep that up! It is something that impacts and informs my purchasing decisions (I recently replaced all my humidifiers whose frequency content closely resemble the items tested here). If you ever want to get super geeky on audio testing, let me know. I'd be happy to share a simple gear list if you ever want to be more accurate on this front.
@WaaluigiBoard
2 жыл бұрын
Is it klipsch
@shaunwall8334
2 жыл бұрын
I haven't really worked much with Klipsch speakers. The brand I was referring to is a professional level brand that appeals a ton to the entry and mid level professional markets. Klipsch lives in the consumer level of product.
@WaaluigiBoard
2 жыл бұрын
@@shaunwall8334 ah ok. I assume you would prefer not to say the brand name. Thanks for the response
@squrler
Жыл бұрын
@@shaunwall8334 so is it Kef then? Or Bowers and Wilkins?
@squrler
Жыл бұрын
We demand ANSWERS ;)
@craigobrien5098
4 жыл бұрын
Wait one second. If James Hoffmann invites me around to his house, I will not be able to have an espresso?
@jameshoffmann
4 жыл бұрын
It's true...
@FuddButter
4 жыл бұрын
As much as I like an espresso, i enjoy my filter more every day. I have an espresso machine, filter, stove top, french press........ But the convenience of the filter, and the quality is just a winner for me.
@EttaOslo
4 жыл бұрын
You'll get the best V60 you ever had or will ever have though!
@craigobrien5098
4 жыл бұрын
EttaOslo hahaha I guess so.
@brekkoh
4 жыл бұрын
If you've managed to charm your way into an invite to the man's house is the lack of espresso really going to be forefront of your mind?
@davethetaswegian
4 жыл бұрын
I have had my Niche Zero for about a month now. Very happy so far. I was after a high quality grinder as an an upgrade for the inbuilt grinder in my Barista Express and I like the whole single dosing work flow. The Niche zero was really the only choice. No one else seems to make anything like it, which really surprises me given the positive reviews and obvious popularity of the Niche.
@jamescrook8815
3 жыл бұрын
Hey, did you notice any difference from the barista express grinder in taste to the Niche. I have an express and thinking of upgrading.
@davethetaswegian
3 жыл бұрын
@@jamescrook8815 I wouldn't say there is any dramatic difference, mainly it is more consistent and easy to dial in (stepless rather than large steps on the Barista). However, I never found it easy to get recommended brew recipes to work with the Barista, i.e. 18g in, 36g out in 20-30 seconds was nearly impossible even paired with the Niche. I suspect this is because the pump pressure is a way too high 15 bar. The Niche helped a bit, but I have since upgraded to a Gaggia Classic Pro and this works way better. The Barrista Express is a good starting machine with well matched components but it has its limitations. For me the Niche was a first step in upgrading away from the Barista.
@PrinceBarin77
2 жыл бұрын
@@davethetaswegian exactly my experience with the Barista Pro 😕
@Ivijhhhhhhhbhvxer
2 жыл бұрын
@@davethetaswegian anything else you can tell us of your use of the niche with the barista express? Did you notice a different on flavour?
@davethetaswegian
2 жыл бұрын
@@Ivijhhhhhhhbhvxer I wouldn't say I noticed in big change in flavour, but I don't drink exotic high grown light roasts, preferring medium roasts and milk. The difference was more consistency. The Barista Express was capable of producing good shots but was a bit hit and miss doing so. The Niche made it a bit easier to get good shots. Since then I have upgraded to a Gaggia Classic Pro, then added a VST basket and a Mr Shades 9 bar OPV, later on I added a PID controller. All of that, from the original Barista Express to the set up I have now, was a series of incremental gains, but the Niche Zero was a very important first step. Having said all that, I would not recommend buying a Niche Zero, or any other high end grinder, just to pair with a Barista Express, you won't get your moneys worth unless you are planning on a future upgrade to a better machine.
@joemccall8991
4 жыл бұрын
Been thinking about both of these grinders and the price difference is definitely a factor. I can buy two Wilfa for the price of a single Niche, that's a lot of spare change for slightly better espresso and a 58mm cup. I'd like a Niche, don't get me wrong, but £250 could buy a lot of quality beans and a dosing funnel.
@alfredmani1461
4 жыл бұрын
My first ever grinder was the Zassenhaus Espresso grinder. I still use it from time to time but not useful for V60. Too much of a hit and miss, no control here. I then popped into Prufrock many years ago based on your recommendation and picked up my Wilfa Svart Aroma. It is superb!! I mostly brew Syphon, V60, Alessi 9090 1 cup and Neapolitan flip coffee pot (not so much these days). No problems with static, once I have finished brewing I take plastic container and shake over sink and job done, no drama. Yes there are some grinds still stuck but they don't bother me. Once a month I will give it a quick wash. Getting grinds out is easy. I like how the container has a little scoop/funnel area. Best feature is the top part of container, very easy to grip to get it in and out of grinder. This with digital scale, Brita water filter and KitchenAid long spout filter coffee kettle completes my setup. ✌
@9jang
4 жыл бұрын
I own both. I got the Wilfa because of James and I also upgraded to Niche as I start working on Espresso. They are both satisfactory investments!
@joshyjoshs237
4 жыл бұрын
I heard Wilfa better for filter and Niche better for espresso, correct?
@9jang
4 жыл бұрын
In my opinion, yes. In short, Wilfa’s flat burr gives a unique grind that helps with pourover extraction; Niche’s grind settings is stepless & essentially limitless so it is more towards Espresso but no problem with pourover.
@sharvo6
3 жыл бұрын
Which has less retention? Which is easier to clean?
