The ECM-S Automatic 64 impresses us with its excellent espresso. That's the good news, and the most important news. Unfortunately, it misses some of its potential along the way. In our extensive espresso grinder test, we compared the ECM S-64 with 23 other espresso grinders . In this article, we summarize the key findings of our test.
We conducted the test again with our Apas Espresso. It's available here in Switzerland and here in Germany.
Buy ECM S-Automatic 64
The following specialist retailers sell the ECM S-Automatik 64, and we recommend purchasing it from them. All offer the option of adjusting the machine's offset.
Germany: [Partner links] Stoll Espresso , Lücke
We search for specialist partners for you who we know offer good work and excellent service, and we maintain close contact with the retailers mentioned. The links are so-called commission links. If you order through one of these links, you won't pay a cent more – however, we receive a small commission, which we invest directly in new test equipment.
We are still looking for competent partners for you in the DACH region.
First impression, material and exterior
A slim, tall, and beautiful espresso grinder gleams upon first unpacking. And at first glance, we like almost everything about the ECM S-Automatik 64. The grinder weighs a solid 6.9 kg (14.2 lbs), resting on perfect feet . Why perfect? They absorb the grinder's vibrations, give slightly, yet remain stable. This also makes the grinder one of the quietest in our test, at 77.9 decibels.
The polished stainless steel's high gloss finish remains, but it becomes garnished with numerous fingerprints over the course of the test. Even the home barista will have to get used to this. It's almost impossible to do without it when using the ECM S-64. A width of 16 cm, a depth of 250 cm, and a height of 41.5 cm give the espresso grinder a slim and elegant appearance. The S-64 doesn't force itself into the spotlight next to an espresso machine, but rather takes a back seat.
The grinding discs of the ECM S-Automatic 64 have a diameter of 64 mm and are made of hardened steel. The disc grinder is continuously adjustable. Adjustment is smooth and precise – although it's difficult to read the exact grinding degree. Even small changes in the grinding degree lead to large changes in the grain size. So always adjust slowly!
The mill's programmability suffers somewhat from the old, somewhat fiddly control system. It repeatedly jumps out of the settings of the two programming buttons if you don't work quickly. ECM has been using a similar technology for many years, which works well and doesn't produce errors, but slightly limits user-friendliness. (Clearly visible in the video starting at minute 20:30.)
Single-serve grinder? No way!
As a single-dosing grinder, the ECM S-Automatik 64 isn't convincing. It simply wasn't built for that purpose. Its most important counterargument is its enormous dead space . With a measured dead space of 12.2 grams , the ECM S-64 leaves a negative mark. Remember: Dead space means that there is already ground coffee around the grinding discs and in front of the ground coffee outlet that isn't ejected with the current grind. Instead, the ground coffee remains trapped and is only pushed out during the next grind by the ground coffee pushing from behind.
The ECM S-64 functions more like a dosing grinder with a storage function than a direct grinding grinder . Up to 12 grams of the current espresso are prepared with "old" coffee if the grinding chamber is not ground out before brewing. This is, of course, unnecessary if several brews are made in a row. Especially at home, this is often not the case, and so 12 grams of good coffee are either wasted or become part of the fresh espresso as old coffee. And remember: within less than an hour, we lose over 50% of the volatile aroma components after grinding.
Unfortunately, the grinder's bean hopper isn't easy to remove, and the coffee hopper isn't easy to change. Our barista trainer, Michel Aeschbacher, was only able to remove the bean hopper with considerable effort . ECM is making it quite clear here: the grinder isn't really designed for regular bean changes. In fact, this wasn't really an issue when the grinder was first launched a few years ago. However, bean hoppers also need to be cleaned regularly. This is doubly unpleasant when removing them requires such a strenuous effort.
After removing the bean container, there are still 23 grams of coffee between the grinder's sliding carriage and the grinding discs. So, if you want to change the beans, you must first remove this coffee before getting to the new coffee.
Where can I order the ECM S-64 from a competent source? We recommend the following specialist partners: Lücke Technik*
Espresso quality
We enjoyed some excellent espressos ground with the ECM S-Automatic 64. We were surprised by the sensory profile. Many coffees tasted very complex, with elegant acidity and a smooth texture.
Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to replicate the grind size because the grinder lacks a clear scale, or the numbers indicate the same grind size too imprecisely. The following curve shows the deviation between two grinds. In the gray curve, we had the grinder perfectly set. We then set the grinder to Ristretto and then to Café Crème. Despite precise markings, we were unable to reset the grinder precisely to the original recipe. This isn't a serious issue at first, but it does mean that the coffee needs to be readjusted each time. This makes writing down recipes and switching between them flexibly difficult.
The consistency of the ECM S-Automatic 64 over multiple extractions exhibits considerable fluctuations. Our target was 18 grams, but over ten extractions, we achieved values between 16.9 and 19.1 grams. That's a lot! This makes reliable grinding less enjoyable. Discerning espresso drinkers are advised to weigh the amount of ground coffee before extraction.
Ten covers with the ECM S-Automatic 64.
| 18.5 | 16.9 | 18.3 | 17.6 | 19.1 | 17.6 | 17.8 | 19 | 17.3 | 19.5 |
Despite all the challenges, it's worth noting that the ECM S-Automatic 64 achieves an interesting particle distribution curve. It has a relatively low proportion of fines—even compared to other grinders—and a solid main peak. In fact, the grinder regulates the grind size in the range between espresso and ristretto primarily via the fines, remaining fairly constant in the main peak.
The particle distribution curves shown here represent our measurements 4 - 7. T4 in gray is the adjusted espresso recipe. T5 in green is the setting for a 1:1 ristretto with a 25-second brew time. T6 in blue represents the setting for a café crème. T7 is the reset espresso recipe.
Conclusion on the ECM S-Automatic 64 espresso grinder
The ECM S-Automatic 64 leaves us with mixed feelings and impressions. While we rate its espresso quality as good, its low noise level is pleasant compared to other grinders, and its overall operation leaves a solid impression, other factors are frustrating. The large dead space is a real downside. The consistency also leaves something to be desired and, like the bean hopper's locking mechanism, leads to frustration.
But one thing is certain: if you learn to live with your ECM, know its weaknesses and deal with them, you will have a good espresso grinder at home for espresso quality - and that is what ultimately matters!
*We search for specialist partners for you who we know offer good work and excellent service. We maintain close contact with the dealers. These are commission links. If you order through these links, it doesn't cost you any more, but we receive a small commission, which we invest in new test equipment.
The ECM-S Automatic 64 impresses us with its excellent espresso. That's the good news, and the most important news. Unfortunately, it misses some of its potential along the way. In our extensive espresso grinder test, we compared the ECM S-64 with 23 other espresso grinders . In this article, we summarize the key findings of our test.
We conducted the test again with our Apas Espresso. It's available here in Switzerland and here in Germany.
Buy ECM S-Automatic 64
The following specialist retailers sell the ECM S-Automatik 64, and we recommend purchasing it from them. All offer the option of adjusting the machine's offset.
Germany: [Partner links] Stoll Espresso , Lücke
We search for specialist partners for you who we know offer good work and excellent service, and we maintain close contact with the retailers mentioned. The links are so-called commission links. If you order through one of these links, you won't pay a cent more – however, we receive a small commission, which we invest directly in new test equipment.
We are still looking for competent partners for you in the DACH region.
First impression, material and exterior
A slim, tall, and beautiful espresso grinder gleams upon first unpacking. And at first glance, we like almost everything about the ECM S-Automatik 64. The grinder weighs a solid 6.9 kg (14.2 lbs), resting on perfect feet . Why perfect? They absorb the grinder's vibrations, give slightly, yet remain stable. This also makes the grinder one of the quietest in our test, at 77.9 decibels.
The polished stainless steel's high gloss finish remains, but it becomes garnished with numerous fingerprints over the course of the test. Even the home barista will have to get used to this. It's almost impossible to do without it when using the ECM S-64. A width of 16 cm, a depth of 250 cm, and a height of 41.5 cm give the espresso grinder a slim and elegant appearance. The S-64 doesn't force itself into the spotlight next to an espresso machine, but rather takes a back seat.
The grinding discs of the ECM S-Automatic 64 have a diameter of 64 mm and are made of hardened steel. The disc grinder is continuously adjustable. Adjustment is smooth and precise – although it's difficult to read the exact grinding degree. Even small changes in the grinding degree lead to large changes in the grain size. So always adjust slowly!
The mill's programmability suffers somewhat from the old, somewhat fiddly control system. It repeatedly jumps out of the settings of the two programming buttons if you don't work quickly. ECM has been using a similar technology for many years, which works well and doesn't produce errors, but slightly limits user-friendliness. (Clearly visible in the video starting at minute 20:30.)
