Grinder Buying Guide | Part 1 of 3

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

New Videos Every Day! Subscribe ▸ goo.gl/hRKEhR Over 100+ Crew Reviews! Watch: goo.gl/0jaOP6 Visit Us Online: www.seattlecoffeegear.com Seattle Coffee Gear fans are the best! Thanks for watching all our videos!

[@robertreynolds9284]

+Seattle Coffee Gear thank you for making these videos. They really help in making an informed decision.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

+robert reynolds You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@Ghosteater]

Just wanted to say, thanks for all the hard work on these videos, it really made the decision on what I needed a lot easier. I just ordered the Virtuoso through you guys. It's great to see a store really know their products well, and be honest and up front about them. Thanks again! -John G.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Yay!!! That's awesome -- congrats on the equipment and the mad skillz :D Glad you're enjoying the videos - thanks for watching 'em. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@carvinrigged I love hand grinders, myself, so good choice :) Thanks for watching - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@Flip825 It's inconsistent overall, no matter the coarseness level, but not as bad as road gravel. You will notice a little more silt at the bottom of your press pot, though. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

The Maestro is an excellent grinder for press pot or drip...should work with the Aeropress, but I haven't tested it. These can have a good life -- it's really the motors that might go out, but I'd think that with average use, you'd get at least 5 - 7 years out of them, if not more. If you're thinking you'll get into espresso in the future, however, you might want to look into the Virtuoso and invest just the once. - Kat

[@eugeneyakir]

This is my favorite show! Thank you Gail!

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

I would definitely recommend the Hario hand grinders if you're looking for something with great consistency for not a lot of money -- the Skerton is excellent for press pot, etc. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@DrCaligar1 I don't think they're crap; the Hario hand grinders we've tested are rad. Haven't tried the Kyocera but it's on our to-do list - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@bizojan Hi there - sorry, just saw this. If you are grinding the fresh root itself, I would actually go with something like a meat grinder that will basically juice it. I have used this kind of grinder for both ginseng and ginger root...not sure what the best dried ginseng grinder (or even spice grinder is for that matter) as it's not our specialty. Sorry! - Kat

[@phixit101]

I enjoy the videos! I like the humorous elements. Go Gail!. Thanks

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Drake Tenorio Right on! Thanks for watching!

[@PeterHope2]

Hi ladies :) I have recently just got an espresso machine and grind my own coffee with an average burr grinder. To me, i guess it's great because i am new to it all. They are just both Delonghi, but i like them :) Anyway....I would just like to say, i have found your videos very educational and entertaining even. A big thanks to you both from over here in England, Peter. P.S I made my first latte art today, it was a

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@MascisMan1 Better burrs will equal more particle consistency and, therefore, improved extraction overall. You can get cheaper grinders that will work, definitely, but they tend to be more inconsistent and that can effect the overall taste in the cup. - Kat

[@louisik1]

I have the Capresso and it is basically perfect. It is completely consistent for me and grinds down to flour quality. It takes up less space than the others and is very easy to clean (which you must do with any of these, once a month or so I figure). I find it 'loud' if you're standing in front of it, the same loudness as from a simple blade coffee grinder but a different tone, BUT I feel it is quieter when you are in the next room and someone else is using it; Weird but helpful observation. I have the black plastic housing version, and my woman has the steel housing. She bought hers after using mine for a week. Personally I don't find any difference between them except for weight.

[@AllAmericanGuy01]

Louis Kaplan Thanks for that. I'll have to look into one of those.

[@louisik1]

AllAmericanGuy01 We are still happy with our Capressos, but it has become clear that my plastic housing one is twice as loud as her metal housing one. It is hard to believe the housing would make such a difference but I cannot find any other explanation. Cheers.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@sweetfeat1 Hi there - sent you a response to your pm. Not sure about the Pharos; haven't used it. Rocky and Preciso are both great choices; Rocky has longer history, more commercial components, while the Preciso gives you a little bit more dial-in functionality - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Awesome!!! Yeah, they're really well suited for that style of coffee prep. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

