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Date: 06 Jul 2006 09:20:49
From: Ben
Subject: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Hi all,
Just a note to any UK readers on the lookout for a grinder that the Gaggia
MDF is currently a clearance line in the department Store 'John Lewis'. It
is reduced to a smidge under UKP75. A bargain I think you will agree!
I notice in the manual it states do not run without beans in the machine. I
like to put just enough beans in the hopper to grind for a double, hence at
the end of the grind there are no beans left in the machine and the motor
is still running. I assume that Gaggia's instructions are erring on the
side of caution as I cannot see that a couple of seconds without beans can
do any damage and I don't want to fill the hopper up so beans are always in
it. Do any other users have any practical advice on this and also emptying
the doser when using just enough beans - I seem to use more beans per
double now??!
Cheers,
Ben.
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 13:17:48
From: hudson
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Ben" <_@_.com > wrote in message
news:RB4rg.48341$7Z6.24011@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Hi all,
>
> Just a note to any UK readers on the lookout for a grinder that the Gaggia
> MDF is currently a clearance line in the department Store 'John Lewis'. It
> is reduced to a smidge under UKP75. A bargain I think you will agree!
>
> Ben.
Not on the website, must have missed it. Bugger.
Stuart Hudson
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Date: 06 Jul 2006 03:54:09
From: Ritske Rensma
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Hi Ben,
Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
=A3120 - bummer...
I use it exactly the same as you do - scoop in the beans that you want
to grind, grind, then empty doser. This means the machine runs without
beans for a few seconds, which I find quite a helpful audible cue that
it's finished. It doesn't sound like the burss are touching or
anyhting, so Ican't see why that would be harmful in any way...
cheers ritske
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 03:16:12
From: Bill (Adopt)
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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In article <1152183248.053655.16760@s26g2000cwa.googlegroups.com >,
Ritske Rensma <r.rensma@virgin.net > wrote:
> Hi Ben,
> Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
> £120 - bummer...
..never mind, Ritske - 10 years from now you'll still
have it and your success will far outweigh the pain
and the bank manager! :))
> I use it exactly the same as you do - scoop in the beans that you want
> to grind, grind, then empty doser. This means the machine runs without
> beans for a few seconds, which I find quite a helpful audible cue that
> it's finished. It doesn't sound like the burss are touching or
> anyhting, so Ican't see why that would be harmful in any way...
Same thing ..just different grinder (and physical size)!
Ben ..agree that running on for a short while at the end
of a bean grind shouldn't hurt anything - if the plates
were to touch even one bean would likely lock them and
stall the machine...
I think the, "..do not run without beans..", refers to
starting the machine without anything in the hopper.
Too easy to start up with grinding plates physically
touching each other and screeching, "Ouch", whilst
blunting all that quality steel. Can happen when
reassembling following a cleaning session..
Perhaps the same reason applies in the advice to have
a grinder running with beans before and whilst adjusting
to a finer grind - ie any stress/lock-up is hopefully
noticed before permanent damage.. :)) (Not so relevant
when adjusting to a coarser grind).
hh
Bill ZFC
--
Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 08:09:30
From: Ben
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Bill (Adopt) wrote:
> Too easy to start up with grinding plates physically
> touching each other and screeching, "Ouch", whilst
> blunting all that quality steel. Can happen when
> reassembling following a cleaning session..
>
> Perhaps the same reason applies in the advice to have
> a grinder running with beans before and whilst adjusting
> to a finer grind - ie any stress/lock-up is hopefully
> noticed before permanent damage.. :)) (Not so relevant
> when adjusting to a coarser grind).
>
> hh
>
> Bill ZFC
>
Thanks for the advice guys. I have another query... Where the upper burr
threads onto the mount there seems to be more 'play' than I expected. Upon
searching on google it seems like the problems people were having with the
Rocky grinders some time ago. Does anyone else notice this movement - very
slight but noticeable if you 'wiggle' the hopper. If I have it on the
lowest grind and move the hopper from side to side with respect to the body
of the machine I can hear the burrs touching! Maybe this is why it always
needs beans in? I cant see why the thread does not tightly fit to the screw
though... maybe I got a duff one?
Ben.
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 13:11:34
From: Bill (Adopt)
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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In article <_Eorg.49313$181.22483@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk >,
Ben <_@_.com > wrote:
> Bill (Adopt) wrote:
> > Too easy to start up with grinding plates physically
> > touching each other and screeching, "Ouch", whilst
> > blunting all that quality steel. Can happen when
> > reassembling following a cleaning session..
