Read this comment after skipping that micro-steps part, sipping from my filter coffee made using my ode. Yeah.. I'm happy too, no need to change anything.
bro I watched this video, decided to buy, got this thing in the mail today and here I am again watching it after a WHOLE DAY of FAILURE trying to pull an okay shot
I feel like we (myself included) are over-complicating their adjustment mechanism. In practice, you should know if you need to make your current setting coarser or finer. Just adjust the inner ring in the direction you need to go to refine your shot. No math required.
I want to tell you how much I appreciate the quality content that you put out. There is so much thought and effort put into each of your videos. Thank you!
The macroadjustment is giving me hard-core Breville Smart Grinder Pro vibes with the 10 internal adjustments. They drove me crazy. Im even more hopeful for the Encore ESP now.
@@LanceHedrick Could you do a grinder showdown later this year. Theres been a lot of new grinders showing up on the market and it would be great to see how you think they all stack up to each other at separate price points
As soon as I saw the burr set I raced down to the comments to see if people also thought this looked like a Breville knockoff. I wonder how the burrs differ seeing that they look and operate almost exactly the same.
@@LanceHedrickinformative and entertaining as always! I’d be interested to see what an actual espresso dial-in would look like in practice with the Opus (vs the ESP?). I wonder just how annoying the micro adjustments might get (or maybe not that bad?)
The 3D chess game to dial in espresso took me a few replays to understand, but I think that's fair given how fiddly it is. You did a great job explaining it in the amount of time taken!
Hey Lance, just wanted to say, I love your new look. I love watching content creators kind of find themselves and I loved all your early stuff but now you really seem to have found your zone, and it's like you've grown into yourself, and you seem to be more comfortable with who you are now, which I love. PS I love the random singing and rhythmic tapping, as someone with ADHD I love the genuine feeling of your videos. I really look forward to what you do moving forward, you're an inspiration to all of us in this crazy coffee world. PPS I love your hair, you and I have incredibly similar curly hair, and I love mine longer as well, feels like a thick lions mane!
Thank you for the depth of explanation regarding the relationship between the macro and micro settings with special congrats on the impact of micro adjustments on macro readings. That is exceptionally worthwhile for prospective buyers to understand what to expect from the machine. Thanks
Thanks for being able to release such early, same-day reviews. Great technical and entertaining content. I watch nearly all of your vids with my kids. Most of us enjoy them. 😂
The dialing deep dive is giving me flashbacks to learning to use vernier calipers and micrometer screwgauges back in university, and honestly if they had presented it that way, it would probably be easier to use...
I don’t make espresso, but I do have a 4 serving Bialetti Moka pot I enjoy. The single dose cup fits the grind basket perfectly. The opus is great for every type of coffee I enjoy. Performs beautifully for my pour overs, Moccamaster, and cold brew.
I've been looking for a good all purpose grinder for my beginner's setup and this video settled my internal debate. Kinda wish it was as nice built as the Ode, but I for one would take the cost reduction 100 times before that. Thanks for your thorough review, Lance.
I was in the same situation as you 2 months ago and bought the X Pro he used in the video. I think the X Pro is still the better choice because it feels more premium, its easier to use and gives great cups. Yeah the downside is that it's manual but I don't mind and the plus side is that I can take this with me when I travel instead of grinding before hand.
Seems like a fantastic entry level budget grinder. I’m surprised you didn’t compare it to the breville smart grinder but I’m curious how it’ll be vs the encore esp. thanks for the video!!
I think The Fellow Ode was probably what I'd recommend to folks who like coffee and want a capable home grinder that's easy to live with and doesn't come with some of the hassle associated with something like a hand grinder or a Lagom Mini. The MSRP of $300 was just a little steep for a lot of people though, so having a cheaper electric grinder from Fellow is really great. I was originally an Ode backer and was disappointed to realize the original stock burrs couldn't even grind fine enough for some V60s, and in general it wasn't as good as my hand grinder. I put it back in the box for about a year until I finally gave up waiting on updated burrs from Fellow and picked up SSP burrs. With SSP burrs it's been great, and I've since picked up a DF64 with SSP HU burrs (mainly for espresso), but I don't plan on moving on from my Ode. The changes that Fellow has made to the Ode have been really great to see.
Lance helping the little opus to expel its retention, with the expression of a disappointed father as his robot child chokes on yet another coffee bean 🤖🫶🏻
I was super interested in this grinder and when Fellow gave me early access I was ready to pounce. I’m glad this review was available already. This would be a great grinder for someone, but not for me. I guess I’ll stick with my Sette 270 for now.
