20 Best Grinders For Cold Brew (2023 Updated)

We usually only want one good coffee a day, strongish but milky (double shot latte) and usually go to a local cafe for it. The cost adds up over time. So very recently we bought a small de Longhi home espresso machine with good reviews – middling price range, but supposedly very good value.

Then we spent some time researching a reasonably good middle price range small grinder, once again basing choice on user reviews. But this particular grinder only seems to provide a fairly coarse outcome, even on finest grind setting, and even putting the grounds through repeatedly – for a minor improvement.

Probably okay for a percolator, but not for espresso, or even plunger. Extremely disappointed, and we have now reverted to buying pre-ground espresso (we mostly use Lavazza as it’s easy to obtain) for use in the coffee maker.

Will source some different beans to try but can’t see it making much difference to the grind quality.

I love my new grinder! I managed to muck it up in the first two weeks and it stopped working and I freaked out, but I did a google search online and found some amazing helpful videos done by the company which explained how to unblock my grinder and also explained what I had done wrong to cause the problem in the first place (wasn’t paying attention to the fill line and stuffed too much in the ground bin).

Cleared the blockage by following the video’s great advice and am running again. Works great for my preferences – french press coffee, pour overs and the occasional espresso. I have been using a hand burr grinder for the last few years and it will now be a permanent fixture in my campervan while the new Baratza Encore does its job in my kitchen.

I have avoided an electric burr grinder because I have a small kitchen and don’t like to use up counter space and most of the really decent grinders are too big for my space. This one is the right size with the right features and excellent quality.

Also, dealing with Eight Ounce Coffee is always a pleasure. Thank you for keeping me caffeinated with quality coffee.

I had an earlier version of the Baratza Encore and it was magic for ten years! I used it daily, with no maintenance and it was a workhorse. Tragically, it stopped working. I immediately bought this newer version, and it jammed immediately.

I cleared it, and it jammed again. To be honest, I returned it for a replacement. It jammed. I returned it. Third time is the charm! yes, I also jammed this one, but learned the quirks! First of all, pay attention to the warning not to grind above the white line! This is essential! Secondly, I tap and tilt after each grind to clear any grounds from the small and horizontal chute so they cannot compact in there to create a plug.

Following these two strategies, I have been successfully grinding for a few months now with no issues! So yes, the newer version is a little more finicky, yet also does a much better job and the coffee is far more delicious, so worth the effort.

I hope these tips help fellow coffee lovers enjoyed delightful coffee!.

This grinder has been a fantastic addition to my coffee kit. I love it! It grinds the coffee incredibly quickly, yet yields a consistent grind density, which is really all I want from a coffee grinder, but that consistency is hard to come by.

About four or five months ago, I bought land and took my family off the grid to begin a homestead from scratch on undeveloped land. Now, homesteading is a project that takes a lot of coffee. Unfortunately, it’s also a project that makes it rather difficult to make coffee.

So having limited electricity, I contented myself with a stovetop kettle and manual coffee grinder. As it turns out, it’s obnoxiously difficult to find a hand-powered coffee grinder that produces grinds of any consistency.

Ceramic burrs are easy to come by, but due primarily to flimsy construction, they’re only about a half step up from a whirly blade coffee smasher. It was a dark time. We’ve come a long way in those intermediate months, though, and while it’s still difficult for my DIY solar kit to produce enough power to power an electric kettle first thing in the morning, it’s usually able to run this electric grinder.

Ahh, consistently ground coffee at last! So while I would still like a hand powered grinder that does the job right, and at a price that is sane to pay, this grinder has earned a place in my kit, and I love it for all of its design touches, like the magnetic alignment on the grinds cup and the fins inside that keep the grinds in line when pouring them out.

Sadly, I do have a few critiques as well that keep this grinder from earning my fifth star. First, the grinder is an electricity vampire. It consumes a steady nine watts just for being plugged in, but not running.

In my present circumstances, that’s no good, and I have to keep it unplugged until using it. Second, while the magnetic alignment of the grinds cup is delightful, it makes the lack of this touch on the hopper lid stand out rather glaringly.

The hopper lid is just slightly fussy to put in place, and it’s the only part that will fly loose if the grinder gets bumped or moved too quickly. Magnetic alignment would make it perfect. And finally, while I love the idea of the grinds knocker, it doesn’t quite do the job, so this grinder always leaves a bunch of coffee chaff flying around.

Maybe a little bit more oomph would get it there? I’m not sure. While these issues are slightly disappointing, I am still greatly pleased with the Ode grinder, and I would highly recommend it to others.

I am always amazed how quickly it grinds, the noise level is quite reasonable, and I love the matte white finish. Thank you for this fine product.

