The Best Espresso Grinder Under £250

[@misteralfredo]

A point of recommendation as a data guy who loves data visualization: the Particle Size Analysis could be much more consumable if it was in a box and whisker comparison showing the different percentiles and outliers. I think it would display a better idea of how "tight" the intended vs unintended grinds end up being from each other. Also, a linear heat map for each grinder would be a good way to view what intensity each grinder is producing at each particle size. Perhaps you have already arranged the data in this way and it wasn't as insightful as perhaps I think it would be, but I wanted to bring it up to see if you've at least considered it!

[@BoiledOctopus]

Coffee aficionados wax lyrical about "evenly ground beans," yet any inspection of these so-called "grounds" reveals a reality more akin to a bag of mixed nuts than a scientific marvel. Coarse boulders of bean rubble cavort with powdery specks of near-atomic fineness. It is a universe of disparity, an affront to Newtonian ideals. Surely, a French press deserves the dignity of gravel, not the dust of instant coffee. Are we to believe this chaos is accidental? Or is Big Coffee orchestrating this inconsistency to keep us perpetually upgrading our grinders?

[@TheJaniable]

As someone who had no idea how to interpret the graphs in the video, I agree with any improvements

[@furiosarana1857]

Switching from the pdf to cumulative density function could also help without losing the distribution shape. Makes it easy to read which grinder has more particles above/below size x, slope shows how narrow or wide the peaks are, and does not have problems with subjective perception of colour and accessibility like a coloured heat map.

[@BoiledOctopus]

Coffee aficionados wax lyrical about "evenly ground beans," yet any inspection of these so-called "grounds" reveals a reality more akin to a bag of mixed nuts than a scientific marvel. Coarse boulders of bean rubble cavort with powdery specks of near-atomic fineness. It is a universe of disparity, an affront to Newtonian ideals. Surely, a French press deserves the dignity of gravel, not the dust of instant coffee. Are we to believe this chaos is accidental? Or is Big Coffee orchestrating this inconsistency to keep us perpetually upgrading our grinders?

[@wroomwroomboy123]

​@@furiosarana1857would also be a much cleaner plot without looking like a bunch of stacked power spectra plots.

[@lulamaeatliberty4632]

re: Button on the Baratza - I use it when there is just one or 2 beans 'popcorning" around the chamber. I turn off the main switch and allow the bean(s) to settle against the burrs before pulsing again.

[@TheAngelCrusha]

This is the way.

[@mju135]

I use the button when grinding filter coffee with the hopper instead of single dosing into the grinder. I can tell by feeling when I'm hitting 15 grams but if I end up a little short I can grind an extra gram or two quickly the button.

[@embodythejotun]

same here

[@dorianthegray]

I've got the encore and that's precisely what I use the button for. Some of the beans like to just ride around the side almost indefinitely, so a little start and stop action is needed for them to catch a sharp edge and start grinding.

[@rickdenney5772]

Yup. My Encore sometimes bounces a bean around. Letting the burr stop allows it to settle, and a touch of the button grinds that last bean.

[@michaelgbuck]

I got the Baratza ESP about 5 months ago. I already had the baratza-gear single dose hopper from my Encore and I put that on straight away; I use the top to bellows a little to keep retention down. Wife and I are always switching between Espresso settings and Pour Over and have had no major issues with retention exchange. I would say that the sound it makes is quite horrible when it's empty but It cleans easy, it's cheap, it makes a great cup. With all the good it does and the ability to do espresso and filter, it is fully recommended by me. If you take your money as seriously as you take your coffee, this grinder will suit you 100%.

[@jackanakanory]

This echoes my experience with the encore. It's so simple switching between extreme grind settings.

[@johnp-e9963]

Single dose hopper and a spritz of water makes all the difference. Also it seems to be quieter with the single dose hopper rather than the original.

[@rozsdamarta]

The single dose hopper can used as a bellow, like James described for the Opus, but you don't see the scratches. Yes, that sound is terrible. I wonder when will one of my neghbours wisit me to complain. I have seena video where someon put foam insulation inside the housing. Maybe I will do the same.

[@SG12356]

Agreed! I have the Baratza ESP too - been using it for almost a year and it works great. Yeah, it's noisy... but grinding beans for 1 latte doesn't take long so I don't actually notice the noise much.

[@rinamackereth5542]

I bought a Baratza Encore because the Reddit forums all said it was the best entry level decent burr grinder. I have never tried coffee from the other grinders. But I like my Baratza Encore and I have to say, I am glad my coffee guru Mr Hoffman thinks it's ok too.

[@MitchellJRo]

I have the Fellow Opus. You didn’t do a review so I trusted others and my instincts and decided to purchase it. You’re correct - it makes great coffee and great espresso. And you’re also correct, the retention is terrible. And the UI of the inner adjustment is confusing initially. But, for my budget, and for enjoying both filter coffee and espresso drinks and not wanting two separate grinders, I have been very happy with it. The sound is not bad at all, in fact it’s almost pleasant. It’s a powerful little machine that never fails on its most important function - producing a grind that makes tasty coffee. I would recommend it. You just have to be okay with giving it a few smacks after it’s done grinding. I can live with a plastic build and a little extra fuss for a 2-in-1 grinder that makes good coffee. If you spray your beans, keep it clean, and are proactive about preventing excess retention it really becomes part of a routine that isn’t as annoying as when I first started using it. Thanks for the review! I was both excited and worried when I saw the Opus in the lineup today.

[@BoiseCZ]

I bought the Opus in early September - couldn't get it to work for pourovers. I had to set the inner burr AND outer ring to coarsest settings to get a 20g/300ml v60 at under 4 minutes. I actually got a second one and got the same results. I returned both of mine and got the DF54. How are you making your coffees?

[@MitchellJRo]

@ huh. Very odd. I use a steep and release and don’t use a V60 pour over very often, but I keep my inner ring to factory calibration, and I set the outer ring to 5ish for steep and release, and usually 6-7ish for pour overs. I’ve never had issues with choking up. I use both light and medium roasted coffees and the stock Hario filters. Sorry your experience wasn’t good. Wish I had a better recommendation for you. Maybe it’s just that I mostly use steep and release so I go a little finer but even then when I release the slurry draw down time for 250ml/15mg the drawdown is usually 2 minutes max. My v60 times are usually about 3min at the 6-7 setting. Results may vary. But I’ve had no real issues so far. Hope the 54 is better for you! I preferred that one when shopping but went for a little cheaper option.

[@CookingCocktailswithBoiseC-c2v]

@@MitchellJRo Worked with support for 4 weeks - took several emails before they actually worked on my issue. Just the strangest thing especially since I wasn't seeing others having similar issues. So far, DF54 is doing the job.

[@wclarknewton]

@@BoiseCZI have no issues getting v60 brew times around 3:30 when grinding between 6-8. Maybe too much agitation kicking fines to the filter? Or the specific coffee?

[@macccu]

My opus got completely clogged after 9 months :D To be fair I did not really took good care of it and didn't react as grind times got higher. But few good bumps and it puked out tons of retained coffee and it's running great again!

[@hovis0504]

I just prefer to crush the beans under the weight of my massive disappointment

[@LasstUnsSpielen]

Nothing is more powerful than negative emotions.

[@JamesBD05]

I often just show the beans my face and that makes them want to combust

[@athensbiker]

I spat my cappuccino while reading this

[@thesayarism]

😂

[@ginnungagap9793]

Do you get a relatively even crushing on your beans? Does it matter **how** disappointed you are, as to how evenly and how finely ground the results are?

