My wife bought me a new Bodum Bistro conical burr for Christmas and I love it!! Coarse enough for me to do french presses with minimal powder sludge left in your mug or pour overs that don't keep you standing there for 10 minutes. I have yet to use the ultra fine settings as I don't frequent espressos. I love the stainless burrs that are very easy to clean, and the glass catch pot that helps minimize static ground cling. Between my Hario beehive kettle and glass dripper, the bodum makes the trifecta.
Coffee Grinders ...
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- #22
Definitely gonna check the Breville out .. gonna add that bad boy to my possible list
Let me make it clear that right now, I'd go w/the Baratza if the Breville is in your budget. More for the money from a brand with a better grinder pedigree.
I concur.
The general rule of thumb until WS started carrying Hario products has been this: If you can find it in your local store, it probably isn't worth buying. MOST of the worthwhile tools for this hobby/trade can only be found online for MOST of the population.
Baratza Refurb is a FAR better value. A much higher quality grinder for the same or less money. Don't become a victim of perceived convenience.
I also have a Krups Expert burr grinder (GVX2 I think). I've had it a year and it's absolutely fine for daily use, inexpensive, easy to clean. I'm certain there are better/more pro ones out there if you need a truly reliable grind or vast quantities
Cheers,
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- #26
I got some homework to do...
I've recently done some homework. As background, I am not an expert, and I do not make espresso. I grind coffee to brew using the following devices only: Cuisinart auto drip machine; Melitta one-cup dripper; Hario V60 dripper; french press; and Aeropress. I would say that the Aeropress takes the finest grind, but that is still far from an espresso grind.
On to the homework. I started with a Krups blade grinder simply as a test to see if I could make a quick cup at the office using the Aeropress. The blade grinder worked OK for the Aeropress, but it was messy emptying the grinds into the Aeropress and it took too long to "scrape" out all of the ground coffee from the grinder - a lot of it gets stuck to the inner chamber. So I decided to buy a burr grinder for the office.
That led me to the Bodum Bistro burr grinder, which I highly recommend for the Aeropress. It was only $75.00 from Amazon. The ground coffee container is perfectly designed for use with the Aeropress. I just leave the rubber lid on the glass container, turn it over on top of the Aeropress tube, and shake rattle and roll until it is empty. Very easy, no fuss, no mess. I also use this grinder for the Melitta drip cone - I hold the filter under the chute and grind directly into the filter. Very easy. I have NOT used this grinder for french press, and can't comment on its ability to do coarse grinding. As mentioned above, I don't make espresso and also can't comment on its ability to do fine espresso grinds.
Next, I bought a Hario Mini Mill hand grinder to use early in the morning before the family wakes up. To be honest, I'm not that impressed with it (at least for drip, french press, and fine-drip grinding). The grind consistency is not very good, and I always get some large chunks mixed in with the desired grind size. Like I said before, I don't make espresso and also can't comment on its ability to do fine espresso grinds. Another complaint is that it's a little tough to go back and forth between settings because there is no "index" on the adjustment mechanism. The adjustment dial has some clicks that you can count, but that assumes that you begin at a repeatable reference point. It also takes a lot longer to grind the coffee than I had imagined, especially when grinding on the finer side. The last straw for me is that the hex shaped rod (where the handle slides on) has already started to get rounded out or stripped. If this continues, then I anticipate that the rod/handle engagement will be fully stripped and useless in less than year. This grinder is less than two months old, and I really only use it on the weekends for two/three cups of coffee, so the longevity is suspect. I think this is a great tool for traveling, especially when paired with the Aeropress or the Melitta dripper cone.
So, I decided to buy an electric burr grinder for the house, and to only use the hand grinder on road trips. After doing WAY too much research and overanalyzing everything (as usual), I decided to buy a refurbished Baratza Virtuoso. I was about to hit the "Confirm" button when I realized that the grand total after tax and shipping actually came close to the new price of $199.00. Also, the refurbished products do not come with the same warranty as the new units. I crumbled and cancelled my order. Instead, I ordered a new one from Clive coffee for $199.00 with free shipping. I just got it today, did a test grind on setting number 20 (for drip), and it looks MUCH more consistent than the Hario hand grinder. To be honest, the grind consistency of the Bodum Bistro burr grinder looks about the same for this particular setting. However, from reviews that I've read, the Virtuoso should do a much better job at coarse french press grinds and, if I ever venture into espresso territory, a better job at fine grinds, too. The Virtuoso is also built like a tank and Baratza has a very good customer service reputation. Bodum, in contrast, has lousy customer service based on my limited experience with them.
LOL, when I boxed up the Krups blade grinder for storage I found my OLD Krups blade grinder in the back of the cabinet. I guess we had put that one away in cold storage awhile back and I forgot about it. So now I own two Krups blade grinders that will never be used again, a hand grinder, and two burr grinders. CGAD?
Anyway, I hope the above cuts down on your homework time. Good luck!
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- #28
Hey NavyCut. I just bought one of the Baratza Starbucks refurbs from their website. It was $80. It is my first coffee grinder of any kind but I have to say I am MOST impressed. It feels like a tank, is easy to use and adjust, and works just grand. I have hefted a couple of the KitchenAid or Krups type grinders...do not waste your time or money. If someone has one of these I am not knocking you. Buy and use what you can afford and all that.
I was just fortunate enough to have people on this forum who steered me in the right direction. I use the Baratza for pour over grinds and espresso even though it is not supposed to be capable of a true espresso grind. My wife's cheapo DeLonghi pump espresso machine makes a good cuppa with it. It grinds very fine for this purpose. Now that I have experienced decent coffee with FRESHLY ground beans, I will not go back to off the shelf cans. At least as long as decent employment holds up! Best of luck in your search.
