Grinding coffee by weight makes adjusting any espresso machine easier. That's exactly what the Mazzer Mini G is for: it delivers the amount you've set — even if you've turned the grind setting. This helps beginners and professionals alike. The grind-by-weight grinder with 64 mm burrs costs around €1,200.
That leaves the question of what else the grinder can do. What does the particle distribution look like? How does the espresso taste? And does it have retention? We can tell you right away: it does. And the amount is the most unpleasant number in this test.
To compare all grind-by-weight grinders for home, go here.
Build quality: Hard to beat in this price range
The Mini G is unmistakably a Mazzer. Michel puts it perfectly: "In this price segment, this is the most solidly built and longest-lasting appliance there is." If you buy a Mazzer, you'll probably still be using it in 30 years, even if you have to change the burrs over the years — they last about ten years depending on throughput.
There's one downside: the portafilter holder. You can fine-tune it in height and depth, and every portafilter we tested fits. However, you'll need Phillips head, hex socket, hex key, and a wrench to adjust it — a small tool collection on a grinder that's otherwise so cleanly built.
The output is the benchmark
The best thing about the Mini G happens in the seconds the ground coffee falls into the basket. A fine, powdery stream, evenly distributed, a clean pile in the basket. You can forget about WDT or other distribution tools entirely. The ground coffee is fluffy and very well distributed and fits nicely into the basket despite the fluffiness: it fell easily into our Kaffeemacher basket with 18.5 grams. If any spills, you can easily adjust the position of the portafilter holder.
Important: fluffiness is not the same as particle distribution. More on that in a moment.
21.2 grams in 10 seconds, 84.9 dB
With a full bean hopper, the Mini G outputs 21.2 grams in 10 seconds, and it takes 9.5 seconds for 18 grams. This is not blazingly fast, but on the quick side and very pleasant for daily use.
In continuous operation, we measure 84.9 dB. It's certainly not the quietest grinder. But the number alone doesn't describe it well. The sound is pleasant, not battle mode, but a powerful, elegant motor that quickly grinds through the coffee.
Thermally, the grinder stays relaxed. The beans go in at 22.6 °C, the first sample is at 27.9 °C, and after five consecutive grinds with 20-second pauses, we're at 29.9 °C. Average 28.5 °C. The burrs don't heat up, even with multiple shots in a row.
Consistency and grind by weight: it's honest
The Mini G doesn't show you what you set, but what actually came out. This is by no means standard for grind-by-weight grinders: you see where you stand.
Over five grinds of 18 grams each, we measure 17.8 / 17.9 / 17.8 / 17.7 / 18.0 grams. The mean deviation is 0.1 grams, the standard deviation is 0.11 grams. Solid. For a grinder that's supposed to weigh to the gram, we would have liked 0.1 grams as the maximum. Outliers at 17.7 grams are quite a lot for a GbW grinder.
If the grinder doesn't reach the target weight, it grinds a bit more. Correct in principle, since in the end you have the correct dose in the portafilter. Michel sees a catch in this, though: every motor has a ramp-up phase, and in this phase, a slightly different particle image is created. But with 0.2 to 0.3 grams of extra grind, this won't change the extraction.
Retention: 11.8 grams — and that settles the matter for home use
Looking at espresso at home, the Mazzer Mini G has a major downside. The retention of the Mini G is 11.8 grams absolute. We measure 10.6 grams temporarily and 1.2 grams permanently. This value puts it on the negative podium among grinders designed for home use.
Here's the redeeming fact: the majority is temporary, exchanging with each grind. Hardly anything gets stuck permanently. The 1.2 grams permanent is unremarkable for a hopper grinder.
Still: 10.6 grams of temporary retention means that your portafilter always gets over half a serving of coffee that's one grind older. And if you change the grind setting, you first have to grind out these nearly 11 grams before the new setting is visible. That's frustrating in daily use and expensive when dialing in a new bean.
Dear Mazzer team: the grinder is fun, we like working with it. But 11.8 grams is too much for home. Make the grinding chamber smaller or shallower.
For single dosing, the Mini G is not an option, and that's not its goal. For that, there's the sister model, the Mazzer Philos.
We empty our grinder hoppers in the evening. Then you dial in once in the morning, and retention is barely a factor over the day. That's exactly the rhythm where the Mini G feels most at home.
