Coming from a blade grinder to a cheap burr grinder similar to these ones and pretty much exclusively brewing in a French press this was a massive step up in quality of coffee for me.
@@robintewolde1992 I got the ADE KG2000, which was incredibly cheap. For the price (17€) it's good. I mostly got it as I can mill 60g of coffee for our French press without having to empty the collector in between. I ordered it long before finding this channel, so I had no idea what to look for in a grinder. Now I know the ceramic burr grind is as cheap as the price suggests and the ground coffee is very uneven as the axis can pivot a lot. As a start item, I don't regret it and I will also use this on travels. But now I'm looking into a higher quality electronic burr grinder in the 200-300€ range for at home.
@@nihil1 a LONG time. For me, roughly 7 minutes 😭by now, I switched to Aeropress for me alone and use the French Press half full most of the time so the grinding isn't such a ... grind
Just looking at that cuisinart gives me anxiety now. It's easy to use a bad product and think "welp, I guess this is just the way it is". I would close the bedroom door so that my sleeping lover wouldn't think our home was invaded by murderous birds. I would put the paper filter on top of the grounds receptacle, flip it all over, and knock it against the counter to minimize the mess. Once a week I'd use a spoon to scrape away the caked-on crust that forms in that same area you noticed. It's not a good time, but I just assumed it was normal since the product ranks somewhat high on Amazon from people like me who didn't know any better
I think this can be said for coffee in general. It's hard to say what "good coffee" tastes like when all you've had is crap. You just assume that coffee by definition is bitter and astringent. I have recently ran into that issue with my kettle and just replaced it with a proper one.
+James Hoffman: I think that they need to be compared against two other things (your other options with the same or less money): (1) Grinding in the moment with the best hand grinder you could get for $50, and (2) Coffee gorunds grinded two weeks ago with a high-end grinder, which is kind of the worst cup you would be getting if you ask the seller to grind the whole package when you buy it. What do you think? Have you tried tasting good coffee grinded with a good grinder two weeks ago? How did it feel compared to these? Also, how did it feel with a $50 hand grinder such as for instance some of the Harios?
@@gingerhalf well that's not a normal price for a grinder like that so I call it cheating :). A porlex or an updated hario is a good benchmark. "you want to grind for 50 gbp? Use this or save up for the next level". I have the Delonghi (actually cost me around 75 euros I believe quite some time ago). It sits unused for over a year. Haven't thought about it since I have my 1zpresso..
Probably James’ least helpful video to date. Definitely would have been more helpful comparing to a similarly priced hand grinder or pre ground coffee - but the comment at the start gave away there was a fair amount of bias going into this. I now have a Wilfa Svart but used to use the Delonghi in this video and you know what, it wasn’t bad. Actually, I’d say it was decent if you don’t have the refined taste of a Barista World Champion.
Here's what I want to see: A blind taste test between pre-ground coffee, a sub-$100 blade grinder, a sub-$100 burr grinder, and a sub-$50 hand grinder. Basically, if you ONLY have $100 or less to spend, which will get you closest
@@freakerss and in contrast you would lose the freshness of grinding it at home, so it'd be an accurate measure as to whether or not it is worth it to buy pre-ground coffee versus a cheap coffee grinder. Which is what people like me, who don't want to spend hundreds on our coffee grinders, would like to know
@@freakerss What if I cant buy beans weekly? What if I cant grind every morning? What if I dont drink coffee every day? Etc. There are a lot of reasons why this comparison would be helpful to those of us that are more invested than casual coffee drinkers, but less invested than coffee obsessives.
I would love to see a follow-up, in which you test which is the best entry level grinder that doesn't suck. Something that doesn't break the bank, but gives a newbie a good place to start with.
He mentions in the video saving for a Wilfa or Baratza. Their entry level grinders are $100-$150, though getting and using a Wilfa outside Europe is difficult and probably not worth the hassle.
Actually, this is that video. You can spin it both ways...if you only have 50£ these are the some of the grinders available, or you shouldn’t spend less than 50£ on a grinder as they are all crap. I’ve had the cuisinart for over a year. It doesn’t look great and it’s noisy a.f., but my coffee taste/quality/experience is way up (lots of thanks to James for his vids) so for starters if money is an issue buy one of these, but if not go for a better one. I’ll upgrade when the cuisinart dies.
@@barrysmith1576 Indeed, James is too used to the top end with his £500 Niche sitting there, I actually prefer the slow process of finding improvement in every step and appreciating the journey. If you dive in straight at the top, where do you go from there ? I sometimes use my freebie Krups little blade grinder and sometimes pre ground, not sure I am spohisticated enough to tell the difference but I will get the Andronicus for Xmas, got some cheap scales from Aldi middle aisle and I will start to do some Sunday morning coffee experiments and see where the road takes me. We can't all just bang out £500 on a Niche grinder and £1200 on a Sage !
I've gotta say: I actually have the DeLonghi one and I disagree strongly, which I guess is mostly due to my perspective. I believe you, when you say that the 50 times pricier one will make better coffee. It would be clinically insane if it didn't. But having no other coffee grinder before, the 50 quid one improved my coffee drastically. If you buy ground coffee it is good for a day or two and then it just becomes bland and tasteless. Like if you enjoy this dopamine kick, when you buy new pack of pre-ground, open it up and know that this one coffee you'll make will be that humble perfection you know, it's fine. But if you want to have a reliable experience enriched by the smell of fresh ground coffee, and you know you can't cut it for a 250 pounds one... Get the 50 quid one for now. It is, in my opinion, a huge improvement. Especially, since if you can't afford 250 pounds grinder, you probably also don't buy coffee that's overly expensive. Some of the points as well, like the noise, the unsatisfactory user interface feel, the looks are extremely subjective, and like I said before they can get exaggerated by the perspective of being used to something that is much more high end. For someone who isn't, those points can diminish rather steeply. So, to sum up, if you are an aspiring, non extravagant coffee enjoyer: buy it and then upgrade. I guess I should add that I use Aeropress and French press for making my coffee.
you are better off putting that money into a hand grinder which will offer much nicer machining and burr set, in exchange for a poor quality electric motor that will pretty quickly burn out, (if having to turn a crank doesn't bother you too much)
@@jestawell Maybe it's a quirk of where I live, but hand grinder with steel burrs is over twice the price of those grinders. James says he had them for around 50 gbp each but here they are more around 30. Meanwhile, Timemore C3 I am eyeing right now is around 60. Maybe it's a fault in my thinking but for some reason I excluded hand grinders with ceramic burrs.
@@jestawell I have this DeLonghi one for about 8 years now, and I use it every day several times a day. Apart from the occasional cleaning (yeah, static is no joke), this thing works wonders and produces same quality stuff. I don't have $10k worth of espresso equipment to feel how terrible the grind maybe is, but in terms of build quality, this thing is very good
i think you should also test against a pre-ground bag and a blade grinder. I think for people looking at this price level that is the alternative rather than an expensive grinder.
Watching James Hoffman-videos while stuck in a quarantine-hotel for a week with nothing but a water boiler and bags of instant coffee... Its going to be a loooong week.
So I want to spend a little time defending buying one of these less expensive grinders, and particularly the Cuisinart. I'll start by saying that the static problem is a real pain (when I first started using mine, I instantly panicked that I had made a huge mistake), but it is something that become easier to deal with over time. You really do get used to opening them and emptying them in a way that minimizes the mess, and cleaning them occasionally to get rid of old fines that have stuck inside. The noise issue is the next thing I want to address. The difference between the way they sound full and near-empty is like night and day. I keep the hopper full on mine, and this ties in with what for me is the most important point, which I'll save for last. I don't think these kinds of grinders should be used for anything besides making filter coffee. Trying to make espresso with them is a bit of an unfair test, and -- as you've said numerous times -- making espresso at home is like adding another expensive, time-consuming hobby to your life. Making filter coffee *at home* is where these grinders shine, and for a person who is trying to save for a more expensive grinder (or any other purchase), this is very important. The difference between a cup from preground coffee and a cup produced from one of these machines after dialing in is HUGE. Being poor, I often *have* to buy cheap coffee, and in larger quantities. The ability to grind my own means I can make a cup that I would be willing to drink instead of a cup of drip from a local coffee shop, and the amount of money I save this way is tremendous. I was able to get my grinder at around 50% off the retail price by talking the retailer into a price match, but even at around $50, it's paid for itself many time over. I have had no issues with the grinder breaking down in the couple of years I've owned it, and would have no qualms selling it used to someone or giving it to a friend when I have something to replace it. I absolutely recommend one of these (the Cuisinart in particular, since that's what I have) for someone who can't afford a high-end grinder.
Yes, I agree with this and Cuisinart is good for starters. I have the Cuisinart for about 2 years now and I use it for mainly pour-over V60 but I also use it for Moka pot. I think that it is decent for the price. Yes, it is a little loud and it's a little messy with the static problem. But I would say that the Cuisinart is good for 3 reasons 1.)If you have a tight budget this will work out. 2.)if you are very beginning into specialty coffee and have a budget. 3.)if you are very beginning and just want to try specialty coffee without spending too much money. TIPS 1.) I would recommend the Cuisinart for anything thing that is a median-fine grind and up. (Moka pot, V60, French press, Cold brew, Etc) 2.) For V60, I would recommend a grind setting of 5 from the smallest grind and adjust it according to your coffee. either finer or courser. 3.) If you are trying to get more even grind for the Moka pot (median-fine grind) For me I would do a second grind. EXAMPLE. For me, I grinding it in the middle and then grinding it at the second smallest grind setting (second to left). I haven't had any problems with this but if you do thing make sure that the MEDIAN GRINDS GO INTO THE GRINDER. IT WILL NOT GO IN BY ITSELF, it is not heavy enough like the beans. I think that this might damage the system a little but I haven't had a problem with it. but I was very careful with putting it in and making sure that I turn it off after its done grinding.
The static issue is solved by running the handle of a spoon under cold water then stiring it through the beans in the hopper right before you grind. No more static.
Wow! You folks did well. In my previous post, I really had three Cuisinart grinders die in the first month. That was 10 or maybe more years ago so perhaps the company improved something in the interim. And they were messy with coffee grounds flying all over the counter.
I have one too, and your comment was spot on. I’m super happy with mine, and have no problem whatsoever. Sure I’ll love to upgrade in the future, but I’m not having a tantrum over static.
@@AntiAntiAntiFa I've settled on mocka pot. Simple, portable and ordinary ground coffee is fine. I don't have the luxury of developing expensive tastes, nor the time to get obsessive over it.
like chips (fries), it's one of those things that's cheap as you scale it potato-to-chips in a normal kitchen will cost more, take a lot more time, and will have a worse taste and texture than what they can do in a shop due to scale i also somewhat gave up on the idea of home espresso for the near future, but it's not the be-all end-all of coffee, and i am creeping up through to better coffee with a better hand grinder and finding better-tasting cheap beans
@Ignatius Tan I know the Niche Zero is sniggering and silently judging each . I feel bad for the cheap grinder. The cheap grinder be like "What have I done why should I be reviewed by James Hoffman"
its a bit like a bunch of late 90s model civics racing in the parking lot while ferrari 488 watches from the dark corner... partly amused, and partly bemused.
I used the cuisinart for years. It was my go to for aeropress and v60 brews. It was my first grinder and all I ever knew. I loved it. 3 years later my first child was born. Every attempt to make coffee woke him up. That was miserable. I upgraded to the 1zpresso JX hand grinder to quietly replace it. At that point I realized how poor of a device I had been using. I got me into specialty coffee, but I now always recommend a decent hand grinder to those on a budget.
I have the Cuisinart coffee maker with the bladed 'grinder'. Having just watched the Christmas present video, I am going to splash the cash come December!
Totally agree. I've recently got back into coffee and dragged out my Cuisinart DSM and thought huh did the grind always look this bad but dismissed it as I hadn't used it in awhile and just accepted it. I recently got a Baratza Encore for my birthday and the first cup i made with it blew me away in terms of how better the cup was! It was so much more cleaner, flavors were really well extracted, and saved me money since it made me realize that the grinder not the coffee was the problem. Also the cuisinart uses fake burrs and if you take it apart you'll see something that looks like it might be a somewhat decent burr set but there's literally just 4 dull nubs that not only do a lot of the grinding but also push the coffee into the bottom part of the grinder. This is why it's extremely uneven because it's essentially grinding and pulverizing at the same time resulting in a lot of fines okayish grounds and boulderish really coarse grounds.
I've had the delonghi for the last two years after having my coffee ground in the shop I bought if from previously. If it wasn't for this grinder I would not enjoy coffee as much as I do today. From the point of view of someone who stumbled into coffee before finding your videos or doing much research at all really the idea of spending over 100 euro on a grinder was a bit much no matter how many times it was recommended. It allowed me to discover the different flavours in the coffee I was buying and really appreciate it a lot more. Iv'e since bought a decent hand grinder and now I can appreciate the difference it makes in my pour overs, but the convenience of the delongi still shines through every now and then and still makes a decent french press.
I could have written your first paragraph word for word (although £ rather than Euro), I could've afforded a more expensive grinder, but the thought of spending that much seemed crazy. Even the £50 I spent seemed a bit mad. Now it doesn't so much, so depending on what happens with my job over the next few months, I might well treat myself to a better one and no doubt I'll see an improvement in quality in the same way I did when I started buying better beans, and before that when I started using beans rather than pre ground going right back to when I realised that ground coffee was a huge step up from instant. And the niggles which bother James just don't bother me
@@philipmills4411 I picked up a Timemore hand grinder off ali express for about 50 euro. Worth having a look at if your willing to wait a month or two on delivery. I think the issue is that a tea bag is so cheap, so its difficult to comprehend all the equipment you need to make a good cup of coffee at home.
I'm from Argentina, here it's not easy to get affordable coffee grinders, the delonghi costs aprox £170 because of taxes and shipping. I love it everyday I can afford beans (also really expensive). But I guess this review is focussed on first world critics haha
I got the delonghi for grinding the coffe for my moka, and it has been a giant step forward compared to the classic coffee i would buy. Also probably switching from supermarket powder to a nearby coffe shop beans may have improved the quality. I got it by less than a month, but so far it has worked every day at least once, and the bean filled to max last me like 2-3 days. Not bother by the grinding noise, and i use a spoon to "fight the static". Also never tried anything better so I am pleased with it xD
I have the DeLonghi, I've had it for years. It has served me very well and I don't think I'd be the huge coffee fan that I am without it, so I'm inclined to disagree with James here. I totally agree with James' assessment of it as a grinder. With good beans, good water and good technique makes adequate filter coffee, but with clear issues. But ive never get been able to justify handing over well over £100 for a coffee grinder, so for me this has to do, and "do" it does.
Me too. I’ve had one for 4 or 5 years. I run it full and think it sounds fine. And I’ve never had any static issues. I’m not going to be spending more on another grinder for what is almost certainly marginal returns any time soon.