[@josephhargrove4319]

I have no experience with other makes of grinder, but I've been using a Baratza for single-pot or single-cup brewed coffee for at least a decade. Yes it's loud. Yes, there's no static control - I spritz my beans and the static cling problem no longer is. I find it easy to maintain. I've also discovered that it doesn't like grinding up the occasional small piece of gravel that haunts the beans I buy. I've had to replace two burr holder rings because the tabs that hold it in place break off when it can't grind what you put in it, which definitely beats a damaged burr. What I really like about Baratza, at least in the U.S., is a) as far as I can tell every piece of the grinder is available as a spare part on their US website; and b) I've had nothing but positive experiences with customer support and spare part ordering. I do wish my grinder weren't so loud but I can tolerate it for the years of consistent performance I've experienced. richard --

[@gilleschercuitte4255]

I bought the DF64 because a large flat burr was intriguing to me. What a revelation. Yes the most important part of home espresso is your grinder. Never understood what James was talking about these flavour profiles until now. OMG what a difference.

[@TheSwoon69]

DF64 is still what I always recommend. Bought mine 5 years ago and it's still my favorite (I did install ssp cast burrs last year tho).

[@RandyLittleStudios]

Shardor 64mm flat burr is every bit as good if not better. Brass on steel zero ware threads. Little post to turn adjustment wheel. Less then half the price. Its $120 on amazon right now. Yeah so you get a df64 gen 2 quality grinder for less then a DF 54. Oh and the ionizer stays clean .

[@vuduong173]

I would say the DF64V is the best value. Though, the gen 2 is a huge disappointment for me. Ymmv, of course.

[@gilleschercuitte4255]

@ I bought Gen. 2.3 with DLC burrs. Can’t be happier. It actually cost the same as my first grinder, the Rancilio Rocky. Couldn’t believe the step up for the same price.

[@boxrick1]

@@RandyLittleStudios I tried the Shardor... honestly found it dissapointing.

[@FistingGuru]

I bought the Baratza Encore ESP a couple of months ago, and i really like it. The noise doesn't bother me that much honestly, it doesn't have that high pitched whirring all the other one you tested has which would make my ears bleed every morning. The extra 10 dB is a worthy tradeoff in my eyes.

[@ableeawkward2917]

I agree, I've got the ESP and the sound is no bother just because of the quality, pitch and timbre.

[@ekjswim]

Compared to the other grinder sounds, it's the only one I'd accept an encore from!

[@ninal5027]

Best way to spend half an hour on KZbin. Welcome back, James 🎉

[@Avispa37]

I have been using the Sage for a year now and find it works well for me. Perhaps I'm lucky that my portafilter seems to fit well into the holder and I get good distribution and rarely any spillage. The key for me is being able to use the grinder quickly. The timer setting, portafilter holder and the convenient button behind the dispenser means you can dispense the right amount very quickly. This makes a difference for me when making coffee at 5am with a train to catch. A solid weekday workhorse. I think the review over-emphasises single dosing of a specific volume of coffee. Thats a Sunday morning occupation.

[@Vanessacatcat]

I too have the Breville smart grinder pro and I prefer it to my Baratza sette grinder. Much quieter! Easier to adjust between espresso and drip. Far, far less messy. I like sticking my portafilter in to have it automatically filled from the full hopper, just so convenient. I like that I can buy extra hoppers for other types of coffee beans and hot swap on a whim. I’m old fashioned too, just like my grinder, I dislike fancy fruity beans and I just want a nice chocolatey dark roast Italian espresso without fuss.

[@misterpopo3208]

I have owned the Breville (Sage) grinder, and now own a DF54 - massive step up in terms of espresso.

[@darrylmarko3221]

Same, although my SmartGrinder was the pre-Pro version. I find the DF54 vastly superior, even for mess. My SmartGrinder created a lot of static mess, and although the DF54 does create some, I find that a bit of RDT and using the bellows keeps the the ionizer clean. I rarely feel the need to brush clean the ionizer and chute. Fantastic grinder for the money.

[@robertdickinson9352]

I've had a smart grinder for about three years. It's been a good intro into the world, but has recently started clashing the burrs on finer grinds. Certainly considering the DF54 as an upgrade.

[@jackadams8745]

Same!

[@rossyhead69]

So the single dose grinding isn’t an issue? Very tempted myself

[@darrylmarko3221]

@@rossyhead69 part of the reason I went with the DF54 was specifically because I was already single dosing. Honestly, unless you're making a minimum of 4 or 5 espressos a day, single dosing is the way to go anyway. Not to mention that it's the only way to pull specific ratios, other than a grind-by-weight grinder. I personally don't find single dosing troublesome at all.

[@CarletonTorpin]

Marathon. Great work all. 5 espressos in and James is still coherently reviewing the grinders.

[@malenky4057]

I've had the Sage for maybe 6 or 7 years and it's served me well the whole time. Honestly I quite like dumping a bag of coffee in to the hopper and getting it set once, and then not having to worry about weighing out every time. I will note I did buy one of those regular dosing cups to use with it for ease of transferring into my portafilter, because the portafilter doesn't fit great. It ends up stacking up heavily on one side or even completely falling out.

[@YukonHawk1]

I do the same thing. I keep the ground coffee in an airtight container. A vacuum type container.

[@LairdDavidson]

I've had mine for about the same amount of time. Easy to set and use, intuitive for switching between grind types, no static, little mess. I really can't be bothered with weighing my beans so being able to set the dose on the grinder is good enough for me.

[@dimitrispapathanasiou7893]

I got the Baratza ESP. Love the simplicity of it. Enjoying the taste of my espresso. Great little machine.

[@TheAngelCrusha]

I've had my Baratza Encore before the ESP came out (and before I started brewing espresso). Grateful that the parts are so interchangeable as I was able to simply pick up the M2 Burr to essentially upgrade it into the ESP (albeit without the fancier step action) and agree, been very much enjoying my espresso.

[@gredystar8333]

@@TheAngelCrusha uhh, i am glad you enjoy it, but the point of the ESP IS the fancy step action, the better burrs are a nice bonus, but the regular encore doesn't really have the granularity to dial in your espresso properly. I am not saying it will make bad espresso, but the steps are just way too large to bring out a specific characteristic out of your bean if you desire, one step might be a bit sour with a little sweetness, the next is a little sweeter but now more bitterness, you don't get to find that perfectly balanced middle point a lot of the time. Again, not saying it isn't usable, and it IS a perfectly acceptable budget option if you have the encore already, but the two machines are very much different even with the same burrs, and the steps make the ESP miles better for espresso. I am just pointing this out because the regular encore with the burr upgrade is like $20 cheaper than the ESP at the moment, so if anyone DOESN'T have either machine and is debating which one to get, spend the extra $20. They are not the same machine; the ESP is outright superior.

[@TheAngelCrusha]

@gredystar8333 Cool bro 🤙 I'm happy I spent $35 on a big upgrade instead of spending $200 on an incremental upgrade. Nowhere in my comment did I recommend people buy the encore in lieu of the ESP for an espresso grinder. Just that I had an existing grinder and was able to make it workable as the parts are compatible, thus other people who also have an encore have an option.

[@TheAngelCrusha]

@@gredystar8333 Also, spending an additional $200 for a second grinder is not a "budget option". At that point buy a $400+ grinder and this entire argument is moot.

[@nick_cnc]

I have a DF54 - absolutely love it. It's a pleasure to use and makes great coffee. I've had it since it was first released. I start my morning with a filter brew while I wait for my espresso machine to heat up. The DF54 has zero problems switching back and forth between the two grind settings. I have maybe two minor gripes - the bellows gets knocked off too easily, and when I RDT the beans, sometimes they stick to top of the anti-popcorn device and I have to clear them off. I've been lusting after some of the grinders featured on this channel for a while now - the solidly built, flat burr, low retention grinders - but they have always been, to me, unjustifiably expensive. The DF54 gives me everything I ever wanted from a grinder and at an incredible price. I no longer have grinder envy when looking at $500+ options.

