What is the difference between Ode, Ode Gen 2 and Opus?

Let's talk Fellow Grinders

You might have heard the rumours or seen them in real life, Fellow now have even more electric products in their range; 3 three excellent electric grinders. The name is the same but don't be fooled, apart from grinding coffee for home users, these all have different ways of grinding coffee.

The differences between them (about brew usage, settings and burrs) might make the purchase choice a little tricky, right? 

In this post, we are going to discuss the differences between Ode, Ode Gen 2 and Opus, three grinders that have stirred up a lot of discussion in the coffee world.

 

It all started with Ode, a heavy and beautiful grinder with a smaller hopper and a 24cm tall it is compact. Making it not only a stylish addition to your coffee making portfolio but a pretty damn sleek appliance to boot. 

Ode was released in Europe in 2020 and was hyped to be a game changer. Who wouldn't want to improve their daily coffee and have a great looking grinder? This was Fellow's first electric grinder with the sole purpose of great (non espresso) grinding.

With 11 settings and an easy reference guide on the underside of the lid it was set to be perfect for AeroPress, pour overs and french press. The critics soon said that the grinder didn't grind fine as fine as Fellow claimed it would, if you're into coarser grinds, you'll be fine (sorry, no pun intended!) The burrs are 68mm flat and the focus always has been on brew coffee, not espresso.

The single dosing works a treat, albeit a bean or two can get missed in the channel down to the burrs. It is simple, weigh out your beans, tip them in the hopper at the top and with the press of the button on the front, Ode grinds them quickly and with good grind size consistency.

As with all new products, there were some teething issues. You might have heard (or hopefully not), the first batch that landed had some issues with a low sounding humming when the grinders weren't in use. Not a problem really unless you like to sit and meditate in peace without being irritated by small interferences but still, it shouldn't happen with a premium product.

And yes, it does make a mess, worth considering if you like your grinds kept to brewing, but don't they say a messy kitchen is a happy one? 

3 years later, after all the feedback Fellow gathered from their loyal coffee critics they launched the new and improved Ode Gen 2, the second generation in their quest to change the grinder market.

It looks, to the untrained eye, to be exactly the same as the Ode. I mean they're relatives, so you'd be forgiven for assuming they were identical, but alas they are not.

The younger sibling, Ode Gen 2 was released in the US first and with some modifications, you guessed it, less mess! Thanks to an ionizer at the exit of the grinder chute the issue with the ground coffee sticking to the inside of the chute is a thing of the past. That, together with a slightly taller catch cup, makes the grinding process cleaner.

A slightly larger hopper which holds 100g of beans, a 20g increase. There is also a new 27-degree inclination on the bean hopper making the coffee beans slide more efficient, reducing the risk of any beans being left out of the action.

The best update to Ode Gen 2 that is most talked about is probably the improved burrs. The V2 burrs are so much better for finer grinding including the lighter roasted coffees, so you'll experience a whole new sweetness to your brew.

Summer 2023 sees the launch of another new grinder in Europe, the Opus. Fellow claim this will make the upgrade to electric grinders possible for more people who want to improve their home brewing. Their tag line, This.Changes.Everything.

Opus promises to be less messy, with the inbuilt ioniser technology that Ode Gen 2 uses and be suitable to espresso grinding. If you've an Ode grinder you might not want to change to Opus. The outer casing is plastic instead of metal and is more of an entry level grinder. You get a lot of bang for your buck though. 

• 40mm conical burrs with a powerful motor and torque. 
• 100g capacity
• 41 grind settings
• Grind whatever you feel like - Opus has you covered from espresso to cold brew
• Auto stop, so you don't have to remember to switch the grinder off once its done its work
• Easy to clean, repair and reassemble.
• Two year warranty
• Fits with other Fellow products, the XF and X brewers

If you were hoping to have a white Opus to match your white Stagg EKG, then you'll have to wait. Fellow have decided to go with black for now.

Otherwise, good luck in choosing the grinder that suits you. We're pretty sure you'll not be disappointed.