In this guide, we're going to be comparing the Mahlkonig EK43 vs Mazzer grinder models. We'll dive into all the important information to help you figure out which grinder you need.
Here's what we'll be covering...
- The similarities between the Mahlkonig EK43 Filter Coffee Grinder and Mazzer espresso grinders.
- Key differences between these models and how they're used.
- How to decide which grinder to buy based on your business requirements.
Quick Summary
Mahlkonig EK43 Filter Coffee Grinder
This powerful filter coffee grinder is made for high-volume coffee shops and locations selling retail coffee. Get this grinder if you're looking to offer your customers retail coffee grinding from coarse French press settings to fine espresso and Turkish coffee settings.
Mazzer Espresso Grinders
The Mazzer espresso grinders are fast, reliable, and available in a variety of designs from doser to doserless models with different programmable options. Choose a Mazzer model to use for espresso service in a cafe, restaurant, or business featuring well crafted espresso.
Similarities
Commercial Burr Grinders
As commercial grinders, the Mahlkonig EK43 and Mazzer models are equipped to take on the volume of a busy cafe setting.
They're speedy machines that contain commercial grade parts to deliver high quality coffee and last through heavy usage in a demanding environment.
Getting into the details, one of the features that separates home and commercial grinders is the grinding mechanism. Most often, home grinders have blades while commercial grinders have burrs.
Blades chop the coffee without offering any particular precision, creating variable results and poorer extraction yields.
Burrs produce more uniform and consistent coffee particles for higher quality extraction, cleaner flavors, and a better tasting experience.
This is one of the many reasons business owners and prosumers seek out commercial burr grinders like the Mahlkonig EK43 and Mazzer's high-end models.
Stepless Grind Adjustment
Skills baristas love stepless grind adjustment for the freedom it gives them to find the perfect fineness setting for all coffee types.
As opposed to stepped grinders, which come with a limited number of factory-set options, the Mahlkonig EK43 and Mazzer grinders offer limitless adjustability within their grind fineness ranges.
On the flip side, stepless grinders take a bit more finesse than stepped grinders since the adjustment sensitivity is so high.
However, a little training is usually all it takes to get the hang of it so that you can maximize your coffee's potential.
Steel Burrs
Constructed with robust steel burrs, both Mazzer's grinders and the Mahlkonig EK43 are built to handle whatever you throw at them.
Steel is a durable material that makes the burrs more resilient and less likely to chip or bend if they encounter harder substances.
They'll stay sharp grinding hundreds to thousands of pounds of coffee, and thanks to their corrosion resistance, they automatically gain an advantage in terms of longevity.
Key Differences
Coffee Applications
How these grinders are used is the biggest difference between the Mahlkonig EK43 and the Mazzer models.
As a retail filter coffee grinder, the Mahlkonig EK43 is built to grind retail bags of coffee with the appropriate speed and efficiency while customers wait.
It has special features specific to this process, including a bag clamp to hold retail bags in place and a wide variety of coarse to fine settings to grind for drip coffee, pour-overs, and other brew methods. This makes it ideal for standard coffee service in a cafe.
Mazzer's grinders function very differently. As espresso grinders, they're constructed with features that make them incompatible with filter coffee grinding but perfect for espresso grinding.
The Mazzer grinders have the correct range of fineness settings for the precision necessary in espresso brewing as well as features like portafilter holders and shot timers. Generally, espresso grinders are dedicated to espresso beverage service.
A note about the EK43:
Its grind settings are particularly fine-tuned. It can grind for espresso and even Turkish coffee, though its espresso settings don't offer the accuracy coffee shops need for espresso service.
Rather, these finer adjustments on the EK43 are great for grinding retail coffee on a home espresso (or Turkish coffee) setting.
In short, the EK43 is still designed for filter coffee brew methods (and retail grinding purposes), not espresso beverage production.
Burr Types
The flat burrs in the Mahlkonig EK43 create an incredibly uniform grind, which encourages a melding of the coffee's nuanced flavors and enhanced nutty and chocolaty characteristics.
These results are different from what you'll find with conical burrs, which create consistent but bimodal coffee particles, or particles of slightly different sizes.
