# Hand grinder advice please...



## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Hi

Hope all is well guys.

I am currently just using a V60 with a Sage The Dose Pro grinder. I am in the process of returning the grinder due to grounds retention, frequent cleaning of the burrs and generally I think it underperforms.

I don't really have space in my kitchen for an electric grinder so I am thinking of switching to a manual grinder. I know grinding will take longer but I usually only grind about 15-20g at any given time.

So I had a look at the Hario's, Porlex's and the likes. But I thought I'd step things up and start looking at more expensive grinders. One day, I may add to my brewing equipment and I also believe in the "buy once, buy quality" philosophy so maybe a better quality grinder is required.

I've watched the James Hoffman YouTube video on top end grinders and found it quite interesting. He is a fussy bugger so when he finds faults with any of the high end gear...these faults could potentially turn out to be trivialities

Anyway so far, the grinders I have looked at include-



Comandante. This may be overkill for me although it's meant to be the undisputed king of grinders. Very expensive but could last a lifetime. I've watched videos of this grinder, it seems to slice beans with absolute ease. However it's 200 notes out the wallet....it's alotta dough and the missus would have to authorise purchase.




Lido 3. This grinder seems to be an absolute beast of a product. Again could be overkill for me. Available for about 20 notes less than the Comandante. It looks quite oddly shaped and could be unwieldy when grinding. I've seen that the grind setting adjustments are fiddly with the steel ring set-up. It's expensive and bloody massive....not really sure about this one although users swear by its performance and quickness.




Aerspeed. This is the grinder I am leaning towards. It's on the Made By Knock website. I think it's fairly new. A quicker and maybe less polished version of the Aergrind. It's also £30 less than the Aergrind at £90. There are no 3rd party suppliers of this grinder as of yet. I've heard buying from MBK's website direct is a scary experience. I've sent them some emails....no response. They don't have a phone number. Zero customer services. There doesn't seem to be any way to contact MBK through Twitter, Facebook etc. Not saying their products are not worthy but if I were to order one of their grinders.....and if there are no communication channels....what happens to warranty, support, repairs, delivery info etc etc




Timemore Chestnut G1. This last grinder is retailing at around £110-£130 on numerous websites. I don't know much about Timemore grinders nor can I find many reviews or YouTube videos on their grinders. However, this grinder did make the Hoffman grinder review video. Mr Hoffman thought it was okay although he was testing it against grinders that were twice as expensive. The BIG NEWS is that this grinder is available on eBay for £65-75. I've contacted the seller and he is selling at less than retail price to clear out old stock.


It's decision time. I'm not the biggest coffee snob...maybe the more top end grinders are not for me. Maybe there's not that much difference in the end product between the MBK/Timemore grinders and the Lido or Comandante.

The trouble is I know very little so here I am asking the experts....

Help/advice appreciated.

thanks!


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

> He is a fussy bugger so when he finds faults with any of the high end gear...these faults could potentially turn out to be trivialities


 I don't disagree, but having owned and shared a number of the gripes he points out it's worth remembering that even small issues have a large impact when you're grinding daily not at your best at 6am ?

If you're using v60/manual brews only, get the Comandante or look for a second hand Kinu m47 (my own sold for £220ish i think). I have no doubt that you'd be happy with a less expensive option, but for handgrinding the grinder serves as the weak link not only in terms of grind quality but in terms of usability too. I cannot put into words the difference between using a low end hand grinder and a top end one - and if only for the sake of staving off upgradeitus, I think they're well worth an investment up front.

Edit: Not trivialising the costs involved btw, they're hugely expensive. But on balance, go for the best you can afford. Especially since they retain value quite well.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

catpuccino said:


> I don't disagree, but having owned and shared a number of the gripes he points out it's worth remembering that even small issues have a large impact when you're grinding daily not at your best at 6am ?
> 
> If you're using v60/manual brews only, get the Comandante or look for a second hand Kinu m47 (my own sold for £220ish i think). I have no doubt that you'd be happy with a less expensive option, but for handgrinding the grinder serves as the weak link not only in terms of grind quality but in terms of usability too. I cannot put into words the difference between using a low end hand grinder and a top end one - and if only for the sake of staving off upgradeitus, I think they're well worth an investment up front.
> 
> Edit: Not trivialising the costs involved btw, they're hugely expensive. But on balance, go for the best you can afford. Especially since they retain value quite well.


 Sounds like good advice. Thanks.

the up front cost is hard to stomach but I suppose if it's a one off purchase and there is potential for a good sell on price...It's a worthy purchase.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I have a Timemore, not the Chestnut, but the Nano...it can't keep a grind setting, so is totally useless. Doesn't inspire confidence in the brand, who have failed to suggest/provide a fix.

If you buy an MBK buy from a reseller, not direct.

Probably not much difference between MBK (Aergrind/Feldgrind), Lido, Commandante, Kinu (I don't know where you got "undisputed king of grinders from", this isn't a real thing.)

