# Are you using a Bambino Plus with Smart Grinder Pro - how’s it going?



## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

I’m considering buying a Bambino Plus and a Smart Grinder Pro?
How is your experience with that? Is the grind fine enough? Any other issues?
Thanks


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Hi, just ordered a Sage Bambino Plus with a separate grinder also on order. I was looking at the Sage Grinder Pro but some have said that the grinder is more important than the espresso machine. I did quite a bit of reading on here and went for a different grinder over the SGP. Good luck with your decision. 
Cheers G.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

Hi G - what did you order? I’ve been vacillating between electric (SGP is the current contender) and manual (1zpress JX-Pro under consideration).


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Ordered a Eureka Mignon Specialita. This completely blew my budget 😆. Took me several days to confess to my wife haha. Again, loads of stuff on here to read and help with your decision. I looked at where I might be in the future and what I would want to upgrade. Decided that I would go for the best grinder I could afford in the hope I would only need to upgrade the espresso machine. Will see how that pans out!!!


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## Jonathon White (Dec 7, 2021)

grahams999tle said:


> Ordered a Eureka Mignon Specialita. This completely blew my budget 😆. Took me several days to confess to my wife haha. Again, loads of stuff on here to read and help with your decision. I looked at where I might be in the future and what I would want to upgrade. Decided that I would go for the best grinder I could afford in the hope I would only need to upgrade the espresso machine. Will see how that pans out!!!


Good choice with the grinder. Let’s hope the burrs are ok on it. If they are it’s one belting machine. If like my one the burrs are so out and need new ones then you will struggle. The sage pro would have been a bad move.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

Jonathon White said:


> The sage pro would have been a bad move.


Why is that, Jonathon? I can’t/won’t spend £400 on s grinder. What would you recommend i buy to accompany a Bambino Plus that would also ‘do’ for Aeropress, V60 and - occasionally- French Press? Thanks


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Big Denzil III said:


> Why is that, Jonathon? I can’t/won’t spend £400 on s grinder. What would Toy recommend i but to accompany a Bambino Plus that would also ‘do’ for Aeropress, V60 and - occasionally- French Press? Thanks


Have a look on coffeeblog.co.uk, a chap called Kev has done a blog and YouTube review of the SGP. He says that if you are looking for a grinder that can (relatively) easily be changed from an espresso grind to a coarser grind for other brew types, the SGP fits the bill. I am only looking for espresso grinds so didn't need the SGP range/convenience.
Also if you are looking at Sage, he has a discount code available


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

yep. Seen it, got the code. kev seems to work down the road from me. His reviews are sorta persuading me -> SGP. Just wondered why you were against it.


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Big Denzil III said:


> yep. Seen it, got the code. kev seems to work down the road from me. His reviews are sorta persuading me -> SGP. Just wondered why you were against it.


Wow, you are not far from me either then!
Was all for the SGP initially. Especially with Kev's code and Klarna interest free over 3 months, doesn't make sense to buy in one lump lol. Did a lot of reading on here as well as a lot of internet and YouTube time. Consensus was "go for the best grinder you can get". More internet/YouTube narrowed down to the Eureka Mignon Specialita. Found one with a supplier that also does Klarna. Man maths came into play (plus a little alcohol) boom, two clicks and I had a Sage Bambino Plus and a Eureka Mignon Plus winging their way to my front door


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Big Denzil III said:


> yep. Seen it, got the code. kev seems to work down the road from me. His reviews are sorta persuading me -> SGP. Just wondered why you were against it.


Oh and I only want/need espresso grinds, so don't need the SGP ability to move easily between espresso and other brew grinds.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

grahams999tle said:


> Oh and I only want/need espresso grinds, so don't need the SGP ability to move easily between espresso and other brew grinds.


