Sage (Breville) Smart Grinder Pro Review

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Haha, I know I'm not a good actor, but I tried. 😅 Check prices here: geni.us/BrevilleEspressoMach (Breville/Sage affiliate link)

[@jones9319]

I just changed the burrs from 4 to 3 and it made a world of difference to my coffee. Thanks for that.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Awesome, happy to hear it!

[@lastpme]

This is my espresso grinder…I think it is a nice entry level grinder for people new to making espresso coffee ☕️

[@Richard-Seekingwulf]

I bought this same grinder back in March of 2020 and like it very much but I have never used it for espresso so now the real test begins after getting the Delonghi Dedica EC885

[@thomasrobinson4401]

I've had mine for over a year. No problems so far.

[@nnickers3355]

Nice review. I have had this grinder for 2 years. Love it. One oversight: no memory if power is lost. you can customise all the settings to your liking. Have specific grind sizes/cup qty setup for your needs. power loss - all gone. For the price point and the sales pitch of customisation it’s a small but annoying mistake. Forget power outages, sometimes you need a power outlet for something else. A simple memory chip and a hold power to factory reset is all it needs. On the plus side I’ve enjoyed pour over, French press, aero press. Single biggest improvement for home made coffee day and night over preground or blade ground coffee.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That's true, it should have been possible to add some permanent memory to their board. I am guessing they need a little processor anyhow, to interpret the encoder signal from the dial grind wheel. The BDB also loses some settings I'm afraid, when power is cycled.

[@Tim955w]

Thanks for the information i was considering this what a shame, i live in an area with regular power glitches so this is a no go for me, happy new year.

[@xeeses226]

I've been using this for 2 weeks so far and have been wondering why my espresso has been pulling so fast. Switched it to 3 and its so much better. Thank you.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Glad to help!

[@waseem600900]

great review,convinced to stay with conical burr as opposed to flat burrs...thanks

[@stephenw1799]

I've had mine for two years and no issues really. The only thing is I use a funnel on my 51 dedica basket to avoid grounds loss, which I see happening in your video. With the funnel you can't push the porta filter forward to auto start. Just a small thing.

[@BigJasquach]

Word of warning for anyone, I had this for about 2 years and it’s now broken. It won’t grind and just gets chewed up - maybe due to daily use of light roasted specialty beans that are harder on the machine. I would stick to dark roasts to avoid my disappointment. (Best Aussie accent ever)

[@gentz8310]

Thanks for this. I heard that cleaning the grinder 1xmonth is recommended. May I ask if you have done this?

[@harrychoke]

Had mine for about 3 years now - no issues with it and fit the Dedica 51mm basket fine. Highly recommend giving it a thorough clean by removing the conical burr that Tom showed.

[@BigJasquach]

@@gentz8310 Cleaned it out pretty regularly, from what I could find out sometimes the inner part wears down over time and needs replaced but I can’t find replacements where I am (Scotland)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

What do you mean by getting chewed up? Does the motor not deliver torque anymore?

[@reuireuiop0]

I've heard similar stories on other Sage product. Seems they focus on machine to max out on versatility and "smart" operation, instead of build quality. Reason for me to skip brand altogether

[@UnkleSi]

Kiwi here - that was an absolute perfect rendition of Australian. Seriously bang on mate, you could literally emigrate there immediately.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Haha, thanks so much!

[@pr0jeykun]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner That was not entirely accurate :) but you seem like a nice guy so you're welcome to come down. Just... yeah, maybe hold off on the accent :)

[@playingwithsticks6819]

I agree this machine does not grind fine enough out of the box , however Breville say the factory setting of 6 should only be lowered as the burrs gradually wear down over time and not to simply adjust for a finer grind. I have mine set on 1 as you did but it is pouring way too fast. I dont know what else to do. There seems to be conflicting advice on other channels about this issue. Some say a setting of 4 on the main control panel produced the perfect shot (some as high as 12!). I tried that and it flowed like water out of a tap. Why should there be so much of a difference?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Logically, the only thing to do is make the thing grind finer. If it does not grind fine enough out of the box at 1, like mine didn't, then you need to adjust the burr collar, to get the burrs closer. Good luck!