I feel like they should have put more focus on the espresso side because that budget category is so small. I have a hunch the Encore ESP might edge out the opus in that area, BUT I think it’s great to have a solid budget grinder like this to recommend to friends getting into coffee. V thorough review and I really liked the cutesy skit. Thx God bless
Thanks Lance. They lost me with the adjustment system and the plasticky materials, but I'm pretty sure there is a big market for this product out there. I´ll wait for the Encore ESP review.
Curious to see how you think it compares to the Varia VS3. I see it sitting back there on your counter top. Looking forward to that review. Great work as always!
@@LanceHedrick sweeet! looking forward. I was planning to go for the df64s with the cast sweets or multipurpose. will see how the timemore one goes before i make my first flat burr purchase.
Fellow is too cheap to make anything that can compete with the Niche. They don't have it in their heart to spend the money. If they did, Ode Gen2 would have been their best shot and they know it.
Howdy. I usually don’t comment or like on RUclips videos, but man watching this at 7am made me laugh and enjoy watching this video and learning about the two to make a decision! Thanks brother!
I went from the popular Cuisinart coffee grinder to this one. So far, I like it a lot. I'm not quite the coffee nerd you are, but I wanted to start making better coffee. I recently started roasting my own coffee beans. So, for me it was a perfect step and upgrade for me. My only disappointment was with the espresso cup being 54 and 58 mm. My machine is 51 mm so I have to rely on a funnel to get the coffee into the portafilter. Overall, a great economic grinder.
@@ShayneScherer for sure... When I start playing with it for espresso a little more it'll be pf direct... For now with pour over 36g light roast just fits in the Varia cup... Anymore than that and the ODE cup moves in.
It fees like all of their R&D went into a powerhouse motor and then they had to fit 50 dollars worth of grinder around it. Feels like the VS3 is the way to go for 100 more in that budget espresso category
I honestly loved the explanation of the macro micro adjustments - I kinda missed it on a bunch of other videos .. thanks for taking the time, and well said! the one analogy I would’ve loved to hear would’ve been the vernier lines on analog calipers - they work in exactly the same mind-twisting way I think 😶🌫️ also, what is that grinder on the far left .. it’s gorgeous
Lance, thank you for a really detailed video. I found this video after I had owned the OPUS for approximately 6 months. I am pleased with my decision and have had no issues with it. Some of the minor flaws you point out are not deal breakers for me, and I'm satisfied with my decision. (Price was a factor to me.) The adjustment system has been no issue after you become familiar with it. And possibly because my previous experiences were primarily with hand grinders. I had no specific explications or habits carrying over from previous models.
Not sure what to get as an electric grinder. This is an interesting option. The more I use my 1zspesso hand grinder, the more I want to just make a base for it with a motor and not worry about getting another one.
14:0 It actually makes you wonder why they didn't go for two scales, the 41 macro steps on the body, the +6 and -6 micro adjustments on the hopper, that way the hopper can dial in the opposite direction, while the indication makes it clear what way is coarser and what way is finer.
I am SO GLAD you mentioned that they over-calibrate the grinder from the factory so that as the burrs wear you will still have usable espresso settings. I've been at 3-4 for espresso since I got mine and I though something was wrong.
Great video very informative thank you. I am just looking into getting into grinding my own beans. I generally drink 2 to 3 cups a day and use an Aeropress. This may be sacrilegious but could you make a recommendation on an electric grinder. Can’t use hand grinders because of arthritis. Thanks for you help.
I think it’s awesome that fellow made a grinder that capable for an affordable price, but honestly after hearing the dialing in process, there is no part of me that wants to deal with such a complicated procedure in the morning before I’ve had my coffee. I’m happy with my ode.
I've had mine since the release and share the same feelings when it comes to the build. The plastic does not feel of high quality as the other Fellow products. I too have found scratches at the cup base and the coffee retention is not ideal. With all that said at the price and the other features I am very happy with my purchase. Happy to hear about the longevity of the grinder.
Thank you for the review! Looking to find a replacement for the built in grinder in my breville. Was hoping this was going to be the budget option. But not sure now
I love watching you nerd out on coffee and I appreciate the content as a home enthusiast starting to explore espresso. I’d be interested in seeing some cold brew content.
