So after about 6 months of hand grinding with my Hario hand grinder I think it’s time to get something powered to speed things up in the morning…

Wilfa svart seems to be a really good buy for the money – alas there are a grand total of zero available in the UK currently.

Have looked at a few cheaper 2nd hand ex commercial Mazzer grinders, but they are pretty monstrous for domestic use, although I have seen people mod them to remove the hopper/doser…budget is <200

What do you folks have for grinding your respective beans ?

Cheapy Krups that sounds like an SDS on full chat.
It works though.

Ive got one from Boyes, a cheap electric grinder, it works well, but with the caveat you’re only suposed to grind for so many seconds, then stop and grind again to stop the motor from overheating burning out lol!

But 2 or 3 x 5 second bursts seems to do the job well enough.

Think it was about a tenner.

Before we went bean to cup, a De Longhi KG79. About £45. That’s about the entry point for a burr grinder, and can’t say I ever felt I needed to spend more.

The default answer used to be this:-

https://www.happydonkey.co.uk/product/iberital-mc2-auto-domestic-coffee-grinder/

As a grinder it’s hard to beat if quality of the grind is what you are after. Where it falls over is switching between coarseness of grind – it’s a matter of turning a knob an unknowable amount of times – say 20 full rotations between a good French press and a fine espresso. I have one but it now lives at work as we only use one type of coffee there. The new one at home is an embarrassing order of magnitudes more expensive.

But if you generally drink one method of making coffee, it’s very hard to beat. Prosumer level at a very very good price (you’d be paying £400+ easily for similar quality of grind) because it’s lacking a sane method of adjustment and is a little bit rustic in appearance. A sort of if the soviet military made a grinder kind of product.

This was on mebbies 2 weeks ago. More repeats than ITV 😊

MACAP M4 here ex dem direct from Italy. More than £200 though and more like the Mazza.

First one was a commercial Rossi 45 bought from a closing down cafe maybe 20 years ago, removed hopper and doser and it’s excellent other than being huge. Grounds retention is pretty poor too.

Had a MahlKonig Vario after that but the motor burnt out, replaced with a Baratza Sette. Consistent, near zero retention, just weigh out 18g of beans and grind straight into the porta filter, no mess or staticky grounds flying everywhere.

The vario was good and I’ll eventually replace the motor and use it at work, but I’d get the non weighing Sette over it if I were buying again.

There’s a MC2 at my dads and the grind quality was always decent but it was so loud and messy.

I have the Iberital one (which I got s/h on here), but I generally end up using the same beans week in and week out plus only ever use an espresso machine so never change the coarseness. It is a PITA if you do.

It works entirely to my satisfaction though.

Yeah have looked at the MC2, mess seems to be the only downside to it. Crazy that some people are paying 120+ for them s/h on ebay at the moment !

Have looked at a few cheaper 2nd hand ex commercial Mazzer grinders, but they are pretty monstrous for domestic use, although I have seen people mod them to remove the hopper/doser…budget is <200

This was my solution. “Mod” them is basically pull the hopper off… I drop an old tamper in the neck to stop the beans popcorning out when its in use. I just grind 1 dose at a time, so the doser is still a convenient way to get the grounds into the portafilter neatly. I think I paid £100, but that was quite a while ago.

I realise I may get burnt at the stake for asking this question, but how much difference does grinding make compared to chopping and why does it make a difference?

I have a Gaggia MDF and it works well having replaced the burrs a couple of years ago.

The Happy Donkey Iberital MC2 is good value indeed.

Once you have selected your grinder that’s only the start of it.

Your choice of coffee, a good tamper, The tamp and measuring the extraction both in time and consistency in a measured shot glass is where the fun starts.

For me the revelation was going with a bottomless filter with my Gaggia Classic machine.

The improvements were incredible.

Coffee is as bad as cycling

I realise I may get burnt at the stake for asking this question, but how much difference does grinding make compared to chopping and why does it make a difference?

Now, just go over there and sit quietly and think about what you’ve just said.

More seriously, there is a James Hoffmann video about how to get a more even grind using a Krupps “chopper”. IIRC it involves shaking the machine while you use it and sieving out the bigger particles.