My one-year warranty expired last week. I have the version 1. 1 grinders. I really like this grinder. It’s compact, fits easily in a cupboard (we keep our kitchen countertops clear,) solidly built, and only weighs 4.

5kg. I’ve ground 11. 6kg (26 lbs. ) of beans, but still cannot grind beans on the lowest setting (1) without the grinders striking each other. But that’s not an issue for me as I grind on 2 for my Origami and ESPRO Bloom drippers, my Technivorm Moccamaster, and my Alessi 9090 Espresso Maker; and 3-2/3 for my ESPRO P7 French Press.

The retention is low, typically varying from 0 to 0. 3g. But, to get that low retention I hit the knocker 3 times, then give the ODE a lateral push to rock it sideways and let it come to a stop; I repeat that another two times, and then hit the knocker 3 times.

The retention varies with the type of bean, so at times I also give the exit an upward rap with the flat of my hand to catch grains. Some reviews complain about the “mess” the ODE creates but my experience is that the amount of chaff/grains that end up on the base depends entirely on the beans.

My favourite bean is 49th Parallel’s (dark and oily) Organic French Roast; the retention is 0-0. 1g and there is almost no chaff or grains to brush off the base; light roasts create more chaff and grains.

The ODE only stopped grinding unexpectedly once; I believe a large bean got stuck in the burrs, so I turned it upside down, gave it a few bonks with my hand, turned it upright, and started it working again.

I’ve read reviews that criticize the catcher, particularly the vanes on it. I like the catcher. If you don’t like the vanes, pour the grounds out opposite them. I find the vanes useful when I use the ESPRO Bloom as the fluted filter has a small diameter and the vanes direct the grounds to the base without many hitting the wet flutes.

The magnet in the catcher is a mixed blessing. It holds the catcher exactly where it should be to collect the grounds, but I’m uncertain if the magnet would affect the magnets in my Hario scale and cause it to lose accuracy; I confirmed that an empty 45mm high plastic chip dip container is high enough to separate the magnets so I put that on the scale and the catcher on it when I weigh the beans.

All told, 5 out of 5.

I absolutely love the look of this grinder. The design of the machine far exceeds any other grinder. This is probably why I am still deciding if I should keep the machine. The machine grinds consistent for grind size.

I feel with the company trying to keep the machine quieter that this affects the overall performance of the machine. The grinder decides whether it feels like working one day and then just stop mid grind on other days.

When you press the button to continue grinding the machine then decides it won’t turn itself off. I also am finding that the machine will grind most of the beans when using medium roast beans. Any dark roast beans will clog the grinder and it will stop grinding.

I feel this may be due to the oils on darker roast beans. I will literally have to feed and push the beans into the hole to attempt to grind. The performance of the grinder is sub par. But the reason I give the grinder 2 stars instead of 3 stars is to bring attention to the terrible customer service.

I have been contacting the company through email (there is no phone contact, no person to talk with) since January and have not received an email in return addressing my concerns that the grinder just stops grinding at times.

I get an automated email in regards that the company is too small to return emails in a timely manner. I did receive an email quickly when I sent one complimenting my purchase on the pour over apparatus.

I will hesitate strongly to purchase another machine from fellow when I have one that requires higher performance such as a grinder. I am still considering returning this to Nordstrom since I lack the confidence that this machine will work for years.

And if it stops working in the next year I know full well that Fellow will not support me. I honestly know that I am keeping the grinder since it looks so great. And now you can upgrade for better burrs to have finer grinds at another almost $200.

00. Other grinders will grind fine from its inception.

This is my first coffee grinder and as soon as I unpacked it I was impressed. The quality is top shelf. Since I have never had a coffee with fresh ground beans I had to try it. Set it up and started grinding.

Made my first cup with the coffee press I bought with it. I’m hooked. No shortage of settings for the type of grind you want and grinds quickly. The carabiner is a nice touch. The one and only thing that I can find fault with is the wing nut that sets the grind stands proud of the grinder and prevents it from standing on its own while dumping the coffee into my press.

I live on a boat so the compactness of the grinder is nice. I use it up to three times a day so hopefully it will last. If you are looking for a quality coffee grinder this is it.

I’m not coffee aficionado, but I love to drink it. This lets me drink that coffee at home, on the go: pretty much everywhere I can find hot water. Plus it looks and feels super great. I’ve used it quite a few times now and absolutely love it every single time.

I’d recommend anyone in a similar boat to buy it in a heartbeat. You like coffee brewed from beans? Might be time to get this product. I really think this. I have no clue who will read this, but I’m sure if you read it you probably have lots of questions about this product.

Does it feel like a work out? Does it grind the size we need? How’s the sound, is it too loud? What about the quality of the grind? Quality of the grinder itself? Is it easy to clean? Too heavy? The list goes on.