Thanks for the great video, I think I'm going to get the grinder as I did do some maths and the adjustment seems pretty simple, if it works like I think. Wanted to share so people can either use it to make sense of their grinders, or tell me if I'm just missing something as to why there's 4 micro adjustment levels? Maybe there's some extreme use cases at the ends of the grind size spectrum like Turkish or infusion for desserts, but: I think Fellow could have the same 16m setting options across the grind range with just +1 and -1 "micro" adjustment": I think that if you choose a normal setting on the main dial (with the micro adjustment centred on 0) that is close to what you want, we will call this 'start'. Then to dial it in: 50m step finer = 1 full step down from start, Micro adjuster at 0 33m step finer = Leave at start, Micro adjuster to -1 step (33m finer) 16m step finer = 1 full step down, Micro adjuster to +1 step (33m coarser) Start 16m step coarser = 1 full step up from start, Micro adjuster to -1 step (33m finer) 33mm step coarser = Leave at start, Micro adjuster to +1 step (33m coarser) 50m step coarser = 1 full step up from start, Micro adjuster at 0
Do you think this would do the job for filter coffee? Or it would be better getting the ode 1 or 2? What do you think? I’m trying to decide if it’s worth spending 140dollars more. Or it would be cool with this one ? I’m not an expert in coffe I prepare myself a lot of v60 and chemex.
Nice! Funny enough I got this grinder and I also wanted a travel grinder so I also got the 1zpresso x ultra. Also called me out since I was looking at getting the niche. But just not lookin to drop that much on only one item this year on my coffee journey.
I purchased this grinder.. its great. But I have a pretty cheap espresso machine that claims it has 15 bar.. but I find it cant pull shots on grounds smaller that the 3 setting on this OPUS grinder..
Awesome review, these are so helpful being someone who's just starting to get into this. This price point is exactly what i was looking for and even though the dial seems to be a bit complex and its too bad that its not as heavy as the Ode, it makes sense for the $$ and will still likely still become my first electric grinder.
great video - funny you mention at minute 21 that 1 is way too fine for espresso. honestly I had to go to one and adjust the micro step inside just to get a reasonable espresso with a standard 58mm portafilter and 20.5g medium-dark roast. I had been trying just under 1.5 and I couldn't hold pressure or pre infuse at all.
Lance a suggestion, may be create a Playlist for grinders, you got one for product reviews but it's a lengthy one. May be Lance's pick for espresso, or French press something g like that..
I was just just about to order a Fellow Ode for my pour overs recently, but I fell into the rabbit hole of coffee grinders. With the timemore Sculptor 64 also awaiting release and being a filter coffee grinder, would you rank the Sculptor above the Ode and place the Opus as third? And are they worth the money for filter coffee only? I am very curious about the new grinders and quite unsure which one would make the best fit.
This has been extremely helpful for me! I've been doing budget espresso at home for almost a year now, with a cheap hand grinder and a second-hand espresso machine. I've been really enjoying what I've been able to get out of my setup, but I've been keeping my eye on affordable grinders for a while now. I'm still on the fence about whether to buy now, or wait for gen 2, but it does look like that might be the grinder I've been waiting for. Thanks for the thorough and honest review!
Oh there’s static at least up north. It felt like I was beating up my Opus to get my measurements until I started hydrating the beans with a spray bottle. Now it’s hella consistent.
Thank you for the amazing review once again, Lance! One thing I’d like to point out regarding your choice of comparing the Opus to a handgrinder: I think you can’t disregard the fact that people might pick an electric grinder just because of the convenience. It’s unfair to compare an electric grinder only to a handgrinder of similar price point. In my opinion you should have included another electric grinder in the comparison. Other than that, wonderful work! This was a pleasure to watch.
Thanks for the detail regarding it grinding very fine when new. I’ve used it for a week now and am grinding at 4.3-5.1 for 1 cup/2cup. I’m guessing that’s due to it being new.?
Nice video. Damn they made that micro adjustment complicated. Why not put all the controls on the outside? Who's wants to rip the grinder apart to dial in an espresso?
The macro/micro adjustments looks like the one on Barista express/pro but in reverse. I wonder how does it stack next to the Breville build in grinder. Still waiting on the Varia VS3 review. The feels like the best budget option.
I have a Barista Pro and I'm currently looking to upgrade the grinder. I haven't used the express enough to comment on that but I feel like the Barista Pro adjustment is better, at least for espresso. I changed the internal burr setting when I set up the machine, almost two years ago, and haven't touched it since, as I have plenty range for espresso with the external adjustment. I have no doubt this grinder is much better once dialled in, but opening it up for micro adjustments seems like it would get very tiresome if used mostly for espresso.
my family bought this grinder for my wife for her birthday and after having my brain blown up by your explenation of the intricacies of the the grind settings, what would be your recommended settings for espresso shots along with the macro step adjustement settings? Cofee n00bs here btw..
You could also get granularity down to 1 micron by 3 micro steps 99 microns and 2 macro steps 100 microns. The offset would be 1 micron. You could do the adjustment 1 micron in either direction.
