Nice Appearance, Feel and Quality.. but Not Really Designed and Built for Espresso Enthusiasts
Positive Product Points
-Solid and appealing industrial design (that famous KitchenAid look, feel, and user interface) -Good build quality & high quality components -Easy to clean -Adjustment dial has a solid commercial feel
Negative Product Points
-Inconsistent grind quality is inadequate for espresso perfectionists. Impossible to get a fine enough overall grind and the range of resulting particle sizes is far too broad, i.e. too many fines combined with too many large particles regardless of grind setting. -Grind adjustment is "stepped" (predetermined click-stops used to set space between burrs) and imprecise which makes fine adjustments impossible. -Impractical for grinding directly into a portafilter. -Made in China.
Detailed Commentary
This review is targeted specifically at the budding barista who likes to experiment and fine-tune their process to achieve the best possible espresso. I won't bother reiterating what others have already said about receptacle glass, bean feed, static, lack of timer, documentation, etc. I thoroughly read the manual and adjusted this machine for espresso grinding per the instructions.
Conclusion: Amateur baristas will be frustrated with the inaccuracy, inconsistency, and minimal adjustability of this machine. Quite simply, the KitchenAid Pro Line Burr Coffee Grinder was not designed for the "espresso perfectionist". For everybody else, this is a very nice product and a reasonably good value.
Buying Experience
Chef's Catalog Great catalog and courteous staff although they are not coffee specialists. No problems