How old and used is the Rocky? How well was it cared for? They're going to have similar performance side by side as new models; the only issue I would look at is how much this used model has been used, because that will mean you'll need to replace the burrs sooner rather than later. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Sure! We have one in the store on demo, I'll put it on the to-do list. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@IMaynardJames82 Not now, no; since the Virtuoso's burrs were upgraded and it's now at $229, the SG is the way to go for that price point. Performs considerably better (and with more machines) than the Infinity - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@49kasey Sorry, no great suggestions for you; all of our burr grinders aren't really spice friendly and I can't recommend that you put any through them. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@Ghosteater Great to hear! Thanks for the feedback -- and let us know if you need any assistance once you get the grinder. :) - Kat

[@MrElTiante]

I currently have a Baratza Virtuoso grinder calibrated for 'Turkish Grind' directly from the factory. I am planning on purchasing a Rancilio Silvia and am concerned with some of the negative reviews stating it won't do a good job with espresso. I would love to hear your oppinion on using the Virtuoso (company calibrated) with the Rancilio Silvia (dialing it in, shot timing, etc...). Thanks in advance. PS: Love the videos you ladies really do an awesome job!!!

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Hi - I just saw this, sorry! KZbin isn't great about comments notices sometimes. The Vario definitely grinds better, it allows you to tweak the grind more so you can dial in your shot more finitely. Not sure if you're still looking for a grinder, but if you have any questions, feel free to msg me. - Kat

[@l_impie]

@SeattleCoffeeGear It's a 40$ grinder (less during special sales). It's not an espresso grinder but it's best to have two grinders if you like different kinds of coffee. One for the espresso, one for the rest. Reason is: after grinding on a coarse mode for a french press, if you grind very fine for the espresso you'll get some coarse from the previous use. It's a pain to use only one grinder. The DBM-8 is a very affordable solution for drip or french press. You might want to check it out.

[@BearintheWoods848]

These videos are fantastic, so helpful , thanks!

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We may look into carrying it...I will let you know if we decide to get one in here to try it out :) - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

I love the Baratza Encore for non-espresso coffee preps :) - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@denrex01 We have tested several but they didn't go fine enough for espresso. The Hario models do; we have heard good things about Kyocera but we haven't tried them ourselves - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

I would go with the Baratza Virtuoso for this machine, you'll get pretty good results with the non-pressurized portafilter and this grinder. Let me know if you need more info. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We have done the illy machines - the iperespresso models by Francis Francis ... we dig 'em! - Kat

[@zomgz932]

@SeattleCoffeeGear the kyocera's are re branded hario's basically.

[@PeterHope2]

Thanks for the reply Kat, and hope you're having a wonderful coffee filled day :D

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We don't have access to this, but we have had some SA customers have success contacting Rancilio directly to order the 220V machines. I'd give them a call and see if they can ship one to your hotel's address. - Kat

[@percih70]

Strictly speaking it's not "an investment" it's a cost, and investment pays a return on the initial cost, this is a purchase, apart from that this is good review with clear explanations.

[@ibodhidogma]

Love this vids! Very helpful. It would be nice to see the Bodum Bistro reviewed, too.

[@NickiSig]

Hi Gail, I have the Starbucks Saeco Serina and im shopping for a burr grinder. i would like to take the plastic gasket out and tamp my own shots.... any grinder that you reccommend? thanks, and i love your vids--- thanks, Nick

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@mookie840 thank you!! :) always great to hear - kat

[@IMaynardJames82]

@SeattleCoffeeGear Thanks for all your help! Picked up the Smart Grinder based on a vast collection of user reviews, including yours :)

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@DrCaligar1 I haven't tried the Zassenhaus; the Hario is the best we've tried that will work with espresso. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We're in the process of updating these videos into the Choose Your Own Adventure style we have for selecting an espresso machine; this particular video was made in April 2009 and there have been many changes to products in that time, particularly with Baratza's product set and their burr tech. - Kat

[@montereycalifornia]

Is Kat still working here? You too are so knowledgeable and entertaining. Thank You!

[@IMaynardJames82]

Would it be possible for you guys to do a Bodum Bistro vs the Capresso Infinity video? Or just reply which one you think is better and why? My birthday is Monday and I'm planning on getting a grinder. I'm also considering the Breville Smart Grinder, but would like to stay under $100.