@JoejoeReference
4 жыл бұрын
So from left to right, he seems to have the Lelit Anna, DeLonghi Dedica, Rancilio Silvia, Breville Bambino, and Gaggia Classic Pro. Looks like there's our new lineup for the next home espresso machine comparison
@Darieee
4 жыл бұрын
Dedica. No further questions thank you.
@kroasana
4 жыл бұрын
darieee I have one and I'm not verry happy with it. Tried to add unpressurized filter, but with it it either chokes or flows too fast. It's almost impossible to get a good shot. The regular pressurized filter is OK but you can't pull a great shot with it.
@SteveLi123
4 жыл бұрын
Bambino is gonna win
@seanhood980
4 жыл бұрын
@@SteveLi123 I love my Bambino. They were like £200 back in Jan
@itsJPhere
4 жыл бұрын
I'll guess either the Gaggia or Lelit will win because of relatively good price. Silvia will be third because of the cost. The rest are perhaps not as good.
@Samhaiine
4 жыл бұрын
I just finished the most stressful shift ever. First day back after corona. New beans as well. The grinder stop working (no way to adjust the grind size). I had breakfast service of 200 people. 😩🙊 Insanity!
@AdamCooperman
4 жыл бұрын
Was it one of these grinders or just general grinder woes? (not that it's necessarily a nock against any product, even the best will sometimes/eventually break)
@Samhaiine
4 жыл бұрын
@@AdamCooperman it's a commercial Mazzer with doser.
@JeffJacquesmd
4 жыл бұрын
Mariana Beirão I hope it was stuck on a setting which at least allowed you to offer everyone a decent cup of coffee, even if you couldn’t do different drinks. Better luck tomorrow and stay safe!
@f3lix126
4 жыл бұрын
@@Samhaiine Sounds like the burrs got jammed, need to take it apart and give it a good clean
@Samhaiine
4 жыл бұрын
@@f3lix126 I think they are dull or jammed yes!
@SiopaoSauc3
4 жыл бұрын
James really just flexing bringing in the decent when he had 3 or 4 capable espresso machines the whole video.
@Professor-Scientist
3 жыл бұрын
I've got dead rat morning breath
@Omaricon
3 жыл бұрын
I have the Wilfa uniform as well. I don't experience any lag from the scale at all, I was in fact impressed with how responsive it was.
@viewsfrompedroeyes
4 жыл бұрын
I have the Niche and surely you were one of the big reasons for me to choose it. Super happy with it, so flexible and easy to dial different coffees. I would add the following things: 1- Auto timer when you are grinding 2- Turn off the light when is in off mode, in the night, the red light bothers me a bit Overall I feel like the perfect home grinder for an espresso/latte lover like I am.
@julianbueno699
4 жыл бұрын
I feel like adding an auto timer or a auto turn off (when nothing else is there to grind) would not be overcomplicated and would definitely improve the grinding experience.
@shaunmcgeachin3879
4 жыл бұрын
Hey James, Recently due to Covid we have been running the Niche (as a trial) in the cafe, after my initial hesitation... as with most changes to work flow... I'm really enjoying it!!!! Not so much for commercial use as it does slow down production but it really is one of the best partners to the la marzocco linea mini (which we are also recommending) for home espresso needs. I've only recently started watching your videos and have to say thank you, your helping to re ignite my curiosity for coffee rather than it simply being my way to help people start their day and pay my bills. Stay awesome Shaun McGeachin
@stevenwagner7520
Жыл бұрын
But how many does he have at the office?
@nichecoffee787
4 жыл бұрын
Thank you again for a wonderful review James, we are very honoured to be featured on your channel again!
@sebastianschumacher9772
4 жыл бұрын
You guys ever thought about doing a cheaper not so pro version? 🤔
@julianbueno699
4 жыл бұрын
After this video, I am sure your R&D paused all problems and focused on a flat burrs machine with a bigger bean reservoir!
@narrowneck123
4 жыл бұрын
How can I buy a Niche Zero? Your website points to the three year old Indiegogo campaign. Is it possible to buy one in 2020?
@nichecoffee787
4 жыл бұрын
@@narrowneck123 Indiegogo is the correct place to buy.
@BuchananBrandon
3 жыл бұрын
I just bought your grinder today because of these videos.
@gabebennett818
4 жыл бұрын
My Niche arrives in a few days! Great to see this! Looking forward to a potential Fellow Ode grinder review in the near future if possible! I’ve been debating Ode v Uniform (scale-less)
@Mikehaelohim
3 жыл бұрын
I know it's been a long time already. But I was thinking about a Niche but for me here in Germany it seems just impossible. Did you wait for a production run and bought it of their website? Cause if not I would love to know where you got it from. All I find is prices close to 1000 Euro or having to wait, because it's not in stock :(
@wanderingjuniper
3 жыл бұрын
@@Mikehaelohim I believe they can ship in October for their standard price
@joseacanseco
4 жыл бұрын
I use the Niche Zero every day, amazing experience, good coffee, and easy to clean. It's very easy to change the grinding setting which makes it perfect to try different brews.
@chriswinthrop3253
4 жыл бұрын
Just received my Niche after a 3 month wait and I'm over the moon with it. Feels solid gives a great grind once you have a play with it. A bit of a cliché but it does feel like a future classic just with simplicity and quality build.
@angusgroom1177
4 жыл бұрын
Other KZitemrs: I love this product, here’s an affiliate link, please buy it! James Hoffmann: I stock this product, but I think it’s the worse product for a lot of people, and I don’t want you buying it from me anyway.
