The Lagom P64 by Option-O has earned an excellent reputation over the past few years and is considered by many to be one of the best single-dosing grinders on the market. Its combination of high-quality craftsmanship, minimal retention, and excellent grind consistency makes it an exciting option for demanding home baristas and professionals alike.
We tested the grinder extensively over several months – in the home kitchen, at coffee school, and in the lab. Our focus was on evaluating grind quality, user-friendliness, and espresso and filter coffee quality. The grinder went through our comprehensive test protocol. We wanted to find out whether the Lagom P64 lives up to high expectations and whether it represents a worthwhile investment for passionate coffee lovers.
In addition to the long video version, there is again a short version as well as an English version of the test.
Craftsmanship and Design
Right out of the box, the Lagom P64 makes a high-quality impression. The housing is made of solid, CNC-milled aluminum that is convincing both visually and tactilely. The grinder feels extremely robust and is a pleasure to work with. The same applies to the included dosing cup and dosing ring.
The in-house WDT tool, on the other hand, is rather crude and did not convince us.
At 21 cm depth, 13 cm width, and 38 cm height, it's compact enough to fit in smaller kitchens. Its weight of around 7.8 kg provides excellent stability, which is particularly important when grinding with single dosing. The design is minimalist, with clean lines and modern aesthetics that fit well into various environments.
The grinder is available in black and silver color options.
We purchased our model ourselves, as always, to be able to evaluate independently and neutrally.
Technical Features and Functions
The Lagom P64 is equipped with 64mm burrs that are available in several variants. Option-O offers its own burrs, but the grinder is also compatible with third-party burrs such as SSP variants.
Compatible burrs that can be purchased directly with the Lagom P64:
- Mizen-Burrs 650 Omni: An in-house development by Option-O, described as a middle ground between both options and works well for both espresso and filter coffee. Not tested by us.
- Mizen 64ES (Espresso): Developed for espresso. We tested it and liked it for both filter coffee and espresso. Clean coffees, lots of sweetness, good body and clear aftertaste, plus a narrow particle distribution in the main peak.
- SSP High Uniformity: These burrs were developed for espresso and offer very tight particle distribution with dense crema and intense sweetness. Not tested by us with the Lagom P64.
- SSP Unimodal: This variant is particularly suitable for filter coffee or light espresso roasts. It produces a cleaner flavor profile with higher clarity. Not tested by us with the Lagom P64.
Another technical highlight of the Lagom P64 is its brushless 300-watt DC motor (BLDC) with variable speed ranging from 300 to 1400 revolutions per minute (RPM). This allows adjustment of grinding speed to different beans and brewing methods.
We conducted our espresso test at 1000 RPM.
Grind Quality and Consistency
Grind consistency is one of the most important factors when evaluating a coffee grinder. In the test, the Lagom P64 delivered an exceptionally narrow and precise particle distribution in the main peak. This directly affects extraction quality and ensures repeatable results.
Especially for espresso, the grinder impresses with tight particle distribution and excellent reproducibility of grind settings. Even small changes to the grind setting have a measurable impact on extraction time. This enables very fine adjustment of the flavor profile.
The grinder features stepless grind adjustment that can be precisely calibrated. Fine-tuning of the grind setting is easily possible, which is crucial for espresso preparation. Grind setting reproducibility was good in both particle distributions and espresso extractions.
To test the grinder's limits, we note the determined reference point on the burrs for a standard recipe. We then prepare a ristretto with very fine grind followed by a lungo with a coarser grind. In the fourth step, we return the grinder to the original reference mark and take a grind sample that we compare with the particle distribution of the original recipe.
Additionally, we pull another espresso and observe whether extraction time, strength (TDS), and calculated extraction remain constant. In both scenarios, we can confirm high precision in reproducibility for the Lagom P64.
Despite the high speed, the temperature of the burrs remains stable during grinding. There is no noticeable heating of the ground coffee, which is a major advantage, as temperatures above 40 °C in the ground coffee can lead to negative flavor effects.
With six consecutive shots, we measured only 28.28 °C – an excellent value.
The taste proves the grinder right!
The Lagom P64 impressed us, in addition to good craftsmanship and elegant design, especially with its very good flavor performance. We didn't need to resort to SSP burrs for this; we used the in-house Mizen 64ES.