@@diderooy sure mate you search on RUclips for Delonghi Kg79 finer grinding hack. You have to take the case off and adjust the setting wheel but it's very easy. 10 minutes tops.
Same here. I attached a bent pvc tube as a chute (and disabling the bin sensor), and did the espresso hack. The espresso isn't the best, but it's acceptable. It works very well for Turkish coffee if you dare to push the burrs as close together as you can without damaging them. Edit: Just to add, I've had a good 3-4 years of use out of it this way. It's just a pain to clean out and dose, but otherwise not too aweful.
I bought the Cuisinart as my first upgrade from a blade grinder, and it was a huge improvement. I have zero regrets! That said I'm excited for the next upgrade as well.
I have a cuisinart... 2nd one actually (wife bought me a new one when the old one died). I can say consistently that about 2 years is max life. Mine died yesterday, and the 2 year warranty at Best Buy expires in 3 days. Not sure what my next one is. But the commentary on noise and static is SPOT ON. Every day i am scraping and cleaning stray grounds.
I am on my 2nd Cuisinart and they've been lasting about 5 years with heavy use. We have to clean it out of clogged coffee at least once a month to keep it going. The quality of coffee has been very good and far superior than pre-ground coffee. We make about 2 pots of coffee per day in a Bonavita Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe. (Great coffee machine, but there have been manufacturing issues with Bonavita also over the years. The quality of coffee keeps us buying the same model for 3 different kitchens even though we know its gonna break.) People comment on how good our coffee is all of the time. If we were into espresso, I'm sure we would have come up with another solution. Back to Cuisinart grinder...I think we will be looking to upgrade when this 2nd one breaks.
I think you've come at this review from the wrong angle: these are machines for people who are making the leap to making better coffee at home. The choice may be between buying one of these or getting shop ground coffee, or a Nespresso machine. I've had the Delonghi for about 7 years(!) since an ex-girlfriend gave it to me when I started to properly enjoy coffee when I moved to London. While I was doing my postgraduate degree I discovered Prufrock and Square Mile and I was so pleased to be able to take that home with me. I have been grinding on the Delonghi since then. I have had *far* better coffee experiences than if I had gone some other route. Don't get me wrong, there is lots wrong with it - it's noisy, there is static, it's hard to clean, and the plastic is all a bit too finicky. But as a starting point for drinking better coffee, this is a good one.
@@murphyen got to agree. I too have a Delonghi and it's 5yo and has always been reliable. It does the job for me and its dialled in for my Aeropress and my morning cuppa (when I least want to be hand grinding coffee as I can barely even function as homo sapiens A.M.). Most of the grinders will be better than buying pre-ground, unless your drinking pints of coffee a day because beans remain fresher for way longer pre-ground.
I would suggest an alternative choice of having good quality and fresh coffee beans from a cafe. Get them to ground it on their high end grinder and store in air tight container.
I have that delonghi one and have used it at least once a day for about 8-9 years to make filter coffee. So I guess the build quality is ok! I also really like the look of it, especially compared to all those other ones. But that’s a totally subjective point. I prefer the taste of the coffee o make with it to pre ground coffee so for me it’s a win.
I'd say for those of us using a French press, these are actually pretty good. They can produce a coarse grind, unlike blade grinders (which do either a medium fine grind or are just uneven because you stopped before they'd really finished grinding), which is great for a French press. I have the Melitta Molino, which I like because it's small, and actually, the noise isn't as bad when you've got beans in it (my old blade grinder is *far* noisier).
I have the DeLonghi, I got it as a Christmas gift a few years ago and haven't replaced it with anything yet. I wouldn't purchase it myself, BUT gaining the ability to grind my own beans furthered my love for coffee. I would argue that the process, although a little annoying in sound and ESPECIALLY annoying in static (for me), is still more enjoyable than pouring pre-ground beans out of a bag, wondering if they're still good. If you go out for coffee a lot and only have coffee at home once in awhile, a grinder like this will allow you to keep whole bean coffee and grind it fresh as opposed to having pre-ground beans lying around for awhile. I used to keep the hopper full but I now bounce between coffee blends and decaf so I've cranked the cup size to full and I will stop the grinder manually, which doesn't bother me much, other than the loud whine at the end of the grind. I wonder if a similarly priced hand grinder would be better place to operate from.
My girlfriend got me the melitta grinder shown here as a birthday present last year as i had only had a small hand grinder up until then, and with my chronic pain it was getting tiring for me, and even not being a perfect grinder, it's a massive improvement for me, and the ~40 she spent to get me it is a lot with our current monetary situation. perfect grinder or not, it works really well for me and i'm glad to have it.
Prior to watching, I'm guessing 'terrible waste of money sinking our planet further into the abyss' across the board. I will return and update my assertion... edit: predictably, James gave us the answer in the title
Hi James, as many other people here have already commented, I also have the Delonghi grinder, which I bought just a few months ago. I’ve moved in the last year from an awful pod machine to an aeropress which I like for occasional use now, to a moka stovetop. Each change has bought better and better coffee. With the little grinder I was looking for more freshness. It’s been an impressive improvement for the £40 the grinder cost me. I could see myself buying a more expensive one in a few years maybe but I will definitely have had my money’s worth out of it. It makes rich, chocolately coffee and is a genuine pleasure every morning. I usually keep enough beans in the hopper to last a few days, and that does help with the flow through. I certainly don’t put a whole bag in at a time though. Before I bought it, I was using a blade grinder attachment for my Kenwood Chef and this is miles better and more consistent. I bought a bag of your coffee not so long ago and it was delicious, by the way. The Kenwood didn’t ruin it entirely 😂
Depends on how much coffee you go through IMO. I go about 2-3 Kilos a month of mostly light roast and so between each new bean, i take my little hand vac, put it up to the chute and suck out any loose coffee thats hanging around. Once about every two months after i get done with a bag of coffee, i'll use some Urnex Grindz just to scrub off the old oils from the burrs and then open it and brush/vacuum out the remnants. I then run a few grams of new coffee through the grinder and discard as it will contain some of the Grindz in it. The whole process take like 10-15 minutes.
I roast my beans on the Light side and have very little retention. Practically zero. If you grind oily beans you will need to clean your grinder more frequently.
I'm not gonna lie, this one kinda hurt to watch. I'm a college student that loves coffee, and a decent grinder was, no joke, all I asked for for Christmas. My parents got me the cuisinart grinder in this video, and I was SO happy!! I've loved feeling like I can actually get into coffee now, trying different beans from local cafes-- before I'd use preground cafe bustelo. I could never have afforded the cuisinart grinder, let ALONE the 'entry-level' ones he recommends, and as a huge fan of this channel it felt a bit like a slap in the face to hear him railing against something that has allowed me to properly get into coffee. I don't know, I know James is a proper coffee guy with tastes ill probably never get to, but the grinder works for me-- I like being able to try different beans instead of being stuck with cafe bustelo. At least I can FEEL like I'm exploring coffee, even if I'm apparently getting a muddy version of it.
I got the Melitta Molino grinder for christmas and also was and am very happy with it. I only brew V60, Aeropress or Frenchpress. If your standard is very high like James’, I surely would be disgusted at these grinder. But at my point as a college student I really like my little grinder.
i can relate, being a coffee nerd on a budget is definitely a bit of a struggle. I have a super static-y, harsh sounding krups grinder and while i would love to upgrade, im really happy and proud of my results
I have the delonghi from the video and I'm able to do espresso shot with it. Needed some tuning and finding the right coffee but now it's getting in the espresso range and a decent crema.
It's worth keeping in mind something he's said in the past, he'd take even a blade grinder over pre-ground coffee any day. A bad grinder is better than no grinder at all.
I think this video is correct from the perspective James is at, as he's surrounded by the widest range of coffees, grinders, makers and methods. But from the perspective of someone at a low budget who is drinking preground, canned dreck coffee an inexpensive (comparatively) burr grinder automatically improves the coffee drinking experience. You get to buy a wider range of fresher beans and try some different grinds for different coffee brewing methods. I think he's right that buying a starter Baratza or similar would be a significant improvement over these reviewed grinders but he isn't thinking of it from the low starting point of the average coffee drinker.
James, in my experience with the Cuisinart the static is a feature, not a bug. It traps fines which I wipe out of the collection basket using my finger, critical if using these with a French press.
Exactly the same situation here. I don’t pull shots at home and having most of the fines out of the way gets a relatively consistent grind if you’re on a budget and looking for a coarse grind
I’ve had the Cuisinart grinder for years. I bought it for half the price because it was a display model. My cats definitely hate the sound of it, but by leaving the caked on grounds, it doesn’t have the static problem. Honestly, if not for my cheap burr grinder, I’d be using pre-ground or grinding with an even cheaper blade grinder.
The only way to use a blade grinder is to grind so coarse that the finest bit actually allow extraction, and the rough bits just... don't :D. Costs tons of coffee, pretty bad investment no matter how cheap those are.
@@rollingtroll James has said he'd rather drink freshly ground coffee from a blade grinder than pre ground coffee. They're bad, but they get the job done.
The espresso test was a little tough to watch. I used the cuisinart paired with a pressurized portafilter machine for the first few years of my espresso journey. It was a fine pairing, but I didnt have much control. I don't agree with the conclusion that these grinders are waste because mine I bought used and then sold on. It is built well enough to last and serves an important (to me) purpose. I look forward to the next step up comparison to see just how much better they are.
I actually got the Cuisinart many moons ago. It was the mess that finally broke me. It doesn't drop the grounds into the bin, it kind of shoots them forward into it. It wasn't just a mess to clean the parts, it created a mess around itself. I'm much happier back to my hand grinder. But part of me still wants to find or make a custom chuck for my hand drill or dremel so I wouldn't have to do it by hand though.
For a drill attachment i'd suggest looking up Alton Brown's tutorial on how to turn a pepper mill into a drill attachment since pepper grinders and manual coffee grinders are functionally identical.
I'm new to making non-instant coffee so my standards would be lower than yours obviously, but I got the Melitta a few months ago, as I didn't want to spend too much on a hobby that I didn't even know I'd keep on doing. I make with either a Moka pot (learnt from one of your videos) or filter machine, so no espresso but from what I can tell, it does taste better than the stale preground stuff. Its also allowed me to experiment with different ground sizes and the really loud noise has become something of an inside joke whenever we have family over and my family have started associating the sound with being offered cappuccino so that's cool haha I will agree with you on the static though, that's a nightmare, and it also leaves a huge mess on the counter if I'm not careful. While I acknowledge someone like you with a more advanced taste wouldn't get much out of this, I would recommend my grinder to people starting out and just finding their feet making coffee, it's definitely improved my daily coffee experience and, even with the cleanup, I'd say it has been a net benefit on my side
2:38 "I don't think any of them are particularly beautiful, and probably the least beautiful is this one here, it's the Delonghi" Disagree! I clicked this video just to see what that was because I like the style.
I've had the Delonghi one for a few years now. It was my first coffee grinder and I read online prior to purchase that it does a decent, if not great job, if you do a simple modification. The steps for the grind setting are stopped by a tab on the plastic piece inside. Removing the plastic tab stopper that prevents you from going too coarse or fine can get it down into the espresso range which I've also been doing on a Delonghi machine for about the same amount of time. For the money, it's not bad; but you have to know the limitations going in; I've had to do a lot of mods and tweaking to get a decent shot pulled but once I dialed that all in, it's been pretty consistent. I'm ready to step up and saving up for much better equipment.
I just bought one and was prepared to modify it, but to my surprise, it was not necessary at all! With shop-bought Lavazza Espresso the Delonghi Dedica with IMS unpressurized basket made 28 grams of coffee out 14 grams of grind in 28 seconds. Imagine my surprise! On the other hand, for the medium roast Brazilian fresh beans I had to dial it coarser by at least 2 clicks. Seems like Delonghi realised that people buy these grinders to actually make Espresso, but most probably buy the coffee in the supermarket (at this price range of grinder).
I’ve upgraded to a true espresso machine as well as a better grinder, but I used to use that cuisinart. Same as him I hated the noise, the static was awful.. was so satisfying watching him tear it apart! Haha
I just upgraded from that very DeLonghi to Wilfa Uniform. Back in the days when I was a student I considered it an upgrade to replace a hand grinder with an electric one. I would keep my DeLonghi bean hopper filled and I found it handy enough to receive an appropriate dose of grounds with a single push of a button, but the coffee dust mess was indeed infuriating and ended up being my primary reason to upgrade now that I have graduated. I gave the DeLonghi to a friend who currently uses pre-ground coffee. I think it served its purpose as a stepping stone and was durable enough to pass on.
@@_JBP_ It's great! Has a lovely premium feel compared to the DeLonghi with sturdy build, pleasant controls and way quieter operation. Aluminium container for the grounds effectively eliminates the static electricity problem. Clean, quick and quiet :)
After hand cranking a hario for about two years, which was a huge upgrade from my good old (bad old) blade grinder, my first electric burr grinder was the Cuisinart in this video. At first it was great not having to do my forearm workout every morning but I soon began to hate my new electric experience. It is so very, annoyingly noisy, and the static cling became madening. Using it exclusively for filter coffee, with a few Aeropress shots along the way (with very unremarkable results), I accepted the mess and noise as part of having an electric grinder. They all have motors, they all make noise, or so I assumed. Then a friend began telling me about his Baratza Encore experience and promised if I got one I'd smile forever and never look back. I held out for a bit since it was 3 times the price of the one I had. I finally jumped in and WOW. No annoying whiny noise, no grounds clinging the sides of my receptacle, very even particle size. Ahhh... I now look forward to being able to further upgrade and continue to enhance my coffee experience. Thanks for your videos. They are simple, clear, make me chuckle on occasion and very well shot. You have helped me realize I can continue to upgrade my equipment and technique and be drink better tasting coffee. That is thrilling. Keep'em coming!
The grinders on show have definite merits compared to the jumper James is wearing. Watching this video is like being slapped in the face by a 3-day old salmon carpaccio
I've been using the Cuisinart grinder for a couple of years and have learned to use the static problem to my advantage. The static causes much of the fines to clump up on the side of the container, I simply scrape them into the trash then scoop out the grounds with a tablespoon. I think it makes great filter coffee, especially from my Bonavita brewer.
I was gifted the Cuisinart grinder for Christmas 2023. Obviously it has its issues, particularly the flying grounds, but it's so much better than a blade grinder that I'm cool with it. Plus I just lost my job so I can't exactly go out and spend a bunch of money on a more expensive one right now. But somewhere down the line I certainly will.
I've had the Cuisinart for 4 years, from the start I always thought I was making good coffee until I bought a Timemore C2. The difference in taste and cup quality was immense. I was able to taste the notes in the coffee compared to the taste I got from my cuisinart. I actually understood what people where saying as muddy. I also knew that I need to buy better beans as the beans I was using wasn't good. Did I regret buying my Cuisinart? No. It was one of those machines that really made me like coffee, since good grinders in our country wasn't that accessible the time I bought the cuisinart. It actually taught me a big difference in a quality cup versus a mediocre muddy cup.
