If you don't want to be heard then hand grinding is the only option at work. Lido 2 is great according to everyone that owns one. However, seems like budget may be an issue and if you want to save some money for the better home grinder you can get away with a Porlex Tall/Mini or Hario Slim/Skerton. Before I get blasted for this I am considering the fact that you are currently using stale pre ground coffee and still liking it. I use a Porlex and Aeropress with fresh beans when travelling and its still considerably better than anything I can buy most of the time.

As for the home option I do think that you should at least consider the Preciso or Vario if you intend to get into espresso in the future. The Vario does work better as a brew grinder though but only if you choose the steel burr option otherwise the default is the ceramic burrs mainly used for espresso. Keep in mind you can't use the steel burrs for espresso. However, if you are going to use the grinder for brew only I would also recommend the Breville Smart grinder (can be bought relatively cheap) as it works great as a brew grinder. It is aesthetically pleasing, has many features and very easy to use. I would choose it over the Encore any day. Some say you can use it for espresso but most don't recommend it.

Since most of my coffee brewing and drinking is done at work, the Lido 2 will be my choice for work. For home, I'm in the process of finding an "inexpensive" and.or refurbished Preciso. Unfortunately, Baratza hasn't had Preciso refurbs in their online store for weeks. I guess I'll just keep on visiting their site.

OK. I bought a refurbished Preciso for home use, and my wife is making me send it back - no counter space in her kitchen domain, and "not needed" according to her. Arguing is simple not worth the fight (she wants coffee immediately when she wakes up and isn't a connoisseur). Besides, when I'm back teaching most of my coffee is brewed at work (school). So, we'll drink pre-ground coffee at home; at least we're using local coffee roasters and the CCD - moving away from Keurig.

After this emphatic reaction to the Preciso, I immediately went online to purchase the Lido 2. However, it's now delayed until September - Ugh! I'm really wanting a grinder now. I've thought about keeping the Preciso for my office, but I don't want to turn my office into a cafe, and the grinder noise would be irksome to students/staff, even with my door closed. Besides, I'd have to haul the machine from my credenza every time I'd want to use it. A manual grinder simply makes more sense.

I want a quality grinder for CCD and the Aeropress. I don't want the Hario. Should I wait for the Lido 2, or is there a comparable hand grinder that's available for purchase now? I'm now starting to look at the Roscoe grinder, but it's expensive! Thoughts? Ideas?

Couples therapy? Could you keep the Preciso in a cabinet, bring it out for your morning coffee, and sell it when you get a LIDO for the office? Can the Preciso live in the garage or will you have to live there with it?

There are no hard feelings between my wife and me. It's just that here primary interest in coffee is the morning caffeine. And the kitchen really IS her domain. I'm sure that if I pushed I could keep the Preciso hidden away somewhere, but for my coffee needs (wants), I think a manual grinder would satisfy my needs without infringing upon hers. I could use the manual grinder at work and bring it home on weekends. Since I drink at most two cups of coffee/day, the "grind" of the manual grinder shouldn't be too bothersome.

My "big" disappointment is that the Lido 2 won't be available until September. Is the Lido 2 the best buy for my needs, or is there something else?

The couples therapy wasn't a serious suggestion if course. Sorry if it seemed otherwise. I don't know if the LIDO 2 will meet your needs. I really like mine and feel I got my money's worth. It grinds fast and grind quality is very good.

No problem. I understood the "couples therapy" was a tongue in cheek comment. I could probably keep the Preciso, but I tend to feel a good manual grinder will satisfy my needs - though I don't have the experience to really know. I could keep the Preciso and use it at work, but it's not very stealth, whereas a manual grinder and Aeropress can be hidden away in a drawer.

What do you mean by, "I don't know if the LIDO 2 will meet your needs?"

wacomme wrote:What do you mean by, "I don't know if the LIDO 2 will meet your needs?"

No real concerns. You asked the question again yourself when it seems you've decided on a LIDO. You won't go wrong buying one.

Just wondering if I should consider the Hausgrind or Rosco instead of the Lido 2?

^^^ Sounds like you already are! You could get either before September, I believe. The hausgrind would cost significantly less than the Rosco. See other threads for summaries of the [mostly ergonomic/build-oriented] differences between these three.