I got what I paid for; the Maestro might be worth the price if it could grind as good as it looks.
Positive Product Points
Hopper holds 8 oz of beans. Low static. Low decibels. Solid design.
Negative Product Points
Calibration way off. Dial settings are superfluous. Have to guess/experiment for different grinds. Grinds drop down through case and out the bottom cord opening. Grinds fall onto the basket platform when the basket is removed. Low but annoying amount of static that shoots powdery grinds onto my counter top.
Detailed Commentary
What a nightmare. I had been using a hand held grinder for almost a year. It jammed frequently during a grind despite continuous cleaning, and generated enough static electricity to power my TV. When I attempted to pour the ground coffee into my French Press the coffee coated my fingers, part of my hand, and the counter top. I was tempted to chuck it out the window almost daily.
I decided to buy a good grinder for my birthday. I was tempted to buy it immediately but common sense prevailed. I wasn’t about to invest more money in a bigger mess. I researched on line until I had a solid feel for the pros and cons of low to moderately priced machines. The Solis Maestro Plus got good reviews from most buyers but the price held me back.
As my birthday approached and the hand held grinder got worse I knew I had to order a new machine or go nuts. A final review of book marked vendor web sites uncovered a compromise; a refurbished Solis Maestro Plus was available complete with warranty and a 30 day money back option. The Maestro fit my budget, promised to banish aggravation forever, and allow entrance into coffee heaven. I ordered the refurbished machine and waited patiently.
Buying Experience
Terrible. My long awaited Maestro didn't grind according to the dial. I couldn't find espresso or French Press; my favorites. I called Aabree customer service and was given Baratza's number. The Baratza service manager talked me through some tests and declared the calibration was way off. He promised to send a replacement. After a mix up at Baratza the replacement arrived 3 weeks later.
Replacement calibration was worse than the original. The FP setting yielded Turkish grind. I called Baratza and got Aabree. It seems there was a personnel/company change. The Aabree service manager seemed more interested in being right than doing right and insinuated that former employees were the culprits.
I explained the circumstances that left me with 2 machines that didn't work right and told him that my confidence was evaporating quickly. He said I had to have the replacement repaired because my 30 day return option had expired. Since I had no control over delivery time we reached a compromise and I kept the one that works best.
After my experience with Aabree's customer service manager I would never buy from Aabree again. Yes James Bond fans, I said Never.