[@MrSteamDragon]

I have this grinder - depending on the roast level of the bean I am using I get decent shots using between 9 and 3 on the dial for espresso. A couple of additional things you can try to slow the pour a bit is to check you are putting enough coffee into the portafilter. Secondly are you tamping firm enough? As you know, the more resistance you provide for the water, the slower it will flow through the puck. FYI I don't have a standard 58mm portafilter on my machine, it is a manual lever press with a smaller 44mm portafilter so, for reference, I use between 16 and 17grams of coffee. Keep playing, you'll get there 🙂

[@Petercoffeee]

I must get this grinder, it looks good. Great review !

[@kattlopena3809]

hey tom! can you make a video review for the breville dose control pro? is it any good compare to the baratzza encore?

[@zuraakhaladze6801]

Tom I want to buy grinder. Which do you prefer/would suggest, Fellow opus, Baraza encore or this one?

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

Nice video. I am not a fan of grinding directly into a portafilter as I dislike the mess of grounds I have to clean up - as shown in this video. I also like to fine tune my grind size and dose so that my extraction is exactly what I want in terms of ratio and flow rate. Dialing in is more wasteful and time consuming in a grinder that retains too much grounds. I had this issue in the past with this brand and style of grinder and it held me back from learning quickly. It is really satisfying to watch Tom so effortlessly pull a nice shot with this combo of equipment.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Thanks for that feedback, Tom! Yes, I like to use my Sette, if switching back and forth between beans, and not wanting to waste those grinds which have the wrong grind size. Cheers!

[@stephenw1799]

You can add a funnel to avoid grounds loss. Mine still fits in the holder with the funnel attachment.

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

That is good to know!@@stephenw1799

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

I nearly bought a Sette as the company is close to me for servicing, but then I decided against it as reviews said it is noisy. @@TomsCoffeeCorner

[@srax0]

@@stephenw1799 Hi, what funnel do you use? im afraid it might not fit in this small space.

[@christianzuniga9961]

Hello Tom! I have this grinder, it has several advantages, it is convenient to use. but it fails in what is essential, the quality of the ground coffee. It has a lot of retention (1.5 gr in 18 gr), many adjustments but not consistent and you rarely get the flavor that the coffee roaster says. my SG is in the cellar and I now use Fellow Opus

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

That experience was mine with previous versions of this grinder.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Ok, well I do agree that the Opus seems somehow more refined in the cup, but the SGP has much better ergonomics. The Opus eventually annoys me with its long grinding time. Anyway, I am glad to hear you're satisfied with your Opus. Cheers!

[@hurkamur1]

There is a cheap bellows attachment that you can get that solves a lot to the retention problems

[@7531monkey]

@@hurkamur1i wouldnt say it solves the problem but improved.

[@MrSteamDragon]

...'rarely get the flavor that the coffee roaster says'... ...hi....the way that i interpret the tasting notes from the roasters is that these tend to be their own description of the flavours they experienced when tasting the coffee when ground using their own grinder and then brewed using their machine. I usually use the notes as a guide to the types of flavours you might experience at home. But don't forget, you are likely to have different equipment meaning the actual tastes you experience may also vary slightly. Try to relate the tastes you experience to those described in the roaster's notes. If they differ slightly, then try and find new words to describe the tastes you experienced. You can always adjust the brewing parameters you use to create your shot. You could play around a bit with the grind settings, the amount of coffee etc. See if you can recreate the roasters own experience. I have used my SGP daily for over 7 months now (bought in Oz in Sept 2023) and while it did take a few goes to dial it in properly I can pull some really exceptional shots with the grinds it produces. To be honest I do keep my SGP super, super clean inside as I do like to change beans often. This is so simple to do though - takes just 10 mins to go from grotty to shiny new. I do concur with the ~1gm retention per 17-18 grams though. Not a huge problem if you use the same beans on a daily basis. But at this price point, ease of use and cleaning I am really happy with the machine.🙂

[@DennisKwasnycia]

I picked one of these up for $80 CAD used a couple years ago and literally feel like I stole it. And after selling the mill I was using for $30... No regrets.

