Rancilio Rocky - Doserless Review

ArcticFox

I made a decision to buy a new grinder a few weeks ago

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057417251

I promised a review and so here it is -



ORDERING & DELIVERY

I did a bit of research in advance and taking advice on here and elsewhere I decided to order the Rancilio Rocky doserless model. I had ordered my Rancilio Silvia, at the end of November 2014, from Home Coffee Machines Ltd and having had a very good experience with them the first time around, i didn't hesitate to order from them again. They're Irish, price very competitively and have free delivery - an obvious choice. Ordering was a breeze on their website and I immediately got a nice email from the Company owner, Ciaran Maddison, thanking me for ordering again and giving me some advice on how to fine tune the grinder to suit my beans - very helpful.

Delivery was very quick and the package itself was extremely well protected. They used an exterior box and used foam material to wedge the Rocky box into it; ensuring that there was no room for movement. I opened and unpacked with very little fuss, as it's all fully assembled, ready to use. For a second, I thought that I'd been given a floor model as there were already coffee grind remnants in the machine! My fears were allayed when I found a note from Rancilio in the hopper saying that they test all machines before sale and that some ground coffee being present was normal.

THE MACHINE ITSELF AND USE
The quality of the machine itself is excellent - it's very sturdy; built on a metal frame. The hopper is plastic, as you'd expect, and operates with a stepped guage; adjusting your grind to the beans being used and the optimal fineness required. My only complaint about the hopper is that the lid doesn't seal firmly into place, giving a vacuumed seal - it simply sits on top and pops on and off.
I had being using a basic burr grinder so the Rocky is a huge step up. I bought some fresh beans from Coffee Angel (Fórsa Gála) and with some trial and error I was able to make really fantastic coffee with a thick crema. I took a trip to Westport and took the opportunity to pick up two different local beans from Bean West Coffee. Once you figure out the optimal setting for each bean, the Rocky grinds the beans perfectly and delivers consistently. It's not the tidiest grinder, nor the quietest but it's a grinder and so I expect some noise!

THE BOTTOM LINE

PROS
Grind quality - powdery smooth for espresso.
Consistency - extremely consistent throughout each grind and when using different beans.
Build Quality - robust and sturdy. I expect this machine to last a long time.
Aesthetics - Slim, sleek design, metal frame that compliments the Silvia perfectly.

CONS
Very little to be honest
Lid - doesn't clip on or vacuum seal but not a major complaint.

LINKS

Home Coffee Machines Ltd: http://www.homecoffeemachines.ie/products/rancilio-rocky-doserless-grinder

• Very competitive pricing
• Personal Service
• Swift Delivery and expertly packaged
• Irish!

Coffee Angel Fórsa Gála: https://coffeeangel.com/product/forsa-gala-espresso/ These are the beans that they use day to day in store for espresso

Bean West Coffee: http://beanwestcoffee.ie/