Coffee Beans what's in your grinder ???


 
So bottom line. Just got done a couple days ago with the fancy expensive Sumatran beans. Verdict? OK but nothing I want to spend that much $$$ on again. Back to back now on to good ol' Kirkland House Blend. Seriously................I ALWAYS passed these by thinking they just can't be any good. Especially after the dismal results from the Kirkland French Roast. But, damn, this House Blend SERIOUSLY punches WAY above it's weight. Blows the $10 per lb Sumatran outta the water in my book no matter which way I brew them or with which coffee maker. Whether in my OXO Barista Brain 9 cup, My Breville Smart Brew, my KitchenAid or Casabrews espresso brewers or even in my Mocha Pot. They make an incredible cup. Seriously some of the best I've ever had. Not THE best BUT, awfully damn close. I still can't believe Costco sells these for less than $11 or only about $4.25 lb!
My new favorite per $$$$ spent!
 
So I noticed my Breville Coffee Grinder has been pretty darn staticy lately even when spritzing the beans. Needing at least 6 good spritzes to mostly eliminate. And it's been giving me some "clumpy" grinds especially on espresso, but even on the drip setting. So, tried cleaning it fully, blowing it out with the air compressor. Now, I've not tried too many different coffees lately. Last one being the Sumatran, and now back to the Kirkland House Blend. So I'm not sure if it's the coffee, or the grinder.
So saw this one on sale at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JH5L778?tag=tvwb-20 and decided could not pass it up at the price. I am having it delivered Monday, so by Tuesday I should be able to give a follow up report on it's performance once I've given 2 or 3 days of testing with drip and espresso. May even give it a whirl, with Mocha and French Press. Just for giggles s&*ts and grins
Stay tuned to this Bat Channel
 
Tried out the KA grinder this AM. One thing for sure. It is quiet with a capitol Q. Like a whisper especially as compared to the Breville. Way more static free but still not in the same league as the very inexpensive and small little Shardor grinder. That little thing is an absolute marvel of low static. But the KA is VERY livable. So much so no need to be adding water to the beans as with the Breville or large Shardor grinders.
Also very fast as well. I think because it's a straight through design where the hopper, burrs and finally the catch bin are all in a straight line. Contributes to the speed and likely how little static. Anyway more reporting as week goes on.
 
I thought that straight drop down design would be cleaner and more efficient when I bought this one last summer.
Mueller Ultra-Grind Conical Burr Grinder Professional Series, Innovative Detachable PowderBlock Grinding Chamber for Easy Cleaning and 40mm Hardened Gears for Long Life https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0833F31MS?tag=tvwb-20

No way. This thing was very good with grind consistency but messy as all get out...static too. It's the spare here in PA if the Baratza dies...at least until I can repair or replace the Baratza.
Fortunately, I only paid half the Amazon price at a local department store.
 
I am sure there is other tech at work in the static issue. Yet to decide if I like it better than the Breville. So far though, very impressed with the quiet and speed of it. Breville is pretty loud and slow. This one shockingly quiet and fast too.
This AM's coffee was excellent as well. (but then I had no complaint there with the Breville grinder either). I'd only noticed that as of late is was making quite a lot of static and bug clumps. So, since I'd bought it used anyway from a Good Will so not complaining. I could have simply bought another brand new Breville but, I could not pass up the deal on the KitchenAid
 
LMichaels said:
I am sure there is other tech at work in the static issue. Yet to decide if I like it better than the Breville. So far though, very impressed with the quiet and speed of it. Breville is pretty loud and slow. This one shockingly quiet and fast too.
This AM's coffee was excellent as well. (but then I had no complaint there with the Breville grinder either). I'd only noticed that as of late is was making quite a lot of static and bug clumps. So, since I'd bought it used anyway from a Good Will so not complaining. I could have simply bought another brand new Breville but, I could not pass up the deal on the KitchenAid
Click to expand...
How much for the Kitchen Aid?
The Baratza is LOUD and slow. But slow is supposed to be good as it's not overheating the beans during grinding. The Delonghi at the beach house is quiet and fast...little more static but I bought one of those silicone bellows so I'm getting all grounds out no problem.
My latest routine at the beach house is to make a double shot mug of espresso from the Gaggia Brera with some half& half while the Moccamaster is brewing a pot of drip....Why not?
 
