How frustrating it can be to keep choosing the wrong thing in a quest to find the right one for you!
Chasing, chasing, and chasing….….!
If you know the pain of this experience, then you can understand how a bad coffee grinder can ruin every sip of what could be a heavenly black brew and make you think of getting a better grinder.
Did I forget that you’re here to learn about Costco coffee grinders?
Nah, my dear! I was just thinking about your goal of brewing extreme caffeine shots for you! The coffee grinder at Costco is great and can be the best pick for you as well… but only if you don’t want to grind coffee beans for espresso.
In this guide, I’ll review the Costco coffee grinder, which, unfortunately, is only suitable for grinding coffee beans for brews like drip coffee or Turkish coffee, but not for espresso. For your espresso or French press coffee indulgence, feel disappointed after learning about it.
Don’t worry.
I’ll help you choose the most suitable coffee grinder for you. You have only to read this article till the end, I hope I’ll save you from wasting your money on the wrong grinder if you spend a few minutes reading this entire guide.
Costco Coffee Beans Grinder Review – Only Best for Drip and Turkish Coffee
Sadly, at Costco online, there is only one coffee grinder available, which is best for grinding coffee beans for Moka or drip coffee.
Should you get it or not?
If the price is your concern, consider this coffee grinder. It’ll cost you about $100 despite being low in price compared to superstores.
I’ve reviewed Costco’s only coffee grinder: Capresso Metal Die-Cast Housing Conical Burr Grinder, which is about $99.
Ready?
Let’s delve into detailed reviews and buying guides.
Capresso Metal Die-Cast Housing Conical Burr Grinder
With a 16-stepped grinding setting, the Capresso DiCast grinder is the best coffee grinder at Costco under $100, and the price is much lower than any other store.
It’s a conical burr grinder with steel burrs and an aesthetic appeal. It’s 15 inches tall. At first glance, this 15-inch size seems pretty compact, yet, it’s medium size… still it can fit under your cabinets easily.
Though this has steel parts, the rest of the build is made of plastic–what else could you expect from a $100 entry-level grinder?
Despite being advertised as a large grinder, it has low RPMs, which saves your coffee grounds from friction. Thus, the taste is not altered.
For performance, it does an excellent job. I like the see-through design of the grinder. You can see the entire process of coffee grinding.
The step grind setting gives complete precision to the grinding process with 16 steps allowing you to grind coffee from Turkish to espresso. Further, the timed grinding with 10 markings allows you to grind the beans for up to 60 seconds–each marking for 5 seconds of grinding.
For durability, the grinder can last for several years, thanks to its metal burrs and zinc die-cast. You’ve only to take care of your grinder against accidental falls–the plastic body might not bear the shock.
Pros
- Best for drip coffee and Turkish Moka ground
- Easy to use: the 16-step grind setting and 10-step knob control on the angled face are accessible to help you grind coffee.
- The steel burr is highly durable.
- Low-speed motors save coffee beans from frictional heat and preserve the freshest taste.
- A large capacity of about 0.5 pounds supplies ground coffee for a large family.
- Transferring coffee is easy because of the removable coffee container.
- Low power motor or 100-wattage is an energy saver.
- Great price at Costco
- Best for family size requirements
Cons
- Not so excellent choice for the French press or espresso grounds–“infinity” precision doesn’t help there.
- A bit noisy
- The plastic parts are less durable.
- Not suitable for heavy usage: the motor can fail and burn if overloaded
- The bottom burr is not replaceable.
- Coarse rests on the hopper’s lip and spills out to create a mess.
- The ground drip tray is not removable, so the build-up creates a mess.
3 Best Alternatives to Costco Coffee Grinder for Perfect Espresso and Moka Grounds.
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1. Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder, Brushed Stainless Steel, BCG820BSS
If you love espresso and want to brew it to make your day, the journey starts with picking excellent quality single-origin beans and grinding them finely in an espresso-specialized grinder. And it’s here where Breville’s BCG820BSS grinder helps you.
It comes with 3 grind size settings:
- First, there are 60 grind settings which can be selected by rotating the knob on the side of the grinder. As you rotate the knob, you see the bar indicator moving between finer and coarse points on the digital screen. For grinding, this knob basically chooses the grind time between 0.2 seconds intervals for up to 20 minutes–if you go for the finest setting, it’ll grind the beans for 20 minutes straight.
