Kitchen & Housewares Lello 45800/3006 Ariete Burr Coffee Grinder
- pretty good; required modificationI bought this for $30, and at that price I'm glad I did. Two flaws: first, sometimes beans cease to feed properly from the bean feeder, making it necessary to shake the unit to get the flow going again. Second, with repeated use the unit will sometimes shake the reservoir slightly loose while grinding; this engages a safety switch and stops the half-finished grind. Very irritating! I disassembled the unit and shorted the safety switch so as to make it nonfunctional, and have been pleased with the results (although I can now accidentally spew coffee all over my kitchen if I stupidly press start when the reservoir isn't in place.
All in all a pretty good unit, but not something I'd pay $50 for.
Rating:
- Barely OK for beginners, Just Spend $30 more and Step Up to ConicalWatch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RP7MCXOYKVEUU It really takes away from making a good cup. Save your money and go for a grinder like the Saeco Titan, Solis 166, or Starbucks Maestro. It'd be a decent deal at $30, but $50 is sadly high. This grinder is NOT A CONICAL, it's just a burr grinder.
Rating:
- Don't Know!Yikes,
I know we are suppose to be PC, and gentle and polite with reviews. I really don't know how to write this.
I wanted to have this grinder forever! I had it for 2.5 weeks, before it burned out! I did the same amount of grinding as I have done in my little DeLonghi. I have had the Delonghi for seven years.
The Ariete people were nice there in Italy. I just don't believe I'll be smacked in the face by the wet mop twice.
John
Rating:
- Grind Capability not As AdvertisedPositive:
Grind is very uniform
Negative:
Grind produced would only be considered "medium" size on many grinders and is not sufficiently fine for use with #4 cone filters. Grinder is loud and not exceptionally fast.
Review:
The grind produced is sufficient for a "flat bottomed" coffee maker but will not grind fine enough for use in a standard #4 cone filter or for making espresso. Being a burr grinder, the grind uniformity is excellent even for small pots. However, the noise level is uncomfortable and louder than most other burr grinders.
The overall build of the grinder is adequate. The motor is a bit weak though and strains at times to grind the beans. This would not be a grinder you would use for anything but coffee. The collector for ground coffee is better than some but is still not enjoyable to use. Static buildup is consistent around the ground coffee outlet and a brush must be used to clean out coffee grind stuck to the side of the collector after use. The controls are laid out reasonably well but require frequent adjustment as settings are not remembered between grinds.
If you are not making espresso, I would suggest the Hamilton Beach 80365 One Touch Custom Coffee Grinder whirly grinder instead. It does an exceptional job of producing a uniform grind for 8-10 cup pots and will not "burn" your beans. We have used ours for several months and have been very satisfied with all grinds except for small four cup pots for which the grind uniformity deteriorates drastically.
If you are needing an espresso grinder, I have found that the quality of grind increases consistently all the way through the large commercial grinders. So basically, this appears to be one market in which you definitely must pay for quality. Do not purchase any burr grinder under $100 and only conical burr grinders when shopping under $200. The conical grinders are quieter than the more standard radial burr grinders and are thought to produce a more consistent grind.
If you can afford it, the standard burr grinder at the connoisseur level is the Mini Mazzer -Timer. It's major competitor is the Macap M-4 Espresso Grinder - Black - Stepped Adjustment M4 Coffee Grinder which adds a degree of ergonomics while possibly sacrificing some level of build quality. Both grinders are exceptional.
For the best espresso (at any cost), you would need a commercial grinder comparable to a Mazzer Robur which would cost over $2000 and be suitable for use as the primary grinder in a mid-sized coffee house.
Rating:
- No problems, works well so far!I haven't had any problems with the coffee grinder so far. It grinds well, it's easy to clean, the mess is minimal, and the coffee tastes smooth without any bitterness. The grind seems very uniform, and I like that you can store your coffee beans in the grinder. Of course the grinding is a bit noisy, but what do you expect?