Still showing at $139. I could not pass that up. If I'd seen the Breville at that price I'd have likely bought another
 
LMichaels said:
Still showing at $139. I could not pass that up. If I'd seen the Breville at that price I'd have likely bought another
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure $139 is a screaming deal for a grinder. They are nice looking for a grinder though. I wonder who makes KA countertop appliances besides the mixers.
I know Whirlpool owns a majority stake in a Chinese appliance manufacturer...something Sanyo.
Just opened a new bag of the Kirkland House Blend at both houses. It's really good. I also saw that Costco has the Peet's Major Dickasons on sale for $5 off. That puts it at about a $1 more than the House Blend.
I'm going to grab 2 of each next trip.
 
Jay D in Jersey said:
I'm not so sure $139 is a screaming deal for a grinder. They are nice looking for a grinder though. I wonder who makes KA countertop appliances besides the mixers.
I know Whirlpool owns a majority stake in a Chinese appliance manufacturer...something Sanyo.
Just opened a new bag of the Kirkland House Blend at both houses. It's really good. I also saw that Costco has the Peet's Major Dickasons on sale for $5 off. That puts it at about a $1 more than the House Blend.
I'm going to grab 2 of each next trip.
Click to expand...
I rarely see Major Dickison's or Peet's at our Costco. And rarely if ever on sale or not pre-ground. When I have found it, it's good stuff.
IIRC retail on the KA grinder is same as the Breville ($199.99 basically $200). So at $140 to me it was a really good deal. Especially that I have seen reviewers (the ones who buy their own test products), falling all over themselves about how good a grinder it is.
Now, is it a "better" grinder than the Breville? I don't think so. Again I can't compare new to new. Because my Breville is actually about 4 or 5 years old.
In many ways I think a new Breville might edge out the new KitchenAid. But there are ways I like the KA over the Breville (new or not). 1, the Breville does not handle oily (like Kirkland House Blend) beans well at all. They stick all over it, I have to pully it out and beat on it like a crazed person. Now even oilier ones it's got plenty of static and it causes lots of fines with that static. Now, hit those beans with a couple spritzes from my little spritzing bottle, (or even the wet spoon trick), the static settles right down but the sticking becomes even worse. Add to that some pretty bad retention.
The KA with that straight down and through path, and the better designed bean hopper, no sticking, no beating on it, no real retention, and literally no static. So, in that alone I like the KA better.
I prefer the display on the Breville as all controls are right up front and easy to see. The KA not as intuitive. Not hard just not as intuitive as the Breville. Also the peace and quiet, is great. And in timing 60 grams of beans today. I don't know if the KA is actually faster or just appears to be because it makes so much less "fuss" while doing it's job. Looks like 60 grams is 44 seconds on both. Give or take.
The grind catch is a little better on the Breville. Has a screw top and when you put the "plug" over the hole it seals up tightly. The KA has a nice lid but it's only a rubber seal so it simply presses on and lifts off. This one is a bit of a split as the KA one is slightly easier to use but the Breville's is more effective to keep grounds in.
So overall (and I am having to take some liberties since I don't have a brand new Breville), I have to give a slight nod to the KA. Simply because even with it's shortcomings it makes the AM task slightly simpler, quieter and neater
 
