Specs
| Burr | 48 mm Obsidian (about a $50 upgrade). There's also a 38 mm titanium set that's only for filter 6:07. Option-O measures burr size at the outer collar 5:06 |
| Zero | Wind the top burr down until it locks (around 2.5 to 3 on the scale), then back it off. The scale reads negative below the lock point 6:07 |
| Speed | Not published. Lance Hedrick guessed about 300 rpm in 2022 5:06 and later measured about 220 to 230 rpm 8:39 10:52 |
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 | about −8.5 to 0.5 | Depends on the style. 18 g in, 45 g out in about 31 s with a washed Colombia. The negative values are uncertain | unclear | Hedrick | 2:35 |
| Pour-over | 3 to 4 | Where he starts pour-overs, coarser for some styles | stated | Hedrick | 2:35 |
| Pour-over | about 1.3 turns from zero | An example filter setting. Zero is different on every grinder | approx | Rowsell | 8:24 |
| Espresso | about 0.7 turns from zero | An example espresso setting | approx | Rowsell | 8:24 |
| Pour-over | about 1.1 to 1.4 turns from zero | The sweet spot for filter, depending on the coffee | approx | Rowsell | 4:08 |
| Espresso | about 0.6 to 0.9 turns from zero | The sweet spot for espresso | approx | Rowsell | 4:08 |
Cup profile
- Filter is very close to a Comandante with a motor. Espresso is close to a Niche Zero, and Lance Hedrick preferred the Lagom twice in blind tastings 6:07.
- The best filter of five budget all-rounders, with florals in espresso 10:52.
Strengths
- Quiet and compact, with a magnetic cup 6:07.
Weaknesses
- A weak motor that manages two or three shots a day and stalls on fine light-roast espresso 6:07 11:54.
- Slow. Retention was about 0.05 to 0.1 g in 2022 6:07 and "very high" in 2023 10:52.
Verdict
2022: the best all-rounder under about $500 6:07. 2023: great, but worth about $349 at most 10:52. 2024: grade B 7:39.
James Hoffmann's take
- In his 2023 test of grinders under £500 it was his favourite for filter, the most flat-like conical of the group with far fewer fines. It's tiny and good value, but very slow for espresso, and the new dial has no numbers 2:04 24:38.
Kyle Rowsell's take
- In 2021 he found a complex, sweet, layered conical cup. The stepless dial is hard to get back to a setting, the hopper is small and grinding is slow, but he'd still take it over the Ode as his only grinder. The 48 mm burr is clean and a touch clearer than a Niche with a little less texture, and retention is under 0.2 g. Zero is different on every grinder, so share settings as turns from zero. The 38 mm version is sweeter for filter but isn't meant for espresso 2:15 3:41 6:21.
- In 2022 the new Moonshine burr was clearer than Obsidian with fewer fines, closer to a C40. He called it a nearly perfect small filter grinder, though he hesitates to make it a main espresso grinder because of the 3 to 5 cups a day limit and early stalling 3:08.
- In 2023 it won his blind espresso test, and it's his benchmark for conicals under $500 21:15 5:42.
Sprometheus's take
- In 2022 he found Obsidian balanced and textured at about 18% extraction, and Moonshine clearer with fewer fines at 20% or more. With under 0.2 g retention there's no need to purge between methods. It's slow, and a 90 s duty cycle limits it to about four shots in ten minutes. There's a single zero mark, so it's easy to lose your place. For about $500 it holds its own against a Niche 7:08.
Brian Quan's take
- In 2022 he recommended it widely, ideally with Moonshine burrs, which come close to flat-burr clarity in filter. Obsidian is traditional and finishes smoother than a Niche. It's compact but screechy, takes 45 s to a minute for 18 g of espresso, and the small motor can stall on fine light-roast espresso, though a newer power supply helped. Newer units dropped the numbers on the dial, so he counts threads instead 0:23.
Sources
- Kyle Rowsell: LAGOM MINI: Is This The BEST Coffee Grinder UNDER $400? (VS NICHE ZERO) (2021-12-27)
- Kyle Rowsell: Option-O LAGOM MINI vs FELLOW ODE: Battle For The Best Grinder under $400?! (2021-12-31)
- Lance Hedrick: A BUDGET GRINDER THAT CAN DO IT ALL?: Review of the Option O Lagom Mini (2022-01-15)
- Lance Hedrick: SPTK38G: The Latest of Grinder Trends (2022-06-09)
- Kyle Rowsell: Is The Option-O LAGOM MINI Still Worth It? (2022-06-12)
- Brian Quan: Option-O Lagom Grinder Comparison (Mini, P64, P100) (2022-08-16)
- Sprometheus: LAGOM MINI: Small Grinder, Big Expectations (2022-09-23)
- Kyle Rowsell: VARIA VS3: Is It A Better Option than the ODE GEN 2 or LAGOM MINI? (2022-12-31)
- Kyle Rowsell: Best Budget Espresso Grinder Showdown // OPUS vs ENCORE ESP Review (2023-02-21)
- Lance Hedrick: BUDGET ALL-AROUND GRINDERS: Overview (2023-03-04)
- 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
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 Option-O Lagom Mini 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.