read grinder reviews still not sure what to get

[kim meadows]

Hi, we have a pot with dinner everyday, home roasted beans from SM.

Got Baratza Maestro 11/2007 had to return it couple months later, some capacitor was sparking, under warranty they sent new one.

Now it's hesitating or stopping, tapping gets it going again, it's been cleaned, removed the cover and blown it out, looks ok inside with cover off running.

We like Chemex, French press and TVMM NOT ESPRESSO.

Every grinder worth considering is usually highly recommended for espresso and more than we'd like pay $300 and up, reviews say expensive grinders not necessary for our methods of brewing.

We just got $40 Hario hand grinder from SM, works nice but it's stepless.

Tried Rocky Rancillo couple years ago didn't like it.

Thinking about Baratza Virtuoso but disappointed with Maestro.

Is couple years out of Maestro what to expect and we should just get the Virtuoso?

Looked over LOTS of grinder reviews past couple months still not sure what to do.

If it has to be some $300-500 grinder how well does yours work, how often you use it, how long have you had, do you like it, which one?

THANK YOU!!!

Kim

 

[shadow745]

The Virtuoso should be light years ahead of the Maestro. Totally different burrset and build quality. The Rocky probably didn't meet your expectations because it has espresso-specific burrs. Most grinders will grind fine, coarse and everywhere in between, but burrset design really does make a difference in grind quality, amount of fines, etc.

In the past I have used a KitchenAid Pro Line grinder that I have heavily modified. In stock form it grinds fantastic for drip, press, etc. Even used it for espresso with good results. Some units seem to work great and some not so great. I have since transplanted Mazzer Mini burrs into mine and it is superb for espresso, but slower.

I've also owned a Capresso Infinity, which is a great all-around grinder, but does have some retention issues on finer settings.

For drip, press, etc. the best grind quality I've seen yet is out of what I use daily in a commercial setting. It's the BUNN LPG bulk grinder. It's rather fast and has exceptional grind quality/consistency, but it's not attractive and does take up a fair amount of room compared to home models. The speed, grind quality and killer build quality make up for its looks.

 

[kim meadows]

Hi shadow745, thanks.

Came across KitchenAid Pro Line grinder few times, nickel format sounded good, they don't make it anymore and the ones they still make weren't as highly rated, still leaning toward Virtuoso.

BUNN LPG bulk grinder got interesting appearance, grind quality and some durability are important to me, don't care about appearance.

 

[shadow745]

OK, here is a refurbished LPG at a great price... BTW new price can be as high as $500.

Bunn LPG Single Hopper Low Profile Coffee Grinder - eBay (item 120699343894 end time Apr-16-11 05:57:21 PDT)


Grind adjustment can be made for super coarse to fine in a stepless fashion. This grinder also has an adjustable timer on the back for portion grinding, but I never use it as I grind 3 different types of beans daily and weigh/grind what I need for each batch. Not the best in appearance, but like I said before, the grind quality is excellent. You should see how perfect the spent grounds look after a batch is brewed.

 

[kim meadows]

thanks for your help, I read up on Bunn LPG and found someone got refurbished one, he took it apart, cleaned it up, replaced burrs and got it ok, so that got me thinking, I opened my Maestro and found it had the same problem as the one I returned couple years ago, loose wire on capacitor circuit board, I re-soldered and now it works fine, thanks for saving me some cash, Bunn LPG seems like way too much for my needs anyway