Searching for the right espresso grinder for your home, office or business? In this Mahlkonig K30 review, we're breaking down all the crucial points of this grinder to help you make an accurate assessment.
You'll find out...
- How the Mahlkonig K30's key features translate to everyday usage.
- Which configurations this grinder comes in and how to select the one for your needs.
- Why this machine fits certain types of operations.
- How it stacks up against a similar grinder.
- What the brand's background and industry reputation are.
Let's dive in...
Quick Summary
Mahlkonig K30
Designed in configurations that can suit diverse professional needs, the K30 model is a high-performance espresso grinder for medium to large coffee shops as well as offices and even prosumer kitchens. With stepless grind adjustment and hands-free operation, one of the K30 configurations is the best option if you're searching for a precision grinder that can help you multitask in a busy environment.
Key Features And What They Mean
Flat Burrs
A flat burr grinder differs substantially from a conical burr grinder. While it's easy to say that both have their own lists of pros, it's important to get the full picture of how they work.
Conical grinders have nested cone-shaped burrs. The coffee beans are dropped in at a slight angle, then one burr rotates to grind the coffee at a slow, but steady, pace. One pro is that these machines are usually quiet.
In flat burr grinders with more power like the Mahlkonig K30, the beans are ground between two horizontal burrs before dropping down. The advantage is a uniform coffee grind, which means greater consistency in flavor.
Flat burr grinders are said to bring out the richer, deeper notes in coffee, enhancing smooth profiles many espresso drinkers will go out of their way for, even on a workday.
Grind on Demand
The grind-on-demand design of the Mahlkonig K30 machines at Majesty Coffee preserves the freshness and flavor of your product using simple but innovative engineering.
Freshly ground coffee is portioned directly into the portafilter. This is key in reducing oxidation that breaks down the delicate nuances of the coffee.
For coffee-focused businesses, freshness is hugely important. As the top industry experts can tell you, the quality of your coffee starts with your grinder.
Programmable Dosing
The electronic timer on the Mahlkonig K30 delivers repeatable precision in your dosing, helping to maintain the integrity of your product all day long.
With programmable dosing, the measurements are more accurate and coffee wastage is significantly reduced.
The dosing is also lightening-quick, complete in under two seconds for a single seven-gram espresso.
Savvy business owners know that less time eaten up by equipment functions means more valuable face time between baristas and customers.
No matter what kind of operation you run, building lasting relationships is an integral part of any long-term plan to nurture business growth.
Hands-Free Operation
Contributing to the speed and efficiency of this grinder is its "smart" hands-free feature. Conveniently, it goes along with the programmable dosing and provides automatic grinding when the portafilter is set in place.
This is no small thing in a busy shop. The more streamlined your baristas' work, the more customers can be serviced. Greater efficiency, greater revenue.
Stepless Grind Adjustment
If you want to provide your baristas with the greatest control of the grind, stepless grind adjustment is the way.
Instead of working with preset notch increments, your baristas can choose any setting and dial in the grind with absolute precision.
This is excellent for coffee shop owners looking for a grinder to dedicate to espresso. It will help to amplify and preserve the flavors of the day's espresso roast.
Large Hopper
Busy shops require bigger hoppers. At a 3.3-pound capacity, the Mahlkonig K30 can hold a large quantity of espresso beans.
Just like a plumbed espresso machine will ensure that your production line isn't slowed down by having to manually refill the reservoir, a grinder with a large hopper ensures that baristas won't be constantly replenishing the beans.
Making your operation as efficient as possible lies in part in choosing the right equipment. It's an easy way to make production faster and increase profits.
Different Configurations
Mahlkonig K30 Vario Single K30-Vario
The Mahlkonig K30 Vario Single is the ever-popular model that the Vario Air and Twin are based on.
With 9.5 x 12.6 x 21.7 countertop dimensions, it can easily fit next to an espresso machine in a limited space. There's also the option of buying a shorter hopper that will reduce the 21.7-inch height to 17.5 inches.
It's a little larger than a typical grinder you'd find at a general kitchen and home goods store, but opting for the shorter hopper will help make it more amenable to smaller spaces.