[@TheDailyQuack]

I feel your pain on the bellows thing. My groggy ass always knocks them off in the morning, lol.

[@burnik3000]

Is it worthit to get the df 64 for 50$ more?

[@morphmkd]

@@burnik3000 for only 50$ more? That is a steal. Buy it immediately! The stock burrs are somewhat similar in the profile with more clarity but also much faster grinding and better filter coffee. Also for future you have tons of 64mm options to switch the burrs in regard to your preferences what you want in your cup.

[@nick_cnc]

@@burnik3000 where are you finding a df64 that cheap? It's like a $150 difference everywhere I can see.

[@sofasoundeffects]

@@burnik3000 Personally I also considered the fact the 54 is smaller and quieter and by all accounts they seem to make an ideantical cup of coffee. Yes the 54 will take about 5/10 seconds longer but that's fine by me. The quieter operation, smaller footprint and lower price meant the 54 was the better option for me, personally. I also never found it to be messy and static-y and only have to brush it clean every few weeks if not months.

[@rileydmcdonald]

I've had a Varia VS3 for a little over a year and a half now and I love it. I came from the Baratza Encore and was thrilled with the whole thing. Design, consistency, ease of cleaning, retention - it's all leaps and bounds better than my Encore was. I do find it moves on me for espresso (frustrating!), and I often end up holding it. Or I put heavy silicone grease on the threads and that can help. But retention is minimal and I like that I can go back and forth from filter and espresso without worry. On my Encore (a non-esp version, mind you) every time I made filter coffee it would throw my espresso way, way off. I've never made coffee at home with a flat burr grinder, so I don't know the difference. To my taste, I like all the coffee my VS3 produces, including filter... But I've not got much to compare it to.

[@AndreaDellaCorte-qg2zg]

same here bro, I love my varia, I tried specialita from a friend of mine and maybe taste clarity is better, but in terms of qulity of life I think vs3 is the best

[@polloloco26]

Me too and I have the hypernova burrs. I like them for filter better than the stock ones. I havent had issues with moving and I switch between 3,5 and 7 and it hasnt failed yet.

[@mlb10384]

@@polloloco26 I also upgrade to the hypernova and mostly use mine for filter and am enjoying it over the last 6 months

[@danielnemeth3640]

I also have the varia and had the moves during grinding. Once when I cleand it, I put the bearing upside down like before, used the silicon grease and it stopped moving. Since then I always pay attention to put back the bearing the same way and still have no issues.

[@nickpugh8879]

Another happy VS3 owner for 18months + I had noticed extractions changing slightly from day to day and never thought for a second the setting was moving, I’ll check it closer now after watching the video. I wrongly diagnosed the change in extractions down the beans aging over a period of days. I upgraded the burr set but can’t remember which ones I fitted 😂 A great “small footprint” option for me and the power brick sits behind my coffee machine so it really hasn’t been an issue.

[@alliterationking2029]

Couple of notes as a Smart Grinder Pro user: 1. A $10 3D printed bellows off of Etsy helped massively with my retention issues (which I've had more difficulty with than the charts might have indicated). 2. You can almost always get factory-warrantied, refurbished model from Breville/Sage directly for

[@richardburfoot8638]

Bellows for me have made the SGP a very usable and affordable dose grinder … I paid £148 for mine two years ago direct from Sage UK with a vouchers from Kev’s Coffee

[@08Anno]

Agreed with this. After 2 years with the grinder I accidentally broke the hopper and decided to upgrade to a 3D printed single dose setup on etsy with a bellows. Fills lots of nooks and crannies that retained coffee beforehand and the bellows gets the rest out. In terms of coffee in to coffee out I'm pretty spot on most of the time. Not having the gigantic hopper is an aesthetic improvement as well.

[@TimSheehan]

I've had one for about 5 years, was on sale at the equivalent of around 125 USD / EUR brand new. Definitely chocolatey but I like that. Thanks for the tip about the bellows, I don't single dose at the moment but nice to have the option

[@Adam-ul2he]

I have had a DF54 for a few months now. It is my first "good" grinder. It was messier than I expected at first but I have found that it has gotten much less messy after a couple months' use. I do wet the beans and stick a brush up the nose occasionally but that's it. If I was making larger batches it would be annoying but I am the only coffee drinker in my house so it is perfect for me. The filter coffee and espresso I get out of it is amazing... my only real complain now is that I prefer to make my own coffee each morning instead of taking the free office coffee!

[@jonathansnead2331]

This is the best video to see drop the morning after researching this exact question 🙌

[@ginnungagap9793]

Synchronicity is wild 😅

[@MrRomeo2000]

Law of attraction.

[@ryandeward6646]

Same! My grinder just broke yesterday and I started my research today!

[@dancitydancestudios]

I have the varia for about a year. Never had an issue with settings moving.really like it

[@dark_foufou]

You're lucky, mine is also one year old and it drifts AF...

[@jamescraig2625]

Had a Gen 1 VS3 fortunately didn’t have the drift issue but completely stopped working after about a year 🙃

[@rblangie]

Yeah same. No issues at all

[@mattbattyo]

I've got the Opus and really enjoy it. I really only make espresso with one coffee, so I dialed the fine adjustment in for the espresso I like and haven't touched it since. I have found that there's a fair amount of retention on the burrs, and that gently adjusting to the finest setting and back before doing the helped effect clears the majority of it. It's also worth mentioning that it is considerably louder with a harsher tone with the cover off of the hopper. Lastly, if you do spray water on the beans, they can stick to the hopper at times with the shallow angle of it. A couple taps fixes that but it's worth mentioning.

[@TheMaziqueen]

I picked up the DF54 and its wonderful. Using for both Espresso and french press. Upgraded from a hand grinder.

[@daniel.lopresti]

What setting do you use for French press? I mostly use mine for espresso (also have a hand grinder that I mostly use for filter / french press / moka). I find that my DF54, even on max setting of 90, is still not very coarse at all.

[@Penul15]

I have had the Opus ( picked it over the Baratzza ) now for over a year and your comments , as usual, are very accurate. I get good coffee but the work flow, especially the setup, leaves a lot to be desired. Good coffee but more 'work' than necessary. Great looks, but noisy! Pretty good value.

[@waldojpg]

Exactly my experience!

[@vimmotion3481]

Discovering there's an app (Beanie for Fellow Opus) helped me a lot with the setup; I just save screenshots for each type of beans on my phone.

[@FlipmodeBG]

that micro adjustment is just infuriating

[@secretwpn]

Just curious, roughly what kind of settings do you use for espresso on Opus? Thanks.

[@nguye578]

I don't mind the noise and it seems to be on the "quieter" end of grinders. Probably the biggest annoyance that I have with the Opus (I only use it for filter coffer, so I don't regularly adjust the grind size) is the amount of retention. And to get the retention out after every few uses is annoying and makes a small mess each time. Otherwise after a year of use, no other major grimes other than normal wear and scuffing.