Very cool. I’m in Sth Mcr. Enjoy your machines. I’m still thinking on


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## Jonathon White (Dec 7, 2021)

Big Denzil III said:


> Why is that, Jonathon? I can’t/won’t spend £400 on s grinder. What would you recommend i buy to accompany a Bambino Plus that would also ‘do’ for Aeropress, V60 and - occasionally- French Press? Thanks


My adventure with the sage pro was a long long trial. Firstly the retention for espresso is fairly high so I would waist a few grams every morning just doing a blind grind to get fresh in the grinder. The noise. Ahhhh. Wakes the house up. Now for the grind. Your better with the darker roast beans as you will be at the bottom end of the grind setting and I mean bottom. To get the fine tune on the grind is a pain as it’s under the hopper and part of the upper burrs side if you have any beans in the grinder you will need to turn it upside down to empty everything. Once you have you perfect setting you will only have it for a few grindings then you will probably loose it and go through it all again. It will do you ok for filter but espresso it will do it but it’s such a pain. Also give it a really good clean once a week. Oh and if you get a hard bean in it that will be a re set on the settings. This was such a trial to me. Others may find it ok but it could put you off straight away. If I was starting again I would have just gone down the hand grinding if it’s about cost. Like I said this is how my experience went.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

Jonathon White said:


> My adventure with the sage pro was a long long trial. Firstly the retention for espresso is fairly high so I would waist a few grams every morning just doing a blind grind to get fresh in the grinder. The noise. Ahhhh. Wakes the house up. Now for the grind. Your better with the darker roast beans as you will be at the bottom end of the grind setting and I mean bottom. To get the fine tune on the grind is a pain as it’s under the hopper and part of the upper burrs side if you have any beans in the grinder you will need to turn it upside down to empty everything. Once you have you perfect setting you will only have it for a few grindings then you will probably loose it and go through it all again. It will do you ok for filter but espresso it will do it but it’s such a pain. Also give it a really good clean once a week. Oh and if you get a hard bean in it that will be a re set on the settings. This was such a trial to me. Others may find it ok but it could put you off straight away. If I was starting again I would have just gone down the hand grinding if it’s about cost. Like I said this is how my experience went.


Thanks, Jonathon. I’ll give this some more thought. Are you still selling your SGP (saw you mentioned it in a marketplace thread)?


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## Jonathon White (Dec 7, 2021)

Big Denzil III said:


> Thanks, Jonathon. I’ll give this some more thought. Are you still selling your SGP (saw you mentioned it in a marketplace thread)?


Sorry that had already been sold.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

The more I read about the Mignon Specialita the more I’m looking for one (secondhand)….


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Big Denzil III said:


> The more I read about the Mignon Specialita the more I’m looking for one (secondhand)….


Haha, and so it begins 🤣 😆 😄 
Based on your location, have you tried Kickback Coffee in Altrincham? It's a quirky place in an old archway under a disused railway. They also roast their own beans. I have bought a few bags. Quite liked them but have only used them in a bean to cup machine so far. Will have to drop in and get some more for the Bambino Plus 👍🏼


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

grahams999tle said:


> Haha, and so it begins 🤣 😆 😄
> Based on your location, have you tried Kickback Coffee in Altrincham? It's a quirky place in an old archway under a disused railway. They also roast their own beans. I have bought a few bags. Quite liked them but have only used them in a bean to cup machine so far. Will have to drop in and get some more for the Bambino Plus 👍🏼


Hahah, I know!! Don’t really know Alty (I’m in chorlton) but i don’t really bother with seeing out esoteric beans much!! Thanks for the suggestion though…
Mark


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## grahams999tle (8 mo ago)

Just burnt through a tin of illy that someone bought me, bedding the Mignon in (it all went down the sink and in the recycling caddy). Then made a pathetic attempt at dialing in a bag of Coffee Master's delivered overnight from Amazon. My "workflow (lol)" is all over the place. End result for tonight is the comment from my wife on an americano with a splash of warm milk - "it's the best americano I've had in a while". Result 👍🏼
Still a good way to go though.


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## Big Denzil III (8 mo ago)

grahams999tle said:


> Just burnt through a tin of illy that someone bought me, bedding the Mignon in (it all went down the sink and in the recycling caddy). Then made a pathetic attempt at dialing in a bag of Coffee Master's delivered overnight from Amazon. My "workflow (lol)" is all over the place. End result for tonight is the comment from my wife on an americano with a splash of warm milk - "it's the best americano I've had in a while". Result 👍🏼
> Still a good way to go though.


That’s a great result after an iffy start . Never had a top notch grinder. Will let you know where my random retail musings take me.


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