The lighter Lido's (3 & E/ET) are big, but light & easy to grind with.

All those that adjust from the burr side like Commandante, Zass Quito/Panama, Chestnut (all based on Akantus designs) make keeping track of grind settings a bit tricky. Practically speaking, I like the MBK designs where you can see & adjust settings easily.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

MWJB said:


> I have a Timemore, not the Chestnut, but the Nano...it can't keep a grind setting, so is totally useless. Doesn't inspire confidence in the brand, who have failed to suggest/provide a fix.
> 
> If you buy an MBK buy from a reseller, not direct.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the tips

From some video reviews I've watched and from user experiences....the Comandante comes highly rated. However it doesn't mean it's the one to purchase.

so you rate the MBK grinders? I can always wait until the new Aerspeed is available from 3rd party sellers. I've spoken to somebody that has used the Aerspeed and said it is very quick to grind with and produces similar results to the Aergrind.

do you think the Lido 3 is worth a shot?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

It's not so much about rating the grinders in terms of performance, they're all much of a muchness when it comes to that.

I like being able to look at the complete grinder sitting on the worktop & see the setting it is at, rather than counting clicks etc.

Lido 3 will work perfectly well for V60, a bit more fiddly to adjust than Feldgrind. Lido holds a bit more ground coffee under the burr after grinding, than the Feld.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

MWJB said:


> It's not so much about rating the grinders in terms of performance, they're all much of a muchness when it comes to that.
> 
> I like being able to look at the complete grinder sitting on the worktop & see the setting it is at, rather than counting clicks etc.
> 
> Lido 3 will work perfectly well for V60, a bit more fiddly to adjust than Feldgrind. Lido holds a bit more ground coffee under the burr after grinding, than the Feld.


 Thanks again

The MBK grinders sounds good. Might start shopping around.


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## Teejay (Dec 4, 2017)

I have the Aergrind, bought from Machina Coffee, Edinburgh and I'm very happy with it. Initially was used for espresso and it did an okay job for a beginner. It then moved to my camper van to be used for pour over now it's moved to work. The 47 travel will take its place in the camper.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Teejay said:


> I have the Aergrind, bought from Machina Coffee, Edinburgh and I'm very happy with it. Initially was used for espresso and it did an okay job for a beginner. It then moved to my camper van to be used for pour over now it's moved to work. The 47 travel will take its place in the camper.


 Thanks. Yeah the Aergrind looks good. For some reason I have my heart set on the Aerspeed. It grinds 25% quicker (apparently). Rushing around in the mornings....time is tight...lol


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## Junglebert (Jan 7, 2019)

I have an MBK grinder, it's good, I use it when I travel and for anything that isn't espresso at home. I had a Lido 3, it was awful, far too big, unwieldy, a pain to use, a pain to store, didn't keep it's grind setting.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Junglebert said:


> I have an MBK grinder, it's good, I use it when I travel and for anything that isn't espresso at home. I had a Lido 3, it was awful, far too big, unwieldy, a pain to use, a pain to store, didn't keep it's grind setting.


 Thanks. Did you order straight from MBK?


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## Junglebert (Jan 7, 2019)

Joe-H said:


> Thanks. Did you order straight from MBK?


 No, I found a good one on ebay


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Junglebert said:


> No, I found a good one on ebay


 I think I'll have a look on eBay. Thanks


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

I've got a Feldgrind and I think it's great. I grind 15g every morning for a V60, takes about 15/20 seconds so I wouldn't worry too much time. If you're grinding for espresso it's a different thing but for pourover/aeropress I wouldn't worry.

There's actually an Aergrind for sale in the for sale section, not sure if it's still available but worth keeping an eye on it!

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/46396-mbk-aergrind/?do=embed


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Jon_Foster said:


> I've got a Feldgrind and I think it's great. I grind 15g every morning for a V60, takes about 15/20 seconds so I wouldn't worry too much time. If you're grinding for espresso it's a different thing but for pourover/aeropress I wouldn't worry.
> 
> There's actually an Aergrind for sale in the for sale section, not sure if it's still available but worth keeping an eye on it!
> 
> https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/46396-mbk-aergrind/?do=embed


 Sounds like a very quick grind time. Brilliant! Thanks for the tips


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## Junglebert (Jan 7, 2019)

I just checked and mine is a Feldgrind too. I think for what you need from a hand grinder it's perfect. I tried it for espresso once, and the results were stunning, but life is too short to hand grind espresso! For the V60 etc though it's a fairly quick and painless process.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Junglebert said:


> I just checked and mine is a Feldgrind too. I think for what you need from a hand grinder it's perfect. I tried it for espresso once, and the results were stunning, but life is too short to hand grind espresso! For the V60 etc though it's a fairly quick and painless process.


 Thanks. seems like MBK make good gear


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Personally I use a Comendante and have been very pleased with it. It grinds beans quickly and easily and is a real pleasure to use. Like you I wanted to buy once and really only want to spend £100-£150. But based on the research I did I decided to push the budget a bit. If you do decide to get one, I bought mine online from Horsham Coffee and was very pleased with the service they offered, also got a free bag of beans which were nice.

