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At home, I¡¯ve had a Cuisinart DBM-8C and am now using a Braun KG7070 which I¡¯ll compare to in this review.
WALK-AROUND ¨C Bodum Bistro
This grinder has an all-plastic exterior (except the glass output jar). The plastic is matte which makes it look surprisingly good. The bean hopper can be rotated to allow you to select grind coarseness. On the top of the unit is the timer dial (allows you to select 5 to 20second grind times) and a ¡°go¡± button. On the side of the unit is a power button. At the office, we leave the timer set to approximately 8 seconds (press ¡°go¡± once for a half pot, twice for a full pot) and the power button is always on.
NORMAL USE
This grinder works like most other grinders ¨C pour in your beans, replace the hopper lid, select coarseness, select grind time and hit Start. Ground coffee lands in the lower hopper, and you can pull it out, remove the lid, and dump into your coffee maker. The lower hopper is glass which minimizes static cling relative to the grinders I¡¯ve used at home. Also, because the grinds come from above, the unit is not prone to ¡°leaking¡± grinds or getting jammed.
CONSISTENCY & GRIND QUALITY
Coarseness can be adjusted over a large scale to allow fine-tuning; there are images to suggest what coarseness is appropriate for the type of coffee being made. Grind quality is excellent in the ¡°drip filter¡± range, and very consistent. We don¡¯t grind espresso or have a French press at the office, so I can¡¯t comment on those settings.
NOISE LEVEL
This grinder is incredibly loud, much louder than my Cuisinart or Braun units at home. Not a big deal, but if quiet operation is important, check out the Braun 7070.
THE GOOD
+ Stands up well under high use
+ Consistent grind quality
+ No issues with clogging
+ No mess or ¡°leakage¡± of grinds that I experience with other grinders
THE BAD
- Lid on fresh bean hopper fits loosely; should provide airtight seal
- High price relative to other grinders
- Occasionally the timer ¡°kicks¡± out immediately and you need to re-press
OTHER NOTES
There is a similar-looking Bodum grinder that costs less ¨C it doesn¡¯t include a timer. I strongly recommend buying a grinder with a timer (such as this one) for easy and consistent pots of coffee.
OVERALL
I¡¯ve been recommending this grinder since we got one for the office, and two friends have picked one up in that time ¨C both are happy with it. The only caveat is that if you require quiet operation, you should consider another option (I suggest Braun 7070, but this unit requires additional cleaning because of the rear-fed grind hopper design).
