Bodum Bistro Electric Conical Burr Coffee Grinder, Preset Timer, 12 Grind Settings, Black
The Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder crushes coffee beans between high-quality stainless-steel conical burrs, preserving their natural flavors and aroma. Featuring a push-button, preset timer for precise grinding, this grinder prevents bean waste while ensuring optimal coffee freshness. Its 12 adjustable settings allow users to switch between various grind sizes, making it suitable for multiple brewing methods. Built with durable materials like borosilicate glass and silicone, the grinder offers ease of use, safety, and aesthetic appeal for any kitchen.
Product Highlights & Features:
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Stainless Steel Conical Burrs: Ensure consistent grinding without overheating, preserving the coffee’s natural flavor and aroma.
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12 Adjustable Grind Settings: From coarse French Press to fine Espresso.
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Preset Timer: Push-button timer grinds the exact amount needed, reducing waste.
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Static-Free Borosilicate Glass Catcher: Minimizes static cling and coffee grounds mess.
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Friction Clutch: Protects the grinder from damage if small stones are present in the beans.
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Silicone Band Grip: Non-slip grip for secure handling.
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Compact Design: Space-saving footprint suitable for most kitchen counters.
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Multi-Function Lid: Doubles as a measuring guide while keeping beans fresh.
Technical Specifications:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bodum |
| Model | 10903-01US-3 |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Plastic, Stainless Steel, Borosilicate Glass, Silicone |
| Dimensions | 7.6″ L x 7.1″ W x 12.5″ H |
| Weight | 7.8 ounces |
| Capacity | 7.75 ounces (220 grams) |
| Grind Settings | 12 Adjustable settings |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Wattage | 160 Watts |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Recommended Use | Grinding coffee beans |
| Safety Features | Friction clutch, static-free catcher |
| Special Features | Pre-set timer, conical burrs, anti-slip grip |
| Dishwasher Safe Parts | Borosilicate glass catcher |
Pros & Cons:
✅ Pros:
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Consistent Grind Quality: Conical burrs deliver uniform grounds for better flavor extraction.
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Preset Timer: Allows precise measurement, reducing bean wastage.
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Adjustable Settings: Versatile enough for espresso, drip, and French press.
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Anti-Static Glass Catcher: Minimizes mess from static-cling grounds.
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Compact Footprint: Perfect for smaller kitchens.
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Elegant Design: Modern look complements most kitchen styles.
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Safety Mechanism: Friction clutch prevents motor damage.
❌ Cons:
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Noise Level: Reported as louder than some competitors.
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Limited Capacity: Not ideal for grinding large batches.
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Static Issue: Despite the glass catcher, some users report static buildup.
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Replacement Parts Scarcity: Replacement borosilicate catchers are hard to find.
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Cool-Down Requirement: Must rest between grind cycles during prolonged use.
Final Verdict:
The Bodum Bistro Electric Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is a well-designed, compact grinder that delivers consistent grind quality, ideal for home coffee enthusiasts. Its standout features—like the borosilicate glass catcher and precision settings—cater to varied brewing methods while preserving the coffee’s rich flavor. However, it may not be the best fit for high-volume use or those needing ultra-quiet operation. For daily home use focused on quality and control, this grinder offers solid value and reliable performance within its price range.
Mike –
Coffee snobs don’t have to drop a fortune on a good grinder.
I’m a coffee snob. I work from coffee shops. I drink coffee every day. It’s always locally roasted and fair train and usually organic. I am a jerk when it comes to coffee. I talk about the notes and the acidity. I care about where it’s grown and I remember regions I like. I use a multitude of methods of brewing: pour-over, press pot, cold brew, and an auto-drip (Bonavita).So, that being said, I know I should have invested in a nice grinder, like $400+. I get a lot of feedback at grinders from coffee shops and this one shouldn’t cut it. But it does! It’s consistent and that’s what counts. I have a hand-crank coffee grinder too which might be better, but I don’t want to crank out coffee every morning. This is quick and easy. The timer makes it nice for ease, but you can always weigh your beans and run them through then turn it off.Sometimes the start/stop button doesn’t work and I have to press it again. There’s always the switch on the side though. I had a friend who burned out the motor on one of these by letting it spin for too long. So I am aware of that and I don’t let it go for too long. I usually only make 1-2 cups at a time anyways.So, pros: small/compact design. Different colors to choose from. Big hopper if that’s your jam. Glass container w/lid. Master on/off switch. Timer. Wide range of grind settings.Cons: My start/stop button sometimes sticks. That’s it. This grinder is awesome.
3 people found this helpful
Lala –
Great burr grinder for the price
5 stars for being a better machine than the price tag would reflect. There are a lot of cheap grinders out there. This one has the most consistent grind sizes at this price point. Finer grinds are a little inconsistent but if you aren’t exclusively making espresso at home you’re good to go.
NM4M –
It just works, but not too loud – owened about 3 months
Update – Have had this for over a year now, still works great.Original review below -I just want to make coffee. Nothing fancy. I have tried ground coffee in the past, but the grinders that I had tried were so obnoxiously loud (too loud for before I have my morning coffee) and would wake the whole house. While this grinder is not whisper quiet, it is not obnoxious about it. Just a light grinding sound.The glass cup is great. You do experience a bit of static each time, and it does build up over time. But it is nothing like the all plastic cups.It does have a limit of how often you are supposed to run it in a 5 minute period, but I only make one pot at a time so this has never been an issue.I keep the grinding level set at the same place, set the time of the grind that I want, turn on the power switch, then hit the little red button next to the timer. Grind runs (about 13s for my setting) and then turn the power switch off. Good to go.I don’t sweat a bit of coffee left in the glass grinding cup. It builds up over time. About once a week I rinse it out and lay it upside down on a paper towel. Do keep the paper towel close. It is quiet annoying to (while a bit fuzzy headed prior to that first cup of coffee) grind 13s of coffee, only to look down and see you didn’t put the cup in place. ;)Enjoy
Jesse Anthony –
Love it. Works great!
It is a great price for a quality burr grinder.It is easy to clean, has a start/stop function and timed grind with a conversion for grind time to the number of cups it will make (under the lid). I have an eye for it now. The hopper lid seals and the glass that catches the grinds has a silicone lid. It is not a solid seal as if it were put in a closed container, but the silicone lid is raised in the middle butting it up against the grinder opening. So, the closure occurs between the hopper lid and the grinder lid. Not bad if you grind daily. I always put the coffee back in the bag and put it in a sealed container. I only grind the beans when its ready. And MMMMMMMM it’s delicious.The glass container has much less static than the plastic containers I’ve used. – TIP: Hold the container with your dominant hand, and with the palm of your other hand, cover the lid opening and shake in a stirring motion. It doesn’t need to be done hard, the swirling of the grinds take any possible static-charged coffee off the walls. The glass will not retain a charge so any cling is minimal and short-lived.Also, Clean it after so many uses, the powdery grinds cake up and will be super hard to remove later. This is for any grinder.
JSH –
Great Burr Grinder For the Price!
If you want to take your coffee-brewing experience to the next level, do yourself a favor and purchase a quality burr grinder. The level of consistency and control you have over the grind will GREATLY enhance your pot of coffee; you’ll be amazed at the results you achieve versus coffee brewed using grinds from a traditional blade grinder.I purchased the Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder in November of 2011 and have used it almost daily ever since. I’ve had zero problems with it and find it to be extremely reliable. I brew my coffee using multiple methods and find this grinder to be perfect for all applications (drip makers, stove-top pots, AeroPress, pour-over and cold-brew).THINGS I LIKE1) The price was great. This is obviously a subjective statement, but after two years of daily use, I feel this grinder is a great value.2) It’s relatively easy to take apart and clean. The main container at the top comes off with a twist and from there you can remove the burrs grinders and clean them off.3) Reliability. Like I said, I’ve used it almost every day for two years and have had zero problems.THINGS I DISLIKE1) It’s pretty loud. I don’t really expect a coffee grinder to be quiet, but I’ve heard others, and this one is definitely on the high side.2) Timer settings need to be a little longer. I always have to hit the grind button twice to produce enough coffee grounds to brew a 10-12 cup pot of coffee.3) It produces quite a bit of static after you grind your coffee, but in doing some research, this seems to be a problem that lots of burr grinders have.
JoshJosh –
Great little grinder for what it is!
I’m really enjoying my Bodum Bistro after using it for a few weeks. I received the Bodum pour-over carafe for Christmas and after doing some research on economy / home burr grinders I decided to invest in the matching Bistro conical burr grinder.Assembly was devastatingly simple. After unboxing it, I think I had it up and running in under a minute.Functionality is great and simple to use. There’s not much to it- an on/off switch, a timer (to control grind “dosing”), a secondary ‘on’ button to initiate grinding, and the grind setting which adjusts by twisting the bean hopper.The grind time isn’t too fast (which is good. you don’t want to heat your beans. slower is better). It takes about 10 or 12 seconds to grind 30-38 grams of beans, which is about 3-4 tablespoons / scoops. Noise level is moderate. Quieter than my blade grinder, but still fairly noisy especially when the hopper is empty and beans aren’t being ground. I’d liken it to an air popper or an immersion blender.Grind consistency is really good, though I’d say the differentiation between grind settings is minute. I find the pour-over setting is too fine and often adjust to be closer to the French-press setting. I don’t see why this wouldn’t work to make espresso with a pressurized portafilter (might not be fine enough for a bottomless portafilter).Design is great, construction is decent; you get what you pay for. The body is rubberized, which I find modern and pleasant. The hopper is plastic, which doesn’t bother me any as I don’t store my beans in there anyways (always measure / weigh your beans! consistency is important! don’t rely on the timer, and please don’t store your beans in the hopper. use a light-proof / air-resistant container. i use a ceramic croc). The lid to the hopper is decent and serves its purpose (also rubberized, and a sturdy plastic), but again- I don’t store my beans in there anyways and it only serves to prevent beans / fines from flying out when in use.The glass catcher- I don’t know if it’s just mine, but I find fines / chaff still clinging to the surface despite being advertised to reduce static. Not a big deal though- I just give it a sturdy slam on my rubber trivet and swirl the grounds around to remove some of the fines. I guess after thinking about it, it DOES reduce static. I find I use my coffee brush MUCH less than when I was using my blade grinder. Sometimes I find a tiny bit of grounds falling out of the grinder once I remove the catcher (again, no big deal. just brush them into your hand and into your catcher / filter).Overall I’m very pleased with this product and it’s a SIGNIFICANT upgrade from my Hamilton Beach Custom Grind blade grinder. It’s a great little grinder for what it is (an introductory home burr grinder). It’s not great (and by great I mean industrial / professional grade quality), but if you’re thinking about making the jump between blade to burr grinding (or pre-ground to home grinding) this is a great investment. The difference between cups is glaringly apparent and noticeably better. Not as a negative discourse, but the bottom line is the design is more impressive than the functionality / output, so if you’re not keen on how it looks you might get a little more out of your grind settings by springing for the Baratza Encore. I love the way it looks and it gets the job done (and does it well).
5 people found this helpful
Daniel –
Huge impact on my quality of coffee
So my previous old trusty grinder finally burned out and was no longer working. Debated where to go next and didn’t want to spend a ton of money so figured I’d try this Bodum one out. I’m absolutely floored. First of all, it’s quiet, as far as grinder’s go. Second, it has a nice seal with the receiving canister, so minimal mess. And most importantly, it’s a consistent grind, which had a big impact on the flavor of my coffee. It’s like the beans opened up to a different level. Cannot recommend this enough.
Amazon Customer –
quiet- veery small footprint on counter–GLASS container catches grind–no static issues–less mess
I had a Cuisinart conical burr grinder prior to this- It was very loud, and big, and heavy. Coffee grounds were sent to a plastic catch-container-that was very messy when trying to empty. This unit has it all over the last one I had. I love it!!!! Buy it!
M. Bray –
No need to be so careful about wait between grind cycles
I’ve had this now for over 18 months, and still like it. Every morning, I run two 20 second grind cycles back-to-back to make a half-pot for my wife and I (we like it strong). I’ve on occasion done as many as 4 full grind cycles within five minutes or so to make full pot when have company over.Using this grinder has made for much more enjoyable coffee. While the glass container helps with static, static is still an issue when using darker-roast beans – not so much in terms of making a mess but with more grounds sticking inside the container. It will struggle and clog if try to grind dark-roast beans on finest espresso settings, but I almost never make espresso and when I do, have a Starbucks Barista which uses a pressurized portafilter, so doesn’t need to be so fine anyway. Since I’m partial to light/medium roast coffees and normally use for drip machine, these things are non-issues for me.The marked settings for drip and espresso could be better. For drip coffee I use just a notch or so coarser than the preset to prevent fines in my coffee using mesh filter while still getting good strong taste, and you will likely want to grind a little finer for french press than the marked setting. But given its price, overall functionality, good looks, and continuing endurance despite my flagrant flouting of Bodum’s usage guidelines, I give it highest marks.
One person found this helpful
Michael Akard –
Good machine, effective and attractive
Note: As will become obvious, we have the white machine. I can’t speak to the appearance of any of the other colors.We have gone through numerous coffee grinders over the years, and this is the best so far. The white is attractive and matches the color of the kitchen (that’s important to my wife). The hopper looks like it would take up a lot of space, but it really doesn’t, so we’re all pleased about that. The lid is just a flat top, so it’s simple to flip it off and dump in the beans (we normally get our beans from Trader Joe’s or Starbucks). The machine grinds 30 seconds-worth of beans and sends the grounds down into a storage unit (see the picture), and that unit just slides out, so the usable grounds are very easy to access. We pretty much keep it on espresso grind because it works well with our Melita single-cup device, but it’s easy to change the coarseness as per your own preference or brewing method simply by rotating the hopper.Caveat: This is a coffee grinder, and grounds make their way onto the counter, so expect to have a few bits of dry coffee to clean up. Also, we like dark roasted beans, which tend to be a little bit oily. This oiliness sometimes causes them to stick going through the mechanism, so we often have to shake the machine to get everything flowing right. We don’t mind, and the machine is lightweight. If you also don’t mind doing that, the Bodum might be a good machine to consider.
9 people found this helpful
jmb –
Great little machine
I recently upgraded my coffee maker (more on that below) and decided to upgrade my coffee storage (more on that below, too) and grinder. I had been using a sturdy Braun blade grinder, which was fine. But despite a mention on Cooks Illustrated that the kind of grinder used in their testing of coffee makers made no difference, I opted to try a burr grinder. I hate to disagree with CI, but I find it does make a difference, and this little grinder performs really well and is a pleasure to see perched on the kitchen counter.The Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder (I have the white–and it is white, not ivory) is very simple to use, produces a perfectly even grind, and minimizes static. I typically make 6-7 cups of drip coffee, and was quickly able to determine a good coarseness and amount of time (12 sec) to produce the perfect amount to dump into my coffee maker each morning. I have the top hopper loaded with beans (which stay fresh because the lid fits snugly) and all I have to do in the morning is press the starter button, and voila. Clean up is easy (and unnecessary day-to-day, but I brush it out when I switch beans).For storage of waiting beans or pre-ground coffee (I received about 4 lbs. of 6 different kinds of beans this Christmas, which probably inspired my upgrades), I’ve been using these great Bodum glass jars: […] . The 68 oz. will hold more than a pound of beans or ground coffee, has a nice snug-fitting glass lid with a rubber ring, and it is lovely. And matches the grinder 🙂 .As for the coffee maker, I cannot say enough about the Technivorm Moccamaster (and […]) […]. Can a coffee maker really be worth $300? Yes it can (especially with the extras that Roastmasters includes). I look at it this way: is it worth $1 a day for the next 300 days to have really great coffee at home? Yes. I had been using (for 20 years) a quite nice Krups coffee maker, but the liquid produced by the Technivorm is an entirely different, smoother and yet more robust, liquid than what comes out of any other coffee maker. The coffee maker is a minimalist’s joy (on/off, that’s it) and the thermal carafe is an essential.Way more info than you’re looking for, I’m sure. But I’ll end by saying that the Bodum grinder is great, and worthy of my Technivorm. High praise indeed.