In terms of my further thoughts on the Comendante...



It's easy to adjust the grind size, you do this based upon a click system, which is explained on the instructions when you get the grinder. For example, I keep mine of '20 clicks' and so if I want to grind finer or coarser I can adjust from there and then click back. Sounds a bit complicated but it's not, very easy really.


Also the grinder feels bomb proof and is really easy to clean. I probably clean mine once per month using a little brush. As an fyi, if you do end up getting a Comendante there's a video on youtube about how to clean it, but that video is incorrect, the person doing it puts the washers on the wrong way, so just an fyi on that one. Again the instructions that come with the product tell you how to do it properly, it's easy.


View attachment 30854


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

garethuk said:


> Personally I use a Comendante and have been very pleased with it. It grinds beans quickly and easily and is a real pleasure to use. Like you I wanted to buy once and really only want to spend £100-£150. But based on the research I did I decided to push the budget a bit. If you do decide to get one, I bought mine online from Horsham Coffee and was very pleased with the service they offered, also got a free bag of beans which were nice.
> 
> In terms of my further thoughts on the Comendante...
> 
> ...


 Hi Gareth

thanks for your feedback. The Comandante looks great. The price tag is a bit of an obstacle. I have actually phoned Horsham Roasters and they were very helpful. They spoke very highly of the Comandante. They actually said that the grind consistency is of similar quality to that of the grinds from a high end electric grinder. I have seen the cleaning tutorial on YouTube from the Comandante channel. The chap in the video puts the washers in with the smooth side facing outwards. Would this be correct? 
Have you ever used any other hand grinders for comparison?


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Joe-H said:


> Hi Gareth
> 
> thanks for your feedback. The Comandante looks great. The price tag is a bit of an obstacle. I have actually phoned Horsham Roasters and they were very helpful. They spoke very highly of the Comandante. They actually said that the grind consistency is of similar quality to that of the grinds from a high end electric grinder. I have seen the cleaning tutorial on YouTube from the Comandante channel. The chap in the video puts the washers in with the smooth side facing outwards. Would this be correct?
> Have you ever used any other hand grinders for comparison?


 Yes that would be right, smooth side out. When I looked there was only one video on youtube re cleaning and they had done it the other way around, but like I say if you follow the instructions you can't go wrong really.

In terms of other grinders, no I haven't used any others... this was my first (and hopefully only for a good while anyway) grinder purchase, I had previously bought pre-ground coffee from roasters. Originally I was looking at electric but realised that to get a high quality one i'd have to spend far too much for me. So I went down this route.

At the end of the day with this coffee stuff you can always spend more money, I think you just have to decide on a budget and go with that. I've been really please with the Comandante it's a real joy to use, but as others have mentioned there are other options out there. It could be worth waiting until January and seeing if any sales are on or if anyone is selling something secondhand having received a Christmas upgrade.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

garethuk said:


> Yes that would be right, smooth side out. When I looked there was only one video on youtube re cleaning and they had done it the other way around, but like I say if you follow the instructions you can't go wrong really.
> 
> In terms of other grinders, no I haven't used any others... this was my first (and hopefully only for a good while anyway) grinder purchase, I had previously bought pre-ground coffee from roasters. Originally I was looking at electric but realised that to get a high quality one i'd have to spend far too much for me. So I went down this route.
> 
> At the end of the day with this coffee stuff you can always spend more money, I think you just have to decide on a budget and go with that. I've been really please with the Comandante it's a real joy to use, but as others have mentioned there are other options out there. It could be worth waiting until January and seeing if any sales are on or if anyone is selling something secondhand having received a Christmas upgrade.


 ?? good advice!


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## matted (Sep 30, 2019)

thanks for the good reading in this thread - I see the aergrind is back in stock at MBR, but I think I am also going to go for the Comandante also.


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## Slowpress (Jun 11, 2019)

I am another big fan of the Aergrind, and I bought mine direct from the MBK website. No complaints at all (& my followup question by email was responded to promptly by the man himself). Stellar grinder for my espresso & super compact for travel.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Slowpress said:


> I am another big fan of the Aergrind, and I bought mine direct from the MBK website. No complaints at all (& my followup question by email was responded to promptly by the man himself). Stellar grinder for my espresso & super compact for travel.


So you got the 1 reply he does a year!


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## Slowpress (Jun 11, 2019)

ashcroc said:


> So you got the 1 reply he does a year!


 Two replies!☺

I think the man makes a superb product (just based on my own use of his grinder), and at an excellent price. I never had any difficulty with the communication, so I have to wonder if there's a lot of exaggerated reference to his not keeping up with communication.? On the other hand, if he is a one man operation, it is no wonder he can't (or chooses not to) keep up with all the preliminary emails & futile enquiries that must hit the inbox. I can only imagine that many of us online shoppers are perhaps kicking tires only, when we ask our myriad of questions about a prospective purchase, only to end up not buying, just dreaming or just curious... yet we want detailed communiques from small shops such as his. So, I don't blame a small business person who "doesn't do office work" by choice or circumstance. (Am I being too lenient??)

