Rancilio Rocky
My Rocky just stopped working the other day. I have tried different power outlets but it still doesn't turn on. Completely dead. I had it for about 5 years. Are there common troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem?
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The Rocky is the most durable coffee bean grinder available in its price range. It is extremely well made and we highly recommend it for home use and light commercial use. It is a dosing grinder, which makes it especially suited for use with an espresso machine. Although, it would have no problem grinding fine or coarse enough for any type of coffee/espresso machine you might have. The forks that are designed to hold your espresso machine portafilter in place are removable so that you may use any receptacle you want to catch the coffee. The Rocky is the grinder of choice for the finicky home barista due to its quality of grind and durability. Please note that most grinders are tested at the manufacturer and coffee grounds may be found in the grinder as a result. All machines sold are new unless otherwise clearly stated. Rancilio is in the process of updating the look of the Rocky Grinder, it may ship with either a rose tinted or blue tinted bean hopper and ground coffee container.
This stainless steel version has a stainless steel back panel and base with a heavy-duty black case aluminum frame. This commercial-quality construction is durable and designed to match your other Rancilio products.
The Rocky can be quickly and accurately adjusted using its 55 different grind settings. To make the adjustment you just push down on a release lever and turn the bean hopper. You can quickly and easily change from course to fine. It can grind your beans into a fine powder for Turkish coffee or espresso and even course enough for French press. With a Rocky the most particular barista will be able to fine-tune their extractions to perfection.
The Rocky’s motor is legendary. It is the same motor that Rancilio uses in the Commercial MD40 grinder. It is a 166-watt direct drive motor that is very quiet and extremely powerful. It will not slow down even under the most demanding workload. The motor alone weighs around 12 lbs. and spins at 1,725RPM. It has a high temperature overload switch to prevent possible damage if a stone gets caught in the burrs.
Like the motor the grinding burrs on the Rocky are the same ones that Rancilio uses in the commercial MD40 grinder. They are the flat plate style and 50mm in diameter that are even designed to handle a commercial load.
To turn the grinder on and off you just have to flip the switch that is located on the lower left front corner.
Both the bean hopper and ground coffee container are made of tinted plastic that are designed to help keep your coffee fresh. They both have covers that also help seal in the freshness. Both the bean hopper and the ground coffee container can hold up to 10.5 oz coffee.
The Rocky is designed to dispense the ground coffee directly in to your espresso machine portafitler. After the coffee gets ground it drops in the ground coffee container. Then just pull the handle and it will dispense approximately 7 grams of coffee through a small hole in the front directly into your portafitler. You will notice the two plastic forks that are designed to hold your portafilter in place. These are removable so that you may place any receptacle that is less than 3 _” tall such as a filter for a drip coffee machine. To remove them you just have to remove two Phillips head screws. Just give us a call for details on to remove the forks.
| Misc Data | |
| Manufacturer | Rancilio |
| Model | Rocky |
| Specifications | |
| Dimension - Width (Inches) | 4.5 |
| Dimension - Height (Inches) | 13.7 |
| Dimension - Depth (Inches) | 9.5 |
| Weight (lbs) | 18 |
| Watts | 140 |
| Volts | 120 |
| Usage | |
| Grind Selection | All grinds |
| Recommended Applications | Home / Commercial |
| Components | |
| Grinding Method | Burr |
| Drive System | Direct Drive |
| Burr Type | Flat |
| Burr Material | Stainless Steel |
| Burr Size (Millimeter) | 50 |
| Housing | |
| Clearance Height for Portafilter (Inches) | 3.25 |
| Built-In Tamper | No |
| Housing Materials | Stainless Steel |
| Bean Hopper Material | Smoked Plastic |
| Removable Hopper | Yes |
| Ground Coffee Container Material | Smoked Plastic |
| Frame | Aluminum |
| Capacity | |
| Bean Hopper Capacity (Oz) | 10.5 |
| Dosser Capacity (Oz) | 10.5 |
| Dispensing | |
| Dosing Options | Doser |
| Portafilter Compatibility | All |
| Controls | |
| Number Of Grind Settings | 40 |
| Programmable Grinding | No |
| Programmability type | Manual |
| Controls | Push Button |
| Grind Setting Controls | Stepped |
| Performance | |
| Temp 4 Oz Grounded (F) | 78 |
| Sound No Beans (Db) | 61 |
| Sound With Beans (Db) | 77 |
| RPM (Burrs) | 1725 |
| Maintenance | |
| Easy Access To Burrs | No |
| Cleaning Products For Burrs | Urnex Grindz |
| Details | |
| Warranty (Years) | 1 |
| Country Of Manufacture | Italy |
| NSF Certified | No |
| Recommended Applications | Home / Commercial |
| Service provided | |
| Repairs By | Whole Latte Love |
| Contact Number | 888-411-5282 |
4.3 out of 5
(32 Customer Reviews)
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Beginner
I purchased the Rocky in a package deal with the Gaggia Classic just before Christmas and it works great and as advertised. I've always loved espresso coffee but have never owned a machine of my own. From all the information provided on this site and others I understood how important a good grinder is to making good coffee. The Rancilio Rocky is a great grinder and is really easy to use.