I don’t know. I think it’s close to perfect. Just buy it and try. Don’t know where I’m going with this review. Thanks for making this. It’s great.

After researching grinder options for more time than I would like to admit, I am extremely happy with the MK4. Feel of the C40: My previous hand grinder was my first hand grinder purchase 6 years ago, the Hario Skerton Pro.

In my smaller than average hands, the Skerton Pro was not exactly “comfortable” when grinding since that grinder is about as wide as you can get. This was a concern for me when learning that the C40 had a wider body than other grinder options in this category.

However, once in my hand, I found that C40 was actually very comfortable. Also, I would add that the rubber band that is included with the grinder can help with the grip when grinding smaller beans at a finer grind setting.

I own a wood version of the C40, but the non-wood options may provide more grip based on feedback that I ran across. You can feel the quality of the grinder with its solid build and parts. I appreciate that it is simple to disassemble and clean and personally find the plastic components that some do not appreciate for a grinder of this price is not a concern for me.

I appreciate that the design choice helps reduce weight while not impacting the longevity. Grinding Experience with Different Coffee Beans: I also understand that the C40 is not the fastest hand grinder compared to other options available in the market now, but I find that the C40 “cuts” through the beans when grinding vs using more power to grind.

When paired with the larger wooden knob on the handle, I find the overall effort expended to crank a C40 to be less taxing than I was used to. For example, when grinding larger size Arabica beans (ex.

Illy Classic Medium roast) at 20 clicks, it was not difficult task at all… it like cutting through butter with little resistance on the turns. When grinding light roasted, smaller beans (like Ethopian Chelbesa), it does take more torque, but not enough that my heart rate jumped/I dread the thought of grinding a 2nd batch of 30g.

Overall, the grinds produced are incredibly consistent and none of my V60s have stalled since switching to the C40 and the flavors you are able to access with this grinder are the best so far in a 10 yr journey with coffee.

Hack to Adjust the Grind Setting: After I watched the C40 cleaning video on the Comandante website and saw how you can hold the grind adjustment dial while turning the handle. 1 rotation of the handle equals 12 clicks.

Now, I find it simple to go from 0-24 clicks in no time/no tedious click counting required. I simply line the handle to the Comandante logo on the side of the grinder to benchmark one rotation. I start a new bag of coffee for a James Hoffman style V60 pour over method at 25 clicks and adjust 1-2 clicks finer until to find the best result.

C40 Community: One last benefit of buying a Comandante is the community available. I enjoy being able to easily find recipes based on C40 clicks to start dialing in recipes on pour overs. Summary: Overall, I was hesitant paying a significant premium vs other high-quality grinder available.

The C40, in my opinion, falls into the “you get what you pay for” category and I have zero regrets after a month of daily grinding.

My brewing method is mainly V60 and my beans are mostly light to mid roasts. Before C40, I have owned Lido-E and Ditting KR805. In comparison, as soon as I used C40, I can feel the burr is much sharper than my 2-year old Lido.

It is a pleasant grinding feeling and less effort to grind with the same bean. The strength of C40 is on the extremely uniform grind particle distribution. I did not do a scientific measurement, but just by eye and water drain speed I can tell that the fines is much less.

At the same time, you can easily make V60 brew “too clean” or “having less flavor” due to the lack of fines, which can be addressed by increasing the stirring (by pouring) and adjust the water/bean ratio.

There are some design choices/issues that I wish C40 may take different approach. First, the glass grind holder/jar has a “neck”, which holds some grinds there and it is a hassle to get them out every single time.

Secondly, the glass holder could be dropped very easily if one did not align it carefully before twisting it on. So now I always put C40 upside down before I put on the glass jar. Thirdly, the coarseness adjustment can be a nightmare if you use it for different brewing methods.

Fortunately, I only use it for V60, so I can manage to remember its setting with some marker dots as a hint. I cannot blame the adjustment mechanism too much since C40 is very easy to disassemble and clean compare to Lido-E because of it.

The Comandante exceeds my expectations in several ways. Grind quality, consistency, and zero retention, (usually 0. 0g but occasionally 0. 1g max will be retained). I wake up eager to grind for my morning cup.

Workmanship oozes quality. Weight in your hand is perfect, as is the crank knob. I grind 27g at medium fine burr setting in 60s and the cranking is easy, because of the quality of the Comandante’s unique conical burrs.

And then you smell the grind, ahhh! even before you unscrew the catch cup, which is also the perfect diameter. Grinding finer for espresso, a tad harder, but not so much that you’d consider it a “burden.

” It inspires confidence that you are in control of the process. Coffee tastes better too! You don’t have to clean the burrs every day, but I usually do brush out the burrs daily because it is easy and fun.

