In Hungarian language if you say fussy (faszi in Hungarian writing) it means you are an irritating nitpick. Finding problems where there are none. So I think it fits.
Sir, could you do 2022 or 2023 version of the ultimate hand grinder showdown? It would be really interesting. I know a lot of channels are already reviewing new grinders regularly but nothing can be compared to James Hoffmann reviews you know!
@@dzangel25 I recently upgraded to the 1Zpresso K-Max and I'm really enjoying it. Grind adjustment is fine and dead easy, grinds fast with good consistency. The magnetic receiver is pleasant to use. Very interested to see how it stacks up to the other offerings
@@CyanOgilvie Thank you share with me your experience about the K-Max mod but I am also wondering how really needen is the blind shaker and moreover I want to see comparison with other main players at present time 🙂
I want this too! If for no other reason than to see him review the follow up to the Chestnut, the C2. It's truly brilliant for it's price point, like I feel as though I can't even compare it to these grinders because of its price vs. quality
As a working class lad that also likes good coffee, I gotta say it's refreshing that James actually lives in the real world when it comes to price. So many reviewers throw out, 'Oh and this grinder clocks in at a very affordable £XXXX' like it ain't a thing at all, but having James acknowledge prices are almost certainly out of the average person's budget just feels very human, and I like that. Thanks mate, you're a good lad.
The Kinu 47/Commandante are expensive but you have to keep in kind that they can compete with much more expensive electric grinders like Eureka/Niche. In that sense I would consider the higher end hand grinders "affordable" and maybe even more durable since you don't have any electric components which could potential break down sooner (like a burned motor).
As a white collar engineer with a management regional role, +350 euro for a hand coffee grinder in a country where minimum wages are monthly 300 euros…it’s expensive. Prices are always subjective.
Not only is this exactly what I wanted as an information seeker in the market for one of these, it is better than I could have reasonably expected. James is the perfect presenter. I've been a fan since the World Barista Championship, but the TH-cam era gives him his own platform!
I had nice experience in repairing coffee automatic machines and just about 2-3 month ago have joked one hand grinders, "hand" (alternative) brewing accessories. Think its making "weak" coffee dont even match to espresso coffee machines COFFEE( with thick crema and strong taste). But today was forced left my home by war. And buys hand grinder (Timemore C2), moka pot, cezve (turk). Today i exploring wonderful world of different coffee brewering, great thanks to James Hoffmann!
I've seen reviews mentioning wobbly burrs and complaints about metal shavings in coffee for Commadante grinder. Unacceptable for such an expensive device.
The idea of this comparison and the grinder pick is amazing. It's really very helpful information because many people can't just buy a bunch of €300 grinders and check which one feels better. Thank you.
After watching this vid and more online research I went to Percolate Coffee today set on getting the C40 since its rated to make the best cup. The shop happened to have a M47 on display, and seeing it in person, it's beautiful in so many ways, and the ergonomics of it felt soo good! I totally understand why James say it's the one he will like to keep. Given that its reviewed to make a great expresso too (though not the best), i decided to go with my heart and the M47 it is! I bought it in the evening, couldn't wait till morning, so dialed in the burr settings, made some shots to fine tune it, final adjusted result..delicious.... and now wide awake at midnite typing this and reading all 1.1k comments......
This, and James' quarantine flat-white video, sent me down a rabbit hole, that ended in me getting a 1Zpresso JX to pairn with my Aeropress. It's such an impressive grinder. The precision and fit of it brings my so much joy every morning.
James, ever since I discovered your channel, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that your content has helped me the most throughout my coffee appreciation journey. You have taught me that it is not just the coffee, it is the way you prepare it, how your grind setting is, and willingness to discover rather than being an informational sponge for every single nugget out there. Coffee is not a destination, it is a journey.
The Aergrind is awesome. I most frequently grind near the espresso size with great success. Also, it fits PERFECTLY into the back end of the plunger making it extremely compactable for camping-type applications! Love your work!
been binging your videos, old and new,... and from about 1min to 3min in this video, after probably 10 from you so far,... the absolute sincerity in your voice and face when you said how thankful you were to have these top tier grinder to test, and the resounding PLEASE DONT EVER TRY THIS expression you had as you explained how painful it was to dial in all those grinders, haha,... realest coffee guy Ive watched,... hands down like its 18:30 lol
I bought the Comandante last year, based on some reviews, articles and comments. It‘s my first coffee grinder and I wanted something really good that will last so I don‘t have to worry about a better grinder in the future. Even though I was pretty sure that it is a great quality grinder and produces great ground coffee, it was a little risky to buy something that expensive, since I don‘t have much experience. But now that I‘ve seen your opinion on it, I‘m even happier with it. I recently discovered your channel and I‘m loving your videos (I‘m going through all of them now), so thanks for this and every other video. I‘m now getting more and more experienced with coffee. Currently I’m only using the Moka pot and really enjoying it a lot, but hopefully I’ll be exploring other brewing methods soon. :)
I asked for an Aergrind for Christmas last year (which was 2020) after having watched this and have been using it for aeropress since then. As a first semi decent grinder, it's absolutely fabulous. I'm saving up for a 9Barista so I will have to start grinding finer but I have time as a luxury so I can spend as long as I need dialling in. It is hard physical work at finer settings, particularly with lighter roasts so what I sometimes do if I have an early start is grind a dose the night before. The reason I'm using machines with no motors is that I have thin walls and don't want to disturb neighbours :) The aergrind and aeropress are a perfect travel setup too.
I got the Lido 3 and I’m blown away! This thing feels more premium then what it seemed like in your video. It’s large because it can grind up to 70 grams at once. It’s very nice, those on the fence won’t regret it!
I have had mine for 7 years now and have totally gotten my value for money out of it. The plastic is very premium, and it looks great IMHO. The plastic and the black finished metal parts all look as good today as when I first got it. It looks great on my counter and matches the aeropress very well. I'm not sure about the smaller burrs of the other decent grinders, but the step up in size from the cheapo grinders to this made grinding so much easier, especially on finer settings. I can get through 15g in barely any time at all. Even grinding a whole hopper is tolerable, since you get a few days worth of coffee that way (I was not so learned in the ways of coffee in the past...). I actually got this because I roomed with several people in a rented house, and wanted a nicer burr grinder but didn't want to make a lot of noise with a motorized one. It was more grinder than I knew how to use until relatively recently (I just started weighing beans a few weeks ago...). My only complaint is in remembering adjustment settings, but I know that is a bit of a trade-off. Per James' point, the only reason I'd get a new grinder would be to have one dialed in for brewed coffee and another for espresso (I'm thinking of getting a lever). A smaller more portable quality grinder would also be a bonus.
Aergrind user here! Thanks for a great review and channel. Only thing I would add is that the Aergrind is mainly meant to be paired with an Aeropress. It even fits inside the top of the tube as a very space-efficient little coffee travel kit. Brought me a lot of joy on many trips. For espresso, you would probably wanna use the Feldgrind instead! Cheers.
For Filter: Comandante C40 (which has the most beautiful grinding noise, btw, my little daughter is always smiling when I'm using it). For Espresso: Kinu M47, because it grinds faster and produces a bit more of those fines needed for dark(er) espresso. Thank you, James, for that video.
This video helped me pick a grinder a year ago. I've now had my aergrind for a year, and it's the only reason I didn't give up on my aeropress. The difference between fresh burr ground coffee with this thing vs pre ground coffee that I couldn't adjust size on vs a blade grinder is astounding. And I don't even care it can only hold about 20 grams max. I'm usually in the realm of 15 to 18 g anyway, and if we take it camping it fits nicely inside my aeropress. And, half the fun of camping coffee is passing around the grinder for everyone who wants some to grind their own. So thank you for being unnecessarily fussy!
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with the aergrind. I really hesitate with purchases over $50 and have been wrestling with whether or not to get that. Thanks to you I know it's worth it.
I trusted your opinions James (with some further research) and for my first proper grinder I went for the Kinu m47. Before I had a cheap bodum blade grinder. This was a big step up in price. I have just used it and a v60 for the first time (far from a flat bottom pour) and I am very pleased with the results. And this was with some neglected and left over months old illy beans. The whole experience with the Kinu is fantastic. Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm. In going to enjoy a much higher standard of coffee at home from now on.
Loved the outro! 😂 I bought the Kinu after a lot of research a year ago, and I’m glad this sort of content is more readily available now! I love it. I did notice the same issue with dialing in the Kinu at first, but it has settled in nicely and rivals or beats all of my friends
Great review as always! I was between the Timemore and Knock but today I just received my 1Zpresso E-pro. I couldn’t be more happy! I think for the money is the best one.!
So I just made my first V60 Pour over, and after doing research (watching your video among that research) I went with the best bang for my buck and got the Timemore G1, while I wanted the Commoandante C40 it was simply out of my price range at the moment. It performed wonderfully, I used your method for pour over as closely as I could, it was a fantastic brew! I just wanted to mention I agreed with all of your points on the grinder and too my surprise they changed the inside of the chestnut base and it is now lined with stainless steel as well. Thanks for your videos and my first cup of pour over coffee!
I'm thinking about getting one too and i found a good offer, but it comes with the conventional burr. Which one do you have and did you try to make Espresso with the conventional burr?
