TIMEMORE - Sculptor 078S

I have a 078s and don't really like it for pourover. My main issue is 1) interchangeability of grind settings. When going from coarse to fine, you will get stuck a few times when adjusting down to the espresso settings. Just have to be patient with this but too much work for the cup of pourover 2) don't really like the cup I'm getting with 078s, I'm not an expert but I prefer cups from my Zp6. My 078s is now exclusively for espresso or moka pot

This grinder isn't 0 retention so there is bound to be Coffee grounds left between the burrs after each grind. The coarse coffee powder tend to get stuck in between the burrs as I am adjusting to finer setting. That's because when I turn the burrs closer together, the coarse powder get jarred in between the burr. The grinder will need to grind them down to the size before you can turn it further. So you have to repeat this process until you reach the final espresso setting. Luckily the motor on the 078s is strong enough so there shouldn't be any issues. But there is a slight risk if you are using greasy dark roast, you might jam the grinder and stall the motor.

Yea that's what I'm doing. You are not supposed to adjust grinder when it is stationary precisely because you will cause it to get stuck more. But even so, I have to do 2-3 adjustments before reaching espresso

Honestly, if you're brewing medium and dark roasts for espresso, it's hard to beat the Niche Zero for UX. If you want a flavor upgrade from your Ode for filter, I absolutely love my 078. The two of those together would still be well within your price range, especially if you can find a 078 secondhand ($600-650 is reasonable). A secondhand niche can be found for $500 or less very easily these days. You could probably find a nice 83 mm grinder and put some lab sweet SSP burrs in there and get a pretty good compromise, but if you're changing grind sizes between espresso and filter constantly, it's not going to be the most delightful experience. I have two grinders myself now, and I think it's the way to go.

Yes, depending on how "light" and "medium" the actual specific roasters you're buying from are - I drink very very light roasts for filter, and I think the 078 is amazing. Whether you'll like the Niche or another espresso grinder best is more of a preference question; there are so many options these days (Lagom Casa, DF54/64/83, Eureka Mignon series...) that are all pretty good that you can kinda pick your favorite based on price, workflow, and aesthetics. My espresso grinder is a DF83 with SSP HU burrs, and if I were buying today at the $1000-and-under price point, I'd probably stick with that, except upgrade to the DF83V for a quieter motor and better feeding mechanism. Love the HUs though.

As stated above, two grinders is the solution at this price point You could get two very nice grinders that target both your needs separately. No single grinder will hit all these points without swapping burrs, which is often a bit of work. I'm currently using a two grinder setup (that is well under your budget) for this reason. I really enjoy my timemore 078s (1100 canadian) for our espresso. I have no issues with dark or light roasts in it. It's not perfect, but no grinder is. But for the price point, I am very happy. To go up from here price wise doesn't make sense to me unless you plan on swapping burrs regularly per bean. As for filter, I opted for a pietro with the pro burrs (670 cad). This is a manual grinder, but I absolutely adore it for it's clarity and vibrancy so far. If you want something that's a little better rounded for more beans, the 1zspresso max is a great option as well. And if you want something electric for filter, people have spoke highly of the timemore 078 with its turbo burrs. It's the same price as the espresso model above. Happy shopping

For both espresso and pourover with a budget of $900, I highly recommend looking at the [Timemore Sculptor 078S ](https://www.amazon.com/TIMEMORE-Sculptor-Electric-Coarseness-Adjustment/dp/B0DNZ3SKCN). It's a solid flat burr grinder that is an excellent value proposition considering the quality you get. Things I like... + Flavor separation (especially in espresso) is the best you are going to get for under $900. + The sliding chute, fines knocker, and magnetic catch cup are great QoL improvements. + The build quality is superb. It's a cast all-metal body. As a result, it's somewhat heavy, which may not be ideal for some. For me, I absolutely love it. + It's remarkably quiet. Perfect if you don't want to wake up others when brewing coffee in the morning. Things I don't like... - The small hopper makes larger batches more challenging. I still keep my Sette 30 ➡️ 270 conical burr grinder to make cold brew every week. I also use a 3D printed a hopper extension for french press when we have several folks over wanting coffee. - Disassembly is somewhat more difficult compared to many other grinders. Recommend picking up a bottle of Grindz for routine cleanings in lieu of full disassembly. - 78mm flat burrs are not a common size and may limit future upgradability. I upgraded from the Niche and it's been my daily driver for over a year now. I have zero regrets and no desire to upgrade to anything else, after trying some grinders that are twice the price without any improvement.