I have the DeLonghi. There’s a trick to get finer grinds from it. Basically you just reindex the adjustment knob and modify the screws that retain the burrs.
Middling it is so easy and makes shots much tastier ... For 50 euro it is possible to have good espresso set up by modding this grinder and the cheap the cheap gran gaggia and temp surfing don't believe me, try it 😄
I've found this too, although I kind of modded it by accident after the adjustment knob broke and I took it apart and put it back together again wrong! I'm not sure I'd buy it specifically to mod for espresso, but having owned it for filter/french press use for a while and just getting into the espresso game recently, it's good enough to tide me over for a while. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't calibrate it for an actual espresso setting out of the box though when it's clearly capable of it!
I've had the De'Longhi for several years. Yes it is noisy, I read up on how to get a finer grind out of it, I forget the details now. I'm not a pro but I'm more than happy with the service it gives me.
I have a delonghi grinder and I would say that it takes me about a week to fine-tune the settings to emulate the espresso coffee from costa or Starbucks. At the end of the day, to me, it's all about finding the correct surface area for your beans with ease. I'm happy with the noise and static element of this grinder in comparison to my mortar and pestle. :-)
@@drjamun I see your point but then you eventually have to deal with the pain of cleaning these things out to get rid of the stale coffee build up in which a hand grinder would be easier to clean
@@drjamun My Comandante C40 grinds my coffee in less than 30 seconds, it's smooth as hell and the grind quality is incredible. I honestly can't understand why people are so averse to hand grinding unless you have mobility issues.
Thanks for answering my question. Hahaha I'm looking at some 1zpresso hand grinder and a wilfa svart. The price difference is small enough that I think a wilfa svart will suit me better but if the hand grinder can produce a much better grind and in a short amount of time, I might go for that instead.
I used the cuisinart grinder for a few years when ai started grinding my own coffee and I liked it - it was a nice change to have consistently fresh growing coffee vs pre-ground going stale at the rate I drink it. The static was annoying, definitely agree on that. I bought it used and sold it after I upgraded to a Baratza, which limited the waste generation associated with it. It was already a couple years old when I bought it so it was pretty durable for the price. Noisy as hell though.
Im using my bialetti mokka express for pretty much anything which costs about 20 - 25€ and a cheap 15€ handgrinder. Crema is super lacking with a mokka pot and its pretty watery (I have no clue about anything regarding coffee/espresso), but since Im mixing it with milk, it doesnt really bother me too much.
@@Rakku If it's watery yu're grinding too coarse and maybe brewing a bit too long. Also Moka Express can'tr produce crema, preassures aren't high enough. and with that cheap grinder you will never get fine and even enough grind to get a good brew out of it
@@Laurabeck329 Well Im just not ready to spend so much on a grinder. I tried to grind finer, but then it gets pretty bitter, so its either too hot or/and too fine. Havent found the middleground yet.
Maybe you're missing something here: My take is that someone who buys a cheap grinder would also buy an cheap espresso machine. A cheap espresso machine is likely to have a pressurised basket and so not need as fine a grind as a more expensive one would. I don't think it's an entirely fair test espresso-wise.
I'm VERY late replying here but IMO he absolutely should have pulled shots with pressurised portafilter. Much more forgiving of poor grind consistency and more realistic in its use.
Have a good look at 5:00 again and really soak in the chaos. Having seen quite a few espresso montages that cast the whole process as this refined, artisanal, almost meditative labour of coffee love; the slow zoom on the espresso machine violently and haphazardly projecting individual espresso streams onto the cup, itself, and the countertop had me tearing up with laughter. The image is now absolutely branded into my mind and I suspect that any future espresso montages will now be marred buy this one gloriously funny memory, thank you.
Is everyone just going to gloss over the fact that the man has a hardshell latching espresso spoon case (4:23) with not 1, not 3, but 6 titanium stirring spoons????
I purchased the Cuisinart Burr Grinder about a month ago. I have never used a Grinder before, and I have officially matched the Chemex grind, that I purchased from a Local Coffee Company. I am pleased with it.
@ 2:54 I'm assuming the reason why the two knobs feel so different is because one is probably a potentiometer. It's easier to have a good feel from that than the mechanical burr settings and it's not something easily interchangeable. I'd love to see an engineer do a tear down of these. With anything engineered there are tradeoffs, which really start to affect a product that's being designed to a lower price point. You need a team of engineers with different backgrounds to design a coffee grinder and that's fascinating to me.
I broke my first grinder doing that :(. Took it to my local specialty coffee shop / workshop... they took a good look at it, and then asked me "so,.... why?". I just wondered if I could, never if I should.
@@clavarojwt Well don't spin it too fast, maybe 2x manual speed. Takes a bit longer, but still more convenient than manual grinding. In fact, I'm thinking I can build a sort of stand to hold the drill and the grinder so I don't have to hold it.
@@polycrystallinecandy Yeah, i was trying to do that but the drill wasn't able to start grinding... so I pressed a little harder, helped a little bit with my arms... and then well it overcame the static load and just started spinning way too fast. I'm not doing that again haha. Ended up getting a new cheap manual grinder, and like 6 months later a Sette for espresso :)
I'm just in the process of upgrading my coffee setup, currently I have this delonghi KG79 grinder, however I found that you could modify it to be stepless and make it grind a lot finer, also remove the screws from the burr to give a more consistant grind. I'm not saying its on par with a more expensive grinder but I would be interested to see how it would compare once modified
@@Y2H ruclips.net/video/LuXKQs3RJi8/видео.html shows how to reduce the gap, you can also remove the step clicker bit when you do this. I also recommend taking out the screws from the burrs and using a strong epoxy glue to reattach, this will mean that when the burrs are worn out you won't be able to easily replace them but it will give you a more consistent grind and allow you to achieve a smaller grind gap
Had the cuisinart for a couple of years. Bought it out of pure ignorance. Made cold brew, and filter coffee with it. It was ok. Replaced it with a Baratza Encore. The Baratza is quieter and static isn’t an issue. A much better machine. Wish I had it from the beginning.
I use to have the Cuisinart and found it fine for French press and pour over, didn't work well enough for my espresso machine though, so that's when I upgraded. I gave the Cuisinart to a friend who brewed filter only. I also bought it while I was in college, so any improvement in my coffee was welcome. If you can do buy a better one, but it was a lot better than the blade grinders that people were recommending to me.
I also had the Cuisinart for many years - honestly it's fine if you're just making French Press or Cold Brew, although it still produced a lot of fines. it is so static-y and messy, like James said. I enjoyed it for many years because I was only drinking dark roasted coffee from the grocery store. when I started having an interest in more expensive third wave coffee, I decided that I needed to upgrade my home brewing equipment. I don't think the grinder is as catastrophically horrible as James says it is. I think it's more accessible and easier to use than a blade grinder, for not much more price-wise.
I was gifted the Cuisinart and have used it in a french press and aeropress. It work, and I enjoy the coffee I make with it but I frequently imagine getting something better if it breaks.
Ooof... blade grinders are so so so bad. There are very good at taking delicious (as James would say) coffee and making it bitter. Bleck... Good feedback about the grinder getting you into better coffee. It was similar with me, but I was able to use a roommates entry level hand grinder (no offense intended, Porlex) to start the process of learning to "dial it in" better. (In the Porlex's defense, it did have worn down burrs...)
I'm a pianist and teacher, and I reeeeally feel the sentiment of this video! There are so many students (well, parents..) that get the cheapest keyboard crap "to see if they like it". Then, since they buy the cheapest crap imaginable, they end up not enjoying it, andthen quit. So instead of saving some bucks, they waste both time, money and, most importantly, a potential hobby or interest.
I actually have the Delonghi (it was a gift) - I experimented with the various settings, but use it every 2 days and keep one day in a sealed container - this is a full hopper each time. That is the exact amount of filter coffee my family uses up. I have had it for quite a few years now - actually very robust and reliable (it is fairly heavy for its size). I have no complaints now - the static is ok for me - I actually empty it into the sealed container and tap the sides to waste very little - that container is then nice for pouring into the filter. I find cheap coffee beans (not saying they are specifically bad) ground at home taste better than expensive pre-ground - the difference is huge to me. I haven't met anyone who can brew as nice a coffee at their home - maybe I have the wrong friends!
It’s always good to see James “enjoying” great coffee. I would have preferred the test to be blind. People will always say that the thing that think produces better result is the best, even if they can’t taste it.
there should be reviews: "the cheapest stuff that simply doesn't ruin your drink completely"... "decent choices"... and finally "best of the best". there are plenty reviews of the cheapest stuff. it doesn't make sense to buy the cheapest stuff. it doesn't make sense to buy the most expensive unless you are really into something and you see a difference (gold audio cables!!! l do not see a difference...) and the most useful is usually something in the middle, so some 'decent choices'. and as usuall there are no that many reviews like that unfortunately.
I always find the problem to be that people who are into the hobby spout alot of shite and buy into marketing for overly expensive things (any thing audio related is a very clear example of that) but out siders dont have a clue what theyre talking about. (also gold cables are snake oil, there isnt a difference youre not crazy)
@@nope110 the amount of snake oil in the audio industry is so god damn high. Once I was interested in a car audio competition for the best sound quality but then I realized that they don't judge only the sound, they judge what connectors and cables you use etc and everything visible has to be to their stupid standards that mean nothing for actual audio quality. I just said fuck it, I don't want to take part in such stupidity.
@@nope110 but for audio there's also quite a lot of review for the middle ground. Like what's the best value, and after that... Well ... Oil your ears.
I've been using that Cuisinart for years, since long before I knew much about coffee. I knew that fresh ground was better, so I put it on my Christmas list and I've been stuck with it ever since. The static problem is certainly the most noticeable, basically every time I make a cup of coffee I have to wipe down the counter since just taking the lid off the bin sprays grounds everywhere. The sad thing is over all those years I've continued to be a student, and never had the money to upgrade. This year though, I've put a decently reviewed steel burr hand grinder on my list and am looking forward to the daily arm workout
Hello jake! Im a bit late to the party. Try adding a "dash" (not sure of the english word) of water spray to your beans and give them a nice shake before grinding! It should definitely help with the static issue! Google more about this topic if you are interested. Spraying coffee ground has been around for a few months already, and many baristas have posted their video/opinion about it! (Including james himself right here lol)
I have the Delonghi KG79. It's... fine, and has lasted me 4+ years, but suffers in the ways you describe in the video. One thing to make it better is a small burr mod to improve espresso grinds (i.e. make them possible, it doesn't go fine enough in the default state). Essentially you can take it apart and move the burrs slightly closer together, there's how-to videos on youtube. I'd recommend that to any other KG79 owners wanting to get more from their budget grinder.
I have a cuisinart. I recognize its limitations, and there's nothing you said that's inherently inaccurate, but I do feel that coming at this from the point of privilege you're at has really biased you. For me, I'm not going to get a chance in the morning to peacefully make a cup of coffee, regardless of my equipment. Mornings are chaotic, but having an acceptable cup of coffee vs a utilitarian source of caffeine is one of the few luxuries I have access to amidst that chaos. Would I prefer a better grinder? Of course! But I'm not going to turn down the best cup I currently have the means to brew because it's almost as loud as my family.
Sir, hack that baby! You will not be sorry. For 15 minutes of work, you can dial in that grinder to produce very fine coffee. I’ve had 2 of those and they can be improved. Look up cuisinart grinder hack on instructables.
I have the Delonghi. I modded it to grind finer. Took 5 minutes. It will now grind fine enough to choke a machine. It’s not aesthetically pleasing but it does work. Cost a fraction of a better grinder which means I can buy better coffee. At some stage I will upgrade but for the time being it’s better than pre ground coffee.
I like the aesthetics of delonghi, it's nice, rectangle-ish. But it is pain in the ass to clean. Every time I change the coffee, or when it starts to smell, I have to disassemble it and brush every corner of it's interior. I did not try the blind test, but I think my cheap rhinowares ceramill gives better coffee than this grinder.
I've got the DeLonghi, and whilst I do not have an espresso machine, I find it adequate for filter coffee. One good design feature which may be common to the other grinders, the bean hopper cover and collection bin both have safety interlocks so you can't grind your fingers or grind coffee all over the counter top. Both have to be firmly in place before it will run. So, maybe, it's good enough for filter and other methods that need a coarser grind. It does suffer badly from static electricity and can tend to partially clog at the output port below the burrs thus slowing the grind and producing less output in the set time period than when clean. This seems to be very dependent on the degree of roast. High roast beans that look oily clog quicker. My daughter also had one of these, but the gear linkage between the grind setting knob and the burr set stripped making it useless. So far mine is OK. If I'm not making espresso, do I really need a better grinder? Later Having read some of the other comments I'm inclined to agree that these grinders are as a massive a step up from bags of pre-ground coffee as pre-ground coffee is from instant. They are entry level machines and for those who can't afford megabucks.
I like my cuisine art for my aeropress and French press. It’s nice to get various coffees, grind them, and store them in tins. We tend to go through coffee in a month or so and then we regrind more coffee for tins. We love the coffee we have at home and are content with our cheap grinder. We’ll probably get a better one eventually, but these are fine for people who can’t afford expensive coffee equipment.
Cheers James, I've got the Di Longhi. I've never tried espresso and probably never will. I do a medium to course grind. I have an aeropress and use it to brew, what to me, is the best coffee I've ever tasted. I will soon start to roast my own. Hopefully it will taste even better. I normally have to drink motorway service coffee. Mine is much better, in my opinion. Obviously you know what excellent coffee tastes like, most of us never will.
I have had a similar experience with the Delonghi. I brew with a Moka pot & v60. Sometimes i get coffee in a real coffee shop, and think how much did I pay for this?...I could have made something nicer at home...
Exactly the same. I use it for V60 and vacuum press. I’ve had nothing but good experiences - and although I’m not even in the same universe as James (as far as skill and palette are concerned), I think I know decent from dreadful.
I got the Cuisinart and have been grinding with it for a good year now and it has been a huge step up for us over buying ground coffee. We are just making drip coffee in a cheapo drip coffee maker. I do make mocha pots and pour overs in a Chemex and it does a decent enough job. It is clear through from looking at it that the coffee isn't ground homogenously and I would never try to pull a shot with it. A huge improvement over the blade coffee grinder which is now our spice grinder.
RE: the Cuisinart grindr: the static goes away after you've used / washed the unit a few times. It has something to do with the plastic. I have no static issues on mine.
I have the Cuisinart grinder. I got it so I could start doing pourover after maturing past a keurig coffee machine. It does the job for me. I find grinding my own coffee to be quite pleasurable. Perhaps in the future I will mature past this machine to something nicer, but for now it does the job and it makes me happy.