[@aftermathlan]

I really got into serious espresso brewing during the pandemic and bought the Smart Grinder Pro after my cheap grinder broke. I have been using it almost every day for 4 years now and with minimal care. I dump my beans in so that they last me and my wife for about a week and I am happy with it. It's a workhorse and I like that I don't have to clean it after every use. Or even every week or even month. The retention is a real problem but I mostly get consistent shots so I don't mind reusing the coffee from yesterday's brew. Maybe someday if it breaks then I'll go up a step and get a good flat burr grinder for single dose. Thank you very much, James, for reviewing and testing these affordable models for ordinary people. Keep up the good work

[@jptalisman]

Similar story with my wife and I. Bought a Smart Grinder Pro 4-ish years ago, gets used 1-3 times a day almost every day, have given it embarrassingly low amount of cleaning/maintenance, and it hasn't missed a beat.

[@Vanessacatcat]

@@jptalisman Same here, I love it and it’s a work horse for basic every day espresso.

[@NinjAsylum]

I have the Baratza Encore ESP and I have zero complaints. 100% HIGHLY recommend the 'bellows' add-on so you can get close to 100% of the ground coffee out of it. It works perfectly.

[@andrewsanjayprasad]

I’ve been waiting for this! 7yrs into Sage Grinder Pro ownership and ready for moving on, but also wanted to see what else was comparable at this price point. And it kinda confirms my thought, that I need to move up a bracket for a noticeable improvement. Sounds a little damning to the SGP, but actually for the money, back then, it’s a great thing. Just the market’s moved on

[@SuperBigCamel]

I've been using the Sage Smart Grinder Pro for a few years now, and I'm quite happy with it. I do weigh my beans and use the grinder single dose style. I do grind directly into the portafilter with a machined funnel on top. I also use the grinder to grind coarser espresso for my Nanopresso. I do like chocolaty notes and drink my espresso cortado style, but with oat milk. I don't feel the need to upgrade. Thank you for the video. I think it's very helpful.

[@richardburfoot8638]

Some bellows are a great addition for single dosing imho

[@paulreid944]

I've had a Sage Dose Control Pro, for several years, I bought it because I only grind for espresso and didn't need the bells and whistles of the Smart Grinder Pro. I have been very happy with my machine and believe that it represented great value for money at the time, it does exactly what I want it to do and has been great to use. I really enjoyed this review and made my purchase after you previously reviewed the Breville. Thank you for your enthusiasm, insight and style.

[@Gunny_]

I got my Opus at launch, I've been very happy with it, just need to use a small brush or dedicated toothbrush to clean the exit every once in a while to clean out the de-ionizer. I did have an issue where it wasn't grinding lighter coffee correctly after a few months, I sent their support a quick video of the issue, and they had a new one sent to me within 2 days of my report, so very pleased with the support aspect.

[@heatherlynnrigaud7385]

A month ago I was looking for an affordable grinder for espresso and found the DF54. So of course, I went to see what the Master had to say about it, and nothing. Nada. Can't help you. I put it on my wish list and left it for another day and today is that day!!! I have an older Baratza I want to replace and am so pleased to hear the good news from my favorite Coffee Evangelist. Thank you for the wonderful work you do.

[@BoiseCZ]

I did the same but didn't wait for this video. I pulled the trigger on the DF54 about 3 weeks ago. I'm using it for espressos and v60 and am loving it. BTW, I tried the Opus and couldn't get good pourover results with it. Actually bought a second machine thinking maybe it was a factory adjustment issue and got the same results. It couldn't grind coarse enough for me.

[@KC93SE]

I have the Baratza - the biggest selling points for me are that I can buy any and all parts for it to repair it (if I need to, at least when I got it), I can send it in for repair if needed, and the one I got was factory-refurbished so I got a great deal on it. 😊 I don't use it often, but it never fails to help make good coffee.

[@brekkoh]

That camera sweep at 3:18 was beautiful always love you sneaking little advanced techniques into vids to up the feel of quality

[@nmrubeck]

was just gonna note this, i love it so much!!

[@cbowns]

Same! What a neat sweep. New track in the studio!?

[@Crazee108]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one thst noticed. So smooth.

[@abelgeringer4239]

I had the first generation of vaira and got a new one after ~10 months, bc it destroyed itself (loved it untill it worked tho). The second generation (that I got for free) is even better. Never ever had an issue with the settings moving (with either of them) and I don't care about the grind time bc I like to fiddle around while it's grinding. The brick is hidden with no issues for me (totally understand that many may not be able to hide it tho). After this video I am 100% sure the varia was the best choice for me. It's quiet, small af, built like a tank, looks insanely good (in black!) and love the coffee it makes. The others may be better, but for me this is what I care about :) Love that there are so many options so that everybody can find the one that fits best!

[@dmitrif2109]

Couldn't have said better myself. Varia VS3 is perfect for me. Easy to clean, consistent, low mess .45 sec to grind? That's perfect time to preheat portafilter in breville bambino plus. Lots of crema, only use for espresso, no milk, no sugar. Negative: once you dial in your espresso, you will never be able to drink it anywhere else

[@Cloudimfm]

I bought Varia about a month ago. While I share the same frustrations (also got the white model...) I still enjoy the process of grinding coffee. It is small, quiet, low retention and kinda satisfying to use

[@AlessandroParisi95]

Hi, did you buy from the UK? My parcel is blocked they are asking me to pay additional crazy amount of duty taxes to receive the item. Did you pay as well?

[@Cloudimfm]

@@AlessandroParisi95 No, I am EU resident and I ordered from store within the EU

[@Petebas]

James, I recently found your channel as I was researching the aeropress and have gone down the rabbit hole😊. I appreciate the approach, honesty, and wit that you bring to your reviews. This channel brings me joy and I am glad to have found it!

[@AaronAbbotttheoncomingstorm]

This is the exact type of content I started following this channel for. And, as it turns out, I've had my eye on the Opus since it came out, so this is very much relevant content to me.

[@bobthepirate911]

I have had the DF54 for about 6 months, and it's great. Agree with everything you said. I love the bellows, I enjoy using bellows so no problems at all.

[@lindhe]

About how much coffee can you fit in the hopper of the DF54? Just about 15 g, or more?

[@troyoo]

This video comes out right as I was discussing entry point espresso grinders with a friend and talking about the Encore ESP and Fellow Opus, your timing is absolutely impeccable ! I own the Encore ESP and so far I've only used it for filter coffee. I haven't had the disposable income to get a good entry espresso machine yet, but seeing your praise of it for both espresso and filter makes me excited for when that time comes !

[@markelder1345]

I have the Breville Smart Pro & have had it for 2 years now. One of the reasons I bought it was, besides the good reviews it got at the time, the black version I got looked appropriate with my 20 year old black Francis Francis X1. Not the greatest reason, but still a factor. Price was also a selling point & it has performed well. I use it mainly for espresso, but occasionally for drip coffee. It’s easy to clean, adjust, and I like the direct fill to my portafilter. I would say you judged it fairly although I think it is more solidly built than some of the other grinders you reviewed. Loved the video!

[@michaelrossmaessler200]

I've had one for a little over 5 years. I got it in red (Cranberry) and I use for multiple coffee brewing methods. For a quieter experience I use the catch cup hit the button and walk away.

[@ianburton9030]

I bought one in 2013 and it's still going (now at work).

[@Vanessacatcat]

I love all the colors that it comes in, I have the dark blue. It’s almost black but sparkles when the sun hits it, just lovely.

[@Dis236]

Man, I love these roundups. I think James is the absolute best at them. He goes into every single little detail all while making these 40 minutes just fly by!

[@JoeDouglas-m9h]

I bought the Opus a few months ago, and love it. All of the comments James makes are true. At the end of the day the reason i bought it was b/c i think it looks the best and doesn't scream "i'm a coffee grinder" and I like that. The opus can get really messy if you don't spray the beans once in awhile. Great balance between changing from espresso to pour over for my daily drinks.

