Want great espresso? Friend, it’s not all about the espresso machine! An excellent grinder is just as instrumental to pulling the perfect shot.
Lucky for you, we’ve compared two excellent grinders that will yield the fine, even coffee grounds that you need for a delicious brew: the Eureka Mignon Specialita and the Niche Zero. Check out the table below for a peek into the differences between them and then read on for our detailed breakdown.
| Eureka Mignon Specialita | Niche Zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Burr Size/ Shape | 55 mm, flat | 63 mm, conical |
| Burr Material | Steel | Steel |
| Bean Hopper | 300 g hopper | N/A (single dosing only) |
| Dosing | Timed-based electronic dosing | Timed dose |
| Speed | 1.2 to 1.8 grams/ second | 1-2 grams/ second |
| Adjustment | Stepless | Stepless |
| Volume | 40 dB average, 73 dB at the loudest | 72 dB |
| Color | Several Colors | Black or White |
A Brief History of Eureka
The Eureka company was founded in 1920 by Aurelio Conti and has been a manufacturer of high-quality espresso grinders ever since. For over a century, Eureka grinders have been 100% made and hand-assembled in Florence, Italy.
Eureka manufactures a wide range of espresso grinders for home and retail use, and they also sell accessories such as dosing cups, scales, and tampers.
The Eureka Mignon Specialita: Overview
The Eureka Mignon Specialita is a dedicated espresso grinder with 55 mm flat stainless steel burrs, time-based electronic dosing, and a stepless adjustments system.
This grinder is incredibly quiet, operating at an average of 40 dB (comparable to the murmur of a quiet library or office) and just 73 dB at its loudest point. This makes it a great choice for people in shared living situations and espresso drinkers with sleeping babies.
Thanks to a built-in “no clumping” device, you can expect fluffy, fine coffee grounds with very little clumping from this grinder. The Mignon Specialita also boasts relatively low grinder retention. This means that there isn’t much coffee trapped within the grinder after you’re done grinding.
While the grind retention is already pretty low, there are simple mods that you can make to get retention closer to zero.
This stepless grinder allows the user to dial the grind settings with infinite flexibility. This is an advantage for espresso drinkers, who will want to dial in their grind for the perfect shot. However, it’s less advantageous for coffee lovers who often bounce between espresso and other brew methods, because it can be challenging to get your perfect settings back once they’ve been changed.
Who Is the Eureka Mignon Specialita For?
The Eureka Mignon Specialita should be on your list of possibilities if you’re looking for a grinder specifically for espresso. Its stepless adjustment system makes it possible to dial in your grind just the way you like it, and it achieves very fine grounds, ideal for espresso brewing.
The Specialita can be used for other brew methods, but this isn’t the grinder we’d recommend if you’re more partial to pour-over or drip coffee – that’s not really where the Specialita’s features shine.
This grinder may also be right for you if you need a super quiet machine. Its average volume of 40 decibels is unlikely to disturb anyone in the morning.
Finally, there’s an element of personal preference when it comes to the Specialita’s features. This grinder has flat burrs, in contrast to the conical burrs of the Niche Zero. Flat burr grinders and conical burr grinders each have their pros and cons, and ultimately, the choice comes down to the preference of the user.
What We Like
- Extremely quiet
- Pretty low retention
- Stepless adjustment system for a perfect grind
What We Don’t
- Not set up for single dosing
A Brief History of the Niche Zero
The Niche Zero launched on Indiegogo in 2017, and was fully crowd-funded in just four days. The hype surrounding this grinder hasn’t stopped since!
The Niche Zero was designed by father and son team Martin and James Nicholson. This coffee grinder is their first product and was designed to improve upon what they saw to be problems with home espresso grinders already on the market. Though the Niche grinder is the first product they’ve taken to market, Martin Nicholson has had a long career working with other appliance brands.
The Niche Zero: Overview
Niche Zero
The Niche Zero is a single dosing coffee grinder, with premium 63mm conical burrs, designed to deliver the highest quality grind.
The Niche Zero is known as a “prosumer” grinder, which means that it’s made of professional-quality components and yields pro-level results, but it’s manufactured for home use.
Espresso fanatics know that the espresso machine is only one part of the equation; a great espresso shot requires not just a superb machine, but also a high-quality grinder and excellent beans. The Niche Zero is designed to be the type of grinder that makes that magical trio happen.
First of all, we have to point out the burrs on this grinder. They’re 63-mm hardened stainless steel flat burrs, manufactured by Mazzer Kony. Professional burrs like these are usually seen on much more expensive grinders, so it’s a real advantage to get these burrs at this price point.
The next major feature of the Niche Zero is the one that give it it’s name. The “zero” in this grinder’s title refers to retention – that is, in this case, zero grind retention.
Retention refers to the amount of coffee that remains on the burrs or in the machine when you’re done grinding. Too much retention leads to waste and can also cause your next shot to taste muddy or bitter due to the presence of old, stale grinds.
That’s not a concern with the Niche Zero, which is specially designed to have next-to-zero retention, with a patented material that allows the coffee grounds to slide out easily and a design that lets the grounds move easily from the burrs to the container.
The Niche Zero operates at a relatively low speed, which might sound like a disadvantage but really isn’t. The low speed reduces popcorning and therefore produces more evenly ground coffee.
The Niche Zero is a single dose grinder, so there’s no hopper full of beans. You just place the amount of coffee beans that you want to grind for that session into the grinder each time.
Who Is Niche Zero For?
Like the Eureka Mignon Specialita, the Niche Zero is best-suited for dedicated espresso grinding. It’s certainly possible to use the Niche for coarser grinds, but dialing back in after switching size can be somewhat fiddly, and the stepless grinder adjustment dial is perfectly suited to dialing in your espresso grind.
Its conical burrs can also be problematic when grinding for pour-over. Coffee lovers are divided on this topic, but you might find that you want a backup grinder for other brew methods.
If you’re into single dose grinding, this machine may be perfect for you. There’s science behind this particular preference, too. When coffee beans are exposed to light and air, they go stale more quickly, so a hopper full of beans doesn’t make sense when you only want to grind a small amount at a time.
A single dosing espresso grinder like the Niche Zero allows for fresh beans every time, and you’ll get better grind results than if you try to place just one dose of beans into a grinder that isn’t designed for that purpose.
What We Like:
- Large, professional-quality burrs
- Next to no retention
- Designed for single-dosing
What We Don’t:
- Can be difficult to get
- Some users don’t prefer it for pour-over or other brew methods
Eureka Mignon Specialita vs Niche Zero: Which Grinder Should You Choose?
If you’re on the hunt for an espresso grinder, the Niche Zero and Eureka Mignon Specialita both have their pros and cons.
The single dose design, professional-grade burrs, and nearly nonexistent retention of the Niche Zero will edge it to the front of the race for many espresso drinkers, but some users might find that they prefer the flat burrs, quiet operation, and electronic dosing of the Eureka Mignon Specialita.
In the end, we don’t think you can go wrong with either of these grinders.
Happy Caffeinating!