[@Croozer]

I use the stainless Capresso burr grinder and it works great. (drip coffee only)

[@davidk7262]

I'm glad you upgraded from the potato you used to film these vids with!

[@zomgz932]

@SeattleCoffeeGear they may manufacture them but the only difference between them is the colors. they both are essentially the same and BTW i love my mini mill

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We think the Virtuoso is a good pairing with the Silvia -- it's the lowest end model that we'd recommend, but it does do the fineness and consistency that you'd need. Big difference is that you can't grind as much as you can with larger grinders and the burrs can get a little toasty, singing the coffee. If it's already grinding fine enough for Turkish, you should be able to take it up a couple notches for espresso grind. Feel free to message me with more questions, glad you like the vids! - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

I suppose ... depending on your blender's blades, but the result would be like a standard blade grinder so will be very inconsistent, particle-wise. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Check out the new Baratza Encore - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

We did do a gear testing video on it separately; it was released well after this video. - Kat

[@49kasey]

I was led to this video in search of an electric grinder/blender powerful enough to chop and grind ginseng root. I used to have an old Moulinex that did the job but replacement blades became unavailable. I slice the roots after softening them by steaming them first. I'm actually planning to make formulas containing other herbs with the ginseng, then mixing the powder with honey. It's a lot of work but nothing else compares with taking herbs this way. Any suggestions?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

You're welcome! Let me know if you need any more info - Kat

[@DrCaligar1]

@SeattleCoffeeGear In your experience which are the better hand grinders? Hario or Zassenhaus? Btw rad means good right? Cuz i have to find a dictionary for that

[@dvduadotcom]

Ahhh, I'm looking for a decent bur grinder for french press, any suggestions? By the way I love all your videos :)

[@OtakuCoffee]

Love your videos!!

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad the vids are helping you :) Let us know if you have any requests.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

For some preps, yes they do; for espresso, not so much. - Kat

[@MascisMan1]

Would you recommend a $200 grinder also for coarse grinds (french press)?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

It's really just a safety precaution and based on duration, not type of grind you're doing. They'll just stop and then you have to wait for them to cool down, then you can grind again. They shut down before you blow a fuse or burn out the motor. - Kat

[@DrCaligar1]

@SeattleCoffeeGear Which (in your experience ) are the better hand grinders? Zassenhaus?

[@therealjimvick]

Just saw your ad. Now, like EVERYONE ELSE, I always skip the ads, but I watched yours because I like you. At the end, however, you said "hop on, I'll give you a ride." As an old forklift driver, I know that all of those forklifts have signs that say "no riders." GAIL: how could you be so careless? ;-)

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

James Vick Too much espresso???? ;) Thanks for watching!

[@therealjimvick]

Thanks for posting! And I didn't think you could get too much espresso. Well, maybe. I guess I could switch to decaf, but as my old buddy Willie used to say, "what's the point?"

[@Jesyce86]

Hey guys, I own a Moccamaster Clubline (which works fantastic) but I want to start to grind my own beans as well. What would you recommend I buy? I was thinking about 250 bucks or something. Would that suffice for regular coffee?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the specific function of this grinder as it looks like it available only in EU, etc. and not in the US. I tried to find specs on it but couldn't see if it was espresso-friendly. You might want to poke around some sites in Sweden with coffee fans to see if they have it and can speak to its performance. Sorry I don't have any more insight :( - Kat

[@eugeneyakir]

Dear Kat and Gail I'd like to know your opinion about espesso capsule machines other than Nespresso. Did you ever review any of such machines? If so how can I find such review? Thank you very mach!

[@mookie840]

I LOVE these videos!

[@rickyjangatang1]

can i use my blender and a mason jar as a grinder... for a french press

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

I have not gotten my hands on it, so I don't know how well it performs when compared to other grinders. Sorry :( - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Glad you dig it!! :) - Kat

[@DrCaligar1]

So manual grinders are crap? Which is the best one? Is that kyocera cm 50 any good?

[@IMaynardJames82]

@SeattleCoffeeGear Thanks for the quick reply :) What concerns me is the 20 second max per 5 minutes on the Bodum. So I guess I've ruled out the Bodum and now its between the Capresso for $85 or the Smart Grinder for $200. Are there better options than the Smart Grinder under $200?

