Turin Grinders - DF54 Single Dose Flat Burr Grinder

Why the gell is no one suggesting Bambino + DF54? Only get a hand grinder when you're really really sure you want to do that for espresso.

I have the DF 54 and it doesn't take that long and it isn't that high pitched/loud.

For 18g I get about 20 seconds. Maybe he's grinding finer since I'm using a bambino. Also, you're right, I stopped paying attention to the noise until now, wow! That said, it's a tank of a grinder. https://streamable.com/ovm691

1. Manual grinders are not that bad if you're grinding for 1 cup. But not timemore c2. Get something long lasting like kingrinder k6, 1zpresso, etc. 2. In addition to being electric, electric grinders bring a level of consistency in brewing process. Hand grinder output can change based on how fast you're rotating, what angle you're holding the grinder at, etc. But if you must get an electric, dont cheap out. Cheap grinders will not grind fine and consistent enough to be respectable. The bare minimum is bartaza encore esp or the best budget being df54.

I gotta jump on the '54 bandwagon. It's solid and consistent and punches well above it's weight for the price. There are quality replacement burrs already, with more in the pipeline, that should quench your upgrade-itis well into the future as well, and cheaply, relative to larger burrs It was telling in the James Hoffman review mentioned earlier, that it came out on top for both espresso and pour over vs your other contender, among several others. It was obvious that he was impressed with the performance of the '54 overall, so you should feel confident with the purchase with that level of recommendation. You should be all set for kit with the addition of a proper grinder, and can relax and focus on consistent prep!

I own a hand grinder for my drip coffee too. However, in a pinch, if I needed to use my DF54 for drip coffee, I know I could. Is it the best for drip ? No. Is it the worse for drip ? no. So if I need a 2 in 1 it would be my choice. Having said that, I am foremost, an espresso drinker so I am happy with my DF54.

Perhaps separately each is better at one over the other, but if you are looking for one that does both, I would go with DF54.

I use two grinders. I use a DF54 exclusively for espresso, and my Shardor antistatic 48 settings conical burr grinder for everything else. It's a pretty good grinder for drip, pour overs, and french press, but I won't use it for espresso, since grinding for espresso is unforgiving and the Shardor grinder just isn't as consistent for that as the DF54.

Also know that some the data you posted is meaningless :) People recommend the DF54 based solely on the price for a flat Burr grinder. With as many horror stories of poor quality, and defects, both here and on home barista, people still recommend it. Why? It's inexpensive for a flat Burr grinder. Edit - thank you for supplying the data.

It's definitely more "prosumer" than a lot of the other cheaper grinders, but I feel just as much as the DF54 that everyone is now acting like is the greatest grinder to ever exist... im thinking about picking up a manuale as a cheap, sturdy, repairable, flat burr grinder since I have an ESP (conical) that does a decent job but I occasionally feel i need more granularity and I do enjoy flat burr profiles now that ive tried them.

If yours clogs, there's a way to mod the declumper so it won't clog. It shouldn't clog in the first place unless you're using a very oily dark roast.

You'll find that pouring milk into your Cuisinart grinder was the smartest thing you ever did after you get a df54 and realize how much better it is.

\+1 for the DF54. It's got a wide enough range to do both drip and espresso, and I can fit around 40g or 50g of beans in the hopper; plenty for two-to-three cups.

As much as I dislike the DFs for their teething issues so far, I will concede that they have a decent grinder in the DF54, for the price point. However, not a lot of choices in 54mm space, so you're a little bit stuck unless you perform [some surgery](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADnoqcns4dc). The other contender is the Encore ESP. So much plastic. But a respectable burr for a broad range of espresso and filter roast levels. I would avoid the Breville Smart Grinder for its jankiness. It makes passable cups for dark roast only, and has poor prospects for repairs/upgrades. Similarly, I think Eurekas in general are quite overpriced and hard to use because of their antediluvian grind chamber design (lots of retention) and what might possibly be the industry's most user-unfriendly grind adjustment knob (tiny diameter, unable to calibrate/zero, small adjustments all but impossible due to thread lash, easy to lose track of revolutions). Also, Eureka seems insistent on undersized, under populated, (and underperforming) burrs of proprietary specs, so upgrading/exploring other burrs is not possible. Kidding-not-kidding recommendation: amzn has a $170 grinder from Shardor that can host standard 64mm flat burrs. The grinder itself is a plastic copy of a Mazzer Super Jolly, down to the aggressively sprung but huge grind adjustment dial. However, the grind chamber and carrier are well machined, with a properly sized exit path/chute. Save a few bucks, invest in a pair of SSP MPs or Ditting Cast LS, and call it a day. Hope that helps, let us know how you get on

DF54 is pretty good

Know that if you are going to pick one of the 3, the df54 is better than both of the rest.

Any grinder that can grind fine enough for espresso is going to be much better than pre-ground coffee. Pre-ground coffee, because of moisture, oxygen, larger surface area etc gets oxidized super quickly. It basically goes stale within hours, if not minutes. All that, provided that the coffee beans are fresh to begin with. About 7-10 days after roast is best. 5 Weeks after roast we are getting to stale territory. The cheapest grinder I would personally go for is the df54. It's quality, rather cheap, and miles better from pre-ground coffee.

It's NOT needed. I RDT most, but not all of the time, and use the bellows. I have NEVER had my DF54 clog. It does get progressively more static-y, especially if you don't RDT. 10 seconds with the brush and its fixed. There's not really very much stuck in there, just enough to mess up the ionizer.

I honestly can't figure out what people are doing. The grinder is super simple.

What I was saying above though is that the build is so simple, I don't see what there is to really go wrong with QC. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the motor is spinning backwards. I'm not sure that's possible with this machine.

Below is my view - Find the grinder for your type of beans and taste - Then decide if you want hand grinder or electric I had 4 grinders for espresso. I gave away 2 of them. Today I would consider - X ultra, J ultra - K ultra - DF54 esprews burr - DF64 DLC burr - SSP MP - SSP HU There might be other. Good luck

Started with a K6 Kingrinder for $80. Now using a DF54 for $230. Taste wise I can't really tell the difference as I make mostly milk based drinks. They're both good. It became tedious hand grinding every morning so I bought an electric grinder. Otherwise hand grinders are amazing for freshly ground beans.

