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Main
Date: 05 Jun 2006 09:04:29
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Hi all,
One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
solid weight.
I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
Toss out the hopper.
Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
hone.(makes HUGE difference)
Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
Removed adjustment stop screw.
Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
clogging)
Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
See the pics at
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/ >
The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for espresso
at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem! I
had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest, so
I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I guess.
(till I figure out how to add a link)
Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully helpful
post for someone.
Regards, Emil.
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Date: 05 Jun 2006 17:04:47
From: Robert Harmon
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in news:1149523469.665287.293510
@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
> Hi all,
>
> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> solid weight.
snipped
> Regards, Emil.
>
Great post Emil & welcome to alt.coffee.
I'm pleased to see yet another adherent to the 'anything can be improved'
philosophy. I've looked at the A9 because of its small footprint but passed
on trying to hack it, but the more pics you publish the more I think I'll
give it a go.
Thanks again,
Robert
--
http://tinyurl.com/pou2y
Remove "Z" to reply via email.
|
| |
Date: 05 Jun 2006 12:27:34
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Tell us more about your honing technique.
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149523469.665287.293510@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all,
>
> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> solid weight.
> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>
> Toss out the hopper.
> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> clogging)
> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>
> See the pics at
> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>
> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for espresso
> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem! I
> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest, so
> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>
> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I guess.
> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>
> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully helpful
> post for someone.
>
> Regards, Emil.
>
|
| | |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 08:18:04
From:
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
On Mon, 5 Jun 2006 12:27:34 -0400, "Jack Denver"
<nunuvyer@netscape.net > wrote:
>Tell us more about your honing technique.
>
>
I, too, would like to know a bit about how you did the honing.
thanks
_______________________________________
Please Note: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate.
|
| | |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 23:36:21
From: D. Ross
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
|
| |
Date: 05 Jun 2006 12:24:41
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149523469.665287.293510@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all,
>
> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> solid weight.
> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>
> Toss out the hopper.
> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> clogging)
> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>
> See the pics at
> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>
> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
> espresso
> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
> I
> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest, so
> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>
> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
> guess.
> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>
> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
> helpful
> post for someone.
>
> Regards, Emil.
>
Hey nice work Emil!! WELCOME to alt .coffee here! The post certainly
helped me as I have one of these grinders too. I HATE the way that top
burr clunks & moves also, & al the reasons you stated. Could you take a
clearer, close up pic of the metal disc cutout?
What are you doing/using to keep the top burr adjusting ring from
drifting/moving as the new plate you added is stepless?
Thanks!
Cheers!
Sincerely,
Craig.
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Date: 06 Jun 2006 09:22:59
From: Carmen
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Craig Andrews wrote:
> "Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > mmm_crema wrote:
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
> >> purchase
> >> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> >> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> >> solid weight.
> >> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> >> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> >> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> >> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> >> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
> >>
> >> Toss out the hopper.
> >> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> >> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> >> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> >> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> >> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> >> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> >> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> >> clogging)
> >> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
> >>
> >> See the pics at
> >> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
> >>
> >> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
> >> espresso
> >> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> >> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> >> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> >> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
> >> I
> >> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest,
> >> so
> >> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
> >>
> >> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
> >> guess.
> >> (till I figure out how to add a link)
> >>
> >> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> >> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
> >> helpful
> >> post for someone.
> >>
> >> Regards, Emil.
> >
> > Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
> > wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
> > commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
> > creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
> > the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
> > (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
> > Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
> > :-)
> > One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
> > available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
> >
> > Carmen
> >
>
> I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
> Craig.
If not, ouch. I hope it's compatible with someone else's burr set.
Carmen
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 08:55:43
From: vt
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Carmen wrote:
> Craig Andrews wrote:
>> "Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>>> mmm_crema wrote:
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
>>>> purchase
>>>> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
>>>> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
>>>> solid weight.
>>>> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
>>>> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
>>>> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
>>>> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
>>>> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>>>>
>>>> Toss out the hopper.
>>>> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
>>>> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
>>>> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
>>>> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
>>>> Removed adjustment stop screw.
