# New grinder with a £250-300 Budget



## Crouch90 (Sep 3, 2020)

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you'd please be able to help me purchase my first grinder. I'm going to be buying a new gaggia classic pro 2019 and was hoping to get something in the 250 to 300 price range which would make espresso?

I've seen a mazzer super jolly on ebay which I've offered 250 for. Would this be a good starting point?

Any help is appreciated, and thanks again.


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## Philip HN (Nov 7, 2019)

Hello and welcome. Well, you've certainly come to the right place to ask the question. Having said that I'm not the best qualified to advise you, despite owning a Super Jolly for several years. As a grinder it is fairly old school I'd say, capable of delivering a reasonable grind but a pain to adjust consistently and in my experience, very susceptible to ambient temperature which means that it needs recalibration from one (warmer) day to the next (cooler) day. On ebay it is also likely to have lived a long life in a commercial setting, so although they are built like tanks what you have seen might have been around the clock many, many times. You will need to expect to have to buy new burrs, not terribly expensive in themselves at £40-odd but just be aware.

I'd definitely hold off deciding anything until others here have suggested alternatives. In the meantime if you search on the forum for discussions on entry level grinders (or next upgrades) you'll find that there will have been much said on the subject already. Good luck!


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

I think Philip HN has nailed the SJ pretty well. They can produce a quality grind but they are large, a bit of a pain to use in a domestic environment and you have to look out for ones that have seen a lot of action. If you get a decent one and are prepared to accept it quirks then you will be happy with it in cup I am sure.

If you want to look at new then for me the best grinder in your budget is imo the Eureka Mignon Silenzio. It has smaller burrs than the SJ but it is a lot better size for domestic use, easier to adjust, quieter and comes with a warranty! I do have interest here as I sell them, but I am confident they are the best offering in your budget.

Hopefully some other members can help.

David


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

For about £300 you might be able to get better than the SJ and move for a Royal or a Major. A Royal with a doserless conversion and titanium burrs was available on the forum recently for £350 then £300 before being sold elsewhere so you missed out on that one but they do pop up from time to time.


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## Stevebee (Jul 21, 2015)

I've got a Royal with the Octopus mod plus Auberin timer, also titanium burrs. I think I've also got a brand new set of stainless as well. Reminds me I must get some photos as I never use it anymore .


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## Crouch90 (Sep 3, 2020)

would it possibly be worth just paying the 75 more and getting a mignon specialita?


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

We have the Specialita for £355 delivered. It is quite a bit better than the Silenzio (larger burrs, touchscreen) just depends on your priorities and workflow.

The Royal is a good shout to be fair.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

Crouch90 said:


> would it possibly be worth just paying the 75 more and getting a mignon specialita?


 In terms of quality, no. In terms of how much space the grinder takes up, yes. I've never used a royal or major but do have a Ceado 83mm flat. The quality difference between the Mignon mk2 and the Ceado was obvious. The specialita I think is a small upgrade on the MK2 but still for the money, if you've got the room, used big flat all the way. Dialling in with the bigger burrs was much easier too, the Mignon adjustment is small and small movements make big differences, you do get the hang of it but I was really impressed with the Ceado's adjustment ring by comparison. My understanding of the Mazzer's adjustment mechanism is that it isn't as good as Ceado's, and can be a pain if you don't keep the threads clean and lubricated, but still the leap in quality for me would be worth it.


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