I use DF54 for aeropress and bambino Couldn't be happier with this purchase Upgraded from a shitty Bodum grinder...man what a difference DF54 does a very good job when i need coarse grinds for aeropress and fine for espresso And it's quiet

Agree on the DF54. Fantastic value for price. Hand grinding is not bad for one drink, I kind of even enjoy it, but it gets real old if friends are over and you have to make more than one.

that's because most people don't have issues. It's the vocal minority majority of the time. I have a DF54 and have never had an issue with clogging yet that's all you hear about whenever it's mentioned.

Then I think you should go for DF54 , I was under the impression that you will not be going for espresso. Since you plan to go for espresso DF54 would be a great one sending the Link in your DM

The VS6 is in a league of it's own, but I'd recommend it only if you plan on getting a few extra burrs in the future. Sure, the stock burr is highly versatile and I've already put 3kg through it, but there is so much more left on the table. If you're still discovering and not willing to invest, sure, I'd recommend a DF54 and a hand grinder just like everyone does in the beginning. A hand grinder is also always good to have laying around just in case your electric is unavailable or you happen to travel. If you're into the VS6, I can tell you that: 1. The adjustment is so precise that you could switch coffees even at espresso level and still fall on the dial in 2. The alignment is perfect each time you (easily) change the burrs 3. The Silver Plasma and Gold burrs make exceptional espresso and filter, the first being body/sweetness focused while the later being clarity focused. 4. It's a premium grinder, has minimal retention, has a plasma generator, the motor is powerful and has a lot of torque, variable rpm. You could have a read on my detailed experience in [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1fetpr0/comment/loon8g8/)

"but, I do understand your point on the VS6 if I am not purchasing SSP's later on" You should check Varia's website since only their proprietary burrs work. "Can I ask how much you favor the 54 than the 64 gen 2 or varia vs3 gen 2?" The flavor difference between df54 and df64 is minimal, but more of a speed upgrade as well as convenience. The DF54 is still in it's infancy and has some quircks on it's own, one being that it requires much more regular cleaning for it not to clog. With the DF64 you still get the option to change the burrs later on, although I enjoy the DF64V more since the variable RPM makes a difference in shot quality and it can also be dialed to the minimum for high clarity filter. Varia VS3 is a grinder I'm not familiar with, nor I can recommend it as a learning curve towards upgrading to the VS6 later on. Each grinder is different. That being said, it's a conical and I don't particularly prefer conicals. I'd rather get a hand grinder that's twice as cheap and will never fail. The DF54 is by far the best bang for your buck, but if you can stretch to a DF64 it would be great.

Approx how long for a df54 to grind 18g in your experience and what roast beans you using?

Thx for the data point. This is what my current grinder does too.

Bambino + DF54, more than enough for great results and an easy workflow. You're sticking to the budget AND getting an amazing electric grinder. More than this is mostly incremental upgrades for someone obsessed with the perfect espresso and with money to spend. You can get amazing results with these two. Also, if he doesn't drink straight espresso, those tiny upgrades won't even really be noticeable in a cappuccino.

DF54 over the other 2.

Went for the DF54 because it was packaged with the machine I wanted for a Cyber Monday bundle. I think even without the bundle I would have went to route of the DF54 just because I like the way the shape is more. Just had a nice look to it being a cylinder. From what I’ve read and watched on YouTube everyone mentions how awesome it is especially for the price so I’m sure I won’t be disappointed :)

Hey, it’s been amazing. I’m loving it each and every day. No complaints at all.

I have a K2 that is now my Pour Over grinder, and I just got a DF54 a couple weeks ago.

The DF54 isn't that much more considering how much easier it is for grinding. My girlfriend couldn't even hand grind our medium to light roasts with my K2.

Baratza Encore ESP or DF54. I've had both, I stuck with the DF54. Not sure if the express has the baratza burrs but if it did id lean towards the DF54 Purely so I have a flat burr and cone burr for comparison.

Have you tried the df64 italmill on pourovers? It's great, much clearer than a k-ultra! I think the df54 is a good choice, if you plan to use it for spro.  Or you can get the ode gen2, maybe swap burrs to play with.  Edit: if you dont own one handgrinder, get the zp6 or the k6. They're both worth your penny even if you get both lol

I have the df54 and use it constantly for the aeropress, delicious cups every time

You're almost splitting hairs at this point but sure those are, in fact, differences. Plastic cups come with all new DF64 now It's not proven if the plasma generator is less effective or if the chute is just smaller and clogs more. The adjustable zero indicator can be added when buying the DF54 now. The bellows falling off is rarely mentioned. I'd argue that's probably less of a design issue and more of an case by cases basis.

I bought a Kingrinder last year and while it's a fantastic budget grinder that performs very well and goes fine enough for espresso, it's a chore to use. Back to back coffees for me and wife was not fun so I switched to a DF54 last month and couldn't be happier. Superb machine and priced very well. I enjoyed my hand grinder but I will always recommend an electric one to people.

This list seems somehow outdated, and is missing some important items, that are popular and offering a great value. Hand grinders: **Kingrinder K6, K2, K0, Timemore C3S, C2S** Electric: **Zerno Z1**, soon also **Z2** (80mm, now in a prototype stage), **Mazzer Philos, DF64V, Sculptor 078s,064, and Lagom 01** (although grinders with burrs larger than 83 mm is a rather niche ultra-high-end, so not sure really, if EK43, P100 and L01 make sense to be included in such a list) Also: In this list, the **Fellow Ode2** is placed in "budget-friendly", while **Fellow Opus** in "mid-range/prosumer"?? :) Ode costs almost twice as Opus, and while Ode is rather popular for manual brews, Opus is not that popular neither for brew, nor for espresso, although technically "it can do both". (edit to add) Also missing, the **DF54** low-cost electric grinder.

Yep I’m really happy with it for espresso and pour over, both medium and light roasts!

So, one good grinder that is all metal that works for drip/press/etc is the lagom casa. The least expensive would be something like the df54 or 64. I think they may have a plastic spout where the grinds come out, but that's it. They are possibly more aimed towards espresso. Quality control isn't great from what I know. If you're OK with a bit of plastic outisde of the grind chamber, then something like the fellow opus or any of the baratza grinders would be great.