>>>> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
>>>> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
>>>> clogging)
>>>> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>>>>
>>>> See the pics at
>>>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>>>>
>>>> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
>>>> espresso
>>>> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
>>>> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
>>>> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
>>>> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
>>>> I
>>>> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest,
>>>> so
>>>> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>>>>
>>>> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
>>>> guess.
>>>> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>>>>
>>>> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
>>>> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
>>>> helpful
>>>> post for someone.
>>>>
>>>> Regards, Emil.
>>> Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
>>> wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
>>> commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
>>> creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
>>> the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
>>> (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
>>> Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
>>> :-)
>>> One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
>>> available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
>>>
>>> Carmen
>>>
>> I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
>> Craig.
>
> If not, ouch. I hope it's compatible with someone else's burr set.
>
> Carmen
>
It appears this reviewer on coffee geek was able to get replacement burrs.
http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/kitchenaidretro/JonR10
|
| | | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 11:01:07
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"vt" <vt@vt.edu > wrote in message news:e66id5$hel$1@solaris.cc.vt.edu...
> Carmen wrote:
>> Craig Andrews wrote:
>>> "Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>>>> mmm_crema wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
>>>>> purchase
>>>>> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this
>>>>> grinder
>>>>> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
>>>>> solid weight.
>>>>> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder.
>>>>> My
>>>>> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and
>>>>> had
>>>>> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
>>>>> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is
>>>>> a
>>>>> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>>>>>
>>>>> Toss out the hopper.
>>>>> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
>>>>> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
>>>>> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
>>>>> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
>>>>> Removed adjustment stop screw.
>>>>> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
>>>>> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
>>>>> clogging)
>>>>> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>>>>>
>>>>> See the pics at
>>>>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>>>>>
>>>>> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
>>>>> espresso
>>>>> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
>>>>> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess
>>>>> and
>>>>> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
>>>>> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little
>>>>> gem!
>>>>> I
>>>>> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of
>>>>> interest,
>>>>> so
>>>>> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>>>>>
>>>>> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
>>>>> guess.
>>>>> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>>>>>
>>>>> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a
>>>>> lurker
>>>>> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
>>>>> helpful
>>>>> post for someone.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards, Emil.
>>>> Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which
>>>> is a
>>>> wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
>>>> commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
>>>> creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top
>>>> is
>>>> the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
>>>> (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
>>>> Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to
>>>> do!
>>>> :-)
>>>> One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement
>>>> burrs
>>>> available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there
>>>> any?
>>>>
>>>> Carmen
>>>>
>>> I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
>>> Craig.
>>
>> If not, ouch. I hope it's compatible with someone else's burr set.
>>
>> Carmen
>>
>
> It appears this reviewer on coffee geek was able to get replacement
> burrs.
>
> http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/kitchenaidretro/JonR10\
Talking about replacement burrs here from KitchenAid customer service.
http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/115651#115651
Craig.
|
| | | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 21:29:59
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
If I read this correctly, the replacement burrs would be no better than the
originals. What would be good if there were "aftermarket" tool steel burrs
that fit, but the two hole pattern is non-standard - all the Italian
grinders, AFAIK, have 3 holes.
"vt" <vt@vt.edu > wrote in message news:e66id5$hel$1@solaris.cc.vt.edu...
> Carmen wrote:
>> Craig Andrews wrote:
>>> "Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>>>> mmm_crema wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
>>>>> purchase
>>>>> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
>>>>> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
>>>>> solid weight.
>>>>> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
>>>>> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
>>>>> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
>>>>> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
>>>>> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>>>>>
>>>>> Toss out the hopper.
>>>>> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
>>>>> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
>>>>> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
>>>>> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
>>>>> Removed adjustment stop screw.
>>>>> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
>>>>> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
>>>>> clogging)
>>>>> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>>>>>
>>>>> See the pics at
>>>>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>>>>>
>>>>> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
>>>>> espresso
>>>>> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
>>>>> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
>>>>> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
>>>>> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
>>>>> I
>>>>> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest,
>>>>> so
>>>>> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>>>>>
>>>>> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
>>>>> guess.
>>>>> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>>>>>
>>>>> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
>>>>> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
>>>>> helpful
>>>>> post for someone.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards, Emil.
