Calling all coffee lovers! Burr mill suggestions sought! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TheDon · #1 03-03-2009, 03:31 PM

http://coffeegeek.com/

go there

MTI · #2 03-03-2009, 03:31 PM

I agree with the price point . . . there's really no "middle" priced products in the burr grinder world, so you're either "sub $100" or "$200 plus". The upper end grinders have the motors that will pulverize beans without heat transfer to release oils.

SwampYankee · #3 03-03-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

I agree with the price point . . . there's really no "middle" priced products in the burr grinder world, so you're either "sub $100" or "$200 plus". The upper end grinders have the motors that will pulverize beans without heat transfer to release oils.

So is that the advantage (a good) burr grinder has over a cheap spice grinder-type?

KAdams4458 · #4 03-03-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

I agree with the price point . . . there's really no "middle" priced products in the burr grinder world, so you're either "sub $100" or "$200 plus". The upper end grinders have the motors that will pulverize beans without heat transfer to release oils.

I am seeing this, believe me. That's why I gave up and created a thread. I needed to poll the smartest people I know, because you can only glean so much information from web sites.

That heat transfer thing is neat, but really only useful in an environment where you run the machine extensively. Mine will be run two to four times per day, with long rest periods in between, so there should be no worries about heat soak.

OMG! I'm talking about heat soak in coffee grinders now! Coffee geek alert!

MTI · #5 03-03-2009, 03:58 PM

Interesting the issues you're having. I've got the DBM8, been using it for months and hasn't jammed a single time.

KAdams4458 · #6 03-03-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

Interesting the issues you're having. I've got the DBM8, been using it for months and hasn't jammed a single time.

In its defense, it worked beautifully for the first six months, but then the performance level dropped like a rock. It never did make consistent and accurate grinds, but it did work as well as could be expected at first.

I think most of the issue can be attributed to how much use it has seen. We easily ran the thing five to six times each day for months. When the performance began to suffer despite my best cleaning efforts, we gradually began to drink less and less coffee, because it became more and more of a chore to get the thing to work. Now I can clean it completely, and then spend the next 20 minutes trying to get it to grind enough beans to make a 10 cup pot of coffee.

... I'm not a violent man, but I really want to take it out back and blow it away with a shotgun. I don't even own a shotgun, but I'm honestly considering shopping for one just for this purpose.

Matt L · #7 03-03-2009, 04:41 PM

Kitchen-Aide wins the battle, hands down.

All metal construction with glass bowls. Weighs in at about fifteen pounds. Fortunately you do not have to lift it to use it. Costs under $200.

It's a flat burr, not conical, but does the job just as well. Fully adjustable from way too course to mud in the bottom of your cup.

KAdams4458 · #8 03-03-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt L

Kitchen-Aide wins the battle, hands down.

All metal construction with glass bowls. Weighs in at about fifteen pounds. Fortunately you do not have to lift it to use it. Costs under $200.

It's a flat burr, not conical, but does the job just as well. Fully adjustable from way too course to mud in the bottom of your cup.

I'm sceptical, but will investigate. I heart my commercial Kitchen Aid stand mixer, because it somehow brings the oomph of a power tool to a small kitchen appliance... Well, if you consider something that weighs enough to throw out your back a small appliance. The thing will knead bricks without bogging down, and I use it every chance I get.

rs899 · #9 03-03-2009, 05:54 PM

Seriously, look at coffeegeek for all the reviews, but I think the Baratza is about the minimum you can get away with for espresso (we have an old Kitchen Aid and its fine for drip, but that's all). Our Maestro has served well for over five years. I think they can be had new for about $100, but if it were me I would by the Maestro refurb and save up to buy a REAL machine like anything Italian. There ought to be some of those Mazzers, Astorias, etc and the like on Craigslist from coffee shops going bust-especially in your town. That's my upgrade strategy....

