… and that actually is a disgrace that only a few of us are speaking in regards to the Melitta Senz V espresso brewer. As a result of it’s fairly distinctive, and has a ton of tremendous geek out options inbuilt. It is available in two variants: one with bluetooth put in so you should use a particular app; and one with out. In any other case, it’s completely characteristic packed: It has
- two inbuilt scales
- a hydraulically managed stream launch valve
- two thermometers
- an auto begin timer
- a brew analyser (rudimentary, nevertheless it depends on mathematical calculations)
- rechargeable battery by way of USB, and…
- it has a TDS meter, inbuilt.
Loopy, proper? So why isn’t anybody speaking about this brewer? Effectively, I’ve my theories.
Melitta and the Fashionable Influencer
Melitta is a really old-fashioned firm. Old fashioned in that they don’t actually talk nicely with fashionable, 2020s (or 2010s, and even 2000s period) advertising vibes on the market. I imply, simply take a look at their Canadian web site; it simply reeks of “Madison Avenue Entrepreneurs” (google that).
For a century and longer, Melitta have been just about the one pour over recreation on the town (Chemex was the outlier), however as soon as Hario arrived on scene with the V60 system, getting it into key, influencing cafes, web sites, and different “below 30 advertising” circles, it was nearly as if the Melitta system didn’t exist, and folks began to assume Hario invented pour over espresso. (they definitely didn’t, however they did revitalize it, for positive).
Melitta to today operates like an organization from the Seventies or 80s. They don’t appear to grasp the idea of “go viral”, or learn how to attain out and work with magazines, web sites, Youtube influencers and TikTok of us to get their merchandise observed, acknowledged, and lusted after.
Positive, Melitta has a couple of Instagram channels, little doubt run by some third get together advertising firm. However they don’t become involved instantly within the specialty espresso trade. I can not ever recall seeing Melitta at a Specialty Espresso Affiliation Expo. I can not ever recall them sponsoring barista occasions, brew competitions, and even fostering competitions and advertising selling their pour over methods. Maybe issues are completely different with the corporate over in Europe, however in North America, they function like a sort of “commodity espresso firm”, by way of their advertising and promoting, and undoubtedly not like a leading edge specialty espresso model.
So when the corporate comes out with a variety of actually cool merchandise, just like the Melitta Momentum Line over in Europe, or the Melitta Senz V Linked Brewer which is on the market in Asia and the States, “we” simply don’t hear about it. With only a few exceptions their merchandise usually are not featured on any of the favored Youtube channels (3 years in the past, they acquired Hoff to evaluate one Momentum product). They aren’t written up on web sites like ours. It’s not featured in Barista Journal (that I do know of). There’s no demos on the 2024 SCA present in Chicago.
And that’s a disgrace. As a result of the Melitta Momentum line seems actually fascinating in case you dive into their particulars on the completely different brewers. Ditto on the Melitta Senz V. Melitta actually must do a greater job. I really feel they missed the boat on all the pour over resurgence, as a substitute paddling slowly behind the SS Hario’s big wake.
That stated, the Melitta Senz V is such a cool system, that we purchased two of them, to check and absolutely evaluate on CoffeeGeek. We hope to have the evaluate up later. this 12 months.
The Melitta Senz V Linked Pour Over Brewer
I do a ton of analysis on-line when reviewing merchandise, writing numerous histories of espresso, drafting out our how tos and guides, and about 2 years in the past, I stumbled throughout a Taiwanese video (thank the celebs for auto-translate) displaying this nifty tower pour over system with a inbuilt scale. I observed the title Melitta on high and thought… “What the…!”. The interpretation was saying issues like TDS readings, scales, temperature readings and the like, however the fellow didn’t have a TDS meter out, or a scale. (sadly, that video is now not obtainable on Youtube)
Seems all these issues have been constructed instantly into the pour over tower, which at first look seemed much more easy: a black base plate, wooden arms, and a glass and white ceramic high portion. It had all these issues inside that? And it was from Melitta? Get out!
I had a contact from years again at Melitta, so I fired off an e mail. It bounced again (the particular person was now not with the corporate). I discovered a press contact e mail, and despatched one there. No response. Months glided by, and I forgot about it.
