This is a low end grinder game. You arrive at your friends new retirement place in San Diego. Hasn't been properly set up and all they have is a blade grinder. You have brought three bags of your own fresh roasted coffee including Panama Elida. They want a low end proper conical grinder either retail or delivered tomorrow. Anything over the $299 Fellows will probably get an eye roll from one of them cause they aren't coffee nuts like we all our. What would you recommend? I used to say go get a Capresso Infiniti from Amazon. Anything else people would suggest? They mentioned it will get put away each day and ease of cleaning is high on the list.

Here is where you get to drink your magic.

I owned a version of this Solis grinder for 20 years, and it took a VERY long time for the burrs to finally wear out. The grinder (still operational) sits in my basement - if I could find replacement burrs, I'd gift it to someone.

https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/solis ... 1pEALw_wcB

If they're looking for a slight upgrade, I think the Baratzas are fantastic (Italian brother-in-law made both espresso and drip for years with his) and would likely be slightly better build and fitted with more grinder steps and range.

Normally I'd say Encore, but given it's for someone who isn't a coffee geek, the Capresso might be a bit more user friendly for them. Since they plan on putting it away between uses, the Capresso will fit inside a cabinet much more easily, and the timer is nice - either for dosing or just to not have to turn off the grinder when it's done grinding.

If not the ode, either the encore or breville SGP are my go-to "cheap" grinder recommendations

Is there a "no hand grinder" rule? If not, seems a 1ZPresso or Timemore fits the bill.

Maybe a Xeoleo (Fuji knock-off via Amazon)?

Given "retirement", my instinct rules out hand grinders. They would be my first choice otherwise. Very good grind quality, easy to store.

Timing rules out the Xeleo, as does the ability to easily put it in a cabinet.

I found the Virtuoso we've had for years adequate in grind quality, easy to use, and easy to tuck away.

To answer the question in the thread:
As others suggested Baratza Virtuoso or similar. If can convince your retired friends away from just conical: Ode as prior mentioned.

Just curious, have same retired friends tried your drip brew and/or espresso drinks at your home?



Obvious (to me) side note....sorry for the tangent. I know issue has been discussed in past on home-barista.
Your retired friends obviously have some wealth (e.g. nice high-rise residence, San Diego area). IMO it is shame that not many value the taste of coffee and it is does not cost more in long run. I bring this up with many of my colleagues who earn far more than me think Charbucks is the pinnacle of all things coffee. After some education from me and sampling, the ones who value great taste have made the change to independent cafes or home brew. For these I make recommendation of grinder mentioned above along with Clever Coffee Dripper. And if they are willing to put in more effort then pour -over brew.

Along this line, just because one has a lot of money does not guarantee good quality. This was a recent thread here on Home-Barista.
/cafes/is-t ... ml#p822010. I know the Old Orchard shopping area well. It is definitely at least upper-middle class. But for the entire North Shore Chicagoland (which includes Highland Park where Michael Jordan's former mansion located and also prior mentioned Old Orchard shopping mall) there are no cafes that even come close to ones in Chicago proper (e.g. Dark Matter Coffee). It is just Charbucks as overwhelming cafe choice for North Shore Chicagoland.

The same could be said for so many things in life. It's the same thing with chocolate for example. Farmers are getting paid lowly amounts in large part because people would rather pay for cheap, convenient, mostly-sugar-low-cocao-mass chocolate because they can't taste the difference, or assume they can't, or feel like it seems illogical to pay $15/bar. It's unfortunate but people value different things.