The grind is important to get a consistent extraction. If you are using a pump espresso machine you need a constant grind, that’s why you need a burr (mill grinder) If you don’t get a consistent grind the water will “channel” the easiest route through the coffee and not the whole “puck”

Using a mokka pot or a cafetière you can get away with a blade grinder.

Coffee, don’t get me started

@huck2flat

You haven’t even said how you brew once you’ve ground, it’s like going to a bike shop and asking for a bike 😉

Or the not the nine o’clock news hifi shop sketch 😉

I’m still using my Mums old burr grinder. Must be between 55 & 60 years old. I only drink a cup of coffee a day so a 227g bag does me a while. It’s sooo satisfying winding that old handle though.
& yes, It’s in in the garage.

I got one of these for Ms.Ginge’s birthday last year and it’s been brilliant. So much easier to be able to grind straight into the portafilter than faffing about with the old (crap) one we had and it does a nice, consistent, fine grind too.

https://www.sageappliances.com/uk/en/products/coffee-grinders/bcg820.html

+1 for the Sage Smart Grinder Pro – I’ve had mine for about 3 years and it’s been reliable, easy to use and easy to clean.

I got a baratza encore on a similar budget, about 150€. Reviews were very good. Easy to use and consistent grinding. I’ve been told it’s loud.

The Sage grinders are good for that kind of money, as is the Baratza Sette mentioned above, and the Rancillio rocky. If you are not making espresso, then the grinders tend to be a bit cheaper. The fellow Ode looks nice, and is only slightly over budget.

I’ve got a 20 year old Mazzer Super Jolly, which I picked-up on gumtree for the equivalent of 60 quid. It needed a bloody good clean, but after that, it was ready to go. However, because…. (indicates to himself)….. I decided to swap the *clack-clack* doser for a funnel, paint it, rewire, and make myself a little box to house a timed relay (so I can pre-program it to grind a double or triple shot).

It’s 64mm flat burs are great, and having a timer on it is really convenient…… but it’s just a huge lump, retains a huge amount of grinds, and adjusting the grind is an extremely imprecise and analogue affair. I’ll be swapping for a Niche Zero when they are back in stock, or an Option-O Lagom if funds allow – single dose grinding seems sensible to me

Niche Zero

Sign up to the emails and they’ll let you know, I had to resist when the last batch were released as I need some electrical work doing, some roofing work doing and I’m still waiting and hoping the insurance company settle with the vet, so spending a mental amount of money on a grinder would apparently be grounds for divorce (I feel I should get an award for that almost unintentional pun too).

The £40 Delonghi has been excellent. So much so that it prompted me to buy a bean to cup machine from the same company to replace my Jura. That too has been a real improvement.

I only use it for cafetière brewing but am very pleased.

We’ve got one of these Cuisinart ones:

Linky

Grinds fine enough (just) for my Gaggia Cubikka to produce a decent espresso.

I’m looking at the moment, but want to spend as little as possible. So it’ll be a Rups if I can get hold of one.
This is the top end of the Which Best Coffee Grinders 2020/21

rups Grind Expert GVX2 Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £41 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 83% Our top pick and a great all-rounder This affordable burr coffee grinder from Krups is the best model we’ve tested. It has several grind options to choose from, and grinds evenly whatever setting you use – so it’s a good choice if you like making espresso or longer coffees. It’s also very easy to use. The only drawback is that it takes about a minute and a half to grind, which is a little slow. You can grind anywhere from 2 to 12 cups worth of coffee beans at a time. Where to buy: John Lewis, Debenhams

DeLonghi KG79 Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £45 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 74% This DeLonghi KG79 burr grinder is a good option overall, with no major flaws. It will grind your coffee well and to the desired fineness, whether fine, medium or coarse, and is easy to use and clean. You can grind enough of coffee for 12, so it’s handy if you like to entertain. Where to buy: John Lewis

DeLonghi Dedica KG521 Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £200 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 71% Best grinder for espresso fans It’s expensive, but this stylish burr grinder will get your beans perfectly ground and ready for making an espresso, and it’s simple to use too. It’s brilliant for espresso making, but not quite so good with coarse grinding. The matching Dedica coffee machine is a Best Buy. Where to buy: AO, John Lewis

