I bought my Maestro a few months back, just as I was beginning to take coffee seriously. I knew that if I was going to get the most out of my cup I would have to upgrade from my abysmal little blade grinder; however, as a college student, my budget was tight. The Maestro was the perfect fit.
The machine itself is very attractive, and has a small footprint on the counter. It's all back with a four-way on/off switch on the side that can be continuously turned in either direction. Grind adjustments are easily made by turning the hopper. Cleaning is also a breeze, as it takes ten seconds to disassemble the machine. My only complaint is that the Maestro feels a little too lightweight, as it is almost completely plastic.
As for how it performs? Well, it does a great job for any type of coffee brewing requiring a grind more course than espresso. Anything finer than that (espresso, Turkish) is unreachable. I have attempted to 'hack' the machine to grinder finer, but I'm still unable to get a grind fine enough for espresso. I have, however, heard people say that they can choke machines with a Maestro- go figure. Even so, I'm certain that the Maestro cannot make small enough and precise enough adjustments to be suitable for espresso.
When it comes to other types of brewing, however, the Maestro is superb (for its price point). I've found it to be its best, and most consistent, at the fine side of a drip grind, but it holds its own when it comes to french press. The particle size is never perfectly identical, and it gets less so at the courser settings, but it is certainly a vast step up from a whirley-blade.
As said above, static can be a slight issue, but it's never been serious enough to reconsider the machine. (Not as much of a problem as my buddy has with his Capresso Infinity)
Overall, I think the Maestro has to be the best grinder at its price point, and a necessary purchase for anyone still messing around with a blade grinder. |