[@yucelozdemir7441]

Hi Gail and Kat, I want to buy a grinder for my home. and I want to hear your advice; a used Rancillio Rocky with doser or new Nuovo Simonelli Grinta. which one it wil be better for me. want to hear from you. thanks.

[@dvduadotcom]

Thanks Kat, I'll look into it! ~Jonathan

[@donphobos]

Love your reviews, watch them quite a lot and try to learn of them. What is your opinion about the Wilfa CGR-1 grinder. It is available in Sweden and has good reviews locally. Would this type of grinder (concept) suit mainly espresso grinding? I am looking at a Rancilio Silvia as machine and would like to brew some nice cappuccinos to my wife and myself on weekends. Thank you.

[@zenjim007]

Just to get clarified on the one minute operation on all these grinders so you don't blow a fuse; does that mean with espresso beans or regular coffee beans as well? Is there a difference in density between the two? If you do go too long and blow the fuse, will it damage the machine or is it just mean you need a new fuse. I wouldn't purposely push the machine, but people are human. Thank you Coffee Sensei.

[@l_impie]

Hi Kat, you two girls are really doing great videos, I've been almost all of them lol What do you think of the cuisinart DBM-8 ?

[@sethv.1349]

What grinder would you recommend for a very coarse grain cracked black peppercorn? I have a Cuisinart COFFEE GRINDER DBM-8 Automatic Burr Mill, but it's not as coarse as I would like.

[@bizojan]

can you guide me for herb grinder like ginseng

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@IMaynardJames82 It's either or on these guys; similar build quality, longevity, grind quality, etc. So it's really your call :) - Kat

[@freddieslaughter1107]

I have noticed when you grind coffee beans, there seems to be no chaff from the beans. Is this the problem with the grinder or type of coffee beans? When I grind my coffee beans, I'm getting a lot of chaff, I'm using a Cuisinart Conical Burr Grinder Model CBM-18, should I buy a better grinder to get rid of the coffee bean chaff, if so which one?

[@radbcc]

Keep things simple. I use a simple one cup conical filter. My coffee comes out just fine and tasty..... No need to constantly complicate your life. that being said, nice useful information presented here....

[@matsteel2292]

Hi I have a question please I have just ordered the Technivorm Moccamaster classic with the glass carafe and was thinking of either the Moccamaster KM4 grinder or the Breville Smart Grinder Pro out of these two which would you recommend ? or would you recommend something else? hope you can help me. Thank you, Mat.

[@adrito70]

Hi Kat, my name is Adrian, I live in Argentina and i'm going to visit NY in this April. I searching for a Rancilio Rocky grinder, for 220 volts, can you import one for me? I'll buy you inmediatlly! In my country, serious coffee stuff are not avaible, it's impossible to find! Thanks

[@zomgz932]

@SeattleCoffeeGear yep unless there is an actual difference. then anything may happen

[@zomgz932]

@SeattleCoffeeGear well at least from what i can see they are the same. but i await your comparisons and review.

[@freddieslaughter1107]

I just use the AeroPress for my coffee maker, I don't like expresso. I only drink my coffee black, what is the best grind for my type of coffee, to get the best flavor? I have the Cuisinart Conical Burr Grinder with 18 settings.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Hey, sorry -- no we won't contact them on your behalf, you'd need to do so and find out if they can ship it to your uncle's address, etc. - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@zomgz932 Def! It's not rocket science, right? So I'm guessing they will practically perform very similar :) - Kat

[@myczkomail]

Hi there Ive just got myself a fransis fransis x1 coffee machine and need some help on what grinder to get that will be good for the machine. looking on the cheap range as its nearly xmass. Lol If you could help that would be amazing :)

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Hello James Myczko, A good, high-quality grinder is key to making delicious coffee or espresso. However, if your x1 is not an IperCapsule machine and it uses a pressurized portafilter for ground coffee you are generally able to get away with using a lower end grinder such as a Capresso Infinity grinder: www.seattlecoffeegear.com/capresso-infinity-conical-burr-grinder. If your x1 uses a non-pressurized portafilter, then it is best to invest in a higher-end grinder that is able to provide consistency with a finer grind. You can spend a little more money on a Baratza Encore, but you may need to recalibrate the burrs for a finer grind than their factory settings: www.seattlecoffeegear.com/baratza-encore-grinder. I hope this helps! - Sarah