[@BoiseCZ]

I bought one in September. Found that the recommendations for Espresso were way off. Hopper top says 1-2, I needed 3 to get an espresso shot to pull. But my bigger issue was I couldn't get coarse enough for pourover. There's now way it would work for French press or cold brew. I had support send me a new outer burr and I tried a second machine. Saw the exact same results. Really disappointed - and how anyone can get it to work well for a pourover is a mystery to me. I had to set the inner burr to coarse and the outer to 11 to get a decent result. I returned both Opus grinders and got a DF54. Curious if you're using it for pourover.

[@JoeDouglas-m9h]

@@BoiseCZ oh that's a bummer. I found that darker beans i can get it down to about 1.5 for Espresso. I'm not sure what all the variables would be but a good question for @JamesHoffmann. I've found that for espresso it depends on the beans light - dark. and then the machine, I don't think my machine has enough pressure to pull a good shot at anything below the 1.5. I do a pour over daily, right at the recommend levels. I do drink floral light roasts that may be part of it.

[@j-mo-2]

@@BoiseCZ I use it for a pourover 4-5 times per week and for espresso 2-3 times per week. I use a standard Hario V60 with the standard filters, 34g in and 540g out typically with the grinder set somewhere between 5 & 6 and it works well. I frequently buy different coffee and have noticed that with some of the Ethiopian beans the grinder will produce more fines and will choke the pourover if I agitate it too much (aka too much swirling). Maybe this was happening with yours.

[@williamswu4851]

@@BoiseCZ I've been doing 3 to 3.2 for medium to medium light roast espresso shots on mine and darker roasts can get to 2 for some beans. Lately started playing with cold brew using lighter roasts at grind setting 8 which is working out very well. Not sure about pour over.

[@EphemeralTao]

@@JoeDouglas-m9h The roast will definitely affect how well a particular grind size brews. As a general rule, you'll want a smaller grind size for lighter roasts, since the beans are denser, than for darker roasts, which are less dense.

[@MartonB]

I've been using the Fellow Opus for almost a year. It's a pretty versatile grinder, but I mainly use it for espresso and aeropress. As James said, retention can be an issue. Unless you start using the lid as a bellows. This way, there won't be any leftovers in the machine. I'm not hung up on the inner adjustment ring. In most cases, the outer ring is enough to get a decent result. Indeed, the material is plastic, but it's a well built product and I really like the design.

[@MicheleChimenti]

Totally agree. Same experience for me

[@raymondjohnson2593]

About a year ago I took the step from Pour over / Press coffee to Espresso, bought a Breville Bambino. I had a Baratza Maestro grinder which I'd been using for years and it had an espresso grind setting. Well, not really, even set to 0 it produced 12 second shots of hot coffeeish flavored water. I liked the build quality and service I got from the folks at Baratza when I needed it, so I purchased the Encore ESP. It has been an exceptional machine for how I use it. OK, it is a little loud, but I'm old and losing my hearing, so no worries. Thanks for all you do James.

[@HululusLabs]

I have the Breville, and 3d printed a the Single Dose Hopper found on Printables, there's also a bunch of bellows prints that will probably fit, but I haven't tried. It has served me well. I have since upgraded to the Timemore 078S and am loving it.

[@MicheleChimenti]

Great video! I have the Fellow Opus and delighted with it. It makes great espresso and aeropress. Agree bits are fiddly, but don’t bother me much and at this price you can’t expect perfection. Specifically I have found it surprisingly quiet. You quickly get used to the micro adjustment. Using the lid as a bellow is actually has actually quite a satisfying sensation.

[@terryhur]

I've been holding back on getting an automatic grinder for years, but I have finally ordered a DF-54 today after watching this video. Thanks for the thorough review!

[@yvineikeland8734]

I have the df54. The ionizer clogs up when there is a high flow of coffee going through it. To avoid this, I pour the coffee beans in a little at a time(5-10g I think). This is only necessary for filter grinding. For espresso, the grind is so slow that it does not clog. If the chute DOES clog (I see static), I have a 5mm tube that insert up the chute and then blow the coffee out using my mouth.

[@JBthePAdashC]

James!!! It’s like you read my mind. Thank you for making this video. I had already decided I wanted a grinder for Christmas in this price point and this helped me make my pick.

[@Enn-]

I own the Fellow Opus, but not an espresso machine. I agree with you that the sound is good. I disagree with your preference for the cup, as the smaller cup holds in well and fits great for the aeropress. It has a little retention, but the anti-static system does a good job. I find a gentle "tap-tap", followed by a little pump of the lid clears out nearly everything. I look forward to your review of it for coffees other than espresso, as it's worked well for me for aeropress, v60, drip, French press, and cold brew (yeah, I know).

[@grimHog]

Just got DF54 grinder because it was on flash sale in my local coffee shop (equivalent of 170 GBP). It is a HUGE step up from Lelit Fred that I used. Thanks James!

[@bazzle592]

Love to see the Baratza hanging with grinders twice its price point with ease. Been using mine for a year now and have no plans to upgrade any time soon.

[@Alpha-Leader]

My Baratza has been going strong for 5+ years now. I feel like it is a little tank. I don't do espresso, so it has been really hard to justify an "upgrade" especially when I see the QC/failure issues that the newer and flashier grinders have.

[@SunriseLAW]

Computers know all. 2 days ago, I ordered a DF-54 to replace a Kingrinder 6 (talk about messy). Today, this was the first video on KZbin''s recommendations. I feel validated, thank you !

[@martian_x]

Adding my two cents here as I've owned both the Baratza and the Opus grinders. I found the Baratza's on/off button to actually be quite useful for sort of "clearing" the hopper and burrs before grinding a full dose of coffee. Whether there's any actual benefit to doing this or not (it may have, in fairness, simply been a developed habit), it was a legitimate-seeming use of the button. The Opus -- the grinder I currently use (nearly) every morning -- I would say doesn't seem nearly as high pitched as the recording. This may be small variance between each unit or an artifact of recording. The retention is definitely noticeable and I usually resort to physically hitting the side of the machine or lifting/tapping it down on the counter to ensure everything has passed through. Additionally, something I've noticed is the suggested grind ranges printed on the lid are, at least for filter coffee, entirely misleading. They suggest a mid range for Chemex, while I almost never find myself grinding below an 11. Overall really love the machine though.

[@JoeBravoNL]

Another Opus owner here. Glad I'm not the only one finding the printed grinding range misleading 😄 And I was surprised about the sound level aswell. I don't experience it as high pitched and loud as in the video.

[@BoiseCZ]

I tried the Opus. Had to set the outer ring on 11 and adjust the inner ring to coarsest setting. With my Chemex, it was taking over 5 minute (30g of beans), and with my v60, arouind 4 minutes. I returned it - no way it would work for French press or cold brew.

[@martian_x]

@@BoiseCZ Yeah this is about what I've found. The vast majority of my beans are using 11+ settings. I have been able to get Chemex pour overs consistently where I feel they should be (2:30 - 3:30), though a couple times I've changed my pour technique from bloom plus three pours to bloom and a single pour. Generally using 1:15 or 1:15 water/coffee, for reference

[@Gk2003m]

Hint for all owners of inexpensive (and expensive, for that matter) grinders: your particle size consistency will be much better if you start the grinder with nothing in the hopper, and then slow-feed the beans. Having the grinds bump against each other with less frequency means the grinder teeth are doing all the work. Which is what you want in order to obtain consistency. Btw this method also prevents your grinder from getting stalled/stuck, so even with an inexpensive grinder you can enjoy light roasts. And the Urbanic 070s belongs on that list. 60mm flat titanium burr, 250w, $220 shipped.