I enjoy it! The other thing that surprised me was clicking the dial to set the fineness of the burrs, very solid, you know where zero grind (burrs touching) is, and the click feedback very positive. You know when you set it, it is where you want it to be.

I’ve owned several grinders, manual and electric, conical and flat burrs, and I get the most enjoyment and best coffee using the Comandante. And I’ll even dare to disagree with James Hoffmann about the clear plastic piece attached to the crank to avoid popcorning, it is not cheap, does not seem cheap, but rather seems perfect for what it’s intended to do.

And Comandante has some nice videos too, there’s even a factory tour online. Absolutely no buyer remorse.

I bought this OXO because there were no better grinder in the local store. It was a waste of money. The OXO simply IS NOT capable of producing fine, espresso quality coffee. The water runs through it like in a sieve.

I am using Barrington’s Gold. The same coffee, that I have been buying for years, is perfect when ground in any Baratza. Two stars because the OXO us ok for filter coffee. Nothing else.

I research many items I purchase very thoroughly. I don’t know if I ever shopped longer for anything before than I did for a coffee grinder! I believe I looked for 2 years. There is such a price variety.

I was on a mission for the best cup of coffee I could make, which included studying all about coffee and researching all the various ways of brewing it. Finally I found a review of various grinders that sounded very authentic, and it helped me decide on the OXO, even though I had been considering grinders three times the price.

I’d decided on my favorite brewing method and my favorite coffee seed and roast. I experimented with grind size and weight with the OXO and I now have a perfectly delicious balanced cup of coffee every single day without fail – no bitterness and no sourness.

Some of the problems I’d read about concerning grinders included static creating a mess, noise and grinders that needed constant cleaning. I have none of those problems with the OXO and I’ve used it daily for 8 months now.

All I do maintenance-wise is to use the heavy duty plastic jar to tap hard on the side of the grinder where the coffee comes out about once every 2-3 weeks. About a teaspoon of old grinds will fall out.

This tool is heavy duty and easy to use. My only complaint is that I have to select the weight desired every morning as it does not retain this information between brewings. This means I have to turn a knob moving a digital display from 0 to 26.

Having had some disappointments with various brewing methods that were greatly bragged about, I was not too sure that grind was that important. IT IS. Before this, I had used a blade grinder all my life, pulsing it to try and get an even grind.

I was usually successful about 1 time out of 15. The OXO gets my vote for my best purchase of 2018. and I buy a lot of stuff!.

Coffee grinder is fast, relatively quiet and looks great. I really like the easy bean hopper twist setting for the grind size and the integrated scale that measures and shuts off the grinder by specified grams.

Once you get your preferred strength dialed in, it’s very easy to make your perfect cup! I do wish the grind cup lid opening had a little tigher hole to avoid spilling grounds as it grinds and when you pour out the grounds into the filter.

It only matters most when I use our single reuseable Keurig cups with the hole being bigger than the cup. Overall, a great grinder.

This coffee grinder is efficient and attractive, a good match for the DeLonghi cappuccino coffee maker. The instructions should be clearer about securing the top on the ground coffee container to activate the grinding.

I could not get the machine to grind directly into the portafilter. The portafilter light was flashing to indicate there was no connection. Instructions were not adequate.

Even on the finest grind setting it’s still too coarse in my opinion. It’s a shame because I like it otherwise. I have an inexpensive Capresso EC Pro that comes with a pressurized double shot portafilter and an unpressurized single shot.

I’ve only been able to get it to work if I do a double grind-double tamp. The only way I can get it to work with the pressurized basket is to grind about 2/3 full (around 7g), tamp firmly, grind again to fill it the rest of the way and tamp firmly again.

If I just grind directly into the portafilter filling it all the way and then tamp, it runs out way too fast. I tried the unpressurized portafilter, and it was a complete failure. Feature wise it’s attractive, seems easy to clean, and has the portafilter adapter/holder (although, I have to hold the portafilter in place or it falls out of the track) which is why I chose it over the Capresso Infinity.

The display is unnecessary for espresso grinding, but I do like the ability to program the grind cycle. I programmed it to grind out 7g with each press of the button. It grinds consistently for drip, but not for French press.

It probably works better with the matching DeLonghi Dedica machine. I’ll probably sell it and get a Breville as I don’t want to spend over $200 on a grinder, but I want the ability to achieve a finer grind.

Live and learn.

I love this Krups coffee bean grinder. It does make a little noise when it grinds but it is not too loud at all. I like being able to set the number of cups I want to brew. It is neat and efficient. I originally bought one for my son-in-law’s birthday.

We were so impressed I bought one for myself. It’s a great value as well.

The Krups Burr coffee bean grinder is a very good grinder for this price. It brings the beans to a uniform grind size that you select. It makes for an excellent cup of coffee without bitterness that you get with package ground coffee.