Hello! Thanks 4 the video, i was Looking for some vídeos to dial in my Fellow Opus, because i don’t know what’s wrong in my case. Let me explain, when i grind i can’t get lower than number 5 in my grinder, although I’m using good quality fresh beans. The ones I’ve got now are roasted the 28th of August and 85SCA. (I’ve used differents coffees all fresh and over 85SCA. My coffee machine is a sage bambino and I use a bottomless ikape portafilter with the básquet that came with the portafilter. I use a 20gr dose because I like a larger espresso. My complains are that first of all I can’t go finer than 5 and I think I don’t get enough crema in those settings. After it takes ages to grind 20gr. I have to press many times the button, (recently discovered that a long press is for manual stop) 😅. My grinder has a lot of retention. I’ve cleaned all parts several times and see if it was all ok with the grinder and it seems all parts are in good conditions. Long story short, under the lid of the grinder it says that the range for espresso is between 1 and 3 but I can’t grind under 5, and it takes for ever to grind and I can’t get enough crema. Hope you can give me some hints!! Thank you!!!!
Thanks for the review! It is amazing that you can get new single dose grinder that is fully capable of espresso at this pricepoint, it is great deal considering for how much you can get (sometimes heavily) used conical grinder like Iberital MC2 or similar which is not that great for single dosing. If I was at the start of my espresso journey, I would not think twice and get the Opus. Considering the grind time, build and the workflow, I will continue with the wait for Sculptor 78S - I cant wait for your review of the espresso version Lance!
Really well put together & thought out review, Lance! That moment where you're like "I promise this is not the only test I've done, IT REALLY ISNT" is so fkin relatable as a follow content creator, lol.
Don't forget to hit LIKE and, more importantly, SUBSCRIBE! Thanks for watching. See you in the comments!!!
If I had the original ode, are catch cups interchangeable with the opus?
Somewhere around the fifth minute of explanation of the micro-steps I decided that maybe I was cool just drinking filter coffee forever
Yea after the impromptu nap it caused, not complaining I needed the nap😂
Came here to say the same. The price is super tempting but hey. I think I still want the Ode 2.
made me very glad i have a stepless grinder
Read this comment after skipping that micro-steps part, sipping from my filter coffee made using my ode. Yeah.. I'm happy too, no need to change anything.
bro I watched this video, decided to buy, got this thing in the mail today and here I am again watching it after a WHOLE DAY of FAILURE trying to pull an okay shot
I feel like we (myself included) are over-complicating their adjustment mechanism. In practice, you should know if you need to make your current setting coarser or finer. Just adjust the inner ring in the direction you need to go to refine your shot. No math required.
I want to tell you how much I appreciate the quality content that you put out. There is so much thought and effort put into each of your videos. Thank you!
thank you! It definitely takes a lot of time, but I take seriously money other people spend on equipment! Thanks for the kind words
I love that it goes all the way up to 11
But why not just make 10 the max number? 😂
@@pjpoirthese go to eleven
It goes to 11
It's nice to see a person who was able to direct his ADHD in a useful direction
Great video, as always
hahaha thank you! I think it helps, for sure. Appreciate the kind words!
The amount of effort, passion, humor, and ideas you put into all these videos. I absolutely love them.
The macroadjustment is giving me hard-core Breville Smart Grinder Pro vibes with the 10 internal adjustments. They drove me crazy. Im even more hopeful for the Encore ESP now.
I still think this is a great compromise for quality and price BUT I am excited about the ESP, as well. Review coming soon!
@@LanceHedrick Could you do a grinder showdown later this year. Theres been a lot of new grinders showing up on the market and it would be great to see how you think they all stack up to each other at separate price points
As soon as I saw the burr set I raced down to the comments to see if people also thought this looked like a Breville knockoff. I wonder how the burrs differ seeing that they look and operate almost exactly the same.
@@LanceHedrickinformative and entertaining as always! I’d be interested to see what an actual espresso dial-in would look like in practice with the Opus (vs the ESP?). I wonder just how annoying the micro adjustments might get (or maybe not that bad?)
I'm in the same situation haha
The 3D chess game to dial in espresso took me a few replays to understand, but I think that's fair given how fiddly it is. You did a great job explaining it in the amount of time taken!
Hey Lance, just wanted to say, I love your new look.
I love watching content creators kind of find themselves and I loved all your early stuff but now you really seem to have found your zone, and it's like you've grown into yourself, and you seem to be more comfortable with who you are now, which I love.
PS I love the random singing and rhythmic tapping, as someone with ADHD I love the genuine feeling of your videos.
