What grinder to buy?

#1: Post by **snoordzee** » May 3rd, 2018, 9:54 am

Hi all,

I'm new to all of this. Just bought a Rancilio Silvia to try and find my way in making good coffee. I need to buy a grinder but don't want to spend a lot of money right away. So what do you ppl suggest I should buy?

Thanks a lot
Cheers
Sam

#2: Post by **liquidmetal** » May 3rd, 2018, 12:53 pm

You're only as good as your weakest link - machine and grinder go hand in hand. A Sette270 would be a great pairing for your Silvia. I have it with a Lucca M58 and it does me well. The Sette270 would be able to stick around through upgrades for you as well. I highly recommend it.

#3: Post by **redbone** » May 3rd, 2018, 1:13 pm

Since ones version of a lot of money varies, what is your grinder budget.
Have you considered used ?

#4: Post by **trapperkeeper** » May 3rd, 2018, 5:42 pm

orphan espresso pharos 2.0 for $350 is impossible to beat... used super jolly would work...

#5: Post by **BoulderGeek** » May 4th, 2018, 12:18 pm

As a former Silvia owner, I got by for years with a Baratza Encore with the Silvia. Lots of people here will make vomiting noises and declare it impossible, but it can be done. At the bottom line, you can get a Baratza Virtuoso for $185 on refurb at baratza.com.

I am making better coffee now, with a $395 (after loyalty point discount) Quamar M80. It's a currently produced version of a Fiorenzato copy of a Mazzer-type design. I'm sure someone will correct this impression. 63mm flat burrs, torquey motor, lots of metal.

If I had it to do again, though, I might go with the stepless Eureka Mignon for home. Available online for about $425 with code discounts, I suspect it might produce better grinds than the Quamar.

#6: Post by **thefundu** » May 15th, 2018, 12:20 am

I suggest to start with Baratza Encore or Baratza Virtuoso as you are new to these things. The most easiest to operate is Encore. After both of these, there is an advanced version Vario too if you are looking for something more technical, but it will be a bit difficult to use at first.

#7: Post by **mkrissel** » May 15th, 2018, 7:15 pm

I think the advice to get the Sette is smart. Going too cheap with a encore will be frustrating and you likely be looking to upgrade rather soon after; thus costing you more in the end. I tried a Baratza preciso and it was infuriating at the inconsistency. Easy enough to make it dedicated drip grinder but if money is tight, it's better to get something a little more now and save yourself the hassle.

#8: Post by **happycat** » May 15th, 2018, 11:46 pm

I found the Encore to be a headache for espresso and considered it misleading advertising. I shimmed mine and made it stepless and it still wasn't adequate for me.

I used a Pharos for a few years. Great fluffy grinds but hard on the hands with roasts that are not dark, and not especially fun to get coffee out of or adjust.

I recently got a Sette 270 and suddenly grinding for my Gaggia Classic is no big deal. 5 seconds per dose.

There are quality issues continuing around the Sette but I bought mine with my eyes open and expectations set (and with a $100 discount!)

#9: Post by **ben8jam** » May 16th, 2018, 8:46 pm

thefundu wrote:I suggest to start with Baratza Encore or Baratza Virtuoso as you are new to these things. The most easiest to operate is Encore. After both of these, there is an advanced version Vario too if you are looking for something more technical, but it will be a bit difficult to use at first.

Don't waste you time with this. I've been down this path. Silvia + Virtuoso -> Preciso -> Vario -> Sette.

The virtuoso doesn't have a micro adjustment and you'll be stuck between large steps of grinds.

The Vario is very inconsistent and requires pulling it apart to flip the chute to reduce clumping, and even then your shots will vary daily. The Vario is also more expensive than the Sette 270. The Sette, considering the price, is pretty amazing. It's taken some time but i'm getting really good shots now on the Sette. It's no titan, but I also need to do a side by side with a titan and Sette to really see how much it lacks.

I know the Sette is more than a Virtuoso, but the $100 difference is well worth saving the doctors bill on banging your head against the wall. Just my two cents.

#10: Post by **erik82** » May 17th, 2018, 1:23 am

Just skip the encore and it's horrible at doing espresso. The Virtuoso is a bit better but still not good enough. Invest a bit more in a grinder you'll be happy with for more then 2-3 months. A Sette will be a big step up but I have some doubt about it due to all the problems but these problems are much worse with the encore and Virtuoso.

Buying a 2.0 Pharos or second hand Super Jolly will give you great results and a grinder that will last 20 years.