[@paulcribbin3036]

Have to put grind setting on 1 to get a half decent pull time, is the bean the issue or have I to change inner burr setting?

[@kungfutigerrob]

Nice grinder, probably comparable to the Baratza ESP Encore and the Fellow Opus. Would be nice if the SGP could easily come in colours to match the espresso machines eg. Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Olive Tapenade etc... Good review Tom, i didn't know that you had a twin!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

They do offer different colors in the Canadian market at least. But yeah, I am not sure why they don't roll out the colors everywhere.

[@maxkiecker8915]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner how would you compare the grind quality to the Fellow Opus and especially the Baratza ESP. I like the Sage ergonomics a lot, but does it perform as well?

[@hurkamur1]

@@maxkiecker8915 I would like to know too. Seems the general consensus for the $200 range points to the ESP, but this machine is much more feature rich.

[@craigcrossan8902]

Is there a target setting for pour over coffee machines?

[@josecontreras3823]

Would you do this or the encore esp?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I’d say they’re about a horse apiece.

[@josecontreras3823]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner I went with the encore esp. thank you so much for the help!

[@marcing4287]

Would this one be better as new than old Mazzer Super Jolly ?

[@tsram]

Can we take the top hopper off and use it as a single shot grinder? Because of height restriction on countertop

[@juantaulercrespi9513]

Hi!! I love your channel!! I wanted to buy a new grinder and I wanted to ask your opinion on which of these 2 you like the most. Which one do you recommend? 1-smart grinder pro 2- Miicoffee DF 54 grinder

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@juantaulercrespi9513 DF54. Cheers!

[@DarthBane555]

Hi Tom, been watching lots of your videos lately,and you convinced me to go for the ecp 3630 or 3420 for my 1st espresso machine. However,the grinder... I'm not set. I see you don't recommend cheaper grinders, I understand the reasons,but what do you think about the Breville dose control grinder? I see lots of people are using it for espresso... Doesn't mean it's any good tho, what's your take on it?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

The Dose Control is fine. It's the same as this, but without the screen, as far as I can tell.

[@EsotericArctos]

Oh my god. That was almost cringeworthy at the beginning. Especially given your accent sounded more New Zealand than Australian lol. I had to laugh though. I am an Australian :). I am really impressed with Breville / Sage over all. For an appliance/supermarket brand they really have made decent grinders and espresso machines. With the Smart Grinder Pro, do they also have adaptors for 51mm Portafilters?

[@luisarsuaga7637]

Hi Tom! How does this compares with the Fellow Opus and the Baratza Encore ESP?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I feel it's pretty similar in the cup to the ESP. Its build feels nicer than the ESP, due to the metal casing. Also, it has the nice ergonomic features mentioned in the video. I do feel like the Opus is somewhat more refined in the cup, which might have to do with the anti static grinds coming out of there, allowing for better puck prep, I'm not sure. But then again, I would need to test these grinders all next to each other (they're in different locations). Honestly, I think there isn't a huge difference between them: they are all espresso capable, and that for $200 is a bargain.

[@LiquidArtist-0]

​@@TomsCoffeeCornerespresso capable? In single or pressurised filter ?

[@JuergenKarl]

Hi Tom, can you say anything about retention with the Sage grinder if you want to use it as single dose grinder?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I haven't single dosed with it yet...I don't think it was really designed with that in mind. In this price class, the single doser that comes to mind is the Fellow Opus.

