The Eureka Mignon Specialità is one of the most popular espresso grinders in the mid-range entry segment. It can be found in many households and overall does a good job as an espresso grinder. In this espresso grinder test, we take a look at the Specialità and classify its strengths and weaknesses in comparison with 23 other grinders.
In the meantime, Eureka has launched a new "Specialità Smart" on the market. However, our test showed that with the "old" Specialità without "smartness" you're better off and even cheaper.
The Specialità is just one of many. How it compares against Magnifico, XL, Zero, and Libra is shown in our Eureka comparison.
Specialist Retailers for Eureka Specialità
We search for specialist partners for you, whom we know deliver good work and good service. We're in close contact with these retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order through this link, it doesn't cost you more, but we get a small commission, which we invest in new test equipment.
- Germany: Stoll Espresso, Bohnendealer, Lücke Technik, Die Röster
- Switzerland: deon
- Austria: Bohnendealer, Die Röster
Eureka Specialità from above and to the side. Compact with a small grind setting adjustment.
There is a new article about the Eureka Specialità, as some users have experienced issues with the display.
External Facts about the Eureka Mignon Specialità
Small and compact – that's the Eureka Mignon Specialità. Placed next to an espresso machine, it doesn't stand out; rather, thanks to its shallow depth, it takes a backseat. Much of the Eureka Mignon is well-crafted, particularly the external main body, display, and stand. However, all Mignons (Perfetta, XL, Specialità) have one thing in common: the plastic bean hopper and lid sit rather snugly on the grinder, and especially the lid can easily crack with careless use.
- Grinding discs: Disc grinding mechanism, 55 mm diameter
- Weight: 5.6 kg
- Width: 120 mm
- Height: 350 mm
- Depth: 180 mm
- Bean hopper: 250 gram capacity, plastic
The portafilter holder can be adjusted, so La Marzocco portafilters, portafilters from ECM, Rocket, or Ascaso can be clamped in easily. However, the holder is not sturdy enough for the portafilter to simply be released during grinding. Due to vibration, it can move and even slip out of the holder. Holding it in place is definitely advisable.
The Eureka Mignon Specialità is available from many good specialist retailers. It's best to visit your local specialty shop. Online in Germany, for example, at Stoll or Coffee Circle. We've seen prices between 450 and 520 euros. In Switzerland, the grinder is available in Basel at our location, in Bern at Electras, and in Zurich, for example, at Kaffeewerkstadt for around 650 CHF.
Core Competency: Fine and Good Espresso Grinding
The Eureka Mignon Specialità not only delivers finely ground espresso powder but also a good particle distribution. The main peak is, in comparison to many grinders in the same price range, good, and the fine fraction also belongs to the better mid-range. This makes the Specialità well-suited for brewing delicious espresso in all its facets.
We achieved corresponding results with both lighter and darker roasts. A blind tasting comparison with other espresso grinders in the same price range follows.
While the grinder delivered good results across the various extractions and showed very reproducible results even without adjusting the grind setting (see table above: Test 2: X50=307 micron, fine peak=18.8%, coarse peak=233, and Test 3: X5=309, fine peak=19.5%, coarse peak=234), the results when adjusting and resetting were less convincing.
The basic setting of the Eureka Mignon Specialità is simple and quick to do. Unfortunately, reproducibility when adjusting and returning to the same grind setting is not as good. This is mainly due to the small grind setting dial.
Grind Setting with the Eureka Mignon Specialità
The grind setting of the Eureka Specialità is done via a small dial on top of the grinder. In principle, that's simple! However, even the smallest adjustments result in a significant change to the grind setting. Since the grind setting is responsible for the rate at which espresso flows through, it determines the quality of the shot.
Nevertheless, with careful turns, the grind setting can be adjusted well and the results are, as explained above, generally good. However, it's more difficult to repeat defined recipes and to change the grind setting in between. For this reason, most espresso grinders in the Specialità's price range are not well-suited. Since many households have different beverage preferences, we still examine this criterion.
In our test, we perfectly dialed in the espresso and attempted to mark and note the grind setting position. Then we pulled a ristretto and café crème (T5 and T6). Then the grind setting was supposed to return to the same position based on the previous visual marking. This is visible in the particle distribution curve T7, which deviates significantly more from T4 than desired. While this grind and resulting extraction is in the espresso range, it's no longer at the same grind setting as T4.
