If you’re searching for your first coffee grinder, spending over a hundred dollars may not be a great idea.
With your first grinder, you usually are experimenting on features and haven’t decided the ground texture you’re really a fan of. You want lower cost functionality without too many options.
We have two great selections to compare for the entry level burr grinders: The Mr. Coffee Burr Mill grinder and the Capresso Coffee Infinity grinder. Let’s give each a review of their features and why you should check them out:
Mr. Coffee Automatic Burr Mill Grinder
Mr. Coffee has been making coffee products since the 1970’s. I can remember back to my early childhood when my parents had a simple drip coffee maker from the company. Simple, functional, and it never missed a beat.
That simple concept has carried on for the last 40 years and is what you can expect from the Mr. Coffee Automatic Burr Mill grinder.
It’s not on the high tech end. It is entry level with enough features to give you a consistent grind and allows you to experiment every day to find what you enjoy the most.
One of the best features on the grinder is the automatic setting. You can choose the grind size from 18 different options, and then choose how much to grind.
Select from 4 to 18 cups of coffee, hit the grind button, and let the machine go to work. When you’ve reached your target cups, it automatically shuts off.
Functional Features: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The grinder has 18 grind settings, from fine to coarse. This will give you the chance to try them all and fine tune your tastes in the first couple of months of owning the grinder.
- The bean hopper is removable to allow for cleaning and keeping your beans ready to go for the next cup of coffee.
- The hopper holds up to a 1/2 pound of coffee beans, which will be enough for a few cups of coffee.
- You can leave the unground beans in the hopper for another day, or if you’re hosting a gathering it’ll be ready to go for all your guests. It can easily grind from 4 – 18 cups of coffee.
- The grinder features cord storage with dual safety-locking switches. If you’re like me, you unplug the grinder every day. The cord tends to just lay on the counter. No problem with Mr. Coffee, it has a place to go.
- The Bean Hopper doubles as grind adjustment so there are no extra knobs or dials.
- Just install the hopper and turn clockwise (several rotations-will hear clicking as unit gets tighter) until it stops with the grind size indicator on Fine.
- Simple design – The Mr. Coffee features stainless steel body panels to give it a more durable and easy cleaning finish.
- With black plastic features, it will look great in a more modern kitchen with stainless steel or black appliances.
Cons:
- Owners that want a more functional grinder than just for things other than coffee may find the Mr. Coffee grinder lacking in that department. It’s just meant for coffee.
- Other brands can be used for spices and dry ingredients. This one doesn’t do anything else. It is called Mr. Coffee after all.
- The grinder doesn’t feature a safety on/off switch. The power is controlled though the grinding setting.
- The hopper is not air tight. If you plan to only grind a small amount of cups every day, you will want to just add enough beans. Don’t add a whole bag or the beans may get a little stale over time waiting to be ground.
- Many reviews state that the finest setting isn’t great for a true espresso machine. The finest setting is best for a drip or Turkish coffee. Just keep that in mind if you’re an espresso fan more than a drip coffee.
Capresso Coffee Infinity 560.01 Grinder
Capresso offers another simple and affordable grinder geared toward the entry level crowd.
It features 16 settings, from extra fine to coarse, meant to give you the variety to do some experimentation. The Capresso Infinity grinder is easy to use and understand without complicated buttons and dials to use every time you want a cup of coffee.
The grinder is somewhat automatic with a built-in timer that will allow you to start the machine and move on to prepare the rest of your coffee items without worrying if the grinder is going to give you mixed results.
One of the best features of the Capresso Infinity grinder is that is features a sealed coffee container that will hold up to 4 ounces of fresh grounds.
The bean counter will need to be locked into place to use the grinder, and that will add a level of safety for the user also.
Functional Features: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Slow grinding motor – The Capresso features a reduced speed motor that won’t transmit heat to your grounds and reduce the flavor and aroma. This also reduces the noise output during grinding.
- The motor is rated at 100-watts, so it needs less power for a great ground every morning.
- The grinder features commercial-grade conical burrs to ensure maximum coffee flavor and aroma without jeopardizing the oils in the beans.
- The bean hopper holds 8-1/2 ounces (just over ½-pound) and the final grind container holds 4 ounces. Enough for a few cups of coffee.
- The grinder has a heavy-duty zinc die-cast housing for durability and makes it easy to clean frequently or after every use.
Cons:
- Some of the reviews note that the Capresso unit is a bit heavier than expected because of the die-cast housing compared to the plastic housing.
- Both units are offered from Capresso, so you can decide if that matters to you.
- Both are listed as working well, so the weight of the unit may or may not be a contributing factor to the purchase recommendation.
- The Capresso Infinity is double the cost (or maybe a little more) than the Mr. Coffee grinder. If you’re really wanting to get a grinder to try out, that may affect what you buy.
Some may think you need an expensive grinder to really get the flavor and aroma of your favorite local coffee shop.
These two models are meant to give you an entry into grinding yourself and bringing that positive experience back to your own kitchen. It’s up to you to decide which will be the best entry-level model that will give you the time to experiment on what you really enjoy.
The best thing about both is they are relatively expensive, have good warranties, and offer features that make their use easy in an everyday setting. You won’t go wrong with either model.