Tip: pre-grind your morning coffee right before bed. Hit the button and walk away. The grinds will be static-free and quietly ready in the morning. Since this is already not such a great setup, you're not going to notice any difference in quality. I've owned 3 of the cuisinarts and still own/use one now. It may not be the best, but it's way better than pre-ground, stale coffee. James needs to realize that many of us are starting from a much lower quality bar than he is. I've made everything from espresso (with a pressure-valved portafilter) to french press to filter to church percolator coffee. With proper technique and ratios (Thanks James!), it all tastes pretty good. In the U.S.A., simply brewing with the correct coffee/water ratio will wow most people. Our coffee machines are no help as they have incorrect ratio instructions guaranteeing weak, bitter brews and cannot physically hold the correct amount of coffee for the amount of water they advertise. All this said, I'm saving for a Wilfa.
or do as James said in another video which works for me to remove static without grinding the night before ruclips.net/video/T0Dh1W40ILY/видео.html&ab_channel=JamesHoffmann
So, knowing cheap grinders (anything really) all suck, I randomly picked up the cuisinart one shown here when it was on sale about 6 years ago for $40. I 100% agree with James. It's obnoxiously loud. It has static buildup on the container AND all the ground coffee bits (which will repel away from each other if you aren't careful pouring!). However, having said that, it does a "good enough" job for my caveman palette and tastes better than pre-ground that's been hiding on a store shelf for a month. I will say it's held up well. It's a flat burr grinder, but the way the burr is set up is a bit odd. The entire hopper can un unscrewed, if you rotate it counterclockwise past the grind adjustment clicks, it will eventually come off entirely, and at that point you have the top half of the burr cylinder in your hand, attached to the hopper. The bottom half is attached to the base unit. You can obviously get at both cutting surfaces to brush them clean, but can't actually remove them without screwdrivers and suffering. I have zero idea how standard such things are, so replacing it with a different one is probably impossible. One tip for dealing with static is to take a shower, run the dishwasher, or just run a bit of hot water in the sink near the grinder first, just to get a little humidity in the air so it cuts that down a bit. As for the noise.... sadly, the only option I have there is to grind my coffee the night before, as I'll feel too guilty annoying my neighbors at 5AM, even for coffee. :)
Very similar experience with the Cuisinart grinder. I mostly do pour over and/or a very coarse grind for cold brew in a toddy, and it has been sufficient to the task for a decade now. If I needed something precise or fine, or freshly ground every morning, all of the statements in the video apply (it can be messy and annoyingly loud), but it's great value for the money if you want something that only requires a coarse grind.
I have the Cuisinart too, the thing probably runs around 90dB.. We have a thick quilted bag nearby that we place over the grinder to dampen the noise while it's running, it works really well.
Ahh, but there IS an easy, cheap solution to the noise! I found that placing a small folded towel or flat heat pad underneath the grinder cuts the noise down a LOT. Second, I have hearing damage, so placing a finger in each ear also does the trick! 😊 Regarding static, some coffees I’ve found have much worse negative charge than others when ground. More oily coffee beans have less issue. Also, do not “over-clean” your ground coffee bin. I found these things over years of using that specific Cuisinart model, which used to be $45 and now is about $68. While I agree that there are much better grinders as James points out, most people are NOT going to spend $350 for a really high-end grinder. I’d ask James to reconsider his summarized comments as follows: “for drip coffee (and not espresso) drinkers, the Cuisinart grinder does a descent job for the money” which is something Americas Test Kitchen might state.
I wish there was a local coffee shop around me that would do these kinds of comparison/tasings; showing you how the same beans can taste so different with different grinder/equipment…
You're going to love this: I have the cuisinart grinder and mainly use it to make cold brew :P And I've got to say it's definitely improved my coffee experience, even though it's obviously a cheap piece of crap. I like the fact that I can now play with yet another variable because I love testing and improving my method. And the sound doesn't bother me since I'm generally not grinding first thing in the morning.
Haha, that's even easier than the guide I followed that allowed me to move the knob in relation to the limiter with a screwdriver and ten minutes of effort.
@@itsukanoe7064 I only followed a video myself so you've probably watched it. Really not difficult, more likely an aversion to taking things to pieces that is hard to overcome if you're not a natural tinkerer. I'm confident that with care, a bit of judicial force to remove the knobs you can do it.
I did this to mine, a nice straightforward mod and works well enough... Or so I thought. That was until I picked up a Eureka mignon... The difference is night and day. You can get decent shots with the modded delonghi but in my experience maybe 3/10 were good, with the rest either average or worse suffering from various degrees of channelling or in rare cases stalling completely. When switching beans it would take many shots to get it dialled in and even then it wouldn't necessarily hold that setting. For years I thought it was just me and poor technique but with the mignon (and I'm sure it's the same with other similar tier grinders) maybe 1 in 20-25 shots might pull a bit fast or slow but generally it's bang on. Dialing in after changing beans is quick and easy. This is no doubt helped by the grind stability both intra shot and inter shot being very good. As a result the flavour is improved across the board. By comparison, I've recently had the chance to use a commercial e61 machine for a few weeks, the rrp of which is about 10x what I paid for my pre 2015 Gaggia Classic. Maybe I have a terrible palate but half the time I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two! Essentially what I'm saying is if you're happy with it then that's cool but if you're looking to justify a grinder upgrade to yourself it's definitely worth it.
Newish viewer so haven't watched all the backlog of videos, but have you thought about doing a sieve analysis (also called gradation test) for the particle size distribution for the various grinders? It would be pretty tedious to do but it would give actual results.
I have a cheap grinder similar to the Delonghi one and it definitely has all these issues and i’ve kind of built it into my routine to clean everything thoroughly with a dry brush every couple days. But I gotta say the first drip coffee I made with freshly ground beans was such a huge step up that I personally thought it was worth it. Yes it’s a pain to clean and the noise is pretty loud but that’s the tradeoff I suppose. Also I only make 1 cup of coffee every day so the noise doesn’t last very long. I am looking to invest in the niche sometime soon if it ever came in stock .
TBH i have never had too much of a problem with staining, a good electric toothbrush and a yearly visit for a professional polish (well worth the price, I think about £50 in the UK). I do like the baking soda based toothpastes like arm and hammer but I think a half decent electric toothbrush is probably more important IMO and would never consider some of the crazy expensive toothpastes.
@@MultiSigil Yeah a yearly check-up at the dentist is a must. I'm lucky that I'm fine with someone poking around my mouth with metal implements. My girlfriend is terrified, and she's in her mid-20's.
Years ago, my dentist thanked me for switching from tea to coffee. Tea stains teeth an order of magnitude worse than coffee, said he. But he and I are both Americans, so don't listen to us.
I’ve had the delonghi for a few years now. It definitely improved my experience for doing filter brews, but yes the messy experience with the static and the residual powder inside the hopper is frustrating, particularly when one has a couple of different beans they like to try. I have recently got back into drinking coffee in the mornings and at present am using bog standard espresso in a brick as the grinder doesnt grind fine enough. It is also very load and looks pretty ugly. I’m considering upgrading……..but at present I only have a bog standard espresso maker. It seems that a better grinder is the first port of call though thanks for all you do.
James, I've learned far more about coffee from your videos than I ever thought was necessary, but I'm glad I did. To help inspire more people to drink decent coffee, could you recommend grinder, drip, espresso and other setups at different price points? I'm thinking this could focus more on people who are generally happy with drinking pre-ground coffee from a drip machine worth far less than $100. But, they are curious about improving their experience, however, not willing to spend the amount of money required for a high-end setup.
do you perhaps have any answer to this? like how to make the standard coffee experience better for someone who's never ground their own beans to get some fresh ground good coffee? like you mentioned this is expensive and many of us probably just want a simple cheeper than the hundreds of dollars type sitch. i essentially feel we both want an affordable tutorial to learning the art of coffee
Well, here in Brasil, burr grinders these "cheap" aren't avaliable. Bought the Delonghi while in Italy and for our weak currency is the accessible option. Electric burr grinders is such a pain in the pockets here so better one Delonghi than a blade grinder.
Yeah, i hope that toward the end of the video, there’d be recommendations on how to improve upon what’s universally accessible to people, regardless of budget.
Yup I grapple with the same problem fellow countryman. The best option I've seen for consistent finer coffee over here is the Mimosa Cast Iron hand grinder. Bit of a behemoth of a grinder, but the designs solid and it doesn't cost a fortune, might be worth looking about
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Me, drinking my day old coffee reheated in the microwave: Damn these are trash
Yuck, would rather drink Nescafe than reheated microwave coffee!
😂😂😂 christ that makes me uncomfortable and now I feel like a snob.
That’s gross. day old coffee is genuinely terrible. You can do better haha
Why would you do that to yourself?
@@CTOOFBOOGLE I am a VERY lazy person.
Are we all just going to pretend that this man didn’t just pull his spoon out of a carrying case? We’re just going to ignore that?
They're his fancy spoons, because he's a fancy man
He addressed it in his last video. As the other commenter said, James is “a fancy man.”
@@jt560 😂😂😂👌 Purrfect.
Absolutely not. That, my friend, cannot be unseen. 🤣
Legend has it that he also has a spoon holster so he's ready to slurp n stir anywhere in an instant
Coming from a blade grinder to a cheap burr grinder similar to these ones and pretty much exclusively brewing in a French press this was a massive step up in quality of coffee for me.
I also almost exclusively drink French press coffee and a simple manual grinder already was a huge step for me
@@Omnilatent Which manual grinder do you use ? I need a grinder for my french press.
@@robintewolde1992 I got the ADE KG2000, which was incredibly cheap. For the price (17€) it's good. I mostly got it as I can mill 60g of coffee for our French press without having to empty the collector in between. I ordered it long before finding this channel, so I had no idea what to look for in a grinder. Now I know the ceramic burr grind is as cheap as the price suggests and the ground coffee is very uneven as the axis can pivot a lot. As a start item, I don't regret it and I will also use this on travels. But now I'm looking into a higher quality electronic burr grinder in the 200-300€ range for at home.
@@Omnilatent How long does it take to grind 60g by hand?
@@nihil1 a LONG time. For me, roughly 7 minutes 😭by now, I switched to Aeropress for me alone and use the French Press half full most of the time so the grinding isn't such a ... grind
Just looking at that cuisinart gives me anxiety now. It's easy to use a bad product and think "welp, I guess this is just the way it is". I would close the bedroom door so that my sleeping lover wouldn't think our home was invaded by murderous birds. I would put the paper filter on top of the grounds receptacle, flip it all over, and knock it against the counter to minimize the mess. Once a week I'd use a spoon to scrape away the caked-on crust that forms in that same area you noticed. It's not a good time, but I just assumed it was normal since the product ranks somewhat high on Amazon from people like me who didn't know any better
I was thinking of you while watching this actually. You've been saved from the dark side
i guess someone’s enjoying his new niche grinder
I think this can be said for coffee in general. It's hard to say what "good coffee" tastes like when all you've had is crap. You just assume that coffee by definition is bitter and astringent. I have recently ran into that issue with my kettle and just replaced it with a proper one.
I also have this despicable device and loath myself for not waiting to buy a proper grinder. It truly is a terrible user experience.
This is the random Internet Shaquille prose in the comments section...that lets me know it’s going to be okay.
+James Hoffman: I think that they need to be compared against two other things (your other options with the same or less money): (1) Grinding in the moment with the best hand grinder you could get for $50, and (2) Coffee gorunds grinded two weeks ago with a high-end grinder, which is kind of the worst cup you would be getting if you ask the seller to grind the whole package when you buy it.
What do you think? Have you tried tasting good coffee grinded with a good grinder two weeks ago? How did it feel compared to these? Also, how did it feel with a $50 hand grinder such as for instance some of the Harios?
I'd be interested to know this too having just purchased the timemore C2 for £50.
yeah I think a head to head against old but well ground coffee was sorely needed. Hand grinders would be nice but I think that's a separate video
@@gingerhalf well that's not a normal price for a grinder like that so I call it cheating :). A porlex or an updated hario is a good benchmark. "you want to grind for 50 gbp? Use this or save up for the next level".
I have the Delonghi (actually cost me around 75 euros I believe quite some time ago). It sits unused for over a year. Haven't thought about it since I have my 1zpresso..
I'd be interested in his response to your second to last question! ('Have you tried tasting good coffee ground with a good grinder two weeks ago?')
Probably James’ least helpful video to date. Definitely would have been more helpful comparing to a similarly priced hand grinder or pre ground coffee - but the comment at the start gave away there was a fair amount of bias going into this. I now have a Wilfa Svart but used to use the Delonghi in this video and you know what, it wasn’t bad. Actually, I’d say it was decent if you don’t have the refined taste of a Barista World Champion.
Here's what I want to see: A blind taste test between pre-ground coffee, a sub-$100 blade grinder, a sub-$100 burr grinder, and a sub-$50 hand grinder. Basically, if you ONLY have $100 or less to spend, which will get you closest
actually a really good idea
@@freakerss what do you mean? Plenty of coffee shops will sell the same coffee and whole beans or pre ground
@@freakerss and in contrast you would lose the freshness of grinding it at home, so it'd be an accurate measure as to whether or not it is worth it to buy pre-ground coffee versus a cheap coffee grinder. Which is what people like me, who don't want to spend hundreds on our coffee grinders, would like to know
@@freakerss What if I cant buy beans weekly? What if I cant grind every morning? What if I dont drink coffee every day? Etc. There are a lot of reasons why this comparison would be helpful to those of us that are more invested than casual coffee drinkers, but less invested than coffee obsessives.
@@freakerss see, you're exactly the kind of person that makes regular people hate coffee snobs.
I don’t drink coffee, I just like his fancy pants voice and genuine enthusiasm
I do drink coffee... I dont watch these videos because of that tho
@@randylogan4339 and yet here you are
I like his fancy smancy accent too Him and tom scott. Is there any other tubers like them just explaining thing we dont care about
I do care, cultural assets be icing on top. 😋✌️👍
This is so interesting *sips instant coffee
I would love to see a follow-up, in which you test which is the best entry level grinder that doesn't suck. Something that doesn't break the bank, but gives a newbie a good place to start with.
He mentions in the video saving for a Wilfa or Baratza. Their entry level grinders are $100-$150, though getting and using a Wilfa outside Europe is difficult and probably not worth the hassle.
Actually, this is that video. You can spin it both ways...if you only have 50£ these are the some of the grinders available, or you shouldn’t spend less than 50£ on a grinder as they are all crap. I’ve had the cuisinart for over a year. It doesn’t look great and it’s noisy a.f., but my coffee taste/quality/experience is way up (lots of thanks to James for his vids) so for starters if money is an issue buy one of these, but if not go for a better one. I’ll upgrade when the cuisinart dies.
@@barrysmith1576 ....that's really not what he said...it's the opposite.
