Eureka Single Dose In Depth

Review, Teardown, and Repair of a Eureka Mignon Oro Single Dose #CoffeeGrinder. Warning: I ran into 3 snags that could influence your buying decision.

First, I consider its grind performance, ease of use, and coffee flavor -- with both espresso and pour-over -- comparing it head to head with the #Specialita and the #NicheZero. Then I perform a teardown and evaluate the component quality and mechanical design. There were a few unpleasant surprises, but I was able to repair each of them.

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Audio capture: Zoom H-5
Audio edited with WaveLab Elements 10.0.70
Video Capture: Panasonic HC-X920
Video edited with DaVinci Resolve 17.4.2
Still images edited with Gimp 2.10.240

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Production Assistant: Leo Greene

Music:
Kalimba Relaxation Music by Kevin MacLeod
Acid Trumpet by Kevin MacLeod

Additional footage courtesy of:

[eurekagrinders]

Dear Thomas,
first of all, thank you for the video. We really appreciate your feedback and hints since these may allow us to fine tune our products.
With this comment, we are happy to provide you and the community with our point of view on each relevant point mentioned in your review. Before going into details, we would like clarify that Mignon Single Dose has been designed to satisfy a specific type of use and need, that is Single Dosing. Considering this purpose, we believe that the most relevant aspect to be considered is the retention. In this regard, per your direct experience and review, we are pleased to underline that the results in terms of retention are extremely positive and (as you mention in the video) superior than other single dose grinders in the market. In particular, your result (around 0.2 grams) is very much in line with our test reporting an exchange retention below 0.3 grams.

In addition, we would like to point out that low retention comes together with further relevant advantages, as follows:
1) Absence of grind static and anti-static dosing cup;
2) Very good taste and extraction in espresso (and also in filter coffee), due to the high grind consistency of 65mm flat burrs;
3) Eureka engine (AC motor) which provides higher performances and durability compared to other type of motor (i.e. DC motor).

Here below our feedback point by point:
• Concerning the Mignon Single Dose Blow Up Cleaning (bellow), being made of rubber and thus not rigid, it may be a bit hard to be placed on the hopper. Nevetheless, once it is perfectly placed, this is stable enough to be used even with energic blows (according to our field tests). BTW, thanks to your review, in order to simplify the assembly process, we are going to create a short video sowing all the steps and cares of this process.

• Referring to the wooden lid, we would like to point out that the second production batch has been improved to create a better matching between the wooden lid and the hopper. Nevertheless, please take into consideration that, being made of refined wood, the lid is more fragile than steel or aluminum element. Just to make a comparison: when you buy something valuable such as a cristal goblet you are aware that this needs to be handled differently compared to a plastic glass (that is just an example 😊). Moreover, due to the “tricky” fit wit the hopper, we recommend to use it mainly with the blow up (rubber bellow).

• About the hopper metallic tab, taking care of you feedback, we decided to add an additional cycle of polishing to improve both the aestethic and the usability.
Taking into account the ease of opening/closing, please consider that our engineers specifically searched for this bit of resistance to make the tab completely fitting to the opening and thus reduce the vibrations/noise.

• Concerning the noise, please allow us to say that the measuring method you have been using in the review is not really reliable. Moreover, it looks a bit unfair to compare the noise made by grinders with different motors specifications and performances. Nevertheless, like we did in the past for several of our grinders (such as Mignon Specialità, Mignon Silenzio, Atom Specialty…), we are going to evaluate the possibility to make a test with an external laboratory to calculate the noise level with the most appropriate tools and procedures.

• Regarding the burrs regulation “issue”, it is important to mention that the regulation system of Mignon Single Dose is exactly the same of other Mignon, such as Mignon Specialità. In all our grinders, the spring is set to a certain preload level to provide the most appropriate feeling and usability while the user changes the grind size and it is not really clear to us which was the reason to modify the stroke of the spring.

• The single dose bean hopper is fitting to all the other Mignon models. Unfortunately, it turned out that the first produced units are a bit too loose compared to the required standard. We want to reassure you that the standard hopper will be perfectly stable.
A small advice to increase the stability of the hopper is also tighting the safety screw in the back.

