completely outsized for domestic use to the point where it looks bonkers?
yes, but here’s the problem; what else comes close?
its the only grinder we know of that offers zero grind retention & is electric
its fast, even if it makes a noise like a saw mill
what is immediately apparent is the significant reduction in fines, and the tight grouping of the size & shape of the grinds – i.e. the bell shaped normal distribution curve has much shorter ‘tails’ on both sides for the EK43 relative to any other grinder i have tried
the reduction of fines cleans up the taste of the espresso, removing any ‘murky’ tastes
it also makes the espresso sweeter
the price of this is a reduction in the body, which isnt ideal for single origin roasts, but you cant have it all ways
the reduction of fines also means the flow rate as the extraction progresses increases much more significantly than when more fines are present – the fines are washed down from the top to the bottom of the puck and really serve to arrest the rate of flow towards the end of the extraction
to ensure it is fast and snappy to use you need the right sized tumbler to clip onto the bag clip – something not vulnerable to static, and something narrow enough that it knocks straight into the portafilter without too much fuss
and if you get tired of using it for grinding coffee you can always put the EK43 to work as a wood chipper or rock crusher – i jest – but it certainly feels indestructible