The espresso world is obsessing over a new variable: puck depth. Convex baskets are shrinking the exit diameter to 32mm, forcing a radical shift in how we grind and extract. While these tools offer incredible forgiveness and syrupy sweetness, they might just be masking the vibrant acidity purists crave.
Mahlkönig finally enters the single-dosing arena with the X64 SD, but does their commercial pedigree translate to your kitchen counter? Despite the heavy build and premium name, deep internal testing reveals surprising retention issues and a frustratingly complex cleaning process involving seven screws. While it handles light roasts without stalling, the high RPM and bimodal grind results raise questions about whether it can truly compete with the new wave of enthusiast-focused grinders.