I’m just bored of most coffee people who always talk down about this grinder. Glad to come across this video of yours and you talked about this grinder in a positive way ◡̈
@freightdawg6762 what do you generally grind for? Im looking for one that is great with espresso grinds. A few forums that I read said it didn't do well with lighter roasts. Any recommendations?
Thanks for this comment. I wouldn't have watched until the end without it after the 'plastic tap test' nonsense and other signs that this guy knows very little about this product.
Love that you posted this despite failing the taste test. It's a great reminder of how much closer a lot of gear is and also that a lot of the differences are subjective.
Great point! Yeah 😂 I was totally shock by the outcome - and my I watched my body language in that moment - I touch my nose, laugh and than I'm like OKAY ... did not see that coming 😂
- Another *excellent review on the channel. - He didn't fail a taste test. That is a flawed premise. He was attempting to ascribe a set of distinctive nature or features of taste or palate characterization to a grinder - and perhaps to prior tastings and perception - against info he as yet did not have. It is a interesting challenge and means to inform oneself of his palate and make an informed decison. - Not considered but impactful may have been the effect of benefit of WDT in the Breville and the unkown possibility of quakers in either unless sorted.
@@whiskeyinthejar24 indeed. Note though, the plastic upper burr housing does not rotate when in use, therefore should not be subjected to excessive force (in normal domestic use). There are posts on youtube showing these grinders still in use after 5 years…YMMV of course 😊
As a novice audiophile I find that there are similarities between fine coffees/espressos and music enjoyment. The placebo effect is real and your very honest presentation proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You can still make a lousy cup of espresso or poorly tune music even with the best equipment... and the best brewers/players can use practically anything and make it taste/sound good! Meanwhile I do still appreciate the details and quality of good equipment. God bless you and all you love.
Im a retired acoustic engineer and yes it's quit similar from a novice point but like everything else its using your experiences and training your ears/taste buds but alas not everyone has the ability to do that especially with sound quality as there's soooo many parameters to gauge, there's a saying in inner circles, there's engineers and there's rubber ears . But that placebo effect goes way deeper and becomes a bit of conceit with many people especially with sound quality as spending more isn't always going to give you real better results as you've just been seduced by the price tag .
@@meandmeatmeoverthere Thanks for sharing your experience with me. It also applies to Gear Acquirement Syndrome GAS. Chasing after the next piece of new gear… when I need to be spending more time practicing my guitar! God bless!
Hahaha Yes gas would describe it perfectly in more ways than one 😵💫😂😂 I’m 68 and been on tour or tech support for more musicians than could shake a stick at over decades . I can remember when you couldn’t buy equipment like even a mixing desk to now when you can roll it out like a yoga mat 🤷♂️😁
I had this Breville for close to 5 years now and I recently retired it from espresso grinding by getting the eureka Oro XL. I will still use this to grind more coarse grinds for drip coffee though. Honestly this is a fantastic machine for the price point and can't really go wrong with it. The reasons why I upgraded grinder is because I wanted more fluffier grinds and shorter grind time. Some pro about Breville is that it's super beginner friendly. Really easy to take out the hopper to clean the burr & the digital display is fantastic when you want to change to a different coffee brewing type.
It’s funny. I respect your channel even more now. A lot of people aren’t willing to blind taste test at the expense of their own reputation, especially in the event that their choice was “incorrect”. Most of the time people just think more expensive means much better without really putting that to the test. Thanks a lot for making this video 🫡
Thanks so much Sam! We're not an independent reviewer so people will always doubt our intentions or bias. Though I hope through this - and many more interactions that are filmed unscripted and without conclusions - this may alleviate the notion we're simply making videos to sell the items 👌
So I have had mine for about three years and got it from a friend who moved and had it for maybe two more. The "cup" feature is pretty much a pre-set, you program it yourself, which totally makes it useable. I use it all the time, 7 cups, 34.4 seconds grind for my moccamaster, is perfect. I have a setting for my french press, that makes a strong cup of coffee the way I like it. I love mine.