I really look forward to what you do moving forward, you're an inspiration to all of us in this crazy coffee world.
PPS I love your hair, you and I have incredibly similar curly hair, and I love mine longer as well, feels like a thick lions mane!
Thanks a lot for nother great video!
Thank you for the kind thanks! Really appreciate the support!
What a brilliantly done review Lance.
thank you so much!
Really appreciate you running it through a whole grind cycle for time and to hear it without any background noise/music
I just graduated from grade 4 maths. Thank you, Lance! I need to stay ahead of my son and find your videos very educational. ❤
Thank you for the depth of explanation regarding the relationship between the macro and micro settings with special congrats on the impact of micro adjustments on macro readings. That is exceptionally worthwhile for prospective buyers to understand what to expect from the machine. Thanks
oh my god that adjustment! 😮😮
Thanks for being able to release such early, same-day reviews. Great technical and entertaining content. I watch nearly all of your vids with my kids. Most of us enjoy them. 😂
The dialing deep dive is giving me flashbacks to learning to use vernier calipers and micrometer screwgauges back in university, and honestly if they had presented it that way, it would probably be easier to use...
I don’t make espresso, but I do have a 4 serving Bialetti Moka pot I enjoy. The single dose cup fits the grind basket perfectly. The opus is great for every type of coffee I enjoy. Performs beautifully for my pour overs, Moccamaster, and cold brew.
I've been looking for a good all purpose grinder for my beginner's setup and this video settled my internal debate. Kinda wish it was as nice built as the Ode, but I for one would take the cost reduction 100 times before that. Thanks for your thorough review, Lance.
I was in the same situation as you 2 months ago and bought the X Pro he used in the video. I think the X Pro is still the better choice because it feels more premium, its easier to use and gives great cups. Yeah the downside is that it's manual but I don't mind and the plus side is that I can take this with me when I travel instead of grinding before hand.
Seems like a fantastic entry level budget grinder. I’m surprised you didn’t compare it to the breville smart grinder but I’m curious how it’ll be vs the encore esp. thanks for the video!!
I think The Fellow Ode was probably what I'd recommend to folks who like coffee and want a capable home grinder that's easy to live with and doesn't come with some of the hassle associated with something like a hand grinder or a Lagom Mini. The MSRP of $300 was just a little steep for a lot of people though, so having a cheaper electric grinder from Fellow is really great. I was originally an Ode backer and was disappointed to realize the original stock burrs couldn't even grind fine enough for some V60s, and in general it wasn't as good as my hand grinder. I put it back in the box for about a year until I finally gave up waiting on updated burrs from Fellow and picked up SSP burrs. With SSP burrs it's been great, and I've since picked up a DF64 with SSP HU burrs (mainly for espresso), but I don't plan on moving on from my Ode. The changes that Fellow has made to the Ode have been really great to see.
The fact that im enthralled by cinematography and acting in the cutesy skit speaks volumes for your content
Fantastic review buddy!
Thank you! IG live soon?
This product feels like it was developed in a meeting room. "Okay we make sure it doesn't cannibalize Ode, and our target user is everyone"
Lance helping the little opus to expel its retention, with the expression of a disappointed father as his robot child chokes on yet another coffee bean 🤖🫶🏻
I was super interested in this grinder and when Fellow gave me early access I was ready to pounce. I’m glad this review was available already. This would be a great grinder for someone, but not for me. I guess I’ll stick with my Sette 270 for now.
I feel like they should have put more focus on the espresso side because that budget category is so small. I have a hunch the Encore ESP might edge out the opus in that area, BUT I think it’s great to have a solid budget grinder like this to recommend to friends getting into coffee. V thorough review and I really liked the cutesy skit. Thx God bless
The review I’ve been waiting for! Thank you again for all your work & willingness to share
Thanks Lance. They lost me with the adjustment system and the plasticky materials, but I'm pretty sure there is a big market for this product out there. I´ll wait for the Encore ESP review.
Curious to see how you think it compares to the Varia VS3. I see it sitting back there on your counter top. Looking forward to that review. Great work as always!
was hoping for that timemore follow up review hahaha. the opus feels like a really nice gift to someone who is starting out with coffee
I'm waiting on them to ship the units! They said they'd send me 064S and 078S. They said they wouldn't ship me 064 Turbo. But soon!
@@LanceHedrick sweeet! looking forward. I was planning to go for the df64s with the cast sweets or multipurpose. will see how the timemore one goes before i make my first flat burr purchase.
definitely! I'm waiting eagerly!
The macro/micro step thing is ridiculous.