@xllvr
4 жыл бұрын
Angus Groom that’s why we trust him
@angusgroom1177
4 жыл бұрын
Daniel Tan exactly!
@Kaffeemacher
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for creating, creating and creating new videos.
@macsarcule
3 жыл бұрын
I just ordered the Niche having seen it in so many vids of yours. It looks like a genuine pleasure to use. I will likely have it by November and can make it a Christmas present to myself. Thank you for all your reviews!
@glennflaxmer8729
Жыл бұрын
Just in case anyone looking to buy, I just purchased the Wilda Uniform (without scales version), for £230 from Hamlet, also great deals on the Sage Precision brewer at £180, inc Amazon, John Lewis….just starting my real coffee journey, looking forward to discovery of tastes along the way 👍
@ecstaticducklin
4 жыл бұрын
Now I know I can bring my Niche in my backpack without damaging it. Lovely.
@luanrosa3022
4 жыл бұрын
James, keeping the phone on the table can make the metering confused by the wood shaking bc of the grinder
@dio52
4 жыл бұрын
That's irrelevant. The test was checking comparative noise levels, not absolute numbers. The phone was positioned identically in each test so it all zeroes out.
@truckerallikatuk
4 жыл бұрын
It was the same for both grinders, so it's even for both.
@MattM-24
4 жыл бұрын
@@dio52 one grinder may have better stabilization and cause the table the vibrate more. I agree it's probably a wash though
@santibanks
4 жыл бұрын
@@truckerallikatuk Actually, it wasn't the same for both grinders. Notice that the second one shows more often values below 80 whereas the first one shoots over the 80 mark more often. This means that there could be an average difference of 2 dB between the grinders. That actually means that the Niche is half as loud as the decibel is a logarithmic scale.
@luanrosa3022
4 жыл бұрын
It's true, it's possibly irrelevant. But James is quite rigours, so I was just saying that if one of the grinders is more shaky (I don't know if it's the right word because I don't speak english) there will be some potential fake numbers :)
@zh8502
4 жыл бұрын
Just bought Wilfa Uniform yesterday - the version without the scale 😎😎😎😎
@mariaremediostomas4923
3 жыл бұрын
I recently bought a Wilfa Uniform after I watched your video comparing grinders. I, too, don’t have an espresso machine & don’t plan to get into that “world”. I most often make coffee with either a Hario Mugen, a Hario switch, a Moka pot or a Clever dripper & sometimes will use a French press so the Wilfa is great for those methods. I’m very happy I watched your video before buying a grinder. My dream is to someday send you some coffee beans to try from my part of the world. Love your channel & content!
@Cunboss
4 жыл бұрын
I accidentally bought the Wilfa Uniform without the scale. After an initial frustration, I think this is what Bob Ross would call a "happy accident".
@Kyfow
3 жыл бұрын
I got the niche just this week and I absolutely ADORE it. It's a pleasure to use, really ergonomic and designed perfectly for its task. I replaced my old Gaggia MDF which was loud, large, stepped and had this god awful lever function to remove the coffee grounds which caused inconsistent quantities of coffee grounds and made single dosing accurately close to impossible.
@pstephens1234
4 жыл бұрын
I'm curious if you'll review the Fellow Ode Grinder and how it'll compare to the Wilfa?
@namdude0373
4 жыл бұрын
I wonder how the fellow ode brew grinder with ssp burrs (designed for espresso) compares to grinders like the ones featured in this video
@lbzkBMF
4 жыл бұрын
I bought my Wilva Uniform last year after seeing James' review of it. I'm very happy with the grinder and don't feel like I need anything else, or want something more from it. I have the version in stainless steel, without the scale, so I'm not experiencing James' frustrations. The grinder it's easy to use, to adjust and to clean. The coffee retention is insignificant, as about the static issue I do the water trick before grinding and all is well. Now, about the taste, I can confirm that coffee grinded by the Wilfa Uniform brews with a sweet, pleasant and aromatic taste, as James says. I noticed this difference from the first cup...which made my Kruve sifter completely useless as there was no need to sieve the coffee anymore. Also, regrinding the beans, or grinding them one by one with the Wilfa brings interesting and delicious results in the cup. If it is slower than the Niche is because it is designed to grind at a slow speed so that it doesn't heat the beans. But it's not that slow that you'll have the water boiled before the grind. As about it's loudness I find it to be normal...it's a coffee grinder after all, it's noisy by default and since that noise comes together with a good coffee flavour I'm not bothered about it.
@joelraivid5581
4 жыл бұрын
Any cleaning tips once the chamber is opened? Brushed the hurts but the bit under the bottom burr has some retention and don’t really want to turn the machine upside down so doesn’t get grounds on the threads
@lbzkBMF
4 жыл бұрын
@@joelraivid5581, try to use the brush provided by Wilfa to "agitate" those fines and once they're lose extract them with a vacuum cleaner. That's how I clean it.
@robertmugabe9315
4 жыл бұрын
One thing hate about the Wilfa is that when you adjust finer having ground coffee previously, you invariably encounter coffee locking the threading preventing the dial turning finer at all. Total removal of the top burr carrier is required almost every time a finer adjustment is needed, which becomes extremely infuriating.
@northendj
4 жыл бұрын
If you turn the grinder on while adjusting it finer, it should prevent this.
