This probably may spark a few questions, but Iāll try to explain to those who wonder why I went with the Mazzer Mini. Some may disagree, but this is from my perspective based on my needs, requirements and opinion absolutely an endgame grinder. It wonāt be a surprise to those, who understand what this grinder or Mazzer in general represents. My goal was to end up with a small basic commercial grinder rather than a top-end domestic model.
And this just happened, I chose the Mazzer Mini. I want an on-demand grinder, not a single doser, that is build by a manufacturer with solid reputation for quality and longevity of their grinders, a grinder that will last for the rest of my life. And Mazzer Mini Electronic B is that grinder.
Right out of the box, the grinder felt rock solid on the first touch – the quality is very impressive. Everything feels so sturdy and heavy duty, also the design is absolutely stunning. Not to mention the beautiful 64mm burrs, long lasting motor, super solid interior/exterior components and overall heavy duty professional build. Iām so impressed, that I truly wonder why I didnāt buy the Mazzer right at the beginning, before the Mignon. At least now I know the difference.
After I dialled in the anaerobic beans from Guji that iām very familiar with, I was yet again mind-blown. Same recipe, same beans, but aroma way more pronounced, the taste much more complex – I really didnāt expect such difference. Honestly, I didnāt know this coffee can taste even better. I love the flavour profile these burrs produce, Mazzer did an excellent job with these. Iām yet again very happy with the choice I made.Ā
The Mazzer Mini is to my surprise also pretty quick. Some reviews said that it would grind 18g in about 20+ seconds, but it really takes only about 11-12 seconds for the (pretty dense) high altitude, light-medium roasted beans I’m currently using and the current grind setting. People often speak of retention – itās 2-3g initially if that means anything to you. Once the gaps fill out, the number drops to negligible figures. The burrs are still new and need breaking in, but Iām not seeing almost any clumps at all. Definitely less than with the Mignon at the beginning. The grinds are very fluffy.
Grinding on the Mazzer Mini Electronic B is time based and as accurate as I dial it to be. I get 18g output most of the time once everything is set correctly. Dose accuracy depends on how good I calibrate the time according to the grind size. Occasionally, there’s a 0.1g difference between doses – nothing tragic. The grinder has two programmable doses – single press for single, double press for double. I can of course choose to set the parameters as I wish – single press can serve for a double dose as well. Holding the button will grind continuously. Grinding time can be adjusted by five hundredths of a second (0.05 seconds). If I want to stop grinding, pressing the button will stop the grinding cycle – easy. Some reviews say the grinder needs to be switched off in order to stop grinding, which again isn’t true. I really like the functionality of these features – really useful and easy to adjust.
Some owners upgraded their burrs to Super Jolly or SSP burrs. Youāve probably heard of motor stalling after upgrading to one of those more aggressive burrs, but I havenāt heard of it ever happening to anyone I know. So it perhaps really doesnāt happen that often.
These are the everyday cons youāll hear, but I assure you that these arenāt as much of a deal as you may or may not think. Getting past them rewarded me with a grinder that is by far superior to most in itās class in both grind and build quality. It feels like a grinder that will serve the way it did on day one for the rest of my life. I really wish I could describe this experience better, but I canāt – it needs to be experienced.
If you have any questions about the Mazzer Mini (or any other comments), please let me know.
Jaroslav
August 30, 2021
it makes the coffee taste so much better, agree! š
August 31, 2021
Yes ā¤ļø
September 1, 2021
Congratulations!
Really want to try the difference you described cause I thought my current Mignon Silenzio is good enough. Canāt imagine Mazzer has that much improvement. It make me want to upgrade my grinder now as well! lol.
Though I was told by a retailer that Mazzer is not ideal for home use because it can spill coffee and has relatively more retention than Mignon, also not very consistent on output. Do you see those problems?
September 1, 2021
Hi Julian, thank you!
I think the Silenzio is good enough, but you can definitely get more out of coffee with a better grinder. Improved grind quality from the bigger and well designed Mazzer burrs combined with slower rotation and less heat on the beans results in a better cup. While some notes were pretty subtle with the Silenzio, those flavours really punch through now – same coffee, same recipe but much bolder taste. It’s mind-blowing just how much better coffee can taste.
I’ve read this typical retailer cons talk, but I haven’t heard of spilling coffee – that’s new! Haven’t noticed any spilling. I’ve heard some negative things about the Mazzer Mini as well and was worried about the choice I made – I’d probably send the Mazzer Mini back if it wasn’t good. But it’s really, really good. It’s very consistent. The initial retention is 2-3g, about the same range as Silenzio. Exchange (once the gaps fill out) is also pretty much the same. It definitely clumps less than the Silenzio and it’s pretty fast compared to what some reviews say.