Perhaps I was simply lucky, but I somehow doubt that.?☺


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Never had a issue with Feld2 I did grind the opposite way once.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

matted said:


> thanks for the good reading in this thread - I see the aergrind is back in stock at MBR, but I think I am also going to go for the Comandante also.


 Comandante looks excellent. From online reviews....users say it is a joy to use!!


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Slowpress said:


> Two replies!☺
> 
> I think the man makes a superb product (just based on my own use of his grinder), and at an excellent price. I never had any difficulty with the communication, so I have to wonder if there's a lot of exaggerated reference to his not keeping up with communication.? On the other hand, if he is a one man operation, it is no wonder he can't (or chooses not to) keep up with all the preliminary emails & futile enquiries that must hit the inbox. I can only imagine that many of us online shoppers are perhaps kicking tires only, when we ask our myriad of questions about a prospective purchase, only to end up not buying, just dreaming or just curious... yet we want detailed communiques from small shops such as his. So, I don't blame a small business person who "doesn't do office work" by choice or circumstance. (Am I being too lenient??)
> 
> Perhaps I was simply lucky, but I somehow doubt that.?☺


 I've never thought of it like this. Yes, the man runs a small operation but produces a high quality product that is shipped all around the world. You're right....he probably has to be time conscious or even fussy when it comes to answering emails. I have emailed twice without reply but I was just making general enquiries. You're emails seem to do with post-purchase product support. It's reassuring to hear that he gets back to people who have actually purchased his grinders. Imagine he actually hired somebody to deal with emails, marketing, enquiries, social media etc....his sales would probably go through the roof! I suppose there's always the option to purchase from 3rd party sellers.

I see the Aerspeed is on his website....Anybody know anything of this grinder? £30 cheaper than the Aergrind.....apparently 25% faster grind time.....uncoated burrs....


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## Slowpress (Jun 11, 2019)

Joe-H said:


> Imagine he actually hired somebody to deal with emails, marketing, enquiries, social media etc.. his sales would probably go through the roof!


 Increasing staff would increase the retail price significantly, too. The Aergrind is the most affordable quality hand grinder on the market.

Not every business person values (or wants) volume of sales over quality of workmanship, pride & personal satisfaction. This type of business person is perhaps more true craft than business oriented, as defined by our current world. They are in the minority, certainly. And, we are the beneficiaries of their dedication & integrity.

This is all pure speculation, as I don't know the man, but I appreciate what he has made. I am ok with him not following the herd. (Maybe I'd think differently if I wasn't delighted with his grinder?!)


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## Slowpress (Jun 11, 2019)

@Joe-H

There is a chap in the Phillipines who has almost all the handgrinders known to man?, including, Commandante, Aergrind, Kinu & Apollo; he has the new Aerspeed. He goes by the handle "Autoexec". You could search him out for feedback. He really knows his hand grinders inside out & backwards.


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## Slowpress (Jun 11, 2019)

@Joe-H

The Commandante is known for exceptional clarity with pour over extractions. It's a favourite with the V-60 crowd for good reason. (You would likely want to add the optional Red Clix feature to the commandante if you ever moved into espresso extraction.)


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

@Slowpress

thanks for all the info. I'll have to look up this grinder enthusiast in the Philippines. The Comandante looks like a great piece of kit. It's expensive and would require purchase authorisation from the missus. But if it's really THAT good....it's probably worth stretching the wallet a little wider and pulling out some extra notes! BUT if the Aergrind or Aerspeed can offer the same performance and grind consistency at almost half the price....I may have to contact our man in the Philippines for some feedback. I know the Comandante has a greater capacity but I only grind about 15-25g of beans at any given time.


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## Nomadbrew (Nov 14, 2019)

Aloha

Has anyone found some good price for commandante or kinu ? I am kind of willing to pay more ,but not sure to wait for black Friday .Do you have any advice ?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Funny enough I am testing some hand grinders at the moment. I didn't want to but did it as a favour.....


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Slowpress said:


> @Joe-H
> 
> The Commandante is known for exceptional clarity with pour over extractions. It's a favourite with the V-60 crowd for good reason. (You would likely want to add the optional Red Clix feature to the commandante if you ever moved into espresso extraction.)


 @Slowpress how does it achieve this exceptional performance?


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## kruzilla (Sep 6, 2017)

I've read some good things about the 1Zpresso line of grinders and they're pretty affordable.

I'm actually waiting for Flair's hand grinder to come out. I tried it at the Los Angeles Coffee Fest last weekend and liked it quite a bit. Since I have no handheld grinder experience outside of much cheaper ones, I don't know how it compares but it seems really well-built and easy to use. Grinding for espresso takes awhile tho.


