Coffee Grinders?

[analog_kid]

Looking for a new/better coffee grinder than the one I have now(Black and Decker piece of crap). Can I get anything worthwhile in the $35 range?

[TickTock]

$35 is a pretty low price point for a decent grinder. I don't think you can get an electric one for that that isn't, sadly, about the same level of crappiness as your current one.

If you are only using it for drip and/or french/aero press, then you could do nicely with something like a Solis Maestro, which run in the $100 range.

If you want espresso, then usually people say $200 is a decent minimum. There are several models that are good at this price point, though I can't think of them all now--go to Coffeegeek.com and root around. You'll be given more information than you could possibly imagine.

If you're willing to try a hand grinder, there are ones which give a very good grind (some folks swear by theirs even for espresso). Zassenhaus is the classic German brand and usually considered the best, though they had a few years recently where their quality slipped.

Armin Trosser is another good hand model. For your price though, you're talking used and probably vintage, so the odds of a bad or worn out one go up.

[bbqncigars]

$35 to $50 or so might get you by for drip or press, I can't vouch for vacuum brewers. Just what are you looking for?


Wayne

[SkepticDEuser]

For that sort of money, I would do nothing.
You will just be buying the same thing you have.

Maybe spend a little more, around the $100 and get a second hand Gaggia MDF, a little noise, but soild, reliable, and will last you forever.

A little more than that, maybe $200 will get you a second hand Rocky, and a little more, will get you a Mini Mazzer.

I have a Mazzer, and can tell you, it's not cheap, but it makes coffee making so easy, and is a joy to look at and use.

You can get a second hand one without any worries, because they are commerical grade, and bullet proof!

I am thinking of upgrading my commerical single group machine, but the Mazzer will be with me forever..................uless I get a bad case of GAD (the grinder version of RAD), and want a chrome plated or black one!

Have a look at Coffeegeek.com, they have a Buy/Sell forum which has great stuff..........I never buy from there because I am in Australia, and we have 240 Volts, compared to your 120Volts, so I buy from Europe directly.

Cheers

[OldSaw]

I have this one from Capresso (http://www.capresso.com/prod_grind_burr.html). If it's a piece of crap, it has been a pretty darn good piece of crap for the last 3-4 years. I can't remember how much we spent, but I believe it was more than the $39 it is selling for now.

The plastic hopper cracked but it still holds the beans and it would take a lot of convincing to get me to spend any more than this on a grinder.

[Slant-Fan]

I was looking for a grinder for a pour over Mellita. I read the reveiws at Coffee Geek and Sweet Maria's and finally decided to give the Zassenhaus manual grinder a shot. For my needs it filled the bill and it isn't $400.00. The only question was would I feel like hand grinding a pot of coffee every morning. Happy to say that it has worked out swell for me. Good coffee and it is not a hassle. I found mine on ebay for $40.00 shipped.

[MotoMike]

Cuisinart DBM-8

I think it was a little more, $45 if memory serves. Have seen them on sale for $40.

Had mine for about 1.5 years. A burr grinder that can adjust down to espresso or up to a very coarse grind. It is a bit noisy, but does a great job. Hopper holds 1/2 lb of beans so you don’t have to fill it every time.
Here are some reviews.

http://www.epinions.com/Cuisinart_Supreme_Grind_DBM_8_Electric_Burr_Grinde r

Stay away from Melita burr grinder. Discharge hole too small and you have to unplug it sometimes every grind.

Regards
Mike

[analog_kid]

Hmmmm...well thanks for the ideas gents. I wish I could spend more but it's just not in the budget.

I finally found a french press that appeals to me so that kind of spurred the coffee grinder question. However, all the presses recommend coarsely ground coffee. Now, am I correct in assuming most blade grinders(like the one I own) grind the coffee too fine? That just seems counter intuitive to me for some reason.

[Slant-Fan]

Hmmmm...well thanks for the ideas gents. I wish I could spend more but it's just not in the budget.

I finally found a french press that appeals to me so that kind of spurred the coffee grinder question. However, all the presses recommend coarsely ground coffee. Now, am I correct in assuming most blade grinders(like the one I own) grind the coffee too fine? That just seems counter intuitive to me for some reason.