@robertmugabe9315
4 жыл бұрын
@@northendj Unfortunately it doesnt help - the grinder being on would help with coffee stuck between the burrs, however this grinder suffers from coffee stuck in the actual threading of the adjustment mechanism
@harveys7869
4 жыл бұрын
Hi James, I bought the WILFA from your shop about 2 months ago. I agree with your comments on Filter vs. Espresso. I own a La Pavoni and I just cannot get the WILFA to grind for it, it's always a little off. I actually have better results via a manual grinder. It's very frustrating. However, for filter, it's fantastic - the grind size is always very consistent and, strangely, I like the mechanical sound it makes. Overall very happy, it's a good workhorse that I appreciate more everytime I have to use someone elses grinder
@ZainKhalid02
4 жыл бұрын
Last time I was this early James was World Barista Champion
@gunstorm05
4 жыл бұрын
And this time he has a new set!
@ontheballcity71
4 жыл бұрын
I own both (without the scale for the Wilfa). Originally, I just had the Niche, but I brew quite a lot of espresso and quite a lot of pour-over. Moving between the two on a single grinder loses quite a lot of coffee, as one needs to put through some beans at the new grind setting to avoid the old setting contaminating the new set. So I use the Wilfa for V60 and the N iche for espresso. It works well - I like them both.
@potatotr33
4 жыл бұрын
James, quite a bit of sibilance in this video, try turning down the area above 8khz with the eq on your voice to tame that a bit.
@plindberg
4 жыл бұрын
I own the Wilfa and am very happy with it. Your original review made the decision easier, thanks for that! I have the brushed steel one without the scale, and it looks like new after a year and two weeks of daily use. No troubles. One thing I would have wanted, is some kind of indication of where between 1 and 41 the ranges of coarse, medium coarse, and so on, lie. Coming from the limited steps of a Hario Skerton hand grinder, this took some getting used to. I find the grind setting table in the manual lacking. One thing I like with the lid is that you can lift and drop it slightly a few times to blow out residual coffee from the burr chamber.
@greensprat
4 жыл бұрын
THAT's the size of the DE1+ next to the Niche Zero? Jeez. I'm sitting here with a Niche next to a ACS Vesuvius which dwarfs...well...small buildings. Trying to talk myself out of buying a DE1+ and this is not helping.
@jeremydelacuadra7615
4 жыл бұрын
The footprint of the DE1+ was one of the main selling points for me. I absolutely love what I can do with this machine!
@denisdemchenko3957
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks James! I hope you have a great day as well! I have a Wilfa Uniform grinder at home. It’s just perfect for daily hand brewing.
@Mongiloyd
4 жыл бұрын
Some beginner espresso machines in the back! Future Comparison?
@jameshoffmann
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, the under £500 category!
@Mongiloyd
4 жыл бұрын
@@jameshoffmann awesome! Looking forward to it!
@DCteamtraceur
4 жыл бұрын
I'm still stuck with a breville/sage barista express as my daily. Not a bad unit overall, but I'm really on the limits of it.
@Mongiloyd
4 жыл бұрын
@@DCteamtraceur careful for upgraditise haha. I could still be rocking it on a Gaggia classic if it weren't for my love for restoring older (bigger) machines. If your looking for an upgrade define some features you miss or what your machine lacks. But also do keep in mind things like workflow and frequency of use, which breville/sage is very good at most of the time.
@nofam
4 жыл бұрын
Bought a Niche largely on the strength of your review James, and I love it. Have only had it for 2 weeks (3 months in the queue for one to be sent to New Zealand), but the difference in clarity and texture coming from a Mazzer Mini is night and day (I only make espresso). And the almost-Zen simplicity of the workflow is amazing. Just need to convince my wife to let me get a La Marzocco Linea Mini to sit along side it!!
@DrSpud10x
4 жыл бұрын
I got my Niche a couple months ago and I love it. Your point James about "user experience" is key, and I'm glad you focus on that! When shopping I tend to undervalue that component. The taste in the cup is only 1 part of the home brewing experience. I don't want to deal with filling/unfilling a hopper, wasting some of that $20 bag of beans dialing in, and general friction during my morning routine. The Niche makes the whole experience super pleasant. Thanks for your reviews, they've improved my home quarantine coffee! For other people in the market I'll note that I think the Niche is overkill if you're only doing filter coffee, but if you're looking for something that can swap between espresso and filter it does so amazingly well.
@vhaarr
4 жыл бұрын
I have the Wilfa Uniform, and I am happy with the purchase. I do agree with all your points about it - the scale is almost useless, the grounds collector bin is weird and grounds stick in it, and the paint job is sub-par. I can forgive the scale, it's an easy mistake to make as a company, thinking you're bringing additional value to the customer when you add a feature. I can forgive the grounds collectors weirdness; the person who designed it was probably working with some really stringent design requirements. What I don't want to forgive is (1) the grounds sticking to the grounds collector, but especially (2) the paint job. The paint job is inexcusable - it should be Koenigsegg automotive grade paint (I believe they use 20+ megathin layers of lacquer for their cars), but what we get is a piece of metal that some student has dumped a spray can of bargain bin lacquer on, which he let dry outside in a rainy forest during wintertime.
@Impulse404Error
4 жыл бұрын
My takeaway from this is James confirming protection is good.
@jameshoffmann
4 жыл бұрын
Stay safe everyone...
@lellefot
4 жыл бұрын
I used to have a relatively cheap small flat burr grinder, OBH Nordica 2409. While it did grind coffee, the settings were limited, and the process was not very pleasant, it was tricky to clean and the sound of the engine revving away when the beans ran out was not fun. So after a lot of research (looked at the Wilfa as well) I did get a Niche, yes it was far more expensive, but it was also far superior. I can adjust the grind to my preference, it is easy to use and the grind-result is much much better than the old grinder could achieve. As I grind mostly small amounts, 1-2 cups at a time, I have no issue with the size of the hopper. I can see that some might wish the hopper to be larger, though if the size of the hopper increased I think the size of the dosing cup would also have to increase, since a full hopper generally gives me a full cup as well. Anyway I am very happy with my Niche and would highly recommend it if you like playing with your grind-settings, and love a good quality grind. IS it expensive, yes, but it is also built to last as far as I can tell, so it will be a long term investment.
