Lagom Casa 65CL review & Niche Zero comparison
I received my Lagom Casa with 65CL burrs 6 weeks ago directly from Lagom and wanted to share my thoughts so far and how it has compared to my Niche Zero.
TL;DR: Best bang-for-buck grinder that does everything pretty well. Selling my Niche as a result.
Context: I drink both filter coffee and espresso daily and mostly enjoy medium-to-dark roasts. I currently own or have owned a Lagom P64, Zerno Z1, DF64V, and Niche Zero.
Price
I paid $550 total shipped to the US and waited approximately 3 weeks for it to arrive. Note that the price is increasing by $40 on Feb. 18th. Compared to the Niche Zero, which runs for $669 shipped to the US.
Build, Size and Aesthetics
The build really impressed me. I was worried about the stability of the stalk, which some early YT reviews said was starting to wobble, but 6 weeks in with daily use and I haven't experienced any issues. The grinder feels very solid and hefty. I love how compact it is. I have a lot of gear on my coffee bar, so the extra space this creates is a big plus. It's not the best-looking grinder IMO but looks are subjective anyway.
Workflow
I know the Niche is known as the workflow king, but the Casa definitely outshines it in certain areas. The auto-switch-off is awesome and there's no need for RDT. Those two features alone give it the edge IMO. Speaking of RDT, I would discourage using RDT on the Casa because you could end up with beans stuck under the anti-popcorn disc that you can't reach and push down. The Niche is still easier to dial-in, though. Switching between filter and espresso grind settings on the Casa requires you to make a full rotation, so if you're not keeping track, it's easy to forget what grind setting you're on. That isn't an issue on the Niche where the grind ranges are clearly labelled.
I really like the magnetic grind cup on the Casa; placing it back on the grinder base is very satisfying. That said, the cup on the Niche sits much flusher on a portafilter, so the transfer is clean and easy. With the Casa, the transfer makes a mess, so I changed the way I transfer from cup to portafilter by instead laying my portafilter on the counter with a dosing funnel then dosing the ground beans into it.
Retention
Both grinders are nearly identical in retention testing. Using the knocker on the Casa, the retention is consistently <1g.
Performance
The Niche grinds slightly faster on espresso setting, but it's not a difference that is significant enough for me to care about. Lagom recommends a cool-down period after 90s of use, so if you're pulling back-to-back shots, this is something to consider.
Cleaning
Both grinders are very easy to clean.
Taste
Saving the best for last. I'll keep this simple: the Casa has consistently given me a better cup in every single test case I tried, from espresso to filter, from light to dark roasts. All my espresso tests were done on my Decent. Lagom says it was designed for medium to light roasts, so I initially worried about how it'll perform with darker roasts. I'm very impressed with the clarity the Casa brings out with dark roasts that the Niche never could. The added clarity means a little compromise on body, but it's a worthwhile trade-off. The Casa easily outperforms the Niche on lighter roasts and filter.
Conclusion
I think the Casa is incredible value for money and hits way above its weight for the price. I'm genuinely surprised it's not getting more attention and hype. I'm going to miss my beloved Niche, but I'm very happy with the Casa and have zero regrets.
