The Solis Maestro is a very good grinder. It’s a great grinder for its class, and a good overall grinder, so it averages out to very good. There are things that could (and should) be improved on it, but overall, it is an amazing little product.
mike1962 Senior Member Joined: 5 Jan 2002 Posts: 1 Expertise: Advanced
Posted Sat Jan 5, 2002, 4:30am Subject: Thank you.
Thanks so much for this terrific review of the Maestro grinder. I have been reading exhaustively to pick the "right" grinder and I am, not surprisingly, exhausted. It seememd that I could not find a good espresso grinder for under $200, and even if I did spring for the Rocky or Gaggia MDF, my wife would probably not find it useful with her Capresso drip machine (we like the same beans for both). I'm sure that I will eventually want to invest the dollars and counter space for a dedicated espresso grinder, but for now its nice to know I can get a decent single machine to handle both.
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 5,144 Location: Vancouver Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Frankenstein'ed LM Linea Grinder: Anfim Super Caimano Vac Pot: 1922 Silex Drip: Krups Moka Brew Roaster: Hottop
Posted Sat Jan 5, 2002, 6:22pm Subject: Re: Thank you.
Thanks Mike. I'm glad you found the review helpful, and I'm really confident in the grinder to say you won't be disapointed. I've heard some minor complaints about the Maestro, but in the big picture, they are minor quibbles, and not a detraction from the whole package.
There could very well be better grinders out there (or coming out) in this price range, but I haven't seen them (or heard of them) yet.
liveshot Senior Member Joined: 16 Jan 2002 Posts: 2 Location: Santa Fe, NM Expertise: Advanced
Posted Tue Jan 22, 2002, 7:38pm Subject: Dizzyingly Complete
I can't think of a single thing left out of this review. Complete is nothing without perspective; the articles had plenty. I appreciate the rankings both in and out of its class and the comparisons to not just the Solis products but also to what I can expect to find if/when I make a jump to semi-commercial machine. Well done.
bigrac Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2002 Posts: 1 Location: Chicago Expertise: Intermediate
Posted Sat Feb 16, 2002, 1:27pm Subject: Great Writing
I contacted Baratza and ordered a Maestro after reading this review. I had been looking for a burr grinder under $150.00 for three days and finally decided that you were right. The only thing I could say is to buy it straight from Baratza. I called them and they answered all my questions and shipped it out the same day. I can't wait to get it. Go ahead and pay the extra $15.00 and support a local business. I guess local, they are in Seattle, I am in Chicago.
This was a very helpful article in making my decision to purchase this grinder. While I may purchase a more expensive grinder once I have my newer espresso machine, it has stood me in excellent stead for everything from turkish to vacpot and french press usage.
lwatson Senior Member Joined: 16 Aug 2002 Posts: 1 Location: Salisbury, MD Expertise: Intermediate
Grinder: Solis Maestro Drip: Chemex
Posted Fri Aug 16, 2002, 12:11pm Subject: Grind Consistency
Mark, Thank you for such a complete and informative review. I recently received my second Maestro (the first one that arrived had surface scratches and a loose screw rattling around in the housing). I am currently trying it out. Where I often use a Chemex, I have need for a relatively coarse grind to prevent filter clogging and overextraction. I tested the coarse grind settings and found very little difference between the last few click settings. Also, it seems to me that the grind particles are not uniform (as you made mention in your article). Compared to commercially ground coffee, the particle size is, in fact, quite variable. This is my first burr grinder. . . how uniform should I expect the grind particles to be? Perhaps I'm being too picky.
davidM Senior Member Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 3 Location: Indianapolis, IN Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Estro Vapore Grinder: Solis Maestro Vac Pot: none Drip: Phillips HD 7610 Roaster: Melitta electric
Posted Mon Feb 16, 2004, 9:55pm Subject: Re: Solis Maestro Grinder Detailed Review
I feel the need to chime in, even though the review was published some years ago. I found my Solis Maestro in a grocery store for about $33.00. As promised, it delivered consistently high quality coffee grounds for my moka machine and drip coffee maker. Now I shall have to work on acquiring an espresso machine worthy of this magnificent grinder.
Suds Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2004 Posts: 31 Location: Zionsville, IN Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Expobar Control Grinder: Gaggia MDF,Anfim, Maestro Vac Pot: not yet Drip: no - Bodum Press Pot Roaster: Alpenrost
Posted Tue Feb 17, 2004, 10:50am Subject: Re: Solis Maestro Grinder Detailed Review
Same city different price. I just pick up a Maestro 2 weeks ago for $65 at a Marsh supermarket on clearance sale. I still consider this a great price. As far as performance - I still consider my Gaggia Mdf a notch above in grind quality and consistancy for espresso production.
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