About this Video

• Video Title: NICHE ZERO: ONE YEAR IN REVIEW
• Channel: Lance Hedrick
• Speakers: Lance Hedrick
• Duration: 20:05

Introduction

This video provides a comprehensive review of the Niche Zero grinder after one year of use. Lance Hedrick, the speaker, discusses the grinder's pros and cons, explores reasons for its popularity, and offers his subjective opinion on its performance and suitability for different brewing methods and coffee preferences.

Key Takeaways

• Exceptional Workflow: The Niche Zero boasts an exceptionally simple and efficient workflow, making it highly user-friendly.
• High-Quality Build: The grinder is well-built with high-quality components.
• Unique Design: The design is divisive, with some loving its uniqueness and others disliking it.
• Wide Particle Distribution: The grinder's wide particle distribution contributes to its ease of use, even for beginners, but may result in less nuanced flavor profiles compared to grinders with narrower distributions.
• Not Ideal for Light Roasts or Filter Coffee: The Niche Zero's wide particle distribution and higher RPM may not be ideal for lighter roasts or filter coffee, potentially leading to bitterness and a lack of refined flavor notes.
• RPM's Influence on Flavor: The video highlights the often-overlooked impact of RPM (rotations per minute) on the flavor profile of the ground coffee. Lower RPM generally leads to higher clarity.
• Subjective Preferences: Ultimately, the suitability of the Niche Zero is subjective and depends on individual coffee preferences (e.g., preference for lighter vs. darker roasts, emphasis on clarity vs. body).

Here are the answers to your numbered questions, based on the provided transcript:

1. What are the specific aspects of the Niche Zero's workflow that Lance Hedrick considers superior to other grinders? Hedrick states the Niche Zero has "bar none the best workflow of any grinder I've ever used". He describes the simplicity: pop the lid, dump the dose, grind, and turn it off. The lack of a hopper, the ease of single dosing, and minimal static are all highlighted as contributing factors to this superior workflow.

2. What are Lance Hedrick's observations regarding the particle distribution of the Niche Zero compared to other grinders, and how does this affect the resulting coffee? Hedrick notes that the Niche Zero has a "much wider particle distribution" than a Breville grinder with Etzinger burrs (as shown through laser diffraction analysis). This wide distribution makes it easier to get a "good shot" even for beginners, as there's a larger range of particle sizes that produce acceptable results. However, this also means the resulting coffee may lack the nuanced flavors achievable with a narrower distribution. He uses the analogy of golf clubs: the wide distribution is like using cavity back irons (easier, less precise) while a narrower distribution is like using blades (more challenging, more precise).

3. What specific examples of flavor profiles does Lance Hedrick highlight as being well-suited and less well-suited to the Niche Zero grinder? Hedrick states the Niche Zero excels with coffees that emphasize "heavier bodies, creamier mouthfeels, and chocolates, toffees, caramels". Conversely, he finds it less suitable for lighter roasts and filter coffee, where the wider particle distribution can lead to excessive bitterness and a lack of refined flavor notes. He describes the flavor of a light roast pulled with the Niche Zero as having a "muted...lightly dark chocolate" profile, lacking distinct fruit or floral notes.

4. What are the reasons Lance Hedrick attributes to the Niche Zero's widespread hype and popularity? Hedrick identifies three key reasons: (1) the exceptional workflow described above; (2) its ease of use and ability to produce good coffee even for novices due to the wide particle distribution; and (3) confirmation bias—the endorsement of the grinder by prominent figures in the coffee industry.