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## Nomadbrew (Nov 14, 2019)

kruzilla said:


> I've read some good things about the 1Zpresso line of grinders and they're pretty affordable.
> 
> I'm actually waiting for Flair's hand grinder to come out. I tried it at the Los Angeles Coffee Fest last weekend and liked it quite a bit. Since I have no handheld grinder experience outside of much cheaper ones, I don't know how it compares but it seems really well-built and easy to use. Grinding for espresso takes awhile tho.


 Hey,

I am no expert at any level but maybe you could point me to the right direction , I am about to get a comandante for 190pounds , but I am also open to other suggestions . On my research trip I met 1zpresso range , but independent English review was published on the internet. I'm Aeropress user and portability is an important factor, also some 1 mentioned that most grinders use aluminum which is not always being anozied properly and it can react with coffee ,paranoia is real....

Only found Comandante that has wooden body and it seems that has proved it's time ,but if you got any better options please share ! I am open minded!


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## Planter (Apr 12, 2017)

Nomadbrew said:


> Hey,
> 
> I am no expert at any level but maybe you could point me to the right direction , I am about to get a comandante for 190pounds , but I am also open to other suggestions . On my research trip I met 1zpresso range , but independent English review was published on the internet. I'm Aeropress user and portability is an important factor, also some 1 mentioned that most grinders use aluminum which is not always being anozied properly and it can react with coffee ,paranoia is real....
> Only found Comandante that has wooden body and it seems that has proved it's time ,but if you got any better options please share ! I am open minded!


To be fair this thread from the start talks about most hand grinders available. Bar a couple. Everyone is likely to have a different experience and/or opinion. But you can see the ones which are typically rated well.

Read this thread and then take your pick. I don't think youre going to get any specific and categoric response that will give you the king of all grinders answer that most look for.

Enjoy whatever you choose and prepare yourself for the inevitable upgrade.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Nomadbrew said:


> Hey,
> 
> I am no expert at any level but maybe you could point me to the right direction , I am about to get a comandante for 190pounds , but I am also open to other suggestions . On my research trip I met 1zpresso range , but independent English review was published on the internet. I'm Aeropress user and portability is an important factor, also some 1 mentioned that most grinders use aluminum which is not always being anozied properly and it can react with coffee ,paranoia is real....
> 
> Only found Comandante that has wooden body and it seems that has proved it's time ,but if you got any better options please share ! I am open minded!


 Commandante does not have a wooden body, it's aluminium with a skin around the outside. That said, I'm not sure your fears regarding aluminium contact with beans/grinds are well founded.

If you really feel you need to avoid aluminium, then the cheaper Porlex, Rhinowares & Hario grinders are some that are steel, plastic & ceramic construction. These will take much longer to grind compared to the Commandante & other steel burr grinders.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

kruzilla said:


> I've read some good things about the 1Zpresso line of grinders and they're pretty affordable.
> 
> I'm actually waiting for Flair's hand grinder to come out. I tried it at the Los Angeles Coffee Fest last weekend and liked it quite a bit. Since I have no handheld grinder experience outside of much cheaper ones, I don't know how it compares but it seems really well-built and easy to use. Grinding for espresso takes awhile tho.


 I'm testing 2 of them at the moment funnily enough...........a JX-Pro and standard JX. I've been using the pro for the last 4 or 5 days.


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## Nomadbrew (Nov 14, 2019)

Please let us know Dave how your testing goes. I am still leaning to Comandante but you have the power to change my mind


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## Nikko (Aug 20, 2014)

DavecUK said:


> Funny enough I am testing some hand grinders at the moment. I didn't want to but did it as a favour.....


 Does your favour involve a favourable review?


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

Hi Guys

I started this discussion and gained some good advice from fellow coffee lovers. I went for the Comandante C40 grinder. It was quite a bit of cash up front but honestly it's a quality piece of kit. The grinder is heavy and so well crafted. It's well engineered and just so well made. The grinding action is powerful and I actually enjoy grinding with this thing. The grind consistency is excellent. The taste of my brews has improved beyond measure. I just use a V60 and an Aeropress so I cannot comment on making espressos. But I am now producing amazing balanced brews whereas with my old grinder I was getting the odd sour or bitter brew. For about 20g of coffee, it takes me about 60 seconds to grind at a medium fine setting. Going courser, perhaps for a V60, I could probably grind 20g in about 35 seconds. I don't go for speed but rather crank the handle with a steady even pace to make sure all beans are crushed evenly.

On saying all this, grinding does become a little bothersome for me after a while. I'm chasing around 3 kids so time is restricted in the mornings. I drink about 3 coffees per day so that's 3 grinding sessions. Also, my wife and oldest son sometimes want a coffee so that could be a 45-60g grinding session. That becomes a real good arm workout!!

If I was to ever swap this Comandante for a good electric grinder that offers comparable grind consistency....what would you guys recommend? I was thinking Baratza Virtuoso?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Nikko said:


> Does your favour involve a favourable review?


 is your unfavourable post an attempt to steer people's perceptions, like y'know, to introduce a bias? There doesn't seem to be any info of any use/pertinent to the OP there?