@@barrysmith1576 Indeed, James is too used to the top end with his £500 Niche sitting there, I actually prefer the slow process of finding improvement in every step and appreciating the journey. If you dive in straight at the top, where do you go from there ? I sometimes use my freebie Krups little blade grinder and sometimes pre ground, not sure I am spohisticated enough to tell the difference but I will get the Andronicus for Xmas, got some cheap scales from Aldi middle aisle and I will start to do some Sunday morning coffee experiments and see where the road takes me. We can't all just bang out £500 on a Niche grinder and £1200 on a Sage !
at this bracket, spending the same amount of money on a hand grinder would be a much better choice if you value grind quality
I've gotta say: I actually have the DeLonghi one and I disagree strongly, which I guess is mostly due to my perspective. I believe you, when you say that the 50 times pricier one will make better coffee. It would be clinically insane if it didn't. But having no other coffee grinder before, the 50 quid one improved my coffee drastically. If you buy ground coffee it is good for a day or two and then it just becomes bland and tasteless. Like if you enjoy this dopamine kick, when you buy new pack of pre-ground, open it up and know that this one coffee you'll make will be that humble perfection you know, it's fine. But if you want to have a reliable experience enriched by the smell of fresh ground coffee, and you know you can't cut it for a 250 pounds one... Get the 50 quid one for now. It is, in my opinion, a huge improvement. Especially, since if you can't afford 250 pounds grinder, you probably also don't buy coffee that's overly expensive. Some of the points as well, like the noise, the unsatisfactory user interface feel, the looks are extremely subjective, and like I said before they can get exaggerated by the perspective of being used to something that is much more high end. For someone who isn't, those points can diminish rather steeply. So, to sum up, if you are an aspiring, non extravagant coffee enjoyer: buy it and then upgrade. I guess I should add that I use Aeropress and French press for making my coffee.
you are better off putting that money into a hand grinder which will offer much nicer machining and burr set, in exchange for a poor quality electric motor that will pretty quickly burn out, (if having to turn a crank doesn't bother you too much)
This is good to hear as I ordered the Delonghi grinder yesterday.
@@jestawell Maybe it's a quirk of where I live, but hand grinder with steel burrs is over twice the price of those grinders. James says he had them for around 50 gbp each but here they are more around 30. Meanwhile, Timemore C3 I am eyeing right now is around 60. Maybe it's a fault in my thinking but for some reason I excluded hand grinders with ceramic burrs.
@@jestawell I have this DeLonghi one for about 8 years now, and I use it every day several times a day. Apart from the occasional cleaning (yeah, static is no joke), this thing works wonders and produces same quality stuff. I don't have $10k worth of espresso equipment to feel how terrible the grind maybe is, but in terms of build quality, this thing is very good
I second that, pre-grind to freshly grind with Delonghi was if not huge but very noticable improvement for my experience.
Me: Sees the grinder I use
Also me: *sweating nervously
U described my current situation exactly. I'm scared
:(
Sat here waiting to see just how bad my Delonghi grinder is....
I think, we can still say, even a 'bad' burr grinder is much better than a 'great' blade grinder. Right?
oof, not good...
i think you should also test against a pre-ground bag and a blade grinder. I think for people looking at this price level that is the alternative rather than an expensive grinder.
a Hand grinder is way cheaper and would probably get you the same results for brewed coffee, espresso is sadly not possible at these prices.
@@heshammokhtar2019 I was surprised he even used these grinders for espresso. I think he did it because he knows we like to watch him suffer. haha
Actually, that is a very insightful correlation. Well said, good sir.
Exactly my thinking. Compare to what they want to beat
I agree. My question after this was "are these still better than pre-ground and blade grinders?"
Watching James Hoffman-videos while stuck in a quarantine-hotel for a week with nothing but a water boiler and bags of instant coffee... Its going to be a loooong week.
I am watching this from hotel quarantine too and I'm dying for a good cup of coffee
Niche zero in the background gazing at the £50 grinders: *PEASANTS*
Dan Gerharts that niche grinder costs more than my entry level espresso machine.....
Todd Soden SAME 😅
Todd Soden it is just sitting there. Watching.
1900 euro for a grinder is a total rip-off . No way there is that much $$$ in engineering in that machine...
@@r_v_t I thought it was more in the range of 1000 euro? (Which is still a ripoff but...)
So I want to spend a little time defending buying one of these less expensive grinders, and particularly the Cuisinart. I'll start by saying that the static problem is a real pain (when I first started using mine, I instantly panicked that I had made a huge mistake), but it is something that become easier to deal with over time. You really do get used to opening them and emptying them in a way that minimizes the mess, and cleaning them occasionally to get rid of old fines that have stuck inside.
The noise issue is the next thing I want to address. The difference between the way they sound full and near-empty is like night and day. I keep the hopper full on mine, and this ties in with what for me is the most important point, which I'll save for last.
I don't think these kinds of grinders should be used for anything besides making filter coffee. Trying to make espresso with them is a bit of an unfair test, and -- as you've said numerous times -- making espresso at home is like adding another expensive, time-consuming hobby to your life.
Making filter coffee *at home* is where these grinders shine, and for a person who is trying to save for a more expensive grinder (or any other purchase), this is very important. The difference between a cup from preground coffee and a cup produced from one of these machines after dialing in is HUGE. Being poor, I often *have* to buy cheap coffee, and in larger quantities. The ability to grind my own means I can make a cup that I would be willing to drink instead of a cup of drip from a local coffee shop, and the amount of money I save this way is tremendous. I was able to get my grinder at around 50% off the retail price by talking the retailer into a price match, but even at around $50, it's paid for itself many time over. I have had no issues with the grinder breaking down in the couple of years I've owned it, and would have no qualms selling it used to someone or giving it to a friend when I have something to replace it. I absolutely recommend one of these (the Cuisinart in particular, since that's what I have) for someone who can't afford a high-end grinder.
Whilst I agree with all your points, the Wilfa Svart is £90 and will give you a far better experience
Yes, I agree with this and Cuisinart is good for starters. I have the Cuisinart for about 2 years now and I use it for mainly pour-over V60 but I also use it for Moka pot. I think that it is decent for the price. Yes, it is a little loud and it's a little messy with the static problem. But I would say that the Cuisinart is good for 3 reasons
1.)If you have a tight budget this will work out.
2.)if you are very beginning into specialty coffee and have a budget.
3.)if you are very beginning and just want to try specialty coffee without spending too much money.
TIPS
1.) I would recommend the Cuisinart for anything thing that is a median-fine grind and up. (Moka pot, V60, French press, Cold brew, Etc)
2.) For V60, I would recommend a grind setting of 5 from the smallest grind and adjust it according to your coffee. either finer or courser.
3.) If you are trying to get more even grind for the Moka pot (median-fine grind) For me I would do a second grind. EXAMPLE. For me, I grinding it in the middle and then grinding it at the second smallest grind setting (second to left). I haven't had any problems with this but if you do thing make sure that the MEDIAN GRINDS GO INTO THE GRINDER. IT WILL NOT GO IN BY ITSELF, it is not heavy enough like the beans. I think that this might damage the system a little but I haven't had a problem with it. but I was very careful with putting it in and making sure that I turn it off after its done grinding.
The static issue is solved by running the handle of a spoon under cold water then stiring it through the beans in the hopper right before you grind. No more static.
Wow! You folks did well. In my previous post, I really had three Cuisinart grinders die in the first month. That was 10 or maybe more years ago so perhaps the company improved something in the interim. And they were messy with coffee grounds flying all over the counter.
I have one too, and your comment was spot on. I’m super happy with mine, and have no problem whatsoever. Sure I’ll love to upgrade in the future, but I’m not having a tantrum over static.
This has confirmed my long standing suspicion that I'm too poor to drink espresso.
What about making Turkish coffee, which needs very little equipment?
@@AntiAntiAntiFa I've settled on mocka pot. Simple, portable and ordinary ground coffee is fine. I don't have the luxury of developing expensive tastes, nor the time to get obsessive over it.
like chips (fries), it's one of those things that's cheap as you scale it
potato-to-chips in a normal kitchen will cost more, take a lot more time, and will have a worse taste and texture than what they can do in a shop due to scale
i also somewhat gave up on the idea of home espresso for the near future, but it's not the be-all end-all of coffee, and i am creeping up through to better coffee with a better hand grinder and finding better-tasting cheap beans
@@anachronisticon I think you can do very well with just an average grinder and a pour over
But your smart enough to save and budget. 😊
That niche zero sitting there sniggering in the background.
@Ignatius Tan I know the Niche Zero is sniggering and silently judging each . I feel bad for the cheap grinder. The cheap grinder be like "What have I done why should I be reviewed by James Hoffman"
Shhhhh it is camouflaged
And the more expensive Weber eg1 next to it
its a bit like a bunch of late 90s model civics racing in the parking lot while ferrari 488 watches from the dark corner... partly amused, and partly bemused.
just save up and buy the Niche Zero
James casually flexing his Weber grinder and vintage silver spoon. Okay, fancy man
This really made me chuckle.
Looked for all the world like a vintage box of egg spoons or mustard spoons
I used the cuisinart for years. It was my go to for aeropress and v60 brews. It was my first grinder and all I ever knew. I loved it. 3 years later my first child was born. Every attempt to make coffee woke him up. That was miserable. I upgraded to the 1zpresso JX hand grinder to quietly replace it. At that point I realized how poor of a device I had been using. I got me into specialty coffee, but I now always recommend a decent hand grinder to those on a budget.
I just ordered that grinder but the slightly more expensive model, im pretty excited.
I have the Cuisinart coffee maker with the bladed 'grinder'. Having just watched the Christmas present video, I am going to splash the cash come December!
yep. 100% agree
Totally agree. I've recently got back into coffee and dragged out my Cuisinart DSM and thought huh did the grind always look this bad but dismissed it as I hadn't used it in awhile and just accepted it. I recently got a Baratza Encore for my birthday and the first cup i made with it blew me away in terms of how better the cup was! It was so much more cleaner, flavors were really well extracted, and saved me money since it made me realize that the grinder not the coffee was the problem. Also the cuisinart uses fake burrs and if you take it apart you'll see something that looks like it might be a somewhat decent burr set but there's literally just 4 dull nubs that not only do a lot of the grinding but also push the coffee into the bottom part of the grinder. This is why it's extremely uneven because it's essentially grinding and pulverizing at the same time resulting in a lot of fines okayish grounds and boulderish really coarse grounds.
can you grind it fine enough for a mocha pot?
I've had the delonghi for the last two years after having my coffee ground in the shop I bought if from previously. If it wasn't for this grinder I would not enjoy coffee as much as I do today. From the point of view of someone who stumbled into coffee before finding your videos or doing much research at all really the idea of spending over 100 euro on a grinder was a bit much no matter how many times it was recommended. It allowed me to discover the different flavours in the coffee I was buying and really appreciate it a lot more.
Iv'e since bought a decent hand grinder and now I can appreciate the difference it makes in my pour overs, but the convenience of the delongi still shines through every now and then and still makes a decent french press.
I could have written your first paragraph word for word (although £ rather than Euro), I could've afforded a more expensive grinder, but the thought of spending that much seemed crazy. Even the £50 I spent seemed a bit mad. Now it doesn't so much, so depending on what happens with my job over the next few months, I might well treat myself to a better one and no doubt I'll see an improvement in quality in the same way I did when I started buying better beans, and before that when I started using beans rather than pre ground going right back to when I realised that ground coffee was a huge step up from instant. And the niggles which bother James just don't bother me
@@philipmills4411 I picked up a Timemore hand grinder off ali express for about 50 euro. Worth having a look at if your willing to wait a month or two on delivery.
I think the issue is that a tea bag is so cheap, so its difficult to comprehend all the equipment you need to make a good cup of coffee at home.
I'm from Argentina, here it's not easy to get affordable coffee grinders, the delonghi costs aprox £170 because of taxes and shipping. I love it everyday I can afford beans (also really expensive). But I guess this review is focussed on first world critics haha
I got the delonghi for grinding the coffe for my moka, and it has been a giant step forward compared to the classic coffee i would buy.
Also probably switching from supermarket powder to a nearby coffe shop beans may have improved the quality. I got it by less than a month, but so far it has worked every day at least once, and the bean filled to max last me like 2-3 days.
Not bother by the grinding noise, and i use a spoon to "fight the static".
Also never tried anything better so I am pleased with it xD
how much does a decent Hario Mini Mill plus cost in your countries? Well, it is a much better grinder than any of the ones used by James.
I have the DeLonghi, I've had it for years. It has served me very well and I don't think I'd be the huge coffee fan that I am without it, so I'm inclined to disagree with James here.
I totally agree with James' assessment of it as a grinder. With good beans, good water and good technique makes adequate filter coffee, but with clear issues. But ive never get been able to justify handing over well over £100 for a coffee grinder, so for me this has to do, and "do" it does.
So true mate. A simple hack can get it to grind espresso too.
Me too. I’ve had one for 4 or 5 years. I run it full and think it sounds fine. And I’ve never had any static issues. I’m not going to be spending more on another grinder for what is almost certainly marginal returns any time soon.
@@DeeDeeDanone Mind sharing the hack? I have this grinder too and would love to know what it is.
@@diderooy sure mate you search on RUclips for Delonghi Kg79 finer grinding hack.
You have to take the case off and adjust the setting wheel but it's very easy. 10 minutes tops.
Same here. I attached a bent pvc tube as a chute (and disabling the bin sensor), and did the espresso hack. The espresso isn't the best, but it's acceptable. It works very well for Turkish coffee if you dare to push the burrs as close together as you can without damaging them.
Edit: Just to add, I've had a good 3-4 years of use out of it this way. It's just a pain to clean out and dose, but otherwise not too aweful.
I bought the Cuisinart as my first upgrade from a blade grinder, and it was a huge improvement. I have zero regrets! That said I'm excited for the next upgrade as well.
I have a cuisinart... 2nd one actually (wife bought me a new one when the old one died). I can say consistently that about 2 years is max life. Mine died yesterday, and the 2 year warranty at Best Buy expires in 3 days. Not sure what my next one is. But the commentary on noise and static is SPOT ON. Every day i am scraping and cleaning stray grounds.
@@stevedefeo wow really. I have the cusinart one that i use everyday. Its about 7 yrs now
@@me-fv5xb funny story... I opened it up and cleaned all of the grinder mechanism... it was clogged. Still running on that 2nd one.
@@me-fv5xb 15 years for me. I love it.
I am on my 2nd Cuisinart and they've been lasting about 5 years with heavy use. We have to clean it out of clogged coffee at least once a month to keep it going. The quality of coffee has been very good and far superior than pre-ground coffee. We make about 2 pots of coffee per day in a Bonavita Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe. (Great coffee machine, but there have been manufacturing issues with Bonavita also over the years. The quality of coffee keeps us buying the same model for 3 different kitchens even though we know its gonna break.) People comment on how good our coffee is all of the time. If we were into espresso, I'm sure we would have come up with another solution. Back to Cuisinart grinder...I think we will be looking to upgrade when this 2nd one breaks.
I think you've come at this review from the wrong angle: these are machines for people who are making the leap to making better coffee at home. The choice may be between buying one of these or getting shop ground coffee, or a Nespresso machine.