Please, let me know if you have any other questions about the Mazzer Mini. Many people said things about the grinder that simply aren’t true.
Thanks!
September 1, 2021
Julian, I just did some testing to give you some numbers – Emptied the hopper and grind chamber, threw 9,9g in and got 9,8g out. Then pushed out another 1,5g with bellows, meaning thereās about 1,5g exchange between doses. Iāve had worse numbers with the Silenzio. Iām not going to be single dosing, but these are good numbers.
I hope that helps!
September 18, 2021
I gotta say, it is surprising that there would be such a significant taste difference from the minion. That is one thing that constantly surprises me about this hobbyā¦. There are so many apparently inconsequential details that wind up making consequential differences
Thanks for sharing
Ardy
September 28, 2021
Hi Ardy,
absolutely and well said, espresso is very finicky.
Jaroslav
September 2, 2021
Cheers mate for the quick and detailed response as always.
Thatās some good numbers. Iām not using Silenzio for single dose either. Kind of regret I didnāt get the Specialita cause the manual timer on Silienzio isnāt really user friendly. Itās hard to find the exact point to get the precise output.
Thatās the main reason Iām planning to change it. Mazzer does look like a good choice, especially it normally comes with Mini as a combo. I donāt have the mini now but really tempted to get it at some time point.
Though read a few comments about the Mazzer so Iām not sure if itās a good choice. Before reading your article and responses I was more interested in Mignon XL. But yeah now Iām more confident to get Mazzer instead of XL.
September 3, 2021
Anytime!
I actually considered getting XL as well, but I felt like going from Silenzio to the XL isn’t enough of an endgame upgrade for me personally. It is faster than Silenzio, quiet, with allegedly lower exchange between doses than Specialita or Silenzio, bigger burrs – these are some really good selling points. Depending on how the prices are where you live, I’d go with the Mazzer Mini instead. Everything about it is so proper and solid, you wouldn’t regret it. If you have any doubts or would like to know anything about the Mazzer, let me know. Just don’t get the combo with Lux D from La Marzocco, get the Mini from Mazzer. Lux D has smaller burrs and doesn’t have a timer.
I hope that helps!
September 27, 2021
May i ask if you also considered the very popular Niche Zero? If yes why did you decide against it?
September 27, 2021
Hi Marc,
Iām not a fan of the Niche Zero, but I have considered that grinder while I was still single dosing my Mignon some time ago. The one and only good thing about it for me are the Mazzer burrs. Yes, itās very low on retention, which is really crucial for single dosing (and changing brew methods) and also the selling point/why itās so popular for most home users. I think itās also really ugly. I was decided that I didnāt want to buy a single dosing grinder, but it definitely wouldnāt be the Niche Zero if I really wanted one. If youāre in the EU, the price getās closer to a proper grinder really quickly. I only drink espresso, so for my needs and from my perspective the Mazzer Mini Electronic B is by far a superior grinder.
I hope that helps and thank you for asking!
Jaroslav
May 6, 2022
Glad to have come across this review, as I’m upgrading from my Rancilio Silvia + Baratza Sette 270 grinder, to a Linea Mini and have my eye on the Mazzer Mini B. I’d love to hear how you’re still finding this grinder months on?
May 6, 2022
Hi,
I stand behind what I said in the article, Iām really happy with the Mazzer and wouldnāt change it for anything else. Iāve had my eyes on the Super Jolly V Pro, but decided against it as itās quite large. Even though the 64mm Mazzer burrs really are of a high quality, Iāve upgraded mine with SSP High Uniformity burrs recently and Iāll be updating this article shortly. This upgrade took the grinder even further above itās pricetag. The grind time dropped from around 12s to 8.50-9s for 18-18.5g of light/light-medium beans, I havenāt experienced any stalls, the grinder sounds totally different while grinding with the SSP burrs and the coffee tastes from my perspective better. Just bear in mind this isnāt a single dosing focused grinder and never will be, only consider buying it if youāre absolutely sure youāll be running it with beans in the hopper.
I hope this helps!
Jaroslav
August 7, 2022
Hey there! Thanks for your review. After reading, Iāve decided to go with the Mazzer Mini as my first espresso grinder. Mainly because it looks beautiful and I know that itāll produce a good cup of espressoāat a very reasonable price.
Iāve also read that itās hard to clean, as it must be recalibrated once itās taken apart. What are your thoughts on this?
I make 1-2 cups a day, and I donāt foresee myself cleaning it every weekā¦ but this is my only concern before hitting the buy button.