Regards, Todd
I was just fortunate enough to have people on this forum who steered me in the right direction. I use the Baratza for pour over grinds and espresso even though it is not supposed to be capable of a true espresso grind. My wife's cheapo DeLonghi pump espresso machine makes a good cuppa with it. It grinds very fine for this purpose. Now that I have experienced decent coffee with FRESHLY ground beans, I will not go back to off the shelf cans. At least as long as decent employment holds up! Best of luck in your search.
Regards, Todd
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- #30
Thanks for your input Phog ... I did my research over the weekend & i am now leaning towards purchasing one of the Baratza models
I just bought a Baratza Maestro refurb. Really hoping it works out!
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- #32
Awesome stuff
... That is one of the Baratza models I am looking at ... i would love to hear your input on it once you've tried it outI have two Starbucks Barista (aka Solis 166) grinders that have been going for a number of years. I would recommend them, or the newer Solis Maestro. See Coffee Geeks reviews.
To do an espresso grind, you not only need a burr grinder, it has to be a low speed grinder. A high speed grinder like a Delongi will just gum up trying to do an espresso grind. You may get it to work, but it will be a hassle. For coarser grinds the high speed burr grinder will probably be fine.
To do an espresso grind, you not only need a burr grinder, it has to be a low speed grinder. A high speed grinder like a Delongi will just gum up trying to do an espresso grind. You may get it to work, but it will be a hassle. For coarser grinds the high speed burr grinder will probably be fine.
If you can swing it, get a Baratza Vario. You can get a refurb for $360. Sure, it's not cheap, but it's positively worth it - no hesitation, it's 4X better than their Maestro's. I had a Cimbali Max Hybrid ($900 espresso grinder) and the Vario was vastly superior (I returned the CMH as a result). With this, you'll be able to take full advantage of anything from a french press, to a $4,000 espresso machine.
DC motor, electronic timer/digital display, SUPER fast adjustments from espresso to french press, ceramic burrs, programmable buttons, belt driven - just an absolute gem. This is a grinder which you'll have no "upgraditis."
DC motor, electronic timer/digital display, SUPER fast adjustments from espresso to french press, ceramic burrs, programmable buttons, belt driven - just an absolute gem. This is a grinder which you'll have no "upgraditis."
I've had good luck with the Kitchen Aid Proline grinder. There's also a review of these on Coffeegeek.
The first one I got was a refurb unit. It had some small quirks that was endemic to the original version: The lid didn't quite fit tightly enough on the bean hopper and the Kitchen Aid logo on said hopper didn't line up to the front of the machine (though these had no effect on performance). Also, the chute had a slight shelf where a few beans would sit as the hopper emptied out. Again, minor.
Those might have been real annoyances if I paid full price, but I got it for $99 at the time, which is half of retail.
After using it for a while, and comparing it to an identical model my brother owns, I realized my unit was somewhat loud. This was driven home recently when I picked up another used one and noticed it was significantly quieter. This one is a real pleasure to use. I've been very happy with it.
The issue with noise in my first one was a bigger annoyance than I realized since getting the second machine. They both grind beans perfectly, but these little things make a difference. Kitchen Aid has since revamped this machine with minor improvements, so it's possible the new ones are rock solid.
One complaint of the original units was that some users could not get the grind quite fine enough for their espresso machines. This seems to have been a sample-to-sample variation as other users had no issues whatsoever. Hopefully, KA has addressed this QC issue in their newest update of this great grinder.
This unit is worth looking into if you're looking to spend up to $200 msrp. I believe you can find it for less if you shop around.
The first one I got was a refurb unit. It had some small quirks that was endemic to the original version: The lid didn't quite fit tightly enough on the bean hopper and the Kitchen Aid logo on said hopper didn't line up to the front of the machine (though these had no effect on performance). Also, the chute had a slight shelf where a few beans would sit as the hopper emptied out. Again, minor.
Those might have been real annoyances if I paid full price, but I got it for $99 at the time, which is half of retail.
After using it for a while, and comparing it to an identical model my brother owns, I realized my unit was somewhat loud. This was driven home recently when I picked up another used one and noticed it was significantly quieter. This one is a real pleasure to use. I've been very happy with it.
The issue with noise in my first one was a bigger annoyance than I realized since getting the second machine. They both grind beans perfectly, but these little things make a difference. Kitchen Aid has since revamped this machine with minor improvements, so it's possible the new ones are rock solid.
One complaint of the original units was that some users could not get the grind quite fine enough for their espresso machines. This seems to have been a sample-to-sample variation as other users had no issues whatsoever. Hopefully, KA has addressed this QC issue in their newest update of this great grinder.
This unit is worth looking into if you're looking to spend up to $200 msrp. I believe you can find it for less if you shop around.
Tried it today (following a snafu in which the hopper arrived broken in shipment, and Baratza sent me a free replacementAwesome stuff
) and I have to say that it's pretty darn great. Granted I have zero experience with grinders but the grind it gave was extremely fine and consistent with very little left over in the hopper. I'm rather pleased. For my purposes it will do nicely.
I believe that's the other one that's been frequently recommended for years in the $100-200 price range. (Was trying to remember what it was.)
+1 I bought this for my girlfriend for a valentines present, and we both love it. We use it for espresso grind, and granted it's marginal for espresso, but it's a great grinder for the price.
Yeah, it suits my needs perfectly for french press/drip/pour over. I'm not an espresso connoisseur, and have no current need for uber fine grind.