Less than 1 month
Easy to use and to adjust grind for different coffee types.
Check out all the how to videos provided on the WLL site while you wait for your products to arrive. Makes a world of difference and you'll be ready to go soon as you receive your order.
Beginner
Lavazza Pienaroma Espresso Blend
It would be great if you could convert to a doserless grinder. If Rancilio could make the doser an attachment I believe they would make many customers happy. I purchased the doser model which works great when entertaining but not really needed for everyday use if you only pull a few shots per day.
This is my first Grinder and from what I hear it will be for a long time.
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur
Excellent grinder. Has been trouble free for 5 years.
More than 1 year
Consistent grind
I've removed the "deflector" in the bean hopper to prevent most jambing of oily beans.
Connoisseur
8 o'clock and Sweet Maries
Doser operation
blade grinders
Rated 1 out of 5
Has owned for:
1 - 6 months
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover
We have been quite disappointed by the feeder system on the Rancilio Rocky - it constantly requires us to shake the machine or take the top off and force beans into the grinder. I would not recommend this grinder. I know it's a cult classic but we have been completely underwhelmed. The doser is also mediocre. A double shot of espresso requires about 2.5 doses from the doser - which is hard to manage - so you often have slightly too much or slightly too little...
1 - 6 months
When you can get it to grind, it grinds consistently.
Coffee Lover
Lighthouse Espresso Roast, Illy Espresso Roast, Buzzopolis, and more
The feeder system gets stuck often and the doser doesn't dispense a logical amount per dose.
Rated 4 out of 5
Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur
This is a great grinder, not too loud, stylish, but for my home use the grinds build up in the doser. If I bought again I would go with the doserless rancilio for this reason.
More than 1 year
Connoisseur
lavazza is the favorite, many others
burr grinders
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
1 - 6 months
Ability Level:
Connoisseur
Fantastic! I am so happy they build a product at this price point that competes well with the $800 - $1000 models.
1 - 6 months
The grind consistency. Build, noise level and ease of use. It even fits under my counters.
When making large changes in grind, run the machine at three or four intervals between coarseness levels. This keeps the hopper rotation from jamming along the way. If grinding a small amount, leave the top off the doser and rotate to fill only the segments equal to the number of doses required.
Connoisseur
Illy, Peetes and Java Boulevard Magnum.
Make it easier to switch to a coarse enough grind for drip, or even French press -- and back. I would like to be able to adjust the dose. Install a catch tray for coffee spilled from portafilter.
Mazzer, Capresso Cuisinart
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover
This is a machine for which there are no drawbacks - solid construction, simple design, high quality workmanship. The doser works great for those who go through a lot of cups in the morning, and/or who are not obsessive about fresh-ground flavor. I have also used the doserless model, which works better for those who switch beans or use occasionally.
More than 1 year
Construction and materials
I have had complaints about the beans jamming in the hopper, but then I discovered the source of the problem - lack of maintenance on my part! Some beans and grounds will build up on the bottom of the hopper just above the burrs, below the interior shield. When grinding for about 6 cups per day, I found that the jamming of the feed would start after 6-8 months or so, and that a simple removal of the hopper and cleaning were all it takes to return to problem-free grinding.