Emily Dickinson –
Best grinder I’ve ever owned
I’m 50+ years old and have owned or used about 5 grinders. This is the best grinder I’ve ever owned, for these reasons:1. Doesn’t make a mess when using Most grinders fill the air, and countertop, with grounds. This one emits the grounds into the glass receptacle.2. The only work involved is pushing a button Most grinders–surely for safety reasons–force you to hold down a button for the entire length of the grinding process. By adding a timer, this grinder lets me get around that tedious step. Just select the number of seconds for my grind, and push a button.3. Allows me to create a perfect, measured dose Because it has the timing feature, I can create exactly what I need, every morning. I figured out that, to make coffee using my lovely Aeropress, I need to grind 7 seconds worth of espresso beans. I grind for 7 seconds, then throw it into the Aeropress — no measuring4. Uses very little countertop space5. Has a generous holding tank for beans This means I only have to fill it once a week.6. Precision grindingI can really get the exact fineness of grind I want — from uber-coarse to uber-fine, using the easy adjustment mechanism* * * SUMMARY * * *OTHER grinders make one go through the tedious steps of: a) fill grinder, b) hold down button for desired amount, c) pour grounds into coffeemaker, usually spilling some precious cargo along the way, d) clean up mess on counter, e) SNEEZE because, you have an allergy to airborne coffee dustThis grinder simplifies the morning process: a) push button, b) pour contents of glass jar into coffee maker* * * WORKS BEST WITH: * * *1.
Nespresso Aeroccino Plus
Best frothing system I’ve *ever* used. I reviewed that, too -http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A2GH7L9R77OQRH/ref=ya_26?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview2.
Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
An unbelievable espresso maker for $25, which uses NO electricity and hardly ANY counter space3. Aeropress Stainless Steel Coffee Filter No need to re-order filters forever.* * * NOTE ABOUT OTHER REVIEWS * * *Most of the unfavorable reviews have to do with the 20 second limit on the timer. I wouldn’t ding the product for this, in fact, I think it was simply a good engineering decision. That being said, I tested what would happen by running it for 40 seconds. Motor seemed fine. I think the manufacturers just want to make sure folks don’t run it for an hour, which would of course blow out a motor of this size. Also, as I wrote above, grinding for 7 seconds gives me all the Joe I need for the day.
EvieMarie –
Solid grinder for everyday use
I bought mine back in June of 2017. I’m back looking at it again because the button to start/stop grinding is getting glitchy. I can’t complain though. It’s been almost 7.5 years of grinding coffee 2x a day, sometimes more. It’s got a small footprint and the grounds are consistent. I didn’t change the fineness of the grind, so I’m not sure how that is. It was a good buy and I’d do it again.
MLM –
Excellent for espresso
First of all, let me caveat this review by stating that I only use this grinder for my espresso machine, and I don’t make more than 1-2 cups at a time, so the 20 second grind time limit mentioned by other reviewers is not an issue (I usually grind for 10 seconds and it’s enough for 1 cup). This grinder replaces a cheap burr grinder (which I now use for drip coffee as it doesn’t grind fine enough), and the difference is dramatic. The build quality is excellent. In the finest setting, it will grind extremely fine, actually too fine for my machine (DeLonghi EC-702), so I use it on the third notch from the finest (between the ‘espresso’ and ‘drip’ marks). I have had this grinder now for a couple of months and use it daily. Works flawlessly and grinds very consistently. The only complaint I have is about the white finish, which can be easily stained by coffee grounds (my fault for resting the tamper and coffee scoop on the cover), but that doesn’t warrant lowering my rating.One more thought: being a pretty thrifty person, I was hesitant to spend $70 on a grinder since I only spent $125 for the espresso machine, but this is really only about $20 more than much lesser grinders, and it produces a much better drink. Investing an extra $20 on the espresso machine would not make much of a difference, so the extra $20 on the grinder will give a much more significant upgrade.
One person found this helpful
G.L. Pease –
Price/performance Ratio Far Better than Expected
After over a dozen years of faithful daily service, my Solis finally died a noisy death. I couldn’t find a replacement motor, so I decided to shop for a new grinder. The Bodum Bistro (red) was the less expensive of two grinders that I’d reduced my choices to, and based on the positive reviews, I decided to take a chance on it, rather than spend half again as much on the only other product in competition for my cash. I’ve only had it two days, but am already more than satisfied, and actually quite impressed.I don’t do espresso at home, so I cannot speak to the finer end of the grind spectrum, but I do make press coffee daily, so a consistent semi-coarse grind with minimal dust is essential to a good cup. This thing delivers. The specified grind (labeled by a little press-pot icon on the adjustment marks) is a bit coarse for my tastes, but two marks finer is just about perfect. Eight seconds is about right for a mug, and there’s very little sludge left at the bottom of the cup. It’s hard to imagine a better grinder without spending substantially more money.Construction is excellent. Parts fit securely and precisely, and the overall feel is that of a quality product. The glass receptacle does an excellent job of keeping static cling minimized, and the seal formed by the rubber lid seals well against the grinder’s output chute, keeping grounds where they belong, rather than on the counter, and noise down to a non-objectionable level–actually a significant improvement over my much cherished Solis, even before the overworked bearings started to squeal like an angry pig.I’m absolutely thrilled with my purchase, so far, and if this lasts half half as long as the Solis did, I’ll still consider this a great bargain amongst conical burr grinders. Hats off to Bodum for what seems to be a great product for a very reasonable price.
One person found this helpful
D.B. Spalding –
Highly rated by Consumer Reports, relatively quiet, great grinding performance, easy to clean
One of the top rated burr mill grinders along with the OXO model, I opted for this one based on looks and satisfaction with other Bodum products. It has not disappointed me. It’s pretty clean when removing the glass (yes, glass!) grounds cup, and the grounds do truly come out of it easily. Stray grounds falling from the mill are minimal; you’ll get more if you futz around with the mill while the cup is removed. The timer feature takes a bit of getting used to, but otherwise quite accurate.The glass grounds cup is easy to empty or sweep clean with a natural bristle grinder cleaner. Due to the material, grounds do not “cling” to the cup. I find I don’t have to wash it out very often, perhaps monthly. (I would not put in an automatic dishwasher.)The beans hopper is enough for a week’s worth of grounds (I make roughly one pot per day). Easy to refill. One note: you are recommended to change the grind ONLY when the mill is running (done by rotating the hopper to the desired grind setting).Cleaning the grinding burr is easy. I haven’t done this often as it doesn’t seem necessary.It takes up less counter space than an automatic drip maker, though that is what nudged it out of the way. In all, this is a fine grinder for the under $500 range.
AmazonAddict –
Amazing for the money!
I tried a Mr. Coffee, Capresso, and 2 Cuisinart grinders in the last month. Each one of them had something that bothered me.The Mr. Coffee was just horrible quality plastic and not fine enough grind for espresso.The Capresso was nice, quiet, and fine grind… but the static cling caused me to have to wipe it out after each use.The 2 Cuisinarts were louder than my magic bullet. They were 2x as loud as the other 2 I mentioned above.This Bodum blender is the best of all worlds for what I need. It blends fairly quiet, not as quiet as the Capresso, but it wont wake up your neighbors.It leaves behind NO MESS at all. All the coffee goes into the catch cup. Not a single grind of coffee on the counter.It also has NO static cling buildup. You just tap the bottom of the catch cup and it all falls out. Nothing to wipe down.The hopper lid has a better seal than the others I mentioned above. It seals up well and I have no fear storing a half pound of beans in here for a week or more.The grip on the catch cup is perfect if youre prone to dropping things. It adds a nice grip and makes it easy to pull off when youre done grinding.I cant say anything bad about this. It grinds good and it gets plenty fine for espresso shots.I paid $77 on here, the next day it went up to $100. So if you can catch it on sale, dont hesitate to buy it!
Ric –
Very Nice
First, this thing is made in China. However, it seems to be very well made and appears to be durable. The grind adjustment is the hopper itself and is variable from super coarse to powder, I use a stovetop espresso maker so I like a pretty fine grind. The grounds container is borosilicate glass and does not exhibit the static (grounds sticking to the container) like plastic ones do. The grounds stick mildly but with gentle tapping on the container, you will win the battle of grounds expulsion (as long as the open end is facing down). Now, the really cool part. As can be seen in the main image, the power switch is in the lower left side, just aft of the grounds catcher. On the top of the unit, just in front of the hopper is the timer and the on/off switch. The timer can be set from one second to twenty second or anywhere in between. Set the timer, there are markings for 5, 10 and 20 seconds, turn on the power and push the on/off switch. If for any reason, you need to terminate the grinding before the machine has completed the timed grind, just push the on/off switch again. At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this feature, but it is actually what makes this grinder even cooler than it looks. My only complaint about the timer is that it has no resistance (of course, resistance is futile) and it is quite easy to change the timed grind when moving the machine if you put a finger or a thumb on the timer as the machine is being moved. Just have to check it every time you use it especially if there is more than one person in the household. Some reviewers talk about noise, I suppose if you don’t want to wake someone sleeping nearby, wait until you can see the whites of their eyes and then, Punch it! It is packaged well so it should arrive unscathed from its travels. If you purchase one of these, Enjoy!
11 people found this helpful
lapis –
Absolutely worth the price
I finally broke down and decided to get a decent grinder for using with my Aeropress
Aerobie AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
. I always hated those small hand grinders that make such a mess, and I finally got sick of the grinders I’d use at Trader Joe’s which are never calibrated correctly. I’m so glad I finally got this one. The design is so perfect. First, it has a small footprint. It’s definitely smaller than it looks in the picture, at least to me. Second, there are many different sizes of grind you can choose. I picked halfway between drip and espresso for my Aeropress, and it’s perfect. Third, the one-touch pre-set timing mechanism is brilliant. You choose anywhere from about 5 seconds to 20 seconds, then just push a button. The grinder will automatically grind for that length of time. I don’t have to hold it down, and I don’t have to guess from day-to-day whether I’m getting it right. It just works. I used to weigh the same amount of coffee every day, but now I don’t have to bother with that. And because the grind I can get is finer than I was able to get at TJ’s, I actually use about 10 grams less coffee every day to make the same great, intense cup. Ten grams adds up, right? In no time this thing will pay for itself!It’s no joke about how mess-free this grinder is. I guess it’s partially due to the glass, but it’s also the design. There is one small hole at the top of the container and I just shake the coffee out of that right into my Aeropress. Absolutely no grinds anywhere on the counter. Love it.If you’ve been on the fence, just go for it. You will not be sorry.
2 people found this helpful
RopeMan –
It’s all you need
9/16/2012If it doesn’t work for you then your needs are way beyond the intended use of the machine. I use it daily to grind my morning coffee. I like a course grind for a French press, which it does very well. For the money it is an outstanding machine.Read the other reviews…I don’t need to repeat what they have said.Update 9/25/2012Do not remove the bean hopper when it has beans in it. They will go everywhere.Also, if you turn the grind adjustment just past the most course setting the grinder will not work. Just back it off a touch and it will work fine. Not a bug, it just means the bean hopper isn’t attached securely enough.Update July 23, 2013Still running fine. I have used it twice daily. That is about 620 grinds of 20 seconds each. The price is now down to 20 cents per usage. Great product!Update March 4, 2014Still working fine. I still use it twice daily. I notice that the required grind time is slightly longer than it used to be and it will no longer grind as course as I would like. For anything other than a french press the grinder still has a lot of life left. So here is the math. I have ground roughly 1,150 batches of coffee. I paid 112 for the drinker. Since it still works fine for a finer grind I will donate it to the local thrift store and use it as part of my tax deductions. So the per use cost is down to 9 cents. Can’t beat the price versus life combination. Not sure I will buy the same grinder again. I need a fairly course grind so this is not the best choice.I might add that I buy green beans from Sweet Maria’s […] and roast them at home in a Fresh Roast 500. After accounting for the purchase of the roaster and grinder, the per batch cost is much lower than buying pre roasted beans and you will not believe the taste difference. Sweet Maria’s buys beans directly from farmers all over the world so you are doing a great service for the local populations in far-flung locations. YOU WILL NEVER BUY STARBUCKS AGAIN after roasting your own beans.11/18/2014It finally died. I figure about 12 cents per pot of coffee to grind my beans. Pretty hard to beat that…
4 people found this helpful
CRK –
First coffee grinder of my life!
I was never a big coffee drinker until I entered grad school two years ago. Once I discovered the necessity of the black gold, I was hooked. I have two friends who are coffee snobs, one is a barista at Capogiro in Philly and one is a on again off again barista at his friend’s coffee shop in Bala Cynwyd. Upon a recommendation from the latter friend (also my roommate) I started research Burr coffee grinders. He owns the Bodum french press, and I love that thing to death so I was happy with the reviews and modern style of the bodum coffee grinder. I wanted a green one but it was a surprising 10$ more than the black at the time. So far, the grinder has been a joy to work and live with. It is fast, efficient and I have had ZERO problems so far. I have owned it for maybe a month. Perfect espresso, perfect course ground, perfect for the first time user. My snobby roommate is more than satisfied as well.Updated 10/8/2015: I have never had problems with my Bodum Bistro! It still grinds at all different settings, it’s fast, a little noisy, but so efficient. It’s a bit bulky to keep on the kitchen counter, so I store underneath in a cabinet, but it’s so light that taking it out twice or so a week is easy. A previous roommate (NOT the one mentioned in my first review lol), did break the glass carafe it comes with, but I found that is easily replaceable. Now, I use a small pyrex glass dish, the type that comes with a plastic lid. I grind all my coffee for the week (I am not a snob), and store in the air tight pyrex. Doubling my collection and storage into one piece of dishware is far easier than using the glass carafe the machine came with. 4 years, no maintenance needed, I clean it about every 3 months, and knock out the coffee dust after every use. I have never used for anything but coffee beans. I love this machine!!
MumsTheWord –
Espresso love
I’ve been drinking espresso daily for the past 20 years. I’ve had a succession of gadgets along the way too. And I have found that I don’t have spend a fortune to make a good espresso. But, I do have to have a burr grinder in order to get that good shot.Enter the Bodum Bistro. I bought it to replace my last grinder which finally burnt out after years of use. So, far this has been a fine little grinder (I’ve had it for a year and a half, paid $66.48).It certainly grinds fine enough for espresso on range of beans. My wife is a regular drip coffee drinker and has no complaints either. I can not speak to the coarser grinds, like french press, because I never use them.The only trick one needs to know with this machine is how to avoid the sneak attack grinds which jump out after you remove the collection container (container is glass, no static, very nice!). So, these grinds stay up in the housing and don’t fall into the collection glass. But, once you remove the container, they pour out. It is less than a quarter teaspoon but still makes a little mess. So to avoid it, after the grinding stops, but before you grab the container, just tap on the side of the machine and the sneak attack grinds will fall into the container and everything is fine. No mess. No reason to complain. Just about every gadget has it’s particular idiosyncrasy. The sneak attack is this one’s, and it is easily remedied.Overall, this is a great little grinder. It gets used twice daily, once for espresso and once for drip. I’d buy it again.UPDATE:I bought this grinder in 2012. Now 5 years later, 2017, we still use it twice daily. I use it for espresso grind, my wife for percolator coffee. It still works great!I now need a second grinder for the office. So, I’m buying another Bodum.