[@CarloLeonKolega]

This vs Baratza esp vs cm 800 for bottomless portfilter espresso?

[@alsing08]

what best choice do you think for espresso grinder if i using delonghi ec685. smart grinder pro or eureka mignon manuale? thanks

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Manuale for sure. Cheers!

[@RobinJanssen976]

Hi Tom, I've just bought the sage bambino (in discount for 200 eruros). Now, I just found out that I need an expensive grinder (200+ euros) for good espresso. That got me thinking: why don't I go for the sage barista express instead. This one is about 500 euros with integrated grinder. Or are the integrated grinders worse than the external grinders like the sage smart grinder pro? Why should go for the bambino if I have to buy an external grinder and portafilter upgrades, that will cost me in total about the same as the sage barista express?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

The grinder is essentially the same in the BBE versus the Smart Grinder Pro. So, you could go the BBE route. Cheers!

[@williamlotz2934]

I get a ratcheting effect sometimes. What is this and what shot glasses are those? Love them Tom.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I'm sorry, but what do you mean by ratcheting effect? Which market are you in? I believe these glasses are only available in the EU...

[@Slay0rizzle]

​@@TomsCoffeeCorner Sometimes when trying to achieve a finer grind for beans requiring it the machine struggles making a horrible sound (ratcheting as described above - perhaps a knocking sound is better description) when it's struggling mid grinding. When this happens you often you need to open up grind extensively to "flush" out the bean / grind. It doesn't seem to matter how well the inners have been maintained or cleaned.

[@tommyvercetti4383]

Hey Tom, thanks for the video one thing I’d like to learn is, is it technically the same grinder they put on their other Sage/Breville machines? For example, the Barista Express? If so, isn’t it better off to buy just a single machine that has all in one and avoid buying a seperate grinder which is kinda expensive? Can you please share your thoughts and info about these questions. Thanks!😊

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Well, it's pretty much the same. I believe it has the same burrs. But this SGP has more range than in for example the Barista Express, since that only has 13 clicks. So with the SGP, you can grind for espresso, or for pour over, for example. Hope that helps!

[@tommyvercetti4383]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Hi! Thanks a lot for the information and quick reply. So in your opinion if I’m a person that just drinks an espresso, I think it’d be enough to only buy the Barista Express since it has it’s own grinder, rather than getting a seperate one? One thing I’ve heard through out the comments is that, the sage machines grinder doesn’t always give a consistent result do you think is that correct?

[@LeonardGross-p6m]

Thanks for the Video :) I‘m new in the World of Espresso. Now i‘m faced with the decision to buy the SGP or the Eureka Mignon Specialita. What would be your choice ? The price difference is arround 160$. My favorite drink is Cappuccino. Thanks a lot! Greetings Leo

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Oh for sure go for the Specialita.

[@LiquidArtist-0]

There is something I don't understand I watched countless videos about grinder but there is 1 thing that nobody talk about. A simple filter will give a better espresso than a pressurised one. Based on that can I do a espresso with the sage grinder pro by using a simple filter ? Which one did u use in your video ?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Yes, I use only the conventional non-pressurized baskets. And yes, the Sage can grind for that. Just make sure to use fresh beans. Cheers!

[@marksmith2738]

Do you have.a review of the Sage (Breville) dose control pro?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

It should be essentially the same, but without a screen afaik.

[@marschelvincentius1177]

Nice review Tom. Any thoughts about Breville Smart Grinder Pro vs Baratza Virtuoso Plus for espresso?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I haven't used the Virtuoso, but I am thinking they're gonna be quite similar in results.

[@marschelvincentius1177]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner noted. Thanks Tom

[@georgelacey6381]

I need more point / counter point Tom doin bad accents. Will it fit Gaggia eccentric ears?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I will have to check on the Gaggia...cheers!