Coffee Lover
Dean's Beans
various
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
1 - 6 months
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover
The Rocky is awesome ! I love the build quality and overall heft of this machine, and the consistent grind. I use it for both my drip machine and for the weekend espresso shots. Despite the prevailing reviews, I ordered the doser model, and so far am very happy with it. I find that the doser works just fine (not a lot of wasted grounds that I can tell, maybe Rancilio has improved the doser a bit?). For my drip coffee, I simply use a low (say 1" deep), wide (about 3") tuperware-type plastic container to transfer my grounds from the doser dispenser to the drip filter - no worries, and the container can be sealed up if there are excess grounds.
1 - 6 months
The weight - it's not going anywhere ! Also the grind consistency.
Keep a brush handy to keep the chute clean
Coffee Lover
Graffeo, Intelligentsia, Lost Bean, Monkey & Son, Gevalia
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Coffee Lover
I used this for espresso grinds for 2 years with it working flawlessly. Through this time I made 2-3 espressos per day. After these 2 years, I had the burrs replaced and it again grinds just like new. I then decided to upgrade to the mini e due to upgrade fever. The rocky doser model does collect some grinds in the dosing chamber, but not a great amount that would cause constant vacuuming or cleaning. The wife now uses it strictly for drip coffee. She's been using it for over 2 years now also. Again, works flawlessly. For the money, this is the benchmark coffee grinder.
More than 1 year
Stick to either using it for espresso or drip coffee. Going back and forth on a daily basis is possible, but stray drip grounds going into a portafilter for espresso isn't the best method for good results. Or vice versa.
Coffee Lover
decaf and regular beans for espresso, now the grinder is used solely for drip coffee.
The dosing chamber could be made to leave a bit less stray grinds behind while dosing. This is nit picking to the extreme, but hey, this grinder is awesome.
pasquini moka
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Professional
Purchased a Rocky in 1994. First had it at office and then at home where it has been used EVERY day for the last 9 years. I have the older white model. it works like the day I got it. Great machine for home and light office use. Will probably sell my older white one for a new doserless.
More than 1 year
Professional
Zingerman's Espresso Blend #1
Rancilio Audrey
Rated 4 out of 5
Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Professional
Very nice grinder. Well constructed and the stainless steel is attractive and easy to keep clean. For those who are considering this grinder - the doser is not removable, so if you want to gind coffee for other preparations think about the "doserless Rocky". Also, the limitation placed by the doser is this: The user has to grind a considerable amount of coffee to fill the compartment in order to get full and consistent doses. This wastes a lot of coffee if you are only pulling a shot or two for yourself. And, whatever coffee you don't use immediately, dries out (even though Rancilio did a good job designing and manufacturing the ground coffee container and lid).
Less than 1 month
The construction and design.
Professional
Assorted
The doser should be removable.
Ditting
Rated 5 out of 5
Has owned for:
Less than 1 month
Ability Level:
Connoisseur
It is a great machine. I bought it on the recommendation from a review that I read here in conjunction with the Expobar "Pulser".
Less than 1 month
The doser.
Connoisseur
Lavazza Crema e Gusto, Qualita' d'Oro, Caffe' Illy
I think it is me, but I can't seem to get the coffee evenly in the portafilter. It seems to all fall to one side. It may be my way of dosing.
none
My Rocky just stopped working the other day. I have tried different power outlets but it still doesn't turn on. Completely dead. I had it for about 5 years. Are there common troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem?
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After years of use, the doser seems to be broken. The vanes move back an forth with the handle instead of the former ratchet type stop when the handle returns. Can this be repaired. The grinder otherwise works great!
Victor Lopez
vfl@frontier.net
970 385 0726
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mjackson ♦ Victor,
It should be able to be fixed. It could be a spring or the gear is off for dosing. Here are some instructions that may be helpful. If you pull the handle on your Rocky grinder and it won’t turn this not will explain how to take apart the grinder and figure out what has gone wrong.
1. First grind out all the old beans and remove all the old ground coffee by either pulling the handle, turning it by hand or vacuuming it out.
2. Unplug the grinder.
3. Turn the machine upside down so that it is standing on the bean hopper.
4. Remove the three screws that hold on the base. Some grinders have Phillips head screws and the others are shaped like a star. If you have the star shaped ones and don’t have the special tool you can use a very skinny needle nose pliers.