I believe the DF54 would be the better choice given how much I've read from other users complaining about retention issues with the Fellow Opus. Also, bear in mind that the Fellow Opus has a conical burr, opposed to the DF54 which has a flat burr. Recently I upgraded my Bambino setup at home, from using a Kingrinder K4 to a DF54 and I couldn't be any happier, super easy to use and no retention at all. My gf wanted to get into espresso so I literally got her a really simple setup this last weekend, consisting of a Delonghi Stilosa and a Timemore C3S, man I was really impressed by that grinder, it was way easier to grind than with the K4. Had I not used the C3S I would've thought that manual grinders were really difficult for lighter roasts, which it is indeed the case, however the K4 was just WAY HARDER than it should with those roasts compared to the C3S. Either way, you can order any of those grinders from Amazon and return them if you find anything wrong with them, both the DF54 and the Fellow Opus are sold at Amazon and I believe right now every item has extended return periods until Jan 31.

I’ve had zero issues with my DF54. It was a noticeable upgrade for me from my Breville grinder. I was able to dial in my grinds really quickly, and my espresso is much better, and more consistent. I’m still a novice, but this grinder took my espresso from consistently “ok” to consistently great, and sometimes excellent.

I will always and forever recommend the DF54 - fantastic grinder.

I'm a Cafelat Robot user, I love that thing and I wouldn't have it any other way tbh. I love the manual workflow and the science behind my shots. Very minimal lifetime maintenance and the shots I've been pulling hit way above the price tag. Quality grinder (I have a DF54) and beans make a difference.

Pulled the trigger on one. Got it home, seasoned it and began dialling in my recipe. I’m so happy with it so far. Yes, it’s early days but amazed so far. I have an old solis maestro which is a tank but not very accurate. Great for filter/drip but difficult for espresso and changing constantly between the two is a real pain. Read all the reviews and figured the 54 is made for me. Great design. Very sturdy. Unbelievably quiet coming from the solis. I’ve seasoned it and made some drinks and haven’t had any chaff, and the retention is virtually non existent with the bellows (for me). Flavours are superb, so much better. I find around 15-18 depending on roast gives me the best grind. Early days but I’m very happy with this purchase.

I have a solis, I think it’s the old version of Baratza. It’s a great grinder for the price and is an absolute tank. Had it for like 15 years. But the DF54 is in a different class. There actually a review on YouTube of the two as they are comparable price range but performance wise, as a single dose grinder, the 54 all day every day.

Yes it’s great. Works really well for me. Very low retention. I bought a small brush and an air spray to keep the defuser clean and it works a treat. Haven’t had a single clog since I started doing this as soon as the static builds. For the price it’s a gem.

I had one and it does not. It would also not be great for French press, filter is about as coarse as it goes.

I bought a DF54. It is really messy, even with all the anti static things. And with those things you have to be super meticulous about them every time or grounds everywhere. I returned mine.

I got the same and it's great, but after a few months of cranking it every morning for a coffee I got the df54 just for the ease of it. Plus helps when I have people over and doesn't take me 10 minutes toanually grind the coffee for everyone

I prefer the df54 over the k6 taste, definitely taste a full bodied coffee out of it. The grinds are a lot more uniform and helps extraction. My medium roasts ended up having more "coffee" flavour while retaining the sweetness and accentuated the floral tones more. K6 was great but the df54 was definitely an upgrade for me, in terms of use, flavour and ease. Don't have to muck about with the dial at the bottom, the side tapping the release the grind from the burr, the slipping crank and my crank cracked at the plastic which made it harder to stay in place

Not sure if anyone will see this about a day after the original post, but I'm curious about people's thoughts on the SD40 instead of the DF54. It doesn't matter as I already have it, but I was cross shopping the SD40, DF54, and ESP. Ultimately, my wife made the decision for me because she felt it matched our kitchen better (I was leaning ESP). It works well enough, but I do wonder if I'm missing out on better espresso because I'm fairly new to the game (only have had a GCP since the start of this year).

I'd personally get a filter-only grinder. Wait for a sale, grab an Ode Gen 2, and buy an espresso grinder when the time comes (DF54 is insane value). The best grinders for double duty are medium-high clarity conical grinders like Comandante, K-Ultra etc IMO. The Femobook A5 and Lagom Casa are a couple electric grinders that are in the same category (I haven't tried either, but they're well reviewed). I previously used a Lagom Mini for both filter and espresso and it was fantastic. The DF54 and 64 both do a decent job at filter, but it's not great. The 64 mm SSP MP burrs are often recommended as a do-it-all burr set, but they are for a very specific espresso profile and they are not beginner friendly for espresso. I didn't enjoy the espresso with them. SSP Cast are supposed to be decent for both, but you're giving up the clarity everyone is always seeking. A couple other decent options that I've tried are Ditting 54mm steel burrs in the Vario+ and Eureka's 50 mm brew burrs in an entry level mignon. The UX is not ideal with either of these setups compared to a grinder designed to single dose. If the Ditting burrs fit in the DF without crazy mods it would be a great option. Edit: I forgot to mention that there are now brew burrs available for the DF54. I'm planning to grab a set to try out once they're available in Canada.

If you can stretch £23 more, the DF54 can be bought for £173 from DF64.com

That sucks. I ordered Sunday 15th and received it yesterday, the 23rd. All rather uneventful and shipping went smoothly.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I could get 98mm cast burr quality coffee out of 2 DF54s in a cascading setup: Grinder 1 with a cremaloop slow feeder grinding coarsely into grinder 2 dialed in at your preferred size.

I had one. Compared to my DF54 getting an esp is a waste of 200 dollars.

Spend the extra $60 and get a DF54. Your welcome.

LOL, love this. I was using a similar mod on my Hairo Sekrton for like 8 years. My GF got tired of me keeping a drill in the kitchen so she bought me a Baratza Encore ESP this past Christmas. Works well enough for Espresso, Pour Over, and French Press. You might look at the Turin DF54 as well. Both are about your range.

