Fraussie DavecUK Dave, what is your top 3-4 (64mm?) grinders out if curiosity?
I’ve never thought about a list. I only have a few and the best flat 64mm I have used for taste is probably the T64 I’m using at the moment…it’s very good. I’ve not used a P64, but apparently they are good, although with the same HU espresso burr as in my T64, I find it hard to see how it could be any better.
In general with grinders, they do make a difference, but it’s really about the coffee….this is a huge difference that no grinder can overcome. If the roast isn’t great, the most expensive/best grinder in the world won’t make any difference. Sadly many commercial roasts are not great and those that are good roasters tend to use cheaper beans to keep their prices reasonable for customers. People in general don’t want to be paying £60+ per Kg for roasted coffee on a regular basis.
In a grinder look for:
- Ease of use (simplicity, no massive retention, consistent, easy to clean properly)
- Reliability
- raw Performance (e.g. not having to jump through hoops to make it grind)
After the above as long as it’s got decent burrs and you like the look of it…it will probably do a reasonable job…*Because it’s about the coffee………..*avoid grinders that are not consistent. I have seen people write “it doesn’t matter how it looks, it how it tastes”. Well something to think about, if the shot looks bad and timings are inconsistent, the likely hood is that it won’t be tasting as good as it should….it’s just logic really.
Of course get a really good grinder, really good machine and really good coffee, then you have the GOAT of a coffee experience. However it costs a lot to climb the small peak you can see, and almost touch, from the ordinary level of coffee enjoyment.