Which to buy · Every setting
Fellow Ode Gen 1 vs Niche Zero
Conical against flat — the Zero's scale curves where the other runs straight. The Ode Gen 1 is numbered 1–11; the Zero is numbered 0–50.
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
Zero if you…
- want espresso and filter from one grinder — Niche markets it for both
- want 63 mm conical burrs
- want stepless adjustment
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 · Niche — Zero
| Ode Gen 1 | Zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Fellow | Niche |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 1 – 11 | 0 – 50 |
| Burrs | Flat | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 2.6 numbers | 34.6 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 7.4 numbers | 9.1 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 0 on the Zero — 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 | Zero |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6.3 |
| 1.1 | 17.1 |
| 1.2 | 26.2 |
| 2.2 | 32.7 |
| 3 | 37.7 |
| 3.2 | 41.6 |
| 5 | 44.1 |
| 6.1 | 45.6 |
| 7.1 | 46.7 |
| 8.1 | 47.9 |
| 9.1 | 48.7 |
| 10 | 49.3 |
| 11 | 50 |
| Zero | Ode Gen 1 |
|---|---|
| 6.3 | 1 |
| 17.1 | 1.1 |
| 26.2 | 1.2 |
| 32.7 | 2.2 |
| 37.7 | 3 |
| 41.6 | 3.2 |
| 44.1 | 5 |
| 45.6 | 6.1 |
| 46.7 | 7.1 |
| 47.9 | 8.1 |
| 48.7 | 9.1 |
| 49.3 | 10 |
| 50 | 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 | Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1.1 | 12.8 |
| Moka pot | 1.2 | 24.7 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 2.2 | 32.7 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 3.1 | 40 |
| Siphon | 4 | 41.7 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 4.1 | 42.8 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 4.2 | 43.6 |
| Drip / batch brew | 5 | 44.1 |
| Cupping | 3 | 44.5 |
| Chemex | 6.1 | 45.6 |
| French press | 8 | 47.5 |
| Cold brew | 9.2 | 49 |
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
Niche Zero
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 Zero
Single-dose, stepless, and calibrated so that the same numbered setting means roughly the same thing between units — unusual, and the reason Niche numbers get quoted directly between users. Because it is stepless, the settings below are targets rather than detents: land near the number and adjust by taste. Its espresso and filter ranges overlap more than the dial implies.