LMichaels said:
I rarely see Major Dickison's or Peet's at our Costco. And rarely if ever on sale or not pre-ground. When I have found it, it's good stuff.
IIRC retail on the KA grinder is same as the Breville ($199.99 basically $200). So at $140 to me it was a really good deal. Especially that I have seen reviewers (the ones who buy their own test products), falling all over themselves about how good a grinder it is.
Now, is it a "better" grinder than the Breville? I don't think so. Again I can't compare new to new. Because my Breville is actually about 4 or 5 years old.
In many ways I think a new Breville might edge out the new KitchenAid. But there are ways I like the KA over the Breville (new or not). 1, the Breville does not handle oily (like Kirkland House Blend) beans well at all. They stick all over it, I have to pully it out and beat on it like a crazed person. Now even oilier ones it's got plenty of static and it causes lots of fines with that static. Now, hit those beans with a couple spritzes from my little spritzing bottle, (or even the wet spoon trick), the static settles right down but the sticking becomes even worse. Add to that some pretty bad retention.
The KA with that straight down and through path, and the better designed bean hopper, no sticking, no beating on it, no real retention, and literally no static. So, in that alone I like the KA better.
I prefer the display on the Breville as all controls are right up front and easy to see. The KA not as intuitive. Not hard just not as intuitive as the Breville. Also the peace and quiet, is great. And in timing 60 grams of beans today. I don't know if the KA is actually faster or just appears to be because it makes so much less "fuss" while doing it's job. Looks like 60 grams is 44 seconds on both. Give or take.
The grind catch is a little better on the Breville. Has a screw top and when you put the "plug" over the hole it seals up tightly. The KA has a nice lid but it's only a rubber seal so it simply presses on and lifts off. This one is a bit of a split as the KA one is slightly easier to use but the Breville's is more effective to keep grounds in.
So overall (and I am having to take some liberties since I don't have a brand new Breville), I have to give a slight nod to the KA. Simply because even with it's shortcomings it makes the AM task slightly simpler, quieter and neater
Click to expand...
Good point about the quiet part. The Baratza Encore is flat out loud. Doesn't really matter so much because it's just my wife and I and the 2 dogs and the master bedroom is pretty far away from the kitchen. It's slow though. A dosing or timing feature doesn't matter to me. I grind the same amount every AM...doesn't matter what grinder.
I saw that KA has 70 grind settings. That's a lot!
 
Now that I have confirmed the KA will grind without everything sticking inside the bean hopper, my next goal is to determine a setting (dosing) whereby I can simply fill the bean hopper, come out in AM and push the start button and know it will dose correctly for me. Without having to weigh things out. I may just keep the Breville as part of my espresso "bar" as well. Rather than switching the KA back and forth from drip to espresso and back again. We shall see.
 
Jay— agree that the Baratzas are LOUD. And basic for features. But they grind so good for my French press.

FYI I recently discovered the thing about replacing the plastic ring burr holder. Which is designed to fail and be replaced. That grinder had gotten so bad I was about to replace it. Amazing what a $3 plastic part and some YouTube research can accomplish.

We’ve settled on Major Dickadons as our daily driver. Will def load up on my next Costco run.
 
Jim C in Denver said:
Jay— agree that the Baratzas are LOUD. And basic for features. But they grind so good for my French press.

FYI I recently discovered the thing about replacing the plastic ring burr holder. Which is designed to fail and be replaced. That grinder had gotten so bad I was about to replace it. Amazing what a $3 plastic part and some YouTube research can accomplish.

We’ve settled on Major Dickadons as our daily driver. Will def load up on my next Costco run.
Click to expand...
I replaced the funnel shaped grommet with the newer, smaller 0 ring style one. Big difference with zero retention.
At $6/lb. the Major Dickasons is hard to beat. Too oily for my little Gaggia Brera though.
 
Just to round out the dislike for Kirkland French Roast.... I finally finished my one and only bag. Even if it's the only thing on the shelf I won't buy it again. My usual Costco doesn't stock the House Blend, so I'm making a special trip to the big Costco in town to get House Blend x2, along with a few other things I can only get at the big store. That's my daily coffee for now unless something better comes along. Not very likely at that same kind of pricing though.
 
Karl Quist said:
Just to round out the dislike for Kirkland French Roast.... I finally finished my one and only bag. Even if it's the only thing on the shelf I won't buy it again. My usual Costco doesn't stock the House Blend, so I'm making a special trip to the big Costco in town to get House Blend x2, along with a few other things I can only get at the big store. That's my daily coffee for now unless something better comes along. Not very likely at that same kind of pricing though.
Click to expand...
Look to see if that Costco has Peet's Major Dickasons on sale for $12-13. You won't be disappointed.
 
BTW I decided to try puling a double shot with the KA espresso machine and the new KA grinder. Results were top notch. I even tried the deal of grinding right into the portafilter. Great crema just an outstanding shot. Not a single bit of "flyaway" fines. No static. Honestly quite pleased with that performance.
 
Have to go up to my Costco today. I am going to see if they have it. If I see it at a good price may treat myself to a bag. But, quite honestly...........to beat the Kirkland House Blend it will need to be punching pretty high. :D
 
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