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

MWJB said:


> is your unfavourable post an attempt to steer people's perceptions, like y'know, to introduce a bias? There doesn't seem to be any info of any use/pertinent to the OP there?


Please don't quote the troll. It messes with me blocking him/her/it!


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Joe-H said:


> If I was to ever swap this Comandante for a good electric grinder that offers comparable grind consistency....what would you guys recommend? I was thinking Baratza Virtuoso?


 For a one mug brew, I don' really find a big advantage in going electric over a hand grinder, especially if you have to do any sweeping & tapping to get rid of static cling with the catch cup.

If your Commandante doesn't hold 60g, you could just fill it to the max & scale down the V60 brew to maybe 13-14g doses, to save 2 sessions of grinding?

But, yes, the Baratza Virtuoso & Wilfa Svart would be options.


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## Joe-H (Jun 30, 2019)

MWJB said:


> For a one mug brew, I don' really find a big advantage in going electric over a hand grinder, especially if you have to do any sweeping & tapping to get rid of static cling with the catch cup.
> 
> If your Commandante doesn't hold 60g, you could just fill it to the max & scale down the V60 brew to maybe 13-14g doses, to save 2 sessions of grinding?
> 
> But, yes, the Baratza Virtuoso & Wilfa Svart would be options.


 Thanks

i think the whole problem is I'm just too lazy to grind for about a minute despite the excellent results.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Nomadbrew said:


> Please let us know Dave how your testing goes. I am still leaning to Comandante but you have the power to change my mind


 Wow just saw all the comments, especially the troll one from Nikko...I am disappointed to see it got a like from one of the forum Moderators (Mildred, you should know better).

My favour was to actually use them, because I'm lazy. They wanted to find out if I thought they were any good or not. *I was not asked to do a review, favourable or otherwise. I am not receiving any payment, or free products, or anything. *I think Rodney just likes to know whether he is going to be selling crap or not, he genuinely does have a passion for coffee. So you won't see it on BB web site yet, I think he is waiting to hear if it is OK.

I have 2 versions to have a play with and like most normal people I tried the most expensive version 1st. I have not tried the cheaper version yet (I will have to have a go today), they both use the same 48mm stainless steel conical burrs, just different fineness of adjustability. I have not yet taken them apart. I have put up a completely unedited video of me making an Espresso with the JX-Pro and I am surprised that it worked in an espresso machine. At the moment I am seeing how the fine adjustment is and how many seconds on the pour "1 click" makes, a joyless process for me on a hand grinder. Caring for my mum and other issues have meant, I have not had as much time as I would like for testing

I have not tried it for pour over yet, although I have some kit "given", or loaned to me by @MWJB and I was thinking of asking him to help me assess them for pour over...although I don't want to unfairly take up Marks time or take advantage of his good nature. He does have a few hand grinders and far more experience of them than me.

I'm sure any recommendations you get on here are going to be excellent....watch videos of them all, read about them and make your choice...price wise I am not sure where the JX-Pro sits, but it will probably be significantly cheaper than the Commandante, however I still consider them expensive items

P.S. Grinding 17g for espresso, does take about 30 seconds (65 turns), took me a bit longer in the vid cos I had to hold it abnormally at arms length (cos I don't like appearing in vids). Grinding for filter or brew would obviously be faster as it's coarser. It will grind turkish....but that takes a horribly long time. I think it's fast because the burrs are quite large but then it's harder to turn I suppose, I had no trouble, but some people might.


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> forum Moderators (Mildred, you should know better).


 Please don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do @DavecUK I am quite able to make my own mind up!

(edit to add that I fail to see what being a forum mod has to do with how I view things!)


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## kruzilla (Sep 6, 2017)

Can't we all just get along? 

@DavecUK Can't wait to see what you think of 1z's! Where can I see your video of the JX-Pro?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

MildredM said:


> Please don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do @DavecUK I am quite able to make my own mind up!
> 
> (edit to add that I fail to see what being a forum mod has to do with how I view things!)


 I believe encouraging forum trolling by posting a like isn't the example a moderator should set..... You are entitled to view things how you like and you obviously liked Nikkos post. As for telling you what to do, far from it...I just expressed my disappointment because I used to think highly of you.

If you want to carry on liking his trolling posts, then that positive reinforcement might be the way the forum ends up going. I'm not sure that's what people would want.

Anyway, I have another video to edit (well actually just add a title screen and post) for the cheaper hand grinder. A little more information for a couple of people to chew over.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

kruzilla said:


> Can't we all just get along?
> 
> @DavecUK Can't wait to see what you think of 1z's! Where can I see your video of the JX-Pro?


 I'd love to, but excocets keep coming my way.

The video is where most other videos are found on the web......


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## kruzilla (Sep 6, 2017)

Found it. Had to look up "exocets", too, while I was at it.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

kruzilla said:


> Found it. Had to look up "exocets", too, while I was at it.