> >
> > Perhaps the same reason applies in the advice to have
> > a grinder running with beans before and whilst adjusting
> > to a finer grind - ie any stress/lock-up is hopefully
> > noticed before permanent damage.. :)) (Not so relevant
> > when adjusting to a coarser grind).
> >
> > hh
> >
> > Bill ZFC
> >
> Thanks for the advice guys. I have another query... Where the upper burr
> threads onto the mount there seems to be more 'play' than I expected. Upon
> searching on google it seems like the problems people were having with the
> Rocky grinders some time ago. Does anyone else notice this movement - very
> slight but noticeable if you 'wiggle' the hopper.
Can't offer comment here - although having used an
MDF, didn't use it long enough to notice anything
specific. Seems to have a solid reputation as a
quality home grinder more than suitable for espresso,
though.
> If I have it on the
> lowest grind and move the hopper from side to side with respect to the body
> of the machine I can hear the burrs touching! Maybe this is why it always
> needs beans in?
Having beans in before use seems to be general advice,
even with the highest end grinders - according to both
a shopkeeper and to a cafe proprietor around here. May
be to do with less aware staff operating the machinery
unsupervised at times.
On the other hand, do you normally grind at the very
finest of (a turkish powder) setting..? I guess that
any 'loose play' in the mount is not a desirable trait.
It will mean an irregularity in the grind consistency,
so important for outstanding espresso.
I'm not at all sure as to what counts as acceptable
'leeway', or 'play', in the mechanism, though. I
can only guess as little as possible!
> I cant see why the thread does not tightly fit to the screw
> though... maybe I got a duff one?
..or even accidentally cross-threaded on re-assembly
- as another might have been recently...?
If you have the slightest doubt, take the thing back.
John Lewis are particularly good at replacing items
or returning money immediately if /you/ feel there to
be a problem ..and should assess intelligently and pass
on to the Supplier any comments that you have.
Their sale items won't be 'duff' and should come with
both their 1/2yr warranty as well as Gaggia's...
You might like to try taking some old beans along with
your returning grinder both to demonstrate the problem
and, better, to test another couple whilst in the shop
to see if there is a difference.. ;))
All MDFs are tested by Gaggia before release - it's
why you get them with grounds in from new. If anyone
questions this - it says so in the manual and in the
release note/slip inside the new hoppers...
Incidentally and not advertising for you might not have
the space in your kitchen/wherever - but following initial
advice from David Ross, Bernie??, Randy, Danny, DaveB and
others with expertise - it's why I headed for a Cunill CT1
(junior!) 'industrial'. Although physically a little larger
than a Tranquilo - itself almost the same size ..the
grinding plate setup is rock-solid, set in a hefty grinding
chamber and with Cunill's oodles of adjustment. The lighter
Tranquilo is from the same parts interchangeable stable...
Despite this, Gaggia's MDF is itself reputed as a quality
grinder and should be OK for many years of fine espresso
use... :))
hh
Bill ZFC
--
Adoption InterLink UK with -=- http://www.billsimpson.com/
Domain Host Orpheus Internet -=- http://www.orpheusinternet.co.uk/
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 22:18:34
From: D. Ross
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Date: 08 Jul 2006 18:10:27
From: Bertie Doe
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Ritske Rensma" <r.rensma@virgin.net > wrote in message
news:1152183248.053655.16760@s26g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Hi Ben,
Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
£120 - bummer...
You weren't tempted by the Iberital MC2 at £100? http://tinyurl.com/l5ja2
Bertie
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Date: 08 Jul 2006 19:19:23
From: Ben
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com > wrote in message
news:4ha786F1pf90cU1@individual.net...
>
> "Ritske Rensma" <r.rensma@virgin.net> wrote in message
> news:1152183248.053655.16760@s26g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Ben,
>
> Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
> £120 - bummer...
>
> You weren't tempted by the Iberital MC2 at £100? http://tinyurl.com/l5ja2
>
> Bertie
>
I was considering this grinder before I got the MDF. At £100 +vat +del (so
£123 really!) it was a little too much. How does it compare to the MDF? I
seem to remember it has 'clickless' adjustment.
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Date: 08 Jul 2006 21:06:44
From: Bertie Doe
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Ben" wrote in message
>
> "Bertie Doe" wrote in message
>>
>> "Ritske Rensma" > wrote in message Hi Ben,
>>
>> Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
>> £120 - bummer...
