Posted Wed Jul 9, 2008, 12:29pm Subject: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
The reviews cover some good compare contrast on these 2 products, but I don't think Douglas Herring's Maestro was a new 240 watt, 450rpm model. So, could I get current opinions on whether my first burr grinder should be a Baratza Maestro or a Capresso Infinity?
I brew drip, vac, and recently AeroPress. I may within the life of this grinder attempt working with a low-cost espresso machine, but it's not really in the forecast right now. Where I'm really heading is home roasting and trying to get consistent brew results before I go down that road. I think a Rocky is overkill for me at this stage.
What do you think? Which $100 grinder would you recommend starting out with?
Posted Wed Jul 9, 2008, 10:24pm Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
Hmm, tough call actually. If you swear you will never try to grind for espresso, either will do the job fine. The one possible advantage of the Maestro is the grinds bin that has an antistatic coating that really works, much better than the Infinity. The burr carrier on the Infinity however is a lot more stable and solid so will probably last longer. I think the Maestro might be slightly quieter, but not by much.
See my review of the Maestro Plus for what to expect if you do try to grind very fine, as for espresso. My friend does that daily with an Infinity and it has lasted years.
The_Shadow Senior Member Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 162 Location: North Carolina Expertise: Pro Barista
Espresso: KA Pro Line Grinder: Modified KA Pro Line Vac Pot: N/A Drip: N/A Roaster: Not Yet, Want An I-2
Posted Thu Jul 10, 2008, 5:54am Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
I can't comment on a Maestro because I've never used one. But I have been using an Infinity for espresso off/on for about 2 years now and it does work great. The burrs are machined rather nicely and have clean sharp edges. It's easy to adjust, clean, etc. There are a few issues though. If it is to be used for espresso it really needs to be vacuumed out daily or at least have 4-5 grams of beans ran through to clear out any stale grounds the next morning. After the grounds fall from the burrs they buildup on a carousel and are then sent down the chute. There will be some leftover grounds after each use because of the design. Another minor issue is there isn't alot of room for shot adjustment. You can dial it in nicely, but it is a little difficult to make tiny adjustments because of the design. I will say that you can indeed pull a nice shot with the Infinity (especially if it's all you can afford), but it may be a little more work to have the consistency we all strive for.
Alot of people say it's on par with any other $200-300 conical burr grinder, but lacks some of the refinement they offer to make it perfect for espresso. But for the money you sure won't beat it.
Posted Fri Jul 11, 2008, 6:11am Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
I can not speak for the Infinity, but I have purchased three grinders from the Baratza line (one Virtuoso for myself, one refurb Virtuoso as a gift and one refurb Maestro as a gift). I can not recommend the Baratza line enough, nor can I overstate how good their customer service is. I bought the Virtuoso for the long haul and I really liked the idea of having such a nice company to work with to back me up. If you can afford it in your budget, I would recommend a refurb Virtuoso (from $120 to $150, I think, depending on the motor). If you think of it as a 10+ year purchase/investment, a few more bucks is well worth it and then the Virtuoso vs. Infinity argument is an easy one.
As for the Maestro question, my uncles Maestro (who I bought the grinder for as a gift) was smooth running, had a solid feel and ground the beans quickly with little or no static.
Posted Sun Jul 13, 2008, 7:41am Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
Thanks for all of your feedback. I'm going to go with the Baratza Maestro. I'd have bought the Infinity this week locally, but the shop carrying them was out of stock. So, I'll try the Maestro online.
Having now digested a lot of positive and negative reviews of these entry level grinders I suspect the key for me to get an occasional espresso fine grind is going to be frequent cleaning. Hopefully I'll get a little more mileage out of it due to the 240 watt motor as well.
Pluto Senior Member Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Seattle Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic Grinder: None
Posted Sun Jul 13, 2008, 1:20pm Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
I am looking at the same two options but almost exclusively for Espresso.
I have lived so far without a grinder coping as well as I can, but am now looking to take a first step into the freshly ground espresso world. Still, I want to stay with a relatively limited investment.
Would you recommend the Baratza Maestro or the Capresso Infinity as an espresso grinder for a Gaggia Classic espresso machine?
I have never owned the Baratza Maestro grinder, but from all I have read, it's good for other coffee preparations, but not espresso.
I did own the Infinity once upon a distant time ago. The Infinity probably would be a decent espresso grinder, but the steps are too far apart and you only really get 2 settings for espresso. Not enough. You need a grinder that can zero in on a bean: finding that sweet spot where the grounds are just the right size, given whatever desired dose. The Infinity's two espresso settings often will mean choosing between choking the machine and having a shot that is too fast. It's not that this grinder is acceptable and thus saves you money. It's that it doesn't really cut it, so you should get something better now to really hone in on a bean.
Pluto Senior Member Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Seattle Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic Grinder: None
Posted Fri Jul 18, 2008, 3:06pm Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
Thanks TagTeamJesus.
It seems like I have to rethink my spending plans. I was so hoping that I would be able to find a decent alternative <$100, but that just doesn't seem to be the case...
Posted Fri Jul 18, 2008, 4:51pm Subject: Re: Maestro or Infinity for first burr?
A very wise and thoughtful decision. An espresso grinder is a thing unto itself--not simply a good quality regular grinder,that will grind pretty fine. Good luck,and may your bank account survive. Barry
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