503669 Fri Mar 28 10:20:10 -0700 2008 22 41 Cookware 0 3537173 Shopping for yet another item I'd like some advice on - coffee grinders this time. I have a little Braun chopper, but I have to agree with those who disparage the performance of these things, at least for coffee. For spices the blade works okay, but for coffee I want the consistent and controllable grind that only a burr-grinder can give. SmallAppliance.com has several reputable brands for sale at decent prices - Krups, Cuisinart, Capresso and Bodum. The Krups and Cuisinart are offered at around $60, while the Bodum and Capresso, both much larger machines, are around $130. So unless there are good reasons to avoid either or both, I'm leaning towards the Krups and Cuisinart. The Krups GVX2 is $60, down from a list price of $90; the Cuisinart DBM-8 is $50, marked down from $60. The Cuisinart is both bigger and fancier, meaning more complex, and both of those things make me lean towards the Krups. Does anyone have any experience with these or similar machines? I'm in no great hurry, but a friend just back from Guatemala presented me with a bag of coffee from there that she says is "fabulous," which set me to looking for a grinder worthy of it. And thanks for any advice y'all can give. Fri Mar 28 10:20:10 -0700 2008 11478 Will Owen 1 3537321 How much coffee do you plan on grinding at a time? Fri Mar 28 10:48:51 -0700 2008 3537173 12139 paulj 1 3537329 I was surprised to read in Cook's Illustrated that their tasters thought a blade grinder made a better sup than a burr grinder. So I tried a blade grinder (I'd been using a Capresso) and I agree. Fri Mar 28 10:52:09 -0700 2008 3537173 55316 mpalmer6c 1 3537560 I've used both the Krups and the Cuisinart. I average about a half pot of coffee a day. The Krups lasted a year before it gave up the ghost. The Cuisinart would deposit a tablespoon +/- of finely ground dust in the corner of the grounds container. I found if I used the dust it made my coffee bitter. I didn't like the idea of throwing away the dust so I 86ed the Cuisinart. I'm currently using a Baratza Maestro. It does a good job with drip grind coffee and suffers much less than the other two from static electricity. The little knob on the side used to control the amount of coffee that is ground has a tendency to fall off but it goes back on with ease. I can't recommend the Krups or the Cuisinart. And while the knob on the Maestro is annoying at least it does a good on drip coffee. Fri Mar 28 11:41:24 -0700 2008 3537173 11561 Cpt Wafer 2 3538057 what method do you use to make coffee? Fri Mar 28 13:26:23 -0700 2008 3537560 74192 chuckl 3 3539523 I use a drip coffee maker. Fri Mar 28 21:40:30 -0700 2008 3538057 11561 Cpt Wafer 2 3538092 Without getting too technical the Baratza is the least expensive machine that has "burrs" or grinders that are actually durable enough/mate cleanly to hold up to daily coffee making. The problem is that with burrs that are any smaller the pressure needed to grind the beans will result in rapid wear. That wear results in the bitter over ground coffe dust that the another poster noted and the results of Cooks Illustrated. While the Krups & Cuisinart are half the money, they are far less than the half as durable. If you have the space & $$$ going all the way to the Rancilio Rocky might make sense, but the key is you DO NOT want to go less than the Baratza. (btw avoid the Bodum too, it is nightmare of static -- happiest day in my life was when it 'fell' off the counter {yeah I pushed it to its death, self defense your honor, self defense...}) Fri Mar 28 13:33:14 -0700 2008 3537560 87093 renov8r 3 3538836 I have a Solis Maestro Plus that is going on five years now. The only problem I've had was when I was grinding a pound of homeroasted beans for the kids to take back to school. The motor was getting very hot doing that volume of beans. Fri Mar 28 16:56:58 -0700 2008 3538092 89493 scubadoo97 1 3539051 Answering paulj and chuckl respectively, I make approximately one quart (four mugs) every day, using two very heaping scoops, and I brew it with a Chemex. I've been buying Peet's, mostly the French roast, and having it ground, but Susan's gift of roasted beans got me thinking seriously about shopping for a decent grinder. I have read that the conical burrs are the kind to have, since they can grind slowly enough and at low enough pressure to avoid overheating the coffee; I have noticed that none of the sub-$100 grinders uses these. I would expect blade-chopped coffee, at least from a reasonably efficient machine, to be superior to stuff from a cheap burr grinder, judging from what I've read here, so since any expenditure at that next level will have to wait until next month