Solis Crema Maestro Plus G385 Conical Burr Grinder
Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 May 2010 05:03 Written by bjcoffee Wednesday, 26 May 2010 05:03
The Solis Crema Maestro Plus G385 Conical Burr Grinder
But they don’t.
Reviewing the Solis Crema Maestro Plus G385 was tough because we knew the reputation going in–a pretty good grinder for a very competitive price, but it doesn’t last forever. So we set out to see how long it would last.
Our panel had mixed results. Some people still have theirs functioning well, and they say it is a great entry-level grinder. But more than half of our team within the six months experienced at least some mechanical issue. Those are not the best odds when you consider you are not saving that much over a better quality grinder.
Clean-up was very easy, and the unit was quick to disassemble, clean, and put back together. Anti-static properties were better than average, and very good for this price range. Ground were great, even, and aromatic. So yes, the coffee was very good.
So here is the bottom line. If you don’t have a penny more to invest in a grinder, you are extremely lucky, or you are buying this for someone that you don’t expect to know more than a year from now, this is probably the grinder for you. But our recommendation would be to save up a little more and get a grinder with a better track record for longevity and quality. (Or, if saving is not your strength, maybe get a manual grinder. The exercise will build character.)
Our Sister Site, eCoffeeBurrGrinder.com
Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 01:46 Written by bjcoffee Wednesday, 19 May 2010 01:44
In many great relationships comes a parting of the ways. Think the Beatles, Sonny and Cher, REM. Sometimes irreconcilable artistic differences come about that mean Natalie Merchant wants to do her own thing, separate from the other Maniacs. Sometimes Morrisey simply can’t find his rhythm anymore with the Smiths.
But our reasons are not so petty. Shelly and her West Coast team were tired of trying to get up early for the meetings with Brian and the East Coast team. I mean, let’s face it, nobody else could have lasted this long. 3 hours? That’s crazy, even if we are discussing a product that often entails restlessness and sleepless nights.
So, with a completely amiable separation, we would like to present to the world the new blog, ecoffeeburrgrinder.com, which represents the lesser but still important part of our team that simply lives on the wrong side of the country. They have skill (some) and cultured palates like we do (not really), and they will try to brew up pithy reviews of their favorite burr grinders just like we have been together as a team. But they will be really challenged in doing so without their East coast colleagues.
And so, we wish them luck, we ask you to check out their site, and we promise to post links to their reviews if they actually warrant reading (i.e. don’t expect to see many links). And we might have a slight wager on web traffic that will certainly work in our favor.
Good luck, eCoffeeBurrGrinder! And may the best site win! (We will send you our grounds when we are done with them!)
Danesco Manual Turkish Coffee Grinder – Good Workout and Great Coffee
Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 May 2010 05:23 Written by bjcoffee Tuesday, 11 May 2010 05:23
Want a good workout and great Turkish coffee? Achieve both with a daily cup of java from the Danesco Manual Coffee Grinder
Turkish coffee requires fine grounds and a nice even grind. But why sit and watch your grinder have all the fun? Roll up your sleeves and enjoy being in complete control of your conical burrs.
OK, maybe we are overstating the workout angle. The Danesco is actually very easy to use and unfortunately we found no increase in heart rate and no one on our test team broke a sweat. But don’t worry–even though this grinder cannot be classified as “aerobic,” you will still enjoy the results.
Two of the big benefits of manual grinders tend to be easier clean-up then their peers and lower cost. When a motor is involved, there is almost always a significant increase in static electricity that makes clean-up a chore. Secondly, no motor means much lower cost, and often parts do not have to be as heavily engineered but can still be high quality. The result is often a grinder with great longevity but still leaves money in your pocket.
Obviously, the true test of any grinder is the flavor of the resulting grinds. Just for fun, we did a blind taste test with the Danesco and one of our favorite automatic grinders. The results surprised us–nearly half of the team correctly picked the Danesco as the manual grinder, the other half mistakenly picked the automatic grinder as the manual one, and approximately 100% of the team wanted a second cup and didn’t care from which grinder.
So the bottom line is–if you are a Turkish coffee enthusiast with a Spartan budget, this might be the best deal out there. And you will also save money because you won’t need to renew that gym membership.