>>>> Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
>>>> wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
>>>> commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
>>>> creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
>>>> the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
>>>> (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
>>>> Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
>>>> :-)
>>>> One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
>>>> available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
>>>>
>>>> Carmen
>>>>
>>> I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
>>> Craig.
>>
>> If not, ouch. I hope it's compatible with someone else's burr set.
>>
>> Carmen
>>
>
> It appears this reviewer on coffee geek was able to get replacement burrs.
>
> http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/kitchenaidretro/JonR10
|
| | | | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 21:42:37
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"Jack Denver" <nunuvyer@netscape.net > wrote in message
news:y5-dnS8s4fUF4BrZnZ2dnUVZ_rqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
> If I read this correctly, the replacement burrs would be no better
> than the originals. What would be good if there were "aftermarket"
> tool steel burrs that fit, but the two hole pattern is non-standard -
> all the Italian grinders, AFAIK, have 3 holes.
>
>
>
The replacements are the same shit OEM originals. Yes, I'm sure 99.9% of
us here know that about tool steel burrs. I've looked & tried, no dice.
I have a Briel Robot with tool steel burrs that would fit if I remember
when I tried about 1 year ago, but with the 3 hole pattern, no way.
That is unless a Titanium, Cobalt, or a nitrided tipped drill bit would
drill the burrs for the two hole pattern.
Craig.
|
| | | | | |
Date: 08 Jun 2006 03:43:29
From: D. Ross
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
|
| | | | | | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 23:50:31
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"D. Ross" <ross@math.hawaii.NOSPAM.edu > wrote in message
news:44879c88.124863694@localhost...
>
|
| | | | | | | |
Date: 10 Jun 2006 05:11:17
From: D. Ross
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"Craig Andrews" <alt.coffee@deletethis.rogers.com > wrote:
|
| |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 08:15:39
From: Carmen
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
mmm_crema wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> solid weight.
> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>
> Toss out the hopper.
> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> clogging)
> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>
> See the pics at
> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>
> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for espresso
> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem! I
> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest, so
> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>
> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I guess.
> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>
> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully helpful
> post for someone.
>
> Regards, Emil.
Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
(haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
:-)
One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
Carmen
|
| | |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 11:35:05
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> mmm_crema wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
>> purchase
>> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
>> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
>> solid weight.
>> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
>> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
>> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
>> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
>> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>>
>> Toss out the hopper.
>> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
>> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
>> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
>> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
>> Removed adjustment stop screw.
>> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
>> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
>> clogging)
>> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>>
>> See the pics at
>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>>
>> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
>> espresso
>> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
>> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
>> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
>> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
>> I
>> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest,
>> so
>> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>>
>> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
>> guess.
>> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>>
>> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
>> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
>> helpful
>> post for someone.
>>
>> Regards, Emil.
>
> Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
> wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
> commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
> creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
> the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
> (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
> Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
> :-)
> One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
> available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
>
> Carmen
>
I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
Craig.
|
| |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 08:04:05
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
daveb wrote:
> So we can infer that the A9 is a serious POS -- as it is sold?
> I would think that unless one were willing to undertake some serious
> work, it should be AVOIDED?
Well I wouldn't quite put it that way, but yes, out of the box it is
not much good. The burrs are dull . . . plain and simple. The lowwer
burr floats to the point of contact with the upper burr, the chute
clogs solid, and on and on...
But for someone willing to tinker a little, it quickly becomes a
grinder worth a serious look (IMO). So far the work on it has been easy
to do. It's kinda like my Silvia, with a "Pepe" PID and an OPV mod it
is a pleasure to use... ;^)
I will add some more pics and detailed info soon.
Thanks for the welcome guys!
Emil
|
| |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 05:44:05
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
So we can infer that the A9 is a serious POS -- as it is sold?
I would think that unless one were willing to undertake some serious
work, it should be AVOIDED?
THANKS!
dave
mmm_crema wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent purchase
> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> solid weight.
> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
>
> Toss out the hopper.
> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> clogging)
> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
>
> See the pics at
> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
>
> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for espresso
> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem! I
> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest, so
> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
>
> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I guess.
> (till I figure out how to add a link)
>
> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully helpful
> post for someone.