Rick

sd300td · #10 03-03-2009, 06:49 PM

We have a Breville. It's just OK. Plastic hopper, and collection cup. Probably paid between $100 and $150 for it. It's pretty easy to pour out the grounds without making a mess. My biggest complaint is that it takes 2 thirty seconds (max) grinds, to make enough grounds for a 10-cup pot.

Your experience with the cuisenart can be applied to most of their other appliances as well... not well thought out and kind of crummy.

KAdams4458 · #11 03-03-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

Seriously, look at coffeegeek for all the reviews, but I think the Baratza is about the minimum you can get away with for espresso (we have an old Kitchen Aid and its fine for drip, but that's all). Our Maestro has served well for over five years. I think they can be had new for about $100, but if it were me I would by the Maestro refurb and save up to buy a REAL machine like anything Italian. There ought to be some of those Mazzers, Astorias, etc and the like on Craigslist from coffee shops going bust-especially in your town. That's my upgrade strategy....

Rick

Oh, dear. How old is that old Kitchen Aid? I understand the newer versions seem to grind for espresso just fine. Of course, half or more of the coffee enthusiasts out there wouldn't know good coffee if it grabbed their spoon and beat them with it, so I don't know how much faith to put in to reviews.

Oh, and you have no idea how much trouble I have nearly gotten myself in to with Seattle Craigslist. Sometimes some unbelievable equipment pops up for incredibly low prices. Of course, I have to shake myself out of the spell I'm under when I see something like a used Astoria Argenta three group machine for sale for all of $800... My God... That's a $6,000 machine! I don't need that kind of power for personal use! I'm not even worthy of it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeus

Stay away from the coffeegeek site! They'll have your bank accounts emptying on custom hand-pull espresso machines and Black Cat espresso coffee in no time.

For your budget, I would humbly suggest the Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder. Suggesting the 'Company-That-Must-Not-Be-Named' would have me roasted and ground at CoffeeGeek, but it is an excellent grinder for the money, especially when it is on sale. It's a Solis grinder (made in Switzerland), rebranded as a 'Starbucks Barista'. This is the one -

http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/starbucks_barista_grinder

There is even a 'hack' to get it to grind finer, though I find that it grinds fine enough for espresso. I've had it for a couple of years now, problem free, we use it daily.

Sigh. I have been known to spend money on more frivelous things. It's rare, but I'm as guilty of buying way more than I need as the next person. Possibly even more so!

You know, that Starbucks Barista/Solis is the spittin' image of the Saeco on Costco.com that Da Nag suggested I look in to. Hmmm.... If I can hack any of them the same way, that may be the way to go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt L

We have one of their grinders. It is one of the few on the market using glass for the containers. Plus it just looks so alien. But next to a K-A stand mixer, I'm sure that it would feel right at home.

Alien, eh? I don't know why, but images of some baby alien bursting from my chest after having a steaming cup of coffee spring to mind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sd300td

We have a Breville. It's just OK. Plastic hopper, and collection cup. Probably paid between $100 and $150 for it. It's pretty easy to pour out the grounds without making a mess. My biggest complaint is that it takes 2 thirty seconds (max) grinds, to make enough grounds for a 10-cup pot.

Your experience with the cuisenart can be applied to most of their other appliances as well... not well thought out and kind of crummy.

That happens more and more these days. I, for one, am getting tired of having to shop a market polluted with inferior crap that doesn't do half of what it is supposed to do, and worse yet, breaks well before the cost to purchase it have been justified. My wife and I are going to go to Sears and buy an upright freezer at the end of the month, and to be entirely honest, I'm terrified that it is going to suck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Delor

I have one of those $15 electrical grinders. But, if I am going to grind beans, I use my great-grandmother's hand cranked coffee grinder. Takes a few minutes, and gives your arm a workout too.

Oh, man. You know, I already remove and install lug nuts by hand, despite having an impact wrench. I sand the drywall repairs in the house by hand, because I can't justify those $800 power drywall sanders. Heck, I even cut numeous pieces of wood with a handsaw because it's less fuss than pulling out the power saw most of the time. If I start grinding coffee by hand, I'll have to start wearing sleeveless shirts, because I already have trouble fitting my arms through the sleeves of any shirts that fit my shoulders and chest.

