The ECM-S Automatic 64 impresses us with good espresso. That's the good and most important news first. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot of potential unrealized along the way. In our detailed espresso grinder test, we examined the ECM S-64 in comparison to 23 other espresso grinders. In this article, we summarize the most important results of our test.
We conducted the test again with our Apas Espresso. It is available here in Switzerland and here in Germany.
Buy ECM S-Automatic 64
The following specialist retailers sell the ECM S-Automatic 64, and we recommend purchasing from these businesses. All offer the option to adjust the machine's offset.
Germany: [Partnerlinks] Stoll Espresso, Lücke
We are looking for specialist partners for you that we know provide good work and good service, and we are in close contact with the mentioned retailers. The links are so-called affiliate links. If you order through one of these links, you won't pay a cent more – but we receive a small commission, which we invest directly in new test equipment.
We are still looking for competent partners in the DACH region.
First Impression, Material and Appearance
A slim, tall, and beautiful espresso grinder gleams at us upon first unboxing. And at first glance, we like almost everything about the ECM S-Automatic 64. The grinder weighs a solid 6.9kg, standing on perfect feet. Why perfect? They absorb the grinder's vibrations, yield slightly, and yet are stable. This also means that the grinder, at 77.9 decibels, is one of the quietest in the test field.
The high gloss of the polished stainless steel remains, but is adorned with numerous fingerprints during the test. The home barista will have to get used to this. It's almost impossible without it when using the ECM S-64. A width of 16cm, a depth of 250cm, and a height of 41.5cm make the espresso grinder appear slim and elegant. The S-64 doesn't push itself into the foreground next to an espresso machine, but rather recedes.
The burrs of the ECM S-Automatic 64 have a diameter of 64mm and are made of hardened steel. The disc grinder can be steplessly adjusted. The adjustment is good and precise – even if it is difficult to read the exact grind size. Small changes in grind size already lead to large changes in coarseness. So always adjust slowly!
The programmability of the grinder suffers somewhat from the old, slightly fiddly controls. This keeps jumping out of the setting of the two programming buttons if not operated quickly. Here, ECM has relied on similar technology for many years that works well and produces no errors, but slightly limits user-friendliness. (Clearly visible in the video from minute 20:30.)
Single-Dosing Grinder? No Chance!
As a single-dosing grinder, the ECM S-Automatic 64 is not convincing. It simply wasn't built for that. The most important counter-argument is the enormous retention. With 12.2 grams of measured retention, the ECM S-64 sets a negative exclamation mark. To recap: retention means that already ground coffee sits around the burrs and in front of the grounds chute, which is not ejected with the current grind. Instead, the grounds remain stuck and are only pushed out by the grounds pushing from behind during the next grind.
The ECM S-64 functions more like a dosing grinder with storage and not like a direct-grind grinder. Up to 12 grams of coffee from the current espresso are prepared with "old" coffee if the grinding chamber is not purged before brewing. This is, of course, not necessary if several brews are made in a row. At home, this is often not the case, and so 12 grams of good coffee are either lost or become part of the fresh espresso as old coffee. And as a reminder: within less than an hour, we experience a loss of over 50% of the volatile aroma components after grinding.
Unfortunately, the bean hopper of the grinder is also not easy to remove, and it's not easy to change the coffee. Our barista trainer Michel Aeschbacher could only remove the bean hopper with great effort. ECM clearly signals here: the grinder is probably not intended for regular bean changes. In fact, a few years ago, when the grinder came onto the market, this was less of an issue. However, bean hoppers also need to be cleaned regularly. This is also doubly unpleasant if removal is such a strenuous effort.
Between the grinder's slide and the burrs, there are still 23 grams after removing the bean hopper. So, if you do want to change the beans, you first have to remove this coffee before you get to the new coffee.
Where do I order the ECM S-64 from a competent address? We recommend the following specialist partners: Lücke Technik*
Espresso Quality
We drank some excellent espressos that were ground with the ECM S-Automatic 64. The sensory profile surprised us. Many coffees tasted very complex, had an elegant acidity, and a smooth texture.
Unfortunately, it was not easy to easily replicate the grind size, as the grinder lacks a clear scale, or the numbers display the same grind size too imprecisely. The following curve shows the deviation between two grinds. For the gray curve, we had the grinder perfectly adjusted. Afterwards, we set the grinder to Ristretto and then to Café crème. Despite precise marking, we were unable to precisely reset the grinder to the initial recipe. This is not serious at first, but it means that the coffee has to be readjusted each time. This makes it difficult to note recipes and flexibly switch between recipes.
The consistency of the ECM S-Automatic 64 over several shots shows greater fluctuations. Our set target was 18 grams, but over ten shots, we had values between 16.9 and 19.1 grams. That's a lot! This makes reliable grinding no fun. Demanding espresso drinkers are advised to weigh the coffee powder amount before brewing.
Ten shots 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 important to note that the ECM S-Automatic 64 produces an interesting particle size distribution curve. It has a relatively low fines content – even compared to other grinders – and a solid main peak. In fact, the grinder primarily regulates the grind size in the range between espresso and ristretto by adjusting the fines, while maintaining a fairly constant main peak.
The particle size distribution curves shown here represent our measurements 4-7. 4 in gray is the readjusted espresso recipe. T5 green is the setting for a 1:1 Ristretto with a 25-second extraction 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, the low noise level compared to other grinders is pleasant, and the overall operation leaves a solid impression, other factors are frustrating. The large retention is a real counter-argument. Consistency also leaves much to be desired and, like the bean hopper's fixation, leads to frustration.
But one thing is certain: whoever learns to live with their ECM, knows its weaknesses, and deals with them, has an espresso grinder at home that is good for espresso quality, and that's what ultimately matters!
*We look for specialist partners for you that we know do good work and provide good service. We are in close contact with the retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order through this link, it won't cost you more, but we receive a small commission, which we invest in new test equipment.
