The Mazzer Kold S represents the future of coffee grinding engineering. This high-volume model is set to be a prominent feature at the newly established The Coffee Commune, with its ability put to the ultimate test.
Each day, more than one million Mazzer grinders help over one million baristas prepare their best coffee. For the past 72 years, the Italian manufacturer has focused its capabilities on crafting the perfect coffee grinding device.
Considered the “unsung hero” of coffee equipment, choosing the right grinder for any coffee shop must be a strong consideration. For Raihaan Esat, General Manager of International Coffee Traders at Queensland’s newest coffee hub, The Coffee Commune, one brand is synonymous with reliable grinding technology.
“Mazzer is one of those names in the industry that has a lot of trust behind it. Everyone knows the name Mazzer – and has more than likely used them during their career,” Raihaan says.
As a coffee professional, Raihaan says the most important considerations when making a new grinder purchase for him, are “reliability, speed, and consistency”.
“The last thing you want is to be fighting with the grinder when your shop is busy, when you could be dedicating your time to serving your customers,” he says.
“Without the right grinder paired to the machine, workflow, flavour, and efficiency can suffer.”
So, when equipment supplier Coffee Works Express asked Raihaan to put the Mazzer Kold S to the test to see if it met his strict criteria, his first reaction said it all. “It’s an impressive bit of kit,” he says.
For Raihaan, the Mazzer Kold S is well suited to the needs of a high volume coffee shop. The Coffee Commune is expected to go through 80 to 100 kilograms of coffee per week, making the Kold S an ideal choice. This model is the latest heavy duty grinder from Mazzer since the original Kold was released in 2013.
At The Coffee Commune, Raihaan says the aim will be to represent many different coffees and deliver them reliably and quickly with minimum of ‘damage’ done by overheating the grounds.
The Kold S prevents the coffee from temperature exposure thanks to its tailor-built extra cooling system that also helps preserve the aromas of the coffee. Even if the motor is kept running, the beans will stay safe from overheating thanks to a belt-driven transmission system.
“Having a Mazzer Kold S on the bar will be an asset to the barista team because we believe the belt driven system effectively reduces heat transferred from the motor to the grounds. It’s also quick – very quick. Our testing has shown accurate dosing for a 20-gram dose in around three seconds, and it just keeps going all day long,” Raihaan says.
The Kold S is available in an automatic and electronic version with conical burrs. At its maximum speed with 420 revolutions per minute (RPM) at 50 hertz, the grinder is expected to produce more than five grams per second or six grams per second with 500 RPM at 60 hertz thanks to Mazzer’s reduction gear mechanism.
The head and body of the grinder are kept separate to guarantee better dispersion of the heat from the motor. A double fan system also helps keep heat far from the grinding chamber.
Thanks to improved geometries and new technical solutions, the Kold S reduces coffee retention in the grinder chamber by 50 per cent, compared to the previous Kold model. In turn, this means less purging when changing the grind setting, saving coffee and time.
“Our understanding of how much grinding really matters is always improving. Many years ago, no-one was talking about particle size or dosing accuracy. Those conversations are becoming much more common now and manufacturers like Mazzer seem to be consistently releasing new designs that speak to the new industry standards,” Raihaan says.
Mazzer’s grind flow control (GFC) system solves four common issues found in grinders. It reduces static charge, which causes the coffee powder to disperse on trays and counters. It avoids clumping or agglomerates of grinders. It improves dose consistency and the result in the cup, and allows ease of cleaning thanks to an easy, removable system.
The GFC’s removable aluminium outlet insert is equipped with three extractable interchangeable wire dampers to allow users more control over the flow of coffee grinds through the entire chute.
Raihaan says servicing and maintenance are also well thought through on the Kold S. On first use, he was able to get to access “all the important parts” for cleaning and return the grinder to operational format very quickly.
The Kold S’s new design is sleek and inviting for café operators. It features a die casting aluminium body with sleek lines and aluminium knurled knobs that are functional and resistant. The portafilter holder is adjustable and allows users to grind hands-free and centre the flow of grinds into the basket.
“Mazzer grinders are proven out in the field, and because so many baristas have used them, there is a certain level of familiarity already that allows you to just step on and make adjustments quickly on the fly – no nonsense, just relentlessly fast and accurate dosing,” Raihaan says. “I like the new grind adjustment dials on it as well, a nice change from the older style adjusters that were a little less accurate.”
An electronic control panel is ergonomically designed with a wide viewing angle. It can display grinding statistics, alerts on service needs, and the ability to set-up a maximum dose cap.
In the old model, a standard single and double dose were programmable, but now a triple dose button is included.
The power of knowledge continues to be a demand for café operators. While espresso machines feature telemetry systems to monitor peak times of use and total volumes per day, Mazzer has its own version of Internet of Things (IoT) connected in its grinders.
In the Kold S, users can monitor any and all of the grinders’ output, keep up with maintenance needs, and improve the quality of coffee in a scientific way by using data tracked by the grinder.
“In the past, monitoring your output and servicing needs was such a manual process, and to some degree involved a lot of guess work. I believe IoT compatibility is the future,” Raihaan says. “I was guilty of often letting the grinder go too long before servicing. That would be a thing of the past now.”
When The Coffee Commune opens its doors to the coffee community in early 2021 – with the Mazzer Kold S sitting on the café bench – it will be a celebration of industry collaboration.
The brainchild of Phillip Di Bella, the new venue will be a “coffee wonderland” for anyone interested in developing their skills, expanding their knowledge, and growing their coffee business.
The purpose-built The Coffee Commune will feature a café, shared roasting space, training room, cupping labs, warehouse, and packaging facilities.
“Our vision is to ensure the coffee community remains sustainable, profitable and able to operate with efficiency, and we can do that with The Coffee Commune,” Raihaan says. “We have seen people open shared roasting facilities and establish their own cafés and training centres, but never has it been put altogether.”
One of the key features will be a dedicated showroom, where equipment supplier CWE will display its range of products. CWE will also supply its equipment to one of the training rooms and have the Mazzer Kold S front and centre on the main café bar.
There, Raihaan hopes even more people in the coffee community will appreciate Mazzer’s latest model and consider how the Kold S may suit their own needs.
“Every café is different, so it’s important to establish what you value most in your grinder,” he says. “I believe [the Kold S] would suit a café that wants a no-nonsense grinder that can go all day every day, without sacrificing grind quality.”
Coffee Works Express is an Australian distributor of Mazzer products.
For more information, visit www.cwe.com.au
This article appears in the December 2020 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.