>
> Regards, Emil.
|
| |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 17:08:01
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
D. Ross wrote:
>
|
| | |
Date: 06 Jun 2006 22:31:28
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Generally if you need a "flat stone" it's good to use wet o dry sandpaper on
a piece of plate glass - this is flatter than any normal sharpening stone.
Also cheap. You can start with a coarser grit for fast cutting and then work
up to finer grits for polishing.
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149638881.375098.283180@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> D. Ross wrote:
>>
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 01:50:21
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149638881.375098.283180@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> D. Ross wrote:
>>
|
| |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 09:24:46
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Yes, I've used just that technique to salvage leaky Gaggia boilers.
220 then finish w/ 400 or so, WET
Dave
Jack Denver wrote:
> Generally if you need a "flat stone" it's good to use wet o dry sandpaper on
> a piece of plate glass - this is flatter than any normal sharpening stone.
> Also cheap. You can start with a coarser grit for fast cutting and then work
> up to finer grits for polishing.
>
>
> "mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:1149638881.375098.283180@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > D. Ross wrote:
> >>
|
| |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 08:27:25
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Craig Andrews wrote:
> Talking about replacement burrs here from KitchenAid customer service.
> http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/115651#115651
> Craig.
Yeah, I have a P/N for them somewhere here, so they are available.
Jack Denver wrote:
> After looking at these photos, I don't see how your honing technique would be completely effective - the cutting surface of the burrs is not only at the outer edges but along each of the ridges that form the "teeth" of the grinder.
Quite true, and the honing I describe only puts an edge on the outer
part of the burr till it starts to slope downward... about 1/8 - 1/4
inch. But this seems to be enough. This is the area of any flat burr
that does the really fine cutting (if I am not mistaken). The results
speak clearly with a nice fine grind. I have been using my modded A9 at
work with a fair bit of grinding. Lots of espresso and adjusting back
to drip and back again.
Craig, to answer an earlier question you had about the adjustment
possibly creeping now that the detents are covered? I have found that
it really holds tight, as tight as the stepless Mazzer adjustment.
Emil
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 11:31:27
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149694045.865222.189810@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> Craig Andrews wrote:
>
>> Talking about replacement burrs here from KitchenAid customer
>> service.
>> http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/115651#115651
>> Craig.
>
> Yeah, I have a P/N for them somewhere here, so they are available.
>
> Jack Denver wrote:
>
>> After looking at these photos, I don't see how your honing technique
>> would be completely effective - the cutting surface of the burrs is
>> not only at the outer edges but along each of the ridges that form
>> the "teeth" of the grinder.
>
> Quite true, and the honing I describe only puts an edge on the outer
> part of the burr till it starts to slope downward... about 1/8 - 1/4
> inch. But this seems to be enough. This is the area of any flat burr
> that does the really fine cutting (if I am not mistaken). The results
> speak clearly with a nice fine grind. I have been using my modded A9
> at
> work with a fair bit of grinding. Lots of espresso and adjusting back
> to drip and back again.
>
> Craig, to answer an earlier question you had about the adjustment
> possibly creeping now that the detents are covered? I have found that
> it really holds tight, as tight as the stepless Mazzer adjustment.
>
> Emil
>
Thanks Emil! {:-D
Cheers!
Craigo.
|
| |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 06:29:14
From: Carmen
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
vt wrote:
> Carmen wrote:
> > Craig Andrews wrote:
> >> "Carmen" <carmensrt@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >> news:1149606939.809495.109240@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> >>> mmm_crema wrote:
> >>>> Hi all,
> >>>>
> >>>> One of my many coffee related projects has been my recent
> >>>> purchase
> >>>> and modding of the Kitchenaid A9 grinder. My interest in this grinder
> >>>> was the small overall size, yet still a flat burr design, and nice
> >>>> solid weight.
> >>>> I was initially dissapointed before I even owned the grinder. My
> >>>> research told me it was messy, noisy, produced uneven grinds and had
> >>>> soft stainless steel burrs. Fortunatley I could see beyond its
> >>>> out-of-the-box deficiencies. To make a long topic shorter here is a
> >>>> list of what I have done to improve the performance of it...
> >>>>
> >>>> Toss out the hopper.
> >>>> Remove the burrs and honed them nice and sharp on a 4000 grit
> >>>> hone.(makes HUGE difference)
> >>>> Made "stepless" with a metal disk cutout.