2 people found this helpful
Alejandro Granada Gonzalez –
Buena relación calidad/precio
Es un buen molino conico para preparaciones de cafe filtrado tipo Chemex, V60 o Prensa Francesa es una muy opción. Quizás no sea tan preciso para moliendas más finas, pero lo he usado en Aeropress. Se debe hacer una buena limpieza cada cierto tiempo ya que acumula restos de cafe, tambien se podría agradecer una forma facil de limpieza profunda. El material es durable y el nivel de ruido supongo que es el “normal”. Tiene recipiente de vidrio donde llega el café molido y alguna vez se me quebró y tuve que comprar uno nuevo, se debe tener cuidado con el vidrio, pero es la mejor opción para la estatica de la molienda.
Clarice –
easy to operate
Well, some engineer finally designed a well thought-out burr-type coffee grinder, and this company (Bodum) figured out how to manufacture and sell it at a very reasonable price. This machine is a JEM! It’s compact, easy to operate, and colorful on our counter.PROs: Well made, with hardened steel burrs Quiet operation compared with some other machines Large bean hopper Logical controls that give you lots of options in operation In-machine cord storage Has a glass ground coffee container (instead of plastic — very important) Minimal ground coffee dust (more on this later)CONs: Ground coffee container could be slightly larger, but that would increase the overall size of the machine Ground coffee container lid rubs against the grinder housing when being removed, brushing a little coffee dust onto counterNow, let’s consider ground coffee dust. I tried another noted brand of burr-type coffee grinder and had to send it back within days because of the mess it made with coffee dust. It made so much static electricity in its operation that the product was unusable. The ground coffee container was plastic and when you tried to remove it from the machine and remove the lid, coffee dust first would jump out all over the place, while lots remained sticking to the underside of the lid and was hard to remove without falling all over the place. Then when you tried to remove the ground coffee from the container, static would cause the ground coffee to spray around instead of falling into a coffee filter. Because ground coffee would adhere to the side and bottom of the container, it was next to impossible to empty completely without getting the ground coffee all over everything. When I checked online to see if others experienced this same problem, I found many such reports, with a like number of proposed “solutions.” When I tried a few, I found that none of them solved the problem. So, I returned the unit to the supplier for a full refund, did a lot more research on the Internet, found the Bodum got high marks, ordered it, and have been enjoying it and the ground coffee it produces. A small amount of ground coffee still adheres to the inside walls of the ground coffee container, but a few taps of your hand or on the counter causes that to fall to the bottom of the container.
3 people found this helpful
nickrrr –
Way better than Cuisinart…
Love this machine. We prefer burr grinders and have bought 2 of the Cuisinart burr grinders and both have failed after about a year. I swore off Cuisinart so I figured I would pay up for a better grinder and found this Bodum. I’ve only had it a month so not sure about how easy it is to clean. But I like this way better than the Cuisinart burr grinders. The Cuisinart grinder was so loud while the Bodum just hums along while grinding. I also like the glass catch basin for the grounds, as opposed to the cheap plastic catch basin on the Cuisinart. I don’t know how to describe it but it’s just a feeling that this is a real quality grinder. You know when you are touching/using something and it is high quality and when something is a piece of junk (you just know). The Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder is a quality burr grinder. After you waste your money on 2 Cuisinart burr grinders (like I did) you’ll step up to a quality grinder like the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder.
2 people found this helpful
Lulu Moretti –
Haachewawa! Whattat grinder! What beans!
It’s the afternoon and I never drink coffee in the afternoon because I’ll be awake until 2am. . .but . .my Bodum Bistro grinder just arrived and I couldn’t wait to try it. I’ve been using a Capresso for 7 years or so and it’s been fine, but the spray of coffee grindings got to be too much (I know, the plastic grounds holder causes this). So basically I was replacing something that really didn’t NEED replacing. Extravagant. Who cares? So, I opened the box, read the [non]instructions*, ground my beans, and poured my usual 16 ounces.If I hadn’t actually put the beans into the hopper myself I would have been pressed to believe this coffee was made from same beans I’ve been using for 2-3 years. I mean like, OMG. Is this what French Roast really tastes like? When used in a French Press? Apparently so. And all this time I’ve been settling for a fairly dilute version and didn’t know it. Actually, I just kept buying deeper roasted beans, trying to glean some quality flavor. I am gobsmacked.Some details: – I use the coarsest grind.- Measure 4 tablespoons of beans. (which take about 4 seconds or so to grind . . I didn’t time it, but it was SO much less than my Capresso I was hardly prepared. Some reviews have criticized the 20 second limit before the little motor has to rest, but I’d imagine the hopper would have to be filled to the brim to take 20 seconds. That’s a whole lot of coffee!)- *The “instructions” are so crazily non-instructional you have to go to Youtube for little information you might want. I looked at Mikemuonline. Pretty good except the cheesy advert for a fax company thrown in the middle.- The perfect instructions for making coffee in a French Press come from Harold McGee’s “On Food and Cooking”: – water between 190 and 195 degrees (I use a digital thermometer) – stir grounds after adding water – allow 6 minutes for full flavor extractionI never realized I was in desperate need of a new grinder and now I do. Purchase totally justified!
One person found this helpful
SH –
Easy to use and set up.
Excellent product so far. Wish the grind volume dial had a more precise clicking calibration, similar to the grind size dial has but it’s my minor peeve. No regrets. I highly recommend.
Michiel KappeyneMichiel Kappeyne –
The winner at this price point — Still delighted after 12 years — Limitations
The lowdown — Nothing will beat this elegant conical burr grinder on grind uniformity and range versus price. But it is not suited for grinding lots of coffee at once.The central distinction among coffee grinders is blades versus burrs. Blades are the cheapest but grind unevenly at best. Burrs achieve more uniform particle size but, being more complex mechanisms, are more expensive to manufacture. This Bodum strikes a clever medium. Its grind is highly uniform and its range wide—I enjoy French press and espresso so coarse to very fine.How did Bodum achieve this feat? They put their money in the most important part: its beautifully made conical burr. They kept the rest as simple as possible. For instance, on high-end grinders you dial in the grind size with a knob. Bodum’s approach is to twist the the hopper. ‘Does away with a whole bunch of parts.There are trade-offs. For instance, this machine is not for you if you like to grind lots of coffee all at once. Why? It does not grind fast and on top of that the manual specifies letting the motor cool down five minutes between each 20-second batch, its longest setting. The finer the grind the more pertinent this becomes. You are good to go if you do a single batch just before brewing to achieve best aroma and flavor.One longest batch delivers 40gr coarse French press or 20gr fine espresso. That’s 1.4 and 0.7 oz. The French press amount is good for roughly four cups of coffee depending on how you like it. The espresso clumps nicely but is below a one-ounce shot.Ever the engineer, I took this Bodum apart to have a closer look at its design. Surprisingly sophisticated. The reduction gears are nylon. This is fine given the limited forces in play but, as insulator, inhibits static from flowing away. The burr is driven through a neat safety clutch, a helpful feature in case of jams. The pictures show the mechanism and the control board. In my case the clutch plate is metal but I got from online stories it is now made of nylon. This concession to production costs will not affect normal use but does make the mechanism less robust.If it matters to you, and as another reviewer pointed out, Bodum borosilicate glass replacement beakers are impossible to find, except the occasional used one on eBay, so do be careful.Hints on use — tap the grinder on both sides simultaneously a few times before taking out the beaker. This knocks out any ground coffee left behind. (And splash a few water droplets on your beans before grinding to reduce static buildup.) The hopper tends to rotate itself to a coarser setting owing to torque effects so check ever so often. And remember to clean the burr area regularly because it can clog especially if your coffee is oily.Summing up — this Bodum Bistro is aesthetically pleasing, engineered well, has a compact footprint, and punches above its weight. You will enjoy it for a long time if you stay within its design limits. If you need lots of fine espresso in a hurry then look at a higher price point.(Note — this is the second one I bought, now as gift. I had to take down my original 2014 review I have refined here. Amazon only allows one review for repeat purchases.)
24 people found this helpful
Debi –
Perfect espresso grind for a fraction of the price
I purchased this grinder back in January and I am so happy that I did. Most of the reviews said that this grinder was not good for espresso grinds. Fortunately, I ignored the reviews. The Bodum Bistro Electric Burr coffee grinder is perfect for espresso grinds. Moreover, I read complaint after complaint about it not being able to handle oily beans. This is Absolutely false! I use very oily french roast beans and it has no problem grinding enough for at least 2 or 3 pulls in the 20 second limit. By the time I’m done making my latte (my preference) 5 minutes have passed and I can grind more beans as necessary. People complaining about having to wait 5 minutes need to wake up and smell the coffee! This grinder is over $100 cheaper than the cheapest “better burr grinders”. At that price difference, I can wait a few extra minutes. I purchased my grinder on sale at Amazon for $74.50. I did have to spend several weeks checking amazon to get that price, but it was worth the wait to save money. People experiencing problems with not getting enough ground beans for a pull need to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. It tells you how to calibrate the grinder for first use as well as re-calibrating when you change settings. If you don’t follow the directions you will have trouble. Also, Eventually, the grinding gear will clog and you will need to remove and clean it and re-calibrate for use. I have only had to do this once in the last 9 months and I use my espresso maker daily, so my grinder gets heavy use.
One person found this helpful
etudiant –
Effective and flexible grinder
A flexible and effective coffee grinder, produces a uniform grind at the desired fineness.The unit has a timer for the grinding duration, but that the grinding can also be done in bursts, which I prefer.The receptacle for the ground is glass, less staticky than plastic, with a flexible sealed top which keeps the ground from going all over. Do note that there will still be small bits of ground loose after each use, so a damp paper towel is needed to keep things pristine.The grinder uses conical steel burrs, they are not easily clogged, but I find that grinding a handful of rice once a month helps keep them clean.The unit is very audible when in use, so perhaps not ideal for apartment living if the sleep schedules differ.Or one could just leave the ground in the receptacle overnight of course, it is pretty snugly sealed to the grinder.The unit is neatly designed and fairly compact, so it blends well into a small apartment kitchen.The unit appears to be well engineered and properly built, but I also bought the 4 year warranty for $9.99, hope not to need it. Thus far, it has performed flawlessly and I’m pleased with it.
avk –
Still going strong after 13 years
I have used it almost daily to grind coffee for a drip brewer, occasionally for a French press, and very occasionally using the finest setting – so it hasn’t been as stressed as if it were used only for grinding espresso and other very fine grinds. Nonetheless, it is remarkable that it still provides reasonably consistent grinds.And the price at the time of writing this review is almost the same as it was 13+ years ago.Assuming the build quality hasn’t changed since, I recommend this if you are looking for a mid-tier grinder with metal conical burrs that will last.
Martin –
Earns a place on my counter
This replaced a Krups model that made a horrible racket, walked all over the counter when running, and collected gooey coffee dust in the corners of the plastic output bin. This model is quieter (though far from silent), stays put when running, and has a glass output jar that dispenses the ground coffee cleanly without residue. The input bin is air sealed (not very tightly, but adequately for small amounts) and holds enough beans for maybe a week or so. I have it set on fine for espresso grind for my Aeropress, and this gives entirely satisfactory results. The grind is cool and consistent, and the timer (I have it set on 10 seconds) is accurate and repeats reliably. I have ground three batches in a row a couple of times without the motor getting warm or showing other signs of straining. The only negatives are very minor. (1) The on-off switch on the side is unnecessary. Actual start/stop operation is with the red push button on the top of the body. (2) There is no safety switch to ensure that the output jar is in place when grinding. Made this mistake once. (3) A tiny bit of grind will fall after the output jar is removed, and will have to be blown or brushed off once a week or so. Giving the machine a brisk tap before removing the output jar will minimize this. All in all, a very good household coffee grinder for the price. This has earned a permanent place in my kitchen.
One person found this helpful
Judd –
consistent
Timer is a plus for grinding a consistent amount of beans. A little noisy.
Lady Di –
Budget friendly grinder that produces great espresso grind
January 2018: I bought this burr grinder alongside my first espresso machine (Breville Cafe Roma). I had done enough research to realize a burr grinder was key in making decent espresso. However, as a student, budget constraints prevented me from spending much more than $100. I bought this burr grinder based on reviews and my brand familiarity with Bodum.I have used this grinder for 2 weeks. I am very satisfied with the grind I get on the espresso setting on this burr grinder; the freshly ground beans feel like sand which is exactly what I’ve read is the desired grind for espresso. The grind produced seems to be composed of consistently sized particles with very little variation in particle size (no noticeably large hunks of beans and not a lot of powdery grind). I haven’t had any issues with the timed grind (20 second maximum) that other reviewers have mentioned in a negative light. I grind my beans immediately before I make my morning latte. The small quantity of beans required for my double shot only takes the grinder about 10 seconds to grind. On weekends, I can grind enough beans in 20 seconds to make myself and my boyfriend a latte each.I absolutely love that the ground coffee container (where the ground beans land) is glass. As I was wandering throughout the burr grinder selection online, it was disappointing to see the number of burr grinders that used plastics for this particular container. This Bodum stood out to me because of the use of glass in its design.This grinder is noisy, but as I am usually the last one out of bed, it hasn’t been an issue in my household. I have not had any complaints from apartment neighbors either. I’m not sure how many burr grinders are quiet. It seems to me, the grinding of any material = noise.I will try to update this review over the years to share longevity of this burr grinder.
One person found this helpful
jason –
Buying My Second
Well, I didn’t realize it had been almost 5 years since I purchased the original one. When I noticed a change in my five year old grinder I thought there may be a rock or piece of something that was wedged somewhere making it sound different. Knowing there was no chance of warranty or return I took it apart. Found a small bearing and a chunk of plastic inside the cover and thought it was time for a new grinder. I have used this grinder almost daily for the past five years. I clean it every few months or every month if I were using an especially dark or oily bean. It has performed well. On about three occasions I have had a rock jam the unit up and had to take it apart and clean it to get the rock out. The clutching gears did their job. I will say that I was always pretty close so it never ran out the complete timer when this happened. It was only for a few seconds each time. If something goes wrong while your grinding you can hit the button again to stop the grinding process.So this little grinder finally seeing the end of its life and I started doing some shopping and found that it is still one of the best rated grinders. It has the highest grind rating of the eight or so that were tested by the trusted website I use.Pros:Glass grind catchOnce you learn the settings easy and consistent daily grindingLasted 5 years which outlasted the Bodum coffee maker I hadConns:Wish the hopper could hold a whole bag of coffee.
3 people found this helpful
Kevin –
5 stars — after I figured out the secret!
I bought my Bodum grinder 11 months ago. Like most reviewers I find it easy to use, easy on the eyes, reasonably quiet and absolutely reliable so far.Until a couple of months ago, I would have given the grinder 4 stars. My only quibble would be the jar. Though I haven’t broken mine yet, it is certainly a little on the fragile side. Also, sliding the jar in and out of the grinder would always result in a few grounds being spilled onto the counter-top. Fiddling with the silicone rubber cap would often create another small spill. It’s easy to throw the jar and cap into the dishwasher but cleaning them is still another minor chore to deal with.The Secret:Don’t use the jar! A couple of months ago, it dawned on me that I could just hold the coffee filter under the grinder when I hit the button. The grounds go directly into the filter which I then transfer directly to the coffee maker. There’s rarely any spillage at all in this process. Not having to deal with the jar makes a significant impact on the effort to brew a cup of coffee. This is especially appreciated on early mornings when my energy level is low.The only time grounds escape is when I sometimes bump the grinder. This causes a few grounds which are stuck in the top around the burr to fall down to the base. This can happen whenever the jar isn’t inserted.