My understanding is that a blade grinder is inconsistent. The Zassenhaus manual grinder is adjustable and will meet your needs if you don't mind using a bit of elbow grease.:smile: You can read about them at Sweet Maria's dot com.

[Tilden]

Ok...you got it out of me...my wife and I own a drive thru espresso shop in Texas. Once I get back I am retiring and have already purchased a mobile van and will sell espresso based drinks all around the base where I am stationed, as well as the local community...on to your question...can a cheap grinder be had...yes but remember you get what you pay for...if you go to my video on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWkWs5IE0fg you will see that I am using a 35 dollar grinder and getting OK results...I had to shim the burrs to bring them closer together in order to get the grind necessary to pull a decent shot...hope this helps

[Tilden]

I have this one from Capresso (http://www.capresso.com/prod_grind_burr.html). If it's a piece of crap, it has been a pretty darn good piece of crap for the last 3-4 years. I can't remember how much we spent, but I believe it was more than the $39 it is selling for now.

The plastic hopper cracked but it still holds the beans and it would take a lot of convincing to get me to spend any more than this on a grinder.

This is the grinder featured in my video...I do not know what retail is, I was able to purchase mine at wholesale...as you can see it works great for the price...

[WithTheGrain]

This is the grinder featured in my video...I do not know what retail is, I was able to purchase mine at wholesale...as you can see it works great for the price...

Tilden-
is that you in the vid? If so, good work. I am glad to see that you guys have at least a little downtime to enjoy yourselves. I did wonder though, what makes a hot drink like espresso seem like a good idea in the desert?:wink2:

[patrisVII]

Melita makes a bur grinder that's in your price range. I've used it for both a French press (course) and Melita #2 manual (fine) and the grind is pretty consistent.

I got it from the kitchen store in the Pocono outlet complex in Tannersville, PA. but I did find a online seller -

here (http://www.everythingkitchens.com/melitta_MEBG8B.html)

[jncc]

My understanding is that a blade grinder is inconsistent. The Zassenhaus manual grinder is adjustable and will meet your needs if you don't mind using a bit of elbow grease.:smile: You can read about them at Sweet Maria's dot com.

+1 on Zassenhaus.

[Limey]

There are many fairly inexpensive burr grinders like the Capresso mentioned earlier. Just make sure you stay away from blade grinders (whirly-birds).

[KenS]

Opinions vary on this one. I have a Braun burr style grinder that I have used since 1989, and have been quite happy with it; even for espresso. The day I pay $200.00 + for a coffee grinder is the day before I open a coffee shop.
Ken
Ambassador of reasonable spending.

[Limey]

Tilden - thanks for the video. I enjoyed watching that. I wish you the best over there and it looks like you are making the best of it.

[mozart]

My parents have used a Zassenhaus for cracking black peppercorns for decades, it seems. If you think about it, an electric mill is nothing else than a manual mill where the handle has been replaced with a motor. The milling mechanism is what counts most, not so much what drives it. Because you are using a French press, a manual machine would serve you well. The better ones can allegedly even be used for making Espresso or Turkish coffee. Going manual will probably safe you some money. Such a mill likely will never fail, unless you yourself run out of juice :smile:

Best - MM

[Tilden]

Tilden-
is that you in the vid? If so, good work. I am glad to see that you guys have at least a little downtime to enjoy yourselves. I did wonder though, what makes a hot drink like espresso seem like a good idea in the desert?:wink2:

Yes that would be me in the Vid...as far as coffee in the desert goes... there is never a bad time for a hot, iced, or slightly cooled cup of java...you would be surprised at the amount of coffee that is consumed in my office alone on a daily basis...want to see motivation drop? deny a soldier his "cup o' joe" and see what happens:biggrin:

[Danmark]

I've had a hand cranked Zassenhaus for nearly 30 years. I still use it when traveling. It still grinds coffee beans into consistent sized particles, every bit as well as the $2000 Mahlkonig I chanced upon when a friend went out of the coffee business. I've never even heard of a cheap electric that could grind coffee with out leaving large coarse chunks along with fine powder.

[analog_kid]

Melita makes a bur grinder that's in your price range. I've used it for both a French press (course) and Melita #2 manual (fine) and the grind is pretty consistent.

I got it from the kitchen store in the Pocono outlet complex in Tannersville, PA. but I did find a online seller -

here (http://www.everythingkitchens.com/melitta_MEBG8B.html)



Excellent! I think I will go with this one! Thanks for the link.

