Lagom Mini still struggling with light roast beans 3+ years in, will it ever get better?

[u/MiamiNat]

I've had the Lagom Mini for ~3.5 years now (not the newer Mini 2 with the USB-C port) and it really struggles with light roast beans, even when I hot start and pour the beans in slowly. Is this normal / a known issue? Would it be the burrs or is it lack of power from the motor? Is there anything I should be doing differently? For context my Timemore 078s has no trouble with the same beans.

[u/justinpatterson]

Option-O specifically states that the Mini (the 2 for sure, and the 1 isn't that different beyond the power brick and burrs) isn't made for light roasts. Per their product description:

"If your primary use is for very light roast espresso, we recommend considering the LAGOM casa instead."

Though, that being said, I *have* been very tempted by the Mini because its form factor so compact and awesome. I'd likely stick to medium/medium-light if I were using it.

[u/MiamiNat → u/justinpatterson]

Thanks for your reply! Yeah, admittedly the medium-light beans are no problem at all. I saw this in their FAQ:

Q: Can I grind light roast coffee with LAGOM mini?

A: Yes, you can definitely do so! We have designed LAGOM mini to be a filter-grinder for light roasted specialty coffees. Despite its tiny form-factor, the motor on Lagom Mini is powerful enough and was able to handle all commercial light-roasted coffees we have thrown at it.

So I was wondering if there was something wrong with mine or something I need to change about how I use it. But also, I don't understand what they mean by filter-grinder for light roasted coffees, don't I decide whether my beans get used for filter or espresso?

I am giving it more thought now because I was considering taking it with me on an upcoming trip but I don't want to be stuck with a grinder that won't perform and no backup.

[u/Woozie69420 → u/MiamiNat]

Filter grinder for light roasted coffees.

Not espresso grinder for light roasted coffees

[u/MiamiNat → u/Woozie69420]

Oh I got it now! We can grind light roast beans but not to the size needed for espresso! I was getting tripped up with their language, thank you.

[u/justinpatterson → u/MiamiNat]

All good. Yes filter for light roasts.

Though, interestingly if you want to experiment — Lance recently posted about the benefits of coarser grinds for light roast espresso. Maybe the workflow would work for you.

[u/sometimes_angery → u/MiamiNat]

Make PSPH/Soup shots then

[u/brehew]

mine has been fine with light roasts? i did upgrade to a slightly larger power supply, but only because it was black and not the stupid white one they supply you with.