One person found this helpful
Michele –
Great Espresso Grinder Upgrade
We had been using an old grinder that would never grind the beans finely enough for our espresso maker.We were using the stores grinders too and not satisfied even on the finest grind. We think it issleek and like the glass container which eliminates static. Less messy for sure. Some people mention thenoise level. Well it is grinding beans. I find that it is not as loud as our previous and it doesn’t bother us.I did notice that you need to wait 5 minutes between 20 second grinds to not overheat the motor. And that you canonly change the grind coarseness while it is running. So that can create some course, some fine in the samecontainer. I jammed the grinder once when the container that catches the coffee was not sitting back inits’ position. I noted the sound change immediately (so the sound is good to recognize problems)and then was able to easily take it apart to clean out the jammed coffee grounds. I think my son changedthe grind without having the machine on, so it was stuck on a coarse grind at one point. Once I figured this out, Iturned it on, turn it to coarse grind and back to fine. It calibrated itself. I also like how it has a timer. That wayyou can grind just what you want. You get used to your needs (10 seconds, 15, etc.).I don’t know if we had a variety of grinds happening on a regular basis if I would like this machine. Fortunately,we use the old grinder for coarse now and save this one for espresso. Would definitely recommend this machine.
J. Malone –
A fine grinder
Obviously, if you’ve done your research on grinders, you’re aware that the ceramic grinder is supposed to be the best. Since I’m not into spending 200 dollars on a coffee grinder I’ve had to be more resourceful in finding a good grinder for my espressos. I’ve invested in a manual grinder that was ceramic for around 15 dollars and it worked great for about 5 months until it broke. It also took about 5 or more minutes to grind for 1 shot. Well after that grinder broke I decided to invest a little more into this electric grinder. I was skeptical because it was not ceramic and it was priced cheaper than the “better” ones.When I received the grinder I was a little taken back because of the plastic timer knob on the grinder. It kind of gives it a cheap look and feel so I was worried that the rest of the grinder followed suit. But after using it I found that it didn’t really matter because I grind my coffee for the same amout of time each time so I don’t do any adjusting anyway. Although I did try at 10 seconds initially then found 15 seconds suited me better. The rest of the grinder, though, is not cheap and it works great. The grinds I get out of this grinder seem to match what I got out of the manual ceramic grinder, except alot quicker. My espressos look and taste fantastic and I feel smarter for spending so much less for this than one of those 200 dollar grinders.
3 people found this helpful
JoeW –
Very nice
Wow. I’ve read that a good grinder would improve the quality of espresso, but I was not prepared for this. This makes for a good dark, STRONG double shot, unlike any that I had pulled before from my Saeco Aroma.My previous grinder was a B&D burr grinder. To be honest, I saw no difference between that one and any of the other (non-burr)grinders I have owned. Sure, it’s nice to use freshly ground coffee, but even on it’s finest setting, the grain of the grind was on a par with what you would get from a can of Maxwell House. The Bodium will grind as fine as dust. And speaking of dust, it is completely dust free, as in sealed. Unlike the B&D, there is no leakage to clean up.The feed cup is large, and holds a good amount of beans. It seals as well with it’s rubber top as any can top. Certainly better than a paper or foil coffee bag. You can fill the thing and your beans will stay as fresh as any other storage solution I can think of.Another thoughtful feature is the rubber ring around the collecting jar which lets you easily pull the glass jar from it’s seal, even with wet fingers. In my short experience with this grinder, the seal on the collecting jar is the work around for the admittedly limited duty cycle of the machine. It is enough of a seal to be dust free and enough of a seal to leave some coffee for your next use, without detectable degradation.My only minor quibble is with the collecting jar’s circular shape. The diameter is just a little too large to load a portafilter with a pour. You pretty much have to use a scoop. But, as I said, a minor quibble, and it would not be an issue with a larger target such as a Malita or drip machine.The good:Brain dead, one touch ease of use, once you’ve dialed in your setting.Consistent ultra fine grind.Reasonably quiet.Sealed storage solution for beans.Sealed glass collector with a convenient rubber grip.The almost good:Requires use of a scoop for loading small targets such as a portafilter.The not so good:The machine does have a very short duty cycle. There’s a workaround that’s acceptable to me, but this is the only legitimate strike I’ve found against this machineThe bad:None.I would heartily recommend this machine to any one who appreciates their coffee freshly ground.
One person found this helpful
Dimon –
Save you hours of research – this is the one – read on
I have researched these things for hours before deciding to buy this unit. Here are my findings:There are three units that were in the running (ordered by price):a. Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder (the unit on this page and the one I ultimately bought and am very happy with) – $89.99b.
Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder
– $199.99c.
Rancilio ROCKY Rancilio Burr Grinder with Doser
– $359.99Now, if price is not an issue, by all means go with the Breville BCG800XL (really can’t go wrong with that one). Also, notice that all of these are burr grinders (blade grinders are NOT the way to go) and all are excellent machines; all other machines researched under $400 have serious drawbacks – trust me – I’ve done the research.Okay, now let’s take a look at each one.— a.
Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, Black
– this is an excellent unit all around and the one I bought:– Grind: Very consistent and perfect size for drip on drip setting; I have tried this with a drip coffee maker and it is excellent. Some say that it can’t quite match the best machines out there for a cappuccino grind (i.e. very very very fine for very very picky machines) but I do not have a cappuccino machine and so this does not really concern me all that much.– Mess: Awesome, no mess at all. The glass catcher reduces the static on the grinds so that they do not jump (no idea how some complain about mess); no mess here. After catcher is removed, no excess coffee spills out.– Noise: Not very loud at all; I thought it would be louder. Two scaredy cats in my house and both did not even wake up (same room as the appliance).– Cleanup: Super easy; just rinse the catcher and you are done.– Features: Timer -> 5-20 second; set it once, and it stays from grind to grind. 10 seconds was perfect for my mug (4 cups).– Build Quality: Excellent all around with a glass catcher and plastic hopper. The burrs are very well machined.– Looks/Size: The machine is on the small size but very good looking (I have a black one).– Cons: Motor “should” (at least that is what the manual recommends) rest for 5 minutes before every 20 second grind. Really, for me, this is not an issue as 20 seconds produces about 6-8 cups of medium strength coffee. Bean hopper is not tinted so leaving beans in it (especially in the light) may not be a great idea but you should not leave beans in the hopper in any case as suggested by all of the other machine’s manuals. Some claim that very very fine cappuccino grinds are not acceptable for very picky cappuccino machines; go figure. Adjusting the grind size can only be done with the motor running (or so claims the manual). Not a big deal for me since I do not plan to adjust it … well … ever after the initial setting (doesn’t have to have beans in it but just running motor while adjusting).— b.
Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder
– if money is not an issue, why not – I could find really nothing wrong with it except the price.– Grind: From doing much research, this thing really gets it right for anything you want; even the pickiest cappuccino machines like this thing. French press is also no problem.– Mess: No mess; static is eliminated by their special technology that slows the coffee grinds before they get to the catcher.– Noise: Very quite.– Cleanup: Cannot comment on cleanup but people have said that it is not a problem.– Features: Built in doser – very nice; will auto grind correct amount based on your cup and strength setting. Nice LCD screen. Bean hopper is tinted.– Build Quality: Customers claim that it is very solid and well built.– Looks/Size: Looks very nice.– Cons: Price.— c.
Rancilio ROCKY Rancilio Burr Grinder with Doser
– if you want the best, this is it for a reasonable price (reasonable to some, all depends). Specs: I am not going to go into detail about this one but needless to say that those very serious about their cappuccino grind, etc. and for whom money is no issue should probably get this machine. Frankly, for this much money, I see no reason.Conclusion: – The Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder is an excellent all around machine with very minor (at least to me) drawbacks and if one is to consider the price/performance ratio, simply cannot be beat. Best of luck and hope this review saves some hours of research.
257 people found this helpful
David C. Cobb –
An Old Friend Returns
A few years ago I was using standard ground coffee. Then I read that using freshly ground improved flavor. I got a Mr.Coffee blade grinder and noticed a real improvement in taste-fresher tasting, less bitter coffee. Then I read about how much better a burr grinder would be. So I got a Mr. Coffee burr grinder. It was fairly cheap and was a big disappointment. While I noticed a slight improvement in flavor, the machine itself was unpredictable and messy. One morning after once again sweeping uneven grounds off my kitchen counter and sipping weak coffee I had enough and decided the Mr. Coffee burr grinder had to go. After a little research I found this little Bodum burr grinder on Amazon. It was well reviewed and seemed a good compromise between quality and price. I ordered one and then followed 4 years of coffee bliss. Once I got the grind size and grind time dialed in, this machine delivered a consistent ground size and quantity that led to a cup of coffee I could rely on. No need to measure the proper tablespoon amount. I just had to empty the grounds chamber directly into the coffee filter. No fuss or mess. I was awarded with a consistent tasting cup of coffee daily with minimal effort is what I need first thing in the morning.Alas, after 4 years or so this little machine lost its oomph and could grind no more. It would start the cycle and then stop. Sadly I finally said farewell and went back to the Mr. Coffee. Well, history repeated itself and after again sweeping coffee grounds off the counter, I ordered another Bodum. The second works just as well as the first one did and I am once again a happy morning coffee drinker.My only real criticism is that this machine is a little noisy, but the noise only lasts for a little over 5 seconds and for me the resulting improvement in convenience and taste is worth it. I know there are better machines out there but you really pay for those. This little Bodum does what I need it to do at a reasonable price. Highly recommended.
8 people found this helpful
Josh JohnsonJosh Johnson –
Quality Grinder At Affordable Price
I have now had this grinder for over a year and it is still working beautifully. In the year that I have had this grinder, I have grinded the equivalent of about 25 – 30 12 oz bags of coffee. The machine fires up immediately and has no problem switching between espresso, pour over, and French press grind settings which I have provided a picture of.A couple of underrated features of this Burr grinder are the lid and the cord. Weird right? The lid has a handy guide which tells you just how long to set the grind timer for each grind setting depending on the volume or weight of the beans placed in the machine. This has really helped me get a read on the amount of beans I need to place in the hopper for a single cup of coffee. Of course it is no subsitution for weighing the beans yourself. The cord is a great feature because you are able to wrap up all of the extra cord that you don’t need and it sits nice and flat on the bottom of the machine. It really helps add to the aesthetics of the grinder.One thing that has amazed with this machine is how durable it is. When my girlfriend took the liberty of helping me clean the machine, she ran water through the hopper and through the grinding mechanism which of course normally spells doom for an electric grinder because of the components. I thought I was out of a grinder whenever she did that because it wouldn’t grind for the next couple of hours. After it had set out for a while and dried off, I was able to immediately fire it up again and it worked as if nothing happened.My only grievance with the machine is that it is extremely hard to keep the important parts clean. My best option for cleaning out the grinding pieces themselves was to take a toothpick and pick out built up residue and then use a damp cotton swab to “wash off” what was left.I would definitely purchase this machine again!
2 people found this helpful
D. Booth –
Do the right thing for your beans
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Wow. My first cup of home-made burr-ground coffee showed me just how silly I’d been to buy good coffee beans and grind them with a blade grinder for so many years. The additional flavor I’m getting out of the same beans is amazing. If you love coffee, I am telling you to get one of these! It’s a joy to start each morning with a cup of Joe made from freshly ground coffee.After comparing many products in this price point I chose this product because of the reviews, and I just thought it looked awfully cool. I would have loved it in chrome, but couldn’t see spending twice as much especially when I had just enough Amazon points to buy the black one.The lid has a guide for how long to grind your coffee to get the right amount, but you might have to experiment. I typically use a dark roast, like Sumatra from Costco, and I like my coffee strong. Still, I had to reduce the recommended time by half.The glass collector does a great job of keeping coffee from sticking and flying, but I decided to take a short cut. My small coffee filter holder fits in the slot, so I just grind the coffee directly into the filter. BTW, I am still using this fabulous coffee maker that I bought in 2009. It’s great if you don’t make a large volume of coffee and like your coffee to be brewed at the the right temp.
Zojirushi EC-DAC50 Zutto 5-Cup Drip Coffeemaker
I was concerned about the reviews concerning pebbles and gear failure. I don’t know if the company has made improvements, but they claim to have a safety mechanism to shut off the machine in this case to prevent damage. Even though it seems to be a common problem, I’ve never found a pebble in my coffee and I’ve been using beans for many years.I am attaching a little video of my very first experience grinding with this lovely little machine. Hope you find my review helpful!UPDATED 15 Nov 2017: Today it happened for the first time in my coffee grinding life. There was a pebble in the beans. My grinder came to a premature stop with an agonizing groan. It took an ice pick to get that sucker out, but I won the battle. The best part is that after I did a thorough cleaning, put the grinder back together, and plugged it in, it worked just fine. I tried a different coffee from the big box store. I am going back to my Sumatra.
17 people found this helpful
lswa515 –
Works great for espresso grind
I thought I’d write this review after using the grinder for several months and also because we use it mostly for espresso grind. Bottom line up front (BLUF): this machine provides a great espresso grind for the various roasts we’ve used so far which include dark oily beans. After several trial and error attempts to find the right grind setting for our Gaggia Classic, I found that the setting fifth from the finest was just right, providing a good extraction (around 20 seconds), abundant crema, and leaving a dry puck. I was surprised initially that this grind setting wasn’t closer to the finest setting, but I think that may be more a function of the type of espresso machine being used. I’ve found that a 15 second grind cycle at that setting produces enough ground beans for two double espresso shots that become the basis for cappuccinos for my wife and I. We both feel the coffee tastes better than what our previous blade grinder produced. There is no mess nor static problem with this grinder. The only time I had a mess was when I started a grind and realized I forgot to put the glass container in place (my bad). Also, the 20 second rule and 5 minute wait in between which others understandably find to be a problem are not a big inconvenience for us. By the time we’re ready for a second cappuccino, more than five minutes have passed since grinding the first batch and I can grind another. When I want to grind beans for regular coffee, I grind the beans in two batches. I can easily kill the five minutes between batches by doing some chores like setting the breakfast table, feeding the kitty, getting the newspaper, or washing some dishes from the night before ;). Ideally, it would be better if the grinder had a more robust motor – maybe future models will have it. Some have noted that the plastic used in the power switch and grind button have a cheap appearance. True – but they still work, so far. All in all I consider it a good product.