Your budget is fine. You can easily get a good grinder that will do both, which generally means grind fine enough for espresso as that is the more demanding. Most people prefer, for multiple types of coffee making (esp. pour over and espresso), flat burrs. Just a preference thing, conical burrs can still work well with pour-over, it is just that classical people look for greater clarity with pour-over. The best answer is two grinders, one conical and one flat, but that is luxury, however, given how good and inexpensive conical hand grinders are now, that can make for a best of both worlds solution. One key question is if you want to single-dose or hopper feed. The workflow is different with pros and cons of either way. It is just a preference thing. Most people on this sub seem to be single-dosing (inc. me), just be aware that may not be what you prefer. If it was me, I would get a good budget flat electric grinder like the Turin DF54 or the Fellow, and a conical hand-grinder (a Kingrinder, Timemore or 1zpresso). If I wanted to favour espresso and only do pour-over occasionally, I would look at a grinder like the Option O Casa. Finally, if you want to go with a hopper grinder, the Eurekas models are worth looking at. As a small tip - pay attention to the noise level of the electric grinder, if you are noise sensitive. Some of them can be annoyingly loud. Hope it makes sense and helps.

\> I would prefer a single dose as I use 3 types of coffee beans I use here and there. Agreed, go with a single-dosing grinder. \> I am thinking of getting the DF54 My strong recommendation is to get one via a retailer who can support you if there are issues and not direct. My own experience of buying directly from Turin is woeful; their customer service was non-existent. If you buy from an in-country retailer, they are responsible for sorting any issues. \> Would you recommend a DF64 instead or try and get a DF54? I had a v1 DF64 previously - IMO, it is probably the best value grinder on the market today, given its price and its ability to have different burrs. Given you say you don't mind loud noise (and it is, IMO a very loud grinder), this seems like a good option for you (but buy via an in-country retailer). \> Off topic, but it seems like the DF series is way more favoured than the Niche. I am not so sure. There is a lot of talk and recommendations for them, but when you see pics of people's setups, there are an awful lot of niche zeros out there (inc. with me - I have one alongside an Option-O P64 and some hand-grinders). The Zero is not favored so strongly as the flat grinders for pour-over, it tends to get used primarily for espresso, which IMO is is very good for. Plus, has the best workflow and sound (quietness) of any grinder I have used. \> On another note, I am thinking of getting a Lagom Casa A superbly well-built and capable grinder. Option-O are legendary in the business.

Almost everyone on here are fans of Turin grinders. Recommend wil be df54 or df64

espresso will need a lot of dialing in, especially if you are new. save yourself all the hassle of grinding manual on espresso size and get an electric. df54 is pretty close to $200 range and is actually decent enough.

Video seemed fair and relatively positive, though shared here with a perhaps unfair title. And I say that after spending my first two hours with the DF54 fully clogged.

Depends on your budget, I use a DF64 with SSP multimodal burrs but I’d be happy with the DF54 as well. So much value for the dollar.

For what kind of brewing method will this be OP? If it is for espresso, then there isn't any good ones for 5k and below. There are cheap and branded electric burr grinders like the DeLonghi KG97 or Cuisinart DBM-8KR, but IMO, just save up and buy something like the DF54.

Just got me the df54 and am very happy with it !

Df54 and will also last longer. Otherwise go with a hand grinder.

Head on over to r/espresso if you want to go way down that rabbit hole. I recently got what seems to be the current popular beginner setup of a Bambino+ and a DF54 grinder. Works great.

With your budget I would go with a df54

I got a home grinder initially so that my coffee wouldn’t go stale as fast.  Whole beans last longer than preground.  Part of the bonus was, hopefully, that I could buy a larger bag for cheaper and still get good coffee for less money per cup. Then I got better at dialing in my grind size and getting the smoothest flavor I could, so now rather than spending ten dollars per kilo of commodity-grade coffee, I’m happy spending twenty per 300g of specialty coffee. 🤣 For the same money, you’ll get much better grind quality in a hand grinder than you would for electric.  Get a Timemore or 1ZPresso and it’ll rival electric grinders costing double or triple as much.  It’ll take a bit longer, but with the modern class of hand grinders, you’re only looking at maybe 45 seconds for a 3-cup pot without working very hard (which is much better than multiple minutes in a Hario Skerton). In electric grinders, the bare minimum I’d recommend would be an Oxo or a Baratza.  But I’d rather step up to, say, the DF54, Eureka Mignon series, Urbanic, and some others.

I’d spend a bit more and get the df54. The baratza esp isn’t appreciably better than the barista pro’s built in grinder. At least not enough to make it worth the upgrade.

I got the Specialita and I believe - from my multiple reviews - the DF54 is up there is due to it's pricing. I've had the Baratza but the level up from previous to current one is not comparable. Eureka is just solid!

I love my DF54

I have a DF54 with my Bambino and it's excellent

OP: An earlier (2023) pro reviewer (Kyle Rowsell) video on the Fellow Opus and Baratza Encore ESP, plus other, electric grinders, and in comparison, that may be helpful and informative, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B\_iSvPdkWfQ. Recommended, if going there, that you go into a purchase of the Opus fully knowing its pro's and con's. I've had the Baratza Encore ESP (make sure that it is the ESP version, not the earlier simply Encore version) for over 19 months now, and its done its job. This year's "poster child" as a good entry-level grinder, the DF54 (US$229). \*Many\* posts here, and elsewhere, to read up on it. E.g.: The Real Sprometheus -- DF54 vs. DF64 | How Much Difference Can 10 Millimeters Make?, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxw\_G6tQYJc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxw_G6tQYJc). And a most recent take on entry-level grinders, by espresso guru James Hoffmann, and considering each of these grinders: https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1gu8612/the\_best\_espresso\_grinder\_under\_250\_james\_hoffmann/.

Belgian here, from the ones mentioned the baratza esp offers great value. If you could stretch the budget a tiny bit, you could get the df54. Quite an upgrade from the ones you mentioned and costs 267 shipped to Benelux from dfcoffee.com

Shipping took a bit longer than estimated, but really can't complain as they we're quite responsive (mails answered within the day). Still very happy with the DF54, for the price range it's one of the best.

