I'm new to manually making my coffee, coming from a Nespresso system previously. I settled on using a French Press to start.

What would be the best grinder for that? I researched it a bit, and it seems some people claim the coarser grind is not as demanding on the grinder but others claim that on coarser settings on cheaper grinders produce a mixture of large and small grinds, which ruin the flavor.

I'm thinking I should get a really cheap grinder to start, or else get a relatively good grinder that can last me a while.

1. I bought a random WMF grinder at a local store for about $47USD. The coffee I made with it hasn't tasted very good, though I'm unsure if that's due to the beans (Member's Mark Colombia Medium Roast), my technique with the French Press (followed James's advice to the T), or some other factor.

2. Option-O Lagom Mini
+ small, very pretty
+ 110v AND 220v
+ can do expressos in case I get into it?
- cannot be upgraded later (eg SSP burr)

3. Fellow Ode:
+ pretty;
+ popular, so people can consult on grind settings;
+ upgradable?
- 110v OR 220v (I may move to a different country soon, so this is a big negative for me);

4. Manual grinder: Timemore Chestnut X or 1Zpresso J Max
+ tried a hand grinder, seems fun?
+ seems to have excellent build quality
+ no power (110v/220v versions)
- novelty may wear off


What do you guys suggest? Should I stick with the cheap store bought WMF grinder, or get one of these better ones? What would I be missing/gaining?

Ian,

First of all, welcome to the forum!

Can you describe what didn't taste right with the coffee? It could be that you just don't like that particular blend. If you taste a lot of bitterness, it could be that your grinder is producing a lot of fines (small particles) along with your desired grind size. If that is the case, those fines will overextract which can make the coffee taste bitter.

Did you watch the James Hoffman video where he uses a kitchen strainer and a paper towel to kind of "clean up" coffee from a cheap blade grinder? Maybe as a test you could grind your coffee then spread it out on a paper towel to separate out some of the fines and then try your brew again. If it tastes much better after that process, then you may be on the right path towards a grinder upgrade.

If you have a local roaster nearby, you could have them grind the beans for you as a further test; assuming their grinder will be much more consistent than your WMF model.

I have one of the original Lagom Mini grinders and absolutely love it! I don't use it for espresso, but for pour-overs and Aeropress. I also have a Lido hand grinder which would be equivalent to the Timemore or 1Zpresso you mention I think. Both make equally good coffee. You'll have to decide if manual grinding will get monotonous, but a good hand grinder may be a logical next step to minimize the cost while you hone your skills.

I can't help with any input on the Ode as I've never owned / used one.

Good luck on your journey!

Josh

jrham12 wrote:Ian,

First of all, welcome to the forum!

Can you describe what didn't taste right with the coffee? It could be that you just don't like that particular blend. If you taste a lot of bitterness, it could be that your grinder is producing a lot of fines (small particles) along with your desired grind size. If that is the case, those fines will overextract which can make the coffee taste bitter.

Did you watch the James Hoffman video where he uses a kitchen strainer and a paper towel to kind of "clean up" coffee from a cheap blade grinder? Maybe as a test you could grind your coffee then spread it out on a paper towel to separate out some of the fines and then try your brew again. If it tastes much better after that process, then you may be on the right path towards a grinder upgrade.

If you have a local roaster nearby, you could have them grind the beans for you as a further test; assuming their grinder will be much more consistent than your WMF model.

I have one of the original Lagom Mini grinders and absolutely love it! I don't use it for espresso, but for pour-overs and Aeropress. I also have a Lido hand grinder which would be equivalent to the Timemore or 1Zpresso you mention I think. Both make equally good coffee. You'll have to decide if manual grinding will get monotonous, but a good hand grinder may be a logical next step to minimize the cost while you hone your skills.

I can't help with any input on the Ode as I've never owned / used one.

Good luck on your journey!

Josh

Thank you for that very detailed reply!

To be fair, my own tastes right now of good vs bad coffee is probably not very accurate. I brought three cups of my own French Press coffee to Starbucks to compare against their pour over, and to me the Starbucks option tasted considerably worse. In fact, the WMF grinder option tasted better than the hand grinder...

