Which to buy · Every setting
Fellow Ode Gen 1 vs Mahlkönig X54
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The Ode Gen 1 is numbered 1–11; the X54 is numbered 1–35.
Which to buy
Choose the
Ode Gen 1 if you…
- brew filter only — Fellow says the Ode does not grind for espresso
- want 64 mm flat burrs
- already own one, or are buying used — Fellow lists it as sold out
Choose the
X54 if you…
- want espresso as well as filter — Mahlkönig says it covers espresso to cold brew
- want four timed presets on an LED display
- want stepless adjustment, set by dial
Shop links are affiliate links: BrewMark earns a commission if you buy through one, at no extra cost to you. The verdicts were written without regard to it.
Fellow now sells the Ode Gen 2 in place of the original; the settings on this page are for the Gen 1.
Sources: Fellow — Ode Gen 1 (archived) · Fellow — Ode Brew Grinder · Mahlkönig USA — X54 Allround Home Grinder
| Ode Gen 1 | X54 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Fellow | Mahlkönig |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 1 – 11 | 1 – 35 |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 2.6 numbers | 20.1 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 7.4 numbers | 13.9 numbers |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a numbered dial, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 6 sits at grind index 56.7 on the Ode Gen 1 but 11.7 on the X54 — far enough apart to change the cup.
Converting a setting
If a recipe quotes a setting for one of these grinders, read across for the equivalent on the other. Rows are spaced evenly by grind size, not by dial number — on a conical burr those are not the same thing.
| Ode Gen 1 | X54 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 1.1 | 4.6 |
| 1.2 | 8.3 |
| 2.2 | 12.9 |
| 3 | 17.4 |
| 3.2 | 21.6 |
| 5 | 23.9 |
| 6.1 | 26.2 |
| 7.1 | 28.6 |
| 8.1 | 30.4 |
| 9.1 | 31.9 |
| 10 | 33.5 |
| 11 | 35 |
| X54 | Ode Gen 1 |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 4.6 | 1.1 |
| 8.3 | 1.2 |
| 12.9 | 2.2 |
| 17.4 | 3 |
| 21.6 | 3.2 |
| 23.9 | 5 |
| 26.2 | 6.1 |
| 28.6 | 7.1 |
| 30.4 | 8.1 |
| 31.9 | 9.1 |
| 33.5 | 10 |
| 35 | 11 |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Ode Gen 1 | X54 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1.1 | 3.1 |
| Moka pot | 1.2 | 7.4 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 2.2 | 12.9 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 3.1 | 20 |
| Siphon | 4 | 21.7 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 4.1 | 22.5 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 4.2 | 23.3 |
| Drip / batch brew | 5 | 23.9 |
| Cupping | 3 | 24.5 |
| Chemex | 6.1 | 26.1 |
| French press | 8 | 29.9 |
| Cold brew | 9.2 | 32.8 |
The shape of each dial
Where the connectors bunch, that grinder’s dial is compressed and single steps count for more. Comparing the two shapes tells you which gives finer control, and where.
Fellow Ode Gen 1
Mahlkönig X54
Dialing in the Ode Gen 1
The original Ode had noticeably more fines than the Gen 2 that replaced it, which is why the Gen 2 burr upgrade became such a common retrofit. If you are running Gen 1 burrs, expect to sit slightly coarser than published Ode numbers to get the same cup.
Dialing in the X54
Mahlkönig's home grinder, and much more conventional than the EK that shares its badge. Genuinely all-purpose with a usable espresso end, though the resolution down there is nothing like a dedicated espresso grinder's.