KitchenAid Pro Line KPCG100

This review is one I posted for the same model in Black. I always try to buy the very best when I can, and I am a believer in the adage "you get what you pay for." So when my wife and I decided on moving… up to better cups of coffee in the morning, I started reading reviews of coffee grinders. Alton Somebody on HGTV had a show on coffee making, and it featured this KitchenAid coffee grinder that he praised. The reviews I read were all positive, so I ordered it. How about the conclusion first? This is probably the best coffee grinder out there? It is built like a tank (the Abrams, not the Sherman, for you fellow military guys). Since we also use a French Press on weekends, the KitchenAid Pro Line allows us the change the grind size with ease. The resulting grind looks very consistent in size, and frankly it's fun to experiment with the settings. Of course, the conical burs used for grinding the beans are the type serious coffee drinkers MUST have. Yes, the glass bowl that receives the grinds seems a bit fragile, so be carefull when handling it. It's shape seems designed perfectly to fall out of your hands when washing it. Yes, you DO have to bop it when the beans stop falling into the grinding mechanism. The bopping makes much more noise than the grinding which has a wonderfully determined and relatively quiet sound to it. Sure, the product is not perfect and that is the reason for not giving it five stars. (If I could have, however, 4.5 would have been appropriate.) The unit is a bit pricey, the receiving bowl a bit fragile, the bops a necessity, and the weight as much as that of the coffee maker. BUT, if you are determined to brew the BEST coffee you can every morning, then you HAVE to start with beans and the KitchenAid Pro Line Grinder. But don't stop there. We finished out the system with a BUNN ThermoFresh coffee maker, a filtered water system, a Bodum French Press, and a Nespresso expresso maker. I actually look forward to waking up and starting the process every morning.

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Ok, so the price tag looked hefty to me at first, but it's worth every penny! Coffee is evenly ground, it's quick too and doesn't spoil the coffee like my spice grinder used to do. This is because a burr… grinder uses lower RPM and its mechanism reduces friction so the coffee doesn't heat up. The hopper above is a great place to store coffee if you drink a lot (I do), you grind what you need (8tbsp for 4 cups usually for me) and leave the un-ground beans for later use. I also use a French press, whoa, great taste but what a kick. Used to have a percolator, really a whole new world of taste and caffeine with the press :) I'm a computer geek, so coding and gaming take on a whole new meaning now, hehe. One last thing is the adjustable grind size, I use the middle setting as I use a press which is a medium length. THe finer grind sizes are good for faster methods like espresso. All-in-all, I'm really happy with this appliance. It's sturdy, well made, looks good and does exactly what it claims to do.

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I have had mine for about a month and am very satisfied with it. Since I just grind for myself I seldom use more than 4 1/2 scoop fulls of beans for French pressing (16 oz) and about 7 or 8 for drip… brewing (20 oz) which are ground in about 10 seconds or less. I routinely shake it a little to make sure no beans are stuck. I use a French Press and a small pot drip brewer, so the settings are fine for me. The one warning I have is that the grinder setting of 1 is too course even for a French press even though it is recommended in the instructions. I tried it for my first French pressing and got a disappointing result, even after 4 ½ minutes of brewing. I have subsequently found that a grind level of 3 ½ or 4 is best for full flavored French Pressing. I get just a little mud at the bottom of my mug. I use 5 ½ for drip brewing and get a great cup of coffee with little mud. I don't do espresso so I have none of the usual complaints associated with fineness of the grinds. I like the sturdy build of the machine. It is easy to clean. I let it run for about 30 seconds after it stops grinding and it stays pretty clean. I have had no trouble with the bottom screws not being screwed in enough. I guess I was lucky. Some grinds stick to the side of the bottom container but so what. I hope to get years of use from this and recommend it to anyone looking for a good, but reasonably priced grinder. Espresso drinkers should perhaps do more research before purchase as they seem less happy than I am.

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Five stars at this price point. (BUT... four stars or less in home espresso mills which range to $700.) This is the best choice in the sub $200 range, however, this grinder will not fully satisfy the… purist who wants a dedicated multi-doser or direct-to-portafilter grinder. BUT... a superior espresso grinder such as the Rancilio Rocky will cost rather more than twice the price. That being said, this grinder can be used to grind directly into a portafilter. KitchenAid gives instructions for recalibrating the grind size in its glossy, glitzy, informative user guide and the grind size may be tweaked to perfection (even too-fine for an 18 bar machine). This makes it easy to achieve a 25 second espresso shot. The hopper holds almost 8 oz of beans and is constructed of substantial glass. Beans feed into the burrs without sticking (but I do not use burnt, oily, "charbucks-type" beans). Very even-sized, static-free grounds are produced fairly quickly into the relatively thin glass bottom bin. The spring-loaded bean seal is effective and convenient, but a few grounds inevitably drop from the burrs as the bin is removed. This can be minimized by tapping the grinder before removing the bin, and is easily cleaned with an occasional swipe of a damp dishcloth. This machine is doing an excellent job until I can afford a Mazzer Mini (at 4 x the price). It will then be retained for occasional vacuum pot, French Press, and filter-drip grinds. I shall update this review if I have any issues with the grinder.

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