@@LanceHedrick waiting in the review of the 078S as well, can't wait!!!
that opening skit was SUCH a good summary! 😂
Can't wait for Fellow's future premium version of this to compete with the Niche: the Magnum Opus
Bahahahaha!
Fellow is too cheap to make anything that can compete with the Niche. They don't have it in their heart to spend the money. If they did, Ode Gen2 would have been their best shot and they know it.
Howdy. I usually don’t comment or like on RUclips videos, but man watching this at 7am made me laugh and enjoy watching this video and learning about the two to make a decision! Thanks brother!
I went from the popular Cuisinart coffee grinder to this one. So far, I like it a lot. I'm not quite the coffee nerd you are, but I wanted to start making better coffee. I recently started roasting my own coffee beans. So, for me it was a perfect step and upgrade for me. My only disappointment was with the espresso cup being 54 and 58 mm. My machine is 51 mm so I have to rely on a funnel to get the coffee into the portafilter. Overall, a great economic grinder.
This is a detail and clear review, great for beginner coffee lovers!
Does that insert at 3:50 allow you to pour into an Aeropress without spilling?
Love to see how it compares to the Varia I feel those are 2 grinders that seem to be a great value for the price.
I am still working on a varia review!
@@LanceHedrick busy dude! Either way appreciate everything you do to get us educated in a fun way! Thank you!
@@LanceHedrick I may have to admit to using the catch cup from the ODE for the Varia VS3 sometimes... Works nicely 😉
@@IntlGeorge the varia catch cup is a bit dinky. I just grind directly into my PF resting it below the chute lol
@@ShayneScherer for sure... When I start playing with it for espresso a little more it'll be pf direct... For now with pour over 36g light roast just fits in the Varia cup... Anymore than that and the ODE cup moves in.
Love the video. I just recently purchased a moccamaster drip coffee maker, any recommendations for a good grinder thank you
It fees like all of their R&D went into a powerhouse motor and then they had to fit 50 dollars worth of grinder around it. Feels like the VS3 is the way to go for 100 more in that budget espresso category
Masses want cheap. They delivered on the cheap part
I honestly loved the explanation of the macro micro adjustments - I kinda missed it on a bunch of other videos .. thanks for taking the time, and well said!
the one analogy I would’ve loved to hear would’ve been the vernier lines on analog calipers - they work in exactly the same mind-twisting way
I think 😶🌫️
also, what is that grinder on the far left .. it’s gorgeous
Loved the music (as well as the quality review!)
first time in your channel, or any coffee channel for that matter. and this is super fair review. nice to see. thanks!
Lance, thank you for a really detailed video. I found this video after I had owned the OPUS for approximately 6 months. I am pleased with my decision and have had no issues with it. Some of the minor flaws you point out are not deal breakers for me, and I'm satisfied with my decision. (Price was a factor to me.) The adjustment system has been no issue after you become familiar with it. And possibly because my previous experiences were primarily with hand grinders. I had no specific explications or habits carrying over from previous models.
Not sure what to get as an electric grinder. This is an interesting option. The more I use my 1zspesso hand grinder, the more I want to just make a base for it with a motor and not worry about getting another one.
14:0 It actually makes you wonder why they didn't go for two scales, the 41 macro steps on the body, the +6 and -6 micro adjustments on the hopper, that way the hopper can dial in the opposite direction, while the indication makes it clear what way is coarser and what way is finer.
Congrats buddy, great intro haha!
I am SO GLAD you mentioned that they over-calibrate the grinder from the factory so that as the burrs wear you will still have usable espresso settings. I've been at 3-4 for espresso since I got mine and I though something was wrong.
Great vid, would love to see a comparison against the lagom mini, vario VS3, etc
Thank you Lance.
thank you!
So glad you stuck to lengthy reviews! great one.
Great video very informative thank you. I am just looking into getting into grinding my own beans. I generally drink 2 to 3 cups a day and use an Aeropress. This may be sacrilegious but could you make a recommendation on an electric grinder. Can’t use hand grinders because of arthritis.
Thanks for you help.
I think it’s awesome that fellow made a grinder that capable for an affordable price, but honestly after hearing the dialing in process, there is no part of me that wants to deal with such a complicated procedure in the morning before I’ve had my coffee. I’m happy with my ode.
I've seen similar comments as your's a few times. I would have thought you dial it in once and you're done?
