Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/10/29/good-conical-burr-grinder-for.html
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Have to chime in here. This grinder will grind from very coarse to almost powder. Large burr blade and low rpm motor make it so. Ours is now about 7 years old and going strong.
They do best if cleaned every so often; there can be quite a buildup of grounds here and there inside.
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which is quite a bit less than what I paid for it.
I can appreciate a good deal and i always look for one. That being said i value quality and reliability over getting a deal, unless its something i know will eventually go on sale so i wait. But that’s a crapshoot because there’s a high chance i will forget about it or keep indefinitely postponing it because i’m always waiting on a deal for it.
Honestly if you’re serious about getting a thing go with something you know you’ll use the hell out of and you’ll love.
There was a time I was seriously considering investing in a Rancilio setup (‘Rocky’ grinder and ‘Silvia’ espresso machine). But these days, since I’m just making drip coffee, I find a blade grinder sufficient to the task. There are other methods besides espresso where the grind is more important, of course, which would make a burr grinder worth it.
Oh thank goodness - merchandise!
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That’s my complaint about all burr grinders, they need to be cleaned often.
Have had this thing for like 10 years. It’s great, simple. Highly recommend.
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I much prefer a good Zassenhaus hand grinder, because, real wood! No electricity required!
Not really. We seldom clean ours, and it’s easy when it’s needed. Well worth the superior cup of jo.
A burr grinder is only the first half to a very nice brew. A below boil water temp is also key to avoid scorching the grind. A cheap programmable kettle does the trick.
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We had an old manual one like this growing up:
Dad would clamp it to the edge of the pine kitchen table he had built, and would start cranking away. The table top amplified the sound so it made quite racket! Eventually the duty was passed on to us kids even though we didn’t drink coffee yet. Your arm sure got tired, but it smelled great!
Just this weekend I ground some beans in my old (not as old as above) brAun blade grinder and was not happy with the range from ultra-fine to ultra-coarse that resulted. I wonder if my brother still has that old one kicking around.
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Fine if you want an electricity using, counter space taking noise making black plastic chunk of a thing to get all smudgy looking for your kitchen. Or just get a hand grinder that does the exact same thing at a fraction of the price, e.g. Plus, you get a mini workout, bro.
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I’ve had one of these for several years now and I really like it. It definitely improved the quality of coffee in this house, vs the old blade grinder I used to have.
I have this exact grinder. Got it for about a hundred bucks. The grind is good, the burrs are strong, but the twisty knob is cheap as shit and broke after only a few months’ use.
I couldn’t get a replacement from the company - in spite of multiple tries I got no response. I still use the thing (with a rubber band jammed into it to hold the inner knob while I push down and twist to get it to go) but it kinda irritates me every time I do. This would be ideal for a 3d print fix-it job, if I had a printer or the wherewithal to do so. I should just not buy cheap shit.
I had this grinder too. There is a plastic tab on the hopper that engages some other parts to set the burr distance.
All the plastic on this thing is cheap, and the hopper tab cracked off leaving the grind set permanently at the most coarse. Some other plastic cracked too, but this impacted functionality the worst.
Now I have a hand grinder and a power drill, which does the job just fine plus I can leave the drill at home and take it camping
I like bargains, but not half as much as I like conserving counter space in my tiny kitchen, so after aggressive research I went for the Hario Skerton, which is dinky and cute and not loud or expensive. It sits on a little silicone sandal that stops it skidding around, and is very easy to use (it won’t in any way tire out your arm). I just turn the handle 85 times and dump the jar into the espresso birdbath thingy.
It does have exactly one (1) flaw, which is that when you take it apart to clean, there’s no easy way to remember how the adjustment screw was set.
ETA I should add, I don’t clean it that often and AFAICT it makes no difference to the coffee when I do.
We’ve been happy with the KRUPS GVX2 burr grinder for $34. Great for my Aeropress. Bought one for my in-laws who are far pickier about their coffee and they love it. It has a small counter footprint, and really my only complaints are for some reason it’s a power vampire, staying warm even when not in use, and the small clear plastic receptacle cover is always begging to be lost.
I’ve had a Solis/Baratza grinder for about 13 years or so now, an they are tops for customer service and supplying parts for grinders. Mine’s on the third set of burrs, and when I needed a new hopper, new gaskets, I was able to order them easily. If this ever died, I’d gladly buy from them again.
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