Customer Reviews

Rancilio Rocky Doserless Burr Grinder

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have had my Rocky doserless grinder for nearly nine months and I have never regretted the purchase. This is one of the premier prosumer grade coffee grinders and delivers consistent quality for espresso through drip and (almost) up to press pot. It is solid, relatively quiet - I use mine in my office at a small university and do close my door to muffle the noise a little more - and a great option for grinding for each individual shot of espresso. Plus, its compact form factor and mechanical-cool look mean Rocky can sit on the corner of my desk, next to the Gaggia Factory lever machine that it serves.

The highlights of the Rocky are its solidity and quality, its ease of adjustment, and in the case of this doserless model, its ability to grind for each dose of espresso or brew with minimal holdover of grounds. Because the path from burrs to chute is so short and unobstructed, I can rap the side when I am done and dislodge any leftover grounds, or simply remove the two screws holding in the chute to use a brush to clear it. The metal hoop below is perfect for holding a Gaggia or Pavoni portafilter when grinding, and can be removed with one quick tug to allow you to grind into a filter, press pot, or bag. Rocky's weight keeps it steady - it is no flimsy lightweight - and I personally like that the power switch and grind switch are separated on the doserless model. Having the grind switch on the front is convenient.

The only things keeping Rocky from getting five stars have to do with the grind settings. On the coarse end of the adjustment, Rocky just doesn't quite make it to a real french press grind. This is an issue that was noted on coffeegeek reviews and which I didn't care about when I bought the machine, but which I now wish I had considered. Also, and this is a niggling point, the grind adjustments are stepped, not stepless. In a perfect world, I like to think that all grinders should be stepless like the Mazzer Mini that I occasionally get to play with. That said, the steps are close enough that I have not found a problem in getting the grind I desire, and the system of a release button on the collar that adjusts the burrs is slick and simple.

If you are in the market for a top end consumer coffee grinder, take a good long look at the doserless Rocky. When a Mazzer Mini would be overkill (and overpriced), but you want something closer to commercial grade than a Solis Maestro, Rocky hits the sweet spot.

The grinder makes a huge difference in espresso, when you take advantage of its precision. On my last lot of beans, a grinder setting of 12 produced something like brewed coffee, while 10 justified the price of this machine. For me, anyway, it takes time to find the right balance of coffee amount, grind, tamping, and extraction time. New beans need a new balance.

As to the doser: If you usually grind for one espresso at a time then you seriously do not want the doser getting in your way.

I'm super happy with the Rocky. I've had mine for over five years and the thing works extremely well. I've taken it apart a few times to give it a good thorough cleaning and the parts on the inside all appear to be very well made. I recommend this grinder all the time and I give it a hearty thumbs up to anybody who cares about a quality cup of coffee.

The Rocky grinder is so incredible. Tons of horse power and a consistent grind. I grind for espresso and I can increment the grind size in slight increments according to how well the espresso is making it through the porta-filter on my espresso machine. Awesome way to fine tune and adjust according to the quality and age of the beans.

Built like a pro grinder - heavy duty!

Regarding the decision of dosser vs. dosserless: If you are going to us this as a COMMERCIAL grinder and pour shot after shot - go with a dosser for measuring convenience. But you will always have some of your ground coffee sitting in the hopper.

If you're making your espresso's one at a time - go dosserless. Then you're getting your coffee freshly grounded just before you use it.

After 5 years of daily use, my old Bodum grinder finally broke down and I decided to upgrade to a nice, solid grinder that would work with my Gaggia Classic espresso machine. After some extensive research, I decided to go with the Rancilio Rocky. This grinder is fairly expensive (almost 4 times as much as the Bodum), but I do not regret my choice. It is definitely a big step up from what I had, and makes for a very noticeable improvement to the taste of my espresso. The research showed that every grinder has some little shortcomings and so does the Rocky (see below). However, the overall performance is definitley worth 5 stars.

Pros:
- Solidly built and runs (relatively) quitely
- Highly consistent ground makes for great espresso
- Fine adjustment steps allow to adjust very precisely for every type of coffe beans and preparation mode
- Short grinder path make for very little ground stuck in the grinder
- No doser, the ground coffee falls right into the portafilter. This makes for less waisted coffee. I definitley prefer this setup for home use.

Cons:
- The holder for the portafilter is not positioned well. One basically has to hold the portafilter for the whole grinding process.
- There is a power switch on the side and then another switch in the front which has to be pressed while grinding. I think that one switch would have been enough.

This grinder is rock solid and grinds to the exact standards a real espresso machine needs (another reviewer said what is the difference between and 18 and 19 - my answer: Sweet vs. Bitter crema on top if you are using a quality machine). Depending on the bean, roast, humidity and day I usually go for a setting between 15 and 20 and although I can barely feel the difference the espresso maker can. I also agree with another reviewer that the top does not seal, unfortunately I have not seen any that do, but I think a little rubber gasket for the lid would have been nice. The grind switch is easy to push, but I could never figure out why there is an on/off switch on the side and grind switch on the front. Occasionally I knock the power switch off and can figure out why it stopped working until I realize I simply need to turn it back on.

I bought this grinder a few months ago as a replacement for a starbucks burr grinder from the 90's. I really love the Rancilio for espresso grinds. My only complaint is that on larger grind settings for a french press, it seems that beans do not readily drop into the burrs from the hopper. I find myself constantly having to jiggle the machine for grinding to progress. On a finer setting it doesn't seem to be a problem at all. I've used a large variety of whole beans from local roasters through commercial varieties. Same issue.

Overall it's a fantastic grinder and I would certainly buy it again.

I've had this grinder for a few of years now and absolutely love it.

The only downside is it almost takes three hands to change the grind setting. So if you are using it for both drip and espresso with different grind settings all the time you will have some issues with it unless you place something in the holder to catch the grounds as the machine should be operating to change the setting so you don't damage the burr grinders.

Every day and sometimes twice a day it has done the job over and over without a blip.

Some have complained about it getting clogged, but it has never happened to me. I have it set on "10" for a latte grind and have used both "oily" beans like French roast and "dry" beans.

There is always a bit left in the chute so if you bump it, it's going to dump some on the tray, which now is plastic on the newer model and removable - mine has a stainless base that you have to wipe or sweep any extra grounds off. I give mine a tap or "bump" while the portafilter is still under it and usually still have some grounds to clean up after.

But all in all I am completely satisfied with this purchase.

I purchased this for my boyfriend for Christmas. He's a coffee lover and has always used a standard coffee grinder he got at Walmart for making coffee in his Capresso machine (not the best machine... clogs up a lot but that's another review). He almost returned the Rancilio Grinder because he thought I spent too much, but I talked him into trying it and he is amazed at how much better his coffee is now. He's definitely keeping it.

The Doserless Rancilio is a bit confusing in why they designed certain features, but never the less it grinds well, is sturdy, and grinds to great precision. I suggest placing a small bowl underneath the chute, and then either pouring into the coffee filter or filling the espresso handle.

For those that want this for only espresso, the doser version might be a fine idea.
I do not expect to replace this in my lifetime.