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| Grinders under $180 |
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| A look at grinders in the $80 to $180 price range. |
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Although there are many grinders on the market today, EspressoPeople has been very careful to only offer what we believe are the best models for the money. The grinders listed in each of our major categories, including this one offer very good performance and reliability, vis a vis their price. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for, and our goal is to make sure you get everything possible at your budget point.
EspressoPeople carries three grinders in the under $180 range, including two models from Baratza and one model from Saeco. These models represent the next level of durability and performance and they are quite capable of grinding coffee beans for almost any brewing method.
The Saeco MC2002 Burr Coffee Grinder is an excellent grinder that has been around a while. This is a good thing - grinders that have been on market for a while usually have that status because they've developed a good reputation for longevity and durability. The Saeco MC2002 features a heavy duty motor and a solid housing. Its flat burr grinding disks are much closer to those in the over $200 category than those in the under $80 category, with better quality metal and a more intricate teeth pattern. The burrs in the Saeco can also be easily replaced when they wear out, something that cannot be easily done in the Capresso and la Pavoni grinders in our under $80 price range (contact EspressoPeople at 1-888-280-8584 to order replacement burrs for the Saeco).
The Saeco MC2002 has a manual on and off switch in lieu of a timer, which means you grind the volume you want, then shut the machine off. Most commercial grinders also feature this method of operating the device, because it allows precise control over the volume of grinds. You do, however, give up the convenience of a set-and-forget timer that will shut off automatically.
While not sold any longer by Saeco, the MC2002 used to have an interchangeable doser to go with the built in grinds catcher hopper the current models have. Saeco discontinued this doser because too many stray grinds would fly about through gaps in the housing, but from time to time these dosing chambers show up on auction sites and closeouts. If you're lucky to find one, you can have the best of both worlds - a grinds catching hopper to spoon out precise measurements of ground coffee, or a dosing lever model, which can dose directly into a portafilter. EspressoPeople does not sell this doser chamber, but we provide this information to you so you can seek one out if you really prefer the "dosing mentality" that most espresso aficionados enjoy.
The Baratza grinders we sell offer very good durability and quality, and feature conical burrs that rotate at slower speeds than flat burr grinders, yet grind much quicker. This is due to the larger overall cutting surface that conical burr grinders offer.
Both Baratza models under $180 were designed with versatility in mind for the dispensing of grinds. The Maestro allows you to easily put a portafilter under the grinds exit chute, and thanks to the positioning of a microswitch button, you can grind one handed - holding your portafilter in one hand and using your thumb to press the grind activation button on the front of the unit. The Maestro Plus also offers a mechanical timer function that allows you to preset the volume of grinds, walk away, and the machine will shut off once the timer has counted down. The microswitch on the Maestro allows the same kind of "on / off" switch that the Saeco MC2002 offers - press the button and as long as you hold it, the grinder will operate.
The motor on the Maestro is much quieter than older models, thanks to improvements in the motor housing and sound reduction design of the product. The motor speed has been reduced on the Maestro, and a much more intelligent gear reduction system gives the grinder excellent torque. All of this adds up to a grinder that can handle very heavy loads without reducing the actual speed that the burrs spin at. This is a great improvement that leads to more consistent grinds. The reduced motor speeds also help to reduce static and coffee dust that often causes coffee grounds to jump about, onto the counter, onto the machine's surfaces, and onto you hands.
The grinding range of the Baratza grinders has been expanded by as much as 50% or more when compared to other grinders in this class, which means the Maestro models are probably the only sub $140 grinders today that can produce a fine Turkish grind or a very even press pot grind, right out of the box. With other grinders, you often have to partially disassemble the devices, change the grind plate positions, and reassemble to change the grinding range to an overall finer or coarser setting. This also, in most cases, voids your product warranty.
All three grinders in this price range offer excellent value for the money. All three grinders are suitable as a general purpose grinder. The Saeco MC2002 can handle any grind from espresso to medium-coarse with ease. The Maestro and Maestro Plus are the best of the bunch, handling anything from Turkish to medium coarse for press pots, with aplomb.
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| Other Sections of this Guide |
| Do I Need A Grinder? |
Espresso People believes that the grinder is one of the most important quality coffee purchases you can make. Find out why. |
| Different Grinds |
Grinding for coffee is not absolute; a french press requires a different grind when compared to espresso. Find out about it all. |
| Grinders under $80 |
We present an in-depth, objective look at the grinders we carry in the under-$80 price range. |
| Grinders Over $200 |
An objective and fair look at some of the best consumer and prosumer grinders available today. |
| EP Recommends |
Here's our top picks for grinders in all the available price ranges, and our reasons for choosing them. |
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