Markibar IZAGA KEY – Espresso Grinder with Instant Dose and Timed Dosing, 64 mm
Rush hour at the counter, and the grinder stays the calmest spot: the Markibar IZAGA KEY has already ground the next dose when the portafilter arrives.
The IZAGA KEY is the time-controlled model of the IZAGA family, with an alphanumeric display and membrane keypad. Markibar calls the IZAGA the flagship of its grinders; the company is based in Esquíroz (Navarra, Spain).
Instant Dose: pre-ground, without waiting
Classic doser grinders are fast, but they store the ground coffee in the doser. On Demand grinders grind fresh, but you wait for every dose. Markibar combines both in the Instant Dose system: the doser keeps the next dose ready and automatically grinds again after each dispensing. The dose arrives in the portafilter compact and without excess.
When it gets quieter, you switch to On Demand directly on the control panel. Then the grinder only grinds when you request the dose, and nothing waits in the doser. Freshly ground coffee releases its volatile aromas quickly; coffee contains more than 800 compounds, and many of them we only perceive retronasally, when they rise to the olfactory mucosa while swallowing. Which mode fits is decided by your daily rhythm.
Timed dosing, grinding mechanism and grind setting lock
The IZAGA KEY doses via an electronic timer in seconds; you programme the single and double dose separately. From the factory, 1.8 s is set for the single and 3.1 s for the double dose. How many grams that turns into depends on grind setting and bean. That is why it is worth weighing once after a grind setting change and extracting by weight ratio, with 1:2 as a starting point.
Grinding is done with 64 mm flat burrs at 1,350 rpm (50 Hz). HQ Long Life burrs are fitted from the factory, rated for around 1,500 kg of coffee; optionally there are the Extreme Helfezi burrs with TDC coating for around 5,000 kg. Motor and grinding chamber are thermally separated, and a fan removes heat. With a button you release the grind setting only in the chosen direction; without a button press the lever is locked.
Speed shapes the character too: higher speed tends towards more body, lower speed protects delicate compounds. Grinding mechanisms are like engines, and there is no objectively best one.
At a glance
| Dosing |
time-controlled, Instant Dose |
| Programmable doses |
Single and double dose separately |
| Factory setting |
1.8 s (single dose), 3.1 s (double dose) |
| Dose range |
Single dose 5–18 g, double dose 5–28 g |
| Operating modes |
Pre Dose, On Demand, Quick change |
| Portafilter recognition |
automatic, via identifier on the double portafilter |
| Burrs |
64 mm, flat; HQ Long Life (rated for approx. 1,500 kg) or Extreme Helfezi TDC (approx. 5,000 kg) |
| Speed |
1,350 rpm (50 Hz), 1,620 rpm (60 Hz) |
| Grinding capacity |
4 g/s, 8 kg/h |
| Grind setting adjustment |
Lever with scale, bidirectional lock |
| Cooling |
Motor and grinding chamber thermally separated, fan |
| Bean hopper |
1.5 kg |
| Controls |
Alphanumeric display with membrane keypad |
| Tamper |
available with or without a fixed-mounted tamper; Ø 57 mm fitted from the factory, Ø 53 mm included |
| Power |
525 W, 220–240 V |
| Duty cycle |
34% on, 66% off |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) |
640 × 180 × 352 mm |
| Weight |
16 kg |
| Colours |
White, grey, black |
| Manufacturer |
Markibar Innovación S.L., Esquíroz (Navarra), Spain |
Who the IZAGA KEY is made for
The IZAGA KEY is built for cafés, bars and restaurants that serve a lot of espresso in a short time; Markibar recommends the IZAGA family from around 10 kg of coffee per week. If you dose by time and weigh regularly, you work with it very directly. If you would rather leave the dose to a scale, you will find the same base in the IZAGA W, and if you prefer a touchscreen, in the IZAGA TFT. All models are in our Markibar collection.
You will also find time-controlled café grinders in our Mahlkönig collection, such as the E65S or the E80 Supreme. A time-controlled grinder is not a lesser choice than a gravimetric one, but a different way of working. Our advisor tool for machines and grinders helps you work out which one suits you. Our opinion is one of many.
What goes with it
A grinder like the IZAGA KEY needs a machine that keeps up, from our coffee machine selection or from La Marzocco. For check-weighing: for anyone who wants a scale that is affordable and precise, Normcore; for those who want an app and a flow rate display, Acaia. If you work without a fixed-mounted tamper, you will find hand tampers under Tampers. Grinder cleaner is available under machine and grinder cleaning.
Ordering and advice
Coffee Coaching Club is the official Swiss importer of Markibar. You order the IZAGA KEY directly online. Click and Collect is possible in Bern and Zurich, and so is financing. Markibar builds the IZAGA KEY with or without a fixed-mounted tamper; after your order we will clarify the version you want with you. A free consultation appointment is an option, not a requirement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IZAGA KEY and IZAGA TFT?
The grinder, grinding mechanism and dosing are the same, the controls are not: the KEY has an alphanumeric display with membrane keypad, the TFT a touchscreen. Both have automatic portafilter recognition.
How accurately does a time-controlled grinder dose?
The grinder grinds for the set time; how many grams that turns into depends on grind setting, bean and the condition of the burrs. After a grind setting change you weigh once and adjust the time. If you would rather leave that to a scale, choose the IZAGA W.
What do Pre Dose and On Demand mean?
Pre Dose keeps the next dose ground and ready in the doser, for fast workflows during rush periods. On Demand only grinds on request, so that nothing waits in the doser. You switch directly on the control panel.
Which burrs should I choose?
HQ Long Life from the factory, rated for around 1,500 kg of coffee. With high consumption, the Extreme Helfezi burrs with TDC coating, rated for around 5,000 kg, extend the intervals until replacement.
Can I see the IZAGA KEY before buying?
We are happy to tell you in advance whether the IZAGA KEY is currently set up in one of our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) or Zurich Oerlikon (Hagenholzstrasse 50b). Write to us at [email protected].
Tip from the roastery: If you dose by time, you do well with a bean that grinds evenly and is forgiving. Cozy Chocolate and Nutty Delight run exactly like that in our café: dense, sweet, chocolatey to nutty. For maximum body without acidity there is Very Nutty, for a fruity discovery in between Wild Peach. That is our recommendation, one of many.
