Hand grinding in itself can be a tedious task in some cases, but then again this applies to any hand grinder, including this one. The J-ultra is however incredibly consistent and uniform in its grounds, with its conical titanium coated burrs made for durable use. This also implies that there will be more fines contained in the grounds making for a thick bodied and chocolaty shot of espresso, which is greatly appreciated in milk drinks. The design is pleasingly sleek and compact, taking little room and being is easy to grip.
The J-ultra was designed with espresso in mind, it however does an excellent job for pour-over or any other coffee brewing method. Changing your grind setting is simple and easy with the upper dial, and the J-ultra is meant to come pre-calibrated, just make sure you don't grab onto the dial while grinding as you may accidentally change the setting. It also comes with a nice magnetic catch cup which spares you from having to twist it open and closed on every use. While the grinder is durable, you might want to watch out dropping it, as it may throw off the calibration and knock components onto one another.
I personally use mostly medium to dark roast, but keep in mind that blonde espresso beans are particularilly tedious to grind. With hand grinding already needing some elbow grease, one advice I can give in this case is feeding the beans in small amounts at a time when grinding. There may also be a bit of static electricity that makes the ground stick to the catch cup or right under the lower burr. This is a common occurence with metallic grinders, and one trick is to very slightly wet your beans by adding a spray of water and shaking them around in a container (not inside the feeding chamber). If you ever need help finding the right grind setting for your usage, there is a chart on the official website.
TL;DR : Very consistent, pleasant design with a magnetic catch cup and an easy to use grind setting, compact and makes for chocolaty shots of espresso. Good for any brew method, but will not prioritize clarity. If you are more pour-over focused, or use other methods of brewing coffee and like clarity and light taste, go for the K-ultra.
| Brand | 1Zpresso |
|---|---|
| Colour | Iron Gray |
| Product Dimensions | 18.29 x 5.59 x 19.05 cm; 698.53 g |
| Capacity | 40 g |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Item Weight | 699 g |