- You can select the coffee beans’ quantity.
- You can also choose dosing as “shots/cups.” It’ll automatically pause the grinder when the chosen shot has been ground. Yet, the selection between the quantity and shots seems a bit confusing.
With impressive design and availability in 4 colors: brushed stainless steel, black truffle, cranberry red, damson blue, and sesame black, the Breville coffee grinder is ready to pair with your coffee equipment on the countertops.
The inner grinder has stainless steel burrs to crush the roasted beans in an even consistency. The Breville grinder is about freedom from choosing the size to collecting the ground in a portafilter, ground basket, or filter basket.
You get the same when cleaning the machine effortlessly whenever needed.
How?
You can remove the lockable hopper to access the inner burr area. Furthermore, you can remove the outer burr by simply unlocking and twisting it. Simply use the brush mini vacuum cleaner for cleaning, and you’re done.
Pros
- It’s an excellent start to grinding espresso grounds if you can’t afford a $1000 espresso grinder–the taste can be a bit sweeter, chocolaty, and nutty.
- Only the outer burr is replaceable.
- Cleaning is much easier because of the removable outer burr and the ground drip tray.
- “Air-tight sealed” ground collecting basket isn’t really airtight.
- Magnetic portafilter and gold filter basket holders easily catch the ground directly in the filter basket for the portafilter.
- Inner burn adjustment allows you to get the best out of your grinder over the years–as time passes, the burr adjustment helps with sustainable grinding efficiency.
Cons
- Not a great grinder for French press
- The coffee grounds at the finest setting are warm.
- Post-grind plastic smell
- Grinding burrs housing is plastic.
- The start and pause button makes less sense when you’re already in the habit of start/cancel settings.
- The knobs are “plasticky.”
2. Eureka Mignon Specialita Espresso Grinder (Chrome. Available on Amazon)
“If you want to grind espresso beans, get a machine from Italy.” I don’t know who said this (perhaps it was me), but they must have been true. It’s why every espresso mystic longs to alter their hard-earned money at the shrine of the Italian coffee gears. After all, they’re justifiable!
I don’t know whether you want to have this Eureka Mignon Specialita Espresso Grinder right now, but I’m sure you’ll soon be dreaming of it.
This hand-assembled Italian grinder has state-of-the-art technology, a touchscreen display, and silent construction. Its small yet solid build offers you all the features of a commercial grinder.
Why?
Let’s go over the details.
Many coffee experts believe that flat and conical burr grinders are no different, especially when grinding beans for espresso, and Eureka Mignon Specialita Espresso Grinder has justified it very well. The machine has 55mm flat burr grinders to get perfect, uniform espresso particles.
This machine is ideal for bulk and single-dose grinding equally. After grinding the desired quantity, you can also remove the remaining beans from the hopper.
A noticeable feature of this machine is that it’s super fast. With 1350 RMPs, it grinds in the blink of an eye. Any machine with such a fast speed can be noisy. But the engineered friction-reducing design keeps the noise minimal.
Another surprising fact can be that it’s a step-less grinder–honestly, to be an espresso grinder, there’s no need to have a stepped setting.
The simplicity guarantees precision. You get a rotating knob at the top left to select your grind size between fine and coarse.
And to choose the dose size, the touch screen intuitive angled panel is here. You can select 1-2 cups along with the grinding time. Even when you want to continue grinding over 2 cups, you can hold and release both cup buttons on the touch screen simultaneously; the machine will grind continuously for up to 4 minutes.
Here is a learning curve, though you’ll master it soon: you must adjust the grind time when you adjust the size via the knob. To do so, it’s better to weigh your dose when getting ground in the portafilter and then lock the settings on the panel for future use.
There is no pause button midway, yet the grind button at the front, just behind the portafilter placement, does the job. Press it twice; the machine will be paused.
You’ll also like that the portafilter stand is also adjustable/removable. So you can place a collection bin underneath.
Cleaning?
It’s a breeze.
Remove the top plate by unscrewing the rear screw and cleaning it with a brush and vacuum cleaner! You’re all set!
Pros
- It’s a true espresso bean grinder.
- It’s a hand-assembled Italian grinder showing the care used during its manufacturing.
- Easy to read, large bright screen
- Repairing is easy.
