# Grinder Advice please



## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

Although I haven't yet received my Gaggia Classic, I'm starting to worry about my grinder. I have a Krups Expert Burr Mill Coffee Grinder (GVX231) but I'm thinking I'm going to need a different one for espresso.

I can buy new although I'm going to need to keep the cost down else the little one and I shall be eating baked beans on toast until October! There's only me that drinks coffee, and I can't see me pulling more than 3 shots (double basket) a day. I don't want something with a huge hopper and it needs to be able to fit under my kitchen wall cupboards.

Some 2nd hand ones I've seen are:

Ascaso i2-steel Professional System Espresso Conical Coffee Burr Grinder

Gaggia MM Coffee Burr Grinder

LA PAVONI JOLLY DOSER BURR COFFEE GRINDER

RANCILIO MD 40 Coffee Grinder

Gaggia MDF Burr Coffee Grinder R18122/60

Dualit Black Conical Burr Coffee Grinder 75015

Cuisinart DBM8U Professional Burr Mill

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to buy something useless or find that I need to replace burrs.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

What is the budget then?


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

Avoid the Gaggia MM, Dualit and Cuisinart as they won't grind fine enough for espresso.

Ibertial MC2 is probably the cheapest entry-level espresso grinder you'll find it you're looking to buy new.

Are you planning to use the grinder just for espresso or for other brew methods too?


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

A few entry level grinders that should work for espresso:

Iberital MC2

Gaggia MDF (you may have to mod to make it stepless)

Baratza Encore - very new but apparently is ok for espresso. Don't buy a Maestro or Maestro plus - great for brewed but not for espresso.


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

I'm not looking forward to changing the steam arm on the classic so modding a grinder scares me! Budget is £200 although I can push to £250 if I use some early birthday cash. Only other method would be french press at the moment - it'll take me an age to get the hang of espresso!


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## pendragoncs (Feb 14, 2011)

Obsy said:


> I'm not looking forward to changing the steam arm on the classic so modding a grinder scares me! Budget is £200 although I can push to £250 if I use some early birthday cash. Only other method would be french press at the moment - it'll take me an age to get the hang of espresso!


I think the steam arm mod is a lot easier these days as i've seen reports that some of the arms come with the required nut. If so its a straight case of take of the old on with the new. When i did mine i had teo bend the old arm to remove the nut.


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

The Iberital MC2 is the standard starter grinder for espresso. Can't say I've used it but with the exception of it's looks, everyone says it is great for the price tag (£150ish?).

However since it's a step less grinder it'd be a pain to use for espresso as well as French press. The Baratza Encore can do both with easy adjustment between the two settings, but it gives you much less range to dial in for espresso.

£250 could maybe get you a Eureka Mignon which is good for espresso and looks the best in my opinion. That money could possibly get a second hand Mazzer but they're pig ugly.

It's a daunting choice to be sure, which comes down to what sort of drinks you want to make and whether you're approaching this as a hobby or not.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Just a warning that whatever you buy, in 6 months it will not be sufficient. You will get the upgrade bug.

The exception however might be the Eureka Mignon but I haven't had experience of this personally.

I got my second hand Mazzer for within your budget and enjoy its huge presence. You feel like you've bought a tank that grinds coffee.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Said it before , buy cheap buy twice


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

I posted this on another thread that might help with the steam wand mod



> I have just received one from myespresso. £20 all in. Ordered early in the morning and received the next day. I know this company have a bad rep, so that is the risk you take, but I had no probs and it was almost half the price of the HappyDonkey one. It does not come with the Gaggia nut and washer though, but that does not matter as you just reuse the originals. It is dead easy to replace. Here are my instructions.
> 
> 1. Remove the rubber heat guard and Silvia nut and washer from the Silvia wand.
> 
> ...


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

Obsy said:


> I'm not looking forward to changing the steam arm on the classic so modding a grinder scares me!


If you buy from Happy Donkey it comes with everything you need. Just unscrew the Gaggia wand, screw in the Silvia wand. Really, it is that simple. 2 minute job!


