10 Best Vintage Coffee Grinder (2022 Updated)

I’ve had this grinder for two years and up until this week I loved it. I love the retro look, grinding is quiet and quick. The ground is even. Its pretty easy to clean and its good quality materials – i.

e. heavy metal base, durable hopper, and not a lot of static. This week it stopped working. The motor / grinder still runs and with a little coaxing will pull the beans into the burr grinder, but no end product comes out.

Obviously there is a jam in the area that the grounds go into before they end up in the cup – but that spot isn’t accessible to the end user, and trust me, I’ve tried to take it apart to get in there.

I’ve thoroughly cleaned the device, even used to crevice nozzle on my vacuum to suction the ground out, and still nothing. What irritates me the most about this grinder not functioning now, is that in our throw away society, we buy cheap plastic things and expect them to only last a year or two at best.

This SMEG isn’t cheap, its made of quality materials and its retro style is a lovely addition to a kitchen. Maybe its old school thinking that it should last longer? I definitely got my money’s worth out of it the past two years.

Now it sits on my counter and I wonder how I should dispose of it — because it’s almost too nice to throw away. Maybe I could give it new life as a book end — like that 1930’s typewriter I have in my den.

Would I recommend it? Yes, it looks cool and it ran great for a bit. I guess if you have the money and want a cool looking thing on your counter, why not buy it? Will I replace it with another SMEG? No.

This is not an incentivized review. Pros 1. Looks fabulous on our kitchen counter 2. Quiet 3. Lots of choices as to how fine or coarse you’d like your beans ground 4. Generally, grounds are of even size but could be better.

5. You can set a timer to how long the grinder will grind your beans depending on how many cups of coffee you’re making Cons 1. Poor design of bean holder. Sometimes you need to shake the grinder after it shuts off to grind the last few beans that get stuck on the flat surface inside the bean holder 2.

This drives me nuts: no matter how much I tap the grinder after all the beans are ground to get any remaining ground coffee to drop into the container, the grinder will keep dropping ground coffee onto the metal base of the grinder for days.

I think it’s important to clean the grinder frequently to limit the degree to which this happens. It shouldn’t be necessary but it is. I’ve thought of returning it but its good looks and decent, quiet overall performance and features has led me to keep it.

You’ll only know if it’s for you if you try it.

I never write reviews but am compelled to RAVE about this coffee grinder. Is it expensive? yes. But I look at it every morning and it makes me happy. Plus, there is never, not even a speck, of coffee grinds that shoots onto the counter.

This machine is sleek, clean, easy to use and the grind of the bean is fabulous. If you are debating because it is double the cost of other grinders on the market, just buy it. It is more money but definitely better quality.

you get what you pay for in this instance.

So many issues. The body is too large to comfortably hold while using. The window slides open by itself when grinding and beans fly out. The window is too small to easily load with coffee, you will spill coffee every time you use this.

The burrs stick and catch, much more than the Porlex it was purchased to replace. Grind quality, even for a cheap grinder is very low. Lots of silt and boulders no matter what the setting. Oh and it’s so, so, slow, even on coarser settings.

Get a higher quality hand grinder, you will make better coffee and it will be a more pleasant experience.

Initially it was hard to open, but a few raps with a wooden spoon on the lid made it easy. The grinder holds 4 tbsps easily, and once I found the proper setting, works great.

Robust, adorable, great product and beautiful.

I’ve had this grinder for 5 years. Only problem I had was after several grinds the porcelain grind wheel inside chipped. I found the chip in the ground coffee. But the grinder continued to work and continues to work without any problems.

I use it on the coarse setting for my French press about 5 times a week. The little wooden drawer works great for me to fit into my French press cylinder so I don’t spill any. And it’s usable as a rough sort of estimate on how much I use (1 and 1/2 drawer fulls).

Recently the spinning arm and shaft have been getting looser but it still grinds. I recommend this grinder. I even bought one for a friend.

I can’t praise this little “gadget” enough. I was considering purchasing an electric bean grinder but was shocked by how much power they use and the cost! You can save money and have a more fulfilling experience by buying this coffee mill.