- Easy to use and clean.
Cons
- Not stepped grinder–though it shouldn’t be
- It’s pricey.
- Cleaning the fingerprints on the touch control panel might not be easy.
- A scale is necessary to weigh your dose before grinding.
- The hopper and several parts are made of plastic.
- Bit slower for commercial purposes
3. 1Zpresso JX-PRO Manual Coffee Grinder Silver Capacity 35g (Available on Amazon)
No complications, no power failure, and best espresso grounds are all words that define this best manual espresso grinder by 1Zpresso. This conical burr grinder is more than any commercial burr grinder made with premium-grade aluminum.
It has over 200 grind settings to give you full control over the coffee particles. The result is; that you pull the sweetest shot you ever dreamed of. The 12.5 micron shift is the precision for grinding roasted coffee beans. The manual grinding prevents the coffee ground from getting heated. Thus, the brews are never bitter.
Could such delicacy be achieved through an electric grinder?
No!
If you have been longing to master espresso, letting no one know about it, the handy, portable espresso grinder is for you.
Does it only work for espresso?
No, it’s perfect for all coffee ground types.
You also don’t need to calibrate the burrs when using them for the first time: the 1Zpresos team has done it for you… longevity of this burr grinder doesn’t come through the material (though it could be). Instead, it has been designed to grind 100-200 kg of coffee beans.
What else under the sun would you look for?
Can’t say a lot, it does a fantastic job, and you are more at peace!
Pros
- It’s an all-rounder coffee grinder to grind coffee for Moka-espresso.
- The most precise coffee grinder that can grind with 200 click setting
- Extremely durable and easy to maintain because of aluminum material
- 1-year warranty-backed product
- It’s portable.
- It’s easy to clean and maintain.
- Thanks to the midsection anti-slip material cover, the grip is stable and firm.
Cons
- Not electric
- Adjustment dial marking is barely readable
- Grinding capacity is lower than 25 grams, in fact.
- The user manual guide about calibration and cleaning is less helpful–you must search for a video tutorial.
- Beans can be stuck in the middle of a burr.
Burr Coffee Grinders vs. Blade Grinders: Which Should You Pick?
When buying a coffee grinder, it’s important to consider the quality of ground coffee beans ground quality–the ultimate outcome. Chunk coffee beans will be less extracted, yet they’re suitable for the French press, and the refined ground is necessary for espresso-like exotic coffee mugs.
Blade Grinders (inexpensive but less controlled over grinding)
The very basic grinders are the blade grinders with (mostly) stainless steel blades. These grinders don’t actually grind but cut the beans. The more time you grind the coffee, the finer it’ll be. There is no way to adjust the particle size.
These grinders get more fine particles in your coffee ground–you’ve to get rid of these fine particles to get a tasty coffee.
Should you never pick a blade grinder?
No, you can have a blade grinder at home if you need coffee for espresso without spending a lot on expensive grinders. All you have to do is eliminate the fine particles to get even more in the coffee ground’s bed before extraction–finer particles cause an overly extracted bitter brew). For this purpose, you can use some tips from coffee influencer James Hoffman.
Burr Grinders (expensive and better for frequent and controlled grinding)
You need good control over the grinding process to get a coffee ground according to your need. For this purpose, burr grinders have been introduced. Depending on your coffee needs, these grinders let you choose your beans’ particle size from 14-64mm in home grinders and up to 83mm in commercial grinders.
Burr grinder types based on burr type
Large burrs do a high-quality, faster grind. Keeping the burr structure in view, the burr grinders have been divided into 2 types: flat and conical burr grinders.
The flat burr grinders have two flat surfaces with burrs sitting over each other (in horizontal alignment) with some adjustable gap based on the desired coffee ground size. Yet, in a conical burr grinder, one burr sits inside the other (its vertical alignment), and the outer burr rotates to grind the coffee beans.
Primarily, the burrs in coffee grinders aim at producing a more crushing-like effect than a cutting. The flat and conical burrs both do crushing, but conical burrs are closer to imitating a molars-like mechanism (the teeth that crush food) and allow you more control which is essential when you want to get diverse-sized grounds. Step-adjustment grinders have conical burrs.