No, no taxes or customs fees, took a couple of days longer than expected though. In the end very happy with it

They're completely different grinders, but both offer good results. I mainly use the K6 for pourover, but it makes a very nice espresso, more texture and sweetness, less complexity. If you're up for a little workout, the K6 is probably the best bang for buck for espresso. The df54 is easier to use and offers a broader palate due to the flat burrs. I chose the DF54 because of space constraints and am still very happy with it. Coming from a Eureka Mignon Perfetto, the DF54 is better for medium and light roasts. If starting out, I would say to go for the K6, great bang for buck and you wont regret it. Available on amazon belgium for 99, so best bang for buck and a nice little workout in the morning. Takes about 40 seconds to grind 20 grams.

i have df54 at home and k6 at garage. i only made about 5 coffees on k6 yet but here are my observations: first time i used it i was horrified, im beefy man and i couldnt turn handle sometimes. but second grind was totally fine and now its pretty fast and easy (not easy making 10 shots back to back, but totally easy making 1-2) grounds stick to bottom compartment and exit chute as hell. you have to give it few bangs to get to portafilter, maybe that will get better. coffees great overall: for 120€ as is costs normally i would add another 100€ on top and get df54 if it was my main grinder. i got it for 80€ on some aliexpress sales and im very happy.

DF54 hands down

I had a shardor 51 settings burr grinder for at least 2 years prior of getting a df54 and it did get the Job done so i recommend it

Before going with Opus, make sure you understand its Byzantine adjustment mechanism with macro and micro adjustments. I would much prefer a Baratza ESP or DF54 to the Opus.

You don’t need the ESP version of the Encore if you’re just brewing filter coffee. The regular version will do fine. Since you’re doing batch brew frequently, I wouldn’t get a hand grinder unless you just enjoy it. I make a pot of drip coffee on workdays for my wife and I, and I do pourover and spro on the weekends, and occasionally I will use a hand grinder, but to grind 75g of beans, I have to reload 3x. I like it, but if you’re like most people and time is your most valuable commodity, you’re going to want an electric grinder. I use an Ode Gen 1 that I bought on sale a couple of years ago for $159. That would be a great option if you can find one. The Gen 2 also goes on sale from time to time. The 64mm burrs munch through 75g of beans like nothing. Takes about 10-15 seconds. These are very common on the used market, so maybe you could look around on Facebook marketplace, etc, for one that someone is selling. A DF54 would also be a great option at around $230. FemobooK A2, as someone suggested above, makes great rechargeable option at $99, and will rival or beat the grinders I mentioned above in cup quality. However, you would have to reload it a few times for large batch brews. And it’s not very fast. That’s not as much of an issue, though, since it’s electric. It will also grind a LOT of coffee (like, enough for 80 pourovers) in between charges. I think it’s an outstanding value. Just depends if you’re willing to live with the fact that it would take a bit longer to grind for batch brew.

Invested at df54. No regrets

Pourover AND espresso makes it tougher. DF54 is pretty solid for the money. With the right burrs, it’ll do both pourover and espresso well. For $230-$250… it’s hard to beat.

Great combo. For that price for the grinder I would consider the DF54 which is single dosing and not ceramic burrs (unless you like the baratza workflow and the type of coffee the ceramic burrs produce). It is now being sold by df64coffee in Amazon for 325€, but a while ago it was also being sold by Miicoffee for 255€. So maybe they re-stock ot for that price again. Great choice the ECP, make sure you buy IMS competition baskets!

Haven't tried this brand. But I had one of those from Aliexpress, the ITOP 40Plus just because it had a bigger burr than the df54 and had a really bad experience. It's not that you will get the same experince from this one, but for that price, you should get the DF54. In my opinion, I think it is a safer option. There are much more users out there making reviews and sharing experience with it. I'm really satisfied with it. Edit: BTW my DF54 paired with a Lelit Anna, such a great combo. And I also often do medium roasts with great body.

Love my df54 .. I would pick it over anything in that price range

DF54 is right under that price point and is a fantastic grinder. Also has the benefit of being able to do espresso if you ever decide to venture that way. Bellows mean it doesn't have major retention issues.

Easiest decision, DF every time, a little bit more costly but a 10x better grinder in every way

To start, the DF54 is an excellent grinder. It was easy to dial in and the results were as good or better than with my KINGrinder K6 or the Baratza Encore ESP. Because this was my first serious electric grinder, I had some issues and questions in the beginning but resolved most of them by looking at some DF64 videos that applied to the DF54. Barret from Espresso Outlet also clarified some items. If you don't think the DF54 is a serious grinder, talk to my wife about the bill Here are some of the things I learned. **Support** For faster response, email is preferred. I prefer telephone. It took awhile but I did connect with Barrett and he patiently went through my questions. **Clogging** My DF54 worked fine for a week or so but started cloggling when grinding medium dark roasts - three times in a row after cleaning twice. After a thorough cleaning following a YT for the DF64, I tried hot starting and that seemed to solve the problem. One other owner on Reddit had the same problem but no others reported issues - with even very dark roasts. Barrett said he had not seen the issue at all on the DF54 *EDIT* I've been slow feeding and hot starting (turning on grinder before adding beans) for a month with no clogging. Recently, I accidentally dumped in 18 grams without slow feeding and it choked again. **Range** Espresso range is about 4 to 7 on the dial for my unit. Much more narrow than I expected. Dialing in 35 second shot with light roast beans is about 5 or 6 on the dial. Barrett said that is about right on the DF54. YMMV. *EDIT* On further use, with different beans, the espresso range on my unit is 4 to 12. The pourover range is broader, about 55 to 70. **Should you check alignment?** Some YT influencers say check alignment with new grinders.Others say don't bother unless you have a problem. Barrett says don't bother. They check most of the units. Also, smaller burrs like the 54mm aren't likely to have problems as larger burrs like 83mm. Finally, Barrett says smaller burrs are much harder to align and that even if they're 15% or so off, will not affect the performance noticably. If you are thinking about aligning your DF54, I recommend contacting your seller first for guidance. **Seasoning the burrs worth the time and coffee?** Barrett says no, and you could burn out the motor running it for twenty minutes or more at a time. Spromethius says in a YT on the topic that seasoning makes no difference in taste after many comparisons with different grinders. If you get a any new grinder, then go with manufacturers recommendations. *Edited to delete misinformation I repeated that seasoning can affect the life of the burrs. Mea Culpa. My bad.* **How do you avoid damaging the anti-clog device and the ionizer?** Be careful. See the YouTube uploaded today. [Turin Ion Cleaning -DF Grinder Maintenance](https://youtu.be/GEk3HKKidYk?si=rf5l1G_puXUZtK9v) **Cleaning** Barrett says ownets actually over clean. Pump the bellows and clear the chute after each use. Clean the chute with a screw driver and/or brush once a week. Remove the burr assembly and thoroughly clean once or twice a year. **Tips** You might/probably know of them but I came up with these solutions while tuning up the DF54. *Toothbrush* Use a disposable electric toothbrush to remove fine coffee powder or oil from threads when cleaning. I tried micro fiber rags with no luck getting to the residual oils or powder but the toothbrush worked in 30 seconds. Manual brush will probably work almost as well. *Dialing In* If you have an old grinder like a KINGrinder K6 or Baratza that has been dialed in for different brewing methods like pourover, AeroPress , etc, grind 5 or 6 beans in that grinder as your benchmark for that brewer. Then start doing the same in the DF54, adjusting until you get an approximate visual and texture match. That will get you a starting point for your new grinder. * **ALWAYS RUN GRINDER WHEN CHANGING GRIND SIZE. - ESPECIALLY COURSE TO FINER. Otherwise, you can JAM or damage the grinder. Applies to most consumer grade grinders.*** *Chirping when changing grind setting.* That sounds is almost certainly not the burrs touching. Rather it is a bean or bean fragments left between the burrs. Videos [Doesn't Grind Fine Enough](https://youtu.be/hzp5cI7wOWc?si=B0aTujcbmNGeSDkT) [Cleaning DF64 and Clearing Jams](https://youtu.be/hzp5cI7wOWc?si=B0aTujcbmNGeSDkT) Yesterday, Barrett says they will be producing some DF54 centric YouTube videos soon. The first dropped today on the ionizer link above. I will edit/monitor this post to keep current for a while. EDIT: *DF54 vs Baratza ESP - Coffee Chronicler* https://youtu.be/eb_5H8uydQs?si=HJnm-nT-eTNFW05r Thanks Pax

