And put the money towards a better grinder. I also purchased a Cuisinart "burr" grinder from costco DBM-8 for I think $29.99. It was loud, didn't grind well, and broke after several months of use. When I purchased it I wasn't expecting much accept a grinder better than a blade grinder that will last at least 2 yrs. Thank god for Costco's satisfaction guarantee. Because of their guarantee I purchase so much from them. I rarely return anything accept if it doesn't meet my minimu expectations.
Burr Grinder
- Thread starter JohnYaddy
- Start date
And put the money towards a better grinder. I also purchased a Cuisinart "burr" grinder from costco DBM-8 for I think $29.99. It was loud, didn't grind well, and broke after several months of use. When I purchased it I wasn't expecting much accept a grinder better than a blade grinder that will last at least 2 yrs. Thank god for Costco's satisfaction guarantee. Because of their guarantee I purchase so much from them. I rarely return anything accept if it doesn't meet my minimu expectations.
I recently retired my maestro after about 9 years of use. I know they have newer models now but when I bought mine the only difference twixt the two was that the virtuoso could grind finer. I guess for like Turkish presses and some espresso the maestro wasn't quite fine enough.
I think now the Virtuoso has a better motor (DC?). Other upgrades above the basic model include more metal in the construction -- just to give it some weight. I know other small changes have also been made because of the repair needed on my old Maestro -- the replacement part was meatier and required I use my Dremel on the original bean hopper to make the new piece fit. Oh, yes -- the grounds container is now anti-static.
Oh, it's loud, don't get me wrong. I notice that the discharge port gets build up if your coffee has any oilyness to it. Left alone, the build up will begin to reduce the size of the discharge port. If it gets too small, it reduces the ammount of coffee that goes into the cup and and get ground more than they would if they could leave freely. If not kept clear, it might cause overheating. Just an idea. I think there might be a model 6 as well. don't know if it is really different, but it looks about the same from what I can tell. I like that it contains the grounds very well and you don't end up with grounds on the counter. It has worked well for us.
+1 for the Maestro
I've been using the Maestro with great results for over four years now. I'll dial it chunky for my french press, or take it down fine for my daily espresso from the Gaggia Coffee. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get into the art and science of making good coffee.
I've been using the Maestro with great results for over four years now. I'll dial it chunky for my french press, or take it down fine for my daily espresso from the Gaggia Coffee. I would recommend it to anyone looking to get into the art and science of making good coffee.
I just upgraded from a Rancilio Rocky to a Macap MC4 Doserless Stepless Burr Grinder and I am enjoying it greatly.
Very nice!
Seriously, wow! That looks like a work of modern art. Congrats!
Sidenote:
How is the clumping from the MACAP doserless? I tend to prefer dosers for clump-removal purposes, but there are those who think clumps are "no big deal."
How is the clumping from the MACAP doserless? I tend to prefer dosers for clump-removal purposes, but there are those who think clumps are "no big deal."
I'm considering upgrading from a Zassenhaus (#156 -- manual) grinder, to a Capresso "Infinity" Conical-Burr Grinder (#565.05 -- electric, stainless-steel). I've not experienced any problems my Zassenhaus grinder, but...
I've done my homework on the 'net, and, at $139 (including S/H) this model appears to be the right one for my budget/use (French-press) -- uniformly good reviews on CoffeeGeek, and other places, too.
I currently drink only French-press-brewed coffee, but might add espresso in the near future (which machine to buy is yet-another story).
Will this make/model grinder serve my needs, or ought I consider a higher-end unit?
I've done my homework on the 'net, and, at $139 (including S/H) this model appears to be the right one for my budget/use (French-press) -- uniformly good reviews on CoffeeGeek, and other places, too.
I currently drink only French-press-brewed coffee, but might add espresso in the near future (which machine to buy is yet-another story).
Will this make/model grinder serve my needs, or ought I consider a higher-end unit?
I was just wondering, if you not having any trouble with your Zassenhaus, why do you want to up-grade?
This is what I have and bought it on cooking dot com on sale. They always have tons of stuff on sale. Very good grinder, I only use mine on the weekends since I use a keurig during the week.
+1
I have an Infinity and it's decent. I can think of a bunch of others I'd rather have, but at this price point combined with an MT-500 for the drip that I drink 99% of the time now, it's does very well.
I'd love to go back to my french press, but I am constantly changing diapers and feeding babies at home. We have to sacrifice where we can to save $ and time.
Zassenhaus coffee mills never die; they just grind to a halt.
My Zassenhaus #156 has an inscription on the bottom, dated 1972; it's burrs are damage-free, the adjustment mechanism is tight, there's no slop in the handle, and no unevenness in the grounds. Lately, though, I've been reading-up about espresso -- which would necessitate a new grinder -- and just want to "do my homework".
If you want to settle for FP at an "okay" level, you'll be fine.
If you want to venture into espresso later on, you will be upgrading your grinder before buying a machine. I would pinch pennies and strengthen my grinding arm for awhile while saving up for a used commercial espresso grinder from e-bay.
The grind quality will significantly improve your French Press brews as well, and when the time comes to buy an espresso machine, you'll already be ready to go when it arrives.
Just some thoughts. (p.s. - I think the Mazzer Mini is outrageously expensive, but I have a Mazzer Super Jolly at home.. to give you an idea on pricing)
I have noticed some minor clumping.
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