I've had the Delonghi for about 7 years(!) since an ex-girlfriend gave it to me when I started to properly enjoy coffee when I moved to London. While I was doing my postgraduate degree I discovered Prufrock and Square Mile and I was so pleased to be able to take that home with me. I have been grinding on the Delonghi since then. I have had *far* better coffee experiences than if I had gone some other route.
Don't get me wrong, there is lots wrong with it - it's noisy, there is static, it's hard to clean, and the plastic is all a bit too finicky. But as a starting point for drinking better coffee, this is a good one.
Hand grinder or shop ground are better, honestly. Like, way better.
NiiCh Don’t agree. Hand grinders are, to be honest, not attractive purchases when starting out. Shop bought coffee is just, well, stale and rubbish.
@@murphyen got to agree. I too have a Delonghi and it's 5yo and has always been reliable. It does the job for me and its dialled in for my Aeropress and my morning cuppa (when I least want to be hand grinding coffee as I can barely even function as homo sapiens A.M.). Most of the grinders will be better than buying pre-ground, unless your drinking pints of coffee a day because beans remain fresher for way longer pre-ground.
I would suggest an alternative choice of having good quality and fresh coffee beans from a cafe. Get them to ground it on their high end grinder and store in air tight container.
Fair point. Quite possibly maybe where you are starting off in looking at the grinders & where James is starting off could just be different. 🤷🏽♂️
Now we need a "the best 100/150£ grinder" to choose properly
Yes! I’d love his opinion on the OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder.
Basically the Baratza Encoré and if on a budget the Capreso Infinity.
@@Phlnthrpst I had the Melitta Molino from this video and when the canister broke got the OXO BREW and LOVE IT. NO STATIC.
@@QuickQuips I picked up the Baratza Sette 30, love it
I have that delonghi one and have used it at least once a day for about 8-9 years to make filter coffee. So I guess the build quality is ok! I also really like the look of it, especially compared to all those other ones. But that’s a totally subjective point. I prefer the taste of the coffee o make with it to pre ground coffee so for me it’s a win.
I'm with ya, but now we know that there's better stuff out there
I have that delinghi to, and little modification of it can make super fine grounded coffe! Mine can make "powder" from coffee.
Hi, what’s the modification?
Thanks.
@@willrev open it up and clip the stopper on a plastic gear thingy. You'll know what to do when you play around with grind setting when it's open
I'd say for those of us using a French press, these are actually pretty good. They can produce a coarse grind, unlike blade grinders (which do either a medium fine grind or are just uneven because you stopped before they'd really finished grinding), which is great for a French press. I have the Melitta Molino, which I like because it's small, and actually, the noise isn't as bad when you've got beans in it (my old blade grinder is *far* noisier).
I have it too, I use 15 for the grind level, but I just began. What you use for a V60 ?
I have the DeLonghi, I got it as a Christmas gift a few years ago and haven't replaced it with anything yet. I wouldn't purchase it myself, BUT gaining the ability to grind my own beans furthered my love for coffee. I would argue that the process, although a little annoying in sound and ESPECIALLY annoying in static (for me), is still more enjoyable than pouring pre-ground beans out of a bag, wondering if they're still good. If you go out for coffee a lot and only have coffee at home once in awhile, a grinder like this will allow you to keep whole bean coffee and grind it fresh as opposed to having pre-ground beans lying around for awhile. I used to keep the hopper full but I now bounce between coffee blends and decaf so I've cranked the cup size to full and I will stop the grinder manually, which doesn't bother me much, other than the loud whine at the end of the grind.
I wonder if a similarly priced hand grinder would be better place to operate from.
Mod it to grind finer, yep it's a thing and it works! Also, knock the holder on the bench and this releases the annoying static electricity 💪👍
My girlfriend got me the melitta grinder shown here as a birthday present last year as i had only had a small hand grinder up until then, and with my chronic pain it was getting tiring for me, and even not being a perfect grinder, it's a massive improvement for me, and the ~40 she spent to get me it is a lot with our current monetary situation. perfect grinder or not, it works really well for me and i'm glad to have it.
thx! i also ordered Melita for myself!
That’s such a sweet story. It really is a thoughtful gift knowing your situation. I’ll be looking into getting this or a similar grinder secondhand.
Prior to watching, I'm guessing 'terrible waste of money sinking our planet further into the abyss' across the board. I will return and update my assertion...
edit: predictably, James gave us the answer in the title
the opposite of clickbait, always appreciated from James
Sipping my morning espresso and getting this notification 🙌🏼 James is going to basically say they are trash but I’m here for it
Hahahaha...I just started the video clip but I sense the same as well...cheap vacuum cleaner!! 😂
Same here man no college student has the bucks to buy a 500$ grinder 😝 can live with the sound🙈
@@drjamun The grinders being recommended to "save your pennies" for are in the $120-150 range.
Me drinking instant: "Yeah, screw those cheap grinders"
I laughed so hard I almost spit out my instant coffee.
Nothing wrong with Instant. I grew up with Blend 43 and if felt like treating myself, I would splash out on Moccona.
Taster's Choice was parents go to coffee, even then I knew they were clueless :)
bloom it first
@@MisfitsFiendClub138 enlightened gentlesir over here
Hi James, as many other people here have already commented, I also have the Delonghi grinder, which I bought just a few months ago. I’ve moved in the last year from an awful pod machine to an aeropress which I like for occasional use now, to a moka stovetop. Each change has bought better and better coffee. With the little grinder I was looking for more freshness. It’s been an impressive improvement for the £40 the grinder cost me. I could see myself buying a more expensive one in a few years maybe but I will definitely have had my money’s worth out of it. It makes rich, chocolately coffee and is a genuine pleasure every morning. I usually keep enough beans in the hopper to last a few days, and that does help with the flow through. I certainly don’t put a whole bag in at a time though.
Before I bought it, I was using a blade grinder attachment for my Kenwood Chef and this is miles better and more consistent. I bought a bag of your coffee not so long ago and it was delicious, by the way. The Kenwood didn’t ruin it entirely 😂
I'd love a how to clean your burr grinder episode or when to clean your burr grinder episode.
Cleaning and grinder are 2 words that apparently doesnt sit well with coffeeheads. *shudders*
Yes, yes and yes. I've bought my Baratza Encore about four months ago and I have no idea if/when to clean it.
Depends on how much coffee you go through IMO. I go about 2-3 Kilos a month of mostly light roast and so between each new bean, i take my little hand vac, put it up to the chute and suck out any loose coffee thats hanging around. Once about every two months after i get done with a bag of coffee, i'll use some Urnex Grindz just to scrub off the old oils from the burrs and then open it and brush/vacuum out the remnants. I then run a few grams of new coffee through the grinder and discard as it will contain some of the Grindz in it. The whole process take like 10-15 minutes.
What @rob said is spot on. This is a goosd video from Seattle Coffee about cleaning: ruclips.net/video/1CvqxvhJ-IU/видео.html
I roast my beans on the Light side and have very little retention. Practically zero. If you grind oily beans you will need to clean your grinder more frequently.
I'm not gonna lie, this one kinda hurt to watch. I'm a college student that loves coffee, and a decent grinder was, no joke, all I asked for for Christmas. My parents got me the cuisinart grinder in this video, and I was SO happy!! I've loved feeling like I can actually get into coffee now, trying different beans from local cafes-- before I'd use preground cafe bustelo. I could never have afforded the cuisinart grinder, let ALONE the 'entry-level' ones he recommends, and as a huge fan of this channel it felt a bit like a slap in the face to hear him railing against something that has allowed me to properly get into coffee. I don't know, I know James is a proper coffee guy with tastes ill probably never get to, but the grinder works for me-- I like being able to try different beans instead of being stuck with cafe bustelo. At least I can FEEL like I'm exploring coffee, even if I'm apparently getting a muddy version of it.
I got the Melitta Molino grinder for christmas and also was and am very happy with it. I only brew V60, Aeropress or Frenchpress. If your standard is very high like James’, I surely would be disgusted at these grinder. But at my point as a college student I really like my little grinder.
i can relate, being a coffee nerd on a budget is definitely a bit of a struggle. I have a super static-y, harsh sounding krups grinder and while i would love to upgrade, im really happy and proud of my results
I have the delonghi from the video and I'm able to do espresso shot with it. Needed some tuning and finding the right coffee but now it's getting in the espresso range and a decent crema.
It's worth keeping in mind something he's said in the past, he'd take even a blade grinder over pre-ground coffee any day. A bad grinder is better than no grinder at all.
I think this video is correct from the perspective James is at, as he's surrounded by the widest range of coffees, grinders, makers and methods. But from the perspective of someone at a low budget who is drinking preground, canned dreck coffee an inexpensive (comparatively) burr grinder automatically improves the coffee drinking experience. You get to buy a wider range of fresher beans and try some different grinds for different coffee brewing methods. I think he's right that buying a starter Baratza or similar would be a significant improvement over these reviewed grinders but he isn't thinking of it from the low starting point of the average coffee drinker.
James, in my experience with the Cuisinart the static is a feature, not a bug. It traps fines which I wipe out of the collection basket using my finger, critical if using these with a French press.
Exactly the same situation here. I don’t pull shots at home and having most of the fines out of the way gets a relatively consistent grind if you’re on a budget and looking for a coarse grind
I thought I was the only one in this situation 🤣 nice to know other people think is a feature
I like the fines in my coffee, I like the slightly grainy texture.
James... takes a sip... makes a horrible face... “uh no” ... that’s all you need to know people
I’ve had the Cuisinart grinder for years. I bought it for half the price because it was a display model. My cats definitely hate the sound of it, but by leaving the caked on grounds, it doesn’t have the static problem. Honestly, if not for my cheap burr grinder, I’d be using pre-ground or grinding with an even cheaper blade grinder.
The only way to use a blade grinder is to grind so coarse that the finest bit actually allow extraction, and the rough bits just... don't :D. Costs tons of coffee, pretty bad investment no matter how cheap those are.
@@rollingtroll James has said he'd rather drink freshly ground coffee from a blade grinder than pre ground coffee. They're bad, but they get the job done.
The espresso test was a little tough to watch. I used the cuisinart paired with a pressurized portafilter machine for the first few years of my espresso journey. It was a fine pairing, but I didnt have much control. I don't agree with the conclusion that these grinders are waste because mine I bought used and then sold on. It is built well enough to last and serves an important (to me) purpose. I look forward to the next step up comparison to see just how much better they are.
The next step up would be Hoffman's Wilfa grinder vs. Barratza Encore video review. We bought the Barratza for about $130 USD
Don't tell him that I'm grinding my coffee using a spice grinder... he would probably have a heart attack 🤣🤣🤣
I used to grind my coffee with a Magic Bullet and I honestly thought it worked just fine.
@@97I30T hmmm. I have one of those and no electric grinder.
I actually got the Cuisinart many moons ago. It was the mess that finally broke me. It doesn't drop the grounds into the bin, it kind of shoots them forward into it. It wasn't just a mess to clean the parts, it created a mess around itself. I'm much happier back to my hand grinder. But part of me still wants to find or make a custom chuck for my hand drill or dremel so I wouldn't have to do it by hand though.
For a drill attachment i'd suggest looking up Alton Brown's tutorial on how to turn a pepper mill into a drill attachment since pepper grinders and manual coffee grinders are functionally identical.
I'm new to making non-instant coffee so my standards would be lower than yours obviously, but I got the Melitta a few months ago, as I didn't want to spend too much on a hobby that I didn't even know I'd keep on doing. I make with either a Moka pot (learnt from one of your videos) or filter machine, so no espresso but from what I can tell, it does taste better than the stale preground stuff. Its also allowed me to experiment with different ground sizes and the really loud noise has become something of an inside joke whenever we have family over and my family have started associating the sound with being offered cappuccino so that's cool haha
I will agree with you on the static though, that's a nightmare, and it also leaves a huge mess on the counter if I'm not careful.
While I acknowledge someone like you with a more advanced taste wouldn't get much out of this, I would recommend my grinder to people starting out and just finding their feet making coffee, it's definitely improved my daily coffee experience and, even with the cleanup, I'd say it has been a net benefit on my side
Interesting. Noted.
2:38 "I don't think any of them are particularly beautiful, and probably the least beautiful is this one here, it's the Delonghi" Disagree! I clicked this video just to see what that was because I like the style.
I've had the Delonghi one for a few years now. It was my first coffee grinder and I read online prior to purchase that it does a decent, if not great job, if you do a simple modification. The steps for the grind setting are stopped by a tab on the plastic piece inside. Removing the plastic tab stopper that prevents you from going too coarse or fine can get it down into the espresso range which I've also been doing on a Delonghi machine for about the same amount of time. For the money, it's not bad; but you have to know the limitations going in; I've had to do a lot of mods and tweaking to get a decent shot pulled but once I dialed that all in, it's been pretty consistent. I'm ready to step up and saving up for much better equipment.
I just bought one and was prepared to modify it, but to my surprise, it was not necessary at all! With shop-bought Lavazza Espresso the Delonghi Dedica with IMS unpressurized basket made 28 grams of coffee out 14 grams of grind in 28 seconds. Imagine my surprise! On the other hand, for the medium roast Brazilian fresh beans I had to dial it coarser by at least 2 clicks. Seems like Delonghi realised that people buy these grinders to actually make Espresso, but most probably buy the coffee in the supermarket (at this price range of grinder).
James Hoffman: “Thank god I have a waterproof scale...”
I’ve been WAITING for James to review my cheap grinder. Tear it apart, James!
Time to start saving! ;D lol
SAME
I think this is the rabbit hole that James said earlier this year he doesn't like going down, yet he did it again... 🙄
I’ve upgraded to a true espresso machine as well as a better grinder, but I used to use that cuisinart. Same as him I hated the noise, the static was awful.. was so satisfying watching him tear it apart! Haha
I just upgraded from that very DeLonghi to Wilfa Uniform. Back in the days when I was a student I considered it an upgrade to replace a hand grinder with an electric one. I would keep my DeLonghi bean hopper filled and I found it handy enough to receive an appropriate dose of grounds with a single push of a button, but the coffee dust mess was indeed infuriating and ended up being my primary reason to upgrade now that I have graduated.
I gave the DeLonghi to a friend who currently uses pre-ground coffee. I think it served its purpose as a stepping stone and was durable enough to pass on.
How are you finding the Uniform? I’m thinking of making that very same switch. Was it worth the investment?
@@_JBP_ It's great! Has a lovely premium feel compared to the DeLonghi with sturdy build, pleasant controls and way quieter operation. Aluminium container for the grounds effectively eliminates the static electricity problem. Clean, quick and quiet :)
Man, even squarespace didn't want to sponsor this video.
Maybe Raid Shadow Legends will.
HIlarious... that's a good one :-)
James getting mad at the asymmetry of the Cuisinart is the most I've ever related to him.