[@tommycastner2468]

Great comparison! If I may nitpick (constructively) it can be tough to read the graphs with the ultra fine X axis. I think making the intermediate ticks larger will make it easier to read. Similarly when talking about a certain line it would be nice to highlight it. Some colors are similar and when all overlapped it’s tough to tell the difference.

[@jameshoffmann]

Nitpicks welcome!

[@kcmalone662]

​@@jameshoffmannThe highlighting what you're talking about could make up for difficult to differentiate colours (as that would probably be the biggest struggle for most)

[@itguydave2164]

Had a Baratza Encore for more than 10 years - the filter- only version of the ESP, a good little grinder - but VERY noisy, slow, and extremely messy, so I hear you on the noise and completely agree. It also has massive issues with grind consistency in my case, as the plastic components just wear out, break out just generally move a lot. Might not be the same for the ESP, but I recently got sick of the impossibility of getting a good filter coffee, I upgraded to the Fellow Ode 2 - absolutely love it. Fast, quiet, clean and looks good. With that said, I'm no fan of the Opus in design, but I don't make espresso at home anyway.

[@BoiledOctopus]

Had the Sage for about 5 years. Hasn't missed a beat. Love it.

[@luisarsuaga7637]

My dad had this grinder since 2017 and it worked great. But recently he has replaced it for a Baratza Sette because the burrs became dull and it no longer grinded fine enough for espresso. Hope yours last a bit longer than ours. I certainly did enjoyed using that grinder.

[@BoiledOctopus]

@@luisarsuaga7637 Interesting. I wonder if the burrs can be replaced. Will keep an eye on mine in that case!

[@luisarsuaga7637]

@BoiledOctopus yes, they can. But last time I check, it was like $130 replacement for both of the burrs (inner and outer).

[@BoiledOctopus]

@@luisarsuaga7637 Ugh. Typical.

[@CaveyMoth]

The Opus is a LOT of fun. It's great having to beat it up every time to make it release the retention. The micro adjustments are not fiddly or painful on the fingers at all. I love how coffee sticks on the bottom of the chute and slowly trickles off over time. It's cool how retention can often end up on top of the machine instead of below due to the suction forces of the lid. It's..quite a machine. But I still like the coffee it produces. If you have an Opus, make sure you put something like paper or a coffee filter under the chute to catch the retention over time. That way, you can just dump it into the trash instead of having to sweep, sweep, sweep your counter all the time.

[@Thetache]

I have a DF54 as well as a Niche Zero and I love the simplicity of workflow on both, I find the retention of the DF54 is perfect at 0.1g as I have fairly light home roasted beans so I use the bellows to purge the last chaffy part. The ioniser is a bit crap in that it stops working after 2 to 3 doses but I have found putting an artists paintbrush up the chute and wiggling is enough to declump it. I think at the price the DF54 is an absolute no brainer for price/cup quality

[@codykonior]

Not many people have directly compared the NZ and the DF54. Thoughts?

[@Thetache]

@@codykonior Very much the accepted conical vs flat differences, the NZ gives more body/texture and muted clarity/acidity in a pourover and the DF54 leans towards brighter cleaner flavours. The workflow is almost identical but you can more easily hot start the DF if that is your bag. Had no issues at all in use of either and enjoy both results in a slightly different way. I bought the Niche as a dual purpose pourover/espresso solution but I found daily switching an issue with the slight retention ruining consistency in espresso mainly, so I bought the DF to have a grinder for each method (I paid £224), having a flat and a conical is a bonus. In conclusion unless you have a very sophisticated palate or severe FOMO for expensive flex gear the DF54 is all you need for great coffee at home.

[@lindhe]

About how much coffee can you fit in the hopper of the DF54? Just about 15 g, or more?

[@Thetache]

@@lindhe Without the bellows on I usually use 18g of beans and that fits easily, estimate about 25g would max it, but the rubber bellows funnel means you could get more...50g+

[@lindhe]

@Thetache Thanks 🙏

[@EbendeLangeIsAwesome]

I have the Baratza - first electrical grinder I purchased. We have a fairly limited range of low-cost grinders available in South Africa so I'm glad this is one that made it here.

[@Dahkeus3]

I've been loving my Opus because it definitely makes a delicious cup, even if it is a little messy. I also wish I didn't have to whack it so much just to clear out grounds still stuck in it...but I mean, at this price point, I'll take a good cup of coffee with some inconveniences. (also, for reference, American here) *editing for further context* I have used this for almost a year now both for my daily Aeropress coffee as well as for my husband's latte.

[@gabrieltonin5667]

Hi James thank you for this very useful comparison. I have myself an e61 type machine with a swapped rotary pump and I have to say that the smart grinder pro is absolutely not suited for my use, I tried it and couldn't get anywhere fine enough to get a decent shot. I'd like to add to the list a grinder that I recently purchased as mine just died, it's the Highbrew G5. It's a conical burr design with a very small footprint stepless single dose and comes at the same price or cheaper than the encore ESP in Europe (paid 130€). Bought it in disbelief as I got used to my grinder and hate wasting time with grinder selection and want something simple and easy to use. I have to say I'm blown away, it's well built, easy to disassemble/clean and allowed me to dial in shots very quickly. I can't say anything on the long run but for now I'm very impressed, I don't know if you tried it or heard of it but I think a review would be very useful for the community.

[@kalark]

Great comparison, I actually just purchased a DF54 the other week and I absolutely love it! A nice upgrade from the Breville Smart grinder pro

[@BattleRyder87]

How big is it the upgrade tho? Can you explain. I own the pro 🤨

[@orbitaljunkie]

@@BattleRyder87 I just can't imagine a typical consumer being able to tell the difference. Especially if you're adding milk most of the time. I've had the Breville for a few years and it just works. Hell I don't even clean it lol

[@ajcampbell79]

So glad I got my Baratza, noise isn't that bad, this review confirmed my purchase.

[@RetroReselling]

The best espresso grinder und......AAAAND ITS SOLD OUT

[@dinothegonzo]

Look into the DF64E as an alternative instead. It uses a 64mm flat burr that can be upgraded to SSP High Uniformity burrs, can do programmable single/double shot doses, and not much different than a DF54.

[@egocd]

I have the Sage as an espresso grinder. It works well and I understood its shortcomings before I purchased it (not great as a single dose machine etc). I got it for less than £100 as I purchased it alongside a Sage Bambino Plus, so got a discount. I'm also happy with the Bambino Plus, btw. For £100 it's a fantastic grinder. My only gripe is that grinder doesn't remember the grind time you set when there's a power cut, so you need to remember it and change it back once the power is back. Same with the Bambino Plus - Once you've dialled in your shot timing and set it to remember, it will immediately forget it when there's a power cut, so you need to get your timer and scales back out when the power comes back.

[@TheEggyclaw]

You would post this days after I took the plunge and bought one from the line up as my first steps into Espresso coffee! I went with the Baratza ESP and just waiting for it to arrive but reviews from most seemed good and glad to see you think it's reasonable for the price. Appreciate prices change from when you recorded this but the Baratza can be found in UK right now on offer for £130-135, hopefully making this even more of a bargain!

[@OreoMcFluffy]

Thank you James for the extensive review of each of the grinders and the comparison! I own the Varia VS3 with titanium burr set for couple of months now. Every nitpick and praise is justified as I have the same thoughts as well EXCEPT for its inability to hold its grind settings during grinding. I have ground more than 200g of expired beans in 1 session (I use expired grounds for compost as well as scenting my room) and the settings do not move. My grind settings were 3.0 and above though, and noting that at 30:07 your grind setting started at 1.0 which for my use case is too fine as I have never been able to pull any shot with grind setting of 1.5 or finer. For my espressos I grind between 1.8 and 3.0 with 17-18g dosage.