Very happy with this burr grinder, which is capable of making a very fine grind like you need for really good coffee. Wondering why I didnt get this sooner. My morning coffee is sooo much better than it was when I used a blade grinder.

Aesthetically pleasing, does a decent coarse grind. Having the options of manual time or automatic time control is good. Containers are very thin plastic. If they were glass the machine could be a heirloom kind of item.

Not all of the beans leave the hopper and not all of the grind makes it to the collector. Tapping the machine lightly before removing the collector is necessary to save having loose grounds on the counter.

Feels well made. The company and warranty was the deciding factor for purchase.

After trying several grinders on the market, this was the only one with a very consistent grind. Overall a really am pleased with this purchase. A couple of suggestions for Willing: the ultra thin and cheap looking plastic with a slight plastic odor.

I would have paid $100 more for the bean and grind containers to be made of glass. Also the motor seems to be straining and gives off a slight burning plastic smell when in use. I’m hoping this is only because it is new, but time will tell.

Decent grinder, not too loud and appears to have fairly good grind consistency, certainly far better than can be achieved with a blade grinder. Sleek design, simple controls, and generally user friendly.

The build quality could be a bit more solid as some parts feel quite light and cheap in their plastic construction, but for the price, I would say it’s quite a decent grinder. A similarly priced hand grinder would probably be better to use if you’re looking to make espresso though, although I haven’t tried making espresso with beans ground with this grinder yet.

I like to grind my coffee beans for freshness, and thought I might take the next step in trying to perfect my coffee making experience by investing in the Oxo Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. At first use it ground my coffee beans evenly and consistently, and I was impressed with its performance.

However, be aware that the grinder produces static electricity that is passed to the coffee grounds and causes them to jump out of the grounds container or stick stubbornly to the container, sides of the grounds chute, and grind chamber.

My first experience was quite shocking as coffee grounds immediately scattered all over my countertop when I removed the grounds container. The stainless steel container did not really prevent this as OXO described in it’s manual.

Also, I’ve read many articles about “old beans and bean dust” fowling the taste of coffee, and how cleaning the grinder of old coffee is very important. The steps for cleaning as outlined by Oxo were simple, but the actuality of getting all the coffee grounds out of the grinder was difficult.

The upper portion of the burr grinder cleaned quickly, but a small brush is necessary and is not included with the grinder. My problem is with the grind chamber and grounds chute where the ground coffee exits.

They seem to trap coffee and are very difficult to clean. After cleaning the top of the grinder I tipped it over and cleaned the chute and chamber as best I could with a small brush. I found it difficult to clean the chamber adequately, and after tipping the grinder right side up more coffee grounds would spill out.

I would also find more grounds in the burrs themselves. I had to tip the grinder over several times, tap the grinder to loosen grounds, and clean both the burrs, and the grounds chamber and chute several times to get it “adequately” cleaned.

This process was difficult and time consuming, and I was surprised at the amount of coffee that was wasted in the cleaning process. It seems that some of the cleaning difficulty could be eliminated by making the plastic grind chamber cover removable so that cleaning the chamber would be easier.

I’m surprised OXO hasn’t incorporated this in the design. So mixed reviews from me. I like the grind consistency, but hate the cleaning. Because of the cleaning difficulty I’ve decided not to grind daily and instead grind enough coffee for several days use at a time to limit the cleaning process to maybe every five or so days defeating the concept of fresh ground coffee.

This review will be short. I gave it to my wife, a big coffee lover, as a birthday present. After mastering the various settings, which took a while, she began to enjoy coffee (I liked the aroma). But she also began to complain about it spewing coffee grounds all over the kitchen counter (which I can verify).

And by the end of two weeks, she was complaining even more about how difficult/impossible it is to clean; the freshness of the grinding is negated by old grounds remaining in the grinder indefinitely.

After another week, she carefully packed it up, and put it away in our kitchen closet, where it’s been ever since (months ago). She went back to grinding coffee beans in our old, very reliable Oskar which she claims produces an excellent coarse grind of just the right size that experts recommend as ideal.

And fast and simple to clean. So you can’t win ’em all, and that’s why I gave it 3 stars.

This is my third grinder, so I have quite a few years of experience with espresso, drip, and press grinds. The adjustability of this grinder is excellent. The grinder comes “calibrated”, but the recommended setting for espresso is much too fine for my Silvia; it just can’t force the water through the puck.

This is a desirable thing because I replaced my last grinder because it had trouble grinding fine enough for good espresso extraction. It took a few tries to ballpark the espresso setting but the fine adjustments were fairly quick.

The drip setting was pretty much what is suggested in the Quick Start Guide. One of the reasons I chose this model is that it has a ground coffee container, in addition to the portafilter holder. The hopper is tinted, but clear, plastic and an LED illuminates the hopper while the grinder is operating.

