We created this guide to compare the Mahlkonig EK43 vs Peak side by side. We're diving into the details so that you have all the information you need to choose the right grinder for your business.
We'll be discussing...
- The features that make the Mahlkonig EK43 and the Peak similar.
- Which features make these grinders different and how you'll use them.
- Advice on the grinder to choose based on your professional requirements.
Quick Summary
Mahlkonig EK43
One of the fastest retail coffee grinders around, the EK43 is suitable for higher volume coffee shops and locations selling retail coffee bags. Pick the EK43 if you want to offer your customers fast retail coffee grinding as coarse or as fine as they like.
Mahlkonig Peak
The Peak is a highly praised espresso grinder that's perfect for higher volume coffee shops, restaurants, and businesses in need of a dedicated grinder for espresso service. Pick this grinder if you focus on supplying the highest quality espresso beverages to your customers.
Similarities
Flat Burrs
The flat burrs in the Mahlkonig EK43 and Peak are designed to produce uniform coffee grounds, which promotes an even extraction of all of the coffee particles.
Conical burr grinders are also popular grinder types. These will create a bimodal particle distribution, which will cause differences in extraction.
With flat burr grinders like the EK43 and the Peak, you'll notice a melding of the flavors in your coffee, enhancement of the chocolaty and nutty notes, and a sweeter finish. In contrast, conical burr grinders are known to highlight brighter flavors.
If you enjoy balanced flavors and deeper notes in your cup, a flat burr grinder is going to give you the greater advantage.
Cast Steel Burrs
These grinders are built with cast steel burrs. They're strong and resilient, able to last longer than standard burrs before needing to be replaced.
Steel burrs are less likely to become bent or chipped when encountering harder substances.
They're also more corrosion-resistant, so they'll stay in good shape for longer even if you're not using the grinders as frequently.
Stepless Grind Adjustment
Both of these grinders come with stepless grind adjustment that's highly precise when you're searching for the perfect fineness setting.
This system allows for more flexibility than what you'll find in stepped grinders, which give you a specific number of grind settings to choose from.
The EK43 comes with an easy-to-use dial with numbers to recall your settings for different types of coffee.
With the Peak, you'll have a traditional adjustment collar that rotates toward the right or left to select finer or coarser grind settings.
Want to learn more? Our favorite commercial espresso grinders can be found here.
Key Differences
Coffee Applications
The most fundamental difference to keep in mind about these grinders is that they're used very differently.
The Mahlkonig Peak is designed for espresso grinding while the EK43 can grind for anything from filter coffee, to espresso, to Turkish coffee.
This is a major point to consider when shopping for a grinder, and here's why.
If you're looking for a grinder specifically to make espresso drinks in a coffee shop, you need a grinder like the Peak.
The Peak has the necessary range of espresso settings as well as supportive features that make espresso grinding faster and more efficient without sacrificing quality.
If you need a grinder to grind retail bags of coffee for your customers as well as drip coffee, pour-overs, and Chemex coffees for your shop, a retail grinder like the EK43 is built for the job.
It has the flexibility to do everything you need it to do (plus an espresso grind setting) while subtracting the features that are vital in a good espresso grinder but excessive in a multifunctional retail coffee grinder.
Burr Size
The Peak's 80 mm burrs are large enough to make a noticeable impact on the espresso as they require fewer rotations than smaller burrs to process the coffee.
This will help to keep heat generation on the lower side and protect the flavor of the espresso (excessive heat will dampen the flavor, or worse, make the espresso taste bitter and burned).
The 98 mm burrs in the EK43 are quite a bit bigger to help the grinder process large amounts of coffee in a short amount of time.
Like the Peak, the EK43 will grind efficiently and produce less heat to preserve the quality of the coffee.
Grinding Capacity
The Peak has a particularly low grinding speed for a flat burr grinder, which is a good thing.
