The Eureka Mignon Specialità is one of the most popular espresso grinders in the mid-range entry level. It is 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." However, our test found that you're better off with the "old" Specialità without "smartness" and at a lower cost.
Specialist Retailers Eureka Specialità
- Germany
: Stoll Espresso, Bohnendealer, Lücke Technik, Die Röster - Switzerland
: deon - Austria
: Bohnendealer, Die Röster
Eureka Specialità from above-side. Compact and with small grind setting adjustment.
There is a new article about the Eureka Specialità, as some users have reported display issues.
External Facts about the Eureka Mignon Specialità
Small and compact – that's the Eureka Mignon Specialità. Next to an espresso machine, it doesn't stand out, and due to its small depth, it rather takes a back seat. Much of the Eureka Mignon is well-built, particularly the outer main body, display, and stand. However, all Mignons (Perfetta, XL, Specialità) share one thing in common. The plastic bean hopper and lid sit rather snugly on the grinder and, especially the lid, can get a crack with careless use.
- Grinding discs: Burr grinder, 55 mm diameter
- Weight: 5.6 kg
- Width: 120 mm
- Height: 350 mm
- Depth: 180 mm
- Bean hopper: 250 grams capacity, plastic
The portafilter holder can be adjusted, allowing portafilters from La Marzocco, ECM, Rocket, or Ascaso to be clamped in without any issues. However, the holder is not robust enough to simply let go of the portafilter during grinding. The vibration causes it to move and can even slip out of the holder. Holding it firmly is definitely advisable.
The Eureka Mignon Specialità is available from many good specialty retailers. Best to visit your local specialty shop. In online retail in Germany, for example, you can find the espresso grinder at Stoll or Coffee Circle. We've seen prices between 450 and 520 euros. In Switzerland, the grinder is available in Basel at us, in Bern at Electras, and in Zurich, for example, at Kaffeewerkstadt for around 650 CHF.
Core Competence: Grinding Espresso Finely and Well
The Eureka Mignon Specialità delivers not only espresso-fine coffee powder but also a good particle distribution. The main peak is good compared to many grinders in the same price range, and the fine fraction is also in 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 different extractions and also showed very reproducible results 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.
Setting up the Eureka Mignon Specialità is simple and quick. Unfortunately, the reproducibility when adjusting and returning to the same grind setting is not as good. This is mainly due to the small grind adjustment dial.
Grind Setting Adjustment with the Eureka Mignon Specialità
The grind setting of the Eureka Specialità is adjusted using the small dial located on top of the grinder. In principle, this is simple! However, even the smallest adjustments result in a larger change in grind setting. Since the grind setting is responsible for the speed of the espresso flowing through, the grind setting determines the quality.
Nevertheless, with careful turns, the grind setting can be adjusted well and the results are, as stated above, generally good. However, it is more difficult to repeat defined recipes and change the grind setting in between. Most espresso grinders in the Specialità price range are not well-suited for this. Since many households have different drink preferences, we still examine this criterion.
In our test, we adjusted the espresso perfectly and attempted to mark and note the grind setting position. Then a ristretto and café crème were extracted (T5 and T6). The grind setting was then to be returned to the same position based on the previous visual marking. This is visible in the particle distribution curve T7, which deviates significantly from T4 more than desired. While this grinding and subsequent extraction is also in the espresso range, it is no longer at the same grind setting as in T4.
If we compare 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 shot to shot. It sets very high standards here. So 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 from one coffee to another and returning to a previously noted recipe.
Not a strength of the grinder: the portafilter holder attachment.
Retention, speed and performance
With just 2.7 grams of coffee, the Eureka Specialità has a small retention and is among the best espresso grinders in the test in this category. This is an essential factor because old coffee that gets stuck somewhere in the grinder and comes out during a later grind has a major flavor impact depending on the amount. At 2.7 grams, this dead space in the Specialità is admirably small.
As for speed, the Specialità sits in the lower-middle range. It's not quite as slow as a Niche Zero or Mazzer Electronic, but slower than, for example, the ECM S64. In 10 seconds, the Specialità grinds 21.3 grams.
What's really 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 reaches 86.4 dB with our measurement method.
To assess grinder performance under load, we pulled 6 shots at 30-second intervals and measured the ground coffee temperature at the outlet each time. The Eureka Specialità averaged 37.2° Celsius with an increase of 1.1 degrees across the shots. This puts it rather in the higher range, like many grinders with flat and smaller burrs. We detected no sensory changes due to the heat, but we advise against using the grinder in a high-frequency setting.
Eureka Mignon Specialità
Single dosing, grinding consistency and usability
The dosing setting on the Eureka Specialità is intuitive and really easy to adjust. Via the touch display, you set the grind amount for 1x or 2x dosing using the plus and minus buttons. This makes it easy to adjust the dosing amount. We really liked this aspect of the grinder's usability.
Points are deducted for the overly sensitive grind adjustment control. The grind adjustment dial is simply too small, and the adjustment jumps are too large, making it not as straightforward as it could be to dial in the correct grind setting.
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 across 10 shots. Excellent!
The grinder repeats this good performance in the "single dosing" test as well. For this, we dose 18 grams into the bean hopper, which was previously emptied. At the same time, we purge the grinder and then begin the test. The 18 grams are added, ground, and the output is measured. Many grinders "eat" beans in the process. This is actually surprisingly the rule. The Eureka Mignon Specialità delivered the input amount time after time with a deviation of at most 0.1 grams. This makes the grinder well-suited in principle as a grinder for single dosing use.
However, it should not be overlooked that using single dosing only makes sense if different recipes can also be set 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 store 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 the influencing factors, it's clear that the Eureka Mignon Specialità is a really good grinder for getting started in the world of espresso. It has some weaknesses when it comes to setting different recipes and grind sizes. But other grinders fail at that too, and for many home baristas it's not an important criterion. We also hear repeatedly in our courses that at home people mainly work with a favorite blend, or they use up a package of espresso entirely before switching beans. And the Specialità is very well suited for that.
The consistency, small retention, and comparatively low noise level make the grinder a reliable everyday companion. It makes it easier for many to get started with making delicious espresso. It's one reason why the Specialità is also in use as an espresso grinder in our coffee academies in Switzerland and Germany.
Learn more about coffee: our courses
If you'd like to learn more about coffee, we'd be 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 expert Michel Aeschbacher explains the most important tips for adjusting and maintaining an espresso machine.
