Unfortunately not all of us can afford to buy the best £400 burr coffee grinder just to feed our caffeine addiction, so what is the best option for those of use who want the great taste of freshly ground coffee at an affordable price?

Do a search on Amazon and you’ll find a wide variety of grinder at a range of prices but it is always difficult to make a choice on which to buy if you don’t have experience using a certain type of product. In our search for a quality electric coffee grinder we can quickly discard those which are not burr grinders. Burr coffee grinders are a level above those which use blades to chop up your beans and are the only choice of someone who is serious about brewing good coffee at home.

The burr coffee grinder is renowned for being an expensive purchase but if you have a look on amazon you will find many models which retail from as little as £30. Such a low price will hopefully set off warning signals if you are in the market for a quality model.

Krups coffee grinder

The Krups Expert GVX231 is a case in point. You can pick one up for £35 but what you get for your money is something that isn’t going to keep you happy when you start to use it. This is especially true if you have an espresso machine at home and are looking for a grinder which can grind your beans to a fine enough consistency that the coffee will be delivered nice and slow with a thick crema.

I’m convinced that for this price it would be impossible to build a machine that was capable of providing a grind which was suitable for espresso machine use. If you are just looking for something to make a course grind for a caffitierre coffee then this model will do a good enough job but for an extra fine result you are better looking elsewhere.

What’s wrong with the Krups Expert GVX231 (and most other burr coffee grinders at this price point)?

1. The machine struggles noticeably when you ask it to grind beans fine enough for an espresso coffee machine.

2. The bean feeder doesn’t do a good job of delivering beans to be ground meaning you have to give the machine a shake every so often

2. The amount of coffee that the grinder feeds into your portafilter is variable meaning you have to judge the correct volume for yourself.

Its not that the Krups coffee grinder is a particularly bad piece of equipment, it really does a fine job for the money you pay. Its just that when we are looking for something a little bit special we need to be willing to reach deeper into our pockets.

Dualit coffee grinder

The Dualit Burr Grinder is a much better choice for anyone who wants great value in their purchase. At twice the price of the Krups machine it can’t exactly be called cheap but in terms of build quality and ability to grind coffee beans its way ahead of most of its competition.

I have to admit that I’ve got a bit of a mental block when it comes to espresso making equipment when it isn’t made in Italy. I know its a bit ridiculous in this day and age, any company from any country has the potential to produce a fine electric coffee grinder. But I’m a creature of habit and like to stick with what I know. That’s why was such a surprise to me that the Dualit coffee grinder did such a fine job at producing a quality of grind that could be successfully used in an espresso machine.

What’s Good about the Dualit?

1. Capable of grinding your beans nice and fine just the way they need to be if you are going to make a perfect espresso.

2. Great build quality for the price – You can really tell the difference in price when using this in comparison to something like the Krups.

3. Great Value – You’ll be hard pushed to find a grinder that can do as good a job at such a low price.

If you have just over £100 to spend on an electric coffee grinder than you can’t go wrong with the Dualit. They also make some reasonably efficient espresso machine which will make a decent coffee for a budget price.

Let’s take a look at the features this product provides the cofee lover:

• Twin stainless blades whihc “whirl” and chop your beans
• Single speed
• 180 watts power output
• Ability to grind spices such as pepper, coriander seeds and cinnamon
• Stainless steel ginding bowl
• Can grind up to 85 grams of coffee beans in one go
• Safety switch to prevent nasty accidents
• Oval shape to encourage even grinding of the beans

Click here to get the best price from Amazon UK

What we like about the Krups coffee grinder

1. It’s ultra portable so you can take with you wherever you go.
2. Grinds small amounts of beans or spice very quickly
3. It’s so cheap it’s almost free

What we don’t like so much about the Krups Twin Blade grinder

1. If you are using it for coffee beans there is no way to tell how fine your grounds are. For this reason it’s impossible to get a consistent cup of coffee from your machine.
2. Motor on this model has a tendency to burn out if it gets a lot of use
3. Prolonged grinding causes the grinder to stop due to overheating. You have to give it a while to cool before you can continue with the job in hand
4. This is more of a coffee chooper than a grinder due the method it uses for breaking up your beans. If you are looking for a device to produce top quality coffee for an espresso machine then you are going to have to go elsewhere
5. You have to be very careful not to get water into the motor when cleaning the grinding bowl
6. This is not the most robust coffee grinder on the market, as the price tag should indicate, and you shouldn’t expect it to last a lifetime of use

Conclusion

If you are looking for a device which will do a good job of grinding your high qualtiy beans then we suggest you look elsewhere. However the Krups twin blade grinder does make a decent enough spice grinder at a price you can’t argue with. If you are looking for a way to spice up your cooking then this Krups device could be right up your street. It also makes a great, inexpensive christmas present for that relative who loves nothing more than to cook up a spicy curry.

If you buy this a spice grinder just keep in mind you can’t get water in the grinding bowl when you clean it, or you’ll quickly find the Krups that refuses to function at all.

Click here to get the best price on the Krups grinder from Amazon

If you would like to spend more to get a better machine then read these coffee grinder reviews before you make a decision:

1. Krups Expert GVX231
2. KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder
3. Dualit 75015 Burr Grinder
4. CuisinArt Professional Coffee Mill
5. DeLonghi KG79 Burr Grinder