Pharos vs Rancilio MD-50

[SJM]

Has anyone had the occasion to compare these two grinders?   I have the MD-50 and have been tempted by the Pharos, but haven't seen any comparisons between the two.

[milowebailey]

I've used a Pharos.  Big and you better start working out, it's hard to hold and not easy to turn.  The Lido might be more up your alley if you want a hand crank.  I tried that one too, and am considering buying one.

[SJM]

Hmmmm.....this guy sez the Lido is not competent for espresso. 

I'm not looking for a hand grinder per se, but I have had my attention drawn to the Pharos.
I haven't read anything that hasn't stressed that the Pharos' grind is superb.
I'm curious if it will outperform my MD-50.
If so, I think I can manage what I have read about its faults, but I wouldn't bother unless its grind is really superior.

Susan

[milowebailey]

Susan

Don't get me wrong, the Pharos grinds well, but it's difficult to hold and a real pain to adjust.

Read these two threads

Lido
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=12962.0

Pharos
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=11933.0

[SJM]

Will do.
Thanks.

[peter]

Has anyone had the occasion to compare these two grinders?   I have the MD-50 and have been tempted by the Pharos, but haven't seen any comparisons between the two.

Don't know about those two, but have seen lots of comparison between the grind of a Pharos and Compak K10.  Just buy a K10 and you'll be good to go.

[SJM]

Well, I had already read that whole thread about the Pharos road trip, and reading the one about the Lido confirmed for me that it is not what I am looking for.  Truly I'm not supposed to be looking for anything at all, but the Pharos caught my attention.

The Lido appears to be a fabulous portable grinder and is compared favorably to other hand grinders:  Hario Skelton, etc.  But I don't need a hand grinder.  My grinder will never leave the house.  If I ever need another grinder, what I would need/want is a dedicated espresso grinder (so adjusting for various grinds doesn't matter) which would replace my MD-50.   Since the reviews so consistently applauded the grind, (and it is soooooooo cool lookin'), I thought I would at least think about it.  The grinder Peter mentioned is waaaaaaaay outta my price range, but this one is supposed to do as good a job....

Sigh...

[hankua]

If you want to experiment with titan conical grinder Pharos is the ticket. It can be easily sold for $200 in good condition and might be worth considering before dropping big bucks on electric Titan conical grinder. But the MD50 with new burrs overall would beat the Pharos not on grind quality but convenience and usability; advantage MD50.  At some point the machine needs upgrading, not the grinder.

[Tex]

For someone who's all thumbs a hand-cranked grinder could be an unmitigated disaster!

[ScareYourPassenger]

Susan

Don't get me wrong, the Pharos grinds well, but it's difficult to hold and a real pain to adjust.

Read these two threads

Lido
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=12962.0

Pharos
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=11933.0

Both issues can be improved upon by making a few upgrades. Mine is easier o dial in now than the cimbali hybrid I had before and with the ball bearing upgrade it is easier to turn. The resistance is also a decent indicator if the grind is set right.

[SJM]

Thanks all.
I did take the MD-50 apart yesterday for a good cleaning down through the burrs.   (And as Tex referenced this 5-thumbed wizard did manage to lose one small part right at the get-go).  Today I will reassemble her and see how I feel about her when she is all squeaky clean and shiny.  The burrs should still look good, and should be fine;  I put  new ones in when I got it 5 years ago and only grind for a couple of shots a day max. 

Perhaps my fascination with the Pharos will have dwindled after a good night's sleep....We will see...

Susan

[BoldJava]

I can not speak highly enough on convenience. . .

+1. 

I have a Macap 4.  It has just 58mm burrs.  I started the road show for the Pharos to see if I wanted to go that route with a 68 mm burr.  Having done that, you couldn't give me a Pharos.  I then toyed with snagging a Compak K10 at the SCAA but convenience (and paid grinder won out).

I don't have a doser and love dosing right into the PF with OE's collar.  I can fly from Turkish to press pot in about 2 seconds.  The increments in step adjustment are fine (about 4 seconds worth).  No hopper to clean out; nothing needs vacuuming. It is an ideal grinder for my needs.

Is there a better grinder out there?  Many of them.  Do I have a want or need for another.  No longer. 

[SJM]

Got it.
I'm really very fond of my MD-50, so I guess I will just keep on keepin' on with her.
She's all clean and ready for me to re-install her burrs, and tomorrow my shots will be crisper for the cleaning.

If/as/when she lets me down I will revisit this subject, by which time the Pharos will probably be history.  In fact, by then I may be history.....

Susan

[expy98]

as the resident Pharos Phan boy, I guess I should chime in...

for me, the Pharos is just about as easy/difficult to use as single dosing w/ a Super Jolly.
The cranking effort is what it is, but if I can turn an unmodded Pharos w/ a torn rotator cuff/labrum
and a nasty case of tennis elbow on the cranking arm, I don't think it's that big of a deal.  The last
5 weeks, it's been a little painful to start the cranking initially with fractured ribs but once it's going, no problems. 

The biggest difference is I've never had to adjust the grind setting eventho I change beans every
3 days.  Never a sink shot.  Also, other than Brazil and Ethiopia, there aren't too many SO that I
was able to pull a shot w/ using the SJ on a pump machine (didn't have a lever yet at the time) no
matter how fine the grind setting was, sinkshots galore.   I haven't found an SO that I couldn't pull using the Pharos,
and that's without having to adjust the grind setting.  Just change the dose slightly and it's espresso porn again.

It seems in the winter time, there's more static when dumping the ground but I haven't experienced
hardly any static the last 6 months or so. 

I sold my SJ never having pulled a shot from it again once I got the Pharos.  A friend w/ a SJ got the Pharos
and found the same.  Another w/ a Macap MC4 and quickly sold it when he got his Pharos. 

If I was given a SJ, I'd have to go buy a boat...

[peter]

as the resident Pharos Phan boy, I guess I should chime in...

for me, the Pharos is just about as easy/difficult to use as single dosing w/ a Super Jolly.
The cranking effort is what it is, but if I can turn an unmodded Pharos w/ a torn rotator cuff/labrum
and a nasty case of tennis elbow on the cranking arm, I don't think it's that big of a deal.  The last
5 weeks, it's been a little painful to start the cranking initially with fractured ribs but once it's going, no problems. 

When did you start playing in the NFL?

The biggest difference is I've never had to adjust the grind setting eventho I change beans every
3 days.  Never a sink shot.  Also, other than Brazil and Ethiopia, there aren't too many SO that I
was able to pull a shot w/ using the SJ on a pump machine (didn't have a lever yet at the time) no
matter how fine the grind setting was, sinkshots galore.   I haven't found an SO that I couldn't pull using the Pharos,
and that's without having to adjust the grind setting.  Just change the dose slightly and it's espresso porn again.

It seems in the winter time, there's more static when dumping the ground but I haven't experienced
hardly any static the last 6 months or so. 

I sold my SJ never having pulled a shot from it again once I got the Pharos.  A friend w/ a SJ got the Pharos
and found the same.  Another w/ a Macap MC4 and quickly sold it when he got his Pharos. 

What I hear you describing is the difference between a large conical burr and a flat burr.  That was my experience going from a Macap M4 to the Compak K10.