Investing in a quality coffee grinder is step one in making excellent coffee. If you're searching for a retail coffee grinder, this Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S review is going to explain everything you wanted to know about these models to help you choose.
We're going to cover...
- What the Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S key features mean for you.
- Clarification on which configuration will benefit you the most.
- How these grinders compare to similar models.
- What types of operations they're designed for.
- The brand's history and a reliability assessment.
Let's dive in...
Quick Summary
Mahlkonig EK43
The EK43 sets a new standard for speed and versatility, making it an excellent choice for busy cafes, restaurants and any business selling retail coffee. Pick this grinder if you need a wide range of grinding functions and fineness settings.
Mahlkonig EK43S
The shorter version of the EK43, this grinder has all the functionality of the EK43 in a smaller package. Choose this grinder if you have limited space for new equipment.
Key Features And What They Mean
Multiple Grind Settings
Differentiating the Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S from standard coffee grinders is their wide variety of grind settings, providing unique adaptability as retail coffee grinders.
For business owners, this means offering your customers on-site grinding of retail beans for anything from drip coffee, to espresso, to ultra fine Turkish coffee.
Either of these models can be your retail coffee grinder and in-house filter coffee grinder combined—in addition to retail bag grinding, you can offer drip coffee and a variety of pour-over options to your customers.
With functionality that extends beyond coffee, these Mahlkonig models also process a stunning array of items, including spices, seeds and grains.
You'll be able to grind on demand with the kind of versatility that aligns with professional standards and reaches beyond the ordinary.
High Grinding Capacity
As coffee shop owners know, a high grinding capacity is necessary in fast-paced settings.
With an idle speed of 1,760 RPM and the ability to grind 25 grams per second, these models will process large quantities of coffee at lightening speed.
If you need a grinder to keep up with long customer lines or to accommodate your busy schedule, considering a machine with speedy grinding is one piece of the puzzle.
Large Burrs
For coffee grinders, the number of rotations the burrs make largely determines temperature control. Larger burrs make fewer rotations, resulting in a cooler environment for the beans.
Why is this necessary? Adding significant heat to the equation can alter coffee flavor, producing a muddled or even burned taste.
Dosing accuracy is also improved as less static is generated that would otherwise cause the ground coffee to clump and produce a channeling effect.
The 98 mm burrs in the Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S are engineered for better extraction and coffee quality, resulting in superior flavor.
Flat Burr Shape
As you assess different grinders, there are two types of burrs to be aware: flat and conical burrs.
Conical burr grinders are advantageous for users in need of minimal interaction with setting adjustments, but they don't produce the same grind uniformity that flat burr grinders do.
A uniform grind equates to a balanced coffee flavor, bringing out all the depth and nuanced bass notes and guaranteeing consistency.
Bag Clamp
If you're a shop owner with a retail space for coffee beans, bag clamping is going to save you from a lot of frustration in the future when you're grinding for customers.
The Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S are equipped with clamps that hold retail coffee bags in place while you grind. This means that you won't need to make height adjustments for shorter bags if you carry them.
The convenience factor is also huge. Because you don't need to hold the bag in place, you can flip the switch and walk away.
Multitasking is critical for busy baristas and staff members who don't have time to waste. In these scenarios, a feature like this is a great asset.
Stepless Grind Adjustment
With an easy-to-use dial, you can adjust the grind fluidly for diverse fineness settings and master the art of grinding for the highest quality coffee.
By using the numbers on the dial for reference points, it will be easier to determine your preferred settings for any type of coffee.
Different Configurations
The Mahlkonig EK43 is the standard model with all of the functionality you need for coffee and espresso grinding.
With a 2.2-pound hopper capacity, this model is suitable for grinding multiple one-pound bags of coffee of the same type at one time.
Because the EK43 hopper is constructed with a sliding plate that can lock and close off the channel to the grinder, you can easily exchange hoppers with different types of beans or products.
Overall, the EK43 is the perfect option if you need a machine to serve various grinding purposes quickly and effectively and, above all, maintain the integrity of your coffee.
Smaller spaces require smaller equipment. This is where the petite EK43S comes in handy.
The EK43S will save up to 12 inches of space with its compact design and shorter base while sacrificing none of the power and versatility of the EK43.
If a cramped space is a concern for your business, this configuration will meet your needs.
Comparable Alternatives
The EKK43 by Mahlkonig provides all the functionality of the EK43 and EK43S, only with two independent grinders in one.
Offering a total hopper capacity of 4.2 pounds, the EKK43 gives businesses an affordable solution when one grinder isn't enough to handle volume or different applications.
With two large flat disc grinders together, restaurants can designate one for coffee and one for spices. Cafes can keep one hopper filled for drip coffee and one dedicated to grinding retail beans.
Because there are so many possibilities with the EKK43, it makes a practical option for larger businesses with heavier traffic.
At a glance, the Mahlkonig Tanzania looks quite different from the EK43. However, there are a handful of similarities between these two grinders, including the following:
- Stepless grind adjustment system.
- Large, flat burrs.
- Bag clamp.
- Knock-off device.
One drawback to the Tanzania is that its burrs are smaller. At 80mm in diameter, its burrs are exactly 18mm smaller than the EK43's.
However, with this decrease in size comes a decrease in price. The Tanzania is the more affordable option, which makes it a great fit for coffee shops or high-tech homes on a budget.
If you're interested in this grinder, you can learn more about it in our detailed Mahlkonig Tanzania review.
About the Brand
Mahlkonig was established in 1924. For nearly a century, the company has been engineering coffee grinders with advanced but user-friendly technology.
Baristas and prosumers alike choose Mahlkonig for meeting high standards and delivering peak performance. Take a look at some of this brand's other outstanding grinders: the Peak Espresso Grinder and the K30 Vario Single Espresso Grinder.
Ideal Machine Applications
If you operate a medium to higher volume business with a whole bean retail section, both the Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S are equally effective.
Simply clamp a bag of coffee beans in and grind for customers as needed. No product wastage as the ground coffee is dropped directly into the bag.
Both of these grinders are also capable of serving an office environment if you need to grind large batches for a drip coffee machine.
However, different environments require different machine configurations. The EK43 has a slightly taller base, which makes it capable of grinding into taller vessels if need be.
Coffee shops, cafes and restaurants typically have the room to accommodate this taller model and may particularly benefit from ordering an EK43 with a larger hopper.
But if you need a smaller grinder, the EK43S is the optimal choice, especially for office kitchens.
The only applications the Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S are not particularly suitable for are everyday home use applications. These grinders are really designed for retail use.
If you need a home grinder, check out a non-retail grinder like the Baratza Sette 270Wi Coffee & Espresso Grinder.
What Customers Say
Our Mahlkonig coffee and espresso grinders deliver outstanding results. The EK43 produces an even, high-quality grind that impresses even the most discerning of palates.
The user friendliness of these grinders makes them quick and simple to operate, saving our customers time, aggravation and money. All in all, they offer consistency and full flavor that coffee lovers will remember your business for.
Price
When we price our coffee and espresso equipment, we factor in different budgets to provide a fully comprehensive analysis and competitive prices.
You'll find our Mahlkonig EK43 and EK43S for $2,700 and a savings of $500.
For expert service and the best prices, see these grinders on Majesty Coffee...