[@Chrissi_174]

Hey Tom, thanks for the nice Reviews! You really help me getting started with brewing! What Grinder do you would recommend? Either the Fellow Opus or the Sage Smart Grinder Pro? I am working with the Delonghi Dedica (since you recommended it 😉) and wonder which is better for me... Does the Sage has a De-Ionizer? I really liked that for the Opus. :) PS: I also want use normal "Filterkaffee" sometimes. Thank you so much! 🎉

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I like the Opus better of those two. SGP does not have a de-ionizer. Shots seem a little smoother to me on the Opus, too. Ergonomics better on the SGP though.

[@Chrissi_174]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Thank you so much for your reply! I will keep that in mind😍

[@ricric9521]

Vs the Encore ESP?

[@enriquearjona2933]

excellent video as always, very well detailed. I would like to ask you if you see it as appropriate for making espresso in the Dedica 685. I have also seen that it is possible to change the adjustment of the grinding wheels for a finer result. Is it easy to do? . If you consider any other mill that I can advise without exceeding the price too much,. Thank you very much in advance. Sincerely Enrique

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hi Enrique, yes you can change the inner burr collar, it's easy to do. You can also consider the Baratza ESP, MiiCoffee D40, and Fellow Opus. All capable for $200.

[@enriquearjona2933]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner thank you very much for your response and attention

[@zuraakhaladze6801]

Tom I want to buy grinder. Which do you prefer, Fellow opus, Baraza encore or this one?

[@jpi8237]

I was thinking the same thing I went with the breville.

[@ciaran.laverty]

Would you recommend this for a beginner? There is a slightly used one close to me and could probably pick it up for £80 or so. I want to get into making home espresso (that leads to another question, what’s a good beginner machine 😅)

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That's a good price for this, and yes, it's a good beginner grinder. Great ergonomics.

[@jeet-Seattle]

Tom do you recommend this gringer or opus,baratza ESP.... they are are 3 for $199.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Hmm, hard to say. Opus and ESP use a newer burr design. This is maybe easier to use. Opus I'd say for single dosing, and then choose the ESP or Smart Grinder Pro based on aesthetic or ergonomic preferences.

[@jeet-Seattle]

@TomsCoffeeCorner Thank you Tom for reply, learning lot from you sir. Yes I will be fine with single dose... thanks again...

[@Creedlafreniere]

Will this fit a delonghi ec685 51mm portafilter?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Not ideally, no. It's made to hold 54mm or 58mm. Cheers!

[@James-ti3vl]

How does this compare to the Fellow opus?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Um, similar burr size, and both conical. This is an older 5 bladed design. I find the Opus a bit more refined, but it's slow like molasses. The workflow on this one is better. Opus is better for single dosing. Cheers!

[@ReheatedDonut]

I don't understand, if you want to grind say 17g or 18g how do you know what to set the timer to?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@ReheatedDonut Trial and error. I find that most conical grinders like this do about 1.5 g per second for espresso.

[@allisonr6709]

Wait, how does it actually work? Just push the filter in?

[@notation4534]

Yup, there’s a button the portafilter hits when you insert it. Also another button under the display.

[@Omakio2000]

Hello 👋 Nice video as always. Just to mention that (for me at least), the links for the grinder don't work.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Might I ask which link you tried? Thanks for the heads up. Cheers!

[@Omakio2000]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner All the Smart Grinder Pro ones

[@BahtsizBirader]

Got one 4 years ago, and now seems not grinding evenly smooth for v60. Espresso is also never working fine, but there idk what problem.. i get standard cups no joy or taste what was at beginning

[@Z7faion]

Should i get sage smart pro for 275-300 dollars or the baratza encore esp for 200-220 dollars +thank you for the content you provide, it is very useful. I appreciate it

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I'd say they're about a horse a piece. Honestly, I'd go for the DF54.