It has an old world charm. It’s easy to set up and it’s really cute the way the little drawer fills up with ground coffee beans. There are 2 settings: fine ground and coarse ground. You manually set the inner crank.

The fine ground is very fine and the coarse is nice and coarse. Since I use a coffee press, I use the coarse ground setting. So if you want an old-world coffee-making experience (and enjoy grinding, lol), buy it.

I’ve had mine for over a month and use it everyday!.

It works, but there are some design flaws. 1 it’s super light, if this was small enough to fit in you hand weight wouldn’t matter. 2 there is a gap between the holding bowl and the base where beans get stuck.

3 the drawer is way too loose and flys out if you don’t hold it while grinding. Over all I was expecting better quality for the price, but it does work and I’m glad I don’t need to use power to grind my coffee.

I like the lack of plastic in the product as well, that was the main feature for me.

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TranslateShow in original languageBardzo estetyczny. Cichszy niż poprzedni młynek, który miałem. Po przeczytaniu instrukcji obsługa wydaje się być faktycznie intuicyjny. Jeżeli robimy mokę, to pojemnik na zmieloną kawę pozwala bardzo łatwo i co najważniejsze bez rozsypywania napełnić kawiarkę, co nie jest takie oczywiste w wielu młynkach.

Z pewnością mogę polecić ten młynek wszystkim, którzy chcą napić się kawy z kawiarki oraz wszystkich innych rodzajów kawy z wyłączeniem ekspresów ciśnieniowych. Sądzę, że do ciśnieniowego też się nada, ale nie sprawdzałem, zatem nie oceniam.

TranslateShow in original languageSnygg och stabil maskin med hög finish. Använde tidigare en Hario kaffekvarn och malde för hand, där det kanske tog omkring 5 minuter att mala motsvarande fyra mått kaffe.

Att göra fler koppar på morgonen för att exempelvis ta med sig i en termos på jobbet var aldrig att tänka på. Smegs kaffekvarn portionerar ut sex mått finmalt kaffe på morgonen (lagom för 3 stora koppar kaffe), där jag knappt hinner vända ryggen till innan den är klar.

Visst var maskinen dyr, men samtidigt sparar jag nu nära 1 timme i veckan jfm att mala för hand. Handhavandet är mycket enkelt. Häll på kaffebönor och tryck sedan på start. Beroende på vilket val man gjort, så portionerar maskinen ut förvald mängd kaffe eller så får man själv trycka på stopp.

Tänk bara på att märkningen på själva maskinen skiljer sig åt jfm behållaren för det malda kaffet. I mitt fall så ger åtta portioner kaffe ungefär 6 mått finmalt kaffe. I övrigt har jag inget att klaga på, utan maskinen har överraskat mig positivt på alla punker!.

Best thing ever. Easy to use even with my carpal tunnel. Will last unlike the modern looking grinders and no plastic parts that are bound to break. Great customer service too!

I specifically wanted a hand grinder for the times when the power goes out and I need to make a cup of coffee. The product I bought will get intermittent use and it looks dependably sufficient to mill whole coffee beans for temporary intervals.

There’s no gauge to alter the fineness of the grind like there is with my electric grinder but I will still be able to brew a cup at a time. So it’s all good.

nice product, but unfortunately not taken of care well. came with a scratch. customer service sent a replacement which was even worse and clearly an old item and damages all over. customer service was very arrogant and did not care at all, no word of apologies.

Pros: Easy to useLooks Cool (compared to others)Relatively small (compared to others). I was still a little surprised by its size because I was upgrading from a hand-held grinderVery fine adjustment of grain size – 30 different size clicks from very coarse to very fine.

Can pre-set the cup grind – by pre-setting the length of time, but I have not yet used this feature. I’m still happy pre-weighing then using the manual grind setting. Cons: Usually when I move the machine a decent amount of ground coffee falls out of the machine.

which would imply this has been measured but then lost from the cup. although in reality likely only a gram or two. only slightly annoying.

Pros: Looks good very easy to use and grinds my coffee to whatever thinnest I want. Great for the perfect brew. Cons: Cost, smeg is a bit expensive compared to others. Maybe should come with 2 storage canisters instead of 1 but not super important.