 I think I spelled it right....something to do with Falklands


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## kruzilla (Sep 6, 2017)

You did.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Well I've now tried the cheaper one and uploaded a little comparison between the two....."you pays yer money and you takes your choice". I don't know exactly what they cost, or when they will be in stock at BB. Of course you might well find them at another retailer in the UK or EU (as we have not left yet).

Note: I have only tested for espresso....I'm going to try and persuade Mark Burness to help me test for pour over (best guy I know to do that) if I have not had to return the grinders before I see him next. I've no reason to believe it won't be fine for pour over, but I trust Marks judgment more than my own in that area..


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Well I've now tried the cheaper one and uploaded a little comparison between the two....."you pays yer money and you takes your choice". I don't know exactly what they cost, or when they will be in stock at BB. Of course you might well find them at another retailer in the UK or EU (as we have not left yet).
> Note: I have only tested for espresso....I'm going to try and persuade Mark Burness to help me test for pour over (best guy I know to do that) if I have not had to return the grinders before I see him next. I've no reason to believe it won't be fine for pour over, but I trust Marks judgment more than my own in that area..


Would be good if you can get some comparison with other hand grinder too. If I were to get a hand grinder it'd be for other methods (mainly Syphon or aeropress in my case) but would be handy to be espresso capable as an emergency backup.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> Would be good if you can get some comparison with other hand grinder too. If I were to get a hand grinder it'd be for other methods (mainly Syphon or aeropress in my case) but would be handy to be espresso capable as an emergency backup.


 *I'd be happy to do that if someone wants to send me some hand grinders of comparable value. As long as they pay the costs of sending them to me and arrange the collection after review, no problem*. As I am not a business, don't monetise my channels, use affiliate links, patreon or charge for the work in any way, I can't afford to go and purchase a number of expensive hand grinders to "try them out", it would cost me personally "600+ to try out 4-6 comparable grinders.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> *I'd be happy to do that if someone wants to send me some hand grinders of comparable value. As long as they pay the costs of sending them to me and arrange the collection after review, no problem*. As I am not a business, don't monetise my channels, use affiliate links, patreon or charge for the work in any way, I can't afford to go and purchase a number of expensive hand grinders to "try them out", it would cost me personally "600+ to try out 4-6 comparable grinders.


Was hoping@MWJB may have some to compare against. Wouldn't expect anybody to buy several grinders just to review.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> Was hoping@MWJB may have some to compare against. Wouldn't expect anybody to buy several grinders just to review.


 The exact reason why I am trying to persuade Mark to help me, is because I have noticed he has many hand grinders. So if he tries them, he will be able to have the exact perspective you would find useful. Far better than even me doing the testing.

Note: for full disclosure: I have on occasion dropped Mark in a free bag of coffee for his help. This was in no way an incentive, was always given after the event and was green coffee purchased with my own personal money (roasted by me) and not funded (or given free) by any retailer or person/entity that might benefit from a positive or negative review. It was also not to promote my roasting business because I don't have a roasting business. It was simply to say thanks for helping me....whether the result was positive or negative. I also like to count him as a friend.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

ashcroc said:


> Was hoping@MWJB may have some to compare against. Wouldn't expect anybody to buy several grinders just to review.


 I have a few to compare to, sure. However, it's the way of these things that models get upgraded/altered from time to time, so I might not have a bunch that are available new nowadays, but likely enough to determine baseline performance.

Porlex, Rhino, Hario Slim, Zass Panama, Zass Quito, Lido 1, Lido 2 early with Italmill burrs, Lido E, Feldgrind V1.


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

I'm not unsympathetic to the why, but it is tedious that every other thread gets reduced to the same thing.

That's all I'll say... Except to add that I still miss my Kinu m47. I do not miss hand grinding. Rock and hard place.


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

Just found this gem on the 1Zpresso website ?


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## Junglebert (Jan 7, 2019)

catpuccino said:


> Just found this gem on the 1Zpresso website ?
> 
> View attachment 33806


 I doubt that'd have enough torque to work, when I did something similar with my Porlex nothing short of a decent proper drill worked, nothing that small.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

catpuccino said:


> Just found this gem on the 1Zpresso website ?
> 
> View attachment 33806


 Do you know the very sad thing about that gem..I actually believed the old shite on the 1Zpresso website and apparently you need their adaptor...which you don't. However, when I write up the very Mini review on the word press site, I was going to include this because I was fecked off.

I went and purchased (in the interests of science) almost exactly that small device (electric screwdriver). Now I do have big many more powerful cordless drill screwdrivers...but nope I would go out and buy a similar looking device and try it. Did it work....did it hell. No way would something like that have the power to run the grinder. My larger devices would but the torque would make it unpleasant to use and hard to hold. I almost wanted to send 1Zpresso a bill for my wasted, unneeded purchase. On reflection, I should have known better than to believe manufacturers guff.