Adjusting grind: one mark equals five seconds
The grind adjustment is typical Mazzer: you adjust the entire upper part of the grinder via a fine-threaded spindle. This is much more pleasant than the old models, where you had to exert so much force when adjusting that it was hard to hit the grind setting precisely.
One mark on the scale corresponds to about four to five seconds of extraction time. In our test block, we were either at 23, 24 or 25 seconds or directly at 30 to 32. Intermediate positions are possible if you adjust gently enough. But then you have to grind out those nearly 11 grams again before you see the result. Finding the grind setting with this grinder requires good finesse, patience, and a willingness to waste coffee because of the high retention.
A tip for cleaning: when you take the grinder apart, thoroughly clean the fine-threaded spindle with the brush before screwing it back together. Otherwise you won't be able to screw it back in.
Replicability: The main peak comes back, the fines don't
For the adjustment test, we go from espresso (T4, grind setting 7.4) to ristretto (T5, 7.2), then to café crème (T6, 7.8) and optically back to the original mark (T7).
The main peak comes back cleanly: 217.7 µm at T4, 220.6 µm at T7. But the x50 value drops from 238.9 to 191.8 µm — a good 47 µm deviation. The reason is in the fines: the fine peak shifts from 32.1 to 40.1 µm and in the T7 curve is significantly higher than at T4. Coarse is coarse again, but more fines come with it. In the cup, this shows in the extraction time: instead of the set 25 seconds, we end up at T7 between 23 and 27 seconds.
Practical consequence: simply turning back optically to the old mark is not enough. If you switch between recipes, you're best off adjusting with a scale and a timer.
Particle distribution: main peak at 217.7 µm — good for many coffees
We measure particle distribution in cooperation with the Coffee Excellence Center of ZHAW using the Retsch Camsizer X2.
In the espresso setting (T4), the main peak is at 217.7 µm, the x50 is at 238.9 µm, the fine peak is at 32.1 µm. For comparison: ristretto (T5) comes in at 196.0 µm x50, café crème (T6) at 275.5 µm.
The 220 range for the main peak is a good place for many coffees. With dark and medium roasts, you get a bit more clarity without losing body and texture. And with fruity coffees, there's definitely a certain clarity, while the body and texture remain intact. The grinder brings together the best of both worlds: light coffees perform well with minimal compromise on clarity, dark and strong roasts equally so.
The Mazzer 233M burrs in 64 mm format are installed. In terms of burr technology, Mazzer sets the standard — that's one of the company's strengths. In addition to the 233 burrs, the k202 was tested, which impressed primarily with its sweetness and clarity.
Operation, display and app
This is where Mazzer took a strange turn. To change the dose, you go to the menu, then to the cup, then to the lock setting, then to dose 1, adjust and save. Before, you just long-pressed button 1 and you were done. The display is display-only, not a touchscreen. Plus quirks in the German translation: a "Menüe" with two E's, mixed upper and lower case. If you switch from the dosing cup to the portafilter without recalibrating, the grinder tells you that you have "overweight." Michel took that a bit personally.
You should calibrate anyway. The calibration weight comes with it and is also the basis for the magnetic dosing cup. Recalibrate each time you switch between cup and portafilter. That's part of the consistency.
Then there's the app, where we philosophize as usual about the added value of apps. If a grinder has such comprehensive menu navigation and a sufficiently large display, you don't need a second operating level on your phone — unless perhaps for future integration with machine or scale. At least the spelling errors could be fixed via the interface. We tested firmware 2.1.00008.
By the way: unlike the Mahlkönig E64 WS, the Mazzer Mini G doesn't have portafilter detection.
Apas Decaf, Decaffeinated espresso from Brazil
The coffee from this test: sweet and cocoa-like, malt, marzipan and dark chocolate, plus a fine acidity. The reason why we can still experiment in the evening.
In the cup
We tasted with our reference coffee, the Apas espresso from the APAS cooperative from Brazil — in the video in the decaffeinated version. Sweet, cocoa-like, some malt, marzipan and dark chocolate. The nuttiness remains, plus a fine, subtle acidity. Dense mouthfeel. That matches the measurement: the Mini G builds body and texture, and a certain clarity remains. For classic, more traditional roasts, that's exactly right, but light coffees also work well with it.
Conclusion
The Mazzer Mini G is excellently built, grinds excellently into the basket, and grinds espresso that we enjoy in all directions of the spectrum. We've tried light and dark roasts and especially had a lot of fun drinking a very good decaffeinated coffee with the Apas Decaf.