Love the video and your head to head test. I will be buying the breville grinder. Sometimes the cost of the machine does not mean it's better. Marketing is what will help drive the consumer to purchase.
Breville Pro is a really great grinder. I had mine, I don't know for how long. Probably seven years or eight. Still works great. I just got a Fiorenzato, which is spectacular. I'll keep my Breville as backup. Great review 🎉
You kept it real ! Breville can make nice espresso shots and for an entry level grinder , it's enough money to spend on a grinder to make nice espresso. I was so stressed out thinking I needed to go broke to get my expensive grinder . Thanks for the video 😀
I always follow this channel for their product reviews and I have a Breville Espresso Machine with a built in grinder. Overtime, I thought I could be doing something different to improve my routine and enhance my understanding of it for a better, more consistent result with flavour and extraction. This video helped me understand so much better and proved that I definitely shouldn't blame the tools xD especially compared with a niche, which is the grinder I considered getting separate, it was good to see a fair comparison between the two Thanks 👍🏼
The Smart Grinder Pro was my first burr grinder. I loved the options, ease to clean. As I upgraded to better espresso machine, I found dialing in cludgy on the Breville and moved to the Sette 270. However, I collected Smart Pro Grinders over those years and supplied my wife and kids with these for their own coffee stations (wife’s art studio). Mine sits below my station in a cabinet but this video has inspired me to resurrect it and give it another go…experimentally. Loved everything about your production. Truly. Thanks.
I'm on to my second Breville Smart Grinder Pro. The first one died after seven years, and there was no other option for me. Super happy with the SGP! :) I use a home made thingy that does what a WDT does, and it really seems to help even out the taste variations.
Thanks Josh, I'm new to "quality" home espresso making and am finding your videos super useful ! They're honest, thorough, insightful yet concise. Liked & subscribed 😀👍
Great review. Thanks for all the details. As someone with young kids and light sleepers who likes to grind at time of brewing, noise is a factor imo. Was glad to hear the audio seemed real time so I could measure the sound
Novice barista, yet 'coffee fanatic', here.. Thank you for this review. I appreciate this honest (and funny) assessment of the Breville SCP. This is the first Alternative Brewing video I have seen. Won't be the last.. Just subscribed. - Cheers from Mpls.
For anyone who just got it, my grind settings for medium-dark beans for espresso, I set the internal burr to 1 and the digital counter between 18-20. my machine (revile bambino plus) chokes out as his setting of 8-15.
One benefit of the cup number button on the Breville - when it's 5AM and I'm making my coffe before heading off to work, doing time multiplication in my head isn't really going to be a thing. Dialling the grind time for 1 cup or shot then simply pressing for more removes mental effort before I've had my 1st coffee.
Excellent review. My home setup is Eureka Atom 75 and Profitec Pro 800. My travel (car travel) is Breville Smart Grinder Pro and a La Pavoni Europiccola. I can't really fault the Breville for what it is. We got fantastic coffee for the entire fam - good rich and sweet coffee (I bet the bitter one was the a Niche). Cheers ☕️ ☕️ !
I'm using this Breville for a few months now and you can save grind time to ech grind settings pressing and holding the grind time adjustment knob, that helps with single dosing. We use V60 and aeropress and the grind times saved to each settings is very convenient, especially when brewing single or double pourovers. Also the amount of cups with the middle button changes to shots if you go down to espresso range, I really appreciate this small design feats. Closer to zero retention is definitely better with the Niche but price to value ratio the small breville is unbeatable in my opinion. I can buy a lot of great quality coffee with that price difference. (we don't do espresso at home so I'm not sure what's going on with consystency at that grind size)
Always good to find an authentically helpful and progressive coffee channel on YT - particularly with the level of detail here. I've been looking for an entry level espresso grinder (electric) and this is really interesting to see - the Sage looks great on many levels and seems less convoluted than a few others in that price range (Fellow Onus etc). Fascinating to see how the taste extraction differed with that roast to the Niche too. Thanks for the upload.