That is a very nice feature. The portafilter holder is more than a wire support; it is an entire assembly that slides in place of the ground coffee container and it is very heavy (sturdy). The bean hopper and lid are also tinted clear plastic.

The bean hopper has a shutoff control so that it can be removed and emptied with minimal mess.

Received 1st Vario from Clive Coffee early March 2021. It arrived dirty so had to clean it. Called Clive and was told they did dial in service but it should have been cleaned prior to shipping. Ultimately returned it to Baratza as defective.

Grinds were getting into interior of grinder and after a few grinding attempts it stopped grinding altogether. Received new grinder promptly from Baratza of March 26, 2021. Have had better luck with this grinder but it is very, very difficult getting dialed in for espresso.

Believe what Clive Coffee says about being ready to use a full 16oz bag of coffee to get dialed in. I used 2× more than that! Grinds good for pour-over which as you know is not a critical grind. As summer arrived, I live in Indiana, switched to cold-brew buying it pre-ground from roaster.

This last batch of cold-brew decided to try using Vario to grind it for course for cold-brew instead of buying pre-ground. Vario is not very good at grinding course! Talked to a Baratza representative and was told the Vario-886 with ceramic burrs is NOT good for cold-brew grind, that burrs just don’t far enough apart.

Wish I had known this before purchasing. On another note, the two little prongs that hold the macro ajustment lever (handle) broke off on 9/22. Called Baratza to their credit they shipped replacement right away.

Today is just 9/25 so haven’t yet received the estimated delivery date is 9/27. I gotta say as an AP grinder I am not impressed. I probably should have stuck with my conical burr grinder. Unfortunately I gave away my conical grinder when I got Vario because I don’t have space for 2 grinders.

In future when going to cold-brew will buy pre-ground from roaster. Will only use Vario for espresso, pour-over and maybe French press. Although, since it (Vario) doesn’t do course welll it may not be cause enough for FP either.

Another issue I have with Vario ceramic is that according to the manual on page 12 it says to calibrate with macro lever on 1 and to listen for change in sound of burrs at M on micro lever. The Clive video suggest 2Q as adjustment is factory adjustment.

Which is it?.

I bought the Baratza vario-w because it does weight based dosing and apparently there are reliability issues with the sette 270 which I was not willing to take a chance on. I believe the thing should just work, especially if you’re paying almost $1k for it.

The good: It grinds pretty consistent and I get great espresso shots from this grinder, so for that it works really great. 5 stars! The bad: Since I bought it online I couldn’t get a feel for it, see it or see how it operates.

I bought it based in what I see on online videos etc. 1. It ONLY does weight, you cannot have a timer function. It is something so simple to implement. Big missed opportunity. 2. No portafilter holder for grinding directly into.

This is what I saw online and got mixed up with the different models. I was 100% sure it came with a portafilter holder to grind directly into. No it doesn’t. Another big missed opportunity right there especially for something that costs almost $1k.

Only the timed version i. e. the cheaper Vario has a portafilter holder. This one grinds into a bin and then you need to pour the bin contents into the portafilter, so messy! 3. No manual?! It doesn’t come with a manual just a piece of paper showing you how everything fits together.

When I switched the grinder on I had blades touching, it would’ve been nice if there was a piece of paper just to give some basic guidance that for example the factory calibration is that at the blades should just touch at 2Q setting so obviously set your grinder for something larger than 2Q?! 4.

I had to adjust the grinding coarseness setting with the same batch of beans i. e. I had to jump from 4S 5S (I know that 4 or 5 seems to rough but I was not going to meddle with the factory calibration, I did pay almost $1k for this grinder, it should be right from the factory), to get my espresso pressure back up to 9 Bar.

Maybe it’s just the machine’s parts settling in. If I had to buy again would I buy this? Maybe, I don’t know. I’ll try to get something with a portafilter holder like the sette 270. But will the sette 270 last?.

Got a great deal on this Notte at SCG open box and am overall very happy. This grinder is very heavy and feels of super quality. The grinds seems good consistency and overall I like this grinder. I do however have a few somewhat minor gripes.

First the hopper. It feels like cheap plastic and it has no seal on the lid to help keep the beans fresh. Also the hopper?s base slide guard thingy (which allow for easy removal of beans) is very clunky.

It slides very hard and when open it just awkwardly hangs loose. Luckily I don?t have to deal with this hopper system since I am single dosing and found an excellent single dose hopper and bellow (for zero retention) with a unique anti-popcorning weight thingy on Etsy.

Secondly, there is no included drip tray. I found that odd and thus had to resort once again to Etsy. I got a 3D printed one, which was cheap enough, but the 3D printed material on this item is super cheap and doesn?t feel like it will last long at all.