6 people found this helpful
Gary R. McCue –
Pleasantly Surprised
I have been using the grinder twice a day for about a week. I wanted to comment on some of the reviews I have read.I have been using a blade grinder for convenience for quite a few years. I owned an Italian hand burr grinder that mounted on a table or on the wall. It was messy and to keep the wife happy I stopped using it. I liked the rhythm, working a little for my brew (it required some force to turn in a vertically oriented circle, but not intolerable). I lost it in a move and, upon reading up trying to improve the taste of my coffee, I discovered that the burrs are highly recommended.So after a friend accidentally damaged the lid on my whirlybird, I decided to invest again in a burr grinder. Not having the expendable income to purchase a high-end grinder, I decided to try the Bodum, with some reservations.I am so far very satisfied. I don’t know where the complaints about grinds flying around are coming from. I roast my own beans, drinking both decaf and regular in many varieties, and there is virtually no mess, I have never considered wiping anything up. I grind between drip and espresso on the machine, about three-fourths of the way toward the finest grind. Perhaps the problem with others comes from the coarseness of the grind, or maybe just different production quality. The glass vessel into which the grinds fall seems solid and fits snugly in my hand.The grind seems exceptionally even. There is no comparison whatsoever with my last grinder. The quality of the coffee has improved greatly, I am again tasting flavors I remembered from the days of the old hand grinder. I was skeptical but I imagine the extraction is so even that you maximize the flavor. I am loving it so far.The 20 second issue is problematic. At the above setting, I can grind four coffee scoops of beans (one tablespoon each) in 20 seconds. But sometimes I grind five and I run to a stop with beans left. I have decided to wait maybe fifteen seconds and then hit the start button for another six to eight seconds and then stop it to grind the remaining beans. It is mostly just finishing up bits and pieces at that point. I will see how this affects the motor.If the motor lasts, then this is an awesome deal. I have not tried the espresso grind, don’t have a machine. But the 3/4 fineness is very fine. There is a video online from a Seattle store that demos the machine. I would imagine that a better quality machine would cost three times as much. The lack of a mess is such a big advantage, and the flavor is unquestionably better. If this is in your price range, I highly recommend you try it.Update: After nearly 18 months the grinder is working as well as ever. I make coffee twice daily, no sign of slowing down, no strange noises. I am very happy with this purchase!Update #2: After four years of grinding, making coffee at least twice a day, this Bodum is still going strong. No problems whatsoever, no mess on the counter, still an even grind.I have no issues, it works like new. If I exceed the 20 seconds when making a larger pot I always let the grinder rest for a minute or so to give the motor a break.Since I purchased this grinder I have had to replace both my automatic drip coffeemaker and my coffee roaster. As expenditures go in this throw-away society, this has been an excellent investment,Gary
17 people found this helpful
BUILDER –
What’s Not To Love
I bought my first Bodum conical grinder in 2009. Due to an ’emergency’ I bought another [Black] 2 weeks ago. My restaurant-style sink faucet loosened and sprayed some water on the switch. I blew it dry with a hair dryer, and it sporadically worked. No Coffee Grinder??? Not in my World. Espresso is the reason I get out of bed. I had enough in the jar for the next morning, and Amazon delivered the 2nd day. So I had A [Red] grinder and a new Black one. I used the Red lid and jar. Now I have a 2 colored grinder. I have semi-retried the original [after 15 years of daily operation, no love, go with it.] Bodum should make a ‘mixed color’ grinder; it looks kewl.The timer on the original ran longer, so I set it to grind enough beans for 2 Double-Espressos.The new machine runs for 20 seconds, which is enough for my needs. I don’t want the ground coffee to stand overnight; I want it ground fresh every morning. As for noise, it’s just the sound of conical grinding crushing the beans. I consider this a professional-quality grinder.I don’t understand how anyone could pay $2,200 for a grinder. I must defend my machine after its years of flawless use, it is probably dry and will fire right upPerfect grind, years of unwavering service until my error. Definitely a keeper. Thank you, BODUM.PS: I have yet to read or wait 5 minutes B4 another grind. No need.
Ron –
Me likie this grinder
I have used this for two days so far and have to say I love the way it is grinding my coffee for my french press. At first I thought that the grind was a little inconsistent with too small of a grind, but it’s actually very good. Very little to no silt left at the bottom of my mug. The grinder is pretty quiet. If it’s early in the morning on a weekend and the kids are sleeping I might use my hand grinder, but will test this weekend to see if it wakes them, but I don’t think it will. The glass receptacle is wonderful as there is no static clean and no mess. It looks like it will be very easy to clean. It took me a few cups to determine how long to set the timer, but for my strongish coffee I have found that 7-8 seconds is perfect. I like how I can fill the hopper and just push the on button and let it go. The only part of the grinder that seems to be cheaply made is the hopper, but if care is taken, I can’t see it being broken. It’s light, small, attractive. I like the rubberized feel of the unit. It took me a month or so to pull the trigger, but I am glad I did. Also, I was able to order the black one on Amazon for $69.83 and 2 days after I received it, the black one is now $81.68 so that makes it even better. Not sure why, but I notice the silver ($140.19) and gold ($131.34) are much more expensive and can’t figure out why. They appear to be the same.UPD 02/01/2017 – I have now had the grinder about 3 weeks and still loving it. One thing, though, is that it is louder than I first thought. The first time I tried it with the kids sleeping and early morning, I realized how loud it was. My kids can sleep through smoke detectors so it was no problem, but it’s louder than I first reported. Also, I thought that the rubberized exterior would show fingerprints and dirt easily, but it’s not too bad either.
One person found this helpful
D. White –
Early results are excellent
Caveat: This is a “day two” review, so I’ll come back and update after I’ve used it for a while.First impressions: Quality materials and build. The unit is both good looking and has a nice “feel” – solid and well designed, with close tolerances between device sections, and nice textures. The exterior (I ordered the black color) has a matte finish with a smooth, slightly rubberized feel that is very nice. The glass container that catches the ground coffee (yay, glass, static control!) fits snugly in the unit, and the thick rubber collar around it makes it easy to keep a grip on it. A great combination of design and materials. 1 star.Instructions: The manual looks impressively thick. Then you open it and realize that there are a whole bunch of languages and about three pages for each language. 🙂 That said, the info they provide is sufficient.to understand and use the grinder. 2 stars.Use: The device setup and use is easy. Add beans to the hopper, turn it on, set the timer, set the grind (from comments here, set to finest grind and then back off to desired setting for best results), and hit the start button. If the beans run out before the timer runs out, stop the unit by hitting the start button again. Slide the glass grind container from the unit and either remove top and spoon out perfectly consistent ground coffee, or pour into my ground coffee container. The fact that you are supposed to only do one 20s run of the grinder w/a five minute wait is a non-issue, as I can grind more than enough coffee for my needs in one 20s run. I have zero issues w/static, a common issue w/some grinders. 3 stars.Noise: Grinding makes noise, of course, but the noise from this unit is contained and not annoying. A non-issue, which is very nice. 4 stars.Grind results: I’ve only ground espresso so far, and on the second-lowest setting it creates a very fine grind better than I have found from any in-store grinder. Still need to experiment with a range of coarse to fine settings, and find my favorite espresso setting, but clearly this thing provides a very consistent grind. 5 stars.Durability/reliability/consistency over time: Unknown (at least for my use/my unit) at this time. No rating.At this price point I’m very impressed with this unit.Will initial love fade over time, or can my Bodum and I find happiness that lasts into our golden years? Only time will tell.
3 people found this helpful
Dio Brando –
Sturdy and consistent burr!!
The quality burr and a perfect ground is all I need in this machine! Bought the black version on 2011-07-19 for $82 new and have been using it everyday. The burr and gears of my copy are still going strong as of 2018-01-31, however the timed trigger died completely last summer so I DIY’d to bypass the PCB and use the main big switch on the side to control it. Besides, the black paint became sticky about 3 years ago, so I also sanded it off and recoated it myself. I thought of replacing it and had tried other blade type grinders but they only produced inconsistent ground, so returned all them and I kept coming back to this workhorse! I accidentally broke the ground holder glasses years ago, however it’s easy to find a replacement metal tin (I use the TableCraft 10oz stainless steel dredge) that can still fit the original plastic lid tightly. The grinder is easy to clean (in fact nothing to clean if you can live with some residue but it never accumulates), easy to dump out the ground, minimal static, and it never shoots out coffee ground during its work. Avoid water humidity in the surroundings or in your beans otherwise the finest grind setting could clog it only sometimes. It could be loud (consistent sound and not sputtering or clunking like other grinders) and it’s a good way to wake everyone up in the morning! Highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
Yuniverse –
The grinder I was searching for (Updated)
Update (07/08/2014)I have been using this grinder everyday for two years and it hasn’t missed a beat. I am careful not to over-run it by waiting between grinding after 20 second-runs. It takes time to pull espresso, so this isn’t much of a problem. I highly recommend this grinder if you can buy it for less than $100.*************ORIGINAL REVIEW****************BACKGROUND:(you can skip to pros and cons if you’d like)I’ve only been drinking coffee for the last 7 years or so, but being in Seattle, I’ve come to appreciate truly great coffees. Starbucks isn’t too bad, it’s not one of the better ones around here.Wanting to enjoy good cup of coffee anytime at home, I began the search for the tools. I didn’t want to go all they way and spend couple of grand to make espresso, nor even couple of hundreds of dollars. I couldn’t afford them and my wife would never approve of it anyhow. So, I’ve tried drip coffee, french-press, Aero-press, but settled on
Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
for making a good cup of coffee. Meanwhile, I’ve also tried out some of the best rated coffee and settled upon
Jammin’ Java Coffee Kingston City Roast, Espresso, Organic Gourmet Whole Bean Coffee. Medium Dark, Choco-nut & Creamy, 2.2-Pound
.I’ve been grinding my beans with
Capresso Coffee Burr Grinder
which I had bought from local costco, but wasn’t satisfied with the ground consistency nor the mess it created with the static it seemed to bring. With the great reviews and the container being glass, I decided to try this. Now, this was more expensive than the coffee maker and it was a “big” investment for me, but after using it for a month, it’s worth every penny and then some.PROS:1. Grind – Consistency: The grounds are quite consistent, much more so than the Capresso burr grinder. This consistency seem to improve the taste. [A]2. Grind – Range: Range of how coarse or fine is quite broad. Though I’m just using one setting, it’s there when I need it. [A-]3. Container – Mess: Because it’s make of glass, there seems to be minute amount of static, if any. This makes it so much more pleasurable to use. [A+}4. Container: The container has rubber band around it to help with grips and has rubber cover with 3/4 inch hole in the middle. Nice thing about this cover is that just tapping on the cover pretty much releases all the coffee grinds from it and when you open it up none of the coffee grinds go anywhere since there’s no static. [A]5. Aesthetic: It’s nice looking and has smaller footprint than I had imagined. [A-]CONS:1. Time Limit: the max time you can run at once is about 20 seconds. However, if you press it again right away, it will run. I suppose Bodum wants you to give couple of minutes before you run it again to prolong the life of the machine. Some also has mentioned burr may become too hot and thereby destroying the coffee flavors, but I’m not sure about that. As for me, I run it once and start preparing my Moka and when I’m ready to add the coffee, I just run it again to finish it. So it’s no big deal for me. [B]CONCLUSION: I’ve only been using it for a month, but I could not be happier with the purchase. This has to be the best sub-$100 grinder out there. As for durability, I will update in few months. Another thing I’m happy about is the color. Although my unit is white, it does not seem to get dirty much while looking good on the counter. I would highly recommend buying this grinder if you’re serious about drinking a good cup of coffee.
7 people found this helpful
BostonianBostonian –
Look no further – price/performance = great!
7 years later… It finally died! It was an “honorable death”, after years of loyal duty in a household where fresh ground beans are “a must”. What did we buy this time?*Same grinder! But black this time. Not sure if they have changed the burr style (size, angle, whatever…) – it seems to grind faster than the old one, but maybe it was just age…=================Wow, what can I say?History:Having used C*******t coffee grinders for many years, it was time to replace the C*******t. That was the second C*******t we have worn out, the bearings in the motors gave up with screaming sound effects. The C*******t also had all the “features” we did NOT like: a VERY static electricity prone hopper, which “helped” distribute the ground coffee all over the kitchen. A sound volume that almost required hearing protection. It was impossible to clean properly… also, the grinding mechanism is disk/burr, and it tended to overheat the beans – being oily French roast, things got stuck and tasted awful on occasion.Back to our new grinder:Looking high and low for a new one, most grinders that “seemed OK” and had good ratings were in the multi-hundred-dollar price range. Clearly not for me.Found this at the last minute, before I ordered a C******o. Why did I not know about Bodum’s coffee grinder before? I know their coffee presses and glass-ware… but did not know they made grinders.This grinder exceeds all our expectations of a coffee grinder, and it is stylish as well!It just does everything right, I think:It really is a conical burr grinder!The grinder runs slow, so not to heat the ground coffee.It has a glass hopper that is not prone to static electricity – at least not in any significant way. The hopper can be emptied straight into the filter without beans flying all over. That alone makes me happy.The hopper seals well to the body of the grinder so no ground coffee escapes.It comes apart easily for access to the grinding mechanism – it can be cleaned! Without resorting to tooth-picks, Q-tips and compressed air.It is quiet – for a grinder.Stylish – we got the red grinder. Color splash on the counter! Why is everything else black/white/stainless?Getting to the coffee – how did the coffee taste? We set it for the recommended size for a drip/paper filter brew. The beans we use are very oily, being a French roast, but they came out beautifully, no “gooping” up of the grinder.First brew: we think the coffee tastes superior to what we have been used to: more coffee flavor and less bitter. Guessing that the large conical burr mechanism treats the beans much better than the disk/burr grinder did.Would I recommend this? Absolutely! Price point? Excellent value.I have attached some pictures to show the conical burr grinder mechanism.Have to stop writing now and get a refill of coffee!
10 people found this helpful
Octa –
Very reliable
I had one from 2017 to 2024, when it died. Bought another one exactly the same, very reliable. I never cleaned it or maintained it in any way, i assume if i oiled the old one it would still work.
cj –
Love
Easy to use. Great buy.
KAREN –
Small, efficient, easy to use
Small footprint – ideal for small kitchen with limited counter space. Grinds quickly. Easy to use and has numerous grindswhich are clearly marked. No more noisy than more expensive Breville that died after many years of use.
Exegetical Nonsense –
Flawless Grind–Every Time
I drink espresso, drip, and use a french press, depending on my mood. This grinder gives a perfect grind (consistency of size) for whatever I select. Moreover, I find that I use about 1/4 to 1/3 less coffee for my french press than was needed previously with my blade grinder to achieve the same intensity of flavor. (I can’t say for drip and espresso since they are newly acquired home-brewing habits). Marvelous little machine! Seems really well-built. Regarding some of its quirks, the opaque instructions say to allow a 5 minute cool time in between 20 second grinds. On the rare occasions when I have needed more than 20 seconds of grind time, I have only allowed about 30 seconds of cool time, and based on smell and heat generated, I very seriously doubt I am putting the motor at any risk. (Surely 5 minutes is an “ideal” recommendation that puts the manufacturer at minimal risk of customer problems). Also, the directions insist that the grinder be running when adjustments to the fineness/coarseness are made. This is totally counter-intuitive and so I don’t do it. I usually have it “on” with no beans in the hopper, but do not have it running. I have experienced no problems over about one month of use. In short, I have zero complaints about performance, although I might question the true necessity of some of the “rules” of operation mentioned in the instructions, although only time will tell in this regard. Now that I have used a quality burr grinder, I would never go back to a blade grinder. If you buy this machine you will enjoy sipping a quality brew and I believe you will have few if any regrets. Best wishes to you.
