Capresso 557.01 Burr Grinder, Black
From Capresso
The Capresso Black Burr Grinder is the latest creation in Capresso's line of burr grinders. The grinder features an innovative vertical design which ensures that no ground coffee remains inside the grinder after use and minimizes static. It features an insulated grinder lid that makes it the lowest noise grinder in its class.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #173855 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Brand: Capresso
- Model: 557.01
- Dimensions: 10.75" h x 5.50" w x 7.50" l,
Eh...
I've had this product for several months now. I'm actually rather disappointed. It has 17 grind selections, but we find we can only use the highest number or else the chute clogs with dust after just one or two grinds. I've been happy with that grind setting when using my French Press, but less than impressed when using it in my drip machine. There's also a static issue that drives me up the wall, making a mess every time we remove the cup to dump the grounds into the basket.
All in all, had I known these things before purchasing it... we wouldn't have spent our money. We could have stuck with a blade grinder and gotten the same quality with a lot less mess.
Inexpensive burr grinder...
A big step up over a blade grinder -- this grinder is convenient and clean. The hopper (not quite air tight, but close enough) holds several pots of beans, and the automatic grinding (the user sets the coarseness of the grind and the amount of time the grinder runs) is very convenient. My coffee does taste better, too.
The grind isn't perfect, but this is an inexpensive grinder...for use in expensive espresso pots, best to buy a higher quality grinder. I use the coarsest grind and still get some fine dust in there, but not nearly as much as with the blade grinder. The majority of the grinds are approximately the same size.
As for the "mess" - the plastic container for the grinds does have static problems. The only way to avoid this is to buy a more expensive grinder that has a glass container, afaik. I don't have a problem with it - the lid keeps the grinds in the container when removing it (unlike the blade grinder!), and I tap the side of the container to pop off the fine stuff so it can go into the pot. The container is easily rinsed if it accumulates too much dust. Cleaning the grinder is a little messier, but that doesn't need to be done often (I've had the grinder for a couple months and only cleaned it once - and it didn't really need it).
Good inexpensive grinder - you get what you pay for, frankly.
Great value for the price!!
This product replaced an Italian grinder which lasted only a few months. I have been using this product for a few weeks. I can't comment yet on reliability, but I am quite pleased with this unit so far. While made of plastic, this unit feels very solidly built. It has a small footprint, especially great if you are short on counter space. Of course, no grinder is silent. But my previous unit left my ears ringing after grinding, and it awakened my upstairs neighbors every time! This unit is very quiet by comparison. My favorite feature is the design of the cup into which the ground coffee is dispensed. A couple of taps on the side minimizes the static cling. The cup itself is smaller than the filter for my coffeemaker. So I can place it upside down over the filter basket, tap it, and most all the grounds are released directly into the filter. No mess on the counter!! Very cool!! I primarily use this product for drip coffee. But I have made espresso, as well, and the grind was just right. Highly recommended!