I can fully appreciate your perspective
After hand cranking a hario for about two years, which was a huge upgrade from my good old (bad old) blade grinder, my first electric burr grinder was the Cuisinart in this video. At first it was great not having to do my forearm workout every morning but I soon began to hate my new electric experience. It is so very, annoyingly noisy, and the static cling became madening. Using it exclusively for filter coffee, with a few Aeropress shots along the way (with very unremarkable results), I accepted the mess and noise as part of having an electric grinder. They all have motors, they all make noise, or so I assumed. Then a friend began telling me about his Baratza Encore experience and promised if I got one I'd smile forever and never look back. I held out for a bit since it was 3 times the price of the one I had. I finally jumped in and WOW. No annoying whiny noise, no grounds clinging the sides of my receptacle, very even particle size. Ahhh...
I now look forward to being able to further upgrade and continue to enhance my coffee experience. Thanks for your videos. They are simple, clear, make me chuckle on occasion and very well shot. You have helped me realize I can continue to upgrade my equipment and technique and be drink better tasting coffee. That is thrilling. Keep'em coming!
Steel burrs.. not ceramic.
“I wonder how much does it suck” - James 2020
🤣🤣.
Combined with "sounds like a hoover", you could mistake this for a hoover review.
The grinders on show have definite merits compared to the jumper James is wearing. Watching this video is like being slapped in the face by a 3-day old salmon carpaccio
I mean they sound like a vacuum cleaner so why wouldnt they suck?
I've been using the Cuisinart grinder for a couple of years and have learned to use the static problem to my advantage. The static causes much of the fines to clump up on the side of the container, I simply scrape them into the trash then scoop out the grounds with a tablespoon. I think it makes great filter coffee, especially from my Bonavita brewer.
I was gifted the Cuisinart grinder for Christmas 2023. Obviously it has its issues, particularly the flying grounds, but it's so much better than a blade grinder that I'm cool with it. Plus I just lost my job so I can't exactly go out and spend a bunch of money on a more expensive one right now. But somewhere down the line I certainly will.
Think my favourite thing about this video is discovering that James does a pretty spot-on impression of an owl at around the 6:20 mark.
I've had the Cuisinart for 4 years, from the start I always thought I was making good coffee until I bought a Timemore C2. The difference in taste and cup quality was immense. I was able to taste the notes in the coffee compared to the taste I got from my cuisinart. I actually understood what people where saying as muddy. I also knew that I need to buy better beans as the beans I was using wasn't good.
Did I regret buying my Cuisinart? No. It was one of those machines that really made me like coffee, since good grinders in our country wasn't that accessible the time I bought the cuisinart. It actually taught me a big difference in a quality cup versus a mediocre muddy cup.
I have the DeLonghi. There’s a trick to get finer grinds from it. Basically you just reindex the adjustment knob and modify the screws that retain the burrs.
Middling it is so easy and makes shots much tastier ... For 50 euro it is possible to have good espresso set up by modding this grinder and the cheap the cheap gran gaggia and temp surfing don't believe me, try it 😄
interesting, I will check out some guides
I've found this too, although I kind of modded it by accident after the adjustment knob broke and I took it apart and put it back together again wrong! I'm not sure I'd buy it specifically to mod for espresso, but having owned it for filter/french press use for a while and just getting into the espresso game recently, it's good enough to tide me over for a while.
I don't understand why the manufacturers don't calibrate it for an actual espresso setting out of the box though when it's clearly capable of it!
I've had the De'Longhi for several years. Yes it is noisy, I read up on how to get a finer grind out of it, I forget the details now. I'm not a pro but I'm more than happy with the service it gives me.
Same here
Similar experience here with a few years of using the Delonghi, step up from a blade grinder but the static does annoy me too.
What grind are you using for v60? Thanks ;)
This was hilarious, James's reactions as the espresso spurted everywhere is priceless.
I have a delonghi grinder and I would say that it takes me about a week to fine-tune the settings to emulate the espresso coffee from costa or Starbucks. At the end of the day, to me, it's all about finding the correct surface area for your beans with ease. I'm happy with the noise and static element of this grinder in comparison to my mortar and pestle. :-)
I think just having a $50 hand grinder will give less headaches than these machines
nononononononono.... lolol
No buddy i prefer to hear this grinder than actually waking up and grinding by hand
@@drjamun I see your point but then you eventually have to deal with the pain of cleaning these things out to get rid of the stale coffee build up in which a hand grinder would be easier to clean
@@drjamun My Comandante C40 grinds my coffee in less than 30 seconds, it's smooth as hell and the grind quality is incredible. I honestly can't understand why people are so averse to hand grinding unless you have mobility issues.
Thanks for answering my question. Hahaha I'm looking at some 1zpresso hand grinder and a wilfa svart. The price difference is small enough that I think a wilfa svart will suit me better but if the hand grinder can produce a much better grind and in a short amount of time, I might go for that instead.
I used the cuisinart grinder for a few years when ai started grinding my own coffee and I liked it - it was a nice change to have consistently fresh growing coffee vs pre-ground going stale at the rate I drink it. The static was annoying, definitely agree on that. I bought it used and sold it after I upgraded to a Baratza, which limited the waste generation associated with it. It was already a couple years old when I bought it so it was pretty durable for the price. Noisy as hell though.
My $20 Mr. Coffee grinder is eyeing me from the kitchen as I watch this video.
Hahaha that’s awesome!
Im using my bialetti mokka express for pretty much anything which costs about 20 - 25€ and a cheap 15€ handgrinder.
Crema is super lacking with a mokka pot and its pretty watery (I have no clue about anything regarding coffee/espresso), but since Im mixing it with milk, it doesnt really bother me too much.
@@Rakku If it's watery yu're grinding too coarse and maybe brewing a bit too long. Also Moka Express can'tr produce crema, preassures aren't high enough. and with that cheap grinder you will never get fine and even enough grind to get a good brew out of it
@@Laurabeck329
Well Im just not ready to spend so much on a grinder.
I tried to grind finer, but then it gets pretty bitter, so its either too hot or/and too fine.
Havent found the middleground yet.
@@Rakku That's not the brewer's fault. You will either have to buy a better grinder or suffer bad coffee
Maybe you're missing something here:
My take is that someone who buys a cheap grinder would also buy an cheap espresso machine. A cheap espresso machine is likely to have a pressurised basket and so not need as fine a grind as a more expensive one would.
I don't think it's an entirely fair test espresso-wise.
We use
I'm VERY late replying here but IMO he absolutely should have pulled shots with pressurised portafilter. Much more forgiving of poor grind consistency and more realistic in its use.
Have a good look at 5:00 again and really soak in the chaos.
Having seen quite a few espresso montages that cast the whole process as this refined, artisanal, almost meditative labour of coffee love; the slow zoom on the espresso machine violently and haphazardly projecting individual espresso streams onto the cup, itself, and the countertop had me tearing up with laughter.
The image is now absolutely branded into my mind and I suspect that any future espresso montages will now be marred buy this one gloriously funny memory, thank you.
Is everyone just going to gloss over the fact that the man has a hardshell latching espresso spoon case (4:23) with not 1, not 3, but 6 titanium stirring spoons????
I see you're new here :-D
Why titanium? 🧐
rom severin I made that “titanium” part up
@@dannyquiroz5777 but they are actually silver.
@@smportis duly noted
I purchased the Cuisinart Burr Grinder about a month ago. I have never used a Grinder before, and I have officially matched the Chemex grind, that I purchased from a Local Coffee Company. I am pleased with it.
@ 2:54 I'm assuming the reason why the two knobs feel so different is because one is probably a potentiometer. It's easier to have a good feel from that than the mechanical burr settings and it's not something easily interchangeable.
I'd love to see an engineer do a tear down of these. With anything engineered there are tradeoffs, which really start to affect a product that's being designed to a lower price point.
You need a team of engineers with different backgrounds to design a coffee grinder and that's fascinating to me.
This guy: buys a $2000 grinder
Me, an intellectual: uses a manual burr grinder attached to a drill
I do the same thing 😂
I broke my first grinder doing that :(. Took it to my local specialty coffee shop / workshop... they took a good look at it, and then asked me "so,.... why?". I just wondered if I could, never if I should.
@@clavarojwt Well don't spin it too fast, maybe 2x manual speed. Takes a bit longer, but still more convenient than manual grinding. In fact, I'm thinking I can build a sort of stand to hold the drill and the grinder so I don't have to hold it.
What manual grinder do you use?
@@polycrystallinecandy Yeah, i was trying to do that but the drill wasn't able to start grinding... so I pressed a little harder, helped a little bit with my arms... and then well it overcame the static load and just started spinning way too fast. I'm not doing that again haha. Ended up getting a new cheap manual grinder, and like 6 months later a Sette for espresso :)
I'm just in the process of upgrading my coffee setup, currently I have this delonghi KG79 grinder, however I found that you could modify it to be stepless and make it grind a lot finer, also remove the screws from the burr to give a more consistant grind. I'm not saying its on par with a more expensive grinder but I would be interested to see how it would compare once modified
How did you modify it? Have you got a link to a guide or did you just do it yourself?
Do u have a link to a video/article I could read to do this please?
@@Y2H If you're based in the uk I can sell you my modified KG79 if you like? I've recently upgraded
@@karlbroberg1652 I actually live in Connecticut, USA. Could you give me any tips on how to do it myself though?
@@Y2H ruclips.net/video/LuXKQs3RJi8/видео.html shows how to reduce the gap, you can also remove the step clicker bit when you do this. I also recommend taking out the screws from the burrs and using a strong epoxy glue to reattach, this will mean that when the burrs are worn out you won't be able to easily replace them but it will give you a more consistent grind and allow you to achieve a smaller grind gap
Had the cuisinart for a couple of years. Bought it out of pure ignorance. Made cold brew, and filter coffee with it. It was ok. Replaced it with a Baratza Encore. The Baratza is quieter and static isn’t an issue. A much better machine. Wish I had it from the beginning.
I use to have the Cuisinart and found it fine for French press and pour over, didn't work well enough for my espresso machine though, so that's when I upgraded. I gave the Cuisinart to a friend who brewed filter only.
I also bought it while I was in college, so any improvement in my coffee was welcome. If you can do buy a better one, but it was a lot better than the blade grinders that people were recommending to me.
I also had the Cuisinart for many years - honestly it's fine if you're just making French Press or Cold Brew, although it still produced a lot of fines. it is so static-y and messy, like James said. I enjoyed it for many years because I was only drinking dark roasted coffee from the grocery store. when I started having an interest in more expensive third wave coffee, I decided that I needed to upgrade my home brewing equipment. I don't think the grinder is as catastrophically horrible as James says it is. I think it's more accessible and easier to use than a blade grinder, for not much more price-wise.
I was gifted the Cuisinart and have used it in a french press and aeropress. It work, and I enjoy the coffee I make with it but I frequently imagine getting something better if it breaks.
Ooof... blade grinders are so so so bad. There are very good at taking delicious (as James would say) coffee and making it bitter. Bleck... Good feedback about the grinder getting you into better coffee. It was similar with me, but I was able to use a roommates entry level hand grinder (no offense intended, Porlex) to start the process of learning to "dial it in" better. (In the Porlex's defense, it did have worn down burrs...)
I'm a pianist and teacher, and I reeeeally feel the sentiment of this video!
There are so many students (well, parents..) that get the cheapest keyboard crap "to see if they like it". Then, since they buy the cheapest crap imaginable, they end up not enjoying it, andthen quit. So instead of saving some bucks, they waste both time, money and, most importantly, a potential hobby or interest.
I actually have the Delonghi (it was a gift) - I experimented with the various settings, but use it every 2 days and keep one day in a sealed container - this is a full hopper each time. That is the exact amount of filter coffee my family uses up.
I have had it for quite a few years now - actually very robust and reliable (it is fairly heavy for its size). I have no complaints now - the static is ok for me - I actually empty it into the sealed container and tap the sides to waste very little - that container is then nice for pouring into the filter. I find cheap coffee beans (not saying they are specifically bad) ground at home taste better than expensive pre-ground - the difference is huge to me. I haven't met anyone who can brew as nice a coffee at their home - maybe I have the wrong friends!
I have the exact same one, and I use it with my cheap delonghi espresso makes with cheap beans, and I'm happy. swine before pearls, maybe? :D
It’s always good to see James “enjoying” great coffee. I would have preferred the test to be blind. People will always say that the thing that think produces better result is the best, even if they can’t taste it.
Blind testing would give more confidence, visual clues do influence people, even highly trained and experienced tasters.
there should be reviews: "the cheapest stuff that simply doesn't ruin your drink completely"... "decent choices"... and finally "best of the best". there are plenty reviews of the cheapest stuff. it doesn't make sense to buy the cheapest stuff. it doesn't make sense to buy the most expensive unless you are really into something and you see a difference (gold audio cables!!! l do not see a difference...) and the most useful is usually something in the middle, so some 'decent choices'. and as usuall there are no that many reviews like that unfortunately.
I always find the problem to be that people who are into the hobby spout alot of shite and buy into marketing for overly expensive things (any thing audio related is a very clear example of that) but out siders dont have a clue what theyre talking about. (also gold cables are snake oil, there isnt a difference youre not crazy)
@@nope110 the amount of snake oil in the audio industry is so god damn high. Once I was interested in a car audio competition for the best sound quality but then I realized that they don't judge only the sound, they judge what connectors and cables you use etc and everything visible has to be to their stupid standards that mean nothing for actual audio quality. I just said fuck it, I don't want to take part in such stupidity.
watch more of his videos and he has videos dedicated to cheaper nad decent equipments.
@@nope110 but for audio there's also quite a lot of review for the middle ground. Like what's the best value, and after that... Well ... Oil your ears.
I've been using that Cuisinart for years, since long before I knew much about coffee. I knew that fresh ground was better, so I put it on my Christmas list and I've been stuck with it ever since.
The static problem is certainly the most noticeable, basically every time I make a cup of coffee I have to wipe down the counter since just taking the lid off the bin sprays grounds everywhere.
The sad thing is over all those years I've continued to be a student, and never had the money to upgrade. This year though, I've put a decently reviewed steel burr hand grinder on my list and am looking forward to the daily arm workout
Hello jake! Im a bit late to the party.
Try adding a "dash" (not sure of the english word) of water spray to your beans and give them a nice shake before grinding! It should definitely help with the static issue!
Google more about this topic if you are interested. Spraying coffee ground has been around for a few months already, and many baristas have posted their video/opinion about it! (Including james himself right here lol)
“Sounds like a very cheap vacuum cleaner”
🤭😂😂
I have the Delonghi KG79. It's... fine, and has lasted me 4+ years, but suffers in the ways you describe in the video. One thing to make it better is a small burr mod to improve espresso grinds (i.e. make them possible, it doesn't go fine enough in the default state). Essentially you can take it apart and move the burrs slightly closer together, there's how-to videos on youtube. I'd recommend that to any other KG79 owners wanting to get more from their budget grinder.