I’ve had a comandante for 2 years now. I have loved the tasty pour overs that it has made so far. I haven’t felt any need to purchase the aftermarket red clicks that comandante makes now for a more dialed cup. I also use the bean cup to weigh my coffee out. I then just turn the whole grinder over and then place it on top of the bean cup. Then I just flip it all over and there isn’t any mess when filling the beans into grinder. Hopefully all of that makes since. Love your content! Keep it up.
Thankyou James, I brought an M47 under your recommendation for my flair, I travel for work and it’s one of the reasons to get me out of bed for a lovely brew every morning.
I think You would find James wouldn’t approve using a drill purely for the fact it’s probably going to fast and will not grind the coffee to the right texture but that’s only my guess
@@mp180170 Perhaps, but if it can be attached to a drill, it can also be attached to a speed-controlled motor, e.g. if you want to use one of these to build your own grinder. Been toying with the idea of building my own grinder around a manual grinder, controlled by a microcontroller, to automatically stop after reaching the desired weight of ground coffee. Anyway, I don't think that'll be much of an issue even if you use a drill. Motorised burr grinders spin a lot faster. And they have larger burrs too, which further increases surface speed.
Spinning the grinder with a drill may be faster, but the speed comes with increased friction. This will heat the coffee while grinding, diminishing (if not destroying) its quality. By hand, you will spin at about 120-180 rpm (2-3 revolutions per second), and I am not too sure whether you can adjust a drill safely to that speed
I have the tall Porlex and I chose it because it was relatively good, cheap and light, ideal for bike touring. So what made it feel like a toy for you was actually what drew me to it. However, recently I broke the outer burr after dropping the top part on the floor so I had to replace the burrs, and since I could only find the burrs for the newer model (Porlex II) available for sale, that's what I got and somehow managed to retrofit them into my old grinder and I can say that it's much better than it was when I bought it new. I like it a lot more now and I just love making coffee with it in the middle of nowhere.
As someone who does not have the means for beautiful coffee grinders I truly appreciate your video/s. It’s a joy to watch your reviews. Keep up the good work and thank you .
Have spent the morning enjoyably binge-watching your TH-cam videos, researching how to brew a better filter coffee. Culminating with my subscribing to your Patreon channel! Amazing content, so enjoyable and refreshingly honest. Thanks!
Quick tip for loading these, use the funnel that comes with your aeropress. It usually fits perfectly and means you won't have issues with beans bouncing out.
When I heard the gears clicking on the Kino as James adjusted I understood why he loved it so much because it was the sound of precise machining at it finest. I could only imagine the feedback the grinder gives to the user as it turn on a bean. Precision and craftsmanship are a joy to experience in its many expressions.
I followed your book "Coffee Map of the World", loved it, made my own coffee at home, and would like to know the most realistic recommendations for this year. I hope you will continue this conversation and show us the latest updates on toys, after all, new styles and brands have come out in the past few years.
Thanks for the awesome showdown. 2 notes: - we were selling the Aergrinds when they were originally released but decided to cease selling them due to variations in build quality between units. We weren't comfortable selling them unless we checked each unit before hand. - I believe the glass base of the Commandante is an off the shelf glass jar and the built the grinder threads around it. As such it should be possible to find a replacement in plastic or at least Commandante should not be charging too much for it as a spare part.
Donald Ickbutt, I’ve just bought an Aergrind and (although this is obviously based on a sample of one unit) I don’t see any problem with it at all, in fact the complete opposite, it is very well made, solid and feels precise. It is slow at fine settings but that's a function of its small size rather than quality, and I'm very happy with it overall. Mine came direct from Knock.
I have seen one video of a misalingled wobbling burset. A replacement did not fix the issue so I assume the axis was bent. The version I received today looks well centred but the burrs are brass colored, although they claim to sell hardened steel burrs.
Great review. I have the Aergrind and love it for its portability and rely on it heavily for travel. Was a huge upgrade over my previous travel grinder, the Porlex.
I concur. I just got the Aergrind as an upgrade to the Porlex Mini, and it's SOOOO much better. Money well spent. Bought it on the strength of this video. No regrets. Thought I do agree it would be nice if it could go to 30g. It also fits inside an Aeropress too.
Firstly a big thank you for indulging my coffee curiosities. I started with a cheap Amazon grinder. I recently wanted to upgrade and considered all of these options and also the 1zpresso jx and jx pro. I really wanted the jx pro. I wound up with a "normcore" grinder from Amazon for about $75. I figured I could send it back and get the jx pro if it wasn't what I wanted. The grinder seems to be of excellent quality and is so much faster and more enjoyable to use. I would love to see a comparison of the 1zpresso grinder and some of the higher priced Amazon models like normcore. Let's face it the grinder is hugely important, so we can't have enough feedback from a pro like you.
I just want to thank you for all you're doing for the coffee community. Thanks to you, I've learned so much about coffee and especially espresso which I love the most among the coffee techniques. I use a Sage The Barista Express, which I've modified to make it produce exactly 9 bar of pressure (thanks to you again), but I've struggled to get a good espresso out of it in reliable and consistent fashion. Thanks to you, I've realised that the built-in grinder of this coffee machine, mildly speaking, leaves much to desire. I have very little space in my kitchen and I hardly can justify buying another grinder for at least 500€, so after watching this video I’ve pulled the trigger and bought a Kinu M47 Simplicity. To be honest, initially I was slightly skeptical and thought that I’m buying another ridiculously expensive nice looking thing that will eventually be gathering dust on a shelf and can be used as a weapon in case of emergency. But my goodness, I was absolutely blown by the very first shoot from this grinder. I must regretfully admit that all the coffee I've made before with the Sage inbuilt grinder was pointless waste of valuable stuff. Thank you, James. Always looking forward at your videos to find myself hypnotised by your soothing voice and lovely pronunciation.
Thank you so much for your videos. I can't stop watching. They are so well made, better than most TV show's. Like the new lord of the rings series just came out today and I got lost here^^ please continue beeing so brilliant, its so much appreciated
Not disappointed with the Porlex as just grinding beans each morning has just added to enjoyment, and has allowed me to have a few different bags of beans going at once. Just that tip has been awesome for me! Thank you
I got my Timemore Chestnut C3 yesterday. Love it! They solved all the issues James mentioned - ground coffee container is metals and screws on, steps are now smaller so there are more. Love the thing!
@@arty4NR Thank for coming back, this action of yours enter my reassuring heart, i was looking one for expresso. Manage to cancel the order. Much Appreciated.
I had a Timemore on order. Then I watched "Tom's Coffee Corner" videos from about a month ago (c. 12-23). Based on those vids, I cancelled the Timemore and went with the Kingrinder 6 which has an awesome coupon so it cost the same as the Timemore.
Commandante user here. I have a slight other experience with filling the grinder. I weight the beans in the glass grinder basket. There are two reasons for that. First, you can remove beans easier from that glass basket if you put in too much beans. Second, you just have to flip the grinder upside down and put it onto the glass basket and flip it again - nothing will hop out. The Commandante can be modified with "Red Clix" to double the steps. I also love the taste for hand brews and espresso. For the Kinu there is also a smaller and cheaper version available (Kinu M47 Traveller) which should have the same grind quality as its bigger brother.
Also using the Commandante (With a Flair), upgraded from the Aergrind. I weigh my beans in the Flair cup on my scale, and my only annoyance is the one he resonated: the beans hitting the stabiliser and bouncing out, other than that I love this grinder and in reality this annoyance is minor as long as you're not throwing your beans at the grinder full speed. I will definitely look into the Red Clix upgrade as my espresso range is between two clicks and one is a very hard (But very tasty) pull, while the other feels just a smidge too loose (but still produces a lovely grind). Cleaning the glass chamber is easy, i just run it under the tap for a second then empty it and leave to dry. I, unfortunately, did drop 1 of my 2 glass chambers and shattered it on my marble floor so do beware. Overall I feel it's a big step up from the Aergrind, which I had a bunch of slipping issues with but did produce a lovely grind when it was static.
+1 Comandante user that weights beans in glass basket and then pour them to the grinder with no hassle. My Comandante came with a rubber band which I use to have better grip. I take rubber band off every time after usage because the wooden layer was getting sun burn where it was exposed and I don't want to have that sign in my grinder.
Was also just about to comment this! you really can have no issues with loading, other then having small varieties of coffee getting stuck where the grinder handle attaches. has happened to me multiple times and requires tweezers...
5 ปีที่แล้ว +105
I upgraded from Hario Skerton to Comandante and I still remember the first time I was using it. I discovered whole new world of flavours in the coffee that day.
Looking at upgrading from my Hario Skerton Pro to one of these too. Still on the fence about which one. Mostly an AeroPress and V60 brewer here so probably any would be awesome
@@shantanujchauhan I opted for the AerGrind because my primary daily brewer is the AeroPress and I’m an OTR Driver so the idea that it fits nicely together was an important aspect. Now I have a nice compact kit of AeroPress and grinder etc all in a nice 4 round x10 long bag for my brew kit. But I was seriously looking at the Kinu as well. But at twice the price and required more space, the Knock won out.
@@macdaddy9344 haha that's the obvious choice in terms of portability. Kinu wouldn't even come close in comparison for that. How's the Aergrind when compared with the Hario? How many world's apart?😂
I have had the Commandante for a year now and I am very happy. It’s easy to keep clean and to take apart for a more thorough maintenance. I also appreciate that the glass jar comes with a lid so it’s possible to use it as a separate travel container. The settings are easy to figure out a have worked +/- one click with all the beans I used throughout the year for a V60.