2 people found this helpful
Cheryl Martin –
It worked
Worked great….took 3 minutes to fix
DROdio –
The winner in my test of three conical burr grinders
I just wrote a blog post with a detailed review of this coffee maker as compared to three separate burr grinders (including a 7 minute video):[…]Below is the text of the review (if you copy & paste the URL above, you’ll get pictures & can watch the video, etc.)I’m exploring how to make great coffee.The thing about making great coffee is that it means something different to everyone. Here’s what it means to me: The coffee is dark and flavorful. It doesn’t taste like it’s watered down. It has a great aroma and makes me smile when I drink it. I guess this blog is really about how to maximize the `smile’ factor.I’m no coffee pro or snob. Just a guy who wants better-than-average coffee. My colleague Jeremia, who knows a heck of a lot more about coffee than I do, just informed me the other day that the lighter blends actually have more caffeine than darker blends, because the caffeine is roasted out of coffee the longer it roasts. Now there’s a guy who knows his coffee. To thank him for that pearl of knowledge, I just bought him some raw Luwak coffee, straight from Indonesia. We’ll see what he does with that bad boy.Today I tested three burr coffee grinders to figure out which one was best: the Capresso 560 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder , Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder, and Mr. Coffee BVMC-BMH23 Automatic Burr Mill Grinder . Previously we had been using the Capresso 464.05 CoffeeTeam GS 10-Cup Digital Coffeemaker with Conical Burr Grinder but the coffee just wasn’t coming out with enough flavor.So here’s the new plan: Test these 3 burr grinders, pick the one that grinds the best coffee, and then use a Zojirushi Premium Thermal 1.85 liter Carafe, Brushed Stainless Steel carafe along with a No. 6 filter size plastic filter cone (which fits perfectly inside that model carafe) and boil water on the stove to run through it. (My guess is that the CoffeeTeam GS didn’t make “high smile factor coffee” because it didn’t ge the water hot enough. Just speculation on my part though, all I can say is that it wasn’t as good).This new plan is actually going back to the old plan — my wife and I were boiling water and running it through the filter cone + carafe before with great “smile factor” results, but the burr grinder we had been using, the Black & Decker CBM210 Stainless Steel Burr Coffee Mill/Grinder , was a pain because we had to hold the button down while it was grinding. It also made inconsistent sized grounds. So after trying the CoffeeTeam GS because I thought it’d be easier (wake up timer!) I’m back to the manual original burr grinder + boiling water + filter cone + carafe approach. This time, hopefully, with a better burr grinder.The winner for me was the Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder because of its hardened steel burr grinding mechanism, ability to easily turn it on & off, and glass holder receptacle. The Capresso 560 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder was quieter, but annoyingly, the timer can’t be stopped — you have to wait for it to time out. The Mr. Coffee BVMC-BMH23 Automatic Burr Mill Grinder was a total fail because of its inferior burr grinder design.Please leave your own opinions and comments on my blog. Especially if you have tips on how to make higher smile factor coffee. Oh and by the way, I put agave sweetener in my coffee instead of sugar (available at Costco). Lower glycemic index = happier body.
3 people found this helpful
D. Cormack –
An Outstanding Grinder! Updated December 2015
UPDATE: December 2015My grinder just died on me. I bought it June 2001 so it lasted me for about 4.5 years of daily use (using it between 4 and 5 times per day). It still grinds however the coarseness can no longer be set and it grinds everything very fine regardless of how I have it set. I opted to replace this one with a Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder, Brushed Stainless Steel. It’s a big bump up in price however I decided that this was something I wanted to try (after much research).I still think highly of the Bodum Bistro (I even just bought my son one for Christmas in 2015). It served me well and did a great job grinding my beans.I have thus far been using a blade grinder to grind my beans. I had been using a drip coffee machine but have since migrated to the Aerobie Aeropress to brew my coffee. I had read a lot of reviews about the burr coffee grinders and was preparing to spend up to $200.00 for a good one. I wound up reading the reviews of this grinder and saw that there were many reviews and they were for the most part, highly positive. So, I ordered this and it arrived within a couple of days. I could not be happier with the results! Here are my observations:- Very consistent grind. I noticed some people complaining about this but I have had no issues at all. I suppose there may be some irregularities now and then but none that I have observed.- Very clean. I read that there is often an issue with the static charge buildup on the coffee grounds when using this type of grinder. I have not had any issues with mess.- Simple to use. Set the grind type, pour in some beans, power it on, set the timer, press button to start / stop. The timer makes sense as it prevents the grinder from running too long if it gets turned on accidentally some how.- Not too noisy. It’s certainly quieter than my blade grinder. I don’t know how it compares to other burr grinders however I have no complaints about the noise level.- I noticed that for three scoops of coffee that it takes about 25 seconds to fully grind. This is how much coffee I use for a venti sized cup of coffee. It’s no problem as I simply push the button to run it again and push to turn it off once all of the coffee has been ground. I imagine that this is also affected by how fine the grind is set for.- I am easily able to transfer the coffee from the container to my Aeropress without taking the lid off. I place the container on my Aeropress and tap to get all of the coffee out.I do strongly urge you to try this if you are in the market for a burr coffee grinder. The price and performance are excellent!
FJG –
Great grind, much quieter, saves me coffee!
I upgraded to this grinder after using a Cuisinart DBM-8 burr grinder with hopper for many years. The Cuisinart was VERY loud and we would only use it when nobody in the home was asleep. (Also, it would make our dog spaz out!) We thought (through those years) that it did a good job, and we always preferred fresh ground beans over store ground. However, after using this Bodum burr grinder, we now realize how much we missed over those years! This grinder is MUCH quieter, the grind is MUCH more consistent, and it’s easier to clean the grounds container.We use the auto drip setting and the grounds are perfect for our machine with cone filter. We use good beans and find that about 5 sec per 2 cups works well. For example, 20 seconds of grounds = 8 “cups” of water in our drip machine, and results in nice, dark coffee. (Realize that 8 “cups” in our drip machine results in about 3 or 4 regular sized coffee cups of drink.) When making 10 “cups” a bit stronger, we run 20 sec then 10 sec and don’t experience any problems with grinder heating or shutdown.We find that a 12 oz bag of coffee in the old grinder would last a week, where the same amount in this Bodum grinder lasts almost twice as long, with better tasting coffee. I think the problem with the old grinder was the poor grind quality, which required more beans to produce dark, end-result coffee.We have noticed some static in the glass container since fall/winter air dryness have arrived, but it’s not a show-stopper based on the other advantages of this machine, and it’s very easy to simply run it under cold water after emptying the grinds into the filter. We love it and are very happy with the purchase!
One person found this helpful
Betty –
Excellent value for the devoted coffee lovers
I used to buy beans by the pound, have them grounded at the store and just brew it later. I drank it with cream and sugar, and usually I can’t tell the difference between a good cup versus a bad one. But when I finally started getting into coffee drinking: taking it black, savoring all the flavor differences between different roasters and bean origins, I knew I need to beef up my coffee supply and equipment to match my new-found hobby. So I set out to get a burr coffee grinder after being recommended by EVERY coffee tutorial. The problem is, I don’t want to pay the price tag the pros pay, and yet I still want a decent quality grinder.My requirements:- Electric grinder. As much as the non-powered ones are great quality and all that, it’s just not very practical to ask someone who’s barely awake and under a time crunch to do all that work early in the morning- sturdy built, will therefore last a while (a long while…)- small in size, since I don’t have that much counter space nor do I need a lot of coffee storage space- can be easily taken apart for cleaning- decently priced (looking at half of the price tag of a high-end model)Bodum definitely fits most of the criteria. After reading a lot of the reviews, I placed my order. And now, more than 9 months later, I’m happy to report that I’m very pleased with my purchase.A few comments regarding some of the common complaints people have:- the timer setting on the grinder: if you’re a serious coffee drinker (read: coffee snob), then this should not be much of a problem, because you’d be grinding beans fresh for every cup instead of brewing up a big pot (or grinding beans ahead of time for storage)- small bean storage chamber: again, if you tend to buy the 12oz single origin roasters type of beans, you would not be storing it in that chamber anyways (you’ll want to store them in a air-tight container) and let the beans go rancid that way. So all you’ll be doing is putting a few scoops in right when you’re about to grind. The chamber space is really not an issue in this case, as a result- Cleaning of the grinder: the burr grinder can be taken apart easily to a certain extent, but not all the way. So you’ll need to buy separate cleaning pallets to remove the coffee grind residues. If there’s anything I’d like to see improvement on, this would be my request.All in all, the grinder is sturdy, does its job, grinds very well, and I’ve been enjoying excellent coffee every morning. And the fact I didn’t break my bank doing so, it’s totally a good buy.
4 people found this helpful
MontanaMonk –
Great little burr grinder for my espresso!
I have had several coffee grinders. Most, more expensive than the Bodum. Only the conical burr grinders, like this Bodum, do a good job of grinding. I have worn out two other burr grinders and decided to try a less expensive grinder. I am very happy with the Bodum grinder. I use the finest grind setting for making espressos, using dark roast beans. The grind is uniform and not dusty or clumped. It packs well in the portafilter and after extraction, the puck is easily tapped out of the portafilter on the lip of my trash can. The container which catches the ground coffee is glass with a rubber grip and a flexible plastic top. The top is slightly convex (pointing up to the grind delivery opening), so it contacts the opening through which the ground coffee is delivered. This keeps the ground coffee from getting away. I have not seen any significant static generated. The hopper is fairly small compared to previous grinders I have had (Breville Smart grinder and Baratza Encore) but is adequate for a few days of making two 20 ounce quad lattes each morning and sometimes an extra 12 ounce double midday. The grinder is fairly quiet; probably quieter than my previous grinders. It is small enough to keep out of the way on the back of the counter. To grind an amount of coffee, you just set the timer (up to 20 seconds) and press the start button. A 20 second grind produces enough for about one 20 oz. quad latte. There are suggestions inside the hopper cover for the amount of grind and time needed for different grind sizes. If you need to interrupt the grinding, just press the start button again. The grinder also has a power switch on the side, so you can shut it off completely with that. Coarseness of the grind is controlled by rotating the hopper to the size grind you want. Rotate only while the grinder is running. This is not a commercial grinder, so Bodum recommends grinding for not more than 20 seconds every 5 minutes to allow the motor to cool between grinds. This grinder is certainly adequate for home use (at least my home). The grinder is easy to disassemble for cleaning (although I haven’t had to clean it yet).
7 people found this helpful
Ben DoverBen Dover –
The Price is Right, Bob! Excellent product!!!
I purchased this grinder for:•The amount of positive reviews vs negative reviews.•The timer can be set according to the amount I want to grind and the “fine to course” setting is simple and consistent.•The price wasn’t too high for the amount of coffee I grind per day.•The color and design looks nice in my kitchen.•It has a handy dandy guide on the inside part of the lid that helps determine the grind time. (Example: 15 seconds for 4 cups fl oz, medium grind consistency) but it’s a little hard to read **Picture is included**Pros:•Consistency of the grounds•Versatile features•Price, wasn’t too high (I bought it on sale for $70 at the time of purchase)•Easy to clean•Looks nice on the kitchen counter•Cord storage for less clutter on my counter•Not incredibly noisy like other grinders I’ve used•100% Great customer service (quick replies and my issue was resolved within one week)Cons:•The only negative is that the power button started being “glichy” after 9 months of grinding 4 cups, once per day, and stopped working altogether after 10 months.**This is the part where the excellent customer service keeps this grinder at 5 stars.To sum it up:It’s an electric grinder with moving parts at a reasonable price so I do not expect perfection, but it’s perfect for what I want.It meets my needs with very little maintenance and I’m able to enjoy a freshly ground cup of coffee every morning.****I would definitely recommend this grinder, and I hope my review was helpful and easy to read****
8 people found this helpful
Jessie –
Read the review of Dimon great source of information
I highly recommend this product is the best grinder that I have ever had. I had a smaller grinder for at least five years(same brand). I wanted something bigger and better this is the one. For coffee drinkers it is a must have. For a coffee grinder it’s really not that loud at all the smaller coffee grinders make more noise than this one. In fact, they vibrate the countertop a little bit. This one does not do that at all. I just grind my coffee as I go it gives great instructions on the hopper lid to be able to make a good pot of coffee if you are like me and you want your coffee, a little bit stronger, I add a little bit more to the recommended amount. No, I don’t drink mud for coffee I just like the coffee flavor I like a little creamer with my coffee, not a little coffee with my creamer.
3 people found this helpful
Ship Driver –
Love it
This is sooo much nicer than the $40 one I bought and returned. The static electricity on cheper one combined with very thin plastic storage cup made a mess. The Bodums Glass cup is a clean dream. It also grinds a more coarse been perfect for the French Press. The plastic feels sturdy. Overall has the look, feeling and result of a quality grinder. Highly reccommend.
Carneades –
Excellent mid-priced grinder
I bought this about 10 years ago, and use it every day. It works very well with only minimal scattering dust and produces an evenly fine grind for drip coffee. I grind 60 gms of light roast coffee every day and it is still working without a problem.I generally grind at a fine setting, which takes a bit longer than the preset 20 second timer. So I just immediately hit the timing button again. The warning about waiting 5 minutes between grinding sessions seems to me to be an exaggeration intended to keep some idiot from running the device continuously for several minutes to grind a big bag of beans (and that would likely fry any small motor).I don’t do espresso, but the finest settings seem to be powdery enough. For an occasional French press pot, I use a coarse setting, which produces a mostly uniform grind with very little powder and has worked well even with dark, oily beans. At the very coarsest setting I once had a bean jam the device, though that was easily shaken loose.To minimize dust left in the chute, I give the side of the device a hard slap before I take the receptacle out. That leaves about 0.1 grams of dust behind if you then brush out the chute. For information, a single coffee bean is about 0.1 to 0.2 grams.The device is attractive and small enough to be left out on the counter, and is a bit noisy. I like the presence of a separate power switch, so I do not feel the need to unplug the device between uses (and the chassis is not warm when off – it is not a secret power vampire.)The only downside to this device is the glass receptacle jar, which is likely not to survive a drop onto a hard, tiled kitchen floor.Every few years I take it apart to clean, but never had much to clean out; no sludge or clogged beans.Combined with my Technivorm Moccamaster KBTS, I get great coffee with this.
Jeremy –
Excellent for everyday use and small-to-medium batches of coffee
Compared to my previous blade griders, this burr grinder is superior in many ways, as probably most burr grinders would be. I’ve used it for 1 month now for my espresso machine and my drip coffee maker.GENERAL IMPRESSSIONS: I find it grinds the beans finer compared to the commercially ground coffees I’m used to. For example, the espresso setting produces an extremely fine powder, almost like flour, which is great if that’s what you want. Same with the drip filter setting – a finer grind than pre-ground store-bought coffee. The grind is completely adjustable so I just grind the beans a little coarser than the suggested settings and I’m very pleased. For drip coffee I use a reusable metal screen filter, and there is hardly any sediment at the bottom of the pot. I would imagine at the coursest setting the grind would be suitable for use in a french press.CONCERNS ADDRESSED: I read a lot of reviews before I purchased this, so I’d like to address come concerns and criticisms other people mentioned:GRINDING TIME LIMITATION: After 20 seconds of use you’re supposed to let the machine cool down for 5 minutes before running it again. How much coffee can be ground in 20 seconds? At the espresso setting it takes about 17 seconds to grind enough for a double-shot of espresso which is all my espresso maker can handle at one time. At the drip filter setting 20 seconds grinds enough for 10 strongish cups of coffee (individual tastes will vary). I’ve made 12 cup pots with only 20 seconds of grinding and it was okay. You’re probably not going to kill the machine if, once a month, after grinding for 20 seconds, you immediately turn it on for an extra 5 seconds. The non-english instructions do state it can run for 40 seconds straight, however the voltage is different in Europe and for all I know some of the components are different for the European models which allow them to run longer. If you often brew large pots of coffee your options are to train yourself to grind a little ahead of time using this Bodum grinder, risk burning out the motor by running it for more than 20 seconds every 5 minutes, or buy another grinder that can grind larger amounts.INCONSITENT GRIND – I’ll admit, I was expecting the grind to be as consistent as commercially purchased pre-ground coffee. It is not. There are very small amounts of fine powder mixed in with the courser grinds, but overall it is not a problem for me. The grind is much more consistent compared to my old blade grinders!!!NOISE – This grinder is more quiet than blade grinders. It is solidly built and probably muffles noise as much as possible – which also probably prevents heat dissipation, hence the cool-down time between uses.MESS (OR LACK THEREOF) – Bodum did an excellent job designing this grinder. No issues with static whatsoever. The flexible lid of the glass cup creates a seal with the grinder, ensuring grounds only go into the cup and not all over the place. Inevitably there will be grounds stuck up in the burrs when the machine shuts off, so if you don’t give the machine a little tap before pulling the grounds cup out, some grounds may fall out inadvertantly. I see this as a consequence of using a burr grinder, and not this specific model.Overall, I am very satisfied with this grinder and I would recommend it to friends and family.
19 people found this helpful
Fabulous Darling –
No regrets!
