New Rectangular Grinders From Italy are Circling the Home Market

Four separate Italian commercial grinder companies are hitting all the right angles this season with new flat-burr grinders for the home market.

Venice-based Macap has released the Leo 55; Milanese company Rancilio has launched the Stile; Florence-based Eureka is rolling out the Mignon Libra; and Nuova Simonelli, headquartered in central Italy, is preparing orders for the Duo.

At a glance, all four of these machines are essentially upright rectangular boxes that grind coffee on demand. Above all three exit chutes are touchscreen displays that offer multiple time-based programmable buttons for semi-automatic grinding. All offer adjustable portafilter holders, and all but the Stile offer stepless grind adjustment.

Macap

Macap officially launched the Leo 55 as part of its Studio line of grinders last month.

The Leo’s 55-millimeter flat burrs are spun by a 390-watt motor. The hopper holds 250 grams, and the stepless adjustment knob situated at the back right corner of the top is made of long-lasting aluminum.

The Macap Leo 55.

According to Macap, the Leo 55 aims for greater particle uniformity through a patented burr alignment system, while also being easy to clean without losing the grind setting.

Though the United States price has not been announced, the grinder currently sells overseas for €509 ($526 as of this writing). The grinder stands 5.25 inches wide, 7 inches deep and 15 inches tall.

Rancilio

This month, Rancilio announced the official expansion of its Homeline category with the Stile, an espresso-oriented all-purpose grinder that has been in the works for years. Designed to be an appropriate partner to the Rancilio Silvia home espresso machine, the Stile features 58-millimeter flat burrs spun at 1,200 RPM by a 200-watt motor.

The Rancilio Stile.

Aesthetically, the grinder distinguishes itself from the pack with a 300-gram hopper that sits flush with the top of the machine, and an adjustment dial integrated into the left side of the case.

The Stile is priced at $650, weighs just under 10 pounds and stands 5.1 inches wide, 7.3 inches deep and 12.1 inches tall.

Nuova Simonelli

This week, Nuova Simonelli revealed the Duo grinder, which comes in the same selection of colors as the brand’s Oscar Mood home espresso machine.

A rendering of the forthcoming Nuova Simonelli Duo in “guacamole” color.

The Duo’s 55-millimeter flat burrs are spun at 1,630 RPM by a 310-watt motor inside an aluminum case with a 450-gram hopper on top. The grind adjustment knob is located on top of the grinder at the front right corner, much like a Eureka Mignon-style grinder.

Standing at 4.7 inches wide, 7.3 inches deep and 13.2 inches tall, the Duo is slated to begin shipping to customers in the United States in the second quarter of 2023. Pricing information has not yet been announced.

Eureka

Predating all these grinders in rectangularity is the Eureka Mignon line of home grinders, which has proliferated in recent years to include 15 variants under the Eureka 1920 name and four more under the Eureka Oro name.

All these Eureka Mignons build upon the same fundamental platform, with differences coming in burr size and geometry, receptacle style, exterior finish, hopper type and display functionality.

The Eureka Mignon Libra with a dosing funnel-topped portafilter.

Currently, Eureka is rolling out the Mignon Libra, which is the first Mignon machine to feature grind-by-weight functionality.

The Libra’s 55-millimeter flat burrs are spun at 1,350 RPM by a 310-watt motor and its hopper holds 300 grams. Additional features promote quiet operation and low retention, according to the company.

The machine stands 4.9 inches wide, 7.5 inches deep and 16.9 inches tall. Pricing for the Libra starts at $799, with shipping slated to start next month.

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