Your content continues to get better with each Video Lance - thank you for the reviews
That Badalamenti-esque tune in the skit/intro is *chef's kiss*
I’m pausing at 0:59 to comment and say that that intro was incredibly emotional and cinematic
thank you, Ethan! Means a lot
I've had mine since the release and share the same feelings when it comes to the build. The plastic does not feel of high quality as the other Fellow products. I too have found scratches at the cup base and the coffee retention is not ideal. With all that said at the price and the other features I am very happy with my purchase. Happy to hear about the longevity of the grinder.
Thank you for the review! Looking to find a replacement for the built in grinder in my breville. Was hoping this was going to be the budget option. But not sure now
This is the best grinder in the world. Well Designed.
Again, very good in depth video. Bravo 👏
BTW... I noticed that Mara X at the back 😏... can't wait to see you going deep on that.
I love watching you nerd out on coffee and I appreciate the content as a home enthusiast starting to explore espresso. I’d be interested in seeing some cold brew content.
Thanks for the great video, I think I'm going to get the grinder as I did do some maths and the adjustment seems pretty simple, if it works like I think. Wanted to share so people can either use it to make sense of their grinders, or tell me if I'm just missing something as to why there's 4 micro adjustment levels? Maybe there's some extreme use cases at the ends of the grind size spectrum like Turkish or infusion for desserts, but:
I think Fellow could have the same 16m setting options across the grind range with just +1 and -1 "micro" adjustment":
I think that if you choose a normal setting on the main dial (with the micro adjustment centred on 0) that is close to what you want, we will call this 'start'.
Then to dial it in:
50m step finer = 1 full step down from start, Micro adjuster at 0
33m step finer = Leave at start, Micro adjuster to -1 step (33m finer)
16m step finer = 1 full step down, Micro adjuster to +1 step (33m coarser)
Start
16m step coarser = 1 full step up from start, Micro adjuster to -1 step (33m finer)
33mm step coarser = Leave at start, Micro adjuster to +1 step (33m coarser)
50m step coarser = 1 full step up from start, Micro adjuster at 0
I'm glad I'm not the only one who freely mixes up "EZPresso" and "One-Z-Presso" when saying it out loud, despite knowing the correct pronunciation.
Professor. May I have a spreadsheet that I can enter the desired micron size and it tells me which macro/micro settings should be used? 😂
I think for easily espresso adjustment use, for big step adjust could be done by outside ring and micro adjust use inner ring for pulling shot.
Do you think this would do the job for filter coffee? Or it would be better getting the ode 1 or 2? What do you think? I’m trying to decide if it’s worth spending 140dollars more. Or it would be cool with this one ? I’m not an expert in coffe I prepare myself a lot of v60 and chemex.
man that intro was giving me goosebumps until AD at 1:22 lol… i guess this is what youtube premium is for
AD at 1:22? well. That sucks! So sorry!
Nice! Funny enough I got this grinder and I also wanted a travel grinder so I also got the 1zpresso x ultra. Also called me out since I was looking at getting the niche. But just not lookin to drop that much on only one item this year on my coffee journey.
Did I just spot 2 Pietro Grinders on your shelf in the background? Will there be a review of those at some point? 😀
👀👀👀
I purchased this grinder.. its great. But I have a pretty cheap espresso machine that claims it has 15 bar.. but I find it cant pull shots on grounds smaller that the 3 setting on this OPUS grinder..
Awesome review, these are so helpful being someone who's just starting to get into this. This price point is exactly what i was looking for and even though the dial seems to be a bit complex and its too bad that its not as heavy as the Ode, it makes sense for the $$ and will still likely still become my first electric grinder.
great video - funny you mention at minute 21 that 1 is way too fine for espresso. honestly I had to go to one and adjust the micro step inside just to get a reasonable espresso with a standard 58mm portafilter and 20.5g medium-dark roast. I had been trying just under 1.5 and I couldn't hold pressure or pre infuse at all.
Thanks Lance! Great review as always!
I love an hour long grinder video ❤ . I just know eventually I’ll buy a zerno
Lance a suggestion, may be create a Playlist for grinders, you got one for product reviews but it's a lengthy one. May be Lance's pick for espresso, or French press something g like that..
great idea! Will do this now.
Was scared i'd somewhat regret buying a DF83 but after watching this I'm very happy with my pickup.
DF83 is fantastic. You'll much prefer that, no doubt. This is great, but great for $195.
Its out!!!
finally!
Killing it, Lance. Great vid.
I was just just about to order a Fellow Ode for my pour overs recently, but I fell into the rabbit hole of coffee grinders. With the timemore Sculptor 64 also awaiting release and being a filter coffee grinder, would you rank the Sculptor above the Ode and place the Opus as third? And are they worth the money for filter coffee only? I am very curious about the new grinders and quite unsure which one would make the best fit.
