Which to buy · Every setting
Rancilio Rocky vs Turin DF83 V2
Two grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The DF83 V2 is numbered 0–90; the Rocky is numbered 0–55.
Which to buy
Choose the
Rocky if you…
- want a lighter grinder — 7 kg
- want stepped settings you can return to — up to 50 on the front ring
- pair it with a Rancilio Silvia — Rancilio pitched it as its partner
Choose the
DF83 V2 if you…
- want 83 mm flat burrs and a 550 W motor
- single-dose mostly but want a 225 g hopper too — both come with it
- want stepless adjustment with a grind size indicator
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.
Neither is sold new. Rancilio no longer lists the Rocky (its page now returns 404) and sells the Stile as its home grinder. Turin no longer sells the DF83 V2; it now sells the redesigned DF83 Gen 2 and the variable-speed DF83V, and warns the Gen 2 should not be confused with older V2 reviews. The settings on this page are for the V2.
Sources: Turin — DF83 v2 (archived Dec 2023) · Rancilio Group — Rocky (archived Jan 2022) · Rancilio Group — Rocky SD specifications (archived May 2022) · Rancilio Group — Stile
| Rocky | DF83 V2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Rancilio | Turin |
| Scale | Numbered dial | Numbered dial |
| Dial range | 0 – 55 | 0 – 90 |
| Burrs | Flat | Flat |
| Espresso → filter | 20 numbers | 32 numbers |
| Filter → coarse | 23 numbers | 44 numbers |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a numbered dial, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 28 sits at grind index 47.5 on the Rocky but 8.3 on the DF83 V2 — 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.
| Rocky | DF83 V2 |
|---|---|
| 5 | 13 |
| 9 | 28 |
| 14 | 40.3 |
| 18 | 42 |
| 22 | 43.7 |
| 26 | 46.7 |
| 29 | 55.3 |
| 32 | 63.9 |
| 36 | 72.6 |
| 39 | 78.2 |
| 42 | 81.8 |
| 45 | 85.4 |
| 48 | 89 |
| DF83 V2 | Rocky |
|---|---|
| 13 | 5 |
| 28 | 9 |
| 40.3 | 14 |
| 42 | 18 |
| 43.7 | 22 |
| 46.7 | 26 |
| 55.3 | 29 |
| 63.9 | 32 |
| 72.6 | 36 |
| 78.2 | 39 |
| 81.8 | 42 |
| 85.4 | 45 |
| 89 | 48 |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Rocky | DF83 V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 8 | 22 |
| Moka pot | 13 | 40 |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 18 | 42 |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 24 | 44.6 |
| Siphon | 26 | 47.1 |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 27 | 50.2 |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 28 | 53.3 |
| Drip / batch brew | 29 | 55.3 |
| Cupping | 30 | 57.4 |
| Chemex | 32 | 63.6 |
| French press | 38 | 76.9 |
| Cold brew | 44 | 83.8 |
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.
Rancilio Rocky
Turin DF83 V2
Dialing in the Rocky
A stepped espresso grinder that has been the budget recommendation for a very long time. The 55 steps across 50mm flat burrs are its limitation — for espresso you will sometimes want a setting between two of them and there is not one, and a single step can move a shot by seconds. Twenty of those steps cover espresso through filter, which is more resolution than the fine end usually gets at this price. Two things make it an espresso grinder in practice rather than a general one: changing setting means holding the locking lever while twisting the hopper, and it keeps a couple of grams in the chute, so every switch between espresso and pour over costs you both fiddling and coffee. Most owners pick one end and stay there.
Dialing in the DF83 V2
The larger-burr sibling to the DF64, aimed at people who want more speed and a flatter particle distribution. Espresso is the design centre, though it covers filter more comfortably than the 64mm version.