We need an updated version of this for 2024/25. Because of this video (previously I had a cheap like 20€ handgrinder from Silbertahl) I treated myself to the Kinu Grinder. Not the one in the video, but the special edition made of titanium for around 430€. I absolutely love it and while it might be expensive, it feels so nice to use and I'm always looking forward to grinding my coffee every morning. Though the Thumbstopper doesn't quite work for me as I have fairly large hands and my thumb slips off it too frequently. Another big plus for me is that the grinder looks amazing. Such a behemoth of a grinder!
Thank you for the in-depth review, James. Your insights are very helpful to the community. Also, hate to be that guy, but the Porlex was showing £157 on screen instead of £57.
In Germany the glass of the Commandante C40 is pretty much of a standard size. You can easily get one for all kind of food, like jam, honey, pesto, tomato paste, etc.. So even if the glass breaks, one can easily replace it. I love the C40 and use different glasses for different types of coffee.
This definitely seems like a point in its favor, IMO. I know it can be "missing the point" to grind ahead of use, but having a standard container which can be found with sealing lids is more versatile than the others. Being able to swap catch containers, to have a simple and dishwasher safe material, seems like a win.
I own the Lido 3. We got it because 19 times out of 20 we are grinding for French press and making a large batch of coffee. The grind uniformity and consistency is great and the build quality is amazing (actually, most of it is metal, not plastic -- including the locking ring and the adjustment ring). I agree with you about the fiddly adjustment mechanism though! And it is huge. But if you're grinding 75 g of beans a day, PLUS you want quality grinds, PLUS you don't care for an electric grinder, this is the grinder for you. That Kinu looks beautiful though! Another great video - thanks!
I got a Timemore C2 hand grinder recently for brewing my aeropress at work in grey aluminium. Really nice to use, well made, has a screw-on base and the knob doesn't pop off. Doesn't fit inside the aeropress though so maybe not perfect for travel... but I use it to make delicious aeropress coffee several times a day. Kiss the Hippo do a bundle of the grinder, aeropress, and a little scale for about £120 - such good value! If you need a work coffee setup this is perfect - buy yourself a nice coffee weighing bowl (makes dosing into the narrow grinder a bit nicer) and an aeropress filter holder (it no longer comes with one - I had a spare) to go with it and you'll have a lovely time. I also have the Knock Aergrind paired with a second aeropress as my travel setup (with some little Wahl folding scales). I really like this too - build quality is lovely and it makes great coffee. I got mine as an end-of line special offer via their factory ebay shop for half price (£75) - also amazing value. Not trying to flex by owning multiple aeropress & grinder combinations - I'm just too disorganised to deal with using my work one for travel. Spending twice as much is the price of being a muppet.
Upgraded from the original Hario Skerton that I had for over 3 years to the Lido 3 about 6 months ago. Love the versatility of it as I frequently switch my brew method between Aeropress, V60, and French press. I've never made true espresso with it but have tried some pretty fine grinds for the Aeropress. I don't find the large size to detract from the grinder in any way whatsoever. Very easy to travel with, and those 48 mm burrs chew through coffee extremely well. Plus I love watching Doug and Barb on TH-cam!
I'm glad you mentioned that, I would've missed it otherwise! It was really interesting to hear a comparison between them, actually. God that Kinu sounded so damn erotic...
I've had a Commandante grinder since October and used it pretty much every day. I was wildly impressed by the grind quality and build quality. As someone else mentioned, they do pack a separate glass jar along with the grinder which you can use to weigh out coffee and it seamlessly fits into the top of the grinder to load the coffee in. I'm using it pretty much exclusively for pour-overs and the cup quality is consistently sweet and clean, giving a lot of other domestic grinders a run for their money. By comparison to the Virtuoso (which is the same price as the Commandante), I've vastly preferred the Commandante in grind quality, despite the extra effort.
Hello James, greetings from Guatemala. My father gave me a Lido 2 (all metal) back in 2016. It's big, bulky, heavy, but it gets the job done. Those OE grinders are built to last a lifetime. And if anything were to go wrong, they can always be fixed. The people running that show are first rate.
You can avoid beans jumping out of the Commandante hopper by dosing into the grounds jar, then placing the inverted hopper over the jar and flipping it. Prevents any spillage. Also top tip for aeropress users: I realised the AP funnel fits snugly inside the Commandate's jar, making it very easy to dose into. You'll also feel very cool doing this. At least I do :)
I bought the Kinu after watching this review and I've never looked back. It's amazing! The only I would change would be to make the thumb stop a little bigger because my hands aren't real strong and sometimes my thumb just slides over the grip even with the thumb stop there. I'm currently looking for a silicone sleeve to add a little more grip to the barrel to make up the difference. It gives me a nice even grind every single time. The magnetic cup is convenient and easy to use. It feels like it's going to last for a million years. It took a bit to figure out what grind I needed but since I drink the same beans every day until the next bag I don't have to do that often. I've been able to get an espresso EASILY comparable to our local coffee shops with this and the Flair Pro 2. Thanks so much for your channel. I've always liked good coffee but really just let others worry about how to make it. That got inconvenient when I started working from home and our nearest coffee shop was 30 minutes away. Your videos really helped me bring my favorite drink home to have whenever I want. We do have a bakery that does an espresso but now that I can make my own I really feel no need to spend the $4 for an equal drink.
I'm on the Flair neo and wanting to improve it to the real portafilter but I need to upgrade my grinder first. Will be a hand grinder for sure. Still trying to decide, the Kinu is too expansive for me 👀. The Phoenix is affordable but then again they use plastic... Others like 1zpresso and Timemore have full aluminum/steel bodies for less money and espresso burrs. Ugh so hard to choose. I wish Hoffman would do another mid tier hand grinder video.
@@sebaba001 Why do you think your current grinder needs to be upgraded first? I've never used the Neo. I've only seen it on videos. I didn't realize it had a different filter. I thought the main difference was the addition of the pressure gauge, which I love but is not absolutely necessary. He did do a video of cheaper hand grinders though. You will find it here. th-cam.com/video/QLEBfom0mhM/w-d-xo.html
@@angelacarter6593 Because my grinder doesn't go fine enough for espresso! On the finest setting I can do espresso on the neo portafilter, but it'd be too coarse for the un pressurized portafilter. Probably I'll go for Phoenix as soon as I save up 200 :i
Really enjoyed the video, especially the end. I have the Lido 2 (second edition). There are at least three different aspects to rate manual grinders: 1. Grind quality. As you say, when you get to the top manual grinders, they are pretty similar 2. Features and Ergonomics. How much can it grind? How long does it take? How easy is it to set the grind size? 3. Appreciation of the grinder as an object. How well is it machined? What materials get you excited? Is it a pleasure to use? I can see that for you, the third aspect is pretty important. I picked the Lido 2 because of the big burrs, big capacity and great grind quality. It doesn't have the finish and attention to detail of the other grinders, though it isn't any less robust. I do think the grind adjustment can be fiddly though. The integration of the handle and the hopper loading is design genius, and the huge crank handle is an absolute pleasure to use - you never feel any part is going to slip or come off. I don't have experience of the other grinders, but I think if you care less about perceived fit/finish, and care more about capacity/speed/ergonomics (if you're happy with a large hand grinder), the Lido 2 is a good choice.
I bought the Helor twin burr off the Helor website. It arrived last week. I'm delighted with it. It produces near perfect grinds. The machining is excellent and looks both elegant and sturdy. Great ease of use. Thanks for the vid.👍
After working as a barista for a year, I finally got my own little espresso machine and I’m looking at hand grinders. Interestingly in 2021 the kinu and the comandante have almost switched price points! I’m very pleased that the kinu has gone down by about $100, because it is the one I’m most interested in
I watched specifically as I wanted a grinder suitable for camping and motorcycle touring; size and weight being major factors in addition to performance. Subsequently, my Porlex Mini has been consigned to the bin and replaced with the Knock Aergrind. Whilst there are far better grinders in this group, for a compact backpack or pannier friendly grinder, you can't go past the Knock. Thank you James for the review, extremely helpful.
Ohhhh boy, been waiting for this video for a while :) Can’t wait to see how the Comandante stacks up..... *gets a freshly brewed coffee and settles in to comfy chair*
Finally a hand grinder review James! I use the Lido3 after getting it at a bargain but honestly, I have issues with the ring adjustment and the size too but all around great grind consistency and does the job
I like the larger size. Easier to grind, especially when using the bicycle method that OE recommends. The ring adjustment definitely has a high learning curve. I've had my Lido 3E for over a year and am finally feeling pretty confident. One thing that James didn't mention in this video is serviceability. I like that I can take the Lido apart, if necessary, and replace all of the parts from the OE website. I'm not sure if the other grinders he reviewed can be fully dis- and re-assembled.
I have a LIDO E-T that I bought lightly used. I certainly agree that it's big, unwieldy at times, and the grind adjustment is far from intuitive. But for the price I paid, and considering I don't grind espresso (yet), it's fantastic. I love its capacity, too. I can do a whole 60 grams of coffee for when I have someone over. The capacity of the LIDO has meant I have unplugged my Baratza Encore and hand grind everything now. For all its downsides, I quite enjoy my LIDO, and I'm glad your video conclusion let me know that buying another of those grinders would not be a sizeable improvement. Cheers!