Let's put it this way: once the grinder is dialed in and we've made several shots in a row, it convinced us across the board. The path to dialing in and the pauses in between, however, significantly impaired the operating flow. That's where the 11.8 gram retention becomes a problem, especially when you haven't made coffee for a while or are dialing in the grinder. Because that means you have to grind out about 12 grams each time before you see the effect of the new grind setting in the extraction.
Strengths: Build quality and durability, hard to beat in this price range. The output into the basket is fluffy and homogeneous — you can skip a WDT tool.
What's really cool: the Mazzer delivers "honest" grind by weight and shows what actually came out. If it only grinds 17.7 grams, the grinder admits it, and you can add more dose.
Thermally, the grinder is unremarkable at 29.9 °C after five grinds. The grinding sound, despite 84.9 dB, is pleasant in tone quality.
Weaknesses: 11.8 grams of retention. Stiff grind adjustment where one mark equals four to five seconds. Unintuitive menu navigation, an app with no obvious added value and translation errors. And simply turning back optically is not enough: 47 µm x50 deviation between T4 and T7.
For whom? For small commercial operations. Do you have an office with twenty people and a single-group portafilter machine with volumetric dosing? Then the Mazzer Mini G is perfect for you. Want to run a food festival stand with coffee on the side? Or looking for a second grinder for café crème or decaffeinated coffee with 30 to 40 shots a day for a small café? Those are scenarios where the Mini G will shine, as will a large shared apartment.
Mazzer's Mini G will convince where you dial in once in the morning and then keep going. Then the retention hardly matters and robustness shows its full strength.
Not for whom? For anyone pulling two to four espressos a day at home. If you have to grind out nearly 11 grams after each adjustment, you lose exactly the convenience that grind by weight was supposed to bring. For single dosing, this grinder is the wrong choice anyway. In our large espresso grinder test, you'll find more suitable candidates for home use.
Value for money: For around €1,200 you get build quality at gastro level, a grinding image that falls into the portafilter like few others, and a functioning scale. What you don't get: contemporary operation and contemporary retention. We've known this grind adjustment since 2007 from our old Mazzer Roburs. We would have wished that development work had gone there instead of into an app.
Test results: Mazzer Mini G
Assessment based on the KM test protocol for espresso grinders. All measurements taken by ourselves. Single dosing performance corresponds to temporary retention because that's exactly the amount that remains in the chamber after grinding out. Particle distribution is intentionally not factored into the color-coded assessment because it's roast-dependent.
Technical data overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | approx. €1,200 (RRP, as of August 2026) |
| Burr size | 64 mm |
| Burr type | Flat, Mazzer 233M |
| Operating mode | Hopper / Grind by weight |
| Grinding speed | 21.2 g / 10 sec; 9.5 sec for 18 g |
| Volume | 84.9 dB(A) |
| Grinding temperature | 27.9–29.9 °C (average 28.5 °C; beans 22.6 °C) |
| Absolute retention | 11.8 g (10.6 g temporary, 1.2 g permanent) |
| Consistency (Std dev) | 0.11 g over 5 × 18 g |
| x50 espresso (T4 / T7) | 238.9 µm / 191.8 µm |
| Main peak (T4 / T7) | 217.7 µm / 220.6 µm |
| Fine peak (T4 / T7) | 32.1 µm / 40.1 µm |
| x50 ristretto (T5) / café crème (T6) | 196.0 µm / 275.5 µm |
| RPM control | No |
| Weight | 10 kg |
| Special features | Grind by weight, magnetic dosing cup with calibration weight, WiFi and app, firmware under test 2.1.00008 |
Where to buy the Mazzer Mini G
We don't sell grinders. But we check which specialty shops really support a brand — for Mazzer that's Stoll Espresso in Germany.
Germany: Mazzer Mini G at Stoll Espresso*
We search for specialty partners we know do good work and good service. We're in close contact with the retailers. These are commission links. If you order through this link, it doesn't cost you more, but we get a small commission that we put toward new testing equipment.
As always, we tested this grinder according to our KM protocol and bought it ourselves. This test was not requested by Mazzer. The cups in the video come from the ceramic studio of Annika Vogler in Lindau am Bodensee. We bought the cups and like to show cups from small ceramic studios in our videos to support them.
