There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Some co-workers suggest using a hand grinder, because "its better". I'm confused on the logic here. How is a hand grinder for this better than an electric one? Before I consider buying a hand grinder, I'd love to know the reasoning behind using it.
Thanks!
If you are looking for an excellent electric burr, go for a Baratza.
Some of the burr hand grinders such as the ROK have infinite step-less grind control which can produce grinds as good as some mid to high range grinders. Only "issue" is that you have to expend the physical energy to adjust and grind the beans which can take a while especially if you're using brewing methods that require more grinds than your typical espresso.
So yeah, it's better if you consider it money wise - but most people will opt for an electric grinder for its versatility, functionality and convenience. Hope that helps!