The DF54 produces very tasty shots and very good pourovers. I would say better than the K6 but Í haven't done blind cupping. Ít is also easier to dial in new coffee, I think I don't have the experience with the K6 and espresso to judge fairly. Also, I'm using different beans, so no good baseline. I remember getting good shots with the K6 but manual grinding that fine was a real chore and I very quickly went electric. When I have the time I may try comparative cupping and report back. But I'm no connoisseur. I taste sweet sour bitter fruity and bad/meh/good/OMG coffee. Pax

I don't have the experience base to answer fully. While waiting to be loaded the DF54 runs at a quiet hum. When grinding, it is noticably quieter than my Encore ESP.. Practically speaking I'll use the DF54 early morning without too much concern of waking the wife. I wouldn't use the ESP if someone was sleeping. Bottom line, DF54 noise isn't an issue at all for me. Pax

Tough choice. Off hand, if you travel or camp the K6 If you only pull a coupler of espresso shots a day, then the K6. You should be in reasonable shape and realized that grinding espresso requires a lot of torque, therefore effort. The DF54 does both espresso and filter coffee well The quality of filter coffee is often overlooked and underappreciated on this grinder It is fast and the best brand for the buck grinder under $400. But it isn't portable and takes some counter space. The DF54 is also $130 more - more than twice the K6 If you're new to specialty coffee, perhaps get the K6 first, and the DF54 later. You have to decide for you but I will say you can't make a mistake with either I'm a big fan of both. I went from the C2 to the K6 and have championed this grinder ever since. Hope this helps. Pax

The turin (espresso outlet) are a rebrand and customized version of chinese made grinders that are available under different brands and voltages. I have a sd40 and without a modification it is not as good for espresso and I would recommend the sk40 (stepless version of sd40) or even better the df54. Here is a listing on alibaba that shows an example of a non turin version: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Factory-sell-coffee-grinder-espresso-brew_1601347690075.html

Df54! Much better than the encore

Spend a bit more for a DF54. It's fantastic. Anything below is actually worse value imo. I personally don't recommend hand grinding for espresso , it becomes extremely tedious.

Yup, hand grinding for one drink isn't too bad. But if you're dialing in, or get the grind one, or mess something up etc, it makes the whole espresso process much more frustrating and long winded. This is the biggest reason I don't recommend hand grinding for espresso. Learning to pull decent shots and dial in can be difficult and time consuming enough as it is.

DF54, for potential future burr upgrades. I have df64 and after the ssp burr upgrade its night and day difference from stock burrs. 

The Encore is a good grinder at its price point, but the K6 may even be better. I enjoyed grinding by hand for a long time and still do when traveling, but the grind quality of my Philos is just too good ;) My advice is to spend once as much as you can, not to go easy now and upgrade soonish. E.g. when going electric maybe go for the DF54 or (second hand) DF64g2, if you can afford it. When going for hand operated and you enjoy light roast, the 1zpresso ZP6 can’t be beaten (for med-dark K6 is great, especially for its price).

The cheaper grinders have smaller motors that grind at high speed (loud) More expensive grinders have larger motors that grind at lower speeds (less loud) I have a df54 grinder (it's sold under different brands), it's cheap but because of the heavy build (for a small grinder) the sound is not that bad.

DF54. It was a game changer for my setup.

Yep. There are decent conical burr grinders out there especially for espresso. The Baratza Encore ESP and Fellow Opus are two good ones around $200. The DF54 is a good flat burr grinder for just over $200 but I think its sold out.

if he is espresso only, I think I would be happy with any of the three. if he will consider doing pourover coffees, then the DF54 may be better for both.

The DF54 will be a big step up compared to the built-in grinder for sure!

Ode 2 or DF54. Both are really good. If you have any slight thought about trying out espresso, then for sure go with the DF54. Differences between them are minor, so go with your gut feeling or aesthetics.

For that budget I'd go for 3 options depending on preference/workflow. - Turin DF54 (54mm flat burr, single dose, dosing cup) - Fellow Opus (44mm conical burr, single dose, dosing cup) - Eureka Manuale (50mm flat burr, hopper or single dose, direct to portafilter) Those are all great options that are towards the top end of your budget with Eureka coming in a bit higher with the Opus being the cheapest option. IMO the Eureka is probably the best built quality and durability wise.