During the brew phase, certain flavors will be highlighted as the coffee particles extract at different rates. Generally, coffee enthusiasts who prefer conical burr grinders love the bright, fruity notes that come to the surface.
Mazzer grinders come with either flat or conical burrs, so you'll have the opportunity to select the grinder type based on your personal preferences.
Grinding Capacity
Retail filter coffee grinders are fast as they'll need to be able to grind larger amounts of coffee within a reasonable time frame.
Even by filter coffee grinder standards, the Mahlkonig EK43 is exceptionally fast, capable of grinding 2.8 to 3.4 pounds of coffee in a minute.
For espresso grinders, the Mazzer models are in the standard to super quick range, delivering a dose in anywhere from one to ten seconds depending on the model. This is one thing that makes each Mazzer grinder suitable for a specific cafe volume.
Burr Size
You'll see large burrs in many types of flat burr grinders, as is the case with the Mahlkonig EK43 and the Mazzer models.
At 98 mm in diameter, the EK43 burrs are particularly large and powerful to help it grind large amounts of coffee in seconds.
Burr size in our Mazzer grinders varies from the more conservative to super large range, approximately 58 to 83 mm.
The key thing to know about larger burr grinders is that they can grind the coffee with fewer rotations of the burrs.
As a result, there will be less friction and heat generated to keep static in check and the coffee's delicate flavor compounds intact.
Hopper Capacity
The Mahlkonig EK43 and the Mazzer espresso grinders offered at Majesty Coffee come with various hopper options in addition to the standard hoppers.
The EK43 comes with a 2.2-pound hopper, though businesses that need a larger hopper can swap it for the 6.6-pound hopper.
Mazzer's grinders have small to large hoppers that can hold anywhere from 1 to 4 pounds of beans, and some come with the option of a shorter hopper to accommodate cramped spaces.
Programmability
Programmable dosing is a standard feature in many espresso grinders. This is to make espresso production more streamlined and speed up coffee service.
You can program dosing for single and double shots with Mazzer espresso grinders, and many will allow you to opt for continuous grinding.
The number of programmable recipes will generally vary in espresso grinders, not only from different companies, but also from model to model.
Doser Options
Some of the Mazzer grinders come with dosers while others are doserless. Doser models have a container that catches the ground coffee and doserless models grind directly into the portafilter.
For the purpose of comparison, you can consider the Mahlkonig EK43 a doserless grinder as it will grind directly into any container you choose, whether a bag or a filter coffee basket.
Mazzer doser grinders are great for the highest volume coffee shops since you can grind a large quantity of coffee into the attached container and dose out single and double shots one after another.
Doserless grinders are better for shops that don't have the nonstop coffee line—if the coffee is left to sit in the doser, it will quickly go stale and lose its flavor.
Ventilation
Part of the design of many high-end espresso grinders is a unique ventilation system that works in tandem with other parts and systems to keep the coffee nice and cool.
A cool grinder will protect the flavor of the coffee—if you expose the coffee to too much heat, you run the risk of getting bland or even burned tasting espresso.
There are ventilation systems in Mazzer models but not in the Mahlkonig EK43. However, the reason the EK43 doesn't have a ventilation system is that the large burrs are so efficient that heat buildup won't be an issue.
Price Considerations
At Majesty Coffee, we strive to offer our customers affordable prices to match different budgets.
We offer the Mahlkonig EK43 in Black, White, or Red for $2,700. For our Mazzer grinders, you'll find a price range of $695 (for the Mazzer Mini Doser) to $2,995 (for the Mazzer Robur Electronic Espresso Grinder).
So Which Should You Buy?
Now that you know a little more about the differences between retail coffee grinders and espresso grinders, you can select the right grinder for your needs.
All businesses that sell retail coffee, including coffee shops and businesses selling branded coffee, will benefit from the Mahlkonig EK43. It's fast, reliable, and made for the job.
The Mazzer espresso grinders are equipped to serve in any coffee shop, restaurant, office building, or hotel making high-quality espresso drinks for customers.
For the best prices online, see the Mahlkonig EK43 and Mazzer espresso grinders here on Majesty Coffee...
