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The DF64 Gen 2 wins for most people on price alone. It sells for $399 direct (regular $450) with 64mm flat burrs, while the Niche Zero runs £559 shipped free from Niche's UK site, which a 2026 US review pegs at about $629 before shipping and duties for American buyers. Both are stepless single dosers with near-zero retention. The real choice is flat versus conical: the DF64's flat burrs lean toward clarity and separation in the cup, the Niche's 63mm conical burrs lean toward body and forgiveness. If you pull mostly milk drinks, the Niche's profile flatters them. If you chase light roasts as straight espresso or filter, the DF64 Gen 2 gives you more grinder for less money.
What Gen 2 actually fixed
The original DF64 was the classic budget single doser: great burrs, annoying everything else. Static clung to the chute, light roasts popcorned out of the throat, and half the community's energy went into aligning burrs with a marker and foil shims. The Gen 2 addresses the list directly: a built-in plasma generator knocks down static, an integrated anti-popcorn device keeps beans feeding into the burrs instead of bouncing above them, a metal dial indicator replaces the flimsy plastic pointer, and the seller states it aligns burrs before shipping. It runs a 250 watt motor, weighs 7.2kg, and adjusts steplessly. In short, the mods people used to bolt on are now stock. If you own a first-gen unit, our DF64 mods guide covers most of the same fixes for a lot less than a new grinder.
The Niche Zero never needed that redemption arc. It shipped polished from day one: 63mm conical burrs, a tilted body that feeds beans without an anti-popcorn gadget, a 58mm dosing cup that seats under the spout, and a stepless dial marked with actual espresso and filter ranges. Niche quotes dose consistency within 0.2g, a grind rate around 1 gram per second, and 72dB while grinding, which is quiet enough for a sleeping household. The catch is buying one. Niche sells direct only, from the UK, so there is no Amazon listing to link and US buyers wait on international shipping plus whatever duties the courier collects.
Spec comparison
| Spec | DF64 Gen 2 | Niche Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 sale, $450 regular (df64coffee.com) | £559 shipped direct (nichecoffee.co.uk), about $629 US street (completehomebarista.com) |
| Burrs | 64mm stainless steel flat (SSP and DLC upgrades available) | 63mm conical |
| Adjustment | Stepless | Stepless with marked espresso and filter ranges |
| Retention | Low retention, bellows workflow | Dose consistency within +/- 0.2g; reviews measure 0.1 to 0.3g |
| Motor | 250W | Not published on product page |
| Noise | Not published | 72dB while grinding |
| Weight | 7.2kg | 4.1kg |
| Static control | Built-in plasma generator | None needed in practice; grounds drop into a dosing cup |
| Where to buy | Direct and third-party retailers, including Amazon listings for the DF64 Gen 2 | Direct from Niche only, no Amazon or retail channel |
| Warranty | 1 year standard, paid 2 and 3 year options | Sold with UK-based direct support |
One workflow note the table hides: the Niche is the calmer machine to live with. Beans in, lid down, grounds land in a cup you dump into the portafilter. The DF64 Gen 2 is a bellows grinder; you puff the chute after each dose, and even with the plasma generator the routine has a step or two more. Neither takes real effort, but if you make coffee half awake at 5am, the Niche's routine is harder to fumble.
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Related reads
If you land on the DF64, start with our DF64 mods guide to see which upgrades still matter on Gen 2 and which are now built in. Weighing hand grinders instead? Our Timemore C2 vs 1Zpresso JX comparison covers the budget end of the same flat-versus-value argument. And for the full field of single dosers, see our best zero retention grinders roundup, where both of these machines sit near the top.
FAQ
Is the DF64 Gen 2 or the Niche Zero better for espresso? Both grind well into the espresso range with stepless adjustment. The DF64's 64mm flat burrs favor clarity and lighter roasts, while the Niche's 63mm conical burrs give more body and are more forgiving to dial in, which suits milk drinks and medium roasts.
Why is there no Amazon link for the Niche Zero? Niche sells the Zero direct from its UK website only, at £559 with free shipping. Anything on Amazon or eBay is a third-party resale, usually marked up, so buying direct is the safe route.
Does the DF64 Gen 2 still need mods? Far fewer than the original. The plasma static generator, anti-popcorn device, and metal dial indicator are built in, and the seller aligns burrs before shipping. Most owners now only spend on burr upgrades like SSP if they want a different flavor profile.