ECM Bellow Single Dose – silicone bellows for 54 and 64 series grinders
A quick press from above, a puff of air through the grinding chamber – and the last few crumbs drop down into the dosing cup.
Single dosing is built on a simple idea: you weigh out exactly the amount you need right now and grind it. No beans sitting in the hopper for days drawing in moisture, no old leftovers mixing in with the fresh ones. What breaks open during grinding is a cell structure that releases over 800 aromatic compounds – and these compounds are volatile. They live for minutes, not days.
Why a bellows sits on the grinder
Even with single dosing, a little ground coffee stays caught in the gaps between the grinding chamber and the exit chute. That remainder comes out with the next grind and mixes into the fresh dose – a few tenths of a gram that are already a little older than the rest. That's what retention means.
The Bellow solves this in the simplest way imaginable: you squeeze the silicone bellows, air is forced through the grinder, and the remainder comes out with it. Two or three presses and the outlet is clear. The lid and neck are made of stainless steel, the bellows itself of silicone.
Whether you notice it in the cup depends on how sensitive your bean and your palate are. With dense, darker roasts, half a gram from the day before hardly stands out; with lighter roasts, it shows much sooner. Our opinion is one of many – if you work with a hopper and you're happy, you're doing nothing wrong. There are no espresso police.
At a glance
| Material |
Silicone bellows, stainless steel lid and neck |
| Compatible with |
ECM grinders of the 54 and 64 series |
| Function |
Puff of air through the grinding chamber after grinding, reduces retention |
| How to use |
Single dosing |
| Item number |
G1549.K |
Who the Bellow is made for
For anyone who wants to switch their ECM grinder to single dosing without buying a new machine. The bellows takes the place of the bean hopper and turns a grinder with a hopper into one you fill dose by dose.
It makes the most sense if you drink several beans in parallel – a dense roast in the morning, something else in the afternoon – and don't want to empty the hopper every time. If you always buy the same bean and run the grinder several times a day, you'll need it less often. The ECM collection shows which grinders we have in-house, and if you're looking for the principle from the ground up, you'll find it in the single dose espresso grinders.
What goes with it
Single dosing calls for a vessel you weigh into and pour from into the portafilter. In dosing cups you'll find both routes: for anyone who wants an affordable, precise dosing cup, the one from Normcore is the calm choice – if you want build quality and feel on another level, reach for the dosing cup from Weber Workshops.
And if another grinder joins at some point: affordable and good are the Varia VS3 and the hand grinders from Comandante and Timemore; if you want more, look at the Varia VS6, the EG-1 from Weber Workshops or the Lagom from Option-O. In the end, burrs are like car engines – subjective, and there's no single best. Particle size and its uniformity determine extraction quality; the rest is taste.
Frequently asked questions
Which grinders does the ECM Bellow fit?
On ECM grinders of the 54 and 64 series. It's fitted in place of the bean hopper.
What exactly does the Bellow do?
When you press it, it pushes air through the grinder. Ground coffee caught in the gaps between the grinding chamber and the exit chute is carried out with it – retention drops, and the next dose consists of freshly ground coffee.
Do I really need the Bellow for single dosing?
No. Single dosing works without it too. The Bellow simply makes clearing the grinder much more thorough and quicker than tapping the grinder or helping it along with a brush.
Does it also fit grinders from other manufacturers?
The fit is confirmed for the 54 and 64 series. Whether it fits a grinder from another brand depends on how the bean hopper is seated – write to us with the grinder you have, and we'll look at it together.
Can I see the product before buying?
Our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich (Hagenholzstrasse 50b) show a wide selection, but not our entire range – the display changes. Drop us a quick line at [email protected] before your visit, and we will check whether the product you have in mind is currently there. If you order online: delivery to Switzerland and Liechtenstein takes 2 to 4 working days.
From the roastery
The difference a clean exit chute makes shows most clearly with a bean that has a distinct signature. Cozy Chocolate and Nutty Delight stay dense and round, and chocolate and nuts come through more cleanly without yesterday's leftovers mixed in. If you're after maximum body without any acidity, reach for Very Nutty. And if you're curious how much retention matters with a lighter roast, go for Wild Peach – fruity, lively, a discovery on the side. That's our recommendation, one of many; any other bean works just as well.