5. Once the screws are removed you can lift the base right off.
6. There are four more screws to remove to access the parts. Two hold on the plastic portafilter centering forks and the other two hold the plastic cover.
7. Remove the cover and you will see all the parts.
8. The parts that are most likely the cause of the grinder not turning are the little hooked piece of metal that is held onto the handle with a brass rivet. The rivet may become loose and the hook won’t catch on the gear. Or it may be a small piece of metal that is held in place with one Phillips head screw. It is designed to keep the center gear from rotating the wrong way.
We stock all parts that you may need and would be happy to help you through this process.
I hope this helps and let us know if we can do anything else.
Rocky is not working. Bummed and in major need of espresso. Have confirmed power is active, disconnected power & turned switch on & off, cleaned out, but no luck. When I press the grind button on the front, I hear a clicking noise (can't tell if the click is mechanical or electric), but the motor does not start up. Would be grateful for any thoughts or suggestions.
Thanks,
Rob Bielfeldt
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mjackson ♦ Rob,
Try turning the grind adjustment slightly when the machine is on and see if you feel it catch on one of the numbers, or rock it back and forth a little and see if it catches and then the motor should engage. If not call our technical support line for help.
Hi! Is the refurbished model the same as the one currently being sold new? What is the warranty for it, if any?
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Michael Rosso ♦ William...Thanks you for your interest in the Rancilio Rocky grinder. The refurbished model is the same as the one we currently sell. It comes with a six month warranty. Thanks
I'm trying to decide between the doser and doserless Rocky. 95% of the time I drink espresso from my Silvia. What are the pros and cons of each?
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Zack Smith John, Both machines will do a great job. The biggest difference is that with the doserless it will deposit the grinds directly into your portafilter where as with the doser you will need to pull the lever to deposit the grinds. The doser is nice if you are going to be pulling multiple shots. You can grind a set amount and use the grounds as needed. The doserless is nice in the fact that if you are just pulling a single shot you are only grinding enough beans for that shot.
I love my Rocky for use with my Silvia, usually set at 5. What grind setting would you recommend for Chemex?
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Michael Rosso ♦ Gianmarco...I would suggest you try a setting of 20 to start and adjust from there. It really depends on what you like in the way of coffee and espresso. Thanks.
we make coffee in a bun home maker we dont make expresso or have a upscale maker i need a good coffee grinder that will grind our starbucks beans and last for more than a month we have used the grinders like kitchen aide and black and decker but they are noisey and dont last long we make about 4 pots of coffee a day
thank you
troy
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Michael Rosso ♦ Troy...I would suggest either the Baratza Maestro Plus or the Baratza Virtuoso for your needs. Thanks
I am having trouble adjusting the grind level. When I press the button, the canister will rotate easlly in both directions, however it only 'locks' at about 7. Locks means that the button pops back up and it it prevented from rotating. If I try and set it at a 5, or 10, when I start grinding the vibration sends the unit back to 7 and it locks.
What do I do to get it to locak at other positions.
Thank you
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mjackson ♦ Rusty,
What you can do is set it at 5 or 10 and then just move the canister back and forth a little and you should feel it lock or click back in place. Try this and see if it helps.It seems sometime that you need to really kinda of lock it in place. Please let us know if you experience any other problems.
Zack Smith Shannon, Sorry to hear that your rocky stopped working. In order to diagnose what the problem is give our tech department a call they will be able to walk you through diagnosing your machine. 888-411-5282
After doing some coarse grinding, I am unable to return to the previous grind setting. It will only turn a bit in either direction. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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TechMilanoItalia Make sure the grinder is running while adjusting it. If it is still stuck, then you may have to remove the hopper and clean out the grinding area. Give us a call if you need assistance in doing that.

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| Part Diagram: Rancilio Rocky Parts Diagram - Doser and Doserless 07-2008.pdf | Part Number | Diagram / Page / Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Burr set Rocky | 69000032 | |
mjackson ♦ Alex,
It may be it is completely clogged. If so I will email you instructions on how to clean. It could be a wire has come off the switch. I will email you a parts diagram well. There is no fuse. If you need more help call our technical department.
07-23-2012 8:30am |