[analog_kid]

Excellent! I think I will go with this one! Thanks for the link.



Or maybe not...it got some pretty awful reviews on Amazon.

[sparkchaser]

I have that Melita grinder. Aside from the logo sticker falling off and the noise, I have complaints; however, I do wish that they did include an idea of how coarse or fine a grind you can get from each setting. Figuring out the best setting for me was a few weeks of trial and error.

[biomesh]

+1 on a Zassenhaus. They take some effort (not that much), but you get a great grinder that will last a long time and work anywhere. They are also quiet compared to many grinders out there.

[DirtyDave]

Matt,

I have a Krups coffee grinder and have happily used it for the past 15, 16, 17+ years. I don't remember how much is costs, but given the years of service, it is a real bargin.

[analog_kid]

After looking around some more I did find a few more models in the $50 range. Does anyone have any experience with these:

Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme (http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DBM-8-Supreme-Grind-Automatic/dp/B00018RRRK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-8388848-7491638?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1192041357&sr=8-2)

Krups GVX1-14 (http://www.amazon.com/Krups-GVX1-14-Burr-Grinder-Black/dp/B0001I9R8C/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/105-8388848-7491638?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1192041357&sr=8-5)

Capresso 556 (http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-556-Stainless-Steel-Burr-Grinder/dp/B000FNEWBA/ref=pd_bbs_8/105-8388848-7491638?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1192041357&sr=8-8)

[Shave Ice]

My advice is don't go cheap. Spend the bucks. Look for a good burr grinder at around $130 or so I have a Capresso Infinity. Its considered very good for the price.
It will last years.
Make sure whatever grinder you decicde on has metal burrs.
A friend of mine who is a coffee roasting hobbiest actually put together a tasting for me (same coffee in different grinders). There is a huge difference in flavor. In fact most experts says that to get great coffee you need a good grinder. Everything else is pretty much secondary.

If you love coffee save your money and get a good grinder...one that will last you a long long time.

[Stuffy]

Matt:

I've owned a Capresso 560 for about a year; I purchased it for $90 from Zaccardi's (http://www.zaccardis.com/capresso-infinity-conical-burr-coffee-grinder-b.html). Maybe a little more price-wise than what you're looking for, but it came highly recommended to me and has gotten good reviews on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-Infinity-Burr-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ref=pd_sbs_hg_1/105-8273122-8964459?ie=UTF8&qid=1192041357&sr=8-8). It's a conical burr grinder with 16 different settings, which I use mostly for French Press and drip coffee (though I've used it a few times for really fine grinds, like for Turkish coffee).

Before this we had an antique hand-cranked grinder (all the labels are worn off, so I don't know what brand it is). This worked well, but crankin' 10 to 20 tbsps every morning got tiring pretty fast!

I use it almost every day, coffee tastes good, and it's held up well. I'm happy with the purchase.

I think I chose this particular model after reading the reviews at coffeegeek.com (sort of the "Badge & Blade" of coffee).

[DwarvenChef]

I don't drink coffee as it doesn't like me much...

I do however have a Kitchen Aid burr grinder thats adjustable for grind size. I use it now for spices :biggrin: I see them on Ebite all the time but couldn't say how much they run... I swipped this from my grandparents :)

[tim8557]

I have this one from Capresso (http://www.capresso.com/prod_grind_burr.html). If it's a piece of crap, it has been a pretty darn good piece of crap for the last 3-4 years. I can't remember how much we spent, but I believe it was more than the $39 it is selling for now.

The plastic hopper cracked but it still holds the beans and it would take a lot of convincing to get me to spend any more than this on a grinder.

I also have a Capresso Burr Grinder that was less than $ 50 as I recall and it has never let me down in the 6 years I've had it.

[Lelander]

I realize I'm coming into this thread rather late, but I noticed that there hasn't been a specific discussion regarding the "why" of $100+ burr grinders. Obviosly, quality of finish and longevity tend to be better with pricier models, but that's not the real reason that $30 burr grinders fall far short of their high-priced bretheren in the cup.

The real issue is that a higher price tag generally buys you three important things; finer range of adjustments, a better motor, and larger burrs. Why are each of these so important?