To conclude, as mentioned above, Mignon Single Dose should be evaluated as a niche grinder, for a specific need. On one hand, it is not fair to compare it with “regular use” grinder like Mignon Specailità which has a completely different use (despite Mignon Specialità features a very low retention being a regular grinder). On the other hand, as you correctly mentioned, we can affirm that Mignon single Dose refers mainly to quite skilled single dose users, who look for professional performances and the possible lowest retention combine with unique desing and materials.

For any clarification or question, please do not hesitate to get back to us.

We take the chance to wish you all a fantastic 2022, full of peace and joy.

Eureka Team

[sudden_movements]

This channel was a good subscribe. So many other coffee youtubers are trying to be James Hoffman and failing at it. You're doing your own thing: dispensing quality content, respecting your viewers' time, and providing a perspective/voice that is actually unique. Hope you find success in the game - you deserve it.

[wiredgourmet]

Welcome! TLDR: it's excellent, but it's got serious issues. Still, I was able to repair it. Happy Christmas!!

[dpeka_]

If it wasn't for this video, I would have returned my Eureka Mignon Single Dose. I had to do the trick with the spring, and plan to check burr alignment in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for doing this. The machine is now working as I would expect.

[christophm.p.]

I appreciate your thoroughly elaborated language. It's a pleasure to listen.

[ardeleanalex]

Gotta love this chill, slightly sarcastic kind of video.

[wrxguyusa]

Superb review! Answered every question I had and more. The discovery about motor stability when tilted was genius.

[richardintx]

Thanks for your review. I took delivery of mine 6 days ago, from Clive, after having had one on back-order from WWL for 2 months... Your experience is a bit different than mine, leading me to believe there is some variance in their build process. My bellows provides a tight fit to the acrylic hopper! It takes more than a little push to remove it. The hopper "open/close tab" is polished on both sides and seems well-finished. Note: this is the US model and highly-polished chrome.

[goodeye]

I was waiting for this review and I’m going with Niche Zero. Thank you.

[skyking]

“Oh, my, god… it’s like a miracle!” 😂

I’ve been waiting for this review!! 🙏🏻

[nizartayari]

Fantastic quality content as usual.
Very informative and really helps with taking buying decisions.
This channel is a hidden gem.💎
I wish you all success.
Greetings from Tripoli, Libya 😊

[anthonyzouki]

Great video, and great content. I feel this was an honest review, hopefully they take it on board, because i am thinking of buying a new grinder

[TheEnglishRedneck]

What a brilliantly detailed review. And the best sort of criticism - you recommend and show how to fix the problems!

[hussainal-hussaini]

Well done absolutely wonderful coverage for this unit.. And big thumbs up for the Pfeil chisels 😍👍🏼

[MrJusmobile]

"Superb" is all I needed to hear!!! I heard noting else that mattered. Mille grazie!! Thats all that counts for me!! I'm going to order right after typing!! Ciao!!

[entertainment]

This is James Hoffmann level of epic review…..seriously…I LOVE IT so much! Thank you!!!

It’s a pity, I was so close to place a pre-order just to try my luck, but after this video, I think I will stick to my Baratza Sette 270wi for a little longer until they have the 2nd generation of this ready and fixing all the issues….really appreciated your review!

[ArmonRouhani]

Excellent review, far more in-depth than I expected, thanks for the insights!

[MauriceSchurink]

Great review, I just received mine yesterday (first grinder). I mainly use it for espresso and for that it's great. Personally I didn't have a problem with the fit of the lid and the bellows, I will check the sound levels later today.

Edit: Sound without beans: 60dB, with beans: 78dB (also recorded with a smartphone) note this is an EU-model.

[jesusrebelzer]

havent watch it yet. im so excited what u have to say. love ur channel❤️

[quantum]

So far, I am very happy with my Oro Single dose (2023). Frankly, I have no complain about it and I am not paid by Eureka. It’s better than my Vario and for my use, I prefer it to the Eureka atom (too much retention and much longer grinding time). Retention is about 0.1/0.2 grams and the grinding is homogeneous and exceptional, delivering exceptional espressi with my Sage Dual Boiler.