Decent Home Espresso Grinder With Budget < $100

February 13th, 2021, 12:27 pm

I purchased a Breville ESP8XL and a Mr. Coffee coffee grinder. The espresso comes out pretty watery if I allow the shot to run to completion, so I've taken to switching out my drink cup for a 'waste cup' about 5-6 seconds into the shot from when I begin pulling it. As you all know, this is undesirable and means that I'm going through a lot more coffee than necessary.

I asked the local coffee shop for espresso ground samples and they are much more powdery than the maximum fine setting on the Mr. Coffee grinder. I haven't pulled a shot with this powder as I just received it today and have had my coffee already, but I'm optimistic that the espresso machine will do well if I can get a good grinder.

Is there a decent espresso grinder that is not too expensive (<$100)?

Edited to add: Most folks here are stating hand grinding is the way to go. Is there a good hand grinder for home use which I can get for a reasonable price? Please leave suggestions below.

Thanks!

#2: Post by **Jeff** » February 13th, 2021, 12:43 pm

What are your goals for espresso and coffee?

With suitable hand grinders for espresso in a conventional basket starting a bit under $200 (and nothing new under $100), I think we need to explore options for meeting your coffee goals within your budget.

#3: Post by **maxbmello** » February 13th, 2021, 12:45 pm

Pretty much your only option will be a hand grinder in the $100 price limit, and even then it will be tough to find a good one. If you can increase to $200 budget, there will be more available hand grinders to suit your needs, and even the breville pro barista would be capable.

#4: Post by **MTN Gert** » February 13th, 2021, 12:54 pm

Good morning and thanks for the interesting question/ challenge. The machine model number you gave is the breville with built in grinder, is this accurate?

Most espresso heads will argue that the grinder is more important than the espresso machine. The short answer is no nothing under $100 is suited for espresso use. I started out using a capresso grinder that was $90 and it too was not ideal for espresso and it failed in a few months after being an inaccurate static mess.

There are grinders that are in the ok category for espresso such as the Baratza Forte $139 and Eureka mignon filtro $209 but outside of that you would probably be best suited to buy a mid range hand grinder in the $100 range so the money is going towards well aligned burrs and build quality over a disposable motor and buttons of a sub $100 grinder.

I would be happy send a few hand grinder options if that is what you want. For most people I would recommend saving up a little more or buying used over buying another entry level grinder. The return in investment is huge

February 13th, 2021, 2:31 pm

Jeff wrote:What are your goals for espresso and coffee?

With suitable hand grinders for espresso in a conventional basket starting a bit under $200 (and nothing new under $100), I think we need to explore options for meeting your coffee goals within your budget.

Hey Jeff,

I wanted to replace spending cash at the local coffee shop, all I do is pull the shot over ice and add a bit of milk. Maybe we can move to $200 if needed, I was really just trying to find a decent grinder for a good price.

February 13th, 2021, 2:34 pm

maxbmello wrote:Pretty much your only option will be a hand grinder in the $100 price limit, and even then it will be tough to find a good one. If you can increase to $200 budget, there will be more available hand grinders to suit your needs, and even the breville pro barista would be capable.

It looks like the Breville Pro Barista is an entire espresso machine, I'm just looking for a grinder for home use.

February 13th, 2021, 2:37 pm

MTN Gert wrote:Good morning and thanks for the interesting question/ challenge. The machine model number you gave is the breville with built in grinder, is this accurate?

Most espresso heads will argue that the grinder is more important than the espresso machine. The short answer is no nothing under $100 is suited for espresso use. I started out using a capresso grinder that was $90 and it too was not ideal for espresso and it failed in a few months after being an inaccurate static mess.

There are grinders that are in the ok category for espresso such as the Baratza Forte $139 and Eureka mignon filtro $209 but outside of that you would probably be best suited to buy a mid range hand grinder in the $100 range so the money is going towards well aligned burrs and build quality over a disposable motor and buttons of a sub $100 grinder.

I would be happy send a few hand grinder options if that is what you want. For most people I would recommend saving up a little more or buying used over buying another entry level grinder. The return in investment is huge

I actually stated the wrong model, I've updated the original post to reflect the espresso machine I have.

In terms of a hand grinder, sure! Why not leave a few here so others looking will be able to find them? I'm not opposed to hand grinding, I'm just making espresso for myself in the morning so I can put in a little manual labor.

https://clivecoffee.com/products/baratz ... DMQAvD_BwE

Is this the Baratza Forte to which you are referring? It does not appear to be manual nor suitable for espresso (french press, pour over, and drip are mentioned).

#8: Post by **Jeff** » February 13th, 2021, 2:43 pm

If your budget permits, moving to one of the espresso-proven hand grinders will likely give you the best results for the money. I can't give first-hand recommendations, but I'd explore the 1ZPresso, Commadante w/RedClix, and Kinu series as a start, from what I've read here and elsewhere. Those are the ones that were on my short list before COVID-19 put espresso at work on hold.

#9: Post by **Bluenoser** » February 13th, 2021, 2:46 pm

If your long term look is to continue to experiment with espresso, buy something you won't need to replace as your quality standards rise. I'd look at a Kinu Phoenix ($200 US, I think).. with a goal, down the road of going to something like the manual Cafelat Robot, or Flair Pro V2.. with that setup you'd make espresso that competes with $3k electric 9-bar electric machines.. (E61 HX, DB). If you want to add cappuccino making.. 'cause you can get some amazing chocolate notes, you can look at milk frothing alternatives like the nanoFoamer, or a bellman steamer..

JX-Pro and Commandante C40 have good reviews.. I've only used the Kinu and it is very nice to use.

#10: Post by **MTN Gert** » February 13th, 2021, 3:56 pm

Natethegreat wrote:I actually stated the wrong model, I've updated the original post to reflect the espresso machine I have.

In terms of a hand grinder, sure! Why not leave a few here so others looking will be able to find them? I'm not opposed to hand grinding, I'm just making espresso for myself in the morning so I can put in a little manual labor.

https://clivecoffee.com/products/baratz ... DMQAvD_BwE

Is this the Baratza Forte to which you are referring? It does not appear to be manual nor suitable for espresso (french press, pour over, and drip are mentioned).

Yes that encore is the one I was talking about and I agree that it's not meant to do espresso well but is the only grinder in the $100ish range has has any quality to it. Real espresso grinders usually start in the $250 range and skyrocket from there. My Ceado E37T had a list price of $3k.

I own the 1zpresso K-plus $259 and jts fantastic! For espresso it is only accurate to 2-3 seconds extraction time per click but that gets you pretty close, while making exceptional consistent grounds for the price range.

I would not hesitate to recommend the Jx, Jx-pro , JE, or K-pro if budget allows. The K-plus pretty much gives you accessories and a magnetic catch cup for the extra $50 over the K-pro. The JE-manual $159 is designed for the accuracy needed for espresso. I don't have anything negative to say about other grinder brands but have not seen a good argument for how they are better than the 1zpresso brand.

Looking at the Breville you chose I'm sure you will be very happy but if you outgrow it and own a machine with a non pressurized portafilter (no restrictions built in the portafilter) the coffee grounds will be the only thing slowing down water flow and you will need a quality grinder at that point with no other work around. It probably is worth investing in a grinder that you will not outgrow quickly if you really like this espresso adventure hobby.