[@mgreene004]

I went from the Baratza ESP to the DF54. I can’t overstate how much better the DF54 is workflow wise. The Baratza would retain so much coffee that I was practically beating it to get all the coffee out. After market bellows did help. I also had an issue with the quick release nut on the burrs constantly coming loose so I would have to tighten it often. I will say Baratza’s customer service was top notch in sending me a replacement nut but it didn’t help. The DF54 is the complete opposite. I get out the exact amount of coffee that I put in every time. It’s been amazing.

[@antonrosolovskyi8470]

How do you find the coffee difference between the two grinders?

[@mgreene004]

@ I would say the coffee improved much but the consistency is leaps and bounds better. I’m pairing it with a bambino plus which can really only do medium to dark roast well.

[@Veldryn17]

I can't tell you the joy on a Monday morning to see an over 30 min video from James. It's gonna be a good week.

[@berkaypehlivan8687]

As a person who bought Df54 I believe 2 months ago, though I agree on almost everything in this video I have few things to add. 1 calibiration: like most of Chinese grinders, you usually need to calibrate it out of the box. Usually not a big deal but definitely not a plug and play experience. 2 setting: Especially if you are going filter to espresso then filter again, 45 may not be the same setting after making an espresso. Usually its not that big of a difference but when I saw that comment in reddit, it clerified lots of things for me. Dark roast: as a person who ussualy doesn't drink any dark roasted coffees, that is not a problem to me but everywhere in internet they say every problem about messyness and retention are multiplied by 10 if you are grinding darker roasted coffees. Not only having to clean lot often, people even have issues with stalling and not being able to shoot coffee out of the chute. Like I said, did not happened to me but I have seen it enough times that it seems to worth noting. And lastly service of this grinder in general: I am living in germany and whole shipment with everything lasted a little more than 1 month. Not a deal breaker for me but given you have to wait for twice this amount if you ever have any problems, makes the guarantee peried useless in my eyes.

[@hasankalayci6286]

Don't forget that even the kings among grinders like mahlkoning ek43 aren't perfectly calibrated. There are even some reported as massively misaligned. Considering it's a grinder that costs like 3k, i wouldn't worry much about the df grinders. BTW, My df83v came aligned by the re-seller. Another point worth mentioning is that you won't really have to worry about perfect alignments for small burrs. It's been shown that most won't notice any difference.

[@BoiseCZ]

I got the DF54 about 3 weeks ago and checked the grind setting out of the box - it was perfect. The burrs just started to touch at the 0 point.

[@berkaypehlivan8687]

@@BoiseCZ mine too but it's also important that all 3 screws touch at the same time. For me it took quite a bit of help to get there

[@berkaypehlivan8687]

@@hasankalayci6286 yeah it might also be flat burr thing rather than DF 54 thing. But still given all the others in this video at conic burrs so it might be good to point that out.

[@berkaypehlivan8687]

@@hasankalayci6286 btw can you send me a source for second point? I would think misaligned burrs would result in worse coffee it definitely sounds worth testing out

[@longcoffee]

Great video. Thank you spending the time to research all this. 25:07 so from my understanding, that button is there incase you want to place your portafilter directly into the grinder and positioning the basket under the chute. Basically when you're in that position holding the portafilter under the chute, you are set up to press the button with your thumb.

[@stevefarnworth]

I have a DF54 - really enjoy the coffee that comes out of it, mine's always been messy even with some cleaning and the adjustment ring is definitely a two handed job as you say (alternating between a morning espresso and mid-morning filter requires a little workout). It's an absolute chonky unit which makes it feel nice and weighty.

[@BoiseCZ]

LOL - my son uses my DF54 to make 3 lattes a morning and I use it for 3 pour overs a morning. And usually we alternate so lots of adjusting that ring. It is definitely not for a one-handed barista! One note about adjusting - the people at Espresso Outlet told me you should have it on when adjusting the ring, especially when going from fine to coarse.

[@Daniel-pd2zn]

I loved the depth of this analysis! The sound testing was fun to watch and I learned a lot about grinders that I didn’t know before

[@michaelpoenar]

James using a EQ graph term (bassy-er) for tasing notes, was a wonderful surprise. It's how I judge all foods and drinks by, an EQ graph

[@daniell.raharitahiana5727]

Heheh dialing in by ear ☕👂

[@craigcook328]

Not sure this is the correct place to provide a tip to all Fellow coffee grinder owners but I have found that starting the grinder before pouring in your beans dramatically reduces retention. This step has dramatically reduced the retention problem on my Ode Gen 2

[@TatharNuar]

17:00 Could you graph this as a CDF instead of a PDF graph? I think it might help with the lack of information clarity if you accumulated the size bins in your graph.

[@odinallfather8241]

I own and absolutely adore my DF54. I actually upgraded from the breville smart grinder pro. All the issues you mentioned with the smart grinder pro, I highly concur with. I also think it is worth emphasizing, that it is really, really not made to be a single dose grinder. The DF54 punches far above its weight and i can’t imagine anyone being unhappy with it. In the US, it is sold under the name brand Turin by Espresso Outlet, and Espresso Outlet’s customer care is fantastic.

[@rodbianchi]

Thanks for the excellent review! It makes me even happier about my choice. I'm loving the DF54 grinder! I grind directly into the portafilter for espresso and then use a WDT tool. Have you found any benefit to using the catch cup with the DF54 for espresso? I used to use RDT, but it seems unnecessary for espresso grinding with this grinder. There's no mess at all. For pour over, someone suggested that RDT might actually make the ionizer get dirty faster. Since I stopped using RDT and increased how often I clean the ionizer, I've had fewer problems with static.

[@CantonSecurity]

Excellent video, James. The Espresso community continues to owe you a debt of gratitude, thank you for everything that you have done for us.

[@rubiakfr]

3:17 this shot is ABSOLUTELY CINEMA

[@N0ra23]

This was EXACTLY the video I needed. Ive been looking and considering a grinder in this price range for weeks now.

[@Pepperoni]

James are you trapped in that rectangle?

[@DigitalicaEG]

😂

[@gordonmains8630]

That actually really made me laugh.

[@SJGsysadmin]

Some say, to this day, he’s still there considering the grinders

[@Funglejunk81]

I picked up a discounted Sage Grinder in black - looks better than metal/silver. I picked up a silicon bellows add-on that you can get online - it goes between the hopper and the hopper lid. Makes a massive difference. Happy enough with it.

[@Dirtyz1234]

DF54 is also about $170 (USD) direct from China

[@schraderclemens6122]

where do you order it?

[@malygosmozart]

Follow, thanks

[@abhimaanmayadam5713]

@@schraderclemens6122 Aliexpress has it. That being said, Id recommend only using Paypal with aliexpress.

[@BoiseCZ]

@@schraderclemens6122 The only time I've seen anything under $250 was an open box from Espresso Outlet (US) and that was around $210. I paid just under $250 for a new one. Not sure even direct from China will be $170, especially with TTT (Trumps threatened tarrifs).

