NICHE DUO - Unboxing & First Look

After all the speculation and rumors there is finally a new addition to the Niche lineup; the Niche Duo. It showed up just a couple days before it's quiet, no-fuss release, so I didn't have the time to put it through its paces and get a broad idea of how it performs for a full review...yet. But it does have one very unique aspect so I figured its a perfect time to do an unboxing and first look.

↓CHAPTERS↓
[0:00] UNBOXING
[2:09] STANDART SPONSOR
[2:51] THE REVEAL
[5:00] BURR SWAP
[6:42] FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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#nicheduo #coffee #sprometheus

[alanroderick]

And, the long awaited Niche Killer is a Niche ;-)

[flexzuu]

Comparison to the Timemore sculptor and DF83 would be nice.

[choisyaternata]

First off, good for Niche! I almost was starting to feel sorry for them, so much every new grinder out there has been dubbed a potential "Niche killer" for the past two years. I still like my Zero a lot, especially for the textured espresso shots it helps me produce.

Personally I would be most interested by a comparison with the new Timemore Sculptor 78s, which seems to be its closest competitor and quite a bit cheaper at that. And for someone like me who likes filter in the morning and espresso in the afternoon, how likely would I go to the trouble of swapping burrs, as easy as it is, for that extra bit of possible perfection in my cup(s)?

Bravo for your quality and to the point videos, as always!

[chrisralston]

Thanks, I’m looking forward to your full review. Since many of us own the Niche Zero already, it would be good to compare the Duo with the flat burr conversion of the Zero.

[danielzenner]

I think if the build quality and workflow is the same as the Zero it will be a very capable flat burr grinder. I do think the decision by Niche to only sell the grinder with the two burr sets, rather than giving people the option to choose between espresso or filter focused burrs is a strange one. Especially considering the competition in the market now with Sculptor 78S and DF83, it seems like selling one burr set and bringing the price down a bit might give them a bit more of an edge.

[robertcristant]

I think I’d be interested to hear your impressions on the flat burr of the duo vs. conical burr of the zero and if that makes a noticeable difference in the grind and the taste.

[steve-holt-li]

With the pricing being what it is, I think a lot of people will find themselves asking "Duo or p64?" I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as lagom owner in a followup!

[LadyTigerLily]

I've seen several people stress test the Duo's motor by grinding green beans with apparently no issue. Not that I'm suggesting it to anyone, but that's honestly surprising in a weirdly good way, given that it seemed to have no problem chewing right through them without stalling or sputtering. Everything is a bit bigger, from the noise to the footprint to the price, but nothing out of bounds, and so far I have high hopes. The price point is going to be prohibitive for a lot of people, I think, but who knows what options Niche will have once it really gets off the ground. The company seems pretty responsive to the community, given all the design tweaks and upgrades available. Looking forward to the in-depth video!

[dasvi]

The unboxing section is amazing, shows what it would be like for people who buy the items.

[coughfee_beans]

Compare it to some of Timemore's new grinders if possible. Make the video as long as you want because I find it really relaxing to watch your videos ha.

[edipisreks]

I have a Zero, which I love. I am definitely interested in the Duo, but I’m not sure I like the idea of switching burrsets; I want this to replace both the Zero and my Ode/SSP: swapping burrs makes the workflow *worse* for me. Fortunately FOMO doesn’t affect me much, I just want less stuff on my coffee bar at some point.

[MirroredRain]

I really want one. Definitely a little annoyed though that they force the extra burr set on you. Having the option to choose between them based on preference or to buy them in a set would be nice, but I don’t think that’s an option. I never like having hardware forced on me and would rather save the $100 or so and just get the espresso set.

I feel like this product is intended for first time purchasers and might irk the masses out there looking to get it as an upgrade. The ease of burr swap is impressive, but I just don’t feel like too many home brewers would do it that often, as they’d probably prefer using a separate grinder they already have for brew or espresso (or would prefer an all-in-one like the DF, which can really do both quite well).

Also, with many makers knowing the popularity of SSP, and even making their factory burrs the same size for compatibility—or just providing SSP options in the box—it just seems odd. If I were to get a Duo and if it’s compatible with SSP, I’d have been made to purchase two extra sets I would never really use. Am I alone here in my reasoning?

[bobhopeandnohope]

How does the static build up compare to the zero?

Plus just for the inquisitive side of me, what happens if you use one part of a burr set with the opposite part of the other set?

[ProjectD]

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on this. @Spro do you feel that the 64mm flats of your P64 leave anything to be desired from espresso I'm trying to gauge how much different something like upgrading to 83mm in duo or DF83 vs 98mm in a P100. You clearly could have gotten any of those grinders to pair with your GS3 but you didn't. Why is that? Workflows aside are they really not worth upgrading to?

[danielbiturbo]

Nice unboxing, in a slow and relaxing pace you really excels in video these days !

[meowmicsung]

Thank you for the quick open box I ordered a few days ago and can’t wait for you review video. Nice videography with transition to ads of Standard Magazine. Keep up with your video and reviews.

[mikeflaminio]

Things I wonder. Are both burrs really aligned and do they maintain alignment? Can you install other 83mm burrs into the carrier, and if so are they similarly aligned? And then taste comparison with the Zero for espresso and different roasts/beans. And when someone may prefer the Zero vs Duo (regardless of price). What type of coffee will the Duo replace the Zero vs complement. And then compare to other grinder... DF83 specifically, but other flat burr grinders.

[aryehh]

With the espresso burrs, how are the sweetness, clarity, and body of the espresso? How much worse is the filter or French press coffee from those espresso burrs? Would I really want to swap the burrs each time?

If/when I buy a High Uniformity burr set, or a Ditting Sweets burr set, could I attach them to that self-aligning piece? Could I buy a spare self-aligning piece? (I mean that blue plastic doo-hickey in the middle of the burr set, which seems to remain attached when you insert or swap it out.)

[stevenr]

First thought. Glad I bought the original. I love a complex pour-over that is not too fruit-forward. I get a nearly perfect up with my Niche(with incredible room for adjustment ). I wonder if Niche is now offering a super-clarity" burr and a pure espresso burr. I worry that I might lose that sweet spot with these 2 new burrs. FYI, after the first 1000 pour-overs, my Niche still is like new. Looking forward to the review and how each burr compares to the original.
Best wishes.

[JonFairhurst]

Looking forward to future videos on the Duo - and I expect more than one. You can compare the espresso burrs to the Zero. The two burrs for espresso. The two for pour over. The Duo to other grinders…

So… just yesterday, I received the Kaffelogic Nano 7 roaster. I’d send it to you to review, but I can’t give it up! I’ve just done three batches, but it kind of reminds me of the Niche, in that the workflow is so frictionless for small batches in a home setting. I highly recommend that you get one to review.

Mine was in the 560s and just arrived. There is a boost kit that allows larger batches, and those are just starting to ship.

Having roasted with popcorn poppers, in cast iron, in various cheap air roasters, and on a Behmore (for many years), this is truly a game changer for the home roaster. Its tall format is great under a kitchen hood. Its set and forget workflow and repeatability are fantastic.

I can’t recommend it highly enough.