Specs
| Dial | Marked in microns 1:31 0:30. Lance Hedrick zeroes at burr lock and others at the chirp. The designer aims for 20 to 30 µm between lock and the first chirp 1:31 |
| Motor | 300 W brushed DC at a fixed 900 rpm on the V1 1:31, and about 800 rpm in a 2025 comparison 11:43 |
| Burrs | Blind SSP multi-purpose, HU and Lab Sweet options, with swappable augers that change the feed rate 11:41 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pour-over | 750 µm | His favourite of five grind sizes on a fixed recipe, at 20.1% extraction and the liveliest. 600 and 550 µm turned bitter | stated | Hedrick | 8:52 |
| Espresso | about 200 µm | HU burrs, zeroed at burr lock | approx | Hedrick | 27:48 |
| Espresso | about 125 µm | 2025: 18 g in, 42 to 43 g out, stock high-uniformity burrs. The dial shows burr gap from a true zero | approx | Hoffmann | 10:44 |
| Pour-over | about 480 µm | 2025: single-cup V60, unimodal burrs, slow auger | approx | Hoffmann | 18:30 |
| Espresso | about 115 µm from chirp | SSP HU burrs | approx | DGC | 7:45 |
| Espresso | 130 to 160 µm | SSP HU, his usual espresso range | stated | DGC | 10:11 |
| Espresso | 80 to 100 µm | SSP Multi-Purpose, the usual espresso range | stated | DGC | 10:41 |
| Espresso | 50 to 80 µm | SSP Cast V3 after 1 to 2 kg of seasoning. Light roasts may still not build pressure on a pump machine | stated | DGC | 10:11 |
| Pour-over | about 400 µm | A competition-winning Origami recipe, a couple of notches coarser than his usual V60 | approx | Rowsell | 4:34 |
| Pour-over | about 300 µm | His usual V60 | approx | Rowsell | 4:34 |
Cup profile
- HU burrs with a medium roast for espresso: thick, buttery and balanced, with brown sugar 11:41.
- Multi-purpose burrs for filter: juicy and silky with balanced acidity, and fewer fines than a Mazzer Philos or DF64 with the same burrs 11:41 22:28.
- The best body of any 64 mm grinder Lance Hedrick has tested 3:04.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Verdict
In April 2023 Lance Hedrick was excited by the design but not ready to recommend buying one 1:31. By June 2023 it was his favourite 64 mm grinder 54:11. In 2024 he gave it an A 16:45 and preferred it to the Philos every time 11:41. In 2025 he found a $150 Linglong gets close 3:04.
James Hoffmann's take
- 2025 review: an excellent build, and a micron dial measured from a true zero, showing burr gap rather than particle size. Burr swaps are quick and retention is low, typically 0.1 to 0.2 g. The weak points are a magnetic funnel that can be knocked off over spinning burrs, mess unless you spray the beans carefully, the odd chute clog at very fine settings, and pricing that's hard to pin down 0:00 2:35 3:05.
- Its fast, medium and slow augers pre-broke 57 to 64% of the beans but made no reliable difference to taste or distribution 22:03.
Daddy Got Coffee's take
- 2024 and 2025: the best-aligned grinder he has tested, and it stays aligned through burr swaps. About 5 µm per tick, and RDT is effectively a must. The burrs decide the cup, so know what you want first 0:30 1:34 2:36 17:55.
- His burr picks are SSP Brew for filter, HU for easy espresso on a pump machine, MP for both on a pump machine, and Cast V3 for levers or pressure profiling 3:04 3:35 4:35 6:05.
Kyle Rowsell's take
- 2023: with SSP multi-purpose burrs it tasted better and less astringent than the same burrs in 83 mm grinders, so he could push to 23 to 24%. It has a pre-breaking auger, tight tolerances and a micron dial. It's louder than a P64, has no variable speed and costs about twice a DF83. He called it the new gold standard for 64 mm at $1,250, though it sells out fast, and the V2 adds an ioniser 8:05 2:37.
Sprometheus's take
- 2025: a superb build and a very consistent grind, with low retention if you spritz the beans and easy zeroing with the tools in the box. The brushed motor is loud for about $1,500, though, and grounds collect in the chute, behind the dial and under the burrs. He never fell for it. At this price he'd choose on availability, service and looks 2:43.
Notes
- Because the auger already feeds slowly, feeding beans in slowly only made shots 1 to 3 s faster 4:07.
Sources
- Lance Hedrick: BEST GRINDER UNDER $2000?: Zerno Z1 Review (2023-04-12)
- Lance Hedrick: ULTIMATE 64MM GRINDER SHOWDOWN (Kopi Deva, Zerno, DF64V, DF64E, DF64P, G64, Moca SD, Timemore 064) (2023-06-21)
- Kyle Rowsell: EASY BREW RECIPE: 2023 Championship Method & Technique (2023-07-01)
- Kyle Rowsell: GIANT GRINDER SHOWDOWN: Sculptor 078S, Zerno Z1, Niche Duo, DF83 (2023-07-12)
- Kyle Rowsell: BEST NEW 64MM GRINDER? DF64 GEN 2 vs ZERNO Z1 vs DF64V vs KOPI (2023-08-24)
- Lance Hedrick: INSTANT IMPROVEMENT ON ANY GRINDER: How Slow Feeding Completely Changes Your Grinding (2024-02-22)
- Daddy Got Coffee: Zerno Z1 Grinder: How It Changed Home Espresso (2024-03-02)
- Lance Hedrick: Grinder Tier List (2024-09-10)
- Lance Hedrick: Ultimate Grinder Showdown: Mazzer Philos vs Zerno Z1! Full Review and Comparison (2024-12-16)
- Daddy Got Coffee: Showdown! Zerno Z1 vs Mazzer Philos (2025-01-11)
- James Hoffmann: A Zerno Z1 Review & A Grand Universal Theory Of Coffee Grinding (2025-03-21)
- Daddy Got Coffee: One Year with the Zerno Z1 Grinder! Still Worth It?? (2025-05-10)
- Lance Hedrick: Does Mahlkönig Deliver? Ultimate X64 SD Review (Super In-Depth) (2025-07-25)
- Daddy Got Coffee: Which SSP Burrs Should You Buy? (2025-08-02)
- Sprometheus: Zerno Z1 | One Year Later (2025-11-28)
- Lance Hedrick: Your Grind Size Might Be Ruining Your Coffee (2026-04-04)
- Lance Hedrick: Can Handgrinders Beat Electric? The Ultimate Battle, Filter Edition (2025-04-10)
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 Zerno Z1 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.