This "Only GRINDERS" thread is not for you if...

I guess my link went bad. I have been a drinker of the drip for a few years now but I want to do myself better then that so after reading a bit I started looking around.
http://www.thecateringchef.net/melit...-grinders.html
I found this burr grinder for around 30 bucks. My question is will it help to step my coffeeness up or inorder to taste a difference I need to spend 100+ on the grinder. Since I am starting down the road for better coffee I am also getting a Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Espresso Maker.
Thanks for the advice.

I so badly want to become a coffee conessiur but alas, my coffee pot and grinder are just run of the mill products.

[Swampper]

Mister Moo is spot-on as always. Regarding ebay, new stuff can be found there too...

Also, I don't like to compromise on things I use and depend on every day.
Or at least I rationalize spending more on stuff I will be using alot.

I'm not sure why I picked a Mazzer over the Rocky, but that grinder is such a fine piece of equipment, I never looked back.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by leasingthisspace

I guess my link went bad. I have been a drinker of the drip for a few years now but I want to do myself better then that so after reading a bit I started looking around.
http://www.thecateringchef.net/melit...-grinders.html
I found this burr grinder for around 30 bucks. My question is will it help to step my coffeeness up or inorder to taste a difference I need to spend 100+ on the grinder. Since I am starting down the road for better coffee I am also getting a Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Espresso Maker.
Thanks for the advice.

I think folks are leaning to Cuisinarts for best entry-level burr mills. Bodum Antigua is always a favorite, too. I have heard nothing good about the Melitta (or bad) but plenty of nice comments on the Cuisinart and Bodum.

Low end grinders make a lot of noise, are slow and produce a lot of dust and static compared to higher grade machines. Fact is, though, they work fine for drip, press and moka if you don't mind a little extra sludge. I don't. Stir/swirl and it all goes to the bottom of the cup anyhow. If you like the results think about a better machine on down the road.

As to Swampy's remarks on the Mazzer, I concur. I wish everything else in the world worked as well as a Mazzer. I use mine daily, sometimes grinding pounds/day, with only a burrset change after five years.

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

I think folks are leaning to Cuisinarts for best entry-level burr mills. Bodum Antigua is always a favorite, too. I have heard nothing good about the Melitta (or bad) but plenty of nice comments on the Cuisinart and Bodum.

Low end grinders make a lot of noise, are slow and produce a lot of dust and static compared to higher grade machines. Fact is, though, they work fine for drip, press and moka if you don't mind a little extra sludge. I don't. Stir/swirl and it all goes to the bottom of the cup anyhow. If you like the results think about a better machine on down the road.

As to Swampy's remarks on the Mazzer, I concur. I wish everything else in the world worked as well as a Mazzer. I use mine daily, sometimes grinding pounds/day, with only a burrset change after five years.

now the question is, what is a good mid based quality grinder for espresso?? (not that I am looking my self)

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by havana_lover

now the question is, what is a good mid based quality grinder for espresso?? (not that I am looking my self)

With the dollar weak I am not sure what mid-priced means anymore but Rocky (Rancilio) is probably the start of "good" espresso grinders. The comparatively flimsy Bodum Antigua and Solis Maestro are the beginning of passable and, relatively speaking, low-priced. They are both good grinders but will not have the durability or long-lived quality that comes from the Rocky and those higher up the scale.

There is a large user-review database of grinders at http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders. It is helpful if you are patient.

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

With the dollar weak I am not sure what mid-priced means anymore but Rocky (Rancilio) is probably the start of "good" espresso grinders. The comparatively flimsy Bodum Antigua and Solis Maestro are the beginning of passable and, relatively speaking, low-priced. They are both good grinders but will not have the durability or long-lived quality that comes from the Rocky and those higher up the scale.

There is a large user-review database of grinders at http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders. It is helpful if you are patient.

thanks for the reply..

I do have another question my "espresso maker" is a bit quick when it comes to pulling a shot. It takes about 5 to 6 secs for the pressure to build and coffee starts to come out... and it takes about 23 secs to pull shot but I just dont get the volume of crema in my shots.. I do have to say that I dont have a grinder yet so I use, dare I say it.. store bought and store ground beans..

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by havana_lover

...my "espresso maker" is a bit quick when it comes to pulling a shot...

Same with Val Kilmer in Tombstone.



Best to ask this in the "Espresso" thread. Troubleshooting espresso gets into a lot of areas. Repost at http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1192

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

Same with Val Kilmer in Tombstone.



Best to ask this in the "Espresso" thread. Troubleshooting espresso gets into a lot of areas. Repost at http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1192

thanks for pointing me in the right direction

[muziq]

Originally Posted by leasingthisspace

My question is will it help to step my coffeeness up or inorder to taste a difference I need to spend 100+ on the grinder. Since I am starting down the road for better coffee I am also getting a Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup Espresso Maker.
Thanks for the advice.

It has been my experience that you get what you pay for when it comes to coffee equipment. A $30 grinder may certainly impact your cup quality and enjoyment--it did for me. And $30 isn't much to cry over if you wake up one morning a year or two from now thinking, "I need to slide faster down the coffee slope." Moo makes good points about what to expect with blade grinders and the noise they generate, so just keep that in mind. Enjoy!

Thanks for the help everyone.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by leasingthisspace

Thanks for the help everyone.

I think these are the ones people are leaning towards, now, as a good entry burrmills, from $30 to $130:

http://store3-store.stores.yahoo.net/cubumicogrwi.html
http://www.espressozone.com/7007.html
http://www.espressozone.com/6020.html

Thanks Mister Moo. 40 for a step in the right direction is money well spent.

[floydpink]

I learned the hard way that with grinders, go for the good one first time or don't bother. Messing around with poor ones wastes time and money if you're planning on sticking around the hobby for a while.

I still wish I had a Mazzer, but do pretty well with the MDF.

[Mister Moo]

... good entry burrmills, from $30 to $130:

http://store3-store.stores.yahoo.net/cubumicogrwi.html
http://www.espressozone.com/7007.html
http://www.capresso.com/coffee-grind...infinity.shtml
http://www.espressozone.com/6020.html

[trogdor]

After the whirly grinder, I started with a cheap burr grinder - worked OK for a few months of almost daily use for drip/french press/mokapot then crapped out.

Lello Ariete Burr Coffee Grinder - $50 at Amazon, not worth it.