Bodum Bistro 10903-01UK Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £70-160 (colour specific) ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 70% This fashionable electric burr grinder comes in a range of bold colours and does a good job of grinding to all levels of fineness. It is a bit pricey and a bit noisy, so it’s not perfect. However, it grinds well so it’s definitely worth considering. Where to buy: Bodum, Amazon

Bodum Bistro 11160-01UK Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £35 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 69% Best cheap grinder for espresso fans This stylish, compact and affordable blade grinder is even available in a fashionable copper finish. It does well at grinding coffee to a fine consistency, and you can even get a good medium grind from this simple grinder. It doesn’t do as well with a coarse grind, so its better for espresso drinkers, but overall it’s a pretty good all-rounder. Where to buy: Amazon

Sage The Smart Grinder Pro BCG820BSSUK Coarse grinding Fine grinding Ease of use Score Typical price: £220 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 69% This premium burr coffee grinder does a good job of producing a fine, even grind, but it doesn’t do nearly as well with a coarse grind. It’s slow too; for the price there are better options available. Where to buy: John Lewis, AO

I wouldn’t trust those Which reviews. The fact that they’ve even reviewed a blade grinder is a sad indictment. I said blade grinder, but it’s really just a small blender. Wouldn’t touch it with a shitty stick.

I feel I should get an award for that almost unintentional pun too

Better you sit quietly in a room and reflect on where you went wrong! 😉

Another +1 for the Sage. It was a gift but was eyeing them up before then. Super easy to change grind settings, and the sealed hopper means I just chuck in enough for a few days at a time.

I recently got the Sage SGP, I looked at others but there aren’t many that will happily do espresso for that price and are as user friendly. The grind quality seems very good but does come out a little clumpy when grinding finely

I just stripped my Iberital De recanvis grinder to clean out the burrs, couldn’t believe how easy a task it was with a wire brush on the end of my drill and a vacuum cleaner
It’s working a treat now so I’d recommend a machine easily maintained
It’s pretty big and wakes folk up in the morning

I’ve got a Eureka mignon, really like it – looks good and not too bulky. Does occasionally clog up a bit if the beans are oily and the grind is too fine.

I have a sage grinder. Mostly its been fine. Need to avoid oily beans though as it will clog easily if set too fine. Not the most fun to clean out when that happens.

From the which review of the sage grinder pro posted above

It’s slow too; for the price there are better options available. Where to buy: John Lewis, AO

Yeaaaaah right…….13.2 seconds grind with 18g beans for a double shot is too slow?.

Owner of a smart grinder pro and duo temp pro so I may be biased but “which” would be better served sticking to vacuum cleaner reviews.

I bought one of these sets at the start of lockdown. Pretty good allround without going crazy expensive ($995 dollarbucks from hardly normal).

https://www.breville.com/au/en/products/espresso/bep920.html

I’ve a Russell Hobbs classic burr grinder and very good it is too.I’d recommend it, its been in use for years.

I bought one of these sets at the start of lockdown. Pretty good all round without going crazy expensive ($995 dollarbucks from hardly normal).

Nice. I think the Breville/Sage double boiler is widely acknowledged to be amazing value.

13.2 seconds grind with 18g beans for a double shot is too slow?

Sounds pretty reasonable to me. My Mazzer SJ will do 21g in 9.2 seconds….. but it’s about 4x the size/weight.

Wilfa Svart – looks nice, works well.

I’m using a hand grinder but it’s only suitable if you’re making one cup of coffee at a time otherwise it becomes chore. For one person worth of beans it is the best value for money though.

I still don’t know what the OP was actually doing with the ground beans, espresso, french press, pour over, bialetti?

Thanks for the comments on the Which? list, it’s only for the odd cuppa and maybe short term so personally I’m still reluctant to spend more than fifty quid. I’m only looking because a Neighbour’s Amazon stuff gets delivered to my house and he’s failed to retrieve amongst other things a large delivery of coffee beans despite me texting him 3 times over the course of Christmas, so I’m not going to throw them..