we have been using a Compak E8 with the standard burr set for perhaps a year now
however i am uncomfortable selling products that i do not use intensively myself so i decided that while there was nothing amiss with the Compak E8 that we had, that we were obliged to upgrade to the Compak E8 with the red speed burrs that we now sell
bear in mind that my understanding of the red speed burrs prior to their arrival was that they had simply been hardened (and coloured to make them pretty) for the purpose of giving an extended burr life in a commercial environment
now i am guarded in my observations as we havent had the E8 with the red speed burrs very long at all, but there seem to be significant differences that are quite readily apparent
1. the red speed burrs are significantly quieter than the standard burrs
2. the red speed burrs seem to take longer to grind the same batch of coffee at a setting that yields the same flow rates (assuming the same dose, etc)
3. the distribution of the size and shape of the grounds seems to be much more tightly grouped in the normal curve – this observation i am wary of as the burrs may produce more fines as they age, but based on my discussions with others who have the E8 with red speed burrs i dont think it is going to go this way
4. it can be seen on the Compak website that the red speed burrs are of a different design (Products, Essential on demand, E8OD, Options, Burrs redspeed lucidate)
and do not have the breaker teeth that are found on the standard E8 burrs (Products, Essential on demand, E8OD, features, 83mm flat burrs), which accounts for the quieter running, the slower feed rate, and the improved grind quality
5. a much cleaner, clearer taste in the cup
all in all i am really surprised by the step up in performance. with the red speed burrs i am not having to whisk the grinds or meddle with them in any way; it is simply cut the pile level with the stainless steel londinium button tamp and tamp level, fit the portafilter to the group and pull the shot and a central pour is consistently achieved – not always, but not less than four out of five shots which i consider acceptable
at this early stage i have to conclude that the quality of the grind from the red speed burrs offer a step up from the standard burrs that is not merely theoretical or only measureable with laboratory equipment, but it is immediately apparent to any user who runs side by side tests on the two grinders. the improvement in the cup is quite remarkable and completely at odds with my expectations