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Reddit Reviews
I have a Cafelat Robor and a Barazza Preciso grinder, and am convinced they will both outlive me
My first burr grinder is a Baratza Preciso (think Encore's cousin the Virtuoso but with another set of grind adjustment) and I've bought and flipped several Encores. The Encore is a really solid grinder that has stood the test of time- being really capable, simple, and reliable. Otherwise the Fellow Opus is another grinder under $200 that is pretty good. In the second-hand market, you might be able to find a Fellow Ode Gen 1, Baratza Virtuoso, or Varia VS3 for that price.
I have an older model (Preciso) that I bought secondhand. Been using it for five years and this hasn’t happened to me yet
There are many second hand machines available here in the uk. I’d look out for the Baratza more than the Sage if you’re looking to get into espresso.
They are both owned by Breville however the acquisition is fairly recent so your second hand model may be from before that. The Baratza has a solid reputation as an espresso grinder and is a newer model than the SGP (which is 10+ yo I believe). Reviews are pretty unanimous that it helps you dial in better.
Baratza is a workhorse. It is not a quiet workhorse but it is a good machine
My Baratza, ordered from Baratza, ground unevenly (dust, ground coffee, and biggish pieces) with a loud cracking noise at regular intervals (not just the usual burr grinding sound) from the git-go, and broke irreparably within a year -- as I drink coffee only two or three times a month, that would be more like a few weeks for most users. The on/off switch doesn't have a timer and if you fill the top -- if you put in more than a few tablespoons, actually-- and turn your back for a moment it will clog. As I put up with it for about a year, having no other option for grinding coffee, service was nonexistent. The years old Baratza this was supposed to be a replacement for had a timed switch (the same switch from the outside, and the little glitch of turning on until YOU turn it off wasn't mentioned in any review or Baratza's description), ground delightfully evenly at all settings, and never clogged despite my ex-husband -- the main coffee drinker-- never cleaning it and me only cleaning it (running rice or cleaning grains through it) when I thought of it, which wasn't often. I guess the gist is, be sure of what you're getting if you get a Baratza.
If you're using one grinder for espresso and pour over, I'd stay away from Eureka. Their biggest weakness is the turning dial, which is small and doesn't give you an indication of how many times you've rotated it. Going back and forth between espresso and pour over/drip would be annoying and harder than necessary to dial in. Baratza grinders are workhorses, but they're mostly plastic and loud. To service most parts of the machine, you have to pry open the bottom, which can bend the plastic and potentially rip off plastic tabs, which is kind of annoying. They're a good entry level grinder for people who can't afford something better, but if you can spend more, you might want to. For espresso, Aeropress, and pour over coffee, I've been served well by a Timemore Sculptor 064s. It has low retention, a brushless motor, solid metal build quality, is easy to dial in between different grind sizes, sounds less annoying than my old Baratza, and I think it looks good (which is subjective). I can't speak to the Fellow Ode 2 + Niche Zero option, but people do love them. James used a Niche Zero as his go-to espresso grinder for years. It has conical burrs, which gives a more full bodied (thicker) espresso. I'm sure others will chime in.
Get a used grinder on marketplace for sure. Oxo and Breville are the bare minimum, but if you see a sub-$50 Baratza, that’s even better. If you don’t want to then start buying more beans, just resell it yourself when you finish the bag. Anything lower-end than those and I wouldn’t bother. Blade grinders ruin beans, as do super cheap “burr” grinders like Cuisinart and Shardor. As far as storage, if you brew coffee daily, I’d just keep them in a resealable container (with a “burp” valve if possible; old bags from previous coffee purchases should work) in a cool and dry place.
Sadly the turin DF lineup is the best that you can afford in that price point. You'll get sick of hand grinding fast. Especially if you start to like the medium light to light roasts. So I don't recommend hand grinding long term. But you are running out of options in the budget space I don't like the plastic internals or noise levels of the Baratza grinders and too many others in the $200 price range are no better. If you are truly looking for a buy once and cry once with higher quality of life features and you don't want a turin or miicoffee DF style of grinder then you're looking at vertical burrs and $600 to $800 minimum. Like a timemore 64s or 78s.
I got the Sage Barista Pro with the Baratza-Grinder and love it.