LIDO in the house! A few thoughts after two weeks of grinding by hand

When I blogged a month ago about pre-ordering the LIDO, I mentioned having high expectations. Now that this hand grinder extraordinaire has arrived (full disclosure: I’ve actually been playing with it since 3/9), I can safely say that those expectations have been met.

Originally, I intended to do an unboxing post here, but others have published better pics already, and I’ve been “blogging” for free about the LIDO over on HB in the interim (silly me!)--mainly because there’s a dedicated group of fellow owners on that site to interact with. Instead, I’ll provide an exclusive shot of the LIDO next to one of its suddenly-obsolete ancestors, the Hario Mini, for your viewing pleasure.

So, what can I say here that I haven’t already said elsewhere? I’m tempted to boldly claim that despite its $165 price tag the LIDO is a bargain because it essentially performs at the same level as (or possibly better than) a Baratza Preciso in the non-espresso range. However, I haven’t yet tested the grinder out for espresso. It’s stepless and should do fairly well, but one never knows. To be continued, I guess.

Alternatively, I could emphasize the fact that it’s a well-crafted, high-quality tool likely to outlast most coffee-related gear (as well as many people).

Finally, it might be informative to share a few embarrassing details, namely (a) that I sometimes grind beans late at night with the LIDO that I have no intention of brewing, simply because I enjoy using it that much, and (b) that I occasionally take the mill out of its neoprene travel bag and crank the handle a few times with nothing in the hopper for similar reasons (echoes of “My Precious” for you LOTR fans).

Anyway, what would you all be interested in knowing about the LIDO? I’m more than happy to run whatever grinding experiments you devise.

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Currently working through: Klatch’s Brazil Fazenda Rainha
On the way: Kuma Coffee’s Burundi Gacokwe