# £250 best grinder advice



## AdamX (Feb 14, 2021)

I have a budget of £250 and I want a decent grinder for espresso. I've read about 1000 reviews for all different grinders and now my mind has gone. Please can someone tell me what they think is best around this price?


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## PACMAN (Feb 11, 2021)

I'll be interested to see what is recommended as I'm in a similar boat. Do you want manual or automatic or do you not mind?


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## AdamX (Feb 14, 2021)

I was looking at stuff like the Rancilio Rocky but I'm just worried I'll end up getting the wrong one. So many grinders out there, all saying how great they are but as soon as you read reviews, they're all riddled with problems...


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

It's quite simple no "new grinder" under £500 is worthy, you can buy a used commercial grinder (if you can find one) or a "lesser grinder" of which there are several the least distasteful is the mignon (pick a name that suits your budget they are all basically the same)


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## Dartmoor Coffee (Feb 4, 2020)

Is it purely for espresso? The guy who fixed my grinder had a couple fiorenzato f64 evo, which he had refurbished for around £300. Not sure if any left. If you look around you will be able to find a good 2nd hand grinder - just balance in perhaps the need for new burrs.


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## AdamX (Feb 14, 2021)

I decided to go for an Eureka Mignon after reading and watching more reviews... hopefully I won't regret it.


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## allikat (Jan 27, 2020)

Mignons are pretty good grinders. It's my next grinder.


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## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

HDAV said:


> It's quite simple no "new grinder" under £500 is worthy, you can buy a used commercial grinder (if you can find one) or a "lesser grinder" of which there are several the least distasteful is the mignon (pick a name that suits your budget they are all basically the same)


 I have a 3 year old Mignon which has done me well, I'm m looking to upgrade. What would you recommend is a good next step?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Pete10uk said:


> I have a 3 year old Mignon which has done me well, I'm m looking to upgrade. What would you recommend is a good next step?


 I think for this kind of price, the best bang for the buck is an old commercial, modified for home use. @Cuprajake went that route recently.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

If you dont mind the size, i got a mazzer major. Then added a doserless kit.
View attachment 52048


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## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

Cuprajake said:


> If you dont mind the size, i got a mazzer major. Then added a doserless kit.
> View attachment 52048


 Space is a bit of an issue but negotiable with the wife. What kind of cost was it with the kit?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Kit was about 130 del iirc Daniel wong.

Came in 2 day from tiwan


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Pete10uk said:


> I have a 3 year old Mignon which has done me well, I'm m looking to upgrade. What would you recommend is a good next step?


 Niche is an option not everyone loves them but most do, there are the newer eureka models (may or may not be much of an upgrade in real terms) or as suggested the commercial grade units (have a feeling there may be some hitting the market over the next few months as commercial operators fall foul of current situation 🙁 )


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Dont forget though if you're used to flat burrs then conocal may be too acidic for you, i believe conical will bring out those flavours more, over a flat


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## Pete10uk (Jan 3, 2021)

Cuprajake said:


> Dont forget though if you're used to flat burrs then conocal may be too acidic for you, i believe conical will bring out those flavours more, over a flat


 What type are mostly used commercially? I'm guessing conical are a space saving invention and my mignon has these? Could be totally wrong though.


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## profesor_historia (Sep 1, 2020)

Pete10uk said:


> What type are mostly used commercially? I'm guessing conical are a space saving invention and my mignon has these? Could be totally wrong though.


No, the Mignon had the flat burrs. Normally the conical are pretty much expensive and hard to find second hand.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I think flats are more common ( maybe I'm biased)


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## profesor_historia (Sep 1, 2020)

urbanbumpkin said:


> I think flats are more common ( maybe I'm biased)


You are correct, much more common.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

Mignon's use small flats. People may mention that enormous flats are the best. Conical is often seen as more suitable for dark roasts. Small conical is usually associated with cheaper grinders. Niche has ones a bit short of the largest sizes normally used.

In the past Mignons were pushed by many because they are a commercial grinder and should stand up to a lot more use than "cheap" ones,. They are also a fairly house friendly size. The Mazzer mini is another one but uses larger burrs. Others commercial machines tend to be rather large.

One of the problems with this whole area really is not really knowing what's what until some one has owned one.

All grinders need running in before they will perform at their best but some reckon titanium coating gets around that. Some people will run several kg of beans through them before making a drink. This can't be done that quickly even on full blown commercial grinders because the motors would overheat. Without this initial results can be misleading.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Theres a mazzer that uses conical to i believe, im not sure on the model though

Sadly most mazzer are quite huge 😁


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

The robur has connicals. It's the same size as the Royal. It's massive!!

Runnng them without the hopper makes the smaller. The major isn't much taller than the SJ


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

HDAV said:


> It's quite simple no "new grinder" under £500 is worthy, you can buy a used commercial grinder (if you can find one) or a "lesser grinder" of which there are several the least distasteful is the mignon (pick a name that suits your budget they are all basically the same)


 That's not true and pretty unhelpful. The Specialita is well regarded. I'm sure people would disagree the 50mm Crono or Facile and 55m Specialita are 'the same' too.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Theres different versions of the mignon. Burr size and motors change with model also


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Cuprajake said:


> Theres a mazzer that uses conical to i believe, im not sure on the model though
> 
> Sadly most mazzer are quite huge 😁


 The kony is another mazzer that uses conic burrs,


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

But which is best...only one way to find out


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## QueenOfCaffine (Dec 29, 2020)

Hi recently bought a Minion Crono and I really rate and enjoy it. Fancy would be wasted on me at the moment.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Cuprajake said:


> But which is best...only one way to find out


Thunder Dome???


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

CocoLoco said:


> That's not true and pretty unhelpful. The Specialita is well regarded. I'm sure people would disagree the 50mm Crono or Facile and 55m Specialita are 'the same' too.


 They aren't the same but are all basically the same mignon internally all to 50mm burr models are basically the same and the 55mm model has bigger burrs the rest is nothing to do with the actual grind as such just the ancillary items and no say the mignon is brilliant it's passable if you don't have big budget/space

a Dacia sandero is a car but it's not the best car but it will get you to work on time if you leave early enough just the same anything else


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Motor varies too though dont forget.

And it depends what you're comparing too, £1500 grinder then it shouldn't compete. But imo there a very good cost effect grinder and at sub 400 id argue theres nothing to really touch it at new prices.


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