> >>>> Secured lower burr with a plastic pen tube retainer.
> >>>> Removed adjustment stop screw.
> >>>> Changed the power switch to a momentary push button.
> >>>> Removed the discharge cover so the chute can "breathe" (no more
> >>>> clogging)
> >>>> Added a removeable spout to direct the grind discharge downwards.
> >>>>
> >>>> See the pics at
> >>>> <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmm_crema/sets/72057594138561689/>
> >>>>
> >>>> The grinder is now quite a performer. I have been using it for
> >>>> espresso
> >>>> at work and at home and it easily grinds fine enough to choke my
> >>>> Silvia. Also I would say it is very clean, there is little mess and
> >>>> very little or no static. It grinds as good as and quicker than my
> >>>> Mazzer Mini. So for $100 US you can have a bullet proof little gem!
> >>>> I
> >>>> had a thread over at CG on this and there was not alot of interest,
> >>>> so
> >>>> I figured I would put the info here for all to see.
> >>>>
> >>>> Not sure if the link here is clickable... if not cut and paste I
> >>>> guess.
> >>>> (till I figure out how to add a link)
> >>>>
> >>>> Well that is my first contribution to the group. I have been a lurker
> >>>> here for quite a while and wanted to start out with a hopefully
> >>>> helpful
> >>>> post for someone.
> >>>>
> >>>> Regards, Emil.
> >>> Thanks for sharing Emil. I've got the KitchenAid Pro Line, which is a
> >>> wonderful machine and it allows me to place the brew basket (from a
> >>> commercial Bloomfield) directly under the downspout of the grinder
> >>> creating a de facto doser situation since all that goes in the top is
> >>> the weighed whole beans. I may play with the PL for espresso shots
> >>> (haven't used it for that yet) and see how it fares against my
> >>> Starbucks-branded Solis. If it doesn't do well I now know what to do!
> >>> :-)
> >>> One side issue: burr replacement. The Pro Line has replacement burrs
> >>> available for it, but I haven't seen any for the A9. Are there any?
> >>>
> >>> Carmen
> >>>
> >> I'm not Emil, but no., I've not seen any...
> >> Craig.
> >
> > If not, ouch. I hope it's compatible with someone else's burr set.
> >
> > Carmen
> >
>
> It appears this reviewer on coffee geek was able to get replacement burrs.
>
> http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/kitchenaidretro/JonR10
I ought to have checked Coffee Geeks. Very cool, thanks! :-)
Carmen
|
| |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 00:10:12
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Craig Andrews wrote:
> Those 2 upper & lower bits contact each other before the burr surfaces
> do, check here;
> http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/147040#147040
> Craig.
Damn! After all of my research I missed that thread at CG.
However, the tabs are at the same level as the outer edges of the
burrs, so they will make contact only when the outer edge of the burrs
are adjusted to the point of contact. This will be too fine of a grind
for espresso.
Emil
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 10:50:24
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149664212.241147.180730@h76g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> Craig Andrews wrote:
>> Those 2 upper & lower bits contact each other before the burr
>> surfaces
>> do, check here;
>> http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/147040#147040
>> Craig.
>
> Damn! After all of my research I missed that thread at CG.
>
> However, the tabs are at the same level as the outer edges of the
> burrs, so they will make contact only when the outer edge of the burrs
> are adjusted to the point of contact. This will be too fine of a grind
> for espresso.
>
> Emil
>
Yes, that's true., it was late. I checked some of my own pics & found
that to be the case also. I wasn't gonna take my grinder apart at 1:50am
to look either, & I've only used it a couple of times 1 yr ago when I
got it for $65 BRAND NEW! {;-)
Craig.
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 08:31:19
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
After looking at these photos, I don't see how your honing technique would
be completely effective - the cutting surface of the burrs is not only at
the outer edges but along each of the ridges that form the "teeth" of the
grinder. These teeth are extremely dull - it looks like they were cast
rather than machined. It's a pity because otherwise the grinder looks pretty
solid.
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149664212.241147.180730@h76g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> Craig Andrews wrote:
>> Those 2 upper & lower bits contact each other before the burr surfaces
>> do, check here;
>> http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/147040#147040
>> Craig.