anyway, I'll just try the Guatemalan stuff "ground" in the little Braun, and keep all of your suggestions on file (and any others that might yet be made) for when I'm finally shopping in earnest. Thank you all very much. Fri Mar 28 18:14:58 -0700 2008 3537173 11478 Will Owen 2 3539263 Part of why I asked is that, for a mug at a time (2 coffee measures), I'm happy with a hand grinder. I own several including a brass Turkish one. My current favorite is the $20 GSI Outdoors one. paulj Fri Mar 28 19:38:39 -0700 2008 3539051 12139 paulj 3 3539798 had a Solis Maestro. Liked the grind but parts were poorly engineered and tabs snapped. Now have a Capresso...more durable, not as good a grind but adequate for drip and press coffee. marginal for espresso. I love good espresso and dream of a Macap or a Mazzer (probably the former)but 10X price of the Capresso! The Capresso has been a lot "cleaner" than the Solis and is also more forgiving when I forget to clean the burrs and they get gunked up from oily roasts. Sat Mar 29 04:16:07 -0700 2008 3539263 170997 tim irvine 4 3544053 I have been using a Solis Maestro for a little over a year and a half. So far, it's held up, and I find it commendably consistent in its grind for press and drip. I don't have an espresso setup, so I can't report on its utility for that purpose. One pleasant surprise, at least for me, is that it has been remarkably free of static electricity, even after two dry winter seasons: a departure from my experience with other cheaper burr grinders, which would disperse grinds over far-flung surfaces. Sun Mar 30 18:10:50 -0700 2008 3539798 18284 NickM 3 3544298 Paulj - I'm so glad you mentioned the GSI hand grinder! I've never seen it before and looks like an awesome way to go - at least an economical way for first time hand grinders. I don't even know where to look for a cheap one, besides farmer's markets! Do you just sit the grinder on top of a bowl? Is it awkward to use at all? Sun Mar 30 19:56:25 -0700 2008 3539263 160411 morefuuud 4 3544433 It is a little awkward to hold. The bottom has a stepped set of rings. I found a cup that fits one of those,. I hold the combination on my lap or legs with one hand while I grind with the other. paulj Sun Mar 30 21:03:30 -0700 2008 3544298 12139 paulj 3 3570597 How does the GSI one do for espresso? Mon Apr 07 13:25:44 -0700 2008 3539263 69452 jzerocsk 4 3571742 I haven't pushed the limit on grind fineness, since the closest thing I have to espresso is a moka pot. I'm currently grinding to a 'fine drip' consistency for use with a paper cone. paulj Mon Apr 07 18:57:45 -0700 2008 3570597 12139 paulj 1 3544200 I just realized the model name of my coffee grinder is Virtuoso and not the Maestro as earlier stated. Sorry for any problem this may have caused. Sun Mar 30 19:13:18 -0700 2008 3537173 11561 Cpt Wafer 1 3544366 The Capresso ‘Infinity’ is an adequate grinder for its price range, but if possible it’s well worth the premium to get the Baratza ‘Virtuoso.” The ‘Virtuoso’ is an excellent choice for home drip and press-pot grinding. The Rancilio ‘Rocky’ is an outstanding and reliable home espresso grinder, but it does not produce especially good drip and coarse grinds (very uneven). Sun Mar 30 20:24:38 -0700 2008 3537173 34704 Luwak 1 3570256 Although I was trying to avoid spending too much over $100, while looking for information on a very different item I happened upon something that could change my mind. There's a man who refurbishes several kinds of antique appliances - I was looking for advice on Toast-O-Lators, which he deals with - and found that he has refurbished Kitchen Aid grinders for $185. Aside from its value as a coffee grinder, I think it would look really splendid next to my '50s K5B stand mixer...so if anyone has any knowledge of or experience with these things, please speak up! Mon Apr 07 12:11:29 -0700 2008 3537173 11478 Will Owen 1 3570365 If you are interested in an antique look, I bookmarked this site that carries manual grinders. I haven't purchased one (yet), but I love their appearance. http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.zas.shtml Mon Apr 07 12:37:06 -0700 2008 3537173 110306 NE_Elaine 2 3570568 It just occurred to me - duh! - I have an old Peugeot grinder that I bought from a brocante (French for "junque") store in France, and it's just been sitting there collecting dust in my kitchen window! Mon Apr 07 13:20:16 -0700 2008 3570365 11478 Will Owen 2 3571066 You really can't go wrong with SweetMarias, one of, if not the best internet coffee stores anywhere. Mon Apr 07 15:23:23 -0700 2008 3570365 11003 chipman 3 3571451 amen to sweet maria, first line coffee is good too. Mon Apr 07 17:20:21 -0700 2008 3571066 74192 chuckl