The Macap Leo 55 Essential presents itself as a solid espresso grinder in the mid-price segment. With its stepless adjustment and robust construction, it promises to be a reliable companion for espresso lovers. In our review, we compare it with similar grinders and examine its features in detail.
External Facts about the Macap Leo 55 Essential
With a height of 38 cm, a depth of 18 cm, and a width of 12 cm, the Macap Leo 55 Essential takes up little space next to the espresso machine and impresses with its compact design. The burrs have a diameter of 55 mm. A very nice touch—and a real advantage compared to grinders from Eureka in the same price class—is that the burrs are screwed on from the back. This is also reflected in the homogeneous particle distribution, which we will come to later.
Performance in Detail
The noise level of the Macap Leo 55 Essential is 75.7 dB, which is pleasantly below the threshold we classify as quiet. It is therefore one of the quieter models in comparison. Regarding its retention, i.e., the coffee that remains in the grinder after the grinding process, it also performs well at 2.4 grams.
The speed of 16.9 grams per 10 seconds is not the fastest, but it is perfectly acceptable for home use. For example, it is faster than an x54 (13.7 g) or Rocket Faustino (11.5 g).
With a constant grinding temperature of 36.5° Celsius and a low temperature increase of 3.4 degrees over 6 grinds at 30-second intervals, the Macap Leo stays in a range that has no negative impact on the taste of the espresso.
A major drawback, however, is the grinder's consistency. Here, we measured a standard deviation of 0.48 g over 10 doses. With a target of 18 grams of coffee, we sometimes got more or less coffee ground (17.7 - 18.0 - 17.1 - 16.9 - 17.0 - 17.9 - 18.0 - 17.9 - 17.9 - 18.1).
Usability and Espresso Quality
The usability of the grinder, on the other hand, is simple and intuitive.
The grind size reproducibility is not easy to achieve when adjusting the grinder and resetting it. For this test, we pulled an espresso shot at a precise setting. We took a sample from this shot to measure the particle distribution. We carefully noted the position of the grind adjustment wheel, then adjusted the grinder to Ristretto and Café crème settings, and subsequently tried to return to the same grind setting. In the case of the Macap Leo 55, returning the grinder to the exact same setting is difficult.
There are no precise markings on the wheel, and since the grinder is stepless, this reference point is missing when setting the grind size. We were therefore unable to exactly reproduce the recipe. However, if you stick to one grind size and only adjust the grinder slightly, it is accurate and delivers consistent results.
The espresso quality we achieved with accurately weighed amounts of coffee using the Macap Leo 55 Essential is sensational. Many very tasty, creamy, and sweet espressos impressed us. The relatively narrow main peak of the particle distribution certainly contributes to this. The somewhat higher proportion of fines supports the body of the espresso shots.
Single Dosing and Recipes
The Macap is not designed as a single dosing grinder and cannot convince in this discipline. Even when we grind for a long time, there is still a residue of coffee left in the grinder, which we measured at an average of 0.48 grams. For a single dosing grinder, this is too much. And since adjusting and returning to recipes is not easy or precise, we would rather not recommend the Macap Leo for this purpose.
Price and Availability
The Macap Leo 55 Essential is available for a price of around 500 Euros (see e.g., here*) or just under 500 Swiss Francs, making it affordable for a high-quality espresso grinder.
Conclusion
The Macap Leo 55 Essential proves to be an espresso grinder with generally good performance, although the consistency of the output quantity and the grind size reproducibility are among its weaknesses. The retention is quite low at 2.4 grams, and the grinder is genuinely quiet. However, the most important thing for an espresso grinder is the coffee quality, and the Macap Leo 55 really impressed us there. Those who learn to estimate the dosage or quickly check it with a scale will enjoy this Macap grinder.
*Affiliate link: if you order via this link, we receive a small commission, and the grinder will not cost you more.
