Specs
| Burrs | Shuriken Medium-Dark, Light-Medium, Coarse and Sweet 0:00 |
| Dial | Numbered all the way round. Run the motor when you move from coarse to fine 0:00 |
| RPM | 5 to 400 in 0.1 steps. The geared motor gives plenty of torque 0:00 2:31 |
Starting settings
These are the settings each creator gave, measured from their own grinder's zero. Use them as a starting point.
| Method | Setting | Context | Confidence | By | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | around 3 (on an owner-added sticker scale) | Monolith Flat Max (2021). Espresso sits low on the 0 to 10 dial, so owners add a second sticker to read both filter and espresso | approx | Hoffmann | 5:40 |
| Pour-over | past 10, about 2 on the added sticker | Monolith Flat Max owners' sticker hack for V60 | approx | Hoffmann | 5:40 |
| Other | 350 rpm | The recommended RPM James Hoffmann used day to day | approx | Hoffmann | 1:31 |
| Pour-over | 7 | Cone brewer with a Melodrip and a nonwoven filter. Brian Quan's zero is set far up, so this is roughly 180 coarser than his espresso setting on an uncalibrated dial. The grinder isn't named clearly | unclear | Quan | 14:22 |
| Pour-over | 8 | The same brew with regular paper, one step coarser. The grinder isn't named clearly | unclear | Quan | 14:22 |
| Pour-over | very fine | Shuriken Coarse burrs, plastic V60 02 with a Sibarist Fast filter. The same setting for both papers. The grinder brand isn't named clearly | unclear | Quan | 4:06 |
Cup profile
- The Coarse burrs are round, clean and forgiving, closest to stock EK43 burrs but smoother. The Sweet burrs give very sweet shots from 1:1.5 to 1:5 with a lighter body 0:00.
- The Sweet burrs give thick dark-roast shots, and HU/ULF burrs give clear light-roast shots 2:31.
Strengths
- Excellent build, nearly impossible to stall, and quiet 0:00.
Weaknesses
Verdict
In 2024 Lance Hedrick found it well built and flexible 0:00. His tier list graded it A 21:55, and he gives it the 98 mm crown over the EK43 0:00. In 2025 he thought it worth it mainly for light roasts and newer shot styles 2:31.
James Hoffmann's take
- In 2021 he reviewed the earlier Monolith Flat Max, which runs 5 to 500 rpm. He used 350. It's solidly built and made sweet, clear, unimodal-style espresso with little texture. It's slow, the dial is awkward for filter and the dosing cup feels cheap 0:30 5:10.
- It came second in his 2021 high-end showdown, with outstanding espresso sweetness and the best retention, though it's less suited to filter 21:46.
Brian Quan's take
- In 2022, with Shuriken LM burrs, it was the most forgiving grinder he had used. It's rounded and silky and makes 1:1 to 1:1.5 light-roast espresso enjoyable. It tames harsh long fast shots and softens bitterness up to medium-dark. Only charcoal-dark roasts still struggle. It's his best generalist 2:30.
- In his 2022 burr guide, LM is clear but rounded and hard to make taste bad. Shuriken Coarse is for filter only, with more tea-like clarity and a shorter finish. SSP Brew is the most transparent and doesn't linger. SSP Cast is very clear but rounder. If you only brew filter, Shuriken Coarse makes sense. Most people should take LM, and SSP Brew works as a contrasting specialist 1:01.
- He pairs it with a Kafatek conical, using the flat for silky, clean cups and the conical for syrupy texture. It needs RDT 9:40.
- In 2024 he called it his favourite grinder and takes it travelling for his Switch brews 0:05.
Sources
- James Hoffmann: The Kafatek Monolith Flat Max (Episode #5) (2021-01-29)
- James Hoffmann: The Ultimate Grinder Showdown Finale (Episode #6) (2021-01-30)
- Brian Quan: Endgame Grinder / Burr Pairing: No Compromise Edition ft. Kafatek Monolith Flat Max & Titus Nautilus (2022-04-06)
- Brian Quan: LIGHT ROAST POUR OVER: V60 Two Ways: Sibarist and Cafec Light Paper Filters (2022-07-21)
- Brian Quan: 98mm Flat Burr Comparison: Kafatek Shuriken Coarse vs. SSP Brew vs. Shuriken LM (FILTER) + Cast/HU (2022-08-03)
- Brian Quan: Kafatek Shurikones: My Favorite Conical Burr! (2022-10-13)
- Brian Quan: HARIO SWITCH RECIPES: Sweetness and Acidity Forward: Brewing Coffee at the Race Track (2024-03-03)
- Lance Hedrick: What Does a $3600 Grinder Offer?: Kafatek Monolith Max 2 Review and Burr Chat (2024-05-14)
- Lance Hedrick: The King of Grinders: Mahlkönig EK43 Review (2024-07-11)
- Lance Hedrick: Grinder Tier List (2024-09-10)
- Lance Hedrick: Can Handgrinders Beat Electric? Espresso Edition (2025-08-07)
- Brian Quan: How to: Dynamic and High Clarity V60 (2025-08-20)
Summarised in our own words from the creators' videos, with every point linked to the moment it comes from. Notchbook isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of these creators, so please watch the originals for full context. Sources
Dialling in from here
- Sour, thin or fast? Grind finer. Why coffee tastes sour
- Bitter, dry or slow? Grind coarser. Why coffee tastes bitter
- Espresso: how to dial in. Filter: pour-over grind size.
Compare with other grinders in the grind size chart, or see every grinder.
Notchbook is a free app that remembers the setting that worked on your Kafatek Monolith Max 2 for each coffee and brew method, and keeps a journal of every brew. Get it free on Google Play. The iPhone app is coming soon. More about Notchbook.