Simple entry-level burr grinder that can't be beat for the money! (if you get a good one or are comfortable with modifying it)
Positive Product Points
CHEAP! Quick, simple to use.
Negative Product Points
Cheap feel, small hopper, very loud. My followup shows that there are quality control issues.
Detailed Commentary
I bought this grinder because after 5+ years with a Braun burr grinder I just felt I needed to buy a new one. That, and it was only $24.99 at Costco... With Costco's liberal return policies I figured I couldn't go wrong. I've used it daily for 6 months now and it does a good job grinding drip coffee. I can't say how good it does for espresso but it seems like it might not be too good because the grain size is not too uniform. I think the quality of the burr is the problem - it seems to spin really fast to make up for the lack of burr quality. That alone also makes it really loud - almost too loud for a workplace environment! The one good thing I like about it is that it doesn't seem to clog, either in the hopper or the exit.
FOLLOWUP: I recently bought another one to use at home (in black, the first one was white) but returned it because it couldn't grind anywhere near as finely as my first. I bought another black one and had the same problem! I guess I can see why some people say it grinds too coarse now...there must be some serious issues with the way the hopper screws in. I tried adjusting to get the hopper to screw a little closer to the base but had no luck.
FOLLOWUP #2: I did a 'mod' to the grinder recently. I went ahead and filed down the safety stop tab on the base so now I can rotate the hopper all the way down to where the burrs touch. I found that I get a decently fine grind now but the index is 3 clicks past where the old stop tab was! I guess that would have fixed my black grinder problems as well. YMMV!
Buying Experience
Costco - they'll take a return regardless! Even several times over ;)