Ever since we received the beautiful SMEG coffee grinder, I relish the early morning wake up to make the coffee. There is no better way to start the day than to open up the tin of artisan roasted espresso coffee beans, measure out the exact quantity, pour the beans into the grinder and smell the wafts of fresh ground coffee emanate from the container.

And we have not even made the coffee yet at that time!.

I purchased this grinder as a replacement for a Baratza Vario that I had used for several years. The Vario worked well but since I now make mostly espresso drinks I found it somewhat inconsistent in grind quality and couldn’t get as fine a grind as needed for some beans.

Since I also have an old Baratza Maestro that works fine for the rare occasions when I want to make pour-over or french press I decided that a dedicated, step less grinder for espresso made sense. I also needed one that would fit under our relatively low kitchen cabinets.

This grinder seemed like the perfect option. I had a problem with the first Specialita shipped by SCG in that it would occasionally just count down and not run the motor as others have reported. At first I thought it was jamming, but a call to SCG tech support revealed that it was likely an electrical problem.

They were quick to offer me a replacement with free return shipping. Excellent customer service! The replacement has been working flawlessly and produces a nice, fluffy, even grind. It took a while to get the grind adjusted, but once done, the grind was perfectly consistent.

I found that very small adjustments of grind dial were all that was needed for precise changes to the grind to adjust for the various light or medium roast beans that I use. Initially I found it difficult to fill the portafilter without getting some grinds on the kitchen counter so I purchased a 3rd party funnel and now everything stays clean.

Since I usually make just one cup a day, I also purchased a 3rd party single dose bin with a bellows to help clear out retained grinds. It works perfectly. When I put 18 grams in I get 18 grams out to within a few tenths of a gram.

Overall I’m very pleased with this grinder. It’s also very fast, about 8 seconds for 18 grams, and quiet. It feels like a real quality piece of equipment. Highly recommended.

Context: upgraded from a Breville Barista Express to this grinder and a Profitec Pro 300 machine. Significant improvement in grind quality. Much more consistent, more adjustable, much better flavor, and much quieter.

Grinds an 18 gram dose right around 7. 5 seconds. The adjustment dial was zeroed appropriately, and it took roughly five shots to dial in after unboxing – two shots that clogged the basket, one gusher, one slow and bitter, and the fifth tasted better than the shot I bought from the cafe that supplied the beans.

Dose is consistent enough, and I haven’t been bothered with retention. On the BBE, I single dosed every shot using a 3D printed hopper with bellows – the grind was so inconsistent it was the only way to ensure any consistency.

On the mignon, I printed a single dose hopper and bellows and have yet to feel the need to swap out the stock hopper. Every few days I pull out the scale and weigh the dose, and each time it’s accurate plus or minus 0.

2 grams – close enough for me. This has really improved my morning ritual and removed what was otherwise unnecessary complexity in my espresso routine. Less math homework, more delicious espresso. A few small gripes.

The adjustment knob is small. Too small for fine adjustments. I’m printing a larger knob for it as I write this review. The portafilter holding fork is sharp and unfinished. I wish they’d sand down the edges at the factory before I sliced myself up installing it, especially considering what they charge for a replacement.

Overall, very impressed. It appears well built, it works great, and it’s smaller than I expected. Plus, there’s a ton of 3D printed accessories out there on thingiverse – like angled bases to improve single dosing, larger knobs, and single dose hoppers.

Cost to performance, is it twice as good as a Facile or half as good as an Atom 75? I don’t know, but I’m satisfied with the results.

I bought the Eureka Mignon Specialize grinder from Seattle Coffee Gear to replace a Baratza Sette 270. I figured it would be an upgrade and was much quieter. It is, indeed, much quieter. However, I find that it frequently clogs, requiring partial disassembly and cleaning to unclog.

I make 2-3 double espresso shots a day and use a medium-dark roast blend from a local Seattle roaster. I’ve used this roast for several years and the Rancilio Rocky and Baratza Sette 270 grinders have worked well in their time.