Get the Pietro with Brew burrs, I have an 078 and the Pietro... both are great but the Pietro is king. The Pietro with Pro Brew burrs and 078 work extremely well together.

I used to own the Niche, replaced it with the 078 and now I don't feel like I will be buying a new grinder any time soon. It's fantastic for pour overs, and I stopped drinking espressos

I think the only way you'll know if they are too close is to brew them both to what you prefer. If they can both do that, then the answer is yes, if they can't... well... does the 078 have the variable rpm like the s model? If so, that can change some stuff and the ode can also take other burrs more easily... so there is that.

Which burrs in the 078 do you have? The turbos, ssp or the earliest original version? I have a 078s and use the ssp lab sweets v2 in my ode1 so i am not sure i can provide that real specific assistance you are looking for. My wife already complains about the dial in when i swap burrs in the ode every couple of months. Just gotta A - B and see if you can tell the difference when you are using your preferred brewer and beans.

I had a ton of success with the baratza encore, but it is probably better suited for espresso and not pour overs. After upgrading to the sculptor 78s, I realized the encore produced a ton of fines even at the coarse settings I used for pour overs.

I should also add .. I'm not sure "a ton of fines" is accurate. It definitely produced less uniform grinds than, say, the sculptor (visually obvious, not just suspicion). It also had poor retention so I had to add a bellow.

This grinder isn't 0 retention so there is bound to be Coffee grounds left between the burrs after each grind. The coarse coffee powder tend to get stuck in between the burrs as I am adjusting to finer setting. That's because when I turn the burrs closer together, the coarse powder get jarred in between the burr. The grinder will need to grind them down to the size before you can turn it further. So you have to repeat this process until you reach the final espresso setting. Luckily the motor on the 078s is strong enough so there shouldn't be any issues. But there is a slight risk if you are using greasy dark roast, you might jam the grinder and stall the motor.

Could you compare the 078s vs your 64mm ssp HU and niche zero? I got the 078s a few months ago but always wondering if I made the right decision on it haha. I came from an SD40. I have done three 3D prints that extremely help workflow on the 078s though which I think has improved my experience vs others.

Handgrinding for espresso is suck given form. Unless you practice some sort of self harm, I would suggest getting motorized grinder. With grinders, riddle me this: Do you want to single dose or do you want your dosing to be done by your grinder? If you want to single dose, get the sculptor. If you want your grinder to dose for yourself, get Eureka, preferably one of the bigger ones. Or, if you want the option to hand grind while also not needing to hand grind, Goat Story makes hand grinder with motorized stand.

Use specialized coffee water and upgrade your grinder and the combo will be a night and day difference. You do not need to spend $1k, or even $800 on an 078 to get amazing results. A $500 Femobook A4Z or a $260 Millab M01 hand grinder will both outperform an 078 for filter. If you're not opposed to hand grinding (it isn't much time or effort) the Millab M01 is the best price to performance ratio on the market right now, knocking the ZP6 from it's former top spot.

This list seems somehow outdated, and is missing some important items, that are popular and offering a great value. Hand grinders: **Kingrinder K6, K2, K0, Timemore C3S, C2S** Electric: **Zerno Z1**, soon also **Z2** (80mm, now in a prototype stage), **Mazzer Philos, DF64V, Sculptor 078s,064, and Lagom 01** (although grinders with burrs larger than 83 mm is a rather niche ultra-high-end, so not sure really, if EK43, P100 and L01 make sense to be included in such a list) Also: In this list, the **Fellow Ode2** is placed in "budget-friendly", while **Fellow Opus** in "mid-range/prosumer"?? :) Ode costs almost twice as Opus, and while Ode is rather popular for manual brews, Opus is not that popular neither for brew, nor for espresso, although technically "it can do both". (edit to add) Also missing, the **DF54** low-cost electric grinder.

