Eureka Atom W 75 Grinder Spotlight (2024)
Introduction
At the yearly coffee exhibition Host Milano, Eureka brought a handful of new and exciting grinders to share. One of the grinders that made the biggest impression was the Eureka W Atom 75, a.k.a. Eureka's second grind-by-weight (GBW) espresso grinder.
In this release spotlight, we will look at what the recently announced Eureka W Atom 75 brings to home espresso in 2024, explore its new features, and compare the W Atom 75 to the current grind-by-weight offering, the Eureka Mignon Libra.
Let's get brewing!
Table of Contents
What is New on the Eureka Atom W 75?
Grind By Weight
It comes as no surprise that the most significant change to the Eureka W Atom is in the "W" - the introduction of the grind-by-weight technology. Eureka first introduced grind-by-weight on their now massively popular Eureka Mignon Libra.
One of the biggest complaints of traditional hopper-style grinders is grind-chamber retention. That is, the amount of coffee that gets stuck in the grind chamber during grinding leads to variability in dose even when keeping grind time constant. The GBW functionality entirely solves this issue with a built-in portafilter scale that grinds until the correct weight is reached.
Touch Screen Display
The W Atom 75 also comes with a newly designed touchscreen display, a welcome evolution over the previous Atom 75 Speciality model. The legacy model used a small LCD display with five press buttons that were functional but unattractive overall.
The new Atom W 75 has an integrated touchscreen display similar to the Atom 75 Excellence. The grinder has options to save multiple preset grind weights for different beans and grind requirements. In addition, all other grinder settings will be accessible via the touchscreen display.
Higher Productivity Range
The new Eureka W Atom 75 sticks to a similar RPM but is now advertised with a higher consumption range and productivity range. The previous Atom 75 marked a 4.5 to 5.5 grams per second productivity. The new Atom W 75 expands both ends of the range with an advertised 4.0 to 6.5 grams per second.
At full productivity, that means the new Atom W 75 can grind an 18-gram dose in under three seconds.
Lower Power Absorbtion
While the new Atom W 75 has been able to increase productivity and maintain working RPM, it has done so while halving the power absorbed. The previous Atom 75 absorbed 900-watt peak power to spin its 75 mm flat burrs. The new Atom W 75 can produce the same results with a 430-watt power absorption, a bit of help for energy-conscious consumers and cafes.
What Remain the Same on the Eureka Atom W 75?
Burrset
Of course, the core of the grinder has remained the same with the new Atom W 75. Using a 75mm hardened steel flat burrset, all Eureka Atom models will produce similar flavors and have similar burr lifespans.
Grind Range
In addition, the Eureka Atom W 75 remains an espresso-specific grinder. Eureka now has two grind-by-weight options on the market, but both are rated for an espresso-specific daily workflow. Prior to release, there is no report if brew grinding is capable, but Eureka advertises the new release as espresso only.
Features
Both the Eureka Atom W 75 and the traditional Atom Specialty 75 are equipped with the same set of features, including Eurek's 'silent technology' sound insulation, high-speed grind dispersion, ACE system, and hands-free fork.
What is Missing on the Eureka Atom W 75?
Diamond Burrset
Eureka has started to move away from their hardened steel burrs in a variety of their newer grinders, namely their flagship single-doser, the Eureka Mignon Oro. The Oro features Eureka's patented Pure Diamond® burrs that are designed for longevity and flavor across brew ranges.
The Atom W 75 has opted not to use these Pure Diamond® burrs and has opted for the traditional hardened steel burrs found on the majority of the Eureka Mignon and Atom line.
Full Range Brew
As grinder technology advances, so do our standards for what a grinder can do. One of the features that seem to escape high-quality and high-productivity grinders is their ability to switch to other brew methods.
Eureka is known to have a weak point with full-range grinders, and it is often one of the biggest complaints when comparing the Mignon line against something like the DF64. The Atom has failed to address this and remains espresso-specific. Although Eureka designed the W 75 for high-volume espresso-only jobs, it would be nice to see a grinder that can adjust across brew methods in a pinch.
Blow Up System
As Eureka continues to release new models, they also continue to add features that are helpful for maintenance and cleaning. The Atom W 75 is advertised as not having the Blow Up system to help clean the grind chamber. This is a surprising decision as the previous model of the Atom 75 did feature this function.
Comparison: Eureka Atom W 75 vs. Eureka Mignon Libra
The W Atom 75 is the next iteration of Eureka's grind-by-weight technology. The Eureka Mignon Libra was the first version of this dosing method, and in this section, we will compare the two offerings by Eureka.
Burrset & Productivity
The most significant difference between the W Atom 75 and the Mignon Libra is the burrset and productivity. The Libra is designed for medium to low consumption, primarily in the home. The Atom W 75, on the other hand, is designed for higher productivity environments like a cafe.
The Libra features smaller 55mm hardened steel flat burrs compared to the much larger 75mm burrs on the Atom W 75. As a result, the Libra boasts productivity between 1.4 to 1.8 grams per second, a far cry from the 4.0 to 6.5 grams per second of the Atom W 75.
Footprint & Power
These two machines continue to diverge when examining their footprint and power absorption. The Libra sits at 43 cm (17") in height with a weight of 6.5 kg (14 lb). The Atom W 75, on the other hand, sits at 54 cm (21") and nearly doubles its weight at 12 kg (26 lbs).
In addition, the Libra draws less power with a 320-watt motor driving the smaller burrset at a faster 1650 RPM. Although the Atom spins a bigger burrset, it absorbs a modest 430 watts for a 1400 RPM motor, which will hopefully reduce fines in the grind.
Adjustment & Dosing
These two grinders do mirror each other, though, when it comes to adjustment and dosing. Both machines use the classic Eureka adjustment knob, a touchscreen display, and the integrated Eureka weight fork.
And although the Atom offers more save options and a larger display, the Libra holds its own with two programmable grind-weights and a modest touchscreen interface.
Pricing and Availability
As of Jan 22, 2024, the Eureka W Atom has yet to be available in the United States. Eureka has teased the release on social media, and it is expected to come online within the next few weeks.
There have been spottings, however, on international vendor 30.Coffee's website. Currently, the Atom W 75 is listed for $1468 when converted from the listed 1,349.0€.
The Final Sip
The Eureka W Atom 75 represents Eureka's next step to bring more grind-by-weight functionality to the espresso market. With the success of the home-oriented Mignon Libra, the Atom W 75 promises to deliver high productivity and high precision without the headache of weighing grounds.
