If there is one grinder most coveted by shops and home users in equal measure, it is the Mahlkönig EK43. As the Analytics of Autumn—our yearly by-the-numbers recap of the Build-Outs of Coffee—bears out, the EK is about as close to a must-have grinders for new cafes around the world as you can get. And with the shorter, more compact (though still not all that compact) EK43 S, it’s on a short list of grinders I wish were on my countertop at this very moment. Now, whether or not I actually need that many horsepower in a grinder is perhaps a different story.
And so it is that I am absolutely feverish over the news that Mahlkönig is releasing THE ICON, a limited edition EK43 S in white and gold.
Individually numbered to 999, The Icon isn’t functionally different than a traditional EK43 S, but the devil is in the details, and oh how these details set apart the limited edition. The all white body grinder gets a refined upgrade thanks to gold accents in the on/off buttons, dial knob and grind scale, the Mahlkönig logo, even the grinder’s feet. And of course, there’s the gold plate on the side of the grinder, prominently displaying “THE ICON” as well as the edition number.
It all gets finished off with the all black 250g short hopper, and each grinder comes with a certificate of authenticity.
The Icon is set to begin shipping next month. There’s no official word on the price tag, but given that the regular EK43 S has an MSRP north of $3,000, don’t expect the limited edition to be any less prohibitively expensive. Nonetheless, if you have just bore witness to the next piece of coffee gear you simply must have, you’ll need to contact your nearest Mahlkönig distributor, which can be found here.
For more information, visit Mahlkönig’s official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