@rmcBloody
2 жыл бұрын
Yes you can buy the niche dosing cup separately
@mrrellevartify
Жыл бұрын
Important addition: Niche has a very unfair pricing policy! They keep the 20% UK VAT (as an additional profit I guess) when shipping to customers outside the UK. So you will have to pay double VAT, theUK VAT plus the VAT of your country! That makes the Niche Zero roughly 100 gbp more expensive to non UK buyers.
@Hymhum
Жыл бұрын
Learn something about brexit bro
@yoerilokken565
Жыл бұрын
@@Hymhum VAT on goods after Brexit The EU and the UK have come to an agreement on trade matters. This article describes what the rules for value added tax (VAT) are if you import goods from or export goods to the UK. Purchasing products in the UK If you purchase goods from businesses in the UK, the seller will usually charge you 0% VAT. You pay VAT in the Netherlands, by declaring the VAT on your VAT return - on condition that you are an entrepreneur for VAT purposes. The British seller has to demonstrate that the goods have left the country, for instance by producing a freight letter or invoice.
@grillabbqwebber5279
Жыл бұрын
Hi James - I own a Niche and love the dosing cup; you mentioned that you would prefer if the Niche held more beans in the funnel. Unfortunately, that would make the dosing cup redundant because it can only hold the maximum coffee you can squeeze in the Funnel. The Niche is perfect for households; it grinds the exact dose I need for two expressos, and If I have beans weighed out in 18gm parcels, I can grind whilst I pull a shot or frothing milk. Happy Days :)
@marcelo.vargas
4 жыл бұрын
i dream with a Niche Zero, but its just outside my bugget, i im saving to get a Virtuoso+, would love to see a review of that tier of home grinders
@Jeremy-fy1sz
3 жыл бұрын
I'm on a budget these days, I might get one at the same time I get a proper espresso machine. For a medium grind aeropress, I do like my De'Longhi Burr .
@James_Baggott
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! We all waited for the Niche review v2 since the NFC disc - worth the wait!
@CoffeeChannel
4 жыл бұрын
I really like the Niche Zero, it's my go to grinder. I think it's the best grinder for the price.
@bozoc2572
4 жыл бұрын
It is a nice grinder, but not so sure about the price part...
@CoffeeChannel
4 жыл бұрын
@@bozoc2572 I did not say it was the cheapest. Just the best for the price point.
@bozoc2572
4 жыл бұрын
@@CoffeeChannel Even then, I am not convinced that it is the best for the price point. My buddy got NEW ASCASO I for around €300 and it seems like a really nice grinder. Used Mazzer Super Jolly goes from €150 and modding it for zero retention is trivial.
@roblucchetti2993
4 жыл бұрын
You can also get a Eureka Specialita w/ 55mm flat burrs for around the same price new. You can single dose with it or use a hopper and get very near the retention performance with infinite steps for espresso.
@gaslitworldf.melissab2897
4 жыл бұрын
I love how you always address possible objections and go on to explain why you went about it they way you did. Besides, you really can't do a "blind" test, b/c you do all the work yourself.
@CaffeineDose
4 жыл бұрын
You forgot to compare 1- the Grind Retention 2- ease to clean 3- Grind consistency.
@bobwage7514
3 жыл бұрын
I got the Wilfa, thank you for the recommendation. The only problem I had was wait for the step up converter. Once I got that the grinder works great, thank you
@bobwage7514
3 жыл бұрын
LiteFuze LC-500US 500Watt Step Up/Down Travel Voltage Converter, US Cord. This is what I was told to use, purchased on Amazon
@danallen1448
6 ай бұрын
So do you use the UK version in the US with a converter? How does it work? I'm interested in the silver version, but they have no plans to release it in the US.
@colinwatt00
4 жыл бұрын
This video could not have come at a better time. Wow. Thanks.
@itzamna3080
4 жыл бұрын
7:29 Manufacturers: HOW DARE YOU!
@BeJahnHobbies
4 жыл бұрын
Love my Gaggia Classic. Use it multiple times a day. Excited to see what James has to say about it. For the price, it absolutely rips. The few faults I’ve found are the solenoid value can get a bit confused after steaming milk and causes the group head to spray a bit, usually fixes itself after a quick back flush. It’s also on the lighter side so when you put the portafilter in, the machine tends to slide a bit. Overall I love it as my first home espresso machine.
@lineridermutti
4 жыл бұрын
Great long term test! My Niche arrived today and I am staggered by the built quality of this thing. IMO V60s taste great with it. Keep on the good work and i am lloking forward to the cupping event.
@ChristopherMichaelR
4 жыл бұрын
I just got a Niche a month ago and it made the process of switching between espresso and filter coffee everyday possible. Some days ill make a pour over for my dad and I, or other days ill be making an iced latte because its been so damn hot. I only found out about the Niche because of your video and i'm really happy I bought one. It looks nice in the kitchen and doesnt take up much counter space. At first I thought the price was kind of steep and because of the kickstarter style of ordering I didn't feel very comfortable but ordered anyways. Its the best money I spent on coffee as a hobby and I believe that if you really want to take up coffee as a hobby you should buy the best grinder you could afford.
