I should have purchased this 3 years ago with my Silvia
Positive Product Points
Like Silvia, a solid product. Mine's the stainless steel version & looks great. The hopper and doser covers fit well, and don't rattle around as other reviewers report.
Negative Product Points
As everyone says: the doser. It leaves too much behind.
Detailed Commentary
I'd been using pre-ground Illy cofee in my Silvia for the last 3 years, and on a whim decided to get a Rocky. I wasn't expecting the huge improvement I've seen.
When I first tried grinding some beans I thought it wasn't working. I knew it was supposed to be quiet, so wasn't caught out when there were no beans in it, but when I added some I thought they were just being spun round and round - I couldn't hear any "grinding" sound. It was only when I looked in the doser I saw the (very) fine ground coffee.
I spent about a week varying quantities, tamp pressure, and grind settings until I found settings that I liked. I now use the double portafilter level filled with coffee ground at 9 (your settings may vary) then a light tamp, and a 25 to 30 second pull. For about 15 seconds of the pull the stream of coffee appears to be all cream it's so viscous. The taste is so much richer than the Illy I was used to. I keep that now just for longer drinks.
There is certainly more of an art to getting a consisant pull, I find that the quantity of coffee is the most important, I've considered buying some digital (drug dealer?) scales, though at about £50 ($75) I've only considered it.
Overall a great improvement over pre-ground Illy. I can't compare it to any other grinder - as I've never owned one - but It's hard for me to imagine how it could be much better.
Buying Experience
Excellent. Mail order from Drury Tea and Coffe in London. Next day delivery - well packed (packing material was old coffee bean sacks - nice touch). I also purchased some of their beans - very good.
Three Month Followup
It's been used every day, and worked flawlessly. What more could one ask for?: Well, the doser could be redesigned so that the user didn't need to do the tape mod., and the chute from the grinder to the doser could be more vertical. I currently stick a blunt knife in to extract the remaining grounds. If it were vertical I wouldn't need to do that. Otherwise, a great grinder.
One Year Followup
4 years on and Rocky was still going fine, until a small part in the doser broke (there's a metal strip which prevents the doser rotating backwards after pulling the dosing lever). I expected to be stung $10 or more for the spare part but Drury Tea & Coffee (who I originally purchased the grinder from) just popped one in the post completely free of charge. I'd highly recommend the company: http://www.drury.uk.com/