Where's the encore esp? I wouldn't buy it over a DF54, but if you're going to spend around $200-250 and the DF54 is out of stock everywhere like recently, it's also a very good option.

I'm kind of addicted to this sub and read almost everything here, so my experiences here say something a little different. Every time someone asks for a grinder recommendation (excluding the really inexpensive asks) I see someone recommending the Philos and a bunch of people follow on to agree. No way that number is only 6 over the last year. And the DF's, probably one third of the time they are recommended someone chimes in with the drawbacks, usually an owner or an owner will chime in with their bad experiences. So yes, the DF54 is mentioned a bunch because its virtually impossible to beat if someone's budget is a couple hundred dollars..maybe all the negative stuff I have seen is for the 64 and 83 because at those prices there is other stuff, IDK. I do know that there are a LOT of former DF owners on this sub who think they suck. Finally, another one of the more highly mentioned grinders is the Zerno Z1. I've never seen anyone recommend a Breville Grinder, and I've never even heard of an SK40, so to say that those are more recommended here than a Zerno, I haven't really seen that. And also no P64 which is really highly regarded and mentioned a lot.

I was in the exact same boat deciding between the Bambino Plus and the Profitec Go. I also have two young ones so startup time was a big factor. I went with the Profitec Go along with the DF54 grinder and couldn’t be happier so far. I use a smart plug so I can turn on and preheat the machine remotely when I wake up or as I get close to home. The main decision for me was the ability to control brew temperature, the stronger steam wand, and the improved build quality. It is also nice to have the adjustable OPV. And I just felt like I’d want to upgrade pretty soon as I got more into the hobby. There’s not much clearance between the brew group and drip tray, but I use a bottomless portafilter now so it’s not an issue to fit a cup and scale under there. After a week, it takes me about 3 mins to make an espresso, another 2-3 mins to steam milk and clean up. The main benefit of the Bambino for me was the instant heat up. It would be nice for situations where you want an impromptu drink, or if you forget to turn on the machine ahead of time. Otherwise, 54mm portafilter was also a con since any accessories wouldn’t carry over whenever I did upgrade to a 58mm machine. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Timemore sculptor 064 or 064S. Slightly more expensive but auger fed and vertically mounted and overall nicer feel. I will say though, I thought my DF54 would be super ugly but it's surprisingly not that bad looking in person.

I have DF54 with stock burrs and I want to try the "new" filter burrs as well, if it does what it promises then I may end up with 2 DF54s...

Avoid the Fellow Opus, I upgraded to DF54 and I am happy with it.

I would avoid the Opus at all costs; it is a poorly designed product. I got DF54 for 239 pounds from sigma coffee uk and it is a life changer compared to the Opus.

I love my DF54! From what I’ve gathered, the 64 and 54 are equal until you upgrade the burrs in the 64. Of course the grind times are different but taste is virtually the same. The 54 doesn’t have many if any upgrade options right now.

I've been using the df54 for a couple weeks and really enjoy it. I noticed that you weren't using the dosing cup adapter. It's a little rubber attachment that comes with the grinder and holds the cup at an angle closer to the chute. This mitigates the messiness of the grinder. And for what it's worth, my daughter says the df54 looks prettier than my ode 2.

I can’t argue. I LOVE my DF54. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any of the others. But wow.

I've got a DF54 and happy with it so far (have owned it for nearly 6 months).

At your budget, look for good grinders and ignore burr type. Watch James Hoffmann and Lakce Hedrick videos on YouTube. They both had good reviews of budget grinders. James Hoffmann in particular praises 2 conical burr grinders for making coffee very similar to flat burrs so things are a spectrum and not black and white. What is way more important than burr type is have a listen to the noise quality of the grinders. Some have noises that are showstoppers in the quality and not necessarily loudness. I am biased because I really like my DF54 but it's not like I dislike my conical hand grinder. My DF54 produces coffee with less texture in the mouth feel (I think that's what the pros call "cleaner") and a bit higher in acidity (I think that is "brighter"). The perceived sweetness is therefore easier to come by because there is less things overwhelming the taste buds.

Of course watch James Hoffmann's budget grinder group review and decide for yourself. I am obviously biased but I can wholeheartedly recommend the DF54. Just make sure you buy from a reputable seller because there appear to be QC issues with some batches.

I’m not familiar with redditrecs but I feel like it’s missing quite a bit of the negative sentiment around the DF54. I bought one a few months ago and saw many people complaining about it at the time. Mine is great though so guess I won the quality control lottery.

Top 3 would be Baratza ESP, DF54, Lagom Casa. Baratza ESP because it is probably the most beginner friendly of the three and baratza has generally great customer service (at least in US). DF54 has worse quality control and minimal customer service but definitely has a higher ceiling than the baratza as you learn. The Lagom Casa is definitely an upgrade from the other two but at over twice the price.

ZP6 isn’t for everyone.. K Ultra, or Kingrinder 6 (for a cheaper but almost as good option) is probably better for OP’s intended usage That said I would recommend electric for the large batch grinding - Fellow Ode 2 on Black Friday sale or DF54 will be hard to beat

I have a few, and all are good for different things. I have a DF54 and an Etzinger etz-i for my at-home needs, an Aergrind for taking the AeroPress anywhere, and an old Ascaso i-1 as a spare in case the DF54 craps out. I like the choice of conical and flat burrs for my coffees, but I find the DF54 works better for espresso, and the etz-i is my pourover and AeroPress grinder, because it starts to choke up with espresso-fine coffee. If you're not going for espresso, I'd really suggest going hand grinder for your first, because you'll get a lot more for your money. There isn't much out there on it, but the etz-i is well worth a look. It's a well-known burr set, I seem to recall Baratza use it in the Encore, and it's a doddle to clean and adjust.

Ehhhhhhh idk, it's FANTASTIC for espresso but my K6 does a better job for filter grind-size.