Thanks for your work James. I came to your channel at the start of lockdown trying to figure out how to DIY a flat white. And now I have a new hobby in coffee brewing along with a greater appreciation for coffee, and for taste in general. Keep up the great work 🙌
The glas jar on the Commandante is a standard jar used in Pharmaceutical industry here in Germany, therefore easily available/replaceable. To fill it as someone already mentioned, beans don't pop out at all when turning the grinder on top of the jar upside down. They have pretty unbreakable polycarbonate jars now for the C40.
The lido does come with a rubber stopper as a lid. Also I use it to grind 120g for cold brew. Try that on other one and you would have to load them 5-7 times
I'd been deliberately far too long about upgrading from my ancient, modded Hario. This review got me off the fence (thank you James) the clincher being how badly the Porlex ranked in this group. I went for the Aergrind and it is superb. These days 150 quid for something that you are likely to use daily and last you for years seems very good value. It's very thoughtfully designed and beautifully made. It fits neatly into my Aeropress (my travel brewer of choice) and I was surprised to find I can grind 15g of beans to a suitable fineness in only about 1 minute - much quicker and more pleasant than my hacked Hario. I have no experience with the Kinu but I can't imagine how it could be worth over twice the cost of the Aergrind. Also, bonus points to Knock for using plastic-free packaging.
This may seem kinda random but I have shopping for my first espresso setup and I wanted to go all the way and not take any half ways when it came to starting out this process for some reason your comment on good value with everyday use really resonated with me and kinda helped me seal the deal on the machine, grinder, etc. I have been looking at.
Great! I have a question/suggestion: How about comparing hand grinders and electric grinders at the exact same price? E.g. a £100 hand vs. a £100 electric, a £200 hand vs. £200 electric and so on. That would be awesome, since I, and a lot of other people, I think, might not care if the grinder is hand or electric, but care how good coffee can be make for the money. And by the way, you rock! Great show! :)
I suspect it'd be a foregone conclusion. The hand grinder is just a grinder, the electric is a grinder proper plus a motor. Fitting a motor into the same budget means the grinder proper needs to be substantially cheaper, and so will lose to the hand grinder which can put the entire budget into being a nicer grinder. Basically, requiring them to be at the same price point sets up the electric to lose. If you don't care about hand or electric (i.e. if you'd be happy to put in the effort every time you want coffee) and care about cost, get the hand grinder. If you care about convenience at home and are willing to spend a bit more, you can absolutely get something at least as good as a hand grinder, but those seem to cost about 2-3 times as much at the same overall quality level (judging by this channel; I'm no expert, I just look at prices and listen for happy James noises) to cover the added cost of the motor. If you care about portability... electric motors are heavy so probably hand is your best bet.
@@SaraWolffs I'm worried that the novelty of a hand grinder has an appeal which could skew its price point. I just don't feel like I can trust the price alone for choosing a good product. I'm currently looking for a grinder. Electric or otherwise. I just got an aeropress, so now it seems silly to stick with my cheap preground coffee. I don't go for the cheapest option, I'd like to feel like I've bought a good grinder. But I'm still clueless to that end. E-commerce reviews are incredibly unreliable
@@KunjaBihariKrishna Novelty... I guess my parents' ancient grinder (sort of a square wooden box with a conical burr grinder built into it) skewed my perceptions. There could be a novelty premium but I'm not sure how much of one there can be on the cheaper good ones here. As for price and reviews, James generally seems trustworthy. For good coffee's sake if not ours. If I were buying a grinder myself, I'd probably go for the Aergrind, which is cheap enough to take a chance on and which seems to grind just fine going by our favourite coffee snob's reaction. Especially since Aeropress isn't as finicky about grind size as espresso so the sweet spot being small shouldn't matter as much. And I doubt you'll find any electrics worth buying under £100.
@@SaraWolffs but isn't this why we do experiments? This is a testable hypothesis, and there's nothing wrong with converting a suspicion to a confirmed result.
I have the commandante C40 and never spilled the beans ! The glass collection chamber as you named it, fits perfectly on top. So you can put the glass collection chamber on the balance, add your coffee and then put the grinder on the chamber and flip it. Voilà the beans go down and the one or two beans staying on the stabilizer, you just wiggle them down. As of this, I agree the plastic lid is a bit "cheap" but otherwise I like my Commandante.
For about a year now ive been waiting for the aergrind to be in stock to start my specialty coffee adventure, just placed my order and can’t wait to start
The Aergrind is very tempting. I’ve really been wanting to get into grinding/brewing, but I didn’t think I would be able to get a solid experience without paying quite a lot. Really enjoyed this video. Keep them coming.
I’m very happy with my Aergrind and would highly recommend it given its price point, solid design, and consistency of grind for aeropress. Only downside is a smallish capacity.
Actually I almost buy the timemore chestnut, but the store recomended me for the slim one. He mentioned the problems like u said. And it grip perfectly, the canister also good coz it from mix of ceramic I think. For me timemore comes with good price good result
Actually the Chestnut I got (probably a later version) had some of the issues resolved. First the grounds bin isnt fully made out of wood like James'. They made an aluminum bin with the wood on the outside. Secondly the ball bearing connection is much stronger so it never accidentally disconnects. The other points still hold though..
Watching this video got a little surreal once you started discussing the glass collection jar and it breaking. Mine literally broke in my hand today for no reason (different grinder). It's why I'm watching this video in the first place.
Hi James. Just bought my first beans, and found your video. Like the Aergrind, but none in stock. Also realized I have one of your books. Love the channel cheers a fellow James
"I am gonna be unnecessarily fussy about everything now."
Yeah ... that is why I'm here, mate.
100% agree. 👍
In Hungarian language if you say fussy (faszi in Hungarian writing) it means you are an irritating nitpick. Finding problems where there are none. So I think it fits.
@@chch242 That is exactly what it means ^^
@@chch242 It means the same thing in English.
same hahaha. I loved the review because of the nitpicking
Sir, could you do 2022 or 2023 version of the ultimate hand grinder showdown? It would be really interesting. I know a lot of channels are already reviewing new grinders regularly but nothing can be compared to James Hoffmann reviews you know!
Yes please.. there are so many great new options in the market
It will be very helpful and nice. Please don't forget about the 1Zpresso K-Plus😊
@@dzangel25 I recently upgraded to the 1Zpresso K-Max and I'm really enjoying it. Grind adjustment is fine and dead easy, grinds fast with good consistency. The magnetic receiver is pleasant to use. Very interested to see how it stacks up to the other offerings
@@CyanOgilvie Thank you share with me your experience about the K-Max mod but I am also wondering how really needen is the blind shaker and moreover I want to see comparison with other main players at present time 🙂
I want this too! If for no other reason than to see him review the follow up to the Chestnut, the C2. It's truly brilliant for it's price point, like I feel as though I can't even compare it to these grinders because of its price vs. quality
As a working class lad that also likes good coffee, I gotta say it's refreshing that James actually lives in the real world when it comes to price. So many reviewers throw out, 'Oh and this grinder clocks in at a very affordable £XXXX' like it ain't a thing at all, but having James acknowledge prices are almost certainly out of the average person's budget just feels very human, and I like that. Thanks mate, you're a good lad.
The Kinu 47/Commandante are expensive but you have to keep in kind that they can compete with much more expensive electric grinders like Eureka/Niche. In that sense I would consider the higher end hand grinders "affordable" and maybe even more durable since you don't have any electric components which could potential break down sooner (like a burned motor).
@@danbo967 My Eureka Mignon is much cheaper than the Commandante, at least in the Netherlands.
As a white collar engineer with a management regional role, +350 euro for a hand coffee grinder in a country where minimum wages are monthly 300 euros…it’s expensive. Prices are always subjective.
@@Imardalwhere do you live?
@@lurelurche Istanbul
It’s been nearly 4 years, I’m sure you don’t want to recycle content BUT I’d really love an update of this 😊 I think your testing process is wonderful
Not only is this exactly what I wanted as an information seeker in the market for one of these, it is better than I could have reasonably expected. James is the perfect presenter. I've been a fan since the World Barista Championship, but the TH-cam era gives him his own platform!
"Coffee beans are very irritating once they're outside of the place you want them to be"
I love this!
Put that on a shirt
I sleep on the coffee bean. I bath in coffee. I love everything that is coffee.
Yep, best quote from that video ! In his defense he did say he would be annoyingly picky!
So Great! That supports my theory that coffee does not inherently want to be contained. It will escape if it gets the chance.
@@darrenlepper1473 Like the second law of thermodynamics as it pertains to enthalpy.
"it was a pleasure to load into" James Hoffmann
That's what he said
"it was quite hard to get off" James Hoffmann
Herr Löblich Dying.
@@filiph2919 THANK YOU THAT WAS THE JOKE
That she was
The ASMR was the cherry on top moment in the video! Your videos never fail to entertain and enlighten!
I thought the difference in sound between the Porlex and the others was amazing. Can definitely tell it sounds cheaper.
@@WushyMe yeah that was very noticeable
Wushy I believe it was also the only grinder in the lineup to use ceramic burrs. The rest were all metal burrs.
The first video of his I saw was the"inexpensive grinder" video! I'm honestly a bit surprised and disappointed that it did so ATTROCIOSLY!
Great video, James. I’ve been chewing my coffee beans to grind them. Might consider buying one of these bad boys thanks to you now.
Ha ha! great!
