If you're already a proud owner of the Fellow Ode, you'll know that it's an excellent brew grinder straight out of the box. However, coffee geeks understand that there's always room for improvement. Whether you want to improve retention or precision, here are four mods that can elevate your Fellow Ode from a top-tier grinder to an absolute beast of a coffee grinder.
Bellows
The bellows attachment is a rubber or silicone bulb that sits atop the grinder. With a push, it sends a burst of air through the system, clearing out any residual grounds that may be lingering in the burrs or chute. This mod is essential for those who switch between different types of coffee or brew methods regularly. It ensures that no stale coffee grounds taint your next grind. While it's a bigger improvement on the first-generation Ode, it does help with the Gen 2 as well.
Price
$40 - $60.
Time to Do
Around 15 seconds.
Difficulty
Very Easy. Installation is often as simple as removing the existing hopper cap and putting on the new bellows attachment.
Stepless Adjustment Kit
The Stepless Adjustment Kit replaces the stepped grind size selector on the Fellow Ode with a continuous, stepless system. This can be a 3d printed part of epoxy. This allows you to fine-tune your grind size between the typical notches. The absence of preset steps offers infinite grind size settings between the smallest and largest settings. This is particularly important if you want to get into espresso brewing, where even a slight variation in grind size can significantly affect the shot quality.
Price
Approximately $20.
Time to Do
30 minutes.
Difficulty
Moderate. You'll need to disassemble portions of the grinder, but it's a fairly straightforward process.
SSP Burrs
SSP Burrs are meticulously designed from materials that are not just durable but are also coated with performance-enhancing treatments. Their geometry engineering allows for an adjustable grind, making it possible to fine-tune your coffee's sweetness with the Lab Sweet or clarity with the MP
For Gen 1 owners, this is a necessity to improve their coffees. Meanwhile, Gen 2 models already have burrs that offer remarkable clarity. For both generations, you will need to do this mod to make espresso. Don't forget to align your burrs after!
Price
$250 - $300.
Time to Do
2-3 hours.
Difficulty
Advanced. This is a significant modification involving disassembling the burr assembly. You can find tutorials on how to change your grinder burrs.
Vernier Scale For Dial
Description
The Vernier scale mod involves adding a calibrated scale around the existing adjustment dial. With precise markers, this mod allows you to note down your grind settings with more accuracy. Say goodbye to the days of a little more to the left, now you can replicate grind sizes to the micron.
Here's a link to a video to show you how to do it and all the files needed.
Price
$5.
Time to Do
30 minutes to 1 hour.
Difficulty
Easy. You'll need some adhesive, but the installation itself is straightforward.
Can The Fellow Ode Make Espresso With The Mods?
While the Fellow Ode is primarily optimized for manual brewing methods like pour-over, it's not out of the question to use it for making espresso, especially with some of the modifications like the Stepless Adjustment Kit. The Ode's original stepped grind adjustment doesn't offer the super-fine-tuning required for dialing in a perfect espresso shot. However, once you install a stepless adjustment, you can unlock the grinder's capability for espresso-level precision.
The challenge with using the Ode for espresso is the ability to grind fine and the motor's performance. But if you're a home brewer who mostly leans towards manual methods and occasionally enjoys an espresso, the Ode—with a few modifications—can serve you well in both departments. Just to be clear, Fellow doesn't recommend that you use it for espresso.
