Baratza - Sette 270

I have a few as well. A Fellow Ode with the v2 burrs for pour over and drip. A Baratza Sette with the upgraded fine tuning ring for espresso. A Timemore Chesnut for work and travel.

I bought the Baratza Sette 270 burr grinder and I’ve been very pleased with its performance, it’s been a year and my espresso is magnificent

TL;DR: I have only one grinder that I use acros the range. My Fiorenzato AllGround Sense does a great, consistent grid from pour over to espresso. If I did a lot of French press, I might still need a mortar & pestle. I have a Fiorenzato AllGround Sense which, I believe, is just over the 1K$ US threshold. I've had two Baratza's (ESP and Sette 270wi) that did espresso to my liking at the very edge of their range but the motors both died. I then got a flat burr grinder that ground well with more range for espresso but was still in the price range of the Baratzas (400US or so) I won't name the grinder as I neither wish to defend or debate it but the motor also died. I did some research and bought the AllGround Sense for it's beefy motors and because I now had the taste for flat burrs. I've never used the finer third of the dial as for my beans and tastes, it's fine ... enough. I grind some decaf drip for my wife, do some pour overs for friends and have developed a sense of where the dial needs to be. I suspect that the first time I do a dark French press it may not have a fine enough setting bit that day may never come.

I have a df64 and kept my baratza sette 270 for doing pour overs and cold brew. After over a year of not using the sette, I gave it to a fellow coffee enthusiast that lost their home in the Eaton fire earlier this year. So, I'm glad I kept it as much as I did as I am now glad I don't have it anymore (and am confident I wouldn't have used it)

I’ve got the Sunbeam Mini Barista (same model as the Breville, in Australia at least) and it mostly does the job for me without any bells or whistles. I’ll upgrade eventually when it konks out (4 years in) but hard to justify atm when I’m pretty happy with what it puts out, and I’m not a perfectionist. I did have the matching sunbeam grinder for a few years but upgraded to baratza sette 270wi which improved things a lot, I mainly make milk coffees. Essential is getting a non-pressurised basket and wdt tool. Distributor and a better tamper are also good idea but not essential.

I love my Baratza Sette 270Wi. It's served me well over about four years. No regrets.

not sure if the issue has been fixed but I had big problems with my Sette 270... went thru 3 power boards failing before giving up & getting a DF64 instead. (much happier now as it's a simpler machine that does one thing very well).

I was in the same boat just a week back. Have sette 270 was looking for a decent flat burr grinder. Shortlisted couple of options, Eureka SD Pro (just launched, in future can be used with different burr offerings from Eureka they about to launch them), Eureka Libra 65 All Purpose and Fioranzato All Ground Sense. Finally took a plunge and ordered Fioranzato and could not be happier. Though it is just a couple of days only but blown away with the build quality, user interface and easier burr access. Note: I would not be selling my Sette 270, as conical have their own perks. https://preview.redd.it/188zpnpuof6e1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e350a9c03b376d20edf8de9112a590f9e6473b10

Bro, a manual grinder? I don't think that's a great idea for a first espresso setup... Manual grinders are a huge pain in the ass, and are a great way to turn someone off to the idea of making espresso every morning. The Bambino alone is already going to be a lot for a newbie to learn. I did the same thing with my wife: we already had an Nespresso machine, but she would often remark that coffees from coffee shops were so much better than the Nespresso. I got the Bambino and a nice grinder (Sette 270wi), and some accessories. The winning strategy that made the whole thing worked: part of the gift was that I'd be her "personal barista" for a few months, during which time I'd learn how to best use all the new gear, and slowly teach her how to use it herself. I'd make both of us coffee every morning, and she loved it. And she did eventually learn how to use it herself too (but she still prefers when I do it, and I'm happy to do it anyway). But this took the pressure off of her having to learn how to use all of this new complicated stuff, while delivering on the immediate promise of muuuuch better coffee every morning. I don't know if you live with your gf, so it might not be practical for you.

Df64 is under $400. That seems to be a great flat burr grinder in your price range Setter 270 is $400 from Amazon. Conical, grinds like the 1Z, I have both. Drop through grinding means fluffy grounds with anything but the most oily beans. Don't bother with the WI version, just single dose.