Great machine if you want your counter covered in coffee grounds.
Positive Product Points
Easy to obtain since Starbucks are everywhere. Good return policy.
Negative Product Points
Coffee grounds go everywhere.
Detailed Commentary
After having my cheap Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder die, I turned to coffeegeek to look for reviews on a new one. I didn't want to spend a fortune, and I drink more drip than espresso, so I wanted to stay in the 100 to 200 dollar range.
I found that this grinder had some pretty high reviews and looked like a pretty solid device. It was easy to find since there are Starbucks every couple of miles. The lady at Starbucks was extremely nice and helpful, and even said that there was a 'new version' coming out in a week or two, so they will be having a sale on the older grinders. I needed one, so I bought this and tried it anyways.
I really wanted to like it because it received high reviews here, took up little space on my counter, and was a lot quieter than my Mr. Coffee burr grinder. But unfortunately, whenever I took the bin out that held the ground up beans, there was so much static that the ground went flying everywhere. I didn't want to pay over 100 dollars on a product that I would have to spend a lot of time cleaning up after I used it. Heck, my 30 dollar Mr. Coffee didn't cause nearly as large of a mess as the new one did! I also felt like the plastic bin and hopper could have been made a little thicker. I didn't have any problems with it, but I was always afraid of it cracking or breaking.
I ended up returning the grinder back to the Starbucks store where I purchased it from. I think the manager was a little disappointed or upset that I returned it, but I explained to her that I didn't want a bunch of coffee flying everywhere after I used it. I didn't want to say she gave me a hassle, but she did say something about store credit until I said I had my receipt. But in the end, even though I was unhappy with the grinder, I was happy that Starbucks returned the item and gave me a full refund on it.
Buying Experience
I would have to say that I received good customer service. I know some places will only give store credit or have a 'restocking fee'. While I returned the item in the original box, all packaged up like it was never used, the manager was a little sad that I returned it. Bottom line is that I'm happy with my experience and will continue to visit Starbucks.