I got one of these along with the breville precision brewer. It does a good job. Once you've dialed in the grind size and time for your preferred dose and strength, the cups function can be quite useful. It's not just a multiplier. Each step can have it's grind time independently set. When I dial in I just grind a small dose to get the grams per second and then multiply to get my desired dose. If I'm using the autostart and brewing straight into my travel mug during the week I've got that set up on the 2 cups setting. On the weekend I might make a larger pot of coffee so I have that set up on the 4 cups setting. It's nice to be able to switch between them without having to change any settings.
I've used the smart grinder pro as my daily grinder for espresso for about 6 years now. I've been really impressed with the build quality, had no issues with it, the only thing I've had to do is adjust the inner burr settings up 3 notches over the years. Yeah, you do get some clumping, but as demonstrated in your video WDT takes care of it pretty easily. I've been able to consistently dial in really nice espresso, with very little channeling. Fantastic beginner grinder, I'm looking at upgrading mostly out of curiosity/FOMO, but like the idea of single dosing and maybe trying out flat burrs.
Thanks for sharing! yeah - A flat burr would be the unmistakable best next move to make. Something like a Eureka Mignon - and you can get parts for it now to take it from a 300g Hopper to a Single Dosing Bellows. Mignon's are fantastic commercial grade grinders - and will certainly off similar if not better longevity, as well as a different flavour profile.
i have been grinding with the lid off, and it's always a mess! I just saw another brand has a canister attached so it made me wonder if I had been using mine wrong and sure enugh i had been! ugh! glad i saw this video
coffeegeek brought me here❤️.. This got me confused if I shld. let go of my BSGP or research and learn more from it .... I am mainly focused on espresso, so for the mean time, I'm gonna hold on to it. Thanks for the review☕
I have the Smart grinder which I bought together with my Dual boilder. I have been considering the Niche. Looks like it is really incremental improvement from Breveille to Niche, if there is. Proper puck prep plays a crucial part.
I moved from this to a Niche. The niche is a nice upgrade in terms of better work flow (much better for single dosing) and does make better espresso and filter compared to this. The smart grinder is really good for the money though and you don't miss out massively in terms of taste compared to a Niche. I think WDT with niche still helps. Overall I tend to get less astringency from the niche despite the outcome of the test in the video! It's easier to dial in too.
@@chrisdturner Agreed. The amount of retention in the Breville grinder is additional step in the workflow. For now, I use a collapsible rubber cup as a blower. If taste is better with less astringency in Niche, that's a worthy consideration. Another conical burr grinder to consider is the Weber Key with a bigger burr, variable speed and flexible voltage (good for travel/relocation). But it would be double that of Niche price and easily quadruple of Breville. Maybe for final upgrade?
It’s funny, I went from breville to a niche. Some elements I wish I still had of the breville. Alas the niche does come into its own once’s dialled in. It’s quieter, easier to keep clean. And makes brighter coffees. Alas the chocolates and nuts you describe are things I do miss as well. Can’t have both worlds right. The wife sold the breville as it was loud and I spent so much on the niche.
Yay, I'm even more confident that i got the right grinder now. Can't wait to give it a go. Had a cheap cuisinart grinder until now, ordered it because it was 25% off.
I’ve seen so many videos, not giving good reviews about the Breville grinder. I’ve used it now for a couple of years with my dual boiler. Compared to any other Grinder that makes decent espresso, you cannot beat the price point. I guess the niche will last longer as it’s higher quality. But honestly idk why the breville gets so much hate
It's funny! I love your reaction when you saw that it is not the niche! It is convincing to me, as a beginner struggling to find a grinder at home at cheap price! May I know the coffee bean you used?
Thanks very much, debating whether to replace my Barista Express (which has been excellent, but is going to a new place after a service) with the same or get a Dual Boiler with this grinder; you've just made up my mind. Absolutely loved your honesty and will be watching your channel to learn more; can't wait for the upgrade.
