Mazzer has created a grinder that helps baristas complete their daily work with user-friendly solutions, new electronic features, and Internet of Things technology to give more control over the final cup.
Mazzer Founder Luigi Mazzer began developing coffee grinders in 1948 from his precision-mechanic workshop near Venice, Italy with one goal in mind: to create the best possible professional-grade coffee grinders.
Since then, Mazzer has kept that promise, evolving its range of grinders and introducing innovative solutions to respond to the needs of baristas all over the world. This is embodied in its latest model, the Major V.
“Quality, usability, and control are the foundations on which we have developed our entire range, and these attributes are exemplified in Major V,” says Marco Zottin, Project Engineer of the Mazzer Major V.
“Mazzer is moving fast to upgrade its entire product line, adapting to the needs of a fast-moving coffee community and bringing the company to the next level.”
Marco describes the Major V as an evolution of its classic Major model, and the faster among the company’s flat-burr grinders.
“It’s low retention, flexible, and performs well during rush hour and regular flow. It’s the grinder to have when a coffee shop wants to make the leap to the next level,” Marco says.
“Baristas want equipment that’s able to help workflow, save time, and make good coffee. The Major V delivers great consistency and precision, enabling them to have even more control.”
The Major V also incorporates advancements from Mazzer’s more recent models – the ZM, Robur S, and Kold S – while adding extra functionality. Marco says one of its key features is a Grind Flow Control (GFC) system to reduce electrostatic charge while producing uniform coffee grounds.
“GFC is the Mazzer Lab’s response to three main issues: to avoid clumping to get more uniform coffee grounds, reduce the electrostatic charge that causes dispersion of coffee on the counter, and improve dose consistency,” Marco says.
The system is composed of a removable aluminium outlet insert equipped with extractable interchangeable wire dampers. This allows for more control over the flow of coffee throughout the chute, preventing clumping instead of crashing it.
The Major V also boasts a new electronic control panel, that can be set up in 19 different languages. Through this panel, Marco says baristas have control over dosing times to 100th of a second, five times more accurate than the previous model. Baristas can also pre-program three doses and pause functions to settle the coffee and avoid spillage.
“The control panel is easy to use and provides information on maintenance updates, statistics, worn burrs alerts, and dose countdowns,” Marco says. “It tells the user when the burrs need to be changed, and once the burrs are replaced, the date and type can be saved for reference.”
Another step forward Mazzer has taken in embracing new technology is the Major V’s Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.
“Nowadays, connectivity plays a more and more important role in our life and data is key to any business,” Marco says. “That’s why Major V will be equipped with an optional Wi-Fi connectivity module.”
Mazzer’s IoT technology allows grinder output to be monitored via the Mazzer app and keeps all of a café or chain’s grinders connected to ‘the cloud’. Marco says this gives the barista, roaster, café owner, and technician remote access to the machine.
“The Mazzer app is a useful tool to monitor workflow, efficiently schedule maintenance on multiple grinders, collect feedback, and analyse results to improve quality in a scientific way,” Marco says.
Despite the implementation of these advanced features, Marco says first and foremost, the Major V is designed to be user-friendly. One example is how baristas can access the grinding chamber to clean or changeburrs quickly and efficiently without unscrewing the collar and losing the grind setting.
“The multi-adjustable portafilter holder enables baristas to centre the flow of grinds in the basket while keeping hands free,” Marco says. “Settings can be indexed with a user-friendly Memory Track ring that gives users a reference number when grinding. Baristas can also use the portafilter or keyboard to activate on-demand grinding.”
Marco says the Australian coffee community’s penchant for quality has played a key part in Mazzer’s international growth and development of these features.
“The Australia barista community is at the forefront of coffee. Over the years, Australian baristas have given us useful feedback to help us meet the baristas’ needs,” Marco says. “Our products have been influenced from the Australian market and we’ve been able to grow alongside them.”
For more than 70 years, Mazzer has produced high quality grinders and burrs in its factory in the countryside near Venice. Four out of 10 grinders are produced using solar energy and 12 per cent of annual turnover is invested in research and development.
Marco says in a sector in which production chain delocalisation is very common, Mazzer not only assembles but internally designs and produces all parts connected to the grinding process.
“While we invest a lot into innovative technologies, we give great and equal importance to handcraft capacity. We believe that know-how is crucial and no matter how precise machines and tools are, the human factor makes the difference,” Marco says.
“Each grinder is built from the deft hand of man, making it unique.”
Coffee Works Express, an Australian distributor of the Mazzer Major V, will display the new model at the Sydney Fine Food expo from 9 to 12 September 2019.
This article appears in the August edition of BeanScene Magazine. Subscribe HERE.
For more information, visit www.cwe.com.au
