Coffee grinder for around 200$

[stephan]

Hello,
I am looking for a coffee grinder and have some questions about it. I know similar topic was there some time ago, but people did not seem to be able to decide what they are looking for. So I am asking you for help at 200$ coffee grinders.

Manual coffee grinders are not good because then you have to grind yourself, which at the mornings can be a problem. A lot of energy when you are most tired. Burr coffee grinder is a must for me, I want a consistent grind and blade grinder does never produce a consistent grind. So when looking for 200$ models, few of them come in mind - they can be found on amazon. Definately nice choices there. I am willing to spend 200$ because before that I had a blade grinder and the grind really sucked. I then read some manuals and they suggest that you should pay the same for coffee machine as for coffee grinder - the quality of the coffee depends heavily on coffee grinder and that certainly matters to me. I do not want to make the same mistake as at the first purchase. I purchased cheaply (30$) and got also very bad coffee grind. I drink coffee almost every day so I notice the difference in taste! Also grinding your own coffee is certainly cheaper than going to Starbucks or other coffee shop.

 I realize most important things are durability, consistency, efficiency and noise - grinders are extremely loud. So based on that, I think Breville smart grinder PRO is great. I tried to find some review (it is new sort of grinder so it is hard to find one so there are not many information about it on internet). I read reviews from that site, seems the best to get some knowledge about coffee grinders. However I am also interested in Ascaso 2CSdb I-2. They both seem to be very good, but I am worried for durability at Breville and loudness of Ascaso. Anyone purchased those or any similar grinders? I'd like to know how big those issues are and if they are worth the money.

[velocistar237]

I'm not familiar with those grinders, but I have an alternative to suggest. I got a Hario Skerton manual grinder, replaced the crank with a hex nut, and now grind coffee using an old drill with a 10mm hex driver on it. It's a ghetto setup, and you have to hold it instead of pressing a button, but it's cheaper, easier to fix, easier on the hands than a manual crank, and still works when the power's out.

[powersuitrecall]

Hello,
... I had a blade grinder and the grind really sucked. I then read some manuals and they suggest that you should pay the same for coffee machine as for coffee grinder

While I can't help you with your quest, I can at least confirm this ^^^  I've been using a $30 blade grinder with a $30 aeropress for about 10 years.  The secret is to grind the absolute hell out of the beans and only allow about 20 seconds for extraction in the aeropress.   Well, it's my method anyways ... YCMV

[rachael talcott]

Regarding durability:  I have used one of the Hario manual grinders for many years (after burning out several of the blade-type grinders), and it still works great.  Velocistar's suggestion is a creative way around the effort of grinding.

[terran]

As of 6 months ago https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/baratza-encore-conical-burr-grinder was the best regarded of the "cheap burr grinders" and has served my wife well so far.

[Thegoblinchief]

Currently suffering with a blade grinder myself, but a Hario grinder is definitely in my future.

To the OP, if you MUST have a Baratza, keep a watch on their factory refurbished store.

[alsoknownasDean]

What style of coffee are you making?

Espresso tends to require a better grinder because the better grinders mean finer adjustments to the grind can be made.

I bought a Sunbeam EM0480 coffee grinder about four years ago. It did a decent job with espresso when I still had the espresso machine, but now as I only make plunger (French Press) coffee, it spends most of its time with the grind setting as coarse as it can go. A good grinder (was about $180), but for filter one could get away with something cheaper.

Definitely agree on the burr grinder though, blade grinders are terrible in comparison. Those who wonder why this is the case, that's because with a burr grinder, the granules of ground coffee are a uniform size, whereas with a blade grinder there'll be big chunks of coffee and tiny little particles. This is especially bad with espresso as the pressurised water will flow through the path of least resistance rather than evenly through the whole basket of coffee, but it's usually not great for filter coffee either.

One suggestion is to look for something that's easy to clean. You'd be surprised how much ground coffee gets stuck in the grinder, which often needs to be disassembled to properly remove (I've gone through mine a couple times with a small paintbrush removing loose grounds).

