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KafaTek MC6 vs Zerno Z2 for milk drinks. Does light roast curiosity change the answer? [No budget]

Buying Advice Needed

In search for my "forever" grinder and trying to decide between these two. Would appreciate perspective from those familiar with these platforms or their predecessors.

Location: US

Preferred drink types and considerations:

  • Around 80% milk drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, cortados).
  • I'd like to explore lighter Nordic-style roasts for straight espresso. Not sure yet if this becomes a serious thing or experiments on weekends. I enjoyed the offerings from La Cabra and Sey.
  • I'm sensitive to noise. I grind early mornings and don't want to wake the house.
  • Outside of my use case, I value responsive customer support and lasting build quality.

Drink frequency:

  • 6+ drinks per day, for myself and family.
  • Occasionally entertain and do back-to-back shot pulling.

Space: No limitations.

Experience level: Beginner-Intermediate. Been pulling consistent shots, comfortable dialing in, looking to upgrade to endgame territory.

Manual or electric: Electric only.

Kafatek MC6: Shurikone dual-conical seems great for what I drink. Body, sweetness, milk drinks. Quiet. Will I feel boxed in if I become serious about light roasts?

Zerno Z2: the flexibility of burr-swapping greatly appeals to me as future-proofing, and 80mm flats with the auger prebreaker seem ideal for light roasts. Do core burrs (or other Zerno offerings) deliver enough body for milk drinks?

  • For milk drink folks: Do you actually notice conical vs flat differences once milk is added or am I overthinking this?

  • Previous Kafatek conical owners (MC4/MC5): How do Shuriken burrs handle light roasts? Do they overcome any limitations with conical?

  • Z1 owners or 80mm flat users: Can you get satisfying body and sweetness for milk drinks, or will I be wishing for conical texture?

TIA.

Posted Dec 1, 2025, 3:00 AM UTC

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