[@MeIIIo4er9712]

I have the Varia VS3 Gen2 in black that I bought in early March (so about 6 months ago now), here are my thoughts on it: - use cases - I use it daily for espresso/moka/cold brew grinding - disk slippage - The disk slippage in the video would be absolutely unacceptable to me, thankfully it's not an issue with my particular unit. I do remember doing my research before purchase and I saw other people complaining about it, so this is not a James-specific problem. I *think* this is actually what they fixed with the Gen 2 but I don't remember for a fact on top of my head. I also wonder if this could be a roast level thing - I tend to stick to medium or dark roasts which are easier to grind and I know James prefers lighter roasts in tests; not sure if it was mentioned what coffee is being ground in the video. - noise - I too am very sensitive to sound and I actually stuck to manual grinders only for a long time because of it. I don't have a point of comparison but in isolation VS3 has been fine for me. The duration of the grind is not really a metric that I care much about since I am moving around the kitchen to get the milk/the cup/etc anyways. - power brick - The colossal brick is indeed very annoying, though I have a nook to hide it in so it's tolerable. - silicone accessories - I don't think I've used the anti-popcorning accessory once, which I would attribute at least partly to manual that comes with the unit. It's written in a fairly vague way, so I couldn't quite tell what it was and was actually under the impression that you're supposed to stick it in the bellows at which point it does little to nothing. I should also mention that unlike James I don't "hot start" the grind, I pour beans first, close the lid, then turn the thing on; again could be a roast thing. The bellows themselves are fine and I use them whenever I switch the grind settings at least, but they don't live on my unit permanently since they rob me of the lid magnet and I have a cat who occasionally knocks the lid off of the bellows making a ruckus. Overall I'm actually very happy with my unit and would recommend it to others. To be fair I don't have a point of comparison (other than ultra-cheap machines that effectively cut the beans instead of grinding them), but the review looks fair and accurate to me. Thankfully I don't have the disk slippage issue, otherwise I could not recommend this grinder.

[@Avruthlelbh]

2:05 "I have no idea why they're charging that much money for something that just does not work very well." Because they get away with it. Smeg, along with many other "High end" brands rely entirely on their brand name to sell products, rather than the quality of the product itself. The type of people to buy a product off of brand name alone are the type of people to see that brand as a status symbol, and be far less critical of the actual quality. See all the Louis Vuitton bag owners, and MANY iPhone users.

[@andrewcrighton4325]

Baratza's repairability is mind blowing to me in this day and age. You can buy essentially every single component of the encore/ encore esp (these are the only models I have personal experience with), and the parts are priced reasonably. As someone who isn't afraid to void a warranty because there's a good chance you can fix something, a company that spurs and supports you to repair gets A LOT of points in my book. I've bought Baratzas over other equipment I wanted more, specifically because of it.

[@EtruskenRaider]

In a funny way, we love the noise coming off our Baratza grinder. It’s loud enough that my wife can hear it from the second floor of our home while she’s still in bed and it gives her enormous comfort to know that her morning latte will be filled on its way.

[@EtruskenRaider]

Note that we have a classic Encore but we’ve switched to the ESP burrs recently.

[@marks42]

We have the VS3 Gen2 and find it excellent we find if we spritz retention is a non issue I get out what I put in within a bean or two, Never needed the bellows. The espresso taste suits us too. The brick is easily hidden behind if slightly under our coffee machine, but ours is agains a wall so the back view is not an issue. A massive step up from our Sunbeam Torino grinder and way better than the Breville we had before that. Great review James, thorough as always and great presentation.👍😊

[@Vypren]

So I recently upgraded from my trusty Graef CM80 (conical) to my first flat burr grinder with the DF54. I have to say, every single coffee since then has been among the best cups I have ever brewed for myself, at home. It's wild. Mind-blowing experience. Love the DF to bits.

[@seanbrosnan315]

I’ve got the opus and it’s been great for me, popping the hopper off to adjust the finer ring is easy enough and to battle retention I always just give it a few smacks on top and that does the trick, always good to get some reassurance that the coffee coming out of it is pretty solid too!

[@phileveritt5405]

If I may be so bold as to make a request, could we have an updated Best Handgrinders video(s) please?

[@ZonyKay]

I was excited by COMANDANTE C40 MK4 Nitro Blade Coffee Grinder for a week. Then turned back to electric one for a simple reason. When I just wake up, convenience (cleaning up the mess daily) matters. Cleaning up electric one perhaps twice a year which requiring not losing those small springs & tiny screws. But still preferable by me. I still enjoy to display the hand grinder in my kitchen, it’s a masterpiece of engineering & craftsmanship.

[@mfzeus1]

I have the Opus, paired with a Sage Bambino and an very happy with the espresso I'm making. While not the most intuitive, the grind adjustment with the inner ring is generally fine and does give a decent range to dial in. Retention is a thing, but a couple of heavy taps on the lid sorts it out. I don't see me changing the grinder until it breaks

[@meat_loves_wasabi]

Hope to see updated manual grinders version

[@davidhoover2446]

I use the Encore upgraded with the M2 burrs. I brew with a pour over, Aeropress, and mostly the Flair 58. I can make exceptional coffee that tastes better than any coffee shop I am aware of tailored to my wife and my preferences. You can’t go wrong with it. The Encore ESP already has the M2 burrs and is a great deal. Sure there are better grinders, but the results possible with the Encore is excellent to me!!! I’ve had it for almost a decade!

[@diracraj1]

14:43 if you want to know why James Hoffman is different, this is where most reviewers stop... While he's just starting! 😂

[@lisahillard7211]

I have the Fellow Opus. The lid is not designed to be a bellows, it just fits tightly enough that it works. I agree about the retention. But, I've noticed that if I spritz the beans, it doesn't seem to be as bad. I haven't done any impirical testing though. I have small hands, and I like the dosing cup design. Except, the magnet is in the larger cup, not the machine. My scale has a metal plate for weighing. I have to check my weights by separating the cups, which is annoying, but not necessarily the fault of the Opus. I haven't needed to use the inner adjustment ring, yet. But, I can see it's probably not going to be intuitive. I have a mat under my coffee station, mostly for easier cleaning, but it seems to dampen the noise a bit. Which is a blessing before I'm caffeinated. But, for me, even before the mat, it wasn't terrible. Overall, I like the Opus. It's got a few quirks, but it was in my price point and does well with both espresso & pour over, which was a selling point for me.

[@AdriaOliSal]

The Eureka Mignon Manuale can be had for around 240€ when on offer. I bought it last year for this price and I'm really happy, however I find that is extemely undercovered on KZbin. Many people just cover the top of the range specialità or the silenzio but they have different size burrs than the manualle so it's not that usefull. Would you say the Manuale is better than this offerings? Or worse? Is 240€ a good deal in that sense? (Again, I'm really happy, but I have no experience other than that)

[@AdriaOliSal]

Just as a review from my experience if anyone has the same question: good things: Stepless adjustment. Works really well, it came 0ed from factory (some reviewers say you need to zero so I checked it and it was already from factory). It grinds quite fast and it does not produce hardly any clums. I was surprised. I have not compared in person, but it seems to grind much better than the Baratza and the Sage, no clums and quite fast. Its noisy but I dont find it to by really annoying. You can go for the silenzio if you have the cash. bad things: It can grind for moka pot and for filter, but t's a little bit tricky to change "modes" because you might need to spin the wheel more than once for filter and it¡s easy to forget where it was before. Also the wheel is tiny so sometimes is hard to do small adjustments. It's totally manual. You push the button with the portafilter and it grinds. You stop pushing it stops. It's not an issue for me, but keep that in mind. In conclusion, I am extremely happy. However, I'd love to see it compared to other grinders and hear from people who might have used it.

[@gewurztramina]

It’s not available in many places

[@DH-bf9xb]

I had a df54 and just returned it after a month of cleaning up grounds everywhere. Customer service was also awful. I was told that replacing the cup it came with would solve static issues as would cleaning it out incessantly. What a joy to use /s