Coffee grinders beta · Zerno
Owners keep the Zerno Z1 for its solid build and repeatable burr settings, and for swappable 64mm burrs that let them move between espresso and filter in minutes.
Build quality is clear praise. Owners describe the Z1 as solidly made with repeatable settings, and one who switched from a Lagom found the Z1's internal parts far sturdier than the cheap parts in the grinder it replaced.
Price is the recurring hesitation, but only a few accounts raised it and most of those were mixed rather than negative. The Z1 costs more than the Mazzer Philos, which people point to as the cheaper alternative, and in Europe postage and import duties make it much more expensive.
The Zerno Z1 is an electric coffee grinder made for home use. You weigh out the beans for one cup at a time and grind them. It has flat burrs, and it works for both espresso and filter coffee. It suits home coffee enthusiasts who want fine control over their grind.
| Burrs | 64mm flat burrs, blind or traditional mounting |
|---|---|
| Grind adjustment | Stepless, front-facing micron dial, 0 to 1400 μm |
| Motor or hand | Motor: 300W brushed AC, single speed 900 RPM |
| Retention | Minimal (no figure given) |
| Hopper | |
| Weight | 6.5 kg (about 14.3 lbs) |
| Warranty |
From the maker's spec page, checked October 8, 2026. A blank row means the maker does not state it.
Stepless means the grind has no fixed clicks, so you can set it anywhere from very fine for espresso to coarse for filter coffee. Very little coffee stays inside after grinding, so each cup mostly holds the beans you just put in. At 6.5 kg it is heavy and stays put on the counter. The body is about 29 cm tall and 13 cm wide. The maker's page doesn't give the bean capacity or the warranty length.
Pick up to three. You get a page with just those, side by side, on the subjects owners raised.
What keeps owners happy is the burr system. One owner has bought several of the available burr sets and swaps them depending on whether they are making espresso or filter. A swap takes a few minutes. Most days they leave in a multipurpose set that handles both well. Another owner who drinks mostly dark roasts says the difference in the cup is modest, though they find the Z1's grind more uniform and finer to adjust. Its slim footprint and looks also come up as reasons people chose it.
Noise is the main thing owners have to accept, and views differ. One owner thinks loudness is subjective and has no complaint. Someone who had used a Z1 was glad they bought a Philos instead, and said noise alone settled it. Buying one can also take patience: US buyers are told they may have to wait for it, and one owner saved up and sold other gear to afford it.
Construction is where the Z1 gets its strongest praise. Owners describe a solid build, and one visited the shop where the grinders are made and came away impressed by the care put into each unit. The repeatable burr gap is one of the main reasons people choose it. None of the accounts here describes a failure or a repair. One dissenting note came from a Philos owner, who suggested the Philos may be the better-built machine because the Z1 uses a brushed motor.
The long-term accounts are thin. These comments are mostly about buying and early ownership, and none follows a Z1 through years of daily use. One owner said a grinder at this price should be built to last and had taken one apart to compare it with another, but that comment does not say what they found. For now, how the Z1 holds up over time, including its motor, has not been shown either way.
From 2 owner accounts that said how long they have had it. Own one? Add how long yours has lasted.
Nothing has a clear majority against it yet. Counted from the owners who raised each subject, not from everyone. A subject is judged once at least 4 owners raise it.
15 more subjects came up from fewer than 4 owners each, which is not enough for a fair reading. To see how it stacks up, compare it with another machine.
The same owner, asked again at each point. Fills in as owners answer.
Two questions: how long you have had it, and anything you would like to say about it. Then we ask again as it ages. This helps our mission.
More in coffee grinders: Timemore 064s, DF64 gen 2, Baratza Sette 270.
Among the 2 owner accounts here that gave a duration, 0 described a failure.
Before you buy one used, ask the seller: how old it is, whether it was ever repaired and by whom, and whether any of the parts above have been replaced. Ask to see it run. A receipt tells you the warranty start date; most makers honour the term only for the first owner.
Public discussions we read and summarised in our own words. Nothing here was submitted to Still Kicks.
Counted from public accounts by people who said they own it, and summarised by Still Kicks in its own words. Not a manufacturer claim, a lab test or an estimate.
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