Comparing the data from espresso measurements 2, 3, 4, and 5, we can draw the following conclusion: The Eureka Mignon Specialità is excellent at reproducing its own results from pull to pull. It sets very high standards here. Once you've dialed in an espresso, you only need to make minor adjustments if, for example, the coffee ages. The grinder is less suitable for quickly switching between one coffee and another and returning to a previously noted recipe.
Not a strength of the grinder: the portafilter holder.
Retention, Speed, and Performance
With only 2.7 grams of coffee, the Eureka Specialità has a small retention and belongs to the best espresso grinders in the test in this category. This is an important metric, because old coffee that gets stuck somewhere in the grinder and comes out during later grinding can have a significant impact on taste, depending on the amount. At 2.7 grams, this dead space in the Specialità is admirably small.
In terms of speed, the Specialità sits in the lower mid-range. It's not quite as slow as a Niche Zero or Mazzer Electronic, but slower than, for example, the ECM S64. The Specialità grinds 21.3 grams in 10 seconds.
Genuinely positive is the low noise level. We measured 78.9 decibels. Grinders that stayed below the 80 dB threshold we rated as "quiet." For comparison, a Lelit PL72 comes in at a hefty 86.4 dB with our measurement method.
To assess grinder performance under load, we performed 6 pulls at 30-second intervals and measured the ground coffee temperature at the outlet each time. The Eureka Specialità averaged 37.2° Celsius and an increase of 1.1 degrees across the pulls. This puts it in the higher range, like many grinders with flat and smaller grinding discs. We couldn't detect any sensory changes from the heat, but we don't recommend using the grinder continuously.
Eureka Mignon Specialità
Single Dosing, Grind Amount Consistency, and Usability
The dosing adjustment of the Eureka Specialità is intuitive and really easy to make. Via the touch display, the grind amount is set for 1x or 2x dosing using plus and minus buttons. This makes it easy to set the dosing amount. We really liked this aspect of the grinder's usability.
Points are deducted for the much too sensitive grind setting control. The grind setting dial is simply too small, and the jumps in adjustment are too large, so it's not as easy to dial in the right grind setting as it should be.
The grinder's consistency is also good. Once the target amount is set, the grinder grinds the desired amount with good reliability. In our case, we calculated a standard deviation of 0.11 grams over 10 pulls. Excellent!
The grinder repeats this good performance even in the "Single Dosing" test. For this, we dose 18 grams into the bean hopper, which was previously emptied. Simultaneously, we vacuum the grinder and then begin the test. The 18 grams are loaded, ground, and the output is measured. Many grinders "eat" beans during this process. This is surprisingly the norm. The Eureka Mignon Specialità has, every time, output the exact amount loaded with a deviation of at most 0.1 grams. This makes the grinder, in principle, very suitable as a grinder for "Single Dosing" use.
However, it shouldn't be overlooked that using Single Dosing only makes sense if different recipes can be adjusted quickly and precisely. Since that's not one of the grinder's top abilities, the most popular use case for Single Dosing is only possible to a limited extent. But if you like to add fresh beans and grind them and don't want to keep them in the bean hopper (which you really shouldn't), you can still use the grinder well this way.
Conclusion on the Eureka Mignon Specialità
Looking at all influencing factors, we can conclude that the Eureka Mignon Specialità is a really good grinder for entering the world of espresso. It has some weaknesses when it comes to adjusting different recipes and grind settings. However, completely different grinders fall short here, and for many home baristas, this isn't an important criterion. We also hear again and again in our courses that at home people mainly work with their favorite blend, or a bag of espresso is consumed as a whole before switching beans. And for that, the Specialità is very well-suited.
The consistency, low retention, and comparatively low noise level make the grinder a reliable everyday partner. It makes it easier for many to get into preparing delicious espresso. This is one reason why the Specialità, as an espresso grinder, is also in use at our coffee academies in Switzerland and Germany.
Learn More About Coffee: Our Courses
If you want to learn more about coffee, we're delighted to welcome you in Basel or at the Lower Rhine, for example in our Home Barista Courses.
If you prefer to learn more from home, you'll find a format in our Online Home Barista Course. In over 30 videos, barista professional Michel Aeschbacher explains the most important tips for adjusting and maintaining an espresso machine.