>>
>> You weren't tempted by the Iberital MC2 at £100? http://tinyurl.com/l5ja2
>>
>> Bertie
>>
> I was considering this grinder before I got the MDF. At £100 +vat +del (so
> £123 really!) it was a little too much. How does it compare to the MDF? I
> seem to remember it has 'clickless' adjustment.
I've used the Aerolatte for a year and I find it works great with my
Zaffiro. It uses the MC2 burr-set, along with Lux, Macinacaf, Nemox etc.Here
are some reviews of the Aero etc
http://tinyurl.com/jy6o7
Bertie
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Date: 12 Jul 2006 15:01:56
From: hudson
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com > wrote in message
news:4hahioF1qeo9lU1@individual.net...
>
> "Ben" wrote in message
>>
>> "Bertie Doe" wrote in message
>>>
>>> "Ritske Rensma" > wrote in message Hi Ben,
>>>
>>> Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
>>> £120 - bummer...
>>>
>>> You weren't tempted by the Iberital MC2 at £100?
>>> http://tinyurl.com/l5ja2
>>>
>>> Bertie
>>>
Ha success! Just been to John Lewis in Solihull and the only one left was
on display. No box, no instructions so haggled another GBP5 off the price.
Did try for 10 but no go. A Gaggia MDF for GBP69.50, you should see my grin.
However as there are no instructions is there something I really need to
know. I don't mean the "Do not operate this appliance while in the bath"
type but anything vitally important? It all seems very intuitive but who
knows.
Best Regards,
Stuart Hudson
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Date: 12 Jul 2006 20:30:18
From: Ben
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Like you said, very intuitive... pretty much insert beans, switch on and
wait for the sound of the grinding beans to finish. Here is a link to the
manual via google:
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/gaggia/mdf.pdf
cheers,
Ben.
"hudson" <Mhh21c_removethis_@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:4hkdmoFg1qU1@individual.net...
>
> "Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com> wrote in message
> news:4hahioF1qeo9lU1@individual.net...
>>
>> "Ben" wrote in message
>>>
>>> "Bertie Doe" wrote in message
>>>>
>>>> "Ritske Rensma" > wrote in message Hi Ben,
>>>>
>>>> Wow - that is cheap! Just bought mine a little over a month ago for
>>>> £120 - bummer...
>>>>
>>>> You weren't tempted by the Iberital MC2 at £100?
>>>> http://tinyurl.com/l5ja2
>>>>
>>>> Bertie
>>>>
>
>
> Ha success! Just been to John Lewis in Solihull and the only one left was
> on display. No box, no instructions so haggled another GBP5 off the
> price. Did try for 10 but no go. A Gaggia MDF for GBP69.50, you should see
> my grin. However as there are no instructions is there something I really
> need to know. I don't mean the "Do not operate this appliance while in the
> bath" type but anything vitally important? It all seems very intuitive
> but who knows.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Stuart Hudson
>
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Date: 12 Jul 2006 22:52:59
From: hudson
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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"Ben" <na@na.na > wrote in message
news:uZctg.82782$7Z6.62651@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> Like you said, very intuitive... pretty much insert beans, switch on and
> wait for the sound of the grinding beans to finish. Here is a link to the
> manual via google:
>
> http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/gaggia/mdf.pdf
>
> cheers,
>
> Ben.
Thanks for that. Confirmed that I was not doing anything wrong.
Stuart Hudson
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 11:16:46
From: stephendnes@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Many, many thanks for pointing this out, Ben!
I bought a Gaggia Classic Coffee in summer 2002 and always meant to get
a decent grinder to go with it, but I got lazy and used my old one
which doesn't really cut it for espresso, despite being a burr grinder.
I'd been mulling an MDF for a while, and concluded that if I could get
one for 110 - 120 pounds I'd do it. What a delight to get one for 75!
I used the Nottingham John Lewis (the offer doesn't seem to work on the
website), and they also had the Gaggia base for 15 pounds, reduced from
30, and, having wanted one for a while, I picked one up too. I mention
this in case anyone else has been looking out for one. The Nottingham
branch had three of the bases left, and one further MDF, all in black.
I set up the grinder in no time at all--very easy--and had some
(admittedly overextracted) coffee with it. Compared with the Illy and
Lavazza I'd been using, this was like night and day! A delicious
espresso, and a delicious cappuccino, whose lingering taste I'm still
enjoying over an hour later.
So thank you very much, Ben!
Stephen
Ben wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just a note to any UK readers on the lookout for a grinder that the Gaggia
> MDF is currently a clearance line in the department Store 'John Lewis'. It
> is reduced to a smidge under UKP75. A bargain I think you will agree!