>
> Damn! After all of my research I missed that thread at CG.
>
> However, the tabs are at the same level as the outer edges of the
> burrs, so they will make contact only when the outer edge of the burrs
> are adjusted to the point of contact. This will be too fine of a grind
> for espresso.
>
> Emil
>
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 17:31:39
From: D. Ross
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
|
| |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 17:28:04
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
notbob wrote:
>
> I can't quite see it from any of the pictures, but I get the
> impression from the OP that at some point out at the furthest edges,
> the burrs are no longer dished, but flatten out and lie paralled to
> one another. If this is so, the flat honing at the outer edges would
> make sense. Is this, in fact, the case?
>
> When I attended an espresso class, the instructor taught us grinders
> don't cut or grind the bean, they actually tear it apart, each piece
> being torn, or ripped, into ever smaller pieces. This tearing action
> is what keeps the fines to a minimum. The inner burrs, grabbing
> larger bean pieces, need not be as sharp as the outer burrs to get
> this tearing action, though sharper burrs surely can't hurt. At the
> outer edges, the pieces being so small, the burr edges would need to
> be sharper to grab, and again tear, these smaller pieces. If the
> burrs can be honed sharp out at the edges, even for a small distance, it
> should be enough to do the job.
>
> nb
That describes how I would imagine the bean processing within the
burrs. Also I would say that the textbook theory of the grinding of a
roasted coffee bean is a little misleading,often described as the bean
being neatly chopped up or shaved into progressively smaller pieces.
The more likely scenario is with burrs spinning at 1000 + rpm there
will be smashed irregular chunks and many different sized fragments
until they become smaller and more even toward the outer part of the
burr. That is why it is more difficult, lets say, to get a coarse FP
grind even and with few fines. Then of course dust and particles will
always be picked up with a coarse grind in a grinder that has been used
for espresso . . . enter the dedicated grinders I guess.
Lets have it.
Emil
|
| | |
Date: 07 Jun 2006 21:25:38
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
"mmm_crema" <ekitka@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:1149726484.694100.63940@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
snip
That is why it is more difficult, lets say, to get a coarse FP
> grind even and with few fines.
Not true - a bad grinder will produce excess fines at an grind. You can't
see them as easily in a fine grind, but they are there.
Then of course dust and particles will
> always be picked up with a coarse grind in a grinder that has been used
> for espresso . . . enter the dedicated grinders I guess.
Depending on the design, it's not really necessary - a small amount of
leftover grinds will not have a big influence.
>
> Lets have it.
>
> Emil
>
|
| |
Date: 10 Jun 2006 07:11:30
From: Omniryx@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
Or take all the money you saved by buying an A9 instead of a Robur and
have a machine shop fabricate a set of burrs to your custom
specifications.
Will
D. Ross wrote:
> "Craig Andrews" <alt.coffee@deletethis.rogers.com> wrote:
>
>
|
| |
Date: 17 Jun 2006 15:25:13
From: mmm_crema
Subject: Re: Kitchenaid A9 Grinder
|
So I'm back with the A9.
I bought and modded another one so that I have one for home and at
work.
I noticed some differences between the first one that I bought and the
one that I picked up last week. One has a thin bar across the chute
opening and the chute itself has a wider opening that slopes downward.
Anyways, I did the stepless mod, momentary switch, burr retaining
tube, and burr sharpening and re-assembled. Well, it grinds, but to my
dismay not like the first one I hacked. I was getting very uneven
grinds. After thoroughly examining it I determined that the lower burr
carrier was not quite running "true" , or had a ever so slight wobble.
So now I needed to basically somehow align the burrs, or more
specifically true up the lower burr. I do have access to a lathe but
chose to simply shim the lower burr to the carrier using paper shims I
cut out myself.
It was really not very complicated to do and the shims did the
trick. While it is not perfectly aligned with the upper burr it is now
very close. Also the sound it makes when grinding beans is like a sweet
melody now. (well, maybe not a melody . . . kind of a shhhh noise if
you
will). And, most importantly the grind is fantastic. Very even and
fine.
I had to back off the adjustment a fair bit due to the quality of the
grind.
Emil "sold my Mazzer for A9's" Kitka
|
|