It will grind at a rate of about 900 to 1,100 RPM, further limiting the amount of heat produced. In terms of output, it's fast, delivering three grams of espresso per second and a shot within three seconds.
As a combination grinder, the EK43 is faster. It has a speed of between 1,450 to 1,760 RPM and grinds about 25 grams per second. You can easily have a one-pound bag of coffee ground in about 20 seconds.
Hopper Capacity
The bean hoppers that the EK43 and Peak come with have slightly different capacities.
The Peak can hold up to 3.3 pounds of beans. This is a pretty substantial amount of coffee.
If you work in a busy cafe and you're using a grinder like the Peak for coffee or espresso service, a larger hopper will be able to accommodate you during the rushes.
There's also a good-sized hopper on the EK43, which can hold 2.2 pounds of beans. For a retail grinder like the EK43, this means that you can grind large batches of drip coffee or multiple retail bags together, saving time and improving productivity.
Mahlkonig Peak Programmable Dosing
To make your espresso production more efficient, espresso grinders tend to offer programmable dosing.
You can easily program single and double doses into the Peak by time through the OLED display.
Bonus: The OLED display also shows the temperature inside the grinder for improved quality control.
Mahlkonig EK43 Bag Clamp
When you're grinding retail bags of coffee, the EK43 bag clamp is going to make it a lot easier.
The clamp will hold the bag in place so that you can pour the beans into the hopper, switch the grinder on, and attend to other tasks while the grinder is running.
Connected to the bag clamp is a knock-off device that will shake out the remaining coffee grounds to curb wastage.
Mahlkonig Peak Double Ventilation System
Especially in high-volume shops, your espresso grinder will probably be running for long stretches of time without a break.
That kind of uninterrupted usage requires a good ventilation system like the one you'll find in the Peak.
The Peak has fans that will keep the coffee cool and a mechanism that will keep a fan going continuously (instead of turning on and off with the motor).
This is why the Peak is an ideal grinder for a busy coffee shop, delivering consistent excellence in every cup.
Mahlkonig EK43 Vertically Mounted Burrs
This is a design element that makes the EK43 unique. Instead horizontally mounted burrs, which are common in flat burr grinders, the EK43 burrs are mounted vertically.
What this ensures is very low retention of coffee grounds due to the vertical path of the coffee inside the grinder.
This is a great thing for your customers as they won't see any of the coffee they're buying from your shop go to waste when you grind it for them.
Mahlkonig Peak Spout Illumination and Adjustability
Pulling perfect shots of espresso takes finesse. From grinding to brewing, you're going to want to have the greatest visibility possible.
The Peak has an illuminated spout area that will allow you to see what you're doing in detail. If the overhead lighting is dim, it won't be an issue with this grinder.
It's also designed with an adjustable spout, which can be moved into a new position to fit larger portafilters and grind into the center of the portafilter basket.
This will ensure even distribution of the coffee and facilitate balanced brewing for optimal espresso flavor.
Mahlkonig EK43 Grinding Flexibility
The EK43 can grind more than just coffee. With individual grinding discs, you can grind items like spices, grains, and seeds.
Versatility like this can make the EK43 a practical option for cafes and businesses that need a grinder to assist in multiple functions.
Price Considerations
We offer the Mahlkonig EK43 and the Peak at Majesty Coffee at competitive prices.
Our EK43 comes in Black, White, or Red for $2,700 with your choice of a standard or short hopper. We offer the Peak in Black or White with a standard or short hopper for $2,375.
So Which Should You Buy?
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Because these models serve very different purposes, it's safe to say that you'll only want to buy one or the other according to your business needs.
Coffee shops and businesses that sell retail coffee bags will have the features they're looking for in the EK43.
For coffee shops, restaurants, offices, and businesses searching for a grinder to assist them in offering high-quality espresso drinks to customers, the Peak is going to be the best choice.
For the best prices online, see the Mahlkonig EK43 and Peak here on Majesty Coffee...
