Thread: Looking for Espresso Bean Burr Grinder Advice

Hello There

I am pretty raw when it comes to Espresso and I have recently found out a burr grinder will give me a better cup.

Any suggestions for a good burr grinder for espresso for around $100 give or take.

CoffeeGeek - Coffee & Espresso Grinder Reviews is your friend. USD 100 will not get you too far, though, if you want one that is new. I love my Democa, but it is something like USD 400, but can be had used for around USD 100.

Happy hunting!

I've owned THIS ONE which looks like it's $150 now. The same company sells a similar one for $100 I see.

I've also owned a Macap M4 Stepless which was a dream but out of your range at $550.

The Maestro Plus I make mention of above for $150. It beat the blade grinder I used to have by a mile. But static charge was an annoying problem and the grind although decent, left me wanting something even more consistent, which the M4 gave me in spades.

Chris L

Are you intending to use this as a dedicated espresso grinder or for both drip and espresso? What kind of espresso machine do you have? If it is a steam toy or pressurized portafilter your needs will be different.

I'm a sort of coffee nut. When I grind for espresso, I load my blade grinder and let her rip. But If I want a more coarse grind for a french press, I load the coffee beans into the blade grinder and pick the grinder up off the counter. I then hold the lid down firmly and as I hit the button to grind I shake the cylinder blade grinder like a martini shaker. This causes a more uniform grind. Also I hit the grind button in short bursts. sounds complicated and crude, but I see paying 200$+ for a burr grinder complicated and crude. Hope this helps someone. feel free to ask me more if youre missing something. Getting the grind right is an artistic thing, much like loading a brush and making lather. Dig?-J

If you jump up and down while you do that the result will be even better.

I'm not trying to be funny here but in general I think most people would tell you a blade grinder just doesn't cut it for espresso. If you come up with a method to get it to work for you that's fine however I don't think most would do that. The other issue is have you ever compared your result with the result from a quality grinder? Sometimes we think we have the cat's meow only to find out we were sorely mistaken.

What kind of "espresso" machine you are using will make a big difference.

If it is a steam powered machine, you will never get true espresso out of it. It can make very good strong coffee with a better grinder and fresh roasted coffee. If you are trying to make espresso with crema and true espresso flavor, you will just get frustrated. If you don't have those expectations, you can make something you can enjoy.

If it is pump powered, but doesn't say how many bar pressure it generates or if it touts things like "true crema portafilter". It has a pressurized portafilter.

Precise grinding isn't as important for either of these as it is for a true pump system. You can probably get by with a Capresso Infinity or Maestro plus for these machines.

for a true espresso machine you may be able to find a used or rebuilt espresso grinder in your price range, but it will take some footwork and research.

And, no, I am not selling my Rocky.

Amazon.com: Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker: Home & Garden

I am using this machine and yes I want the burr grinder for espresso only. I can use my blade grinder well enough for drip coffee. Thanks for any help.

OK, we're well into the 21st century now. Have they made a decent espresso machine that doesn't regularly break down, spring leaks, need replacement parts, or require Heath-Robinson style DIY additions of temperature sensors?

At least good grinders are immune to all that nonsense - aren't they?

Check out Kitchenaids's pro-line grinder. 1st class machine about $160