I suspect changing burrs is really an endgame level practice, for people with a super refined palette (or people who pretend to have one) You'd be installing new burrs, dialing in your beans again and comparing the flavor profile to your previous burrs in that regard. I doubt most people would notice a difference unless it's a side by side comparison! And there would still be so many variables, that who's to say the change in taste is due to the burrs! The espresso community has a tendency to go crazy for higher end gear, so my advice is to get the cheapest possible grinder that does the things that matter to you. IMO zero retention, easy to dial in, flexibility and noise level are probably more important factors than the ability to change burrs easily and often. The Timemore Sculptor 64s is an endgame level device imo. *Disclosure: I'm just a beginner myself and recently got the Timemore 78s and couldn't be happier. I'm getting into pour over and it's great being able to switch between settings / brew methods easily without having to worry much about retention.*

I think the Timemore 078 is a good choice. I personally use an Ode Gen 2 alongside my ZP6. If I could go back in time and had a slightly higher budget, I'd get the 078. However, if you get a good deal on the Ode Gen 2, it's definitely also a good grinder. I use the stock burrs btw. I like it as a combo with the ZP6 because they can give you quite a different cup with the same coffee. For some coffees I actually prefer the Ode. I have had serious RSI issues due to my day job. Having an electric grinder helped me a lot! I have basically no pain now thanks to that. I'd definitely switch to an electric, I think it'll really help you

I have the Timemore 078S and use it for both filter and espresso. I can't comment on the Mazzer, but the 078S is good for both IMO.

Another 078 owner here. It is just really really good. Not just performance but the user experience is really nice as well. Quiet, clean, not fussy. I don't see myself needing to upgrade for a very long time.

Definitely 078. I got mine recently and the experience with drinking naturals and more processed coffees is excellent. Incredibly juicy

Ode Gen 2 is great, as is Timemore 078 (though slightly above the budget you mentioned). I own both, and think that each offer incredible value at their price point

I much prefer the 078. It's just like a better version of the Ode, in every way. But it's 2X the price. It's not twice as good, but enough of an improvement to be worth it. But depends on your preference. You could also get an Ode Gen 2 and a great hand grinder (like a ZP6) for less than the cost of an 078, then have the potential to create brews with two very different cup profiles. I'm a proponent of buy once cry once...or at least try. So I'd recommend going for the "best" that is in your budget. Otherwise you'll probably be upgrading again sooner rather than later anyway....

Yea that's what I'm doing. You are not supposed to adjust grinder when it is stationary precisely because you will cause it to get stuck more. But even so, I have to do 2-3 adjustments before reaching espresso

Agree. The built-in has limitations. Does not like high hardness light beans at all. And it's a huge pain if it gets stalled. But if you're getting cute and trying out light roasts, you either slow feed a couple beans at a time or upgrade. (I like my TimeMore 078S)

I weigh every dose before and after grinding and get zero retention for now. (Didn't season my burrs. But I calibrated my device.) If I really want to make sure nothing got stuck in the auger or burrs I just go to grind setting zero and back to the coarsest setting, before choosing the correct setting for my beans. Let's not forget there's the clicker, which helps purge fines! I really like how Timemore solved this, because I didn't want to spend huge amounts of money on a device that has bellows. I find it very awkward and crude tbh! Didn't have a deep reason for choosing the 78s tbh. I meant to buy the 64s version but both devices were on sale, so I simply bought the upgrade... it ended up being the same price as the 64s without sale. And also bigger burrs = less heat during grind. So why not?

Yeah, I don't think switching between different drippers gets you all that much in cup quality (unless you, like some, prefer immersion or hybrid recipes over straight percolation, in which case the Hario Switch is a nice upgrade). On the high quality coffee front, I think there's a meaningful step beyond 'top roasters' to 'preferred varieties from preferred producers'. On the electric grinder front, from personal experience, I think you'd see a difference in the cup with a Timemore 078 or Lagom 01. Whether you prefer it depends on your preferences.

