Perfect timing. Needed an inexpensive grinder for drip/press for my office. Ordered from Barismo today.
Thanks Ryan.

Does anyone have an estimate of how much time it takes to grind enough coffee for 2 French press-style cups of coffee?

Hi folks, first post for me. Just got a lever machine and want a manual grinder. Interested in the Antique Arcade cast iron wall mount coffee grinders. Any thoughts on these? Thanks.

I ordered a Hario grinder from barismo a few weeks ago. It produces a very consistent grind. However, it is pretty much unusable for me for espresso since the adjustments are too broad (any espresso grinder worth a darn needs to be able to be finely tuned). If there is a way to modify it (that I can't think of), it would be perfect for me and my lever. As it is, I use a PeDe from the '50s.

We've discussed a lot about hand grinders on the HandJive thread. Good ones work really well for espresso, and in my opinion they are good compliments for lever machines. I just pulled two great shots on my Caravel with a 50 year old grinder, and I'm able to make adjustments in minute increments to get the pressure just so.

PC

So what's the verdict on the hand grinder from Barismo (the Hario?)? Not espresso worthy but good for press, drip, and others?

But why not get one that DOES work for espresso also. You can PM me if you'd like.

PC

peacecup wrote:But why not get one that DOES work for espresso also. You can PM me if you'd like.

PC

In this case I have a friend who's getting into coffee looking for a hand grinder (and I'm sticking with my electric one for now). He's leaning towards a hand grinder based on price, and I think I've convinced him to go for one of the grinders on Orphan Espresso that are rated suitable for Espresso (he's starting with French Press and possibly moving to espresso later). Any idea if those grinders would be good for any brewing method?

Yes, a single hand grinder can be generally used for the entire grind range, from boiled in a pan to espresso...it is that top end of fineness for espresso that it a bit of a rarity, some grinders by design and others by wear of the bearings and burrs. The Hario grinder, at least logically would be designed for the Japanese taste in coffee brewing methods, which to the mass market is drip or vac, just as the American grinders (Arcade) were designed for the American market tastes, boiled until the electric age and then percolator. The Italian manufacturer was generally not geared to espresso with the finest stepped setting giving a good grind for Moka pot...once again market tastes, since in Italy one went out for crema caffe and had stovetop espresso at home. British, ditto....much of the grinder design in any one country is directly related to the predominant cultural brewing method....witness Turkish grinders and Turkish coffee. From what I can get a feeling for, the Germans had a very adventurous approach to Kaffe, and the Mocca grinders were actually produced to fill the market demand for something akin to Turkish coffee, but being practical sorts made grinders for the full range, or were just driven to perfection of the burr and box and it all worked out that they made some of the best all purpose mills.....and the German manufacture has always been very export oriented, so they really went all out to meet all of the various grinder needs for whatever cultural market. Just my opinion.
Hand grinders is a very big topic to me, lots of angles and considerations, but a grinder with a sweet sounding crunch, nice and low voiced, with no squeaks or gnashing metal to metal noise (kind of a common sound on the cheaper now made in China grinders), well, few people in the office should mind.

My grinder did arrive from Italy on the 2nd and was shipped to my home. unfortunately I am in Philly so it will have to sit for a week before I get a chance to look at it. I am out on business for two weeks so I will see it next weekend.