@brendonbonacci448
4 жыл бұрын
I’ve had my Niche from first release, I absolutely love everything about it and I’m glad I’m not the only person moaning about the tiny hopper! If they designed the exact same grinder with a quicker motor and bigger hopper maybe an EK rival for small coffee shops? I think so!
@keyrtan
3 жыл бұрын
The wilfa just on KZitem gave my wife a migraine instantly. I'll be getting the Niche lol.
@stinkdyr301
3 жыл бұрын
Niche does have a better sound.
@maveric2881
4 жыл бұрын
Great review and comparison as always James! Concise and clear.
@Taichientaoyin
3 жыл бұрын
after several videos on coffee grinders I finally decided to buy the wilma Uniform. thank you so much!!!
@mayankkaushik7620
4 жыл бұрын
Please do more videos on cheap coffee machines and yell us how to tackel their problems.
@snoopie.-8075
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah this is very interesting, because i can't buy a machine that cost like $200+
@GrahamTriggsUK
4 жыл бұрын
@@snoopie.-8075 I'm not sure if I want to see James reviewing the grinder I recently bought - Melitta Calibra. Finally I have something that can grind directly into a V60 cone, rather useful in saving time and not having something else to clean up. And it sits at quite an affordable price. I've been really happy with it since I got it, and I'm sure James would tell me all the reasons why I shouldn't be!
@rickastley885
4 жыл бұрын
Mayank Kaushik if you can't spend a lot, don't bother making espresso at home. It's an expensive hobby and there's no two ways about it, unfortunately
@MyBelgianAzzy
4 жыл бұрын
@@mayankkaushik7620 for starters, you need an Aeropress. They make *outstanding* coffee, they're basically indestructible, they're effortless to clean, and they cost $30usd. Swapping out your standard coffee machine for an Aeropress will upgrade your coffee experience instantly! The next purchase I would make is a Fellow Prismo for your Aeropress. It's an attachment that keeps your coffee from dripping, it has a reuseable metal filter included. Finally, I would invest the remainder of your money into the best burr grinder that your budget can afford. James Hoffman did an excellent review of burr grinders on this channel that includes a selection of moderately priced machines. Since your Aeropress is so inexpensive, you can (hopefully!) allocate a little more towards your grinder. :)
@mayankkaushik7620
4 жыл бұрын
@@GrahamTriggsUK @ Graham Triggs I'm not asking for a video about why we should not buy expensive and fine working machines . I'm asking a video to help those who can't go up higher in terms of price for machines, how could we make good espresso at home without spending a good amount of money.
@johnoffenberg6487
4 жыл бұрын
James, Couldja give us a 'new studio tour' including a few insights into your choices (e.g. aesthetics, functionality, longevity, durability of your countertop) for studio vs home kitchen design.
@TheWoeggil
4 жыл бұрын
I got myself a niche last christmas. I brew aeropress and moccapots with it. Easy to use, easy to clean(!). Compact, solid and so on. Clear upgrade on the porlex i used before.
@SqumbusJumbus
4 жыл бұрын
it appears this handsome coffee man shall be added to my list of quarantine binging
@lexchoo6902
3 жыл бұрын
Hi James, would love to see you doing a comparison video with the Fellow Ode against these two grinders. Love the honest comparison here!
@happymartin11
3 жыл бұрын
I would like to see that, too.
@johnreeve2942
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the great video. Liking the new studio layout too! I haven't previously heard of the Wilfa, but I have put myself down for a Niche Zero for the October batch. Your videos with the Niche were a big factor in my decision and it's encouraging to hear you still like it. P.S. looking forward to what I assume will be upcoming reviews with the entry level machines in the background. I currently have a Dedica so it will be interesting to hear your thoughts on it. I'm looking to upgrade my machine and will probably buy a Lelit, which I note you also have in the background 🙂.
@Chandicuts
3 жыл бұрын
I have the Wilfa Uniform - I drinking mainly filter coffee and use it with a Moccamaster CupOne. Match made in heaven - like you say, the Uniform produces a coffee with a lively clarity of flavour - great for exploring different coffee's from around the world. However, I also use it for making a pseudo-espresso for my wife using an aeropress. I pretty much can only use grind setting 4-5 and I have to pick between the two...so, it is capable but only in a pinch. If I had a dedicated espresso machine, I'd definitely get the Zero.
@suandis9292
4 жыл бұрын
Are we gonna see a video on the GAGGIA CLASSIC PRO at the back soon??? :O
@daniels2423
3 жыл бұрын
I was just about the order the Niche when I stumbled upon this video. I only drink brew coffee at home so thank you for saving me the £££'s. I have just bought the Wilfa from Square Mile.
@TeeLichtet
4 жыл бұрын
Great content as always! The one thing that leaves me thinking is why you never have water between the different cups to give your taste buds a little reset. Isn't that common in coffee tasting?
@khalid0790
4 жыл бұрын
Great video like always, I ordered a niche a while ago and I’m looking forward to try it, single dosing is the main factor for the upgrade ....
4 жыл бұрын
I don't have either of these grinders, currently just using a Baratza Encore for filter coffee and french press as a daily. I am considering the Niche Zero against the Baratza Forté AP in the near future once I get an espresso machine to go along with them. I can say I did consider a Wilfa grinder, but I couldn't find a place that shipped the Uniform over the pond, in fact, I thought they actually weren't producing them anymore! The one thing I really like about both of them is the style they have. I know it's inconsequential to the actual taste of the coffee they are capable of producing, but I find it complementary to the experience.