[dantownehall]

Manual coffee grinders are not good because then you have to grind yourself, which at the mornings can be a problem. A lot of energy when you are most tired.

I'm just going to point out that this is exactly the opposite of Mustachianism.

My $20 Hario Mini Mill hand cranked burr grinder works great.

[neo von retorch]

I know coffee is a drug, an addiction, and also for many of us, required for functionality. However, it still surprises me when big numbers are thrown around. If I was purchasing now, I'd get a manual Hario grinder, but in my less mustachian days, I got a Cuisinart DBM-8 burr grinder. It's loud, and it does create some "powder" along with the grinds, but I'm quite happy with the flavor I get with my AeroPress filtered coffee. It's $50 - so again I'd choose the Hario if I was doing it all over again. (Particularly since I want a Hario anyway for camping trips!)

[MayDay]

First, I'm not a coffee drinker.

Why not gring a bag of beans in the store (surely their big grinders are the nice kind?) Then store the bag in your freezer? Wouldn't they stay fresh that way?

Coffee is apparently really expensive when you start buying 200$ grinders. I had no idea such a thing existed.

[pdxvandal]

I bought a Breville burr grinder at Lowe's 6-7 years ago. I think it cost around $125. Works like a champ.

[music lover]

Coffee is apparently really expensive when you start buying 200$ grinders. I had no idea such a thing existed.

$200 is $20 a year amortized over 10 years, which works out to 2.7 cents a cup if you have 2 cups a day. That's a bargain for good quality coffee.

[regulator]

I have been using a Cuisinart burr grinder that I got on closeout at the supermarket for 20 or 30 bucks.  I ask because I have no idea: what would a $200 grinder get you that my current grinder does not?

[protostache]

I got the Bodum conical grinder last year as a wedding present. It may not be quite as good as the Baratza but it's far and away better than the blade grinder I used to use. I definitely recommend it.

[Mirwen]

I got http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001KOA7I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage a few years ago.  I understand the need for a burr grinder rather than the blade grinder.  I spent way more on the grinder than I did on the coffee pot or espresso maker.  I'm not sure you need a $200 one unless you are making multiple espressos daily.  I must say that I hate the doser on mine, so if you do go with a fancy grinder, go doserless.  There is so much old grounds trapped in mine that if I'm just grinding for one shot, I don't think I get fresh grounds. It's very wasteful that way. 

I'm very curious about the hand cranked one everyone mentions here.  I'll have to try that if mine every gives up the ghost.  I wish I knew about that before I bought mine.

[MMMaybe]

Manual coffee grinders are not good because then you have to grind yourself, which at the mornings can be a problem. A lot of energy when you are most tired.

I'm just going to point out that this is exactly the opposite of Mustachianism.

My $20 Hario Mini Mill hand cranked burr grinder works great.

My Hario does a great job and it is a great arm workout. But I do agree that its kind of annoying when you need a caffeine shot. I tend to stagger out and organise the coffee in some kind of haze.

I received a bag of ground coffee yesterday that looked like it had been through the crappiest of blade grinders. So out came the Hario this morning...slightly grumpy...

[Dicey]

Uh, I got mine for $1 at a garage sale???

[MBot]

As of 6 months ago https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/baratza-encore-conical-burr-grinder was the best regarded of the "cheap burr grinders" and has served my wife well so far.

Anothe vote for the Baratza. Unless you are making espresso it is all the grinder you will even need. Super easy to maintain and reassemble too.

[stephan]

Thanks everyone for help! I chose Baratza Virtuoso at the end after reading a lot of reviews. It is kind of standard grinder, but I think it is a good bang for a buck

[chasesfish]

I'm a coffee nerd and really work more for a hobby and still had a heart attack looking at a $220 Grinder.  That thing better have a lifetime warranty because that's a hell of a cost for a grinder!

[index]

I bought a pasquani moka espresso grinder (msrp of $600) on Craigslist for $125. Expensive grinders are not an uncommon find. Lots of coffee shops closing and  spendy coffee fanatics upgrading equipment.