I have a cuisinart. I recognize its limitations, and there's nothing you said that's inherently inaccurate, but I do feel that coming at this from the point of privilege you're at has really biased you. For me, I'm not going to get a chance in the morning to peacefully make a cup of coffee, regardless of my equipment. Mornings are chaotic, but having an acceptable cup of coffee vs a utilitarian source of caffeine is one of the few luxuries I have access to amidst that chaos. Would I prefer a better grinder? Of course! But I'm not going to turn down the best cup I currently have the means to brew because it's almost as loud as my family.
Sir, hack that baby! You will not be sorry. For 15 minutes of work, you can dial in that grinder to produce very fine coffee. I’ve had 2 of those and they can be improved. Look up cuisinart grinder hack on instructables.
I have the same grinder, and while it does kinda suck, it makes a much tastier cup than my blade grinder did.
I have the Delonghi. I modded it to grind finer. Took 5 minutes. It will now grind fine enough to choke a machine. It’s not aesthetically pleasing but it does work. Cost a fraction of a better grinder which means I can buy better coffee. At some stage I will upgrade but for the time being it’s better than pre ground coffee.
Got the Delonghi too, Use it for filter and it works for me! - Agreed, better than pre grounded!!
@@RhysTbob87 i just got it. What setting do you use for filter? Im just trying to nail best grind size? Thanks!
Could you please tell me how you modded it? I’m thinking of buying one myself.
@@Y2H ruclips.net/video/LuXKQs3RJi8/видео.html
I like the aesthetics of delonghi, it's nice, rectangle-ish. But it is pain in the ass to clean. Every time I change the coffee, or when it starts to smell, I have to disassemble it and brush every corner of it's interior. I did not try the blind test, but I think my cheap rhinowares ceramill gives better coffee than this grinder.
I've got the DeLonghi, and whilst I do not have an espresso machine, I find it adequate for filter coffee. One good design feature which may be common to the other grinders, the bean hopper cover and collection bin both have safety interlocks so you can't grind your fingers or grind coffee all over the counter top. Both have to be firmly in place before it will run. So, maybe, it's good enough for filter and other methods that need a coarser grind. It does suffer badly from static electricity and can tend to partially clog at the output port below the burrs thus slowing the grind and producing less output in the set time period than when clean. This seems to be very dependent on the degree of roast. High roast beans that look oily clog quicker.
My daughter also had one of these, but the gear linkage between the grind setting knob and the burr set stripped making it useless. So far mine is OK.
If I'm not making espresso, do I really need a better grinder?
Later
Having read some of the other comments I'm inclined to agree that these grinders are as a massive a step up from bags of pre-ground coffee as pre-ground coffee is from instant. They are entry level machines and for those who can't afford megabucks.
@Peter Jennings, what grind setting do you use for the filter coffee on your DeLonghi? Thanks!
I like my cuisine art for my aeropress and French press. It’s nice to get various coffees, grind them, and store them in tins. We tend to go through coffee in a month or so and then we regrind more coffee for tins. We love the coffee we have at home and are content with our cheap grinder. We’ll probably get a better one eventually, but these are fine for people who can’t afford expensive coffee equipment.
Cheers James, I've got the Di Longhi. I've never tried espresso and probably never will. I do a medium to course grind. I have an aeropress and use it to brew, what to me, is the best coffee I've ever tasted. I will soon start to roast my own. Hopefully it will taste even better. I normally have to drink motorway service coffee. Mine is much better, in my opinion. Obviously you know what excellent coffee tastes like, most of us never will.
I have had a similar experience with the Delonghi. I brew with a Moka pot & v60. Sometimes i get coffee in a real coffee shop, and think how much did I pay for this?...I could have made something nicer at home...
Thomas, I too have the Di Longhi and I also use an Aeropress, I am really pleased with the results.
Exactly the same. I use it for V60 and vacuum press. I’ve had nothing but good experiences - and although I’m not even in the same universe as James (as far as skill and palette are concerned), I think I know decent from dreadful.
@@kierank01 then you aren't going to a good coffee shop then are you?
meow
These past 2 videos have both trash talked my home setup. (Delonghi Dedica and the Delonghi grinder here) 🤣🤣 i’ll let myself out...
Same here, I already have the dedica and was considering to buy this delonghi grinder 😅
I have the same setup!
I got the Cuisinart and have been grinding with it for a good year now and it has been a huge step up for us over buying ground coffee. We are just making drip coffee in a cheapo drip coffee maker. I do make mocha pots and pour overs in a Chemex and it does a decent enough job. It is clear through from looking at it that the coffee isn't ground homogenously and I would never try to pull a shot with it. A huge improvement over the blade coffee grinder which is now our spice grinder.
RE: the Cuisinart grindr: the static goes away after you've used / washed the unit a few times. It has something to do with the plastic. I have no static issues on mine.
I've also found it depends on the coffee beans used; probably a function of roast and oil content.
I’ve used mine for over a year and still have static
Static depends on your humidity levels.
Am I the only one loving James' little spoon box? Damn thats classy!
I have the Cuisinart grinder. I got it so I could start doing pourover after maturing past a keurig coffee machine. It does the job for me. I find grinding my own coffee to be quite pleasurable.
Perhaps in the future I will mature past this machine to something nicer, but for now it does the job and it makes me happy.
Tip: pre-grind your morning coffee right before bed. Hit the button and walk away. The grinds will be static-free and quietly ready in the morning. Since this is already not such a great setup, you're not going to notice any difference in quality.
I've owned 3 of the cuisinarts and still own/use one now. It may not be the best, but it's way better than pre-ground, stale coffee. James needs to realize that many of us are starting from a much lower quality bar than he is. I've made everything from espresso (with a pressure-valved portafilter) to french press to filter to church percolator coffee. With proper technique and ratios (Thanks James!), it all tastes pretty good. In the U.S.A., simply brewing with the correct coffee/water ratio will wow most people. Our coffee machines are no help as they have incorrect ratio instructions guaranteeing weak, bitter brews and cannot physically hold the correct amount of coffee for the amount of water they advertise. All this said, I'm saving for a Wilfa.
Can you get a wilfa in the US? I don't think it works on our power supply.
or do as James said in another video which works for me to remove static without grinding the night before
ruclips.net/video/T0Dh1W40ILY/видео.html&ab_channel=JamesHoffmann
So, knowing cheap grinders (anything really) all suck, I randomly picked up the cuisinart one shown here when it was on sale about 6 years ago for $40. I 100% agree with James. It's obnoxiously loud. It has static buildup on the container AND all the ground coffee bits (which will repel away from each other if you aren't careful pouring!). However, having said that, it does a "good enough" job for my caveman palette and tastes better than pre-ground that's been hiding on a store shelf for a month.
I will say it's held up well. It's a flat burr grinder, but the way the burr is set up is a bit odd. The entire hopper can un unscrewed, if you rotate it counterclockwise past the grind adjustment clicks, it will eventually come off entirely, and at that point you have the top half of the burr cylinder in your hand, attached to the hopper. The bottom half is attached to the base unit. You can obviously get at both cutting surfaces to brush them clean, but can't actually remove them without screwdrivers and suffering. I have zero idea how standard such things are, so replacing it with a different one is probably impossible.
One tip for dealing with static is to take a shower, run the dishwasher, or just run a bit of hot water in the sink near the grinder first, just to get a little humidity in the air so it cuts that down a bit.
As for the noise.... sadly, the only option I have there is to grind my coffee the night before, as I'll feel too guilty annoying my neighbors at 5AM, even for coffee. :)
Very similar experience with the Cuisinart grinder. I mostly do pour over and/or a very coarse grind for cold brew in a toddy, and it has been sufficient to the task for a decade now. If I needed something precise or fine, or freshly ground every morning, all of the statements in the video apply (it can be messy and annoyingly loud), but it's great value for the money if you want something that only requires a coarse grind.
I have the Cuisinart too, the thing probably runs around 90dB.. We have a thick quilted bag nearby that we place over the grinder to dampen the noise while it's running, it works really well.
Ahh, but there IS an easy, cheap solution to the noise! I found that placing a small folded towel or flat heat pad underneath the grinder cuts the noise down a LOT. Second, I have hearing damage, so placing a finger in each ear also does the trick! 😊 Regarding static, some coffees I’ve found have much worse negative charge than others when ground. More oily coffee beans have less issue. Also, do not “over-clean” your ground coffee bin. I found these things over years of using that specific Cuisinart model, which used to be $45 and now is about $68. While I agree that there are much better grinders as James points out, most people are NOT going to spend $350 for a really high-end grinder. I’d ask James to reconsider his summarized comments as follows: “for drip coffee (and not espresso) drinkers, the Cuisinart grinder does a descent job for the money” which is something Americas Test Kitchen might state.
I wish there was a local coffee shop around me that would do these kinds of comparison/tasings; showing you how the same beans can taste so different with different grinder/equipment…
Yes exactly, I just have no idea what I’m aiming for as I don’t think I’ve ever had what would be considered good coffee.
You're going to love this: I have the cuisinart grinder and mainly use it to make cold brew :P
And I've got to say it's definitely improved my coffee experience, even though it's obviously a cheap piece of crap. I like the fact that I can now play with yet another variable because I love testing and improving my method. And the sound doesn't bother me since I'm generally not grinding first thing in the morning.
The delonghi can use a really nice knob on the front because it’s electronic and not a mechanical connection like the grind adjustment
I have the delonghi, you just hack it by breaking the limiter and turning teh dial further. perfect. No dosing though of course
Haha, that's even easier than the guide I followed that allowed me to move the knob in relation to the limiter with a screwdriver and ten minutes of effort.
@@PKWeaver74 yeah that video looks good though. Wish I’d done that.
Ohh can you tell me more on how to do it? I've seen the other mod videos and i feel like theyre a bit complicated.
@@itsukanoe7064 I only followed a video myself so you've probably watched it. Really not difficult, more likely an aversion to taking things to pieces that is hard to overcome if you're not a natural tinkerer. I'm confident that with care, a bit of judicial force to remove the knobs you can do it.
I did this to mine, a nice straightforward mod and works well enough... Or so I thought. That was until I picked up a Eureka mignon... The difference is night and day. You can get decent shots with the modded delonghi but in my experience maybe 3/10 were good, with the rest either average or worse suffering from various degrees of channelling or in rare cases stalling completely. When switching beans it would take many shots to get it dialled in and even then it wouldn't necessarily hold that setting.
For years I thought it was just me and poor technique but with the mignon (and I'm sure it's the same with other similar tier grinders) maybe 1 in 20-25 shots might pull a bit fast or slow but generally it's bang on. Dialing in after changing beans is quick and easy. This is no doubt helped by the grind stability both intra shot and inter shot being very good. As a result the flavour is improved across the board.
By comparison, I've recently had the chance to use a commercial e61 machine for a few weeks, the rrp of which is about 10x what I paid for my pre 2015 Gaggia Classic. Maybe I have a terrible palate but half the time I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two!
Essentially what I'm saying is if you're happy with it then that's cool but if you're looking to justify a grinder upgrade to yourself it's definitely worth it.
Newish viewer so haven't watched all the backlog of videos, but have you thought about doing a sieve analysis (also called gradation test) for the particle size distribution for the various grinders? It would be pretty tedious to do but it would give actual results.
This would be extremely telling.
Brilliant as ever. Now can we have the next level up, entry level grinders in the £200 to £400 range, please please please!
I have a cheap grinder similar to the Delonghi one and it definitely has all these issues and i’ve kind of built it into my routine to clean everything thoroughly with a dry brush every couple days. But I gotta say the first drip coffee I made with freshly ground beans was such a huge step up that I personally thought it was worth it. Yes it’s a pain to clean and the noise is pretty loud but that’s the tradeoff I suppose. Also I only make 1 cup of coffee every day so the noise doesn’t last very long. I am looking to invest in the niche sometime soon if it ever came in stock .
Here is a question you should get rarely: With all the coffee you drink, what kind of toothpaste/polish do you use?
TBH i have never had too much of a problem with staining, a good electric toothbrush and a yearly visit for a professional polish (well worth the price, I think about £50 in the UK). I do like the baking soda based toothpastes like arm and hammer but I think a half decent electric toothbrush is probably more important IMO and would never consider some of the crazy expensive toothpastes.
@@MultiSigil Yeah a yearly check-up at the dentist is a must. I'm lucky that I'm fine with someone poking around my mouth with metal implements. My girlfriend is terrified, and she's in her mid-20's.
Crest Pro-Health HD cleans, polishes, and whitens amazingly well. Also, leaves teeth with that smooth, glossy fresh-from-the-dentist feeling.
@@helloxjed a Crest shill has entered the chat
Years ago, my dentist thanked me for switching from tea to coffee. Tea stains teeth an order of magnitude worse than coffee, said he. But he and I are both Americans, so don't listen to us.
7:54 "It's slurping time." - - James Hoffman, 2020
*power ranger theme plays*
I’ve had the delonghi for a few years now. It definitely improved my experience for doing filter brews, but yes the messy experience with the static and the residual powder inside the hopper is frustrating, particularly when one has a couple of different beans they like to try.
I have recently got back into drinking coffee in the mornings and at present am using bog standard espresso in a brick as the grinder doesnt grind fine enough. It is also very load and looks pretty ugly. I’m considering upgrading……..but at present I only have a bog standard espresso maker. It seems that a better grinder is the first port of call though
thanks for all you do.
James, I've learned far more about coffee from your videos than I ever thought was necessary, but I'm glad I did.
To help inspire more people to drink decent coffee, could you recommend grinder, drip, espresso and other setups at different price points? I'm thinking this could focus more on people who are generally happy with drinking pre-ground coffee from a drip machine worth far less than $100. But, they are curious about improving their experience, however, not willing to spend the amount of money required for a high-end setup.
do you perhaps have any answer to this? like how to make the standard coffee experience better for someone who's never ground their own beans to get some fresh ground good coffee? like you mentioned this is expensive and many of us probably just want a simple cheeper than the hundreds of dollars type sitch. i essentially feel we both want an affordable tutorial to learning the art of coffee
Well, here in Brasil, burr grinders these "cheap" aren't avaliable. Bought the Delonghi while in Italy and for our weak currency is the accessible option. Electric burr grinders is such a pain in the pockets here so better one Delonghi than a blade grinder.
Too right,
"Ooh it makes a noise and the buttons dont feel nice"
Me "shut the fuck up and drink your coffee
Nothing wrong with the Delonghi - look up the mod for it online, easy to make it good enough for espresso.
Yeah, i hope that toward the end of the video, there’d be recommendations on how to improve upon what’s universally accessible to people, regardless of budget.
Yup I grapple with the same problem fellow countryman. The best option I've seen for consistent finer coffee over here is the Mimosa Cast Iron hand grinder.
Bit of a behemoth of a grinder, but the designs solid and it doesn't cost a fortune, might be worth looking about
I have that delonghi but I done the mod to make a grind finer. Give it ago