In terms of price, I noticed that in the USA the Lagom Mini and Timemore Chestnut X are almost comparable in price, but here the Timemore X is only about 2/3 of the Lagom Mini. I'm just thinking - if they are about equal in price in the US, and the Lagom has a lot of electrical components, then shouldn't the Timemore have superior burrs/construction?


In terms of the Lagom Mini vs hand grinders, perhaps I'm still in the honeymoon phase, but I've found it rather fun to grind coffee every day. But I'm not sure if this will last. What has been your experience?

I would start with much better coffee. That is department/grocery store coffee correct? I would maybe read through some of the coffee forums here and find some roasters that sound like you would like, and try a few of them, before upgrading any equipment. Try something light and something medium and something dark. I bet the coffee you got, even if it is listed as a medium, is likely roasted past second crack.

Ian,

Over here in the US, Members Mark is the store brand from Sam's club (a wholesale shopping club with is owned by Walmart)... Is it the same in your location? If so, I agree with Morgan (Mbbrew) that you may want to try a couple other blends from different roasters to determine what you really like before you go too much further down the upgrade path.

I don't mind hand grinding when I'm going to make a coffee; it doesn't really take much longer than using the lagom mini when grinding for drip. (Hand grinding for espresso I think does tend to get a bit monotonous simply because it is much slower than using my espresso grinder - a Lagom P64.) I usually weigh out 2 doses to grind and take to work with me so I can make my own coffee at work in an Aeropress. In the morning rush to get out the door, using the mini is just more efficient as I am getting ready.

Hope that helps! Keep us posted on what you decide!

Josh

Thanks for all your help so far, Josh. Here's what I experienced trying these grinders:


So I got the Timemore Chestnut X (in both the green & black versions), the 1zpresso J Max, and also the Timemore Chestnut Slim for comparison.

I decided not to go with the Option-o Lagom Mini mainly because (1) it seemed like fun to manually make something, and (2) I don't like any noise in the morning.

In terms of the grinders, I haven't really noticed any grinding difference. They all produce significantly fewer fine particles than my old WMF electric burr grinder, so that's good - less sludge in my French press. But I guess my palate is too far undeveloped to notice anything else.

In terms of usability, I have to say the J Max wins out, because:
(1) being able to adjust the grind size on the top is extremely convenient, and also the adjustment ring feels very well built and easy to adjust

(2) The Chestnut Slim holds far less than I anticipated, only about 21g - which even for my single dose French press is a bit insuffificnet

(3) A big usability drawback of the Chestnut X is that if you extend the telescoping arm, then it's extremely easy for it to tip over. And it's by far the heaviest, so I have this constant fear of it leaving a mark on my counter if it falls over. Perhaps this shouldn't matter so much, but the X also had the best unboxing experience. The J Max felt like a useful thing. The X felt like something Apple would've made

But at the same time, it's extremely well built. And being able to collapse it when not in use is nice (though HAVING to do it to maintain balance is somewhat inconvenient)

The first Chestnut X unit I received didn't feel very well put together. The label at the front in particular feels rough and cheap. The 2nd unit I got was much better - however, I'd still have preferred a simpler laser engraving (or no branding at all) compared to what they currently have

Perhaps this is a blasphemous, but I'm leaning towards keeping the Chestnut X based almost purely on its looks. If design were not important, I'd probably keep the J Max. The Chestnut Slim feels worse in every way than the C2 (rough exterior build quality, holding fewer beans), despite being considerably pricier than the C2.

The 1zpresso grinder in the photos appears to be the K-Max, not the J-Max.

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, and thinking about it now, I really want to wash the hand grinders. However, I noticed that online and in the instruction manual, it says not to because water may cause corrosion. Can I wash them with soapy water, and then use a hair dryer to immediately right it? Will that ruin the Chestnut X nonetheless?

I love a bit of humour, this gave me a good belly laugh....you cannot put a coffee machine in the dishwasher either...well you can, it will even come out very clean, but it's not going to work properly after.