Third, and a very minor gripe, there is no indicator that the grinder is powered on. There is only an on/off switch on the side (near the back too) so easy to just forget and leave this grinder powered on all the time.

Not sure if that is a problem or not. I do try to remember to turn off when not in use.

Usage: Personal, 5 – 10 espresso shots ground weekly Good: -Not made in a place with horrible labor practices -Purrrrty -Easy to make fine adjustments and dial-in -Great build quality and consistency Not good: -Retention.

1. 5 – 2. 5g lost for every 17g ground. With an aftermarket bellows and single dose hopper plus brushing up the spout, you CAN reduce that below 1. 0g, but you’ve got to work it. There are also aftermarket stands to angle the machine and combat this, but I have not yet made that leap.

These add-ons will run you $75-$100, thereby really changing the value proposition of this machine. Also, lost coffee means lost money and wasted labor. -Cleaning. As energy cannot be destroyed, the disappeared weight mentioned above becomes a ghost in the machine.

SCG made a video about how to clean it out, but the vid itself is 40+ minutes long – not a good sign, and not a process I’m excited about executing. Overall, it’s good, really. But if I had a do-over, I’d grab something else.

There’s nothing better than enjoying a cup of java from freshly roasted coffee beans! And now the days of my little grinder are gone forever. This coffee grinder saves so much time to prepare larger amounts like a carafe of coffee to use immediately or to fill my coffee canister for weekly storage.

It’s convenient to have a week’s worth of grounds for my on-the-go Kuerig days, too. What’s even nicer is that it takes the guesswork out of getting the precise coarseness needed for the type of coffee to be enjoyed — from morning drip to after-dinner expresso.

Obviously, it takes up a little more space than my old grinder, but then my old grinder just performed a basic push-grind-stop function with no consistency. Wish I had gotten this kitchen jewel a long time ago!.

As a resident of Seattle, it’s mandatory that we know our coffee. I’m a big fan of pour over coffee and that means I have to have fresh grounds for the perfect cup of java everyday. I have gone through a gambit of grinders from a manual hand crank to electronic plug-in versions.

Out of all the coffee grinders I’ve ever had this one is the best. The first reason is because it saves you space. Instead of having to have an extra container for my beans they go straight into the machine that gets filled from the top so fresh coffee beans are always rotated in.

I have the dial selected to my favorite setting and as soon as I wake up I push the button and the coffee grounds appear perfectly every time in the smaller clear vessel. Saving on space and time are huge benefits and I would recommend this coffee grinder 100%.

I had been using a manual burr grinder and bought this to automate my morning routine a little. I would say that for what I was using it for-Chemex and Kalita pour overs, it was fine. But I noticed right away that my little manual burr grinder gave a more consistent grind than this one.

Still, I could work with it and was able to make great coffee in the medium course range for a year and a half. I like the glass container. And I liked that I didn’t have to be overwhelmed with a zillion settings (more on that later).

My disenchantment started when I began making cold brew-this would apply to any immersion methods in the course range. The find becomes very inconsistent at the high end, which is strange because Bodum specializes in immersion brewing.

But it wasn’t just the consistency-I really noticed how flimsy this thing is when you turn all the way to the most coarse setting. Sometimes the hopper actually fell off during the grind. Like it was shaken loose or something.

And then it stopped working. I believe I was following the instructions, limiting to grinding to 20 seconds (usually less because most days I was grinding less than 30gm, which takes about 10-15 sec).

I would grind my cold brew in 2-3 batches, resting between. But really doing course grinding is what seems to have done the damage. The motor was running, the burrs were turning if there was nothing in them, but as soon as a coffee bean hit the burrs, they jammed.

A coffee bean-you know, what it is supposed to grind. A lot of reviews call this an “entry level” burr grinder, good for the price. Yes, it is significantly less expensive than most burrs. And if you are going to grind the same coffee the same way, somewhere in the drip/pour over range, day after day, then it is probably fine to save the money and get this.

I have since bought a more expensive, higher quality, more versatile grinder and honestly wish I had just shelled out the bucks back when I bought this. We’ll see if the new one lasts significantly longer, but It sure is sturdier, and I get a more consistent grind across the whole range (excluding espresso but that’s a whole different thing).

I am also appreciating the multiple settings because I drink a wide variety of coffees to get a wide range of taste experiences, and being able to optimize the grind for the roast/process/origin and brew method is a lot of fun.

So if I could turn back the clock I would have saved the $100 and stuck with my manual burr grinder until I was ready to shell out $300 for something better.

I bought this grinder in December 2020 and it is still going strong, grinding evenly and making far better coffee than any blade grinder ever could. For the $$ it is a super value. It can be a bit messy after some time, but if you lean the grinder one way or another before pulling the carafe that holds the grounds out, the last residual bits will fall out and it will remain much cleaner.