[@danielonn2002]

I just purchased a CuisineArt Espresso Machine for $130 that goes for $250 and found a CusinArt Burr Conical Grinder for $69 at Amazon normally going for $200. The Cuisin Art Espresso Machine has a knob to control the espresso and milk and the grinder has an LCD with 18 settings automatic feature manual pulsing feature and a 1/2 pound holding hopper. Did i do well? I am a coffee lover.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Hello Daniel, We do not offer the CuisineArt brand, so we are unable to comment on its quality. However, the price difference alone sounds like a steal! ~ Sarah

[@flightofthephoenix2072]

What do you guys think about the KitchenAid Pro Line Series Burr Coffee Mill? I'm debating between that and the Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Hi *****, Unfortunately, we have not had the chance to test anything from the KitchenAid line and do not sell this brand on our website. Sorry we couldn't be of more help! - Sarah

[@helpfulnatural]

The KitchenAid pro-line grinder has a glass receptacle to collect the ground coffee. The Capresso has a plastic cup which creates way more static. Both are great grinders but for some people, dealing with static-y grounds flying out of the cup is an important issue. I have the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder which also has a glass receptacle. I love it but it is a small machine. If you need to make large pots of coffee, the KitchenAid might be a better choice.

[@Golobtin]

Here is my take on grinder stuff. 1- absolutely agree that a good grinder is more important than a good espresso machine. 2- any grinder, manual or electrical, which has bushings on the shaft is worth nothing. Eventually the bushing will wear down and it will develop a wobble which gets worse and worse and ruins the fineness and consistency of the result. The shaft has to stay in its place utilizing bull-bearings instead. 3- any grinder with LCD, or any other fancy electronics should be avoided at any cost. It is my main complaints on many reviews on products that the focus is mainly on features and the price of the products rather than how long-lasting and reliable they are. Even on Amazon or similar sites which post consumer's ratings, rarely a consumer comes back in a couple of years and reports if the product is still working or not.

[@AttitudeXX0854961]

a great cheap espresso grinder?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@IMaynardJames82 Cool! Hope it works out well for you :D - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@mXpFoxRACING What's that? - Kat

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

@zomgz932 Ah; but they do a bunch of ceramic products so they don't manufacture these themselves? - Kat

[@Gollammeister]

im trying to find the best grinder for use with a percolator instructions say to use a medium ground coffee does this mean a coarse grind ?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Yes, a percolator will require a coarse grind similar to a French press. You can adjust from there depending on taste.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

Cool :) - Kat

[@amanieux]

just a thought : if the difference between a $40 grinder and a $400 grinder is just consistency, why don't we use the cheapest burr grinder ( $35) + 2 sieves ($5) to filter the chucks that are too big and the ones that are too small ? would not it be better than the $1000 grinder that still produce a very small quantity of chunks that are too small ?

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

It sounds like it could work, but it requires additional effort (not much, but some don't like additional work ;-) ) and wastes beans and grounds by trashing the grounds that pass through the sieves. But, if you don't mind those things, then I would suggest giving it a shot! :-) ~ Sarah

[@amanieux]

Seattle Coffee Gear the big chunks must be reinserted in the grinder, for the small ones you are right if you don't like Turkish coffee this is lost coffee (and at the price of coffee beans this is not negligible ) but the 400$ grinder also produce some smaller chunks ( but how many less 100x less or just 2x less ?, with a sieve we could measure it ) - even with the $400 grinder we may improve coffee taste by removing smaller chunks that produces this over-extracted bitter taste - a new interesting blind tasting video for your crew :)

[@phoslurperr]

Kind of surprised the Infinity had the best taste and most consistent grind. I would have thought the Baratza would at least be as good.

[@dvduadotcom]

$200 necessary for a grinder? I don't think so... the antique style burr grinders do great and can be picked up very cheap.

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

But ... does it work well for you? That's all that matters :) - Kat