one of the machines in this list (bonavita) is on drop right now for a pretty great price at $100 … just got one for drip.
I saw that earlier and am tempted. But, the max of only 8 cups is a bit of an issue and I really don’t need it since I’ve been using a Technivorm for years and it’s still going strong.
Edit - Crap, on closer inspection the volume capacity is about the same as Technivorm - 1.3L. So that eliminates one of my hurdles keeping me from spending the money. Decisions…
2nd Edit - It’s only a few dollars more on Amazon. Not worth any savings for something that isn’t a need for me right now.
I’m still blissful in my ignorance as I have been using the same Braun blade grinder for 30+ years, but I gotta tell you, this looked really interesting. I just purchased a salad spinner by this manufacturer and it is really well detailed and well made. (plus warrantied for life)
If this grinder is as good as the salad spinner, for $16.97, that’s some pretty hefty QPR.
I have read the hand grinders can do a nice job grinding but are very slow to grind much. So I would read up on that. Once you retire you chopper you won’t look back.
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regarding coffee of all methods, the grinder is as important if not more so for certain preparations. if you acknowledge that freshly ground beans are superior to pre-ground for all preps (they are), then it should quickly follow that the method of grinding matters immensely (it does). the idea of expecting good/great coffee at home without investing in a proper grinder is an impossibility.
edit: it seems the software update renders amazon links differently/incorrectly
Looking for a new low(er) cost grinder around CA $300 say - or less!
Usage is almost entirely brewed coffee (Moccamaster), but good to have ability for the very occasional espresso.
Preliminary due diligence suggests Foley Opus and Baratza Encore ESP ( or the prior model?) are front runners, and possibly OXO Brew (and a nice bottle of wine with the money saved!). Breville is disqualified due to two machines degrading after three years and fifteen months respectively (it now takes about 3 times as long to grind the specified amount of coffee; even after careful cleaning etc; and worse it’s unpredictable). And I gather it’s not the best grind in this class, although it is very easy to use.
Im leaning to the Opus:
- hassle of precise setting for espresso not an issue; great flexibility for brewed
- by all accounts it grinds very well
- Looks very cool!
But I have a couple of concerns and would welcome comments, and any suggested alternatives.
The first is workflow. I’m ok with weighing beans or grounds but my wife considers that fussy. She could, I think, use a measuring spoon. Given that the Opus does not have an auto off, and the timer is only in 30 second increments, not exact seconds, it seems the best approach is to weigh the beans and set time for the next higher multiple of 30 secs. Does it harm the grinder to continually be running beyond the empty point? I’m usually multitasking cleaning the brew basket, filling the tank etc while the grinder runs.
The second is retention. How big a problem is it? Having to tap the lid is one more complication for someone who sees it that way. Also, how is it on dark roast? Does that exacerbate retention? My current coffee is a mix of a dark and a medium roast, but we often use 100% dark.
If I was looking for a new grinder to go with my Moccamaster I’d also look at the new grinder they recently released. (I have an old Baratza Virtuoso that I doubt will die anytime soon.) Looks like both it and the brewers are widely on sale this weekend.
Edit: rumor has it that the KM-5 is based on the Eureke Mignon Filtro:
Thank you for the suggestion. It’s listed at a couple places in Canada around $300 CA but “sold out”, is available at a third for $450 which is probably over budget. And I’m not keen on having to hold the grind button down throughout the grind. So not sure yet if this is an option. The rest of its features / performance sound excellent.
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That makes sense, a lot of folks want timed operation. (I am the opposite, I weigh out my beans and grind everything in the hopper each day; my Baratza does both but I’ve never used the timer.)
Actually what I want is either:
a. Grinder stops automatically when empty and I weigh the beans going in (and there a fixed amount of retention, ideally zero),
or
b. Grinder weighs the grounds and stops when target weight reached.
I can live with timed grind, especially when the metric is grams or cups rather than seconds, a la Breville (which allows you program or calibrate the timings).
This sounds minor but my “workflow” at breakfast has multiple things going on at once; getting the coffee maker ready, making toast etc. The last thing I need to do is stand around and watch coffee being ground!
I’m probably a bit of a heretic but have noticed zero difference in grinding just before I make the coffee and the night or day before. I know what the cognescenti say but I must have a yak’s palate. Love coffee, roasted it myself for years and there I can tell a huge difference, but not at all re grinding time before making it.
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I’ve never tried grinding the day before because it doesn’t take long to do it in the morning. But, having a bag or two ground by the roaster doesn’t work as well to my taste.
-Al
Baratza encore has served us well-don’t get carried away and spend too much. I got a new in box on ebay for under a hundred a couple of years ago.
I’ve used the baratza encore for about a year and love it. I read about the static issues and bought it anyway. It’s very interesting, I get no static with my wife’s beans. I got a lot of static with Mayorga beans. However, I cleaned my machine with GRINDZ tablets and did not get any static with Mayorga beans.
In any case, I get a great consistent grind with the baratza.
I’m fine with my Baratza but it sort of pisses me off, mostly in principle, that I’ve never been able to get the same beautiful uniform grind at home that you get with a multi-thousand dollar big-ass Mahlkonig commercial grinder. Seems to me, naively, that it shouldn’t be that difficult to do…same burrs in smaller package not made for durably grinding bag after bag every day of the year.
The static is more of an issue with darker roasts. I don’t really have and issue grinding light to medium roasted beans (Baratza Virtuoso+).
-Al
I’ve been wondering why the darker roasts seem to stick more than lighter ones. Is there a reason for this?
Is it actually static, or is it their oiliness maming the grounds “stickier”?
Having said that, I’ve never noticed any particular issue and I grind mainly dark or medium+dark blends, always a pretty coarse grind.
Linked from article in the Washington Post today:
https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltext/S2590-2385(23)00568-4
These folks deserve a special Coffee Berserker award.
I was also going to post that article. Their suggestion is similar to various “hacks” that have been posted in coffee threads (a few drops of water, stirring the beans in the hopper with a wet spoon or finger, etc). I’ve used those and also use light/medium roast coffee and basically don’t have a static or clumping problem. But, same thing supposedly works for darker roast beans (and more finely ground).
-Al