I had nice experience in repairing coffee automatic machines and just about 2-3 month ago have joked one hand grinders, "hand" (alternative) brewing accessories. Think its making "weak" coffee dont even match to espresso coffee machines COFFEE( with thick crema and strong taste). But today was forced left my home by war. And buys hand grinder (Timemore C2), moka pot, cezve (turk). Today i exploring wonderful world of different coffee brewering, great thanks to James Hoffmann!
Слава Україні, тримайся
@ Дякую. Героям Слава.
I really applaud your use of the Patreon money to provide exceptional variety of testing in your content, so much so that I am going to contribute.
My sons gave me/us THE COMANDANTE as a gift. The best gift in our lives: our sons, second best this grinder..
I've seen reviews mentioning wobbly burrs and complaints about metal shavings in coffee for Commadante grinder. Unacceptable for such an expensive device.
SSchithFoo I use the grinder on daily basis. Also none to 7 other users. We don’t have that experience.
@@SSchithFoo possibly a drop shipped knockoff?
That actually made me tear up a bit. Beautiful
SSchithFoo I just got the Comandante and it didn’t have any issues like that. Would recommend this to anyone!
The idea of this comparison and the grinder pick is amazing.
It's really very helpful information because many people can't just buy a bunch of €300 grinders and check which one feels better. Thank you.
After watching this vid and more online research I went to Percolate Coffee today set on getting the C40 since its rated to make the best cup. The shop happened to have a M47 on display, and seeing it in person, it's beautiful in so many ways, and the ergonomics of it felt soo good! I totally understand why James say it's the one he will like to keep. Given that its reviewed to make a great expresso too (though not the best), i decided to go with my heart and the M47 it is!
I bought it in the evening, couldn't wait till morning, so dialed in the burr settings, made some shots to fine tune it, final adjusted result..delicious.... and now wide awake at midnite typing this and reading all 1.1k comments......
hahahahahahahahaha ya that is pricey, I was thinking what if we have a power failure how can I grind my beans, which lead me to James
What you final thoughts after 2 years 🤔
Hope you do espresso, coz m47 is pretty average for pour over
@@varieedeventualii yes only expresso.
😂
This, and James' quarantine flat-white video, sent me down a rabbit hole, that ended in me getting a 1Zpresso JX to pairn with my Aeropress. It's such an impressive grinder. The precision and fit of it brings my so much joy every morning.
Nailed it…..im interested in the K
James, ever since I discovered your channel, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that your content has helped me the most throughout my coffee appreciation journey. You have taught me that it is not just the coffee, it is the way you prepare it, how your grind setting is, and willingness to discover rather than being an informational sponge for every single nugget out there. Coffee is not a destination, it is a journey.
Damn... the production quality on your videos. You're the MKBHD of coffee!
"It's a $1k."
The feeling behind that statement is my constant feeling with any type of shopping.
Every time I want to buy ANYTHING I hear my dad's voice saying the price and asking if I really need it
Weber HG-2 is over $2k.
@@christianmarth9989 $2000? Do you really need that?
I'll add that I am now 56 and dad is 91. It still takes me right back to age 10. Every time.
That's how I feel about a £150 HAND grinder.
The Aergrind is awesome. I most frequently grind near the espresso size with great success. Also, it fits PERFECTLY into the back end of the plunger making it extremely compactable for camping-type applications! Love your work!
been binging your videos, old and new,... and from about 1min to 3min in this video, after probably 10 from you so far,... the absolute sincerity in your voice and face when you said how thankful you were to have these top tier grinder to test, and the resounding PLEASE DONT EVER TRY THIS expression you had as you explained how painful it was to dial in all those grinders, haha,... realest coffee guy Ive watched,... hands down like its 18:30 lol
That ASMR at the end, spot of genius, I would probably buy one just for the sound of it!
Speaking of that, geez I didn't expect the Commandante to sound that horrible, it sounds like the snoring of a dog that has tuberculosis.
I bought the Comandante last year, based on some reviews, articles and comments. It‘s my first coffee grinder and I wanted something really good that will last so I don‘t have to worry about a better grinder in the future. Even though I was pretty sure that it is a great quality grinder and produces great ground coffee, it was a little risky to buy something that expensive, since I don‘t have much experience. But now that I‘ve seen your opinion on it, I‘m even happier with it. I recently discovered your channel and I‘m loving your videos (I‘m going through all of them now), so thanks for this and every other video. I‘m now getting more and more experienced with coffee. Currently I’m only using the Moka pot and really enjoying it a lot, but hopefully I’ll be exploring other brewing methods soon. :)
YES! Everything a coffee enthusiast will ever need about grinders in 1 video! Thank You James!
I'd still love a comparison video between the Comandante and Feld47 e.g. or the "full size" Feldgrind/Feld2 at least.
I asked for an Aergrind for Christmas last year (which was 2020) after having watched this and have been using it for aeropress since then. As a first semi decent grinder, it's absolutely fabulous. I'm saving up for a 9Barista so I will have to start grinding finer but I have time as a luxury so I can spend as long as I need dialling in. It is hard physical work at finer settings, particularly with lighter roasts so what I sometimes do if I have an early start is grind a dose the night before. The reason I'm using machines with no motors is that I have thin walls and don't want to disturb neighbours :) The aergrind and aeropress are a perfect travel setup too.
I got the Lido 3 and I’m blown away! This thing feels more premium then what it seemed like in your video. It’s large because it can grind up to 70 grams at once. It’s very nice, those on the fence won’t regret it!
I have had mine for 7 years now and have totally gotten my value for money out of it. The plastic is very premium, and it looks great IMHO. The plastic and the black finished metal parts all look as good today as when I first got it. It looks great on my counter and matches the aeropress very well.
I'm not sure about the smaller burrs of the other decent grinders, but the step up in size from the cheapo grinders to this made grinding so much easier, especially on finer settings. I can get through 15g in barely any time at all. Even grinding a whole hopper is tolerable, since you get a few days worth of coffee that way (I was not so learned in the ways of coffee in the past...). I actually got this because I roomed with several people in a rented house, and wanted a nicer burr grinder but didn't want to make a lot of noise with a motorized one. It was more grinder than I knew how to use until relatively recently (I just started weighing beans a few weeks ago...).
My only complaint is in remembering adjustment settings, but I know that is a bit of a trade-off. Per James' point, the only reason I'd get a new grinder would be to have one dialed in for brewed coffee and another for espresso (I'm thinking of getting a lever). A smaller more portable quality grinder would also be a bonus.
Aergrind user here!
Thanks for a great review and channel. Only thing I would add is that the Aergrind is mainly meant to be paired with an Aeropress. It even fits inside the top of the tube as a very space-efficient little coffee travel kit. Brought me a lot of joy on many trips.
For espresso, you would probably wanna use the Feldgrind instead! Cheers.
For Filter: Comandante C40 (which has the most beautiful grinding noise, btw, my little daughter is always smiling when I'm using it).
For Espresso: Kinu M47, because it grinds faster and produces a bit more of those fines needed for dark(er) espresso.
Thank you, James, for that video.
As a French press user, this is very informative! Love the extensive review.
This video helped me pick a grinder a year ago. I've now had my aergrind for a year, and it's the only reason I didn't give up on my aeropress. The difference between fresh burr ground coffee with this thing vs pre ground coffee that I couldn't adjust size on vs a blade grinder is astounding.
And I don't even care it can only hold about 20 grams max. I'm usually in the realm of 15 to 18 g anyway, and if we take it camping it fits nicely inside my aeropress. And, half the fun of camping coffee is passing around the grinder for everyone who wants some to grind their own.
So thank you for being unnecessarily fussy!
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with the aergrind. I really hesitate with purchases over $50 and have been wrestling with whether or not to get that. Thanks to you I know it's worth it.
I trusted your opinions James (with some further research) and for my first proper grinder I went for the Kinu m47.
Before I had a cheap bodum blade grinder. This was a big step up in price.
I have just used it and a v60 for the first time (far from a flat bottom pour) and I am very pleased with the results. And this was with some neglected and left over months old illy beans. The whole experience with the Kinu is fantastic.
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm. In going to enjoy a much higher standard of coffee at home from now on.
Loved the outro! 😂
I bought the Kinu after a lot of research a year ago, and I’m glad this sort of content is more readily available now! I love it. I did notice the same issue with dialing in the Kinu at first, but it has settled in nicely and rivals or beats all of my friends
To be honest, you are like a cup of coffee in my TH-cam life, I need at least one video a day!
Great review as always! I was between the Timemore and Knock but today I just received my 1Zpresso E-pro. I couldn’t be more happy! I think for the money is the best one.!
So I just made my first V60 Pour over, and after doing research (watching your video among that research) I went with the best bang for my buck and got the Timemore G1, while I wanted the Commoandante C40 it was simply out of my price range at the moment. It performed wonderfully, I used your method for pour over as closely as I could, it was a fantastic brew! I just wanted to mention I agreed with all of your points on the grinder and too my surprise they changed the inside of the chestnut base and it is now lined with stainless steel as well. Thanks for your videos and my first cup of pour over coffee!
I've Helor 101 for years now and use it every day. Still looks like new and I didn't have a single problem with it. Very happy with the purchase.
I'm thinking about getting one too and i found a good offer, but it comes with the conventional burr. Which one do you have and did you try to make Espresso with the conventional burr?
I’ve had a comandante for 2 years now. I have loved the tasty pour overs that it has made so far. I haven’t felt any need to purchase the aftermarket red clicks that comandante makes now for a more dialed cup.
I also use the bean cup to weigh my coffee out. I then just turn the whole grinder over and then place it on top of the bean cup. Then I just flip it all over and there isn’t any mess when filling the beans into grinder. Hopefully all of that makes since.
Love your content! Keep it up.
I tried this, and it works wonderfully, has made my life just a bit easier and more enjoyable, THANK YOU
The first Kitchen item I bought when I moved to Germany two years ago was a Comandante. I love using it, no regrets, it’s flawless.
I think 1zpresso and others would now play a substantial role in this video. Maybe it needs a reboot. :)
I fully agree
I agree 100% I use that grinder almost on a daily I fell in love with it.
@@567886542 which model?
Yes, it would be great to see a new showdown. I'd love to see the Kingrinder K4 or K6 included because its quality looks unbeatable for its price.
200 bucks for a manual grinder? i dont get it
Thankyou James, I brought an M47 under your recommendation for my flair, I travel for work and it’s one of the reasons to get me out of bed for a lovely brew every morning.
I have comandante for years now. Absolutely makes my mornings! Never had any issues, plenty of control, so a big recomend!
One factor I wish James had considered here..
“Can the handle on this grinder easily be removed so one could attach a cordless drill to it”
Who would do such a thing!? I'm above that. Definitely above that. Yeap, never done that.
I think You would find James wouldn’t approve using a drill purely for the fact it’s probably going to fast and will not grind the coffee to the right texture but that’s only my guess
@@mp180170 Perhaps, but if it can be attached to a drill, it can also be attached to a speed-controlled motor, e.g. if you want to use one of these to build your own grinder. Been toying with the idea of building my own grinder around a manual grinder, controlled by a microcontroller, to automatically stop after reaching the desired weight of ground coffee.
Anyway, I don't think that'll be much of an issue even if you use a drill. Motorised burr grinders spin a lot faster. And they have larger burrs too, which further increases surface speed.
@@mp180170 Just need a brushless drill with speed control. This is now my goal for today.
Spinning the grinder with a drill may be faster, but the speed comes with increased friction. This will heat the coffee while grinding, diminishing (if not destroying) its quality. By hand, you will spin at about 120-180 rpm (2-3 revolutions per second), and I am not too sure whether you can adjust a drill safely to that speed
I started watching this video at 1.5x speed, but I didn't know. I was just thinking this dude had WAAAAY too much coffee!
Mark Coito try 2x. Mind blowing
🤣🤣🤣
I have the tall Porlex and I chose it because it was relatively good, cheap and light, ideal for bike touring. So what made it feel like a toy for you was actually what drew me to it. However, recently I broke the outer burr after dropping the top part on the floor so I had to replace the burrs, and since I could only find the burrs for the newer model (Porlex II) available for sale, that's what I got and somehow managed to retrofit them into my old grinder and I can say that it's much better than it was when I bought it new. I like it a lot more now and I just love making coffee with it in the middle of nowhere.
As someone who does not have the means for beautiful coffee grinders I truly appreciate your video/s. It’s a joy to watch your reviews. Keep up the good work and thank you .
Have spent the morning enjoyably binge-watching your TH-cam videos, researching how to brew a better filter coffee. Culminating with my subscribing to your Patreon channel! Amazing content, so enjoyable and refreshingly honest. Thanks!
I really love my Comondante for filter coffee. It feels premium and creates consistent grinds.
Quick tip for loading these, use the funnel that comes with your aeropress. It usually fits perfectly and means you won't have issues with beans bouncing out.
I love it how it's assumed that everyone has an aeropress. Not that it's not true, but still :D
@@juhorajamaki1 If you watch Hoffman's videos, you have at least an aeropress lol
When I heard the gears clicking on the Kino as James adjusted I understood why he loved it so much because
it was the sound of precise machining at it finest.
I could only imagine the feedback the grinder gives to the user as it turn on a bean.
Precision and craftsmanship are a joy to experience in its many expressions.
Sounds like a bit of a hipster trap
I followed your book "Coffee Map of the World", loved it, made my own coffee at home, and would like to know the most realistic recommendations for this year. I hope you will continue this conversation and show us the latest updates on toys, after all, new styles and brands have come out in the past few years.
We bought the Aergrind because of this video and have loved it since. Thank you James!
Thanks for the awesome showdown. 2 notes:
- we were selling the Aergrinds when they were originally released but decided to cease selling them due to variations in build quality between units. We weren't comfortable selling them unless we checked each unit before hand.
- I believe the glass base of the Commandante is an off the shelf glass jar and the built the grinder threads around it. As such it should be possible to find a replacement in plastic or at least Commandante should not be charging too much for it as a spare part.
Hello Marcus, has this build quality issue been solved by now for the Aergrind? Do you have any updates?
Donald Ickbutt, I’ve just bought an Aergrind and (although this is obviously based on a sample of one unit) I don’t see any problem with it at all, in fact the complete opposite, it is very well made, solid and feels precise. It is slow at fine settings but that's a function of its small size rather than quality, and I'm very happy with it overall. Mine came direct from Knock.
The Comandante jar has pricetag of 2 pounds :)
I purchased an Aergrind this summer (2020) and it is excellent quality in terms of both build and function.
I have seen one video of a misalingled wobbling burset. A replacement did not fix the issue so I assume the axis was bent. The version I received today looks well centred but the burrs are brass colored, although they claim to sell hardened steel burrs.
Great review. I have the Aergrind and love it for its portability and rely on it heavily for travel. Was a huge upgrade over my previous travel grinder, the Porlex.
I concur. I just got the Aergrind as an upgrade to the Porlex Mini, and it's SOOOO much better. Money well spent. Bought it on the strength of this video. No regrets. Thought I do agree it would be nice if it could go to 30g. It also fits inside an Aeropress too.
Firstly a big thank you for indulging my coffee curiosities. I started with a cheap Amazon grinder. I recently wanted to upgrade and considered all of these options and also the 1zpresso jx and jx pro. I really wanted the jx pro. I wound up with a "normcore" grinder from Amazon for about $75. I figured I could send it back and get the jx pro if it wasn't what I wanted. The grinder seems to be of excellent quality and is so much faster and more enjoyable to use. I would love to see a comparison of the 1zpresso grinder and some of the higher priced Amazon models like normcore. Let's face it the grinder is hugely important, so we can't have enough feedback from a pro like you.
Definitely agree with the assessment of the Kinu. It really does feel fantastic and makes my mornings more enjoyable.
I just want to thank you for all you're doing for the coffee community. Thanks to you, I've learned so much about coffee and especially espresso which I love the most among the coffee techniques. I use a Sage The Barista Express, which I've modified to make it produce exactly 9 bar of pressure (thanks to you again), but I've struggled to get a good espresso out of it in reliable and consistent fashion. Thanks to you, I've realised that the built-in grinder of this coffee machine, mildly speaking, leaves much to desire. I have very little space in my kitchen and I hardly can justify buying another grinder for at least 500€, so after watching this video I’ve pulled the trigger and bought a Kinu M47 Simplicity. To be honest, initially I was slightly skeptical and thought that I’m buying another ridiculously expensive nice looking thing that will eventually be gathering dust on a shelf and can be used as a weapon in case of emergency. But my goodness, I was absolutely blown by the very first shoot from this grinder. I must regretfully admit that all the coffee I've made before with the Sage inbuilt grinder was pointless waste of valuable stuff. Thank you, James.
Always looking forward at your videos to find myself hypnotised by your soothing voice and lovely pronunciation.
A 20-mins complete video with asmr for all these grinders would be fantastic! 💖
Thank you so much for your videos. I can't stop watching. They are so well made, better than most TV show's. Like the new lord of the rings series just came out today and I got lost here^^ please continue beeing so brilliant, its so much appreciated
Ever since watching your channel Laxcity - Good Morning has been the tune to accompany my morning coffees! :)
Not disappointed with the Porlex as just grinding beans each morning has just added to enjoyment, and has allowed me to have a few different bags of beans going at once. Just that tip has been awesome for me! Thank you
I got my Timemore Chestnut C3 yesterday. Love it! They solved all the issues James mentioned - ground coffee container is metals and screws on, steps are now smaller so there are more. Love the thing!
Thank you sir! this goes into my cart soon after i saw your comment!
@@Miowmio keep in mind I’ve only used it for v60 brewing. Not sure how it will do for espresso. Seen some bad reviews on that matter
@@arty4NR Thank for coming back, this action of yours enter my reassuring heart,
i was looking one for expresso. Manage to cancel the order. Much Appreciated.
I had a Timemore on order. Then I watched "Tom's Coffee Corner" videos from about a month ago (c. 12-23). Based on those vids, I cancelled the Timemore and went with the Kingrinder 6 which has an awesome coupon so it cost the same as the Timemore.
Commandante user here. I have a slight other experience with filling the grinder. I weight the beans in the glass grinder basket. There are two reasons for that. First, you can remove beans easier from that glass basket if you put in too much beans. Second, you just have to flip the grinder upside down and put it onto the glass basket and flip it again - nothing will hop out. The Commandante can be modified with "Red Clix" to double the steps.
I also love the taste for hand brews and espresso.
For the Kinu there is also a smaller and cheaper version available (Kinu M47 Traveller) which should have the same grind quality as its bigger brother.
Jakub Micorek yes wanted to write the same thing, realised this
way to fill the C40 in one of Comandantes videos
Also using the Commandante (With a Flair), upgraded from the Aergrind. I weigh my beans in the Flair cup on my scale, and my only annoyance is the one he resonated: the beans hitting the stabiliser and bouncing out, other than that I love this grinder and in reality this annoyance is minor as long as you're not throwing your beans at the grinder full speed. I will definitely look into the Red Clix upgrade as my espresso range is between two clicks and one is a very hard (But very tasty) pull, while the other feels just a smidge too loose (but still produces a lovely grind).
Cleaning the glass chamber is easy, i just run it under the tap for a second then empty it and leave to dry. I, unfortunately, did drop 1 of my 2 glass chambers and shattered it on my marble floor so do beware. Overall I feel it's a big step up from the Aergrind, which I had a bunch of slipping issues with but did produce a lovely grind when it was static.
I do the same with my Comandante weigh and fill the jar and flip it over the bean hopper works great.
+1 Comandante user that weights beans in glass basket and then pour them to the grinder with no hassle. My Comandante came with a rubber band which I use to have better grip. I take rubber band off every time after usage because the wooden layer was getting sun burn where it was exposed and I don't want to have that sign in my grinder.
Was also just about to comment this! you really can have no issues with loading, other then having small varieties of coffee getting stuck where the grinder handle attaches. has happened to me multiple times and requires tweezers...
I upgraded from Hario Skerton to Comandante and I still remember the first time I was using it. I discovered whole new world of flavours in the coffee that day.
Looking at upgrading from my Hario Skerton Pro to one of these too. Still on the fence about which one. Mostly an AeroPress and V60 brewer here so probably any would be awesome
@@macdaddy9344 which one did you choose?
@@shantanujchauhan I opted for the AerGrind because my primary daily brewer is the AeroPress and I’m an OTR Driver so the idea that it fits nicely together was an important aspect. Now I have a nice compact kit of AeroPress and grinder etc all in a nice 4 round x10 long bag for my brew kit. But I was seriously looking at the Kinu as well. But at twice the price and required more space, the Knock won out.
@@macdaddy9344 haha that's the obvious choice in terms of portability. Kinu wouldn't even come close in comparison for that. How's the Aergrind when compared with the Hario? How many world's apart?😂
I have had the Commandante for a year now and I am very happy. It’s easy to keep clean and to take apart for a more thorough maintenance. I also appreciate that the glass jar comes with a lid so it’s possible to use it as a separate travel container. The settings are easy to figure out a have worked +/- one click with all the beans I used throughout the year for a V60.
We need an updated version of this for 2024/25. Because of this video (previously I had a cheap like 20€ handgrinder from Silbertahl) I treated myself to the Kinu Grinder. Not the one in the video, but the special edition made of titanium for around 430€. I absolutely love it and while it might be expensive, it feels so nice to use and I'm always looking forward to grinding my coffee every morning. Though the Thumbstopper doesn't quite work for me as I have fairly large hands and my thumb slips off it too frequently.
Another big plus for me is that the grinder looks amazing. Such a behemoth of a grinder!
Thank you for the in-depth review, James. Your insights are very helpful to the community. Also, hate to be that guy, but the Porlex was showing £157 on screen instead of £57.
In Germany the glass of the Commandante C40 is pretty much of a standard size. You can easily get one for all kind of food, like jam, honey, pesto, tomato paste, etc.. So even if the glass breaks, one can easily replace it. I love the C40 and use different glasses for different types of coffee.
Same with the Lido 2
This definitely seems like a point in its favor, IMO. I know it can be "missing the point" to grind ahead of use, but having a standard container which can be found with sealing lids is more versatile than the others. Being able to swap catch containers, to have a simple and dishwasher safe material, seems like a win.
Yes please update this! So many new toys out there.
I own the Lido 3. We got it because 19 times out of 20 we are grinding for French press and making a large batch of coffee. The grind uniformity and consistency is great and the build quality is amazing (actually, most of it is metal, not plastic -- including the locking ring and the adjustment ring). I agree with you about the fiddly adjustment mechanism though! And it is huge. But if you're grinding 75 g of beans a day, PLUS you want quality grinds, PLUS you don't care for an electric grinder, this is the grinder for you. That Kinu looks beautiful though!
Another great video - thanks!
I got a Timemore C2 hand grinder recently for brewing my aeropress at work in grey aluminium. Really nice to use, well made, has a screw-on base and the knob doesn't pop off. Doesn't fit inside the aeropress though so maybe not perfect for travel... but I use it to make delicious aeropress coffee several times a day. Kiss the Hippo do a bundle of the grinder, aeropress, and a little scale for about £120 - such good value! If you need a work coffee setup this is perfect - buy yourself a nice coffee weighing bowl (makes dosing into the narrow grinder a bit nicer) and an aeropress filter holder (it no longer comes with one - I had a spare) to go with it and you'll have a lovely time.
I also have the Knock Aergrind paired with a second aeropress as my travel setup (with some little Wahl folding scales). I really like this too - build quality is lovely and it makes great coffee. I got mine as an end-of line special offer via their factory ebay shop for half price (£75) - also amazing value.
Not trying to flex by owning multiple aeropress & grinder combinations - I'm just too disorganised to deal with using my work one for travel. Spending twice as much is the price of being a muppet.
Upgraded from the original Hario Skerton that I had for over 3 years to the Lido 3 about 6 months ago. Love the versatility of it as I frequently switch my brew method between Aeropress, V60, and French press. I've never made true espresso with it but have tried some pretty fine grinds for the Aeropress. I don't find the large size to detract from the grinder in any way whatsoever. Very easy to travel with, and those 48 mm burrs chew through coffee extremely well. Plus I love watching Doug and Barb on TH-cam!
LIDO 3 kicks serious booty.
video was great as it was, but the outro made it incredible lol
I'm glad you mentioned that, I would've missed it otherwise! It was really interesting to hear a comparison between them, actually. God that Kinu sounded so damn erotic...
I've had a Commandante grinder since October and used it pretty much every day. I was wildly impressed by the grind quality and build quality. As someone else mentioned, they do pack a separate glass jar along with the grinder which you can use to weigh out coffee and it seamlessly fits into the top of the grinder to load the coffee in. I'm using it pretty much exclusively for pour-overs and the cup quality is consistently sweet and clean, giving a lot of other domestic grinders a run for their money. By comparison to the Virtuoso (which is the same price as the Commandante), I've vastly preferred the Commandante in grind quality, despite the extra effort.
I have the Helor 101 and I absolutely love it for consistency and accuracy. It’s an absolute pleasure for me to use .
Hello James, greetings from Guatemala. My father gave me a Lido 2 (all metal) back in 2016. It's big, bulky, heavy, but it gets the job done. Those OE grinders are built to last a lifetime. And if anything were to go wrong, they can always be fixed. The people running that show are first rate.
You can avoid beans jumping out of the Commandante hopper by dosing into the grounds jar, then placing the inverted hopper over the jar and flipping it. Prevents any spillage. Also top tip for aeropress users: I realised the AP funnel fits snugly inside the Commandate's jar, making it very easy to dose into. You'll also feel very cool doing this. At least I do :)
I bought the Kinu after watching this review and I've never looked back. It's amazing! The only I would change would be to make the thumb stop a little bigger because my hands aren't real strong and sometimes my thumb just slides over the grip even with the thumb stop there. I'm currently looking for a silicone sleeve to add a little more grip to the barrel to make up the difference.
It gives me a nice even grind every single time. The magnetic cup is convenient and easy to use. It feels like it's going to last for a million years. It took a bit to figure out what grind I needed but since I drink the same beans every day until the next bag I don't have to do that often.
I've been able to get an espresso EASILY comparable to our local coffee shops with this and the Flair Pro 2.
Thanks so much for your channel. I've always liked good coffee but really just let others worry about how to make it. That got inconvenient when I started working from home and our nearest coffee shop was 30 minutes away. Your videos really helped me bring my favorite drink home to have whenever I want.
We do have a bakery that does an espresso but now that I can make my own I really feel no need to spend the $4 for an equal drink.
I'm on the Flair neo and wanting to improve it to the real portafilter but I need to upgrade my grinder first. Will be a hand grinder for sure. Still trying to decide, the Kinu is too expansive for me 👀. The Phoenix is affordable but then again they use plastic... Others like 1zpresso and Timemore have full aluminum/steel bodies for less money and espresso burrs. Ugh so hard to choose. I wish Hoffman would do another mid tier hand grinder video.
@@sebaba001 Why do you think your current grinder needs to be upgraded first? I've never used the Neo. I've only seen it on videos. I didn't realize it had a different filter. I thought the main difference was the addition of the pressure gauge, which I love but is not absolutely necessary.
He did do a video of cheaper hand grinders though. You will find it here. th-cam.com/video/QLEBfom0mhM/w-d-xo.html
@@angelacarter6593
Because my grinder doesn't go fine enough for espresso! On the finest setting I can do espresso on the neo portafilter, but it'd be too coarse for the un pressurized portafilter.
Probably I'll go for Phoenix as soon as I save up 200 :i
@@sebaba001 I guess I don't understand the difference between the neo and the pro enough to help. Hope you are able to get what you need soon.
No worries! I am investigating. Just needing out on hand grinders in all videos hehe. Good luck with your espressos.
Really enjoyed the video, especially the end.
I have the Lido 2 (second edition). There are at least three different aspects to rate manual grinders:
1. Grind quality. As you say, when you get to the top manual grinders, they are pretty similar
2. Features and Ergonomics. How much can it grind? How long does it take? How easy is it to set the grind size?
3. Appreciation of the grinder as an object. How well is it machined? What materials get you excited? Is it a pleasure to use?
I can see that for you, the third aspect is pretty important. I picked the Lido 2 because of the big burrs, big capacity and great grind quality. It doesn't have the finish and attention to detail of the other grinders, though it isn't any less robust. I do think the grind adjustment can be fiddly though. The integration of the handle and the hopper loading is design genius, and the huge crank handle is an absolute pleasure to use - you never feel any part is going to slip or come off.
I don't have experience of the other grinders, but I think if you care less about perceived fit/finish, and care more about capacity/speed/ergonomics (if you're happy with a large hand grinder), the Lido 2 is a good choice.
I just got a Comandante and was skeptical and wasn't thrilled that I spent $250 on a grinder, but on my first grind, I was thoroughly impressed!
I bought the Helor twin burr off the Helor website. It arrived last week. I'm delighted with it. It produces near perfect grinds. The machining is excellent and looks both elegant and sturdy. Great ease of use. Thanks for the vid.👍
After working as a barista for a year, I finally got my own little espresso machine and I’m looking at hand grinders. Interestingly in 2021 the kinu and the comandante have almost switched price points! I’m very pleased that the kinu has gone down by about $100, because it is the one I’m most interested in
I recently started purchased a Comandante. The first time I used it, I instantly noticed the tonal quality of the grind sound.
The ASMR portion of this video was actually amazing for this reason! It's worth considering the sound of a nice grinder!
One of the main delights of grinding with the Comandante - the grinding sound. It sounds better in real life. The taste of coffee is superb.
Thank you for these review videos; I love your take on all things coffee equipment!
I watched specifically as I wanted a grinder suitable for camping and motorcycle touring; size and weight being major factors in addition to performance. Subsequently, my Porlex Mini has been consigned to the bin and replaced with the Knock Aergrind. Whilst there are far better grinders in this group, for a compact backpack or pannier friendly grinder, you can't go past the Knock. Thank you James for the review, extremely helpful.
appreciate all the hard armwork put in by you, sir - to do the work for us :) THANK YOU JAMES HOFFMANN!
Ohhhh boy, been waiting for this video for a while :) Can’t wait to see how the Comandante stacks up..... *gets a freshly brewed coffee and settles in to comfy chair*
Finally a hand grinder review James! I use the Lido3 after getting it at a bargain but honestly, I have issues with the ring adjustment and the size too but all around great grind consistency and does the job
I like the larger size. Easier to grind, especially when using the bicycle method that OE recommends. The ring adjustment definitely has a high learning curve. I've had my Lido 3E for over a year and am finally feeling pretty confident.
One thing that James didn't mention in this video is serviceability. I like that I can take the Lido apart, if necessary, and replace all of the parts from the OE website. I'm not sure if the other grinders he reviewed can be fully dis- and re-assembled.
I like the high capacity hopper.
I have a LIDO E-T that I bought lightly used. I certainly agree that it's big, unwieldy at times, and the grind adjustment is far from intuitive. But for the price I paid, and considering I don't grind espresso (yet), it's fantastic.
I love its capacity, too. I can do a whole 60 grams of coffee for when I have someone over. The capacity of the LIDO has meant I have unplugged my Baratza Encore and hand grind everything now.
For all its downsides, I quite enjoy my LIDO, and I'm glad your video conclusion let me know that buying another of those grinders would not be a sizeable improvement.
Cheers!
Same. I had a virtuoso and got a lido 3 and am overall Happy with it
Thanks for your work James. I came to your channel at the start of lockdown trying to figure out how to DIY a flat white. And now I have a new hobby in coffee brewing along with a greater appreciation for coffee, and for taste in general. Keep up the great work 🙌
The glas jar on the Commandante is a standard jar used in Pharmaceutical industry here in Germany, therefore easily available/replaceable. To fill it as someone already mentioned, beans don't pop out at all when turning the grinder on top of the jar upside down. They have pretty unbreakable polycarbonate jars now for the C40.
The lido does come with a rubber stopper as a lid. Also I use it to grind 120g for cold brew. Try that on other one and you would have to load them 5-7 times
I'd been deliberately far too long about upgrading from my ancient, modded Hario. This review got me off the fence (thank you James) the clincher being how badly the Porlex ranked in this group. I went for the Aergrind and it is superb. These days 150 quid for something that you are likely to use daily and last you for years seems very good value. It's very thoughtfully designed and beautifully made. It fits neatly into my Aeropress (my travel brewer of choice) and I was surprised to find I can grind 15g of beans to a suitable fineness in only about 1 minute - much quicker and more pleasant than my hacked Hario. I have no experience with the Kinu but I can't imagine how it could be worth over twice the cost of the Aergrind. Also, bonus points to Knock for using plastic-free packaging.
This may seem kinda random but I have shopping for my first espresso setup and I wanted to go all the way and not take any half ways when it came to starting out this process for some reason your comment on good value with everyday use really resonated with me and kinda helped me seal the deal on the machine, grinder, etc. I have been looking at.
Great! I have a question/suggestion: How about comparing hand grinders and electric grinders at the exact same price? E.g. a £100 hand vs. a £100 electric, a £200 hand vs. £200 electric and so on. That would be awesome, since I, and a lot of other people, I think, might not care if the grinder is hand or electric, but care how good coffee can be make for the money. And by the way, you rock! Great show! :)
I suspect it'd be a foregone conclusion. The hand grinder is just a grinder, the electric is a grinder proper plus a motor. Fitting a motor into the same budget means the grinder proper needs to be substantially cheaper, and so will lose to the hand grinder which can put the entire budget into being a nicer grinder. Basically, requiring them to be at the same price point sets up the electric to lose.
If you don't care about hand or electric (i.e. if you'd be happy to put in the effort every time you want coffee) and care about cost, get the hand grinder.
If you care about convenience at home and are willing to spend a bit more, you can absolutely get something at least as good as a hand grinder, but those seem to cost about 2-3 times as much at the same overall quality level (judging by this channel; I'm no expert, I just look at prices and listen for happy James noises) to cover the added cost of the motor.
If you care about portability... electric motors are heavy so probably hand is your best bet.
@@SaraWolffs I'm worried that the novelty of a hand grinder has an appeal which could skew its price point.
I just don't feel like I can trust the price alone for choosing a good product.
I'm currently looking for a grinder. Electric or otherwise. I just got an aeropress, so now it seems silly to stick with my cheap preground coffee.
I don't go for the cheapest option, I'd like to feel like I've bought a good grinder.
But I'm still clueless to that end. E-commerce reviews are incredibly unreliable
@@KunjaBihariKrishna Novelty... I guess my parents' ancient grinder (sort of a square wooden box with a conical burr grinder built into it) skewed my perceptions. There could be a novelty premium but I'm not sure how much of one there can be on the cheaper good ones here.
As for price and reviews, James generally seems trustworthy. For good coffee's sake if not ours. If I were buying a grinder myself, I'd probably go for the Aergrind, which is cheap enough to take a chance on and which seems to grind just fine going by our favourite coffee snob's reaction. Especially since Aeropress isn't as finicky about grind size as espresso so the sweet spot being small shouldn't matter as much. And I doubt you'll find any electrics worth buying under £100.
@@SaraWolffs but isn't this why we do experiments? This is a testable hypothesis, and there's nothing wrong with converting a suspicion to a confirmed result.
I have the commandante C40 and never spilled the beans ! The glass collection chamber as you named it, fits perfectly on top. So you can put the glass collection chamber on the balance, add your coffee and then put the grinder on the chamber and flip it. Voilà the beans go down and the one or two beans staying on the stabilizer, you just wiggle them down.
As of this, I agree the plastic lid is a bit "cheap" but otherwise I like my Commandante.
For about a year now ive been waiting for the aergrind to be in stock to start my specialty coffee adventure, just placed my order and can’t wait to start
Nice, hows it been going?
The $195 Lido 3 looks like a a perfect style match sitting next to your $35 Aeropress.
i have just peed! ;)
@@morayfirewood1223 imagine someone saying this to you in person, "I have just peed" *wink* ;)
The Aergrind is very tempting. I’ve really been wanting to get into grinding/brewing, but I didn’t think I would be able to get a solid experience without paying quite a lot. Really enjoyed this video. Keep them coming.
EpicSpielTime :00 don’t buy an Aergrind. You’ll be disappointed.
I’m very happy with my Aergrind and would highly recommend it given its price point, solid design, and consistency of grind for aeropress. Only downside is a smallish capacity.
Actually I almost buy the timemore chestnut, but the store recomended me for the slim one. He mentioned the problems like u said. And it grip perfectly, the canister also good coz it from mix of ceramic I think. For me timemore comes with good price good result
Actually the Chestnut I got (probably a later version) had some of the issues resolved. First the grounds bin isnt fully made out of wood like James'. They made an aluminum bin with the wood on the outside. Secondly the ball bearing connection is much stronger so it never accidentally disconnects. The other points still hold though..
What about the chestnut 2 ? Worth a redo of the comparison given the changes in the market and the huge number of additional grinders?
Watching this video got a little surreal once you started discussing the glass collection jar and it breaking. Mine literally broke in my hand today for no reason (different grinder). It's why I'm watching this video in the first place.
Hi James. Just bought my first beans, and found your video. Like the Aergrind, but none in stock. Also realized I have one of your books. Love the channel cheers a fellow James