The Emil T64 is another single-dosing grinder manufactured in Asia that appears on the European market at an attractive price. Like the DF64 in its first version, it still struggles with some issues. Nevertheless, the grinder demonstrates that it will be a force to be reckoned with. Even today, it delivers solid results in its core category, namely in its particle distribution and flavor performance. We have tested the grinder extensively and present our results here.
A test of the even smaller and more affordable Emil EM1 has also been completed in the meantime.
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Design, build quality and external facts
The similarity of single-dosing grinders with 64mm burrs is striking. The Emil T64 is no exception here either. Tilted slightly forward, it stands stably on the ground with around 7.5 kilograms – with a height of 32 cm, a width of 13 cm and a depth of 21 cm. Variants are available with matte black and matte white paint finishes on the metal body. It's unfortunate that even with the white grinder, the dosing cup is supplied in black. Since the grinder gets regularly sprinkled with ground coffee while grinding anyway, we would generally recommend the black version.
The grinder is available from some retailers with Italmil burrs for under 400 euros. We tested it with titanium-coated burrs. The 64mm burrs are also compatible with other third-party burrs.
The grinder is powered by a 300-watt motor. In terms of build quality, it makes quite an impression: it's heavy, stands firmly, and all components give a good impression. The rubber blower has sufficient stiffness. The wooden lid with aluminum inlay closes cleanly on the sides thanks to the rubber guide. The stepless grind adjustment offers just the right resistance for comfortable operation.
The coffee chute can be completely removed for easy cleaning as it's only fastened with two magnets. However, these are so strong that the adhesive on one of the magnets on our grinder has already come loose.
The portafilter holder is stable and keeps the portafilter securely aligned. To improve targeting, part of the dosing container can be removed and used as a coffee chute that sits directly on the portafilter. This allows the coffee to be ground directly into the portafilter.
However, caution is advised, as the blower in conjunction with the flapper represents one of the weak points. We'll go into more detail about this connection below.
We particularly like the elegant side button for starting the grinder, whose LED only lights up when the grinder is in operation. It's also worth noting that the grinder can be easily operated both from the front and by wheelchair users.
Espresso and particle distribution
A grinder should grind coffee so that it tastes good. Before we make any statement here, we pull hundreds of espressos, use different coffee varieties and espresso machines with different brew profiles. We take grinding samples and measure particle distribution with the support of the Zurich University of Teacher Education.
On flavor: With the titanium burrs, the grinder provided the foundation for many delicious espressos. The coffees tasted round and balanced. The profile of each coffee came across well in the cup.
The grinder's particle distribution shows a main peak on the narrow side. Narrow means that many particles are similar in size, which indicates homogeneous ground coffee. The fine peak is not pronounced and fits well with the main peak.
The repeatability when adjusting the grind setting and then returning to the original value was good. We only saw a shift of 2 microns at the main peak. So it's definitely possible to switch between recipes and coffees and return to the previous grind setting.
Speed, noise, retention
The Emil T64 achieves a sound level of 77.7 decibels. This makes it one of the quieter grinders compared to many other models. However, the Emil T64 positions itself at the lower end in another category: speed. The grinder is not fundamentally slow, but it limits itself. Like earlier DF64 models (G-Iota, Turin), it has not found the optimal balance between static, clumping and flapper.
The plastic flapper at the internal coffee outlet is supposed to reduce static and enable even dispensing, but it's so massive and unwieldy that coffee backs up behind it. To release this coffee from the grinder, repeated use of the blower is necessary during grinding. Even then it takes a while.
The grinder grinds 18 grams of coffee in about 12 seconds – but these are not immediately available. It can take up to 40 seconds for the coffee stuck behind the flapper to release. This significantly impairs the operational workflow.
Enterprising minds will surely soon improve the flapper. Alternatively, it can be removed or modified with RDT to optimize the workflow.
Retention
Despite intensive blowing, a small amount of coffee always remains in the burr set. Compared to hopper grinders, this is minimal, but for a single-dosing grinder, 1 gram of retention is not negligible. The temporary retention (0.7 grams) exchanges from shot to shot, while 0.3 grams of permanent retention remains. This can lead to slight flavor transfer between different coffees.
Cleaning
A major plus is the easy cleaning. The coffee chute can be easily removed thanks to magnetic fastening. The tool-free access to the burrs is also well implemented and allows for quick cleaning. By regularly blowing with the blower, much of the residual coffee can be minimized.
Conclusion on the Emil T64 single dosing grinder
The basic construction is high quality and the cup result is very good. With improvements to the flapper, the Emil T64 could become a serious competitor to the DF64. If you can live with the long blowing time, you'll find a good grinder here with potential for flavor optimizations. Additionally, there's the possibility of refining the flavor characteristics further with third-party burrs.
We're curious to see whether manufacturer Ningbo Grind Electric Appliances Co. Ltd. makes further improvements to this model and whether future variants will come to market.
