Fellow Ode Gen 2 Review - Has It Improved?

There's a new coffee grinder in town, meet the Fellow Ode Gen 2 - an update to one of the most hyped coffee grinders. Designed for the home barista and coffee experts alike. We'll go over its updates and features, how it compares to the first generation, and if it's the right grinder for you. Will the Ode take your brewing game to the next level?

Fellow is known for its beautiful design and aesthetics. The Ode Gen 2 is no different - it's a sleek and modern grinder that will look great on any kitchen counter. But looks aren't everything, so let's get into the nitty-gritty of what this grinder can do.

The Ode V2 is now available in our store! Click here to get one.

Comparison with the first generation

The first-generation Ode had all the elements of a great grinder but had a few drawbacks. Although it was an awesome grinder with some modifications, it wasn't the most user-friendly grinder.

Static

One of the biggest complaints of the last model was static. Coffee grounds were known to stick to the inside of the grinder chute, cling to the sides and lid of the grinder. It was just overall a messy experience. To overcome the problem, owners had to spray the beans with water before grinding.

Responding to customer feedback, Fellow made some product improvements to address static. The biggest enhancement is the integration of advanced anti-static technology at the chute's exit. This innovation has significantly reduced static-related retention, improving both the grinding efficiency and ease of cleaning. The grinder now stays cleaner and definitely will help customer satisfaction and product functionality.

By addressing this issue, Fellow has significantly improved the overall user experience, showing their commitment to listening to customer feedback and continually evolving their product line.

Burrs

A significant limitation of the initial Ode model was its burr set. The original interlocking flat burrs could not grind coffee as fine as desired, especially for lighter roasts, leading to suboptimal extraction. This issue was compounded by a broad particle distribution, which frequently resulted in clogged filters during brewing.

These burrs are the best upgrade on the new generation Ode by far. Out with the old interlocking flat burrs - Fellow has equipped the Gen 2 with a completely new V2 burr set. The new burrs are designed to grind coffee beans to a much finer consistency, improving the extraction of lighter roasts. The tighter particle distribution also improves brewing performance, reducing the likelihood of clogging filters.

Bean Hopper

While I personally didn't encounter significant issues with the original bean hopper, it could have been a challenge for some users. The primary concern was the angle that wasn't steep enough to let the coffee bean flow into the auger and needed some push for the beans to go in.

Fellow addressed this problem by changing the hopper's angle. Now the beans slide down with ease and there's no need to give them a little push. They also made it slightly bigger if you are into bigger batch brews. The updated grinder has a larger 100g hopper, compared to the original 80g hopper.

Catch Cup

The catch cup has been enlarged to accommodate the larger hopper capacity. It can now contain more coffee grounds for usability and user convenience.

My experience with the Gen 2 Ode

I recently got my hands on the Fellow Ode Gen 2, and I have to say that I was pretty impressed. It's the same design as the previous gen but in a more user-friendly manner. As a coffee geek, I appreciate the brews I can get out of it - fruity, sweet, and clear. I could get consistently great coffees with different brew methods. The auto-stop feature is a nice bonus too.

Having used many coffee grinders in similar price ranges and grinders that cost thousands of dollars, I have to say that the Fellow Ode is a great deal. It punches way above its price range with its 64mm flat burrs. I have to say that it will stay on my counter.

What I would change

While it's a great grinder, there is still some room for improvement. The first thing is grind retention inside the grinder. After cleaning the grinder and grinding some beans, I would consistently get around 1g of grounds stuck inside. The grind knocker does help a bit. It's not the end of the world and I'm being a bit picky.

For the grind adjustment, it is a stepped grinder. This is not such a big problem if you are brewing medium roasts but I would appreciate a step-less adjustment for lighter roasts. It's an easy mod if you want to do it by yourself. Step-less would be essential if you wanted to make espresso.

Speaking of espresso, the biggest downside of this grinder now is the motor. It's slightly too small to make espresso and struggles for blond beans. A stronger motor would bring this grinder to the next level.

Who is it for & would I recommend it

First of all, I would absolutely recommend the Fellow Ode Gen 2 to anyone in the market for a high-quality filter coffee grinder. It's an excellent grinder that consistently produces great results.

First Grinder

If you're just getting into filter coffee and are looking for your first grinder or an upgrade to your Baratza Encore, the Ode Gen 2 is hard to beat. Yes, the price might seem steep but it's a big step above the other grinders in its class in terms of the grind quality and ease of use. You also can upgrade to SSP Burrs in the future.

Enthousiast

Now for coffee enthusiasts, this is where this grinder is a deal. You can modify if with all the different 64mm burrs available on the market and it's the cheapest grinder to support them. It rivals grinders like the Option O Lagom P64 which has SSP Multi Purpose burrs. If you want, you could even have many grinders with different burrs. I would highly suggest looking into getting a refurbished V1 and modifying it with burrs and bellows. 

Espresso

I would not recommend the Ode Gen 2 to someone who wants to do espresso. The motor is not designed to handle the load and the grinder will not grind fine enough. Although you could do it with SSP Burrs, it would likely cause premature wear. 

The Fellow Ode Gen 2 is an excellent coffee grinder that produces great results and it's user-friendly. While it's not the best grinder for espresso, it's a great option for filter coffee. I would recommend it to anyone in the market for a new coffee grinder. It's hard to see a better grinder available right now.