>
> I notice in the manual it states do not run without beans in the machine. I
> like to put just enough beans in the hopper to grind for a double, hence at
> the end of the grind there are no beans left in the machine and the motor
> is still running. I assume that Gaggia's instructions are erring on the
> side of caution as I cannot see that a couple of seconds without beans can
> do any damage and I don't want to fill the hopper up so beans are always in
> it. Do any other users have any practical advice on this and also emptying
> the doser when using just enough beans - I seem to use more beans per
> double now??!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ben.
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Date: 07 Jul 2006 11:15:06
From: stephendnes@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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Many, many thanks for pointing this out, Ben!
I bought a Gaggia Classic Coffee in summer 2002 and always meant to get
a decent grinder to go with it, but I got lazy and used my old one
which doesn't really cut it for espresso, despite being a burr grinder.
I'd been mulling an MDF for a while, and concluded that if I could get
one for 110 - 120 pounds I'd do it. What a delight to get one for 75!
I used the Nottingham John Lewis (the offer doesn't seem to work on the
website), and they also had the Gaggia base for 15 pounds, reduced from
30, and, having wanted one for a while, I picked one up too. I mention
this in case anyone else has been looking out for one. The Nottingham
branch had three of the bases left, and one further MDF, all in black.
I set up the grinder in no time at all--very easy--and had some
(admittedly overextracted) coffee with it. Compared with the Illy and
Lavazza I'd been using, this was like night and day! A delicious
espresso, and a delicious cappuccino, whose lingering taste I'm still
enjoying over an hour later.
So thank you very much, Ben!
Stephen
Ben wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just a note to any UK readers on the lookout for a grinder that the Gaggia
> MDF is currently a clearance line in the department Store 'John Lewis'. It
> is reduced to a smidge under UKP75. A bargain I think you will agree!
>
> I notice in the manual it states do not run without beans in the machine. I
> like to put just enough beans in the hopper to grind for a double, hence at
> the end of the grind there are no beans left in the machine and the motor
> is still running. I assume that Gaggia's instructions are erring on the
> side of caution as I cannot see that a couple of seconds without beans can
> do any damage and I don't want to fill the hopper up so beans are always in
> it. Do any other users have any practical advice on this and also emptying
> the doser when using just enough beans - I seem to use more beans per
> double now??!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ben.
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Date: 08 Jul 2006 10:33:07
From: Ben
Subject: Re: Gaggia MDF Grinder UKP75
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stephendnes@gmail.com wrote:
> Many, many thanks for pointing this out, Ben!
>
> I bought a Gaggia Classic Coffee in summer 2002 and always meant to get
> a decent grinder to go with it, but I got lazy and used my old one
> which doesn't really cut it for espresso, despite being a burr grinder.
> I'd been mulling an MDF for a while, and concluded that if I could get
> one for 110 - 120 pounds I'd do it. What a delight to get one for 75!
>
> I used the Nottingham John Lewis (the offer doesn't seem to work on the
> website), and they also had the Gaggia base for 15 pounds, reduced from
> 30, and, having wanted one for a while, I picked one up too. I mention
> this in case anyone else has been looking out for one. The Nottingham
> branch had three of the bases left, and one further MDF, all in black.
>
> I set up the grinder in no time at all--very easy--and had some
> (admittedly overextracted) coffee with it. Compared with the Illy and
> Lavazza I'd been using, this was like night and day! A delicious
> espresso, and a delicious cappuccino, whose lingering taste I'm still
> enjoying over an hour later.
>
> So thank you very much, Ben!
>
> Stephen
I'm glad to have helped. I returned my original purchase and the new grinder
is perfect now - it grinds so fine that the gaggia classic 'chokes'
returning all the water via the opv. There is much less / no play in the
thread now. I was obviously unlucky! Â The grind consistency and particle
size is a huge improvement on my modded russell hobbs burr grinder. I'm very
pleased with it now though. John Lewis swapped it without a question asked
so I was impressed with their service. When I asked the assistant she
mentioned it was a clearance line that they would not be renewing which is
maybe why they are not showing on the website - none in the warehouses? I'm
guessing there are a few scattered around the stores though as Stephen found
out :) Its definitely worth going in and checking. At a guess most people
(mistakenly) go for the jazzy bright grinders they stock rather than the
normal looking mdf so they might not shift too quickly! It does seem very
solid so as long as I don't get the desire to upgrade again this investment
will be very good as it is built to last.
Ben
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