@_iching
4 жыл бұрын
You coffee tasting sold out! I was too busy with work and was budgeting for my salary to come out to buy.. sigh.. I've got a NZ... I'm really happy with it! Ya the lack of auto off is somehow not there but I really love every other aspect of it.. Thank you James, your review helped me push to get a NZ and I love it...
@niichuuko1095
4 жыл бұрын
I adore my uniform - but I've actually had to make several tweaks to get the best out of them. First is having to adjust the zero point - I had burr rub at #4. Changing the zero point is easy, just a screwdriver. The second is burr alignment - mine needed a little bit of adjusting, once again on the top lid. Easy job too. There are several other things. The uniform has about 0.2-0.3g retention. If you continually use the grinder at the same setting, the machine will just hold and replace that amount, and give you zero retention. I guess the auto off actually shuts off a liiiittle bit early. What else to say....not much. It's a great grinder. 14-18 for single dose filter, 4-7 for moka pot. Zero it first.
@jrguk
4 жыл бұрын
I’ve just got one and been looking for instructions on how to do this. Mine seems way too coarse on 1: not as fine as my Porlex on the 8th click. Are there official instructions buried somewhere on their site, or do I need to sit down with it and look closely at how it fits together?
@niichuuko1095
4 жыл бұрын
@@jrguk I'll tell ya - unscrew the top lid completely. Take the top lid and flip it upside down. There are 3 screws in the burr itself, and 3 screws around the burr, on the metal part surrounding it. Step one is to visually inspect the burr and ensure it's mounted properly. As long as it's not crooked or anything, it should be fine. Maybe look at the lower burr, too. Both should be well seated. As for adjusting the zero, you want to unscrew the 3 outer screws of the top lid I mentioned earlier. Take the metal part off and you'll see a whole bunch of screw holes in the plastic hopper. Now it's up to you to figure out which direction it is you should head towards, clockwise or anticlockwise, to make your grind finer. Each screw-hole corresponds to one click of adjustment finer/coarser on the uniform. Take this time to clean the inside of the hopper, too. Ideally with some rubbing alcohol or something that'll pick up the coffee oils and residues. Ideally, you want to set it until you get just a bit of burr rub at the finest setting, then set the zero point one screw-hole over. Meaning at the finest setting you get no burr rub at all. Hope this helps. Sounds harder than it is. About 10 minutes of testing and screwing around will get you there.
@niichuuko1095
4 жыл бұрын
@@jrguk I forgot to mention - there's actually a way to get even better grinds out of the uniform. You can better "center" the burr of the top lid by loosening up the 3 screws, using paper or dollar bills stuffed around the edge of the burr and the housing, to perfectly center the burr, then tighten down, and remove your paper. Made a significant difference on mine. The bottom burr set usually doesn't need any alignment...it sits comfortably. But if you notice your uniform's auto-stop function stops...stopping, then take that burr off, and clean the chamber and the burr's underside. Slap it back together, problem solved. Another thing to watch out for is "walk". Where if you're grinding a particularly hard bean, your hopper can actually rotate and make itself finer during grinding. Simple fix. Wipe off the grease on the metal ring, the part with the bps, as well as the metal bits on the grinder itself that touch those bumps. You can wipe down the screw threads too if you need. Good luck! I suppose I ought to put a video out on how to do these...
@traal
4 жыл бұрын
For single dosing, especially small batches like 15 or 18 grams, I would seriously consider a hand grinder like the Comandante C40. It grinds 15 grams in 30 seconds without breaking a sweat, has basically no retention, and cleaning is super easy. And takes basically no counter space! I sometimes grind batches of 40 grams on it, which takes around 90 seconds and does feel like more work. But yeah, do consider it for mainly single dosing, with the occasional larger batch.
@smileycomments
4 жыл бұрын
Love the review James - nothing is an endorsement more than seeing the Niche pop up in every video. I picked one up myself and have loved the experience of pulling espresso and making filter coffee with it.
@emiljan9588
4 жыл бұрын
I’ve been using my Wilfa for a year but only for V60 and it’s a great grinder. I tried it a few times for espresso but wasn’t able to get a single proper shot. And the lid with the weight is not so bad, but I use my iPhone with the dedicated app which can be easily linked with the lid via BT. For me, it’s okay and got used to it. But have to admit that the scale displayed on the lid is not very responsive. Fortunately, the weight in the app reacts instantly, without any lags.
@zerg539
4 жыл бұрын
So what is probably making the difference between the friends and the clarity is the uniformness of the particulate size, flat burr grinders tend to have fewer fines and a more uniform size. And conical grinders have more fines which lead to more body through some over extraction and some particulate making it into the cup
@StartCodonUST
4 жыл бұрын
I've found a Helor 101 w/ contemporary burrs, a Cafelat Robot, and Ruby Coffee's Creamery blend (pride of Central Wisconsin, best coffee roasters in the Midwest, fight me) have paired to produce some of the sweetest, richest shots of espresso I've ever had, and probably the best espresso I could find between Calgary, Denver, and Seattle. I've been so hyped ever since I got it all dialed in earlier this summer.
@herme99
4 жыл бұрын
Niche Zero on my Christmas list (to myself.....)
@timbranton7950
4 жыл бұрын
Very long lead times so may need to order soon to be grinding on Christmas Day
@tydcook
4 жыл бұрын
Same here!
@ManuelMunozLara
4 жыл бұрын
A couple of months ago I was debating which one of these grinders to get. To me it seemed to boil down to the aesthetic of the grinder, as both of them seemed like really good comparable choices, as I can't tell the difference between coffee ground in flat or conical burrs. Yesterday I received my Niche and was pleasantly surprised that they now include the flow control disc. What I don't really know it's when are you supposed to calibrate it. In the manual they tell you how but not when.