So..............NO THAT DOESN'T WORK!!! (except in China obviously)










Of course as someone obviously find it humorous  I feel I should make the point I didn't really believe it would work...but If I didn't try it some youtuber with his hat on backwards would have said "yeah well it works as an electric grinder, why didn't you test it"...so I felt obliged for all the eco warriors with their hats on backwards to take one for the team.

I'd love one as a present (hand grinder), but more for putting on the shelf than the work of using it...because I really am lazy. If they had not invented a TV remote, I'd have stopped watching telly by now!


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10uJTtegJU6POToYPhRiT0zN4x_cPKndc/view?usp=drivesdk

Shitty Mini Hario, proper mini drill. Works.
Enjoyed a nice V60 brew from results, yummy!


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

I've found most of the effort from hand grinding is holding the grinder rather than turning the crank so have never really seen the point of a drill unless you bolt the grinder down of course.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Do you know the very sad thing about that gem..I actually believed the old shite on the 1Zpresso website and apparently you need their adaptor...which you don't. However, when I write up the very Mini review on the word press site, I was going to include this because I was fecked off.
> I went and purchased (in the interests of science) almost exactly that small device (electric screwdriver). Now I do have big many more powerful cordless drill screwdrivers...but nope I would go out and buy a similar looking device and try it. Did it work....did it hell. No way would something like that have the power to run the grinder. My larger devices would but the torque would make it unpleasant to use and hard to hold. I almost wanted to send 1Zpresso a bill for my wasted, unneeded purchase. On reflection, I should have known better than to believe manufacturers guff.
> So..............NO THAT DOESN'T WORK!!! (except in China obviously)
> 
> ...


In theory all it needs is a gearbox between the electric screwdriver & the grinder. It might take half an hour to grind 18g of beans mind.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Hasi said:


> https://drive.google.com/file/d/10uJTtegJU6POToYPhRiT0zN4x_cPKndc/view?usp=drivesdk
> 
> Shitty Mini Hario, proper mini drill. Works.
> Enjoyed a nice V60 brew from results, yummy!


& a light to see when all the beans have gone through to boot!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> In theory all it needs is a gearbox between the electric screwdriver & the grinder. It might take half an hour to grind 18g of beans mind.


 Perhaps, I tried it for espresso but the screwdriver is all charged for a test with Mark next Wednesday where we will do pour over. Perhaps it will have an easier time. I tried to get something very similar to what the showed in their site.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Rob1 said:


> I've found most of the effort from hand grinding is holding the grinder rather than turning the crank so have never really seen the point of a drill unless you bolt the grinder down of course.


same here! as far as hand cranking goes. however, in my above test scenario I could get an idea of how much of a difference it makes to have a uniform delivery of power over the whole range of motion. Makes it really easy to keep grinder steady.

In the end of the day I don't believe I'll do too much hand drill powered grinding, but might be an option to save space and weight in a future camper van (where tools come in handy, anyways)


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Here's two videos of Kitt from the Hoff.. (er.. similarities between this and Knightrider end here)

Cheap Hand Grinders..






Reviews are subjective of course. No good telling a vegan how good a sirloin steak tastes, or a smoker what fresh air smells like. YMMV.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Rhys said:


> Here's two videos of Kitt from the Hoff.. (er.. similarities between this and Knightrider end here)
> Cheap Hand Grinders..
> 
> 
> ...


Think it was a bit mean of him to complain about the capacity of the porlex mini & the aergrind since they've both been designed to fit in an aeropress.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> Think it was a bit mean of him to complain about the capacity of the porlex mini & the aergrind since they've both been designed to fit in an aeropress.


 I don't think it's a big issue just to add some more beans is it?


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## Nomadbrew (Nov 14, 2019)

I really appreciate your time and effort to write about your personal experience , I have already made a purchase for comandandte , but I also like to keep discovering new grinders and this one definitely will be on my testing list !

Thanks again !


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Nomadbrew said:


> I really appreciate your time and effort to write about your personal experience , I have already made a purchase for comandandte , but I also like to keep discovering new grinders and this one definitely will be on my testing list !
> 
> Thanks again !


 Thank you, it also seems you get it...it's about my personal experience. I don't know about it's competitors because I have not reviewed them. Also unlike many reviewers, I review what I like or what's interesting. If something is not good, I loose any interest in making videos, taking photos or writing about it. Although if someone on here mentions buying one of the many horrible things I've tested...I would try and indicate that a better purchase may be available, or to rethink it. e.g. Nitroaster (or whatever it's called now).... , Jura BTC machines etc..

I did watch the Hoffs review of the ultimate hand grinders...based on that, I suppose these don't do badly at all....the difference is I try and show the process end to end unedited that a new user of the grinder would probably experience. Makes for boring viewing...but I feel more comfortable people basing a decision on seeing it all.

One thing people didn't notice, but I found out after opening the cheaper grinder..BB had mixed up the grind handles and swapped them over...it's why one fell off when tapped the grinder to loosen the grinds...almost want to redo the vids, but can't be bothered....shhh!


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