A superior design makes the difference

Author's Rating:

Pros: Excellent styling, consistent grind, no static or clumping, cool timer.

Cons: Somewhat flimsy grind container. Shortish max on timer.

The Bottom Line: 
You shouldn't have to clean up after your grinder and it should be easy to work with. This Breville isn't exactly cheap, but really is superior.

Author's Review
I have been grinding my own coffee for several years, and have used 3 different grinders. A blade grinder and 2 wheel burr grinders. I had been unsatisfied with my latest one, a Braun KMM30, but soldiered on with it since it did a respectable job, despite the high noise level, static cling and clump of coffee that I would always have to scrape off the side of the container. And it was messy, I'd have to wipe up grounds that sprang to freedom because of the static cling.

After about 5 years, I began noticing improved designs and upon deciding to upgrade, made the following my priorities: Noise level, static cling, and quality of grind. I also didn't want to pay a ransom. That eliminated most under $80 or so. I also wanted a better designed burr system because my Braun would shoot the grounds with messy results.

After reading up and realizing what I probably wanted was over $200, I found this Breville model. Going through a bunch of reviews on the net persuaded me to give it a chance and here's what I've found.

The instructions recommend first removing the hopper and upper conical burr to wipe off any oil which is used to keep them in pristine condition until first use. Then you do a fine grind to get rid of any residual oil(don't use this grind, throw it out). In examining the burr design, it's a conical burr, which allows it to grind at a much slower rate thus not heating up the beans as it grinds, a big plus. Wheel burrs tend to operate at a higher rpm, which is what my Braun did.

It's easy to operate, you pop the hopper lid off and fill with beans, replacing the lid. Then, select the grind you want. I did a few seconds of different grinds to get an idea of what I wanted. To operate, you set the timer knob, then press the start button. The knob does not wind down, but an internal timer turns the machine on for the required time(really cool!). Then remove the container holding your freshly ground coffee and you will notice the lack of static or clumping whatsoever.

Pros: It is considerably quieter than my Braun. Certainly not silent, but a big improvement. The grind is consistent. There is no static nor clumping. The container is a little oddly shaped, but it's quite easy to empty without the static. In addition, the grinder does not spray the grind into the container, it just drops in, which keeps it easy to work with. Finally, it grinds faster. Almost half the time of my old Braun to get the same amount.

Cons: The grind container seems a little flimsy. I would have preferred glass, but then I'd be paying much more. Some might need more than 30 seconds which is the max on the timer.

All in all, I am very happy with this grinder. It's well designed, it looks great and the coffee tastes excellent!