August 18, 2022
Hi Shane,
I’m glad that my article helped you choose a Mazzer as your first grinder, it’s a classic. I suppose you’ll be buying the most recent model and I think you’ll like the latest redesign as well. Cleaning it is easy, but make sure to buy some food safe vaseline to lube the threads after cleaning. I’ve cleaned mine only once when I upgraded the burrs, I don’t think I’ll be cleaning the grinder for another year from now. Cleaning it that often would be perhaps required more in a commercial environment, not at home.
I’ve posted a review about the new 2022 Mazzer Mini A as well, have a quick read if you’d like.
Thanks for asking!
Jaroslav
November 27, 2022
Between the Mazzer Mini model A and B, which of the two models do you prefer and why?
November 27, 2022
Hi Joe,
Design-wise, I very much prefer the cleaner and more modern look of the Mini B, especially the āfaceliftā 2022 version. Usability-wise I prefer Mini A, mainly due to itās ability to manually dose 0,1g just by pulsing the manual grind (middle) button. The minimal manual dose time on the Mini B is one full second, this usually grinds out 2g, where the Mini A letās me grind out the tiniest amount when needed, resulting in less waste.
From the two, Iād probably get Mini B again. I prefer the minimalist user interface and the grinder is consistent enough for me to sacrifice the shorter manual dose pulse.
Thanks for asking!
Jaroslav
January 14, 2023
Hi Jaroslav,
How would you purge grinds/top up a dose on the Mini B?
I love the look of the B but Iām not sure if purging would be as easy as pressing a button on the A.
Thank you
Shaun
January 14, 2023
Hi Shaun,
Purging on the B works by pressing and holding the button for a second, it purges one whole second (around 2g). Topping up the dose works better on the A, you can pulse even 0,3g with the purge button.
Jaroslav
January 14, 2023
Thank you for your reply! Can you programme the double shot mode to half a second so it does 1g on a double tap?
January 14, 2023
The least you can set it to is one second, which will grind around 1-2g. I just went to measure exactly how much comes out in 1s with SSP burrs – 2.3g. I have the double-push set to 2.5s for the morning purge of around 4.5g and single-push to give me 18g. This 1s doesnāt bother me all that much however, I get 18g out very consistently. If anything, it overshoots by 0.2-0.3g, so itās fine. A small sacrifice for prettier user interface, haha.
Anytime!
Jaroslav
November 27, 2022
Thank you, Jaroslav! This is precisely the answer I was seeking. Very helpful. I share a similar preference for modern and minimalistic design.
A few other quick questions:
(1) Is the model B currently on Mazzerās site the new āfaceliftā 2022 version?
(2) What scale and cup are you using in your videos when grinding the beans?
November 27, 2022
Yes, this is the newest version.
Iāve been using the Felicita Arc over 2 years now, and the dosing cup is from Acaia (medium).
I hope that helps!
Jaroslav
February 12, 2023
Hi Jaroslav,
I’m surprised you can stop the timed grinding by pushing the button on your Mini B.
I have two B’s, and they both toggle back and forth between time 1 and time 2 when the button is being pushed during grinding.
Perhaps there is a hidden setting to determine the button’s funcionality?
BTW, in terms of the serial #, your grinder lies between mine (2012xxx and 2202xxx, built in 2020 and 2022).
Other than that, thanks for the nice article. I like the Mazzers for their workhorse abilities, simplicity and looks, too. Have had no other grinders since 2000 (back then, there was only the “Manuale” which served me well for 20 years ā and still looking and working as new, after a single burr replacement).
Wolfgang
February 12, 2023
Sorry for adding another comment right away.
I have a theory why you can stop your Mini B by pushing the button during grinding, while I can’t:
As you’re writing in the comments above, you set your “t2” preset to 2.5 seconds only. So, when pushing the button while grinding, it might still switch over to t2, but the 2.5 secs will most likely have elapsed alreadyāso the grinder stops immediately.
Maybe you can test my theory by setting t2 to a higher value. My guess would be that the extra push would just switch between t1 and t2, as it does on my Mini B’s (I have set t1 at ca. 6 s and t2 at ca. 11 s).
The question seems to be rather academic to me, since I’ve hardly ever missed the option to stop the timer. And if so, the mains switch certainly works … š
Wolfgang
February 12, 2023
Hi Wolfgang,
Thank you for reading and thanks for the compliment. I agree with your views on Mazzers, if I ever get another grinder it will be a Mazzer.
Youāll find two demo videos in the article – have a look at the video titled āGrindingā. Stopping the cycle requires a short, maybe one second long press and rather than a short quick press (as demostrated). Shorter press will switch between single and double, a longer press and release will stop the cycle.
Iāve just tested this with my 2020 Mini B (with double set to 6 seconds) and also quickly rang my dad to confirm whether this works on his 2014 model – and it did.
I hope this helps, and thanks for asking!
Jaroslav
February 12, 2023
Aah, got it, thank you!