Please don’t be panicked about conical or flat burrs, especially when you want a coffee grinder for home use; the results are almost similar. If you’re confused about which one can be right for you, here is a key tip:
get a simple flat burr grinder if you want to grind coffee beans for espresso, and go for a conical burr grinder if you need more defined coffee bean particles to extract French or drip coffee and make espresso simultaneously.
Burr grinder type according to the grind setting
Just as Burr grinders further vary according to the burr materials like titanium coated burrs, ceramic coated bur or stainless steel, and the burr type: flat or conical, they also come according to the setting control, e.g., stepped or step-less burr grinders.
- Among these, the titanium-coated burrs are extremely durable, and if you can’t get one with titanium burrs, then stainless steel is the second most reliable option.
- Next comes the control type variation, e.g., stepped or step-less grinders–step-less and step-adjustment grinders both have a control knob to adjust the gap between the burrs to determine the ground size. The only difference is that the stepped grinders have the control knob with marking and rotate in steps, while the step-less adjustment grinders knobs don’t rotate in step and follow no marking, so you can’t be precise.
So, which grinder is better?
- Stepped-adjustment burr grinders are better if you make diverse coffee: Moka, French press, drip, and espresso. Yet, if you only have an addiction to coffee like espresso, even blade grinders or step-less grinders can be wonderful. To grind an amazing espresso, as a rule of thumb, you need to grind finer if the coffee tastes sour and ground a bit coarse if the coffee tastes too bitter.
Manual Vs. Electric Coffee Grinders
Yes, in the coffee grinders world, you also get options for manual and electric ones. It’s understandable that one type uses no power, and the other needs heavy electric motors of 100-400 watts (AC or DC). Some electric grinders are quieter, like those that use DC motors.
Yet, the question is, for whom are those manual grinders?
The manual grinders are for coffee devotees who enjoy sipping on black magic and indulge in their coffee at every stage, from grinding to drinking it. If you have some time to enjoy grinding coffee manually every day, then nothing is better than a manual burr grinder.
While picking a manual coffee grinder, remember that:
- You should choose an excellent quality manual grinder without giving a second thought to the price. The reason is that good quality grinders only take 1 minute to grind coffee beans. In contrast, cheap manual grinders take several minutes of twisting your wrist, and the quality of the ground is also bad.
- Get a manual coffee grinder for grinding small coffee batches.
Other factors to consider when buying a coffee grinder
Besides considering the coffee grinder type, it’s also important to consider a few secondary factors before making your final decision.
Capacity
Coffee grinders can house coffee beans from a few oz to several pounds–obviously, the large coffee grinders are suitable for coffee shops. Extra small grinders are good for individual needs.
You can get any coffee grinder that suits you–a house with a decent-sized grinder that can grind coffee beans or 12-14 cups in one go is great.
Ease of use
Programmable, dosing size, control of ground size, and ease of cleaning are a few factors that help in a peaceful user experience. The feature-rich burr coffee grinders with high-grade material are highly expensive yet worth buying.
Price
Price can greatly influence your decision when choosing a coffee maker. Coffee grinders can cost you $100 to $1000 or even more. Keep your budget in view and try to weigh every coffee grinder’s features and quality.
Speed
The coffee grinder’s speed is measured in “revolutions per minute–the higher the RPMs, the faster a grinder is with a large motor. These high-end grinders produce less heat during grinding, which benefits your coffee grounds by preventing them from being machine burnt.
Though father grinders are expensive, you can get them at a reasonable price. If you can’t break the bank to invest in a fast coffee grinder, do yourself a favor–don’t get a cheap one. Instead, get a manual burr coffee grinder to save your coffee from a burnt taste.
Coffee grinder size
Before getting a coffee grinder, it’s important to think about your counter and cabinet space. Most handheld grinders can easily fit beneath kitchen cabinets or drawers for quick access. They’re also portable. Similarly, blade grinders are also spacing-saving options, unlike burr grinders.
Aesthetics
Though unnecessary, aesthetics can matter if you want the coffee grinder to match the counter beside your coffee grinder. Finding a more compatible grinder for your kitchen interior can be challenging, but you can find one after some research.
Final Thoughts
You must pick the right grinder to grind the coffee beans according to your coffee type. The wrong selection can cost you several times. Reflect on your requirements and choose a suitable grinder for your brew.
I hope this guide will prove helpful for you.
Good luck!
