I recently upgraded from the pressurized to the unpressurized portafilter on my Gaggia Color in an effort to get real espresso. At first, it was a disaster. I was using a very used Capresso 550 burr grinder, and I realized it wasn't grinding fine enough. I bought a Hario Mini Slim hand grinder - and what a difference a grinder makes! I can't even put into words the overnight change that took place when I switched grinders. I went from weak, watery, sour espresso with no crema to a decently full-tasting shot with lots of great crema.

That being said, for those of you familiar with manual grinders, what do I need to do to keep it in good working condition? I've heard that the consistency could drop off unless I keep it in good shape.

I'm on the hunt for the right electric grinder, but am making due manually for the time being. Thanks for the help.

Don't drop the ceramic burrs and be careful that the handle is fitting level on the shaft when grinding to prevent deforming the handle key where it fits the shaft. I started with a similar grinder, a Kyocera CM-45 CF and most of the upkeep was taking out and washing the burrs each week or whenever they started to smell like an ashtray and watching for wear on the handle and the plastic grind adjustment bits. Unfortunately, I had to replace the handle, the cap, the grind adjustment bits, and even the burrs when i dropped them in the sink while cleaning and broke them and I ended up putting more money into this grinder than going with a Lido would have cost me in the first place (had it been around back then).