I looked high and low for a good espresso grinder under $100. I settled on a $10 manual grinder because 1) I only drink espressos on the weekend and manually grinding didn’t sound that time consuming. 2) I wasn’t convinced any other grinders were worth the price because so many have a heap of bad reviews.Needless to say, I got tired of manually grinding my beans after about 5 occasions. Specifically, the last time when I made a double-shot espresso for myself and someone else. Then, yes, quite time consuming.I went back to the drawing board and, after coming across the Bodum Bistro several times pre- and post-manual grinder, I decided on this grinder simply because I feel I know what to expect from it. It’s clearly an amazing and well-loved appliance until the plastic gears inside break. For that reason, I also purchased the 4-year warranty for $5.54 which has a $0 deductible. Bodum provides a limited one year warranty on manufacturer defects so the SquareTrade 4-year warranty covers the 3 years (yes, 3) after that. The most important factor with warranties (to me) is whether or not it will cover shipping costs. The SquareTrade warranty does provide prepaid shipping labels although you are responsible for packaging it (safely) yourself. Hence why I’m opting to hold onto the original box until the warranty’s up.Another big reason I chose the Bodum Bistro is because of the glass container that catches the coffee. I read many reviews about plastic containers causing a ton of static electricity and therefore causing coffee grounds to jump all over and make a mess. I really didn’t want to deal with this so glass was a requirement.I used the grinder for the first time this morning and, boy, it works fast. It’s not too loud. I’m not sure how quiet you expect a grinder of any sort to be but, in the wee hours of the morning, it certainly wasn’t startling. Although, I imagine it’s loud enough to wake someone up. I wasn’t sure how long to grind for 2 shots of espresso so I opted to start with a 5 second grind.. Not enough. 10 second grind.. Getting closer. 10 second grind.. too much! 20 seconds seems to be the winner for 2 shots.I’m very happy with my purchase and hope I never have to utilize those warranties!
Wyo Girl –
Love Love Love This Grinder!
Bought this to replace my old red worn out Bodum burr grinder. Love this one so much more! The color combination of black and red is so sharp on the counter. And it works great! Bodum is my go to small kitchen appliance company. Always excellent quality and classy modern design.
glr –
This is what a burr mill/grinder should be
I have used a few burr grinders and, thinking that maybe the new one would work better than the last one. The coffee was better than that made with a blade grinder but, they made more of a mess than they were worth. Most aggravating is the static electricity caused by plastic grounds bins and the continued spewing of grounds when the bin was removed. Add to that they were more complex than need be, and sometimes a little vague where grind settings were concerned.The Bodum grinder, while not perfect, is very close, and at a price well below the before mentioned mess makers. Assembly, disassembly, and cleaning is a snap, and I find myself only cleaning it when I use oily dark roast beans. Most of the time I just give it a few gentle taps to clear the outlet at the end of grinding. For non oily beans once a week is suffice. One of the secrets of success here is the glass grounds receptacle and the center feed rubber cover. Almost no static mess and can be wiped clean with a paper towel. Most times even that is unnecessary.So if using a burr grinder is a chore for you, this is the pick of the litter. Great uniformly ground coffee without the great mess. Burr mills… they all grind coffee, but this one makes it fun. Six stars for design.Note: I’ve only had this for a couple of weeks, so will update should there be any changes.
One person found this helpful
Edward Marcus –
A Reluctant 5 Stars Amended 9 Months Later
My experience with the Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder (Black) makes quite a saga. First I ordered the machine in red, thinking the cheerful, vibrant color shown on my screen would enliven the kitchen. When the grinder arrived, I was disappointed to find how dull and dreary the color is “in the flesh.” So I phoned Amazon Customer Service (which is dependably cooperative), and they agreed to accept the return of the machine without penalty. Thereupon I ordered the black, which, like the red before it, arrived fast and in perfect condition. I’m satisfied that the discrepancy between the red on line and the red in the actual machine is merely a matter of physics, with no intent to deceive; and my wife and I love the black — so no “star deduction” so far.Then we got into grinding. The Bodum emits the reassuring sound of precision. It is the sound that well-built, sturdy, meticulously-crafted machines nearly always make, and it gives you the expectation of consistency and longevity. The consistency is immediately apparent in the uniformity of the grounds, but we’ll have to see about the longevity over time. We have an automatic drip machine, so the only grind setting we use is medium, as indicated by the middle icon on the machine. Our old grinder (also a burr machine, but not conical) always produced a by-product of fine powder in addition to the medium-sized particles. With the Bodum there is none of this undesirable powder. Consequently, I can say after a week or so of use, that the flavor of our brewed coffee is noticeably improved. To summarize, the particle size of the grounds is wonderfully consistent, and this is reflected in the taste of the brew.Now to address a flaw that many other reviewers have mentioned. The grinder only runs for 20 seconds at a time. The instruction booklet tenders a caveat: allow 5 minutes before running the machine through another grinding cycle. I consider that a defect in a machine of this quality. It should be possible for the motor to run for, say, 45 seconds without overheating or sustaining damage. I drink two big mugs of coffee, and the beans necessary for that much java cannot be ground by the Bodum in 20 seconds. However, I don’t stand and stare resentfully at the grinder for the next 5 minutes. I have lots of other things to do to fill in that time — such as toasting and buttering a bagel; or frothing milk for the coffee; or mixing batter for pancakes or waffles; or beating and cooking eggs for a mini-omelet — and so on. I’m in my 8th decade of life, I no longer go to an office or shop, and I cheerfully admit to being spoiled as hell. If I needed to bolt down my coffee and race out the door (as I once did), that 5 minutes between grindings would be a deal-breaker for me. But since that’s not the case, I’m inclined not to deduct any stars for the 20-second limitation either. Call me sucker, but the integrity of the build, the consistency of the grind, and the improved flavor of the brewed coffee have me hooked. But everyone will have to decide for him/herself how important this is.I consider the Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder very good value for money.NINE MONTHS LATER — I think it’s time to reconsider my original review in just one respect. I’m getting impatient waiting 5 minutes before running the grinder a second time. I now find this requirement an annoying restriction imposed by the manufacturer which should be corrected in subsequent models. Consequently, I have downgraded my rating to four stars.
35 people found this helpful
john –
I am happy with all the features of this grinder
For me, the height of the grinder is grate because i can store it in my kitchen cabinet. the reservoir that hold the coffee beans is wide enough to pour the beans without spelling the beans -> in others words the top of the reservoir is very wide. The cup that receiver’s the grinded bean is rather small. However it is rather easy to handle; and clean.
Zack –
Update: Bodum’s support delivers
Update (late August 2016): After a few frustrating weeks, Bodum sent a replacement unit that (upon initial testing) doesn’t seem to have the same problem and works great. Assuming that it keeps working (and I’ll update this review if it doesn’t), this is a fantastic grinder that easily deserves five stars. And while Bodum’s support isn’t perfect, it’s pretty darn good.Zero stars for poor quality and lack of product support from Bodum.Purchased in mid-2016 to replace an identical unit bought in 2012 that worked beautifully until a stone destroyed the burr. The old one was really great. The new grinder, however, has a habit of stopping after 20 seconds and not starting again unless it is completely disassembled and the grinder wheel is manually rotated (usually with the handle end of a teaspoon). This usually involves dumping out a hopper full of beans and getting ground coffee everywhere. I suspect there’s some kind of jam sensor that can’t distinguish between beans and an actual jam (and there’s no override – cycling power does nothing).From the other reviews it seems like I just got a bad unit, so I called Bodum. A nice lady took my information, gave me a case number, asked me to email them confirmation of my purchase (which I did), and said someone would contact me. Nobody contacted me. After a few days I called back to get an update. They said that the “head office” had my request and that someone would contact me. Still no contact.Sadly, Amazon only accepts returns within 30 days (and I didn’t act on the problem until just after 30 days passed). Buyer beware. If you purchase be sure to test thoroughly and get any returns to Amazon within 30 days. Bodum support is pathetic.
One person found this helpful
Simon Cohn –
No idea why people complain so much
It is so frustrating when you’re trying to choose an item like, say, a coffee burr grinder, and the reviews are:- Awesome, best ever, 5 Stars!- Piece of crap, don’t buy! 1 Star.- This makes the finest cup of coffee and no burrs all over my counter! 5 Stars!- This thing makes a total mess and my coffee tastes like crap! 1 Star.etc. etc.So here’s one more to confuse the hell out of you:I love this little guy. It’s not too big, it makes no mess at all, the grinds are great, and one more thing: I almost didn’t buy it because someone (erroneously) wrote in their review that you can only grind for 20 seconds every 5 minutes. Well, it does recommend in the manual that you let it sit for 5 minutes between grinds, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. 20 seconds seems like enough to make a big pot of coffee, especially because this little guy is pretty fast at grinding, but if you need more, just hit the start button again and it will do it again. I have not tried to do this more than twice as I have no need to grind a giant quantity of coffee. I suppose that like with all grinders this big, you probably don’t want to do that because the grinding cones will get hot and affect the taste of the coffee.So overall, just get it if you like the way it looks. I did because it was the only one at this price range that had a glass container, and now I grind my coffee fresh every day because it’s so damn easy to use and clean.
6 people found this helpful
Amy L –
What a great grinder
Wow, I didn’t expect a coffee grinder to make such an impact. Now granted, I did expect a difference from my blade grinder…otherwise I would not have spent $119 to experience a conical burr grinder.What I did not expect is that before the grinder arrived my coffee maker was tasting a “bit tired”, like it needed the vinegar flush that I periodically do to freshen things up. Well I didn’t get around to it…the grinder arrived, and of course I needed to check it out!Not only does this grinder perform as others have stated, ie: consistent, uniform grind, fairly quiet (you are grinding coffee folks). But it completely (and surprisingly) altered the taste of my coffee!! Same beans, same maker, same process, different flavor!! So smooth and tasty it is ridiculous!I really did not think a grinder could have such a dramatic impact on the taste. Now granted, I suppose “any” burr grinder may have me singing a similar tune…so on to the specifics of this machine.The glass catch is very nice. I have experienced the plastic catch at a friends house which due to static cling had a “permanent” coating of coffee grounds inside. The glass catch simply needs a tap to clear. The plastic top seems to have a bit of the cling aspect to it, but it is easily dealt with.The top loading area only holds about a third of a pound of coffee, but I was not looking to store coffee, only grind it. So it is nice to not have to load beans every time I want to brew.The burr mechanism is “burly”. Steel, solid, very nice. The upper part has a plastic outer piece that drops into place, like a collar. But the parts that are touching the beans are all metal.I kind of wish it had a cup setting as some other grinders have. Where you just dial in the number of cups you want and it automatically delivers the proper amount of coffee. The timer took a couple of uses to dial in…but at drip grind setting, middle of the dial I get a solid 8 cup brew from the 20 sec time. The 15 second time gives me a 4-5 cup brew, and in between for my normal 6 cup brew. I like to be able to just grind and dump. I don’t want to have to measure each time. So you just need to grind and measure the one time to check the settings. Then it’s grind a dump…so long as you are not changing the grind type ( I would assume this would change the amount delivered, haven’t tried that yet?)I just got the grinder, I was so impressed I had to write a review. I will check back and add to this review if I experience any negative aspects, or to continue to sing praise, depending on my experience.As of now, I will say I highly recommend this grinder!! It is fantastic! If you are on the fence, get off and buy it, it is great!!
B. Monad –
Quality grinder, has lasted over 5 years now
Wanting to replace the tedious hand burr grinder that I use pretty regularly at my girlfriend’s house, I searched Amazon for an electric one. I came across some cheaper alternatives to the Bodum grinder…but not sure if I want to save $30-40 for a grinder that might fail in a year or two. I have had this Bodum model for over 5 years now (purchased in December 2011), and it is still going strong. For that reason I will purchase it again. I do not use it regularly – in fact, over the past couple of years it has really only been used once or twice a week since I have been doing large batches of cold brewed coffee – but when I do use it, the motor is running for the full 20 seconds so that I can get a good full cup of coarse ground coffee. I have probably cleaned the unit just two or three times over the years…so I don’t really baby it either.After considering some alternatives, the thing I like most about this unit is that it has a large coffee hopper (12 oz. versus the typical 8 oz.), easily allows you to set a wide range of grind consistency and has a separate dial for the grind time (0-20 seconds) so you can just push a button and let it grind out a consistent and predictable amount of coffee each time, and it has the nice glass container that holds the grounds versus the typical plastic ones. I also liked that I paid $80 for this in 2011 and now it is only $72…not sure if that is timing or if the price has decreased a bit over the years.I will be going back to what has worked for me in the past – the Bodum Bistro grinder.
2 people found this helpful
Donna J. Kovach –
Makes a FABULOUS Cup of Coffee
This particular brand of coffee maker was highly touted by one of a gourmet magazine’s review of coffee makers. AND I am not disappointed at all and am thrilled making coffee in the morning that makes a primo cup of coffee. I grind it coarse for my percolator, but if you want Expresso coffee there is a setting for that too.
Brew Apprentice –
Bought based on feedback found here
I read a ton of reviews before making this purchase. The one key item that caused me to buy the Bodum Bistro was the comments about static and the glass cup for receiving ground coffee. The glass doesn’t build up as much static and you’re not making as mess pounding the bottom of the upturned cup trying to get the coffee out.I was not used to the idea of using a timer to portion out my coffee. After fooling with it for a while, I have determined, at least for me, that 5 seconds = roughly 2 Tablespoons ground coffee. About what I use for a single cup. So making a pot of 4 cups takes the full twenty seconds of grinding. If you tend to consume a full 10-12 cup pot of coffee each day, this grinder may not be the right size for you. It is the perfect size for me since I tend to make 4 cup pots as that is what fits nicely in my travel cup.Some have mentioned that they thought this grinder was noisy. It was surprisingly quiet to me for a grinder. I can run this in the quiet of morning and it doesn’t seem “loud” to me at all. I’m not standing there biting my lip wishing it would hurry up and be quiet.I only use it for drip coffee, so I haven’t checked the superfine espresso grind or the course French press grind. It works for what I need it to do. I’m pleased with this grinder from Bodum, it feels sturdy and well made and at a good value for what I spent.
2 people found this helpful
Christopher Doepke –
Worth the money
Had it a couple weeks now and I’m very impressed. I’ve owned other grinders in the $40-50 range and they were decent but never seem to last more than a few years. This one obviously has a ways to go before it can claim longevity but the grinder feels and sounds like it’s going to last much longer. The glass container is static free and the grounds don’t get stuck inside. The only thing I can fault it on right now is the grind time. My wife and I make a nearly full pot of coffee each day in our percolator which requires us to hit the grind button twice and nearly fill the glass container. It’s not a big deal but it would be nice to have an option for a longer time instead of waiting to hit the button a second time.We aren’t coffee snobs but we do enjoy a good cup of coffee made with freshly ground beans every day. If you also want to grind your beans daily, I can highly recommend spending a couple bucks extra on this machine. In my opinion, worth every penny!
Sprngrdn –
Love
I had a previous Bodum coffee grinder and this one is much quieter by comparison. I recommend the black – my prior was white and it got too dirty looking. It is an excellent product.