Single-serve grinder? No way!
As a single-dosing grinder, the ECM S-Automatik 64 isn't convincing. It simply wasn't built for that purpose. Its most important counterargument is its enormous dead space . With a measured dead space of 12.2 grams , the ECM S-64 leaves a negative mark. Remember: Dead space means that there is already ground coffee around the grinding discs and in front of the ground coffee outlet that isn't ejected with the current grind. Instead, the ground coffee remains trapped and is only pushed out during the next grind by the ground coffee pushing from behind.
The ECM S-64 functions more like a dosing grinder with a storage function than a direct grinding grinder . Up to 12 grams of the current espresso are prepared with "old" coffee if the grinding chamber is not ground out before brewing. This is, of course, unnecessary if several brews are made in a row. Especially at home, this is often not the case, and so 12 grams of good coffee are either wasted or become part of the fresh espresso as old coffee. And remember: within less than an hour, we lose over 50% of the volatile aroma components after grinding.
Unfortunately, the grinder's bean hopper isn't easy to remove, and the coffee hopper isn't easy to change. Our barista trainer, Michel Aeschbacher, was only able to remove the bean hopper with considerable effort . ECM is making it quite clear here: the grinder isn't really designed for regular bean changes. In fact, this wasn't really an issue when the grinder was first launched a few years ago. However, bean hoppers also need to be cleaned regularly. This is doubly unpleasant when removing them requires such a strenuous effort.
After removing the bean container, there are still 23 grams of coffee between the grinder's sliding carriage and the grinding discs. So, if you want to change the beans, you must first remove this coffee before getting to the new coffee.
Where can I order the ECM S-64 from a competent source? We recommend the following specialist partners: Lücke Technik*
Espresso quality
We enjoyed some excellent espressos ground with the ECM S-Automatic 64. We were surprised by the sensory profile. Many coffees tasted very complex, with elegant acidity and a smooth texture.
Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to replicate the grind size because the grinder lacks a clear scale, or the numbers indicate the same grind size too imprecisely. The following curve shows the deviation between two grinds. In the gray curve, we had the grinder perfectly set. We then set the grinder to Ristretto and then to Café Crème. Despite precise markings, we were unable to reset the grinder precisely to the original recipe. This isn't a serious issue at first, but it does mean that the coffee needs to be readjusted each time. This makes writing down recipes and switching between them flexibly difficult.
The consistency of the ECM S-Automatic 64 over multiple extractions exhibits considerable fluctuations. Our target was 18 grams, but over ten extractions, we achieved values between 16.9 and 19.1 grams. That's a lot! This makes reliable grinding less enjoyable. Discerning espresso drinkers are advised to weigh the amount of ground coffee before extraction.
Ten covers with the ECM S-Automatic 64.
| 18.5 | 16.9 | 18.3 | 17.6 | 19.1 | 17.6 | 17.8 | 19 | 17.3 | 19.5 |
Despite all the challenges, it's worth noting that the ECM S-Automatic 64 achieves an interesting particle distribution curve. It has a relatively low proportion of fines—even compared to other grinders—and a solid main peak. In fact, the grinder regulates the grind size in the range between espresso and ristretto primarily via the fines, remaining fairly constant in the main peak.
The particle distribution curves shown here represent our measurements 4 - 7. T4 in gray is the adjusted espresso recipe. T5 in green is the setting for a 1:1 ristretto with a 25-second brew time. T6 in blue represents the setting for a café crème. T7 is the reset espresso recipe.
Conclusion on the ECM S-Automatic 64 espresso grinder
The ECM S-Automatic 64 leaves us with mixed feelings and impressions. While we rate its espresso quality as good, its low noise level is pleasant compared to other grinders, and its overall operation leaves a solid impression, other factors are frustrating. The large dead space is a real downside. The consistency also leaves something to be desired and, like the bean hopper's locking mechanism, leads to frustration.
But one thing is certain: if you learn to live with your ECM, know its weaknesses and deal with them, you will have a good espresso grinder at home for espresso quality - and that is what ultimately matters!
*We search for specialist partners for you who we know offer good work and excellent service. We maintain close contact with the dealers. These are commission links. If you order through these links, it doesn't cost you any more, but we receive a small commission, which we invest in new test equipment.
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