You have to be really careful adjusting the grind on the burr carrier itself. Usually it is factory set to 6, and this setting is more to allow for adjustment when the burrs wear down. Once you hit the minimimum grind size, which is basically where the burrs are virtually touching, you can't get any finer. removing the burr carrier and adjusting it to 5 makes a quite a big difference and I would not touch this (leave it at factory setting) unless you can't get it fine enough, then maybe reduce it by one click only. It is not designed to be constantly adjusted. For most people, the grind will be kind of a set and then leave alone as most people grabbing a grinder like this will likely grab one brand of beans they like. I am another one here saying thank you for being totally honest. A lot may have edited the video if they got it wrong, but you were honest and this was a really great review.
I love my recently purchased Smart Grinder Pro - as an 'entry level' serious grinder it has the ability to dial in the grind size to suit almost any style of coffee. The selling point for me was the ability to adjust the burr. I am sure they are out there somewhere but I couldn't find another grinder at this price-point with the same feature. As Joshua said, you probably won't use it a lot, but it's nice to know it's there if you do. Incidentally, out of the box I felt the grind size at setting 60 for French Press was not coarse enough. A quick tweak of the burr solved this. The grinder is very quiet to use and is easy to clean. To date, have brewed lots of Moka and French press with very good and consistent results. Being new to the hobby I wanted something I could use easily, provides a lot of versatility, gives me consistent results and that I wouldn't have to sell a kidney to buy it. Highly recommended.☕
If this grinder is too loud the Niche is a great one but more expensive. Comparing apples to apples the Kitchenaid espresso grinder Model KCG8433ER is 71db beaten by the Niche, M4, Hedone Honne, Weber Key and even the Atom 75 at 68db is very respectable. The fact the Kitchenaid can go from filter to drip to espresso is an added bonus. 71db is my baseline for any future grinder especially important in the mornings. Honorable mention DF64 on 600 rpm grind settings is 73. Not bad. I'll add to this list as I find more information.
Great work 👌, I need your help in adjusting my Breville smart grinder , I have lelit Mara x with bottomless portafilter , what you recommend for inner burr setting ? For espresso?
Thanks, very useful video! I’m new to the magical espresso world, so sorry if it’s an obvious question.. why there is adjustable time but not grams? Or is a shot/cup something equivalent to a specific weight? Thanks!
Because technology hasn’t caught up 🤣 It’s on a handful of grinders - some companies own the rights to this technology. Others - it would make the grinders overly expensive. You’re better off using a single dosing grinder to compensate 🙌 weight your dose with scales and grind only exactly what you need - no hopper
Great video, I do have this grinder and have used for a couple of years. She did start to waver a bit over time but recently changed the burr set and now it’s working like a champ again. However I am considering the Niche Zero, not to replace but to go along side and will become my primary espresso grinder with the Sage becoming my drip grinder. Personally, through trial and error and a little extra effort like yourself have produced some great coffee with this machine. Thanks again Josh great vid 👍🏻
I bought a niche zero and sold it because the flavour in the cup wasn't as good as my used Eureka Mignon. It would be better to compare the SGP with a budget mignon as it is a superior grinder to both the niche and sgp in terms of the cup it produces.
You're absolutely right. I avoid those comparisons based solely on trying not to compare Flat burrs with conical burrs - as there will always be a difference there - however, in relation to shopping around for a good grinder - a Eureka Mignon is at a much closer price point, and therefore more likely competitor in the market then the Niche - i get it.