NickisratingstuffonAmazon –
Fantastic grind at a great price
I have been using this grinder for 2 months now, and have run through around 6 pounds of coffee. In this time, it has surpassed my expectations.The grinds are very precise with even grounds throughout all of the adjustable levels. I am honestly surprised at the quality and evenness of the grounds. This is on par with higher cost grinders for a fraction of the cost. Comparing this to a blade grinder or a flat burr grinder like the Mr. Coffee BVMC-BMH23 is no comparison at all. The additional cash over the cost of the Mr. Coffee is worth every penny and makes a world of difference.The conical hopper has not bound up once stopping the beans from sliding into the grinder. I was hesitant about having a glass bin that holds the grounds, but it seems like it will not easily crack or break, and seems to cut back on the grounds sticking to the sides better than plastic bins.I tend to grind from fresh beans, but it seems like the seal on the hopper lid and the seal to the bin would help to maintain freshness of beans if you would want to fill the hopper all the way up.Cleaning and maintaining has been easy. Cleaning the burr internals is as simple as using a brush to wipe down what little grounds there are and making sure the burrs are in good shape.It took a couple grinds in the beginning to get the time set right to grind the proper amount of coffee, but the timer works well and seems to maintain consistent grind times.The solitary knock against the grinder is that the most course grind is still a bit too fine for French press. It is course enough that grounds do not get through the French press filter, but fine enough to cause a slight bit of clogging.
fern –
very nice indeed BUT
ok, so maybe its a bit of a problem if you need a lot of coffee and you have to wait 5 minutes between 20 seconds bursts of use. but its enough for a 4-cup line on a standard coffee pot. another reviewer said the concern about overheating stems from the fact that there are plastic bits in the motor. fair enough. none of us can afford an all-metal motor. does a fine job on dark roasts without clogging up, if i need more than 20 seconds worth of coffee, i just turn it on a few times as i pass through the kitchen the night before or whatever. had a capresso burr grinder for years and stopped using it because it always gummed up on dark roasts and was really hard to clean. had to chuck it out b/c it was so impacted i couldn’t even take it apart.6 years update: really sick of cleaning up mess when you pull out collection container. anti static properties of glass container are not really that great. spills coffee down the shoot when you pull out collection container. IS AS LOUD AS A CHIPPER SHREDDER….which i failed to appreciate until i got sick of running room with my fingers in my ears and was willing to try anything else. got a capresso 565 instead which is amazingly quiet, since reviews were good–it also less static in its plastic collection container, and has longer grind time. you get what you pay for.
One person found this helpful
Mark Gosbin –
Huge step up over Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill
I only write a review when I can say something very meaningful – good or bad. IN the case of this coffee grinder it is all good. I used a Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill for 5 years. It got a lot of use and finally got very weak to the point where it would jam if I filled it with beans all the way. For $36 it was a huge step up over a blade grinder and worked well for Aeropress coffee as well as drip and I thought it was working well in my DeLonghi espresso maker. I was wrong. The Bodum was another huge step up for my DeLonghi. I did not use the Bodum for the Aeropress or drip, but I would suspect it is fine for those uses with a coarser grind. I use the Bodum on its finest setting for my DeLonghi which has a pressurized basket. The quality of espresso it makes compared to the Cuisinart is much, much superior. I would definitely chose the Bodum over the Cuisinart for espresso. Personally I would choose it for drip or Aeropress as well due to its features to eliminate the static electricity in the ground container. Static electricity cling of the grounds is eliminated and the Bodum does not make a mess like the Cuisinart. That alone is worth the extra price to me after 5 years of messes with the Cuisinart. The Cuisinart is also much louder than the Bodum, but that is not a big factor for me, but it may be for you. Now I’m only left to wonder if a $200 or $500 grinder would be even a bigger step than what I am getting with the Bodum. I doubt it though. My son, daughter, and GF all commented on how great the espresso was without knowing I had a new grinder and they had all like the espresso the Cuisinart was making and had it several times. We all drink Americanos and to me mine taste just as good as the ones I get at a majority of coffee shops.
One person found this helpful
David –
Improved my French Press Coffee Experience!
I’ve been using a cheap “blender” style coffee grinder for over 10 years to make my morning french pressed coffee brew. There was a brief period I did get a burr grinder, but one day about three months in, it died. It did so grinding up bits of little internal plastic gears along with my coffee and spitting them out. So back to the cheap but reliable “blender” coffee grinders it was for the next five years.Finally I decided the coffee I was getting just wasn’t consistent enough, and what I drank every morning had some element of a surprise. I don’t like surprises in the morning when I’m in a rush to get to work.This burr grinder is bigger and weighs about 5 times as much as my last burr grinder did, and feels very solidly constructed. Using it, you can set the coarseness and length of time of grind (which determines how much coffee is ground) and just push a button. Next time you want to grind, all the dials are still in the same physical location without having moved and you just push that same button again for the exact same consistent experience as the last time!One thing that I was originally worried about was storing large amounts of roasted coffee stored in the top dispenser. Air exposure can affect the taste off coffee. But the lid creates an air-tight seal with the container. Air exposure would come from whatever air is already in the container when it’s sealed, possibly with minor seepage, or possibly a bit might come up through the grinding path. But I so far have haven’t been filling the container to the top and been going through the coffee before any possible air exposure/oxidation becomes a problem.Also, my French Pressed coffee is much, much smoother now with 1/10th the sediment produced from the “blender” style grinder. This burr grinder just simply makes more evenly shaped grinds, and less “coffee dust” that ends up as the sediment at the bottom of your cup! I am now drinking much smoother and tastier french pressed coffee!
Jimi –
Great Grinder
Update: In June, 2018, after about 2 years of service, this grinder just totally failed to work one morning. After some serious comparison shopping, I ordered another of the same model. While waiting the 2 days for my Prime delivery, I took it apart and found that the main power switch had failed. I never did like that switch, the way the light flickered. I happened to have an extra toggle switch, and it now works perfectly again and figured it would serve as a backup.However, when the replacement arrived, I ran some rice through it and found out about the plastic gears I’ve read complaints about in other reviews. The discordant sound of grinding gears signaled an immediate return. I’m so glad I was able to fix that power switch!The good news is that Amazon Customer Service is second to none and the replacement that arrived 2 days later seems solid. For the price and the years of service I’ve gotten, I still give this grinder 5 stars.Original Review:I just bought this grinder to replace the same model that has served me well for 5 years and a couple of months.They look almost identical, but there are obviously some underlying differences. After running a cup of uncooked rice through the grinder and cleaning everything well, I roasted about 200 grams of beans to a full city roast and eagerly tried it out.The first thing I noticed is that it seems quieter. It has a lower pitched growl as opposed to a high pitch whine like the old one, and sounds more solid.With the old grinder, I could reliably grind for 17 seconds and get 45 grams of ground coffee, plus or minus a gram or two depending on the coffee. Running this grinder for 17 seconds gave 64 grams of coffee. Setting the grind level between the first and second dot after the French press symbol gave a consistent, good-size grind for a pot of pour over coffee.If this grinder lasts as long as the last one I had, I will consider it a fantastic buy!
2 people found this helpful
E. Presley –
using 3X a day for one year— Still going strong.
I use this grinder daily. I’m kind of weird when it comes to making coffee and I grind my coffee 10 seconds b4 the water hits the grinds. I do not grind any sort of quantity other than just a single cup for myself or whoever may want one. I enjoy making the pour over coffee and also French press. I have used this three times a day since I bought it one year ago. Every day 3-5 times religiously – this has been used and it works like Day 1. It is loud but who cares and I kind of like hearing this awesome piece of machinery do its work. There are grind settings from fine to French Press rough. There is a timer dial. You can also stop the grinding by pushing the start button again. You adjust the grind by twisting the entire clear hopper that the beans go into. Pretty ingenious grinder. I really can’t speak of other grinders and I will be back after 1 year to add to this review. So far so good with over 1000 grinds / turn on/offs from this grinder. This is an honest review and I have nothing to do with bodum company and I rarely write reviews. If this thing failed after a year with how many times I use it a day I’d buy it again. ~~~UPDATED To reflect one year of use daily. ~~~~~~~~
Snoopy –
Finally, my perfect grinder
I’ve used a number of blade grinders in the past, and they all had two thing in common–tons of mess, and uneven grinding. I’m currently using a french press for a couple months (drip machine packed for moving), and have used a french press for years, especially when the office coffee was standard issue terrible. Bar none, every blade grinder has defeated the press, with varying degrees of literally sludge at the bottom of the cup. Well, no more. The Bodum beauty burrs out a nearly perfect consistency grind. I set it for expresso, I get baby powder. I set it for press, I get press grade grinds. At the bottom of my cup I still do get a minor, and I mean MINOR, amount of “silt” but this is literally the last few sips. More importantly, those last few sips are NOT gritty like every other grinder I’ve used will do. So, you may see a swirl of powdered grind at your last 4 sips, but you won’t taste or worse feel it. For french press users, your perfect cup is now only limited by the quality of your beans.Operation: I have found it works best with a hopper full of beans. The timer and grind setting are most consistent then, as it feeds evenly. I know some people are worried about the 20 second every 5 minutes limits on the motor. Well, this isn’t a commercial unit, it’s under $100. Expectation management, people. For my morning 20 oz coffee, 7 seconds is plenty of time to produce 3 scoops of grind. 20 seconds should be fine for your average 10 cup pot, and if you are grinding expresso for 20 seconds, you are making a cup that will cause your heart to explode. Again, this is great for home use, not a restaurant.Mess: The glass receiver and the soft rubber top keep it contained. I’ve gone through a lot of coffee getting my perfect cup down, and the counter top does not look like a disaster area. After the grind finishes and before I remove the glass receptacle, I usually tap the machine a couple time out of habit, but honestly haven’t seen any noticeable grind settling. The other benefit of the glass receiver is when you dump it out, pretty much all the grind goes into your press or filter. No static electricity, no old coffee waiting for your next grind. Just on cleanup alone, this thing is awesome.Noise: This guy is reasonably quiet. It is grinding beans, so it will be noisy, but unlike all blade grinders I’ve used, this is a lower frequency noise and you can carry on a conversation with it running. Overall it is the quietest grinder I’ve used.Versatility: I’ve used this on several settings, and not just for coffee. I took the old trick of running some white rice through the burrs (after a thorough brush cleaning) to get all the coffee out, then used it to convert coarsely ground flax seed to finely ground flax seed. This took a while, as the course ground seed was already pretty fine, and flax tends to clump, so it fed slowly. But, once done, the fine flax seed was very well and evenly ground. I plan to use it on whole flax seed in the future, and expect it will feed much better.Overall, loving this machine and looking for excuses to use it!
14 people found this helpful
A. Cantu –
Awesome upgrade over blade grinder
I’d been using the same blade grinder for years and had never really been happy with the results. Coffee was always inconsistent and unless the planets were aligned, usually tasted like bleh. So I got used to going to Starbucks every morning for my brew.I finally decided to take the plunge on a burr grinder, and after reading the reviews and narrowing it down to a couple of units, I chose the Bodum burr grinder. And talk about a jump in performance, going from a $20 blade grinder to the Bodum grinder is like going from a Ford Festiva to a BMW.Here’s what I like:- The convenience of the sealed container on top for the beans. I can dump most of a 1 pound bag of beans in there and not have to scoop them into the grinder every time I want to brew coffee like I did with the blade grinder.-There’s no real mess. With the blade grinder, it was impossible to put beans in the container, grind, take off the lid, dump grinds into a container, then repeat 4 or 5 times, without spilling grinds everywhere. With the Bodum burr grinder, there is hardly any mess. I might notice some after a week of use, but it’s pretty small. The beans are in a sealed container, and whenever I want to brew coffee, I just push the button and coffee grinds right into the glass container. The container lid effectively holds the grinds until I’m ready to pour them into the coffee pot.- It’s simple. You’ve got 2 adjustments you can make: the grind size and the timer. Once you get a few pots brewed you’ll figure out pretty quickly what settings work for you. And the settings are mechanical (not electrical) so even if you unplug the machine, the settings will remain where they are so you dont have to change them. Ever. (unless you want to)- And most importantly: Taste. So I didnt think a burr grinder would make THAT big a difference in the way coffee tasted, which is why I put off getting one for so long. But man, it makes a world of difference. Coffee just tastes much noticeably better. There’s no real other way of saying it. I can even downgrade to cheaper beans now because they taste good too.The one negative that you’ll read about in a lot of people’s comments is the 5 minute wait time the instructions tell you to give before grinding a 2nd helping of beans. With only a 20 second grinding timer, I can see why this would upset people. 20 seconds, in my opinion, is not long enough to grind enough beans to brew a full pot of strong coffee. And nobody wants to grind for 20 seconds, wait 5 minutes, then grind again. That totally destroys the convenience of the product. However, this is not a problem for me, as I am the only coffee drinker in the household. I have yet to need to go anywhere near the 20 second time limit, so this is not an issue for me.There are several reviews that offer advice on dealing with this issue though, my favorite being “just brew a half pot at a time.” It’s still not perfectly convenient, but if I need a full pot, that’s what I’ll do. That said, if you constantly brew full pots of coffee, then this grinder might not be for you.So that’s it. If you can deal with the 5 minute wait in between grinds, then this grinder is for you. I have nothing bad to say about it at all.Two caveats:(1) I don’t own an espresso machine, so I can’t comment on the espresso grinding ability of the grinder (I only grind for brewed coffee). From most reviews though, it seems to do espresso grind pretty good.(2)The only other grinder I’ve ever owned was that $20 blade grinder, so I have nothing else to compare the Bodum to. Keep that in mind. While I might consider this a $50,000 BMW, I’m sure other reviewers on here have owned the 6-figure “lamborghinis”, “bugattis”, and “Bentleys” of the bean grinder world. It’s all relative.
11 people found this helpful
Mark Davis –
best for fine grinding.
We like our coffee strong so grinding the beans like powder is very important. We finally found this one that actually does it. Also a plus was that there is virtually no static residue to clean. I had bought the FOHERE Coffee Bean Grinder from amazon prior but that never grinds fine enough and will be giving that one away since it is out of the return window unless amazon is kind enough to let us return it.
LibDancks –
A bit loud but great value … and kudos to Bodum’s customer service
This is a stylish and well-designed grinder capable of delivering everything from medium drip grinds to super-fine espresso powder. It’s a little louder than expected, but maybe that’s because it’s the first big noise of each day. As advertised, the borosilicate glass seems to keep static manageable, and the coffee tastes even better with the knowledge that we got as good a grinder as some of the fancier Italian models, and at half the price.We’ve had one problem that revealed a technical vulnerability of this grinder (and of burr grinders generally) but also showcased some excellent customer service at Bodum. A small pebble was in with the coffee beans — this apparently happens occasionally — and jammed the mechanism. The grinder stopped as it should have (it has a self-protection mechanism) but the pebble was REALLY wedged in tightly … and a clumsy technician (me) broke an internal plastic retaining ring while dis- and re-assembling the gizmo. Although the grinder could still be used, the burr surfaces were no longer being held in alignment and it sounded unhappy.A phone call to Bodum made it all better. They took our name and address and shipped us a replacement part without charge, despite the fact that the retaining ring comes with the machined-metal burr already attached. (Meaning: This was NOT a cheap part to have sent to us gratis, and they were generous to have done so.) This saved everyone the cost of shipping and kept us limping along — but able to make coffee! — while the part was in transit. Call us very satisfied customers.
monscervi –
Excellent Budget Grinder
There are many outstanding conical burr coffee grinders on the market which typically cost $ 200 to several thousand $$$. The Bodum Bistro Conical Burr Grinder may not be a direct competitor for a top of the line coffee grinder but it comes very close. The grind at the very fine setting is excellent, consistent and very well suited for fully automatic espresso machines. There is comparably little electrostatic sticking of the ground coffee in the machine (about 10%). The mid level grind is also very even and works well for filter coffee. The coarse grind is a little bit uneven but still works fine for French press coffee.I use the machine to grind decaf coffee beans for an occasional cup of decaf latte macchiato that I make using the bypass chute in a fully automatic espresso machine. Works marvelously well. The Bodum Bistro Conical Burr Coffee grinder is excellent, especially given the low price point.
3 people found this helpful