Great! This is what I’m looking for. Thank you
Thank you!
What is the white machine in the background. ? Thanks for the review !
This has been extremely helpful for me!
I've been doing budget espresso at home for almost a year now, with a cheap hand grinder and a second-hand espresso machine. I've been really enjoying what I've been able to get out of my setup, but I've been keeping my eye on affordable grinders for a while now.
I'm still on the fence about whether to buy now, or wait for gen 2, but it does look like that might be the grinder I've been waiting for.
Thanks for the thorough and honest review!
Oh there’s static at least up north. It felt like I was beating up my Opus to get my measurements until I started hydrating the beans with a spray bottle. Now it’s hella consistent.
Thank you for the amazing review once again, Lance! One thing I’d like to point out regarding your choice of comparing the Opus to a handgrinder: I think you can’t disregard the fact that people might pick an electric grinder just because of the convenience. It’s unfair to compare an electric grinder only to a handgrinder of similar price point. In my opinion you should have included another electric grinder in the comparison.
Other than that, wonderful work! This was a pleasure to watch.
Yeah but x Pro feels and handlers way more premium and as a counter point: it's portable so taking it on trips and longer vacations is much easier :)
That intro.. flawlesss
Thanks for the detail regarding it grinding very fine when new. I’ve used it for a week now and am grinding at 4.3-5.1 for 1 cup/2cup. I’m guessing that’s due to it being new.?
Nice video. Damn they made that micro adjustment complicated. Why not put all the controls on the outside? Who's wants to rip the grinder apart to dial in an espresso?
The macro/micro adjustments looks like the one on Barista express/pro but in reverse. I wonder how does it stack next to the Breville build in grinder. Still waiting on the Varia VS3 review. The feels like the best budget option.
I have a Barista Pro and I'm currently looking to upgrade the grinder. I haven't used the express enough to comment on that but I feel like the Barista Pro adjustment is better, at least for espresso. I changed the internal burr setting when I set up the machine, almost two years ago, and haven't touched it since, as I have plenty range for espresso with the external adjustment. I have no doubt this grinder is much better once dialled in, but opening it up for micro adjustments seems like it would get very tiresome if used mostly for espresso.
are you gonna review the ode gen2? im waiting to have mine delivered and paired with lab sweets
Was worried my choice of sd40 was a mistake, but after seeing this I am happy
my family bought this grinder for my wife for her birthday and after having my brain blown up by your explenation of the intricacies of the the grind settings, what would be your recommended settings for espresso shots along with the macro step adjustement settings? Cofee n00bs here btw..
Best intro ever!
it is a straightforward mathematical equation it just depends on the conical angle (bur gap change) =cos(Included bur angle/2)*(vertical Bur movement)
You could also get granularity down to 1 micron by 3 micro steps 99 microns and 2 macro steps 100 microns. The offset would be 1 micron. You could do the adjustment 1 micron in either direction.
Very interesting grinder! Just wondering which grinder is the white one in the bg?
Hello! Thanks 4 the video, i was Looking for some vídeos to dial in my Fellow Opus, because i don’t know what’s wrong in my case.
Let me explain, when i grind i can’t get lower than number 5 in my grinder, although I’m using good quality fresh beans. The ones I’ve got now are roasted the 28th of August and 85SCA. (I’ve used differents coffees all fresh and over 85SCA. My coffee machine is a sage bambino and I use a bottomless ikape portafilter with the básquet that came with the portafilter. I use a 20gr dose because I like a larger espresso.
My complains are that first of all I can’t go finer than 5 and I think I don’t get enough crema in those settings. After it takes ages to grind 20gr. I have to press many times the button, (recently discovered that a long press is for manual stop) 😅. My grinder has a lot of retention. I’ve cleaned all parts several times and see if it was all ok with the grinder and it seems all parts are in good conditions. Long story short, under the lid of the grinder it says that the range for espresso is between 1 and 3 but I can’t grind under 5, and it takes for ever to grind and I can’t get enough crema. Hope you can give me some hints!! Thank you!!!!
Thanks for the review! It is amazing that you can get new single dose grinder that is fully capable of espresso at this pricepoint, it is great deal considering for how much you can get (sometimes heavily) used conical grinder like Iberital MC2 or similar which is not that great for single dosing.
If I was at the start of my espresso journey, I would not think twice and get the Opus.
Considering the grind time, build and the workflow, I will continue with the wait for Sculptor 78S - I cant wait for your review of the espresso version Lance!
Really well put together & thought out review, Lance! That moment where you're like "I promise this is not the only test I've done, IT REALLY ISNT" is so fkin relatable as a follow content creator, lol.