Great video. We’ve just got the Sage Duo Temp Pro with Sage Smart Grinder but struggling to get the right balance on taste. Can you offer any advice on the below?? Beans are espresso and fresh. 54mm double shot basket, non pressurised. 1. Smart grind to size 14 for 10 seconds to produce 18g of grinds in the basket 2. Distribute and then tamp to Razor height 3. Extract for 28s from point I turn to manual. Thanks for any help 🙏
Hi there! Sure. "get the right balance on taste" what is it lacking in? strength? or is it too strong? 1. This sounds good - great to hear you're weighing the coffee in. 2. Distributing and tamping are fantastic. To any particular height isn't much advantage here - coffee swells up in the basket. Just make sure you're not over-filling the basket. Generic Sage/Breville baskets are usually 16g max. 3. If you have the ability to weigh in your ground coffee, you should also weight out your extracted coffee. You don't have to do this every time - but it does help ballpark it. So you'd tare off the empty glass - brew your espresso to say 28 seconds - then place this back in the scales to see how much espresso you have. With 18g dose - you'd be aiming for a 36-40g espresso out. And 28 seconds is a good time to keep consistent. So from here - if you have less than 36-40g in the cup, adjust the grind coarser - to allow the coffee to flow faster into the cup. And if the opposite is true, and you have more than 36-40g in the cup after 28 seconds - than adjust the grind finer. Each time you brew an espresso ensure you're always weight the dose in at 18g and checking the espresso's weight too - and you'll soon discover a taste you prefer 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks for this. So as the basket is 54mm on the Sage DTP should I be aiming for 16g of ground coffee as opposed to 18g? 18g does seem to fit fine. If I should be going for 16g how would your measurements adjust for espresso out? So this morning I did grind size of 18 which took 10 seconds to give approx 18g of grinds in the 54mm basket. I then extracted for 28 seconds and managed to weigh the espresso and it actually came out as just under 80g!! Which obviously seems way off looking at your guide. I did do a test the other day at grind size 8 and the espresso out tasted pretty foul. I’m not sure whether it was bitter or sour (perhaps my pallet is off) but didn’t have a nice after taste. Maybe I should try again and measure the espresso out on the scales (only bought scales yesterday).. Thank you so much for your guidance 🙏
Cool video! I’ve got a bsgp and can confirm it makes a tasty coffee. My theory or the difference between each is that the smart grinder pro is a little bit less consistent when it comes to the particle size distribution. The larger percentage of grinds in the courser end of the bell curve are likely contributing to the acidic fruit flavour you were describing.
The grind size is only one factor- perhaps lowering the pressure as you pull down will improve it overall- what about the grind size are you finding is the issue?
that bitterness came from the water you took just before you took the niche shot. not that water is bitter haha, but water doesnt neutralize the taste. try it out yourself, drink water while having the same espresso, the 3rd 4th time will always seem more bitter and the very first will be always sweetish. can i ask you something? i love italian style thick creamy short espresso 25-35ml. will the breville be good enough to give me a thick coffee with ssome gaggia bambino, or just get a breville express or barista pro? i am a minimalist, purist. just thick coffe italian style short espresso/ristretto. id really like your input. you seem the person to go to to ask for. thank you in advance, i hope:)
100% the Breville is a capable of this 👌 Two strong considerations though are - it may clog up much more than other grinders - when using beans that are roasted darker and have oils presents on the beans' exterior. If you don't use these coffees - No worries but it's worth getting a Grinder a little more robust if using oiler beans - or clean it out more regularly than you'd prefer to do. Secondly - the longevity of the grinder. I've heard from both sides of the equation - where it lasts for years no problems, and others it's broke in 6 months. However - after saying all that - it's a great grinder for making superb espresso on a budget 👌
Had this grinder for a while now but I learned a few things from your review. Didn’t know there was a single dose option or find adjustment. There does seem to be some weird quirks to the ratio of time, cups and grind size.
Could anyone tell me what would be best grind size to use on the DeLonghi Dedica Arte espresso machine? I do 12 and I’ve changed out screens and use espresso pucks and I’m still not getting good crema but a lot of residual water and spraying.
It will be interesting to see what Breville comes out with in the future, incorporating Baratza. I’ve never cared much for these grinders (I sure like the simplicity of my Niche over all the fiddling), but I own and really like many Breville products (including my dual boiler), but this line always felt like a miss.
It may still take some time before we see any crossovers. Likely Breville will be enhanced by Baratza then the other way around IMO. I'd agree, the Simplicity of a Niche is unmatched. I do believe Breville have the capacity to bring a Grinder out that really competes in the sphere, but only time will tell
I'd really love to see a test with this grinder using for different brew methods, changing the grind size from one to another. I mostly brew aeropress and v60, but twice a week I brew espresso. Would be this grinder suitable for this?