And what can we say? These burrs delivered fantastically – and not just in espresso, for which they were actually designed. They also impressed in filter coffee.
We could confirm this not only by taste but also by the very narrow particle distribution in the main peak – a value that clearly stands out compared to many other grinders, especially those with 64mm burrs.
Retention and Static Charge
Attention! The Lagom P64 can practically only be used meaningfully with water spray. This technique is called Ross Droplet Technique (RDT).
Since you weigh coffee beans before grinding anyway with single-dosing grinders, spraying one or two water mists on the beans is no extra work. This significantly reduces static charge on the ground coffee.
Without RDT, working with the Lagom P64 is problematic:
- High coffee loss, as ground coffee adheres to the grinder.
- Fluctuating results, with variations up to 0.4g.
- With 18g bean input, output quantities fluctuated between 17.7 and 18.2g.
With RDT, deviation is reduced to a maximum of 0.1g, and the ground coffee becomes more consistent.
The retention was also extremely low at 0.2g permanent retention. No temporary retention was detected. The grinder empties itself almost completely. It only requires double-tapping on the bean hopper. Because this works so well, no bellows are necessary on the Lagom P64.
Usability
If RDT isn't a hindrance for you, the grinder is very simple and intuitive to operate.
Two of the three included tools work very well:
- The dosing cup has a wide opening and completely catches the ground coffee. When you then place it on the portafilter, the ground coffee is already evenly distributed. Since it sits only slightly below the surface, it doesn't tend to promote channeling.
- The dosing ring enables clean working. It's placed on the portafilter to better catch the ground coffee.
Without the dosing ring, some ground coffee spills over the edge. The discharge chute of the grinder is relatively narrow, which leads to poorly distributed ground coffee and a high coffee pile.
With the dosing ring, the ground coffee stays completely in the portafilter and can be evenly distributed by simple tapping.
The dosing ring is well-crafted and sits securely on most 58mm portafilters thanks to embedded magnets.
In terms of speed, the grinder also delivers good values. In 10 seconds with continuous bean addition, 24.8 grams are ground. This value serves for comparison with grinders with bean hoppers but is otherwise less relevant. What matters is that the grinder requires 12.6 seconds for 18 grams. That's a fast value.
The grinder is moderately loud at 83.8 decibels. The sound itself, however, is pleasant. Especially with cheaper grinders, you often hear the motor working. Definitely not with the Lagom P64. It runs smooth and soft and sounds that way too.
WDT Tool – Not Optimal
Also included in the package is a WDT tool. However, the needles are very thick and positioned too close together, so they don't optimally fluff up the ground coffee.
For this reason, we didn't use this tool in our workflow.
Cleaning and Maintenance
An outstanding feature of the Lagom P64 is its easy cleaning. Two hex screws need to be loosened and you have access to the burr level.
This also makes it relatively easy to replace the burrs themselves. The tool-free design enables quick disassembly, making regular maintenance and cleaning uncomplicated.
Price-to-Performance Ratio and Conclusion
At around 1,800 Swiss francs, the Lagom P64 is undoubtedly an expensive coffee grinder. Whether it justifies this price depends on individual requirements.
The grinder offers exceptional precision, thoughtful engineering, and a good workflow for demanding users. If you're looking for a grinder that works at the highest level for both espresso and filter coffee, you'll make a long-term and worthwhile investment with the Lagom P64.
However, there are some minor drawbacks:
- Static charge is problematic without RDT.
- The low RPM can occasionally cause blockages with lighter beans.
- Skip the included WDT tool.
Despite these points, the Lagom P64 remains one of the best coffee grinders on the market. For ambitious home baristas and professionals who value precision and quality, it's an excellent choice.
However, if you don't like RDT, you're not well equipped with this grinder. That's one reason we don't use the Lagom P64 in our home barista introductory courses. We want to make coffee as easy as possible for beginners especially.
The various third-party burrs expand the grinder's range of applications and allow you to customize it for different beverage and roasting needs.
And in the end, the most important criterion counts: the taste in the cup.
Here the Lagom P64 impressed us with the Mizen espresso burrs – and not just in espresso, but also in filter coffee!