@GrantMcWilliams
4 жыл бұрын
I laugh at the "dialing in the Wilfa is no fun" as I sift the coffee that came out of my grinder by hand for espresso.
@Coffee_Kev
4 жыл бұрын
Nice video James. I love the Niche Zero. I agree re having space for grinding more coffee would be great, most of the time I'm grinding for single shots, but like you I do sometimes use it for grinding larger doses. Maybe they could make an extension attachment? Cheers, Kev.
@warrenpaden4627
4 жыл бұрын
I've had the wilfa for a few months and I'm very happy with it. Scale is fine for me but then I did get a free upgrade from the model with just the lid only, so I cant complain. I mainly brew v60 and it makes amazing coffee when I don't mess up the pour.
@GDORastaMan
4 жыл бұрын
I think making a Espresso in the morning is a lot less time consuming and effortless than a V60 or any style of coffee for that matter I have the Niche Zero and love it! Thanks!
@renevanoyen3817
2 жыл бұрын
Hi James! Based on your reviews I choose the Wilfa Uniform with the normal lid. I have used it for the Bialetti Moka Pot (setting 4~6), automatic filter (15~17), manual drip (18~22) and French Press (23~28). What are your favorite settings with these? The advised settings in the booklet are way off. It doesn't bother me at all that it grinds slow as I assume that this reduces heat. The noise is okay as I have a firm 8 mm thick rubber pad under it, which removes the high pitch tone. It's also in a corner which also dampens the sound a bit. The static of the grounds are little to none existing, of which I'm so happy with. Probably because there is so much stainless steel used and when you get the container out, any static left (if any) will disappear through your hand. Some coffee ground may sometimes stick to the inner sides of the container, but I always firmly tap it on a cork plate to loosen it. That works perfectly every time. That's all. Best regards!
@gg.6967
4 жыл бұрын
There is a recent comparison between the Baratza Virtuoso vs Fellow Ode. The Video was posted in North America 11 hours ago.
@Agathorn
4 жыл бұрын
I'd love to hear what you think of the "Ikawa Home" roaster
@tallamericano
4 жыл бұрын
Was looking at it but I think it’s expensive and you can only do 40g at a time . All depends on your requirements. Are you looking for a sample roaster, do you want a new hobby , do you want to just roast for espresso etc etc . I’m shopping around for one and there are a few on Kickstarter that may prove good
@Agathorn
4 жыл бұрын
TallAmericano I have it and I like it. I'm mostly after fresh coffee and not to learn a lot or experiment. The small batch size is a bummer but you don't have to babysit the beans while they roast. Also it's quite loud due to the hot air technique.
@katt2002
4 жыл бұрын
@@Agathorn curious about the loudness, can you still hear the crack?
@Agathorn
4 жыл бұрын
katt2002 you can but it's not as easy as a traditional roaster using gas or infrared light as the bocaboca for example
@jarleygarden3671
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for another necessary shot of coffee (info...), James. Always a pleasure to watch and listen to someone so immersed in the subject. I have a Wilfa Precision at home, and it does the job for me so far. I only grind for filter machines (another Wilfa...) or various pourover variants, and never espresso. Hence, I need to be able to grind up to 65-70 grams at the time, so the Niche, although really nice looking, is not for me. I´m waiting for the Fellow Ode to come out before considering an upgrade Keep up the splendid work :)
@jerryadams54
4 жыл бұрын
Always enjoy your videos and I appreciate this 1-year later perspective, especially for the Niche since it was due to your initial review that prompted me to make such an expensive purchase. I have yet to move into espresso but that day is coming....soon! In regards to calibrating the Niche: I suggest you re-read the manual as the process is quite simple and can have an impact of the grinds. One week I realized that my paintaking attempts to get some consistency in my daily french press output was suddenly failing. After a few days of frustration and consternation I checked the calibration and somehow it has become out of calibration!!! (I think I must have accidently turned the silver ring when making an anjustment. ) Once recalibrated, also a good time to sweep up the insides, i.e., do a quick clean-up, order and consistency has been restored! P.S. I was already to buy the Flair Pro 2 and then stumbled across the Cafelat Robot, which you seemed to really like. I feel stuck between these two. I wish you would do either an update of the Flair Pro 2 and/or compare these two manual espresso makers. Please? And thanks. Best wishes.
@rolandmarandino9310
4 жыл бұрын
As my Niche arrived calibrated and set at 20, that's where I started for espresso; however, I eventually needed to go down to between 10 and 9 for the first two types of beans I've been using; setting in the teens made for fast, under extracted shots.
@LoerdNoerd
3 жыл бұрын
I'm watching a video comparing two grinders that are completely sold out everywhere and probably will be for the next year or so ... and loving it.
@tobiasdruener
4 жыл бұрын
First: thanks again for another nice video! But to be honest, I totally agree with a previous comment and I think the old studio setup appeared far more relaxed and personal. Maybe it has to do with the sound settings, but I too fear, that I will miss the old setup... However I see, that the new setup is far more convenient and practical.
@justinreagan4461
4 жыл бұрын
The pictures on the left are hard to see I think it might be better to move them to a different wall or just replace them with something else.
@robertsandgren9389
2 жыл бұрын
We had the wilfa at work for years. Grinding brew coffee several times per day for 20-30 people. Great quality! Not surprised that it's better suited for brew coffee since it's a Norwegian brand that (as far as I know) doesn't produce espresso machines. Very reliable!
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