Easy to use. Grinds at any level. Good enough for espresso! Get one!!
Positive Product Points
Very well made. Adjustable. Good enough for espresso. Gives a good workout!
Negative Product Points
It's manual! Ya' gotta work for it! (see positive points).
Detailed Commentary
I love these things. I have a box type and a knee type. When I was first setting up my Rancilio Silvia my Starbucks Barista was found to be lacking. By turning the adjustment down (this is a nut on the shaft of the handle on top) to where the burrs touch (Sweetmaria's website had great info on how to use : http://www.sweetmarias.com/zas.instructions.html) it worked ! It's important to realize that the grind is very consistent and rivals much more expensive, electric grinders. I also lend these out to skeptical friends for tasting my home roasted beans.
It takes about a minute to grind out 15 grams for a good cup of coffee for a press pot. The grinder itself will only hold a small amount so a little shake now and then to settle the grinds in the little drawer is a good idea.
Every couple of months you can run through some instant white rice and it cleans the burrs wonderfully!
I don't recommend this to anyone who can't turn their arm for a couple of minutes but for everyone else it's a nice thing to have and will work during a blackout!
Buying Experience
Purchased on ebay. There's usually a couple on at any given time.
Three Month Followup
I've added a couple of comments in the regular review. This is a great grinder for someone who can't afford more than $50USD and wants to grind quality coffee for anything from Autodrip to espresso. It's also handy to have for travel and just for the novelty of doing it the "old fashioned" way.
