Hi friends,

Long time reader, first time poster. Also a long time coffee drinker, but when I last moved my former roommate's espresso stuff (yeah I'm a mooch) and I parted ways, so I'm buying some of my own stuff.

I'm not a coffee fanatic, but I appreciate good coffee, especially espresso, so I'm looking for something decent. In these cash-strapped times (cliché alert) I'm also looking for something cheap.

I've been reading a lot, and there's a lot of info out there -- way too much info, but that's another story. I was geared up to buy a Capresso Infinity (the 560.01 model that's all over the web) but then I started reading about the Baratza Maestro, which seems like a better grinder, from all accounts. It also seems like a steal at the refurbished price of $63.

My setup would be this: the grinder in question, an Aeropress for the time being, and then a basic espresso machine later on down the line.

So, naturally, a few questions:

• How have people's experiences been with the refurbished version? Is it reliable? It's a significant discount, but the warranty is only 6 months (vs. 1 year) and I want to make sure I'm getting something I'll be able to use for at least two years.
• What's the appeal of the Plus version? From what I can tell, after the 2007 revamp, the regular version got all of the Plus' features (notably the 40 grind steps) minus the timer and the pulse button, which are two things I can do without.
• Assuming my budget is $100-ish, are there other grinders out there people would recommend over the Maestro?
• The Aeropress seems to incite ire in "real espresso lovers" or whatever, but it seems like the most espresso-like thing on the market that doesn't require buying a machine (which, for the time being, is out of the question, but will definitely happen in the future). What have people's experiences been with Aeropress vs. French press vs. moka pot vs. other imitation espresso? I of course fully understand that an Aeropress will be nowhere near as good as an espresso machine. You get what you pay for. When I invest in a real machine, I'll just bring the Aeropress to work or something.

Thanks everyone. I read the "best cheap grinder" threads but none of them seemed to address my #1 question, which is about people's experiences with the reliability of refurbished Maestros.

Thanks again!

Baratza is an A #1 company. No hesitation buying anything from them.

The Plus is heavier and a tad quieter. With French Press and Solis SL-90, a friend and I could not ascribe any significant taste advantage to the Plus.

applky wrote:How have people's experiences been with the refurbished version? Is it reliable?

I've had no problems at all with mine.

What's the appeal of the Plus version? From what I can tell, after the 2007 revamp, the regular version got all of the Plus' features (notably the 40 grind steps) minus the timer and the pulse button, which are two things I can do without.

Yes, the Plus gives you the timer and pulse. My non-Plus refurb had the 40-step adjuster and upgraded motor.

The Aeropress seems to incite ire in "real espresso lovers" or whatever, but it seems like the most espresso-like thing on the market that doesn't require buying a machine (which, for the time being, is out of the question, but will definitely happen in the future). What have people's experiences been with Aeropress vs. French press vs. moka pot vs. other imitation espresso?

Hmm, hard for me to say exactly. The AP makes a very tasty and smooth cup with no grounds in it (which I'm a bit sensitive to). I've not tried a side by side comparison for descriptive purposes, though.

Thanks guys. So the Maestro is the one to go with if one's budget is $100? There's nothing else I should consider? Again, I was looking at that Capresso but it looks worse in most every way.

Apparently with the Aeropress (going a bit off topic here) if you vary the ground size it affects the cup of coffee a great deal. Espresso grinds create a cup that's fruitier and smoother, hence people saying that it's like espresso lite, and apparently a coarser grind is more bitter.

my maestro plus isn't refurbished but it is 3 years old and running strong. not great for espresso but fine for your needs. i do have a refurbished virtuoso that i use for espresso and am happy with it. Baratza service is all you could ask for so i would buy from them with great confidence.
i love the aeropress. it doesn't give the sparkle and deep coffee hues of espresso but it does extract very rich, nuanced flavors from coffee. i grind my AP coffee a little coarser than espresso and add varying amounts of water depending on my mood. generally i make the equivalent of an americano. great device for home and away.

Steve

Good to know about the Maestro/Virtuoso. How long have you had the refurbished Virtuoso? Oh, and out of curiosity, on your Maestro what setting do you use for your AP?

I use a pretty fine grind for AP. The setting seems to change every time I pull the burrs for a good cleaning, but usually it's around 10.

Awesome. Much appreciated. Now I just have to wait for the Maestro to get here...