Australian Barista Champion Jack Simpson reveals what to look for when choosing a grinder, how to maintain it, and why he loves the new Mazzer Kony Sg.
As the two-time Australian Barista Champion and the Quality and Sales Manager of Axil Coffee Roasters in Melbourne, Jack Simpson has worked with some of the world’s best – and worst – grinders. He knows which machines will deliver the best tasting coffee, the models that will produce consistent results, and the brands that will stand the test of time.
Choosing the right grinder for your café can be a daunting task. It’s a vital piece of equipment in any coffee-making venue that can be the difference between producing a brilliant and an abysmal cup. A good grinder can also speed up workflow, ensure consistency, and bring the best flavours out of a bean.
According to Jack, there are two key things people should look for when choosing a grinder. Naturally, the first is taste.
“No matter what the bells and whistles are, if the coffee it produces doesn’t taste good then it’s not the grinder for you,” he says.
“The product that I’m serving must be the best it can be, so taste will be the first factor I will base my decision on. This means that trying out the grinder is vital.”
When it comes to flavour, Jack says selecting the right grinder could be considered more important than the espresso machine.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are as a barista, if the grinder isn’t producing an even particle size, you can’t make the coffee to the best of its potential. A high-quality grinder is paramount in the pursuit of excellent specialty coffee,” he says.
Jack’s second consideration is the functionality and reliability of the equipment. He suggests considering questions such as how easy is it to use? And is this grinder going to be dependable through service day in, day out?
“You need a grinder that’s reliable and can assist you as a barista to maintain the speed and quality to ensure customers are receiving a consistent product,” he says.
Once the perfect grinder has been chosen, knowing it inside out and becoming an expert in the technology is imperative.
“You need to know how much the grind settings should be adjusted to produce the desired extraction time, such as one notch resulting in a three-second extraction change,” Jack says.
“It’s also important to understand how much you need to purge to see the effect after a grind adjustment. Having this knowledge means that, when a different coffee is used in the grinder, you’ll feel comfortable in controlling the variable to hit the perfect recipe.”
To continue producing beautiful coffee once the grinder has been set up to the café’s preferences, routinely cleaning and servicing the equipment is essential.
“The key is cleaning the equipment regularly. These grinders and burr sets produce amazing coffee as long as they are looked after,” he says.
“Coffee grinders build up oils and fine particles over time. In order for the burr set to ‘cut’ the coffee with consistency, it needs to be free of these build ups. Regularly taking the grinder apart to vacuum out any residue and using grinder pellets is something that is on my list with my equipment weekly – if not daily.”
As a Brand Ambassador for Italian equipment manufacturer Mazzer, Jack believes the Kony Sg grinder is the ideal fit for a broad range of venues and users.
“The Kony Sg is a really exciting grinder to have on the market, I’ve been looking forward to seeing grind-by-weight on a Mazzer,” he says.
“It’s a great fit for a broad range of baristas and café owners. One of the biggest advantages is the time saved using the Kony Sg, so it’s particularly useful for busy venues. More than that, it gives baristas time to engage with customers more attentively while brewing.”
The Barista Champion believes one of the key features that sets the grinder apart from others on the market is its ability to handle vibrations.
“The vibration filtering algorithm and the way the scale is integrated into the housing means that any bumps won’t impact the accuracy of the scale,” he says.
“Another functionality that’s extremely useful is not having to worry about adjusting the grind time, which makes dialling in a much more efficient process. The Kony Sg also tells you the exact amount of coffee that comes out with great accuracy. Therefore, rather than displaying the target weight, it reports what you have. As a barista focused on detail, this is very important.”
This information is crucial for baristas who want to be informed about the accuracy of their dosage and areas for adjustment. As part of these smart assets, the Kony Sg also includes daily grinding statistics, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for remote data monitoring, and firmware upgrade options.
The Sg is equipped with conical burrs, which Jack says is a benefit for baristas focused on flavour and extracting the subtle notes of filter coffees or single origins.
“I appreciate the depth of flavour that comes with a conical burr set. For baristas focused on this style of extraction, the Sg would definitely appeal to them,” he says.
The 63-millimetre conical burrs were designed and produced in the Mazzer factory near Venice, Italy. Producing 420 revolutions per minute (50 hertz) and with a double cooling system, the grinder has been developed to protect the coffee beans from heat exposure.
The grinder also features a Grind Flow Control (GFC) system, which includes a removable aluminium outlet insert equipped with a through-flow wire damper that responds to the coffee flow. The GFC system is designed to reduce static charge that can cause coffee powder to clump, which can impact performance and results.
“All these features, paired with the reliability that Mazzer is so well known for, makes the Kony Sg very exciting,” says Jack.
Luigi Mazzer, Vice President of Mazzer, says the grinder is something special.
“I hope the coffee community will see the passion and innovation behind this model,” he says.
“Mazzer is committed to manufacturing all our products with the goal of delivering something we’re proud of and, most importantly, is a beneficial tool for baristas of all abilities and experience.”
For more information, visit Mazzer’s Australian distributor cwe.com.au
This article appears in the December/January 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