No worries - appreciate your response, this level of transparency and honesty is refreshing! I have generally found that "having a few cups" off a grinder is next to useless. Even side by side comparisons where variables are fixed is useless. Some grinders have a sweet spot at coarser settings with faster draw downs, others the opposite - some really shine brightest with certain types of coffees, or different water compositions. Perhaps most critical - some grinders are incredibly forgiving and make everything taste great - others can tickle the heights of perfection, but have a pinhole sized window of magic, and around that is punishment. The 078 is a solid pour over grinder. Toss \~$100 or so in mods like the aftermarket hopper I have (with trap door for hot starts and a slow feed insert) and the magnetic grind setting arrow and most of the gripes one could have about it are dissolved. There's simply no practical reason to go out and buy another grinder and feel the need to upgrade, unless you seek more acidity and are looking for a more edgy profile. Personally (and this is entirely my preference) I find the 078 rather boring and uninspiring, but this is outstanding for co-ferments that benefit from being toned down and restrained a bit. The 078 also has a very unique and extremely pleasant mouthfeel - and that alone warrants its admiration. The 078 is great, you should look at it and use it with immense pride. Most would say (myself included) it beats the dickens out of a current EK43 running the stock EK burrs for pour over - so really unless you just want to fiddle with more stuff or really seek more vibrancy - don't be swayed by others options out on the market. Even then, consider the M01 - which is criminally underrated and less $ than the Femobook since you already have a big electric grinder. My entire point is really to highlight the fact than in 2025 - there are a dizzying array of amazing options for pour over lovers, and now you don't have to spend big $ to max out high end beans. At a coffee club meet up earlier this week, despite there being a dozen grinders on the table, several of which in the four figure range, when someone cracked open their bag of $500/lb Sey Gesha - they wanted it ground on the M01 pineapple burrs... not the 078 we had been doing comparisons with (there was also an 078 SSP on the table, P64, Lagom 01 with 102 brew burrs available, etc). While I am not advocating buying more gear - the owner of that box of Sey in the photo got on his phone and placed an order for the M01 after he drank a few sips from that brew. (Ground at setting 9 on the M01, brewed on the Orea Z1 at 96c, four pours with a 1:14.5 ratio). This individual also owns a Timemore 078 and a Lagom 01 with 102 SSP HU burrs. For posterities sake - i'm not saying the M01 is better than the Lagom 01 - but I will say 6 of the 7 of us greatly preferred the M01 over the 078. Prior to brewing that Sey we had done a brew with a Gesha from Luminous, and 6 of the 7 of us immediately and strongly preferred the M01. The one 078 hold out ended up making three 078 brews with the same Luminous Gesha to try to beat the one M01 brew - none of which could sway the groups preference. That lone hold out now claims they're going to pickup an M01, although I don't know if he's placed an order. In any event - for \~$260 or whatever the current sale price is on the M01 - you can buy a conical hand grinder capable of grinding to espresso fine levels that a group of coffee nerds (some of which in this sample group are industry professionals) all think bests a 78mm hyper specific filter only flat burr grinder 3X+ it's cost from the same company. It's a great time to be in this hobby. https://preview.redd.it/pj59edbydenf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=97ac0a9daa44cf2768b235e2c073de73e438e378

I didn't have alignment issues on either grinder. They were good on that out of the box. Both needed seasoning. If you're coming from an inferior grinder, out of the box it will be a massive improvement - but both need at least 2-3kg min to really start to shine. You'll see noticeable improvement and consistency after that. **Quirks** -Ode Gen 2: need to use RDT to minimize retention. The anti-static knocker doesn't work that great, you'll need to regularly brush out the area to clear retained beans. -078: the popcorning is as bad as advertised. You'll want to get the Timemore hopper extension or something ne of the 3rd party hopped on Etsy. Also good to RDT, otherwise retains more fines, especially around the knocker. Also re the knocker - want to wait a min or two after grinding for it to work. **What I drink** I only drink light to very light roast. But within that roast profile, everything under the sun: virtually every type of bean from everywhere, from the lighted washed beans, to natural, to thermal shock, advanced processing and co-ferments. **Re the 078 being so so or muted with washed coffee.** If you're new to pour over or still mastering the process, you won't come close to experiencing anything like this IMO. From what I've seen that opinion is led here/or most often shared by u/Impossible_Cow_9178. Who is a wealth of knowledge and I love it any time he chimes in on this sub. But keep in mind at any given time he has 15-20 grinders, and I would bet at least a handful costing $1K+ at any given time (and some $2K, $3K+). For most people the 078 will be the largest burr size they've used to date - and they will appreciate the additional benefit that gives to the grind distribution size and quality. I think he has a 98mm EK43 and 83 MM HG-1.... Think of it like this: you might have a Toyota or Honda in your garage and you're thinking of getting an M3/M5/XM or a Corvette...vehicles that for most people would be a noticeable step up in performance and comfort, and a vehicle that could happily be their daily driver indefinitely. Whereas he, and some of the others who find the 078 boring - they have a fleet of many cars...maybe a great Toyota or Honda, maybe a nice Bimmer, but also a Bugatti, Rolls, Ducati and many others. They've been driving with nice cars for so long, something has to be really special to stand out. And just regular nice and great is a little boring.

Thanks for the update! Makes me feel better about the 078s. My journey has been shitty blade grinder (before espresso) > JX-Pro > SD40 (with mods to make it step less > 078s. Still have the JX-pro and SD40. Use the JX-pro as a travel and work grinder. SD40 is just sitting in my basement. I use the 078s for pour over and espresso at home. Then at work I use the JX-pro with the OXO rapid brewer.