Pacman Senior Member Joined: 7 Sep 2004 Posts: 5 Location: upstate New York Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: manual Grinder: Kitchenaid Pro Vac Pot: Nicro Drip: discarded
Posted Tue May 15, 2007, 8:32pm Subject: Re: KitchenAid ProLine Grinder First Look
In reply to cmos_master, if the plastic plate causes too much pressure between it and the auger, resulting in some very fine grind even if that isn't what you want, and if when you remove the plastic plate, you don't have a tight fit between the ground coffee recepticle and the body of the grinder, how about just making more holes in the plastic plate? Has anyone tried that? Would that perhaps solve the problem of finely ground coffee as the grinder finishes the last of what is in the hopper? That is my only real gripe about the machine, and this seems like an easy fix.
cmos_master Senior Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 11 Location: San Diego Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed May 16, 2007, 1:51pm Subject: Re: KitchenAid ProLine Grinder First Look
In a word, precisely. Several people have done a combination of things. You can look at [ Click Here (www.mattcaron.net) for information about hacking at the machine to make it perform better, but I don't know that you necessarily need to break or damage the machine to get the same results. Once I have the grinder I will try several other options and post my findings.
cmos_master Senior Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 11 Location: San Diego Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Jun 6, 2007, 1:32pm Subject: Re: KitchenAid ProLine Grinder First Look
I have been using the grinder now for a couple weeks and run a couple of pounds of esspreso through the machine. There are some positives and some negatives that I'd like to share.
The grinder gets horribly backed up. I made all the modifications that people have tried to solve the problems and it just doesn't work. I ran a whole pound through, and when that was done I opened up the grinder and it was overflowing with grounds inside. The sweepers don't clear the output area efficiently, and the grinder itself is incapable of emptying the coffee from between the burrs. The burrs themselves were totally clogged with what I would call coffee ground MUD. It was hardened like clay inside and I couldn't get it loose with a brush. I had to use a screwdriver to scrape it away. That should not happen. I also noticed a lot of half ground chunks in the auger because it turns to fast and begins crushing the beans as it is trying to drive them into the burrs. Then after a thorough cleaning I started again, got the grind dialed in for my silvia and I have to say it produced a great shot with lots of crema from a bag of fresh beans. That was great, but after a few grinds for a few shots, it started to back up the machine. I opened up the grinder...totally clogged again. I think the "mud" I saw in the burrs means the burrs get grounds stuck inside that are being ground to an extremely fine powder and occasionally that powder gets ejected in with the rest of the grounds, producing an uneven fine dust. I noticed after about 4 or 5 shots that when I ran my finger around the edge of the portafilter basket, I was getting coffee stains on my fingers from the dust mixed in with the grounds. That didn't happen on the first few shots.
I think this grinder works great as long as you take it apart and completely clean it between EVERY use, but that seems like a huge inconvenience. I'm disappointed.
Are your beans very oily? If they are, you may want to try different beans. I have been using my grinder for about a year and have not had this problem. The only mod I have made to the grinder is to make it stepless.
Well, You suckered me in. I just ordered the Mazzer burrs from espresso parts for the low low price of $44 and picked up a new set for my pavoni zip. I'll need the ones for the zip in time so might as well same a few pennies on shipping.
As I mentioned on another thread neither mine or my sons KA will truly zero, confirmed the burrs never touch, the auger bottoms out first. That will be rectified at the same time. They do seem to grind ok after the minor modding just not fine enough.
I'll update as this project goes along.
By the way, noticed in one of your posts that you are a bartender. I own a bar. Ever notice how great minds think alike? ;-}
Posted Wed Aug 22, 2007, 4:37pm Subject: Re: KitchenAid ProLine Grinder First Look
gime2much Said:
Well, You suckered me in. I just ordered the Mazzer burrs from espresso parts for the low low price of $44 and picked up a new set for my pavoni zip. I'll need the ones for the zip in time so might as well same a few pennies on shipping.
As I mentioned on another thread neither mine or my sons KA will truly zero, confirmed the burrs never touch, the auger bottoms out first. That will be rectified at the same time. They do seem to grind ok after the minor modding just not fine enough.
I'll update as this project goes along.
By the way, noticed in one of your posts that you are a bartender. I own a bar. Ever notice how great minds think alike? ;-}
haha nice to see someone with motivation. let me know how it works out. i have been half thinking i can convince william sonoma to give me store credit that i can apply to that la povini lever they sell. probably wishful thinking.
i used to bartend but i miss it. i am also a native florididian satellite beach florida. now in utah.
i also discovered why these grinders seem to have such a variation. the auger that is the floating burr carrier will bottom out and prevent the burrs from touching or getting close enough to grind fine enough. if there is variation some grinder can grind fine enough and some cant.
when i added the mazzer burrs this flaw was apparent when i looked in the coffee exit chute with a mirror. i could see the burrs were 1/8" apart. i shimmed the stationary burr and here are the results.
gime2much Senior Member Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 1,965 Location: Sunny S Fl Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Pavoni, Astoria comm, 2... Grinder: La Pavoni Zip, Bunn... Drip: Bunn comm Roaster: Popcorn popper (air),co/ufo
Posted Mon Oct 22, 2007, 9:58am Subject: Re: KitchenAid ProLine Grinder First Look
CoffeeToolsAppJon Said:
yes i got it done and it works great.
i also discovered why these grinders seem to have such a variation. the auger that is the floating burr carrier will bottom out and prevent the burrs from touching or getting close enough to grind fine enough. if there is variation some grinder can grind fine enough and some cant.
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