The Eureka Mignon Silenzio espresso grinder has long been one of our favorites for its simplicity, quality, and affordability. Eureka recently updated this beloved grinder with an upgraded set of 55 mm flat, hardened steel burrs, which, of course, made me wonder: how does the new Silenzio grinder stack up against its predecessor?
So I brought both grinders back to the workbench for a bit of performance testing so I could get a sense for what was new with this particular Eureka Mignon grinder.
$499.00
Initial Comparison
Visually, there’s not much distinction to be made between the original Silenzio and the Silenzio 55. They have the same footprint (7.08” deep x 4.72” wide x 13.78” high), and the same stepless grind adjustment dial. The Silenzio 55 even comes in an even more expansive rainbow of fun and exciting colors.
The one difference I noticed was the sticker on the front face of the grinder: whereas the original had a fun pillow logo above “Silenzio” the updated version has the number “55” (to indicate the new burr size). Personally, I preferred the pillow, but I don’t think that should be a deal breaker for anyone.
In terms of construction, there’s nothing new to report either. Both versions of the Silenzio grinder have commercial-grade aluminum frames and housing, along with most of the features we’ve come to expect from Mignon grinders: ACE anti-static technology, extraordinary noise insulation for a quiet grind (it is called the Silenzio, after all), and both manual and timed grinding modes.
So, at the end of the day, the Silenzio 55 is the exact same grinder as its predecessor—just better. But how much better, and in what ways?
Performance Test Results
I began by testing both grinders for grind speed and consistency of dosing. I dialed in an 18 g dose at median espresso size and then repeated the same timed dose to measure output.
First, the obvious: the Silenzio 55 grinds faster than the original. Across ten doses, the Silenzio had an average grind speed of 1.35 grams per second (g/s), while the Silenzio 55 ground at 1.94 g/s on average. That means the updated grinder produces an 18 g dose around four seconds faster than the original. This is, of course, to be expected, given the larger burr size.
A Note on Grinder Testing & Performance:
We do a lot of grinder testing over here at Whole Latte Love HQ. Like, a lot. And we’ve noticed a pattern that occurs with just about every single grinder we test: the first five cycles offer consistent results, but between the fourth and fifth cycle there’s a jump in performance.
For both the Silenzio and Silenzio 55, there was a jump of about 1 gram after the fourth or fifth grind cycle. One possible explanation is that, as the burrs warm, so do the oils coating them, which makes for more efficient grinding than when everything is cold. That would also explain why the original Silenzio made the jump after the fourth grind cycle, whereas the Silenzio 55 took an extra cycle to warm up—the smaller burrs heated faster.
What do you do with this information? If you’re the kind of person who pulls just a shot or two in the morning, you may not notice—your grinder will perform consistently as it always does. If, however, you use your grinder consistently throughout the day, you may need to adjust your dosing after things heat up.
OK. Back to testing results:
The particle analysis test between the two grinders yielded fairly similar results. Though it’s worth noting that—in my testing—the Silenzio 55 had fewer fines (particles smaller than 250 microns). Practically, this would result in a cleaner cup when brewed.
I also tested both grinders’ sound outputs during grinding—just how silenzio is Silenzio after all? There wasn’t much of a difference. The original grinder put out around 67 decibels, while the larger burrs on the Silenzio 55 clocked in at 68. My ear found it pretty hard to notice the difference between the two of them and, in a world full of loud, grating grinder noises, both of these are quite pleasant to the ear.
Conclusions
Like its predecessor, the Eureka Mignon Silenzio 55 is a home espresso grinder that ticks all the boxes for someone who wants an easy-to-use grinder that’s both affordable and built to last.
Would I throw out my Silenzio to upgrade to a Silenzio 55? Probably not—the original 50mm stainless steel flat burrs get the job done well enough. Though it is nice to see the improvement in performance without a n increase in price—the Silenzio 55 sells for the same price as its predecessor, making it an incredible value.
Photography by Grace Walker