A couple of 12 months in the past, I used to be going by means of a series retailer in Western Canada referred to as London Medicine. They’re well-known for getting esoteric, uncommon and weird units and home equipment on their cabinets for brief runs. I even purchased a Krups Moka Brew at London Medicine, again in 2005.
Throughout my go to a couple of 12 months in the past, I noticed on the shelf the identical Melitta Senz V brewer that I had seen within the Taiwanese video a 12 months earlier. It was simply $99, so I purchased one immediately. Once I acquired house, I used to be upset to seek out out it was the non-bluetooth model of the system, so it was initially put aside.
Half a 12 months in the past, I stumbled throughout one other Asian barista video displaying the Melitta Senz in motion. This one with out the app concerned, and it appeared the system had plenty of options that didn’t depend on the app. So I dug the unopened field out of storage, and put the brewer to make use of. That’s after I found it had a TDS meter inbuilt. Two scales. Temperature probes. Even a hydraulically managed stream valve. Fairly cool!
I knew I needed to evaluate it, however I felt I needed to get the bluetooth model earlier than I did. It’s not obtainable in Canada, so I ended up shopping for from the US Amazon retailer, and had it shipped up right here to Canada. (sidenote – as of this weblog put up, the bluetooth “Linked” Melita Senz V isn’t obtainable any longer on Amazon; the hyperlink above is to the non-bluetooth model).
As soon as it arrived, the Senz V app (by a 3rd get together, referred to as Wabilogic) was loaded on my Android telephone, and I went to city. After a number of months of utilizing the units and doing plenty of comparisons and actual life stroll throughs, it seems the app and bluetooth are sort of simply an added gimmick; you’ll be able to really get lots out of the brewer with out the app.
In actual fact, I had a little bit of a love-hate factor with the Wabilogic App, to the purpose the place it jogged my memory of the Acaia apps. After they work, they really current some actually good timeline information about your brew. Nevertheless it didn’t all the time work. I’ll cowl this much more within the full evaluate.
Why the Melitta Senz V is Good
I need to save most of my information for the total evaluate, however think about this a little bit of the TL:DR model.
For round $150 or much less, you’re getting a pour over brewer system that features a) a scale, b) temperature readers, c) timers, and d) most significantly, a TDS meter, all inbuilt.
I put Melitta Senz V’s inbuilt TDS meter up towards a DiFluid R2 refractometer and was sort of amazed to seek out out the Melitta unit wasn’t far off the hyper-accurate R2. When the R2 was studying 1.32 extractions (after temperature balancing the refractometer), the Melitta scale show was displaying ranges of 1.28 to 1.35. Definitely sufficient to be a great reference level.
The Melitta Senz V has a programmed workflow within the system as nicely; flip it on, press the beginning button as soon as, and it asks you so as to add your floor espresso. Press it once more, and the size zeros out and signifies it’s prepared for brewing water to be poured. As quickly as you begin pouring, the timer begins robotically. If you’re finished the brew, if it detects no change in 1 minute, it’ll end the brew cycle, presenting you with the TDS, the common brewing temperature, brewing time, and its estimate on what the completed cup is like, saying issues like balanced, vibrant, delicate, sturdy, bitter and so on. You too can full the brew and get these numbers by urgent the beginning / cease mushy button yet one more time.
Right here is the guide if you wish to see extra in regards to the options and what the brewer is able to.
I additionally occur to assume the brewer seems attractive. Very Scandinavian in design. I nearly by no means use the carafe with it – as a substitute preferring to brew instantly right into a ceramic mug – however the carafe too may be very fairly. Simply don’t put it within the dishwasher.
After all, it makes use of Melitta #2 filters solely (although there’s an Asian model of this brewer with a spherical ceramic filter holder that may accommodate V60 and Kalitta Wave filters). I occur to love Melitta’s paper filters lots, so this undoubtedly works for me.
Our full evaluate could have a workflow video, and much more particulars about this brewer, together with the Wabilogic app and the great and unhealthy about that. However I’m assured sufficient to advocate you purchase one among these in order for you an fascinating, and have wealthy, multi functional pourover system, particularly in case you wish to geek out on TDS numbers and such.