The Specialize grinder, however, goes for perhaps a week (that is, about 14-21 double doses) before it clogs and needs to be cleaned. This is highly inconvenient, especially when it clogs while I’m trying to make my first espresso of the morning.

Since this grinder costs significantly more than the other grinders I used, I would expect it to handle the same beans without a problem. Apparently not so. In an email response from Seattle Coffee Gear support asking what can be done, their response was (a direct quote): “The best thing that we can suggest in this case is to try using different beans since dark or medium-dark roasted beans are not advisable on these machines since they tend to clog the burrs easily.

” Sorry, but given a choice between keeping my favorite beans and keeping the Specialize, the beans win every time. I wish I’d known of this limitation before I bought the Specializa. Had I known, I would not have bought it.

It’s too late to return it, or I would. If you prefer medium dark or dark roast coffees, I do not recommend this grinder.

I am very happy with this grinder. Coffee itself is exquisite, velvety, very tasty. Very stylish product, great attention to the details. Everything is thought-through. Grinding levels are very accurate.

I love the sound of ceramic grinding. Retro style at the best modern edition. Great touch to everyday living. Nice feature to welcome every morning. Thank you.

very well designed product. real wood. minimalist. clean lines. overall excellent craftsmanship. the only downside is it’s sort of hard to adjust for the fineness/coarseness of the grind. once set, though, everything works wonderfully.

love the little detail of the magnet, so the drawer doesn’t just fall out. also, for a grinder style like this, this is the only one i found that uses a ceramic burr.

TranslateShow in original languageUżytkujemy młynek od pół roku i mam następujące spostrzeżenia. Rączka z bardzo miękkiego metalu, co sprawia, że już się wyrobił i najpewniej niedługo będzie do wyrzucenia.

Producent zastosował plastikową podkładkę, która ściera się, skrzypi jak stare drzwi, a pył plastikowy wpada do pojemnika na kawę. Bardzo miękki metal w całej konstrukcji, przez co przy mieleniu wszystko chodzi na boki.

Zdecydowanie nie polecam.

I had high hopes when I received my Eureka Mignon Silenzio Espresso Grinder yesterday. But could never get the grind to be ‘espresso’ level, much less ‘Turkish’ as the video implied. The real bummer is that I’ll never get back the time I spent documenting my misery with customer service with video and photo evidence.

Why is it up to the customer to prove their innocence? Sure I have a replacement coming, and I’m hoping my replacement unit will finally produce the espresso grind implied in the products title and frankly, what is promised.

The biggest hit was the good will I had for Seattle Coffee Gear. They wasted my time with a crappy chat interface, and I burn a pound of coffee trying things suggested and somehow it’s still my fault.

All I get in return is a RMA, and more hassle to come. Not even a note, offer for coffee or any other goodwill for a customer who has spent thousands with them. The issue: The unit would not grind fine enough.

If you turn the stepless knob to fine (while running), the unit will eventually stop grinding (but getting close), but making a stuck motor sound, If you try push the button to grind again, it will make the stuck motor sound and not start without significant turns to the coarser on the stepless knob.

So by the time the grinder starts, it’s a super coarse grind. bummer. So if you want to make some French press, I have a lot of coffee I can send you. (sarcasm) FWIW, the cheap decals denoting model name are crooked on the case, and not firmly attached.

The unit feels solid, and after taking the burrs apart, the unit is constructed well on the inside from what I can see. It should operate properly, which is why I’m opting for a replacement unit. We’ll see.

Exceptional throughout. This was a gift for my mother. The service was great – one of the only times where you are able to get something personalised and sent to the recipient within day rather than waiting weeks.

And the product, I am told, fantastic. A big thank you as it really did help a birthday during lockdown feel like a special birthday.

Great backup in case the electricity goes down. I’ve been watching for one for a while now and this does the job nicely. It takes about 10 minutes to grind a pot’s worth of beans, but grinds it nicely, to the right grade.

It does look nice.

I can’t review this item properly as it was bought for someone else. I can say it looks very good in her kitchen and is just what she wanted. So I can’t say if it’s easy to clean, I think it is well designed and as to ease of use, well I gather it takes a while to actually grind the beans but the end result is fine! So giving it four stars as it does look the part.