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## profspudhed (Mar 18, 2011)

for a budget of around 200-250 you could probably pick up a very good second hand grinder, when i was looking for one i was hoping to spend up to £150 and there seemed to be plenty of choice if you were willing to battle the auctions and be a bit patient rather than just grabbing something on buy it now (in the end i got a mazzer from my work, they didnt know what they had so happily sold it to me for £80) but im willing to bet that if you shop for a few days you could possibly pick up something like an anfim or mazzer grinder on ebay with your budget

as for the steam arm mod i dont think itll be that hard, ive only just got my classic but i gutted my old carezza which uses the same boiler and i believe steam arm attachment and it was a fairly easy process to strip it all down and rebuild it so i cant imagine the classic is too hard, and thats coming from someone who considers himself the worst mechanic in the world (i can fix anything electrical, PCs phones, tablets no problem, but if it needs a spanner ill probably find a way to break it)

oh and if youve just got or not yet got your classic then chances are itll come with pressurized filter baskets, make it priority number one to get rid of those awful things and get some proper non pressurized baskets, it really makes all the difference in the world, since i swapped mine out yesterday ive been pulling fantastic shot after fantastic shot, im now dabbling with investing in a VST basket and possibly a bottomless portafilter

oh and someone mentioned above that happy donkey do the rancilio arm but its priced at nearly £30 before postage, you can pick it up at myespresso.co.uk for only £15, im pretty sure its the same thing (ill know once mine arrives) good as happydonkey are you may as well save yourself a tenner, its a bag or two of beans if nothing else


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

My Silvia wand didn't come with the Gaggia nut so I tried various methods of getting the one off the old arm to no avail, so a hammer and some upper body strength later and it came off, although I'll never be able to use the original wand again oops! Much better results now! Bought mine from Espresso Services, was £22.74 as I've not heard good reports about myespresso but that's mainly when buying machines.

Current thinking regarding grinder is to keep Krups one for French Press as it manages that just fine and is small enough to store in a cupboard. New grinder for espresso only, stepless and doserless?


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

Stepless definitely.

As for doserless: I wouldn't pay extra for a doser model over a doserless but if your looking 2nd hand and a good doser model came up I wouldn't avoid it just because of the doser.


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## coffee_omega (May 21, 2012)

We are in stock of Baratza Encore on 04.06.12 and taking pre-orders (currently a waiting list) ONLY £119.99 + VAT

http://www.coffeeomega.co.uk



lookseehear said:


> A few entry level grinders that should work for espresso:
> 
> Iberital MC2
> 
> ...


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

Well I bit the bullet after quite a time debating different grinders, rang Bella Barista and bought the Eureka Mignon. Getting delivered tomorrow (paid extra for Saturday delivery as I can't wait until Wednesday!) Looked at others but size, needing to make mods or rearranging my kitchen to take a tank helped decide. Excited much - hopefully I'll be able to do some justice to these freshly roasted beans over the weekend!


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## reneb (Nov 2, 2011)

good choice, i bought one of these a couple of weeks ago from bella barista. i know next to nothing about grinders, but it does seem to be an excellent grinder and everyone who has one seems to rate them very highly. they are also a good, compact size and reasonably quiet, so just what i was after. anyway, i'm very pleased with mine.


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## CoffeeJohnny (Feb 28, 2011)

Very simple buy the most expensive grinder you can possibly afford, canvas opinion of course. Upgradeitis will set in if you settle for one now, and in 6- months you will be after another. I would seriously consider at least doubling your budget and have a look then in the mazzer super jolly price bracket.

I am not looking to sell you anything just want you to get the best coffee as soon as possible


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

I've spent £265 on the Eureka Mignon as I couldn't afford any more at the moment and I simply couldn't go on with the pathetic grinder I have at the moment. Unfortunately owing to the size of the Mazzers, I'd not be able to fit it in my kitchen







Even I couldn't justify moving house for a better grinder! Well not yet!


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

Well I've had the grinder for 2 days now and it's blown my mind how much difference it can make with the same beans (I had to do a comparison). Never been so happy spending lots of money on what others may call a luxury but I now know is an essential! Thanks for all the advice guys


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Yey! Another convert. Glad you're enjoying it. Now just wait til you get used to it and start to get the best out of it


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## thomss (May 9, 2011)

I bought this grinder a few days back and realllllly like it!


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

Thomss, what's your method for cleaning the grinder?


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