DF54 takes up minimal space - Do ittttttt

I got a DF54 in December and I couldn’t be happier with it

Upgraded from a Sage Dose Control Pro to a DF54 semi-recently and couldn’t be happier

I have one for pour over (Smart Grinder Pro) and one for espresso (DF54). The SGP is a decent grinder when you adjust the inner burr, and the DF54 can do pour overs. In other words I could get by with one. However the DF54 was an upgrade and had a noticeable impact on my espresso. It is more convenient to not have to switch between grind settings for pour over and pulling shots. Obviously I still have to dial in new beans, but I like having more than one grinder.

I'm no expert AT ALL, but here's my anecdote: I owned a cheapo espresso machine that with store bought espresso made mediocre at best shots, but coffee-like enough for a weak latte. Then I joined this sub and found out there's lots of people with my exact machine and a decent grinder who say they get good quality (not elite, but good) normal strength shots. So that's what I did, I bought the DF54. I'm about a week in and I will say that after a little while running beans through to "season" the grinder and then some trial and error to figure out volume and grinder settings, my shots are pretty good with minimal work now. The grind setting I've been using (just got new, different beans so apparently that'll change) is considerably finer than the store espresso that's available where I live, so I'm guessing that's the primary difference. About a week in and it's been a good experience getting the grinder.

>Regarding zero point, I know my actual is like -4 You too, huh? Glad to know that other people have that experience too. I just got mine yesterday and I'm worried at how fast the water shoots through the grinds on a 4 setting. Like, really? 4 isn't fine enough for espresso?

Hmm. That's not good news. I posted something, and we'll see what others say. Maybe there's a way to calibrate it?

I'll take a look. Burr alignment is a good thought. Might be an issue. I'll have to see.

There is absolutely no need for a D64V, that is an advanced grinder for home enthusiasts and there is no need for you to be thinking about burr options. Just get a DF54.

There is no need for a niche zero, a DF54 will be perfectly fine for a Bambino Plus!

DF54, don't over think it you will be more than happy with the purchase.

This is what I did and I am happy with it - Ode Gen 2 and DF54. I am a 75% pour over household but wanted the option for espresso. I thought getting a manual grinder just for espresso would be the best idea but quickly learned it was a huge mistake. I also like not having to do a huge adjustment range by having two dedicated grinders.

DF83 is kinda redundant for the demo here. The 54 makes just a good coffee in the stock burs, it's just louder and much slower. I nearly pulled the trigger in an 83 but when the 54 came out I got it as it's so cheap and it's absolutely all I need.

The DF54 is awesome and better than an encore even according to father Hoffman

You definitely did not make a mistake FWIW the DF54 is more espresso focused but capable of doing other methods The DF54 — unlike the Encore ESP — is a flat burr grinder, stepless, has a ionizer to reduce static. However the ESP does a great job, is much more repairable, has better customer service, can be repeatable with its "stepped" design, and overall may be more versatile

K-ultra ticks all boxes really. Df54 is good for espresso but lacks at filter imo.  I have had the k ultra for 2 months now and it’s great filter is very good and when I’ve tried for espresso it’s also great and it will last years. 

I have the k ultra for travel, filter and the occasional espresso. I use the df54 for espresso mainly. However was considering just using the kultra for everything and selling the df54 as it can literally do everything well. 

My df54 has never clogged but also not a huge deal if it does. Just shove the little brush up in it and back to grinding

The real answer is the delonghi ECP3420 with the df54 grinder. All in you’re looking at $330. Will make espresso as good as anything else. If you want to upgrade the milk frother you can buy a separate milk frother.

I’ve had the exact Bodum grinder from the image and I’ve used it for maybe half a year before also looking for a different solution. It was loud, produced fines like nothing else I’ve tried, and static was atrocious. The timer was indeed a terrible function, and with larger batches it started heating up quite a bit. Coffee also tasted mediocre, if I look back at it. I used it for v60s and French press, and with the latter I always had muck in my final cup, whatever I tried. With 70-80 grams doses I can’t recommend the DF54 enough. I’ve debated quite a few before I settled on the DF54, but what sells it for me is how quick it grinds for filter. To be fair, I’ve used my Kingrinder K4 for about a year and had to grind two batches of 30g back to back, so any electric grinder is a big upgrade, but with the speed, taste and (for me) looks, the DF54 is unbeatable for me.

Bambino + kingrinder k6(or df54 if within your budget) If he likes to drink drip coffee, you might as well go with a hario switch, scale, kingrinder k6 and a gooseneck heater(I like timemore ones) Try out darling peach from dak coffee roasters. Wild stuff.

Df54 is by far the best budget grinder I used, it made me want to sell my grinder and buy that. However, if you ask me if I would like to be without df83 or kingrinder k6, even though sounds excessive, I personally would get k6. I hate dialing again after making changes in df. If the case only applies for me drinking espresso beverages, I would get df54 Please don’t forget to check the voltage levels before ordering, and also there is a company which sends items directly with some shady methods which would help you avoid paying taxes. I also bought from there, let me know if you want the details

I like to pick up my df54 and give it a good clunk on the counter to get rid of any retained grinds - WORKS LIKE A CHARM. That with a little bit of water and i dont have many issues at all. Great coffee for me

Yea so i share my grinder with my partner who makes a pour over every day - she always makes her coffee first so im always adjusting g the dial back down from 90 to 11 and it definitely isn’t some Steve Jobs level tactile experience where you sneeze on it and it moves with the aid of 1000 ball bearings. It’s no problem though, I would never return it because of the difficulty. I do it one handed. And what James probably didn’t do is keep the grinder ON while adjusting down, otherwise it feels much harder. The tightness of the dial makes it nice when you’re fine tuning near the bottom though because you can easily go a half point left or right to get it even more dialed without over turning. For the price, I’m super happy with it

I didnt end up buying one for myself, but I got my mom a df54 for christmas and I gotta say its pretty nice. I stayed at my parents house for a few days over christmas and it was a nice little grinder.

I concur. The 64 is nice for those who like to swap burrs, but I like my 54.

The difference is the burr size and the modability, I guess. So, you could swap out different burr sets on the 64, but maybe not on the 54 because I don't think there are a lot on the market. So, if you want to swap out your burrs for different styles, I'd go for the DF64. If you're gonna stick to one thing, I'd go for the DF54

Personally, the cheapest I'll go for an electric grinder is the mischief mini, then yung df54/df64 na if I see myself using light roast for espresso or gusto ko ng upgrade path/options in terms of burrs.