... Now, if the coffee grinder could somehow eliminate or reduce the love handles, I'd be all over it. Those things just appeared on my 30th birthday, and will not go away!

Matt L · #12 03-03-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAdams4458

Oh, dear. How old is that old Kitchen Aid? I understand the newer versions seem to grind for espresso just fine. Of course, half or more of the coffee enthusiasts out there wouldn't know good coffee if it grabbed their spoon and beat them with it, so I don't know how much faith to put in to reviews.

The dial on the K-A goes from 1 to 8 (I think), with half-steps. We run it on 4 or 5 for a drip maker with a gold-tone conical filter. There's still a bit of crud in the bottom of the last cup, but it's not bad and doesn't bother me.

You can adjust the screw for a slightly finer grade than stock very easily, if that's what you want. The instructions for doing this come with the unit. But I don't make espresso, so I don't care.

Zeus · #13 03-03-2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAdams4458

You know, that Starbucks Barista/Solis is the spittin' image of the Saeco on Costco.com that Da Nag suggested I look in to. Hmmm.... If I can hack any of them the same way, that may be the way to go.

Wow...that is kinda freaky. Some definite Saeco-Solis sharing/copying going on...check these pics out. They are probably both made in the same factory in China. In fact, there is probably a massive single factory in China that makes everything and owns all the companies in the world. It rebrands everything to fool us into thinking that we still live in the world our parents did, all the while making sure the final touches on the Cylon models are ready for the Day of Reckoning when we are all frakked. Sorry, I'll stop there my tinfoil hat fell off...

Mine looks slightly different from these two. Similar, but mine is more rounded. Either way, it must be made by one of those companies, it's too similar not to be. Great grinder(s).

Matt L · #14 03-03-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAdams4458

I'm sceptical, but will investigate. I heart my commercial Kitchen Aid stand mixer, because it somehow brings the oomph of a power tool to a small kitchen appliance... Well, if you consider something that weighs enough to throw out your back a small appliance. The thing will knead bricks without bogging down, and I use it every chance I get.

We have one of their grinders. It is one of the few on the market using glass for the containers. Plus it just looks so alien. But next to a K-A stand mixer, I'm sure that it would feel right at home.

Zeus · #15 03-03-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAdams4458

For nearly a year and I half, I have fought with a Cuisinart DBM-8 burr mill every time I want to brew a pot of coffee, and today was the last straw. Thanks to the continual beatings I have to administer to this POS Cuisinart in order to keep it from jamming, I have slightly sprained my wrist. Curse you, Cuisinart! No more!

I want a real, honest to God, conical burr mill. Thanks to the mill-shaped-object that Cuisinart cursed me with, I don't want to see a plastic, static-prone collection container, either. I just want to dial in a grind setting, press a button, and get either course grind that is %100 course ground, or a fine espresso grind that is, of course, %100 fine ground! When I pour out the grounds, I don't want a freakin' mess all over my counter and floor!

Just for the heck of it, I'll assign an arbitrary dollar figure that I would prefer not to exceed. Let's say, oh, about $150. (I might be dreaming, but it is worth a shot.)

Any suggestions?

Stay away from the coffeegeek site! They'll have your bank accounts emptying on custom hand-pull espresso machines and Black Cat espresso coffee in no time.

For your budget, I would humbly suggest the Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder. Suggesting the 'Company-That-Must-Not-Be-Named' would have me roasted and ground at CoffeeGeek, but it is an excellent grinder for the money, especially when it is on sale. It's a Solis grinder (made in Switzerland), rebranded as a 'Starbucks Barista'. This is the one -

http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/starbucks_barista_grinder

There is even a 'hack' to get it to grind finer, though I find that it grinds fine enough for espresso. I've had it for a couple of years now, problem free, we use it daily.