The Sette 270 is definitely a grinder I think you should have on your shortlist if you're looking at the entry to mid price range and if you're looking for a grinder for espresso and/or pourover, and if you've read negatives about this grinder or if you have a negative impression of it for some reason, I'd highly recommend reading below about the changes Baratza have made to this grinder. Features: The sound of the burrs touching while spinning is unmistakable. It’s a high-pitched metallic “chirp” plainly audible over the sound of the MDF motor. You could single dose, and if you're single dosing (just throwing in the beans you're about to use) then you'll probably be fine adjusting the grind both ways while it isn't running, in which case two hands should suffice. If you're willing to pay the price mainly for the DeLonghi brand name and to have a grinder that matches the looks of your espresso machine, then that's fine, but if you're just shopping based on performance and durability, personally I'd recommend the Wilfa Svart, or the Gaggia MD15 if you're considering switching over to traditional baskets. This is the latest “Zero” option from Eureka, and while the Oro Zero (below) is the zero retention version of the Mignon XL with the bigger, “diamond inside” burrs, this is the Zero retention single doser version of the Mignon Specialita, and at the price point they've set it at, I think it's a very interesting alternative to the Niche Zero.

Espresso, Espresso Lungo, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Americano, Milk Froth, Ristretto, Caffe Crema, Cafe Au Lait, Hot Water The Svart is not one for espresso with standard baskets, by the way, if that's what you're hoping to grind for, look at the Gaggia MD15 below. Why? Because it is at this stage where you truly can make or break the quality of your cup of coffee or espresso shot.The Encore has 40 grind settings, and it'll do fine for brew methods, however, if you're looking for a grinder for espresso, the Encore won't quite get fine enough for espresso with standard filter baskets. Anyway, I'm a big fan of the Mignon Specialita, and there's very little I don't like about it. The only thing I can think of, if you were pushing me for any criticism, would be that although the grind adjustment is infinite, the numbers are far apart. There are 10 settings on the adjustment wheel (0-5 with half step increments), but if you're grinding for anything other than espresso you may end up going over a full revolution of the wheel and being at 0 again with no reference to tell you that.

As you'll know if you read my original Gaggia classic review, or have watched any of my videos this machine, I'm really fond of the Gaggia Classic – as many people are. The original Gaggia classic has been one of the most popular home espresso machines, particularly among home baristas, since its release in 1991. The design of the new filter-holder ensures an even tamping as, when put on a flat surface, it stays in a horizontal position. Moreover, it has an ergonomic handle with a premium touch & feel. Solid materials and With pressured (or Dual-Walled baskets, as Sage calls them) baskets, I got the kind of espresso I'd expect from pressurized baskets. So if you're using a budget espresso machine that comes with pressured baskets, as many of them do, then you should find the Krups grinders, and the De'Longhi KG79 is fine – but I wouldn't expect to get fine enough to use with standard baskets. So if you're looking for the cheapest grinder on the market with actual burrs, this is probably it. Personally, I'd usually try to avoid the very cheapest option with whatever I'm looking at buying, if I can help it. I've found that generally speaking, the best real value tends to be somewhere towards the middle.Unlike traditional thermostats, the P.I.D. guarantees a stable temperature when coffee is brewing, and even during milk frothing.

The Gaggia Espresso series was designed with great passion in Italy, and is manufactured with care at the Gaggio Montano factory, in the province of Bologna. This gives the machine an unmistakable personality, in addition to the highest quality. These machines encapsulate the Italian soul in the production and design process, a tangible recognition of Gaggia’s quality, attention to detail and dedication. The Classic wasn't such an amazing success by mistake. There's a reason 20 old year old classics fetch more than their original RRP second hand (OK, maybe not once you take inflation into account, but still…) and this is that they're capable of such good espresso, vs cheaper domestic espresso machines, and they're built like tanks. Barista & Co have come up with a different, and quite intriguing design for this coffee grinder, with a removable grinding unit. This part can be easily removed to clean, which means it can be easily replaced too.

FAQs

The Baratza Encore is a grinder which has been around for a good few years now and is one of the most popular entry-level grinders, particularly for manual brew and for espresso with pressurized baskets. Baratza is owned by Breville, by the way (who we know as Sage, in the UK), which is only really anecdotal information as they are run as completely separate businesses. The DF64 was the first single-dose grinder on the market to give the Niche Zero (below) some competition. It's become a popular single doser, low retention grinder, and it really does have quite a lot going for it. Keep in mind that when I talk about using a portafilter, this won't go fine enough for espresso with standard baskets, but it will work fine for pressurized baskets. I did try this, and on the very finest setting, even with very dark roasted beans (which usually don't require quite as fine a grind) I wasn't able to get a shot time anywhere near what I'd be happy with. I did an experiment using a bag of whole bean coffee and a bag of the exact same coffee pre-ground, both supplied by Blue Coffee Box.

Espresso, Espresso Lungo, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Flat White, Milk Froth, Ristretto, Caffe Crema, Cafe Au Lait, Americano, Cafe Cortado, Hot Water For decades, Gaggia had the Gaggia MDF grinder, which I always thought was a bit of a funny one, as it was a grinder aimed at the domestic market but had a doser. Among coffee fans, to dose or not to dose is somewhat of a big deal, since you are choosing to either dole out your grinds in measured quantities, or not. The first thing to say about the DF64 is that it's a flat burr grinder, vs the conical burrs in the Niche Zero. The Zero has 63mm conical burrs, the DF64 has flat 64mm burrs. If you're someone who has a particular preference for flat burrs, then this may be something that draws you towards this grinder. I can't tell the difference in the cup between flat and conical, so it's not something that would make a huge difference to me personally. Locate and remove the two small Phillips head screws that fasten the faceplate to the housing at the top of the machine.My original classic is going strong, and is 2003, so 17 years old. I agree that earlier models of the classic weren’t the same, as I’ve said in this post, in previous posts and in my video review, and this came to a head with the 2015 model – but as far as I’m aware, the new machine is more or less the same as the original, I think the only major difference is the over pressure valve which isn’t the same valve which allowed the user to change the pressure.