Constructed with fans and air slots that counteract heat generated by the machine while it's running, the K30 Vario Air is designed for heavy-duty use.
Overheating the motor might not be a concern for home users or slower-paced environments, but if you use your grinder pretty constantly, ventilation becomes something of a necessity.
Why would a fast-paced business want a grinder with built-in fans like the K30 Vario Air? To keep the coffee grounds cooler, which will create a better-tasting espresso with no flavors lost due to heat exposure.
The Mahlkonig K30 Twin comes with two hoppers that split the 3.3-pound espresso bean capacity.
Like the K30 Vario Air, the K30 Twin is equipped with fans to cool down the coffee grounds.
The advantage of owning a dual-hopper machine is the access you'll gain to two different espresso bean types simultaneously. If you want one grinder to hold decaf and regular beans for half-caf espresso shots, the K30 Twin is a match.
Comparable Alternatives
The E65S, also from Mahlkonig, is a grinder to compare to the K30 Vario Single and Vario Air models.
Here are a few important things these grinders have in common:
- Flat burr type
- Programmable dosing
- Fast grinding
- Grinding disc diameter (65 mm)
The E65S is a little more expensive and holds 2.63 pounds of espresso, versus the K30, which holds 3.3 pounds.
However, the E65S is a slimmer take on the K30 at the approximate dimensions of 7 x 23 x 11. If a slimmer and quieter K30 is what you're looking for, the E65S is the answer.
As for the K30 Twin, there really aren't any other on-demand grinders with dual hoppers of the same quality as Mahlkonig's for fair comparison.
If ever there was a grinder that could be described as king of the Mahlkonigs, it would probably be the Peak.
The Peak isn't a perfect twin to the K30, but these grinders do still have a lot in common:
- Flat burrs.
- Large hopper capacity.
- Speedy grinding.
- Built-in cooling system.
You'll pay a little more for the Peak, but that's because it also has some more advanced features packed into it. As an example, consider its spout illumination, which provides lighting for your baristas to work by.
The Peak also has some of the most accurate dose adjusting on the market today. With the ability to time the duration of your dose down to amazingly tiny 0.01 seconds, you'll be able to consistently get exactly as much as coffee grounds as you need when you need them.
About the Brand
Established in 1924, Mahlkonig has been synonymous with advanced engineering in espresso grinders since the introduction of the “grind-on-demand” design feature.
In the espresso industry, seasoned baristas and equipment experts trust Mahlkonig to deliver a high standard of excellence. Other great machines from this brand are the Peak Espresso Grinder and the EK43 Filter Coffee Grinder.
Ideal Machine Applications
You don't want to end up with a grinder that won't keep up, but you also don't want to buy a machine that's overkill for what you need.
With its straightforward operability, the K30 Vario Single is the configuration ideal for home and office use.
If you're considering the K30 Vario Air, you probably need a grinder for a medium to large professional coffee shop, cafe or restaurant that has a steady stream of espresso orders to fill.
The K30 Twin is usually preferred in larger coffee shops and establishments that need greater espresso adaptability. But even smaller businesses can benefit from the dual hopper if they receive lots of customized beverage orders.
What Customers Say
We get excellent feedback on our Mahlkonig grinders. Our customers tell us that the K30 models are easy to adjust and work flawlessly and efficiently. Our customers are also enthusiastic about our fast delivery and unrivaled service.
At the end of the day, you can't go wrong with a Mahlkonig grinder if you're looking for a new level of extraction quality and flavor.
Price
All businesses and households have different needs and different budgets. We price our equipment competitively to help you create the perfect espresso setup.
We offer our Mahlkonig K30 Vario Air Single Espresso Grinders for under $2,000 dollars. You'll find our K30 Twin to be one of the most affordable in the low $3,000-dollar range.
At this point in time, we do not offer the basic Mahlkonig K30 Vario Single. Be sure to take a look at our alternative grinders if you'd like to see something similar to it.
For expert service, prompt delivery and unmatched prices, be sure to check out these products on Majesty Coffee...