Can’t say that I remember to do that, though. It’s before I’ve had my coffee, after all. Still, for the money this is a fabulous grinder. For espresso I will probably need to upgrade to an espresso grinder, but with drip, French press, or Aeropress etc (we use ours mostly with Aeropress) it makes a huge difference.

The Aeropress already makes great coffee and we use quality beans like Stumptown or a local roaster, but after buying this grinder we did notice a marked improvement in the quality of the coffee. This is superb with the Areopress – I use it close to, but not quite at, the finest setting.

The grind is quite quick, even, and the machine is super simple to set up, refill, and operate. I don’t find it too loud, personally. Bottom line: if you’re making due with a blade grinder, this will be a huge, affordable improvement.

And this is a coffee grinder, not an espresso grinder – though it does do much better on the fine grind side of things and will get you reasonably close – especially if you’re just working with a cheaper, pressurized portafilter machine.

If you’re upgrading to a prosumer espresso machine, you will probably want a grinder capable of going a bit finer than this one. Paired with an Aeropress, correct temp water, and good beans, well, that’s truly a hard set up to beat for how delicious the coffee is for the $$.

Definitely recommend.

I bought the Bodum 11750 a year ago. Within a few months it stopped grinding on the fine grind setting, ie it became so clogged the coffee did not empty into the catch basin. I read on line that the problem is with the oils in the coffee.

Oily coffee, recognizable in most brands by a shiny brown bean surface, simply will not pass through the Buono 11750 system. That’s because the freshly ground coffee is caught first in a small slot, about 1.

25x. 5x. 5”, first. If the ground coffee is oily it packs rather than passes through, the grinder heats up and stops. Once this happens you must empty out the bean bin on top ( do this over an appropriately sized bowl), tap the coffee grinder gently to dislodge the major amount of clogged ground coffee, turn the grinder upside down and use a small brush and a clean chop stick to scrape out the remaining ground coffee caught in the nooks and cranny’s of the grinder and that small part of the ground coffee Shute.

Needless to say this is a time consuming process. I also discovered the oily Shute, even when cleaned, is still sticky enough to impede new coffee I purchased that was not oily textured. The result is I have a $100 grinder that grinds only course and medium course coffee beans that are bone dry.

Anything else refuses to go through. On top of that, the grinder does NOT, as advertised, produce a consistent grind diameter product. The coffee always has large and small diameter coffee pieces.

Started leaking on the second brew. By the fourth brew I could not get the mechanism for the dispenser off without using pliers due to it had started to cross thread because it is only made of plastic and is not designed to be removed frequently, despite needing to do this after every second brew.

I ended up destroying the rubber tube (it would not pull off the bottom drain) because of having to use pliers to get the mechanism apart. Seems that there are no spare parts to purchase so this is a very expensive piece of garbage.

So much for saving money on fancy cold coffee drinks.

I love coffee and enjoy trying new kinds I first tried Cold Brew Coffee last year and fell in love with it! To me, it tastes like what Coffee should taste like. The longer cold brewing process allows the coffee to really get into the water and create an authentic, and rich cup of coffee.

If you prefer your coffee hot, just pop some of the cold brew into your tea kettle and let it heat up. That is what I do most of the time in the morning. I have an electric glass teapot and use to mainly to heat my cold brewed coffee.

The Kitchen Aid Cold Brew Coffee Maker that I chose makes 38 oz. of cold brewed coffee concentrate but also does more than just make coffee. You can brew tea, make flavored coffees, infuse water with fruits and herbs, and more! The Kitchen Aid Cold Brew Coffee Maker is made of Brushed Stainless Steel and Glass.

It looks very pretty sitting on your counter. It also fits nicely in your refrigerator.

I received my grinder on July 15th and 13 days later I am already experiencing problems. It would grind for a few seconds then the machine would jam up and stop. I am using the grinder on the coarsest settings to use on my Moccamaster Technivorm.

I had taken apart my grinder four times, cleaned it, and put it back together only to experience the same problem. After further research and observation, I began poking around the exit hole with an Allen wrench only to find the hole blocked with coffee grounds! Keep in mind that I have the machine set on the coarsest settings and this hole is blocked up after just 13 days of use.

Based on this poor performance, had I been grinding for espresso, which calls for much finer grounds, this exit hole would have blocked up much sooner! I had been grinding the same coffee beans for years with no problems on my Baratza Solis (an inferior machine in comparison), which I finally retired after 20+ years of faithful service to make room for this new grinder.

For a near $500. 00 grinder, I do not believe my expectations for such a machine are unreasonable. If there is an adjustment or some technique that would be helpful, I would love to know about it, rather than tearing apart the grinder every 10 – 15 days.

Thank you.