The dial runs from 01, the finest, to 35. Mahlkönig's own chart covers espresso and filter, and the rest come from reviewers.
Settings by brew method
| Method | Setting (dial) | As the source puts it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1 to 5 | Espresso 01 to 05 | downloads.mahlkoenig.de Maker |
| Pour-over / V60 | 15 to 25 | Filter coffee 15 to 25 | downloads.mahlkoenig.de Maker |
| French press | 25 to 32 | French press > 25 | downloads.mahlkoenig.de Maker |
| Cold brew | 30 to 35 | Cold brew 30 to 35 | honestcoffeeguide.com Reviewer |
These are starting points. Beans, roast, water and your own taste all move them, so start in the middle of the range and adjust one step at a time.
Notchbook is a free app that remembers the setting that worked on your Mahlkönig X54 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.
About the Mahlkönig X54
- Type
- Electric grinder
- Burrs
- Flat, 54 mm
- Adjustment
- Stepped
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.
What reviewers found
A 54 mm home grinder made for traditional espresso 11:20.
Specs
| Burrs | Stock steel, about 54 mm 11:20. Lance Hedrick says they're the same Ditting 54 mm burrs as the Vario's 15:20 |
| Dial | Knob numbered 1 to 35 11:20 |
Starting settings
No one has shared grind settings for it yet.
Cup profile
- Lots of fines and leans bimodal, which gives creamy, thick, chocolatey espresso for traditional roasts and less clarity in filter 11:20.
Strengths
- Good for medium-dark espresso, and fairly quiet 11:20.
Weaknesses
Verdict
2022: good for traditional shots 11:20. 2024: grade C 8:20.
James Hoffmann's take
- In 2023 it was the most conical-like of the flat burrs he measured, with more fines and a coarser peak. The adjustment is imprecise, it couldn't go fine enough out of the box, and it's really a hopper-fed grinder rather than a single doser 2:34 24:38.
Bluebird Coffee Roastery's take
- In 2022 they found it sturdy, with a clear interface, programmable doses, a continuous mode and removable forks for filter. It covers everything from espresso to French press, with clean filter and good espresso, and there's strong local service in South Africa.
- It's hopper-fed though, so changing coffee or setting wastes beans. On their grinder the adjustment wobbled and clogged at a fine espresso setting, and going coarser and back cleared it. Light roasts clump, so you need WDT, and it's pricey for what it is.
- They'd only make it their top home pick if you drink one coffee for weeks at a time. Their own setup is a hand grinder for filter and a DF64 for espresso 2:46 3:47 4:17.
Sources
- Lance Hedrick: IS THIS THE BEST HOME GRINDER?: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BARATZA VARIO (2021-10-01)
- Lance Hedrick: ULTIMATE MIDRANGE GRINDER SHOWDOWN! (2022-05-05)
- Bluebird Coffee Roastery: Grinder Review: Mahlkonig X54 || New King of Home Grinders?? (2022-06-22)
- James Hoffmann: The Best Espresso Grinder Under £500 (2023-12-22)
- Lance Hedrick: Grinder Tier List (2024-09-10)
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