[@Z7faion]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner It is not available in my country unfortunately, nor are any of Turin's products

[@Jospabaerze]

Hej Tom, thanks for the Video, maybe you can give an advice to a beginner? Would you rather get the sage or the df54 for a starter setup? BG

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

@@Jospabaerze Honestly, the DF 54 is much nicer in regards to build quality and I feel like the grind consistency is also better.

[@tomlitton80]

Your Aussie accent sounds like Ali G in weird way.....very niceeee 😂

[@DimHim7473]

If doesn’t have that much retention, I would had considered to buy.

[@Siriusz7]

I have this grinder and for some reason every time i pull a shot it pulls in time but the crema disappears over time.

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Are you using freshly roasted beans? Arabica/Robusta mix? Robusta provides more crema. The crema will however dissipate over time with any shot...

[@Siriusz7]

I think I've figured it out, my cup is too hot.@@TomsCoffeeCorner

[@findingsolitude4644]

Drink it, don't stare it it 😅

[@benschamberger8933]

Thank you, great video, except for the intro that was truly horrific 😂

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I know. I'd starve if I had to try earning money acting, lol.

[@rattytat]

No, this isn't Aussies, you lie Tom. Video isn't upside down!!!

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

That would have been even more painful to watch. 🤣

[@kalemarnica32]

Nice review! Although I do laugh every time how no one can ever get our accent right!

[@NeverMind353]

Immediately could tell it was a fake Aussie accent, they didn't call each other "mate" or "cunt".

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Lol, I'll keep that in mind. Cheers!

[@Ashhong1]

This thing could NOT get fine enough for a single shot of espresso when I tested it. I had all adjustments as fine as possible but was still pulling shots way too quickly. I don’t need 18g of coffee beans in the morning so this was a deal breaker for me

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Could it be that your beans were super old? It grinds fine enough for me, but beans make such a difference.

[@Ashhong1]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner don’t think so. I specifically bought beans that were roasted only a few weeks prior. You are able to grind fine enough for a single shot? I was using an ECP3420 at the time so maybe that also played a part? I’m using the Turin 40 now so all is good

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I don't normally do single shots, but I don't see why the SGP couldn't grind fine enough for it. Glad you're happy with the Turin though!@@Ashhong1

[@loughrey101]

The problem if your technique, not thr grinder

[@MrSteamDragon]

Hi, I am assuming your coffee is fresh and is not a super light roast. If you reduce the resistance the coffee provides the water, it will flow too quickly. If you maintain constant pressure throughout the pour, using less beans means a quicker pour. You could try to compensate (by increasing water resistance) by tamping a bit firmer, 🙂

[@helenhelen4218]

Hello! Nice job, thank you. And what about for moka Bialetti Brikka, please?

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Sure, it could grind just fine for that. Cheers!

[@helenhelen4218]

@@TomsCoffeeCorner Thank you 😊

[@evandersoriano4308]

I wish it measured in grams

[@Fa5hukes]

Sells better then VEGEMITE !

[@philippecasteleyn9327]

"PRO", but the manual says "only for domestic use".

[@KebabEater]

Is this a Texas accent? Not aussie for sure!

[@doctorf7501]

The internal grind adjustment!!! That’s what’s wrong with

[@Shamusving]

What the Forrest Gump

[@kellydavis3108]

Verging on southern US accent! 😅

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

Lol, I tried my best, but I'm no voice actor. 😂

[@CoffeeAndSmoke23]

Hard watch ? Nope ! Watch hard

[@liamjenkins244]

Your attempted Australian accent sounds like some small Eastern European country nobody has ever heard of

[@Shadowguy456234]

😂😂😂

[@BrucePotter]

Why are 2 americans talking about an Australian product??

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

I was pretending to be Australian, lol.

[@p0ddie]

Wow even at 2x replay speed this video is slow

[@tenjisaga]

that is the worst australian accent i have ever heard in my entire life

[@TomsCoffeeCorner]

😅😅 Lol, I know.

[@tenjisaga]

Haha love the channel though, mate. It's single-handedly sent me down the rabbit hole 🤣