Adjustments: This is not such a big deal if you are brewing only drip, press, vacuum, pour-over, basically anything except espresso. When brewing espresso, grind should esentially be the only variable you are adjusting to pull correctly times shots, and as a result fine adjustments are critical. The real holy grail when using any brew method is consistency, which is mainly a factor of the burrs and the motor.

Motor: Larger, more powerful electric motors not only last a long time, they provide torque necessary to use the larger burrs necessary for better consistency at gentler speeds.

Burrs: It really all comes down to the burrs. The best grinders are using a 50-60mm (or larger for big commercial grinders) set of flat burrs. These have very consistent teeth that can be operated within close tolerances and can grind coffee quickly while rotating relatively slowly (married to an electric motor with sufficient low rpm torque or step down gearing). When burrs spin very fast, they tend to cause the beans to explode, leaving lots of inconsistent fine grounds. High speeds also generate heat detrimental to flavor in the cup. Grinders that spin at high speed are also very loud (I have a cheap Cuisenart that truly sounds like the cries of vengeful demons).

Does this mean that a quality press-pot or drip brewer requires a $500 Mazzer Mini for optimal performance? Not even, in fact I think that high priced espresso grinders are way to capable for these sorts of home applications. But you do want to get your hands on a burr grinder running a 35-40mm set of burrs (conical is fine) that operates at less than ~600-800 rpm if you are going to get any sort of real consistency. Good luck finding those specs on the packaging of a $35 grinder, chances are you should stay with whatever you are currently using unless you are willing to double your budget or go with one of the Zassenhaus hand mills, which are really good little mills that can sometimes be found for under $50 (as others have already mentioned).

If you absolutely must go electric, the Solis (now Barrazza?) Maestro is likely the best economy choice grinder for brew methods other than espresso. They're usually around $100 new.

[BarryR]

Opinions vary on this one. I have a Braun burr style grinder that I have used since 1989, and have been quite happy with it; even for espresso. The day I pay $200.00 + for a coffee grinder is the day before I open a coffee shop.
Ken
Ambassador of reasonable spending.+1
I've had a Braun burr grinder for about 10 or so years. It's sounds a little tired recently and I may replace it soon, but it's worked quite well. I would strongly concur with those who suggest a burr grinder not a blade grinder. It's very difficult to get a consistent grind with the whirly kind. Within one batch some of the beans get pulverized and some remain quite chunky.

[JerimiahC]

I use a De Longhi grinder I purchased at Sears. It is identical to this one:

http://www.epinions.com/Burr_Coffee_Grinders_La_Pavoni_Alpina_Burr_Coffee_ Grinder_CG600

I love mine and got it for between 40 - 50 about 6 months ago. I think it was discontinued and I think that's why it was that inexpensive.

[Aneurysm]

I've been using the Aerolatte burr grinder for the last 2-3 yrs and it's been working really well for me only downside is that it's really loud and it's got this cheap looking hopper but grinds fine enough to choke my Silva. I bought it for 90 pounds. I think that's about the price range you will be looking at for an electric grinder for espresso

[analog_kid]

After picking up some burr ground coffee, I think I'm going to hold off on buying a grinder until I can afford one of good quality. Even in my $20 coffee maker, the coffee had more body and flavor than the whole bean I grind at home in my cheapo blade grinder. Ahh...one more thing to save for. :glare:

[waliguy]

+1 on Lelander's excellent post.

I'm also a little late on this thread, but the quality of the grind...especially when using a French press...will vastly improve the brew.

I use a Bodum Antigua Burr Grinder which I've been very happy with:

http://www.espressozone.com/images/PRODUCT/medium/6020.jpg

I mostly use it for french press (during the week) and can change the setting easily for espresso or vacuum when needed.

Regularly $89-$99, but I see 'em here for $69: http://www.espressopeople.com/grinders/bodum and you might want to shop around a little

[Sabledog]

...if you go to my video on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWkWs5IE0fg you will see that I am using a 35 dollar grinder and getting OK results...I had to shim the burrs to bring them closer together in order to get the grind necessary to pull a decent shot...hope this helps

I had to fire up my Gaggia Espresso after watching that video!

Keeping with the thread, I use a Rancilio MD-40 that was about $100 on ebay (add ~$40 to replace the burrs); It's big, but I think it'll last my lifetime! :thumbup: