Baratza Maestro PLUS Conical Burr Coffee Grinder In Black - G385  Product Reviews

"I purchased this unit refurbished and was initially disappointed because it came unclean and smelling of old coffee grounds. The second strike was that the unit was not calibrated correctly - i.e. the setting for "espresso" is too coarse for espresso, and "drip" is more ideal for french press. I did find out that the calibration is adjustable by following some simple instructions you can download from the company's website. However, I just keep it between "espresso" and "drip" for everyday use with my drip machine. I have tried it with an espresso maker and it worked fine set between "espresso" and "turkish." The grind, although not perfect, is adequate for most home use. There is very little dust created and fairly minimal static electricity. The only other nitpick would be that the plastic cover for the bean hopper rattles loose when the machine is running and vibrates loudly. All I do is hold it down with my hand. I'd say for the money this is a very solid machine."

"for the money this is a great grinder. i credit www.essentialespresso.com for helping me find this model. i thought it was ugly so i didn't even consider it. but i liked the idea of conical burrs. and a strong motor with step down gearing. it needed to fit in my kitchen. and most of all i liked the fact that it has a push button operation so i can grind right into my portafilter. eliminating the need for a more expensive machine w/ a doser. i'll admit i've only had a blade grinder to compare but this certainly has made our espresso experience a whole lot better. making my cheapo entry level 5 year old briel chamonix look like a champ. smoother and creamier. on the finest setting nice powdery even grind that packs well with the tamper. i still don't like the noise. and it's only the base that is metallic. it's really not that good looking as some have testified. the housing is all plastic. lending to the annoying noise. as for static, here in SF,CA i'm not experiencing any. using martha brothers espresso beans. oily but not experiencing any clogging as some have mentioned. whatever you do make sure they have the grinder in stock before ordering. essentials held on to my order for a week before i found out they were still waiting to get some. i switched my order to zaccardi's who had it but when i got it. it was obviously previously opened. with that cord wrapped around the appliance look, the timer knob bouncing around, and no instructions or owners manual. when i called them were they sorry or empathetic? of course not. "we don't handle that", "call this number". which i did which led to another number, which led to another number, which led to another number, which led to a voicemail mess saying "please leave a message." for a better experience choose a better vendor."

"I just bought this Coffee Grinder to replace a Braun Burr Grinder in which I had burned out and and replaced three motors. This grinder gives the most even grind I have ever seen in anything except commercial grinders in stores and coffee houses. For home, this gives commercial grind quality. For motor life and to keep from overheating the beans, the stepdown gearing for slower grinding keeps the coffee cooler and extends motor life. I would have given this a 5 star rating except for the fact that there is so much static electrcity with this (and many others) that coffee flies all over, but the benefit far outweight that inconvenience and it's best grinder I've ever owned."