– Short push during timed grinding toggles between t1 and t2
– Longer push during timed grinding cancels the timer and switches to manual mode (circling segments on LCD). Then letting go stops the grind.
Thanks again, definitely good to know! š
Wolfgang
June 22, 2023
Hi Jaroslav,
Love the article and the Mazzers! I have a Mazzer Mini Doser that I’ve modded to be a single dose – now there’s a grinder that has a retention issue! Don’t think that will ever die.
I’m about to upgrade but struggling to choose a replacement. I’ve noticed the internet/YouTube is awash with single doser love – Niche, df64, etc. Am I missing something – what happens if I leave 150g of beans in my hopper for a few days? Does it go stale immediately? We consume 2-4 coffees a day and find the single dose workflow annoying – love the on-demand process; so smooth and seamless. Plus, these reviewers are rotating between 4-5 different beans, which I don’t. I buy a bag, finish it and get another. Who can afford to spend $100 on single-origin beans each week?? Now I’m NOT dumping a kilo of beans in the hopper, but assume I can top up the hopper with fresh beans every few days without the risk of stale beans? Is this idea that beans must be locked away in vacuum bags until used BS – are they just trying to push cool new, Chinese-made single dose machines, or is hopper dosing bad for beans?
June 25, 2023
Hi Nick,
Iām not against, but really dislike the idea of single dosing. Iāve tried it, but donāt see a benefit in going through all the faff anymore.
I used to single dose, then I started leaving maybe 100g of coffee in the hopper, Iād fill just enough for a day. Then I started dumping the whole 250g bag, still havenāt noticed slightest degradation in flavour and aroma. Now I put literally half a kilo into the hopper, all I need to keep an eye on is the grind setting as I need to tighten it up a tiny bit every other day.
I do the same – I have a few coffees Iād like to try in my drawer but use them bag after bag. If you arenāt drinking 5 different coffees daily, thereās very little benefit to single dosing the same coffee all the time. Iāve settled on an on-demand grinder (SJ V Pro), I compelety stopped caring about what new single dosing grinder just came out/will come out.
Thanks for asking!
Jaroslav
October 22, 2023
Would you recommend this grinder for lighter to medium roasted beans? I have an Eureka Oro Mignon Dolce Vita (the more modern Specialita) with 55mm burrs, and I have to grind at the edge of its capabilities sometimes (which I don’t like at all), and yet the coffee is not fine enough, but it starts to form clumps as well.
October 28, 2023
Hi Yovko,
Iād recommend the grinder, but Iād also recommend looking into other burr options for lighter beans. The stock burrs will produce better results than Eurekaās 55mm burrs, but the Miniās burrs are also medium to dark oriented. I had a Silenzio (50mm) and the coffee always tasted better with Miniās stock burrs.
Jaroslav
October 28, 2023
Thanks a lot, Jaroslav!
October 29, 2023
Great article Jaroslav. We have just bought the Mini Mazzer electronic B grinder. My question is – I donāt understand why the number on the electronic dial keeps going up. Is it recording each grind? Or is it saving a new program each time I adjust the dial? Iām confused as up to 15 now!
October 29, 2023
Hi Leigh,
Thank you! Sounds like youāre holding the button pressed, thatās for grinding manually. Youāre supposed to press it once (for single dose, twice for double). I suggest you read the manual š
Jaroslav
December 9, 2023
Just about you purchase a LM Mini (after many years of wanting one). I was going to pair with a Mazzer Mini v2 as that was my intent way back. I see many other options out now and wanted to check if you were buying today would this still be you pick? I was looking at the Eureka Mignon Libra as the weight dosing seems cool, but also something that could break.
December 9, 2023
Hi Jamie,
Iād always choose a Mazzer over anything from Eureka, even if itās Libra vs Mini. If I had to make the choice between these two today, Iād still go with the Mini.
However, I remember that the Super Jolly V Pro just came out around the time I bought my Mini B and I thought it would be overkill for home, even though I really liked/wanted it. Having own both now, Iād always choose the new Super Jolly V Pro over the Mini, even if it meant that Iād be saving/spending more. Itās really worth it. If you can, skip the Mini (and the whole Eureka Mignon range) and go right away for something that wonāt make you feel like youāre missing out. The Mini has itās drawbacks that were addressed with the Super Jolly V Pro.
Jaroslav
June 13, 2024
Hi,
Great review!
I’m looking to upgrade my handdriven grinder (it’s not available anymore, but is from Crushgrind and was around 70 USD).
I only brew on french press and aeropress, so only like 1-2 cups at a time.
Is this Mazzer grinder ideal for that usage or should I instead try to find higher quality handdriven grinders?
I’ve seen people elsewhere prasing the 1Zpresso grinders for instance.