u/ifonline

For context, please see these previous conversations regarding issues with the Opus Gen 2:

• Adjustment Knob Issues with Opus Gen 2
• Very Close to Giving Up on the Opus 2

I received a replacement Opus Gen 2 grinder from Fellow today. I opened the box and went straight into adjusting the grind without plugging it in or adding beans. Unfortunately, this new grinder has the exact same stiff adjustment knob as I previously reported on my first Opus Gen 2. Based on comments I am seeing at Reddit, there are others reporting the same adjustment knob issues.

I am wondering if this relates to the versions with the aluminum adjustment knobs versus the all-black version with the plastic adjustment knob. In any case, it's irritating that this is now the second grinder with the stiff adjustment knob.

I'm at a loss for what to do. The grinder works, but making fine adjustments is so frustrating because the knob skips and jumps when trying to make small movements.

I have sent a follow-up email to support, but I have no idea where to go from here. I suppose I could try the all-black version with the plastic knob, but I am reading about different issues with that version which leaves me concerned for its build quality.

I have reported issues with my Opus Gen 2 grinder here and here, but up to yesterday I had been happy with my Series 1 espresso machine and had nothing in particular to report. I typically make a single cortado early afternoon every day and up to yesterday everything had been working great with the Series 1: I have been able to dial in three different fresh-roasted beans without issue and I have been hitting 40 grams out for a 20 gram dose by manually stopping the pull. Again, very happy with the Series 1.

I am using the medium roast profile which I modified for a 20 gram dose. Everything else about the profile is default (temp: 198, ratio 1:2, target 30 seconds, etc.).

Yesterday I made my afternoon cortado as I always have. Same dose, same tamp process, etc. I started the pull and the pre infusion did its thing, as expected. The Series 1 then transitioned to infusion, again as expected. However, right near the end of the pull I heard the sound of the pump "stutter" for lack of a better word. The post-pull chart had always been smooth, but this one showed a small "blip" right at the end. I shrugged it off and went about my day.

Today, I made my afternoon cortado with the same process as always. The pre infusion was unremarkable. However, as soon as the machine transitioned to the infusion stage, the pressure shot up on the pressure gauge and stayed maxed out for the duration of the pull. The pump was making noise like I had not heard before, and the post-pull chart was essentially a line running off the top of the scale. That had never happened before.

I ran a second pull to see what would happen, and this time when the machine transitioned to the infusion stage, it maxed out the gauge, dropped back to 9 bars, and then jumped back and forth between approximately 8 bars and max. The sound of the pump was likewise fluctuating consistent with the changes on the gauge. The post-pull chart showed where the pressure spiked at the beginning of the infusion stage and then bounced up and down near the end.

Nothing about my process has changed, and yet as of yesterday's "blip" at the end of the pull, it seems that my Series 1 will no longer behave smoothly. To reiterate, nothing about my process has changed and I used two different beans from two different roasters between yesterday and today, so my only conclusion is that something odd is going on with the Series 1. Perhaps my confidence is on shaky ground given my troubles with the Opus Gen 2, but my fear is that I am starting to see product issues cropping up with the Series 1.

Anyone have any suggestions, or am I reaching the end of the road with my Fellow products?

I have been following posts here about the Series 1 espresso machine and the Opus Gen 2 grinder. After a lot of reading and weighing of options, I decided to order both the Series 1 and the Opus Gen 2. This week I have been eagerly awaiting delivery on both items. For context, I currently have a Breville Oracle Jet but wanted to move into a separate grinder and more manual espresso machine.

The Series 1 is expected to arrive tomorrow, but the Open Gen 2 arrived today. I removed the box from the shipping carton and was impressed with the quality of the box and the design of the artwork. While not critical, it set my expectations for the grinder contained within.

Unfortunately, what was on the inside did not quite live up to my expectations. I knew going in that the grinder was predominately plastic with a metal knob and a walnut wood cover, but I believe I speak correctly when I say there are various grades of plastic, and it seems that the plastic used for this grinder is on the cheaper end of the scale. At least, that's what it feels like to me.

Some initial observations:

1. The grinder just doesn't feel substantial. Again, I knew going in that it was mostly plastic, but I had the Breville Smart Grinder Pro that also contained plastic and it just felt remarkably better. The Opus Gen 2 just feels cheap even for a $250 price point.
2. The cheap feeling is made worse by the fact that the grind number ring shifts ever so slightly back and forth when twisting the adjustment knob. I'm not sure if I am explaining this well enough, but there seems to be enough play in the internal mechanism that everything just wiggles around slightly when making grind adjustments. An already cheap feeling product is made worse by also feeling like it has low quality assembly or tolerances.
3. The adjustment knob is not at all smooth when adjusting the grind setting. It sticks slightly and then slips slightly when making adjustments, further amplifying the overall cheap feel of the product.
4. There is a defect on the walnut wood cover. Based on what I am reading here I imagine I would have no problem getting a replacement, but my confidence in this product is on shaky ground, so I'm not sure if I will even bother.
5. The button to start the grinder doesn't always register a push. I have run a few 18 to 20 gram batches through to test out how the grinder performs and what retention I am getting, and a couple of times the grinder didn't respond when I pushed the button to start the grind. I really don't know if this is going to be an issue or not.

I truly want to like the Series 1 and Opus Gen 2, but after this initial impression of the grinder I'm not sure if I should even open the Series 1 when it arrives tomorrow. Has anyone else run into a similar initial impression? If so, how did it work out for you?

Thanks for hearing me out.