Great suggestion! Yes, absolutely it would be. Very reliable for changing grind settings. You know - I'd say, more reliable than a Eureka Mignon - just because its so much easier to track the settings. I had the inner Burr adjusted to 1 - and the digital adjustment at 12 for Espresso on the Rancilio - and then grind settings of around 25-45 would be ideal for you Aeropressing / V60 -so plenty of room to dial in 👌 Just perhaps want to purge the grinder if you're single dosing.
@@AlternativeBrewing I was thinking about buying the Mignon, before I found this grinder a few weeks ago. After that I saw your video and it was a confirmation for me. Yeah, the mignon's size dial button seems to be not so convenient when switching between brew methods that requires different grind sizes. I guess, retention is always is and will be a problem if I want to single dose in this price category. Thanks for the advise!
Ive got the smart grinder pro for probably 10 years now and its clumping on finer grind settings, particularly as ive been trying different roasters. looking to upgrade although the wife doesnt like to fuss with grinding so single dose might not be an option for me :(
Great video! Love the comparison between the Niche too! How do you think the Breville compares to the Eureka Manuale for both espresso & filter? The Eureka is stepless so seems to have more settings but it's not as convenient switching between espresso & filter. After that comparison I'm starting to think the Breville will have enough settings for dialling in properly and it's quick to switch to filter. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks
Good question! Eureka I would say is the overall better build quality, with Flat Burrs - (but in saying that, i know people who've had a BSGP for 8 years no issues) - The breville is a Conical burr grinder - so great for espresso and okay for filter. Yes - if you're jumping back and forth with espresso and Filter I'd prefer the Breville 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks so much for the reply! Wonderful, think I’m going to go down the Breville route! From your experience, are the steps small enough to be able to dial in a variety of coffees? Thanks again!
@@joshdale It's not really steps. It's just that the readout is quantised. The readout changes fairly quickly as you turn the RHS knob, so it's quite sensitive (decent resolution). I don't know how repeatable the settings are, as I just left it at a good spot for the espresso I'm making.
Wow. Love it. That was illuminating. Very interesting. Thanks for this comparison. I have the Breville Barista Express which has the same built-in grinder and have brewed some tasty espressos. I wonder about an upgrade but am not sure if it is worth it, or if a conical or flat burr grinder is the way to go. I have tried the 1ZPresso with it which has been great. The flat burr might provide some.different flavors?
Very cool! Yeah - a flat burr grinder is going to provide a very different flavour profile to what you're already tasting - and it's honestly nice to have both - so you can go back and forwards occasionally
Hello can you let me know for ONE cut expresso what is the best setting with the grinder pro ? I do 8g with setting 10. And i have 37ml for 19 secondes the coffee is good
hello, we have the same coffee machine with a grinder as you, but we have a problem with the fact that, despite the fact that we have the grinder set to level 1 (the finest), the ground coffee is still NOT fine enough to create a quality espresso. Did you also adjust the grinder manually inside the device and bring the grinding stones closer together?
I did yes. So basically as fine as it will possibly go. Beyond this - you may look at how much coffee you're adding to the basket - ensuring its enough - as well as well tamped. Still not brewing well - it may be the coffee beans are not very fresh - and this will also impact the flow. Fresher beans are best 🫶
Hi I have been using the Breville grinder with our dual boiler too, with fresh beans I have to have the grind setting to the lowest setting of 1 and a grind time of 17 seconds the coffee tastes great but I wonder if the setting on 1 is too low and I should try adjusting the internal burr setting too? Cheers
I have the Barista Pro and my internal burr set is on 2 (it came on 6). I don't put it on 1 because 1 and 1 the burrs touch and it ain't good for the longevity
Does the Breville have problems with oily beans getting stuck or not getting down to be ground? The new espressione grinder I got recently has to be tapped to keep the beans falling to grind them. I called their tech line and they said it may only be a problem with dark roast oily beans. I never had that problem with my Cuisinart burr mill.
Yes, if they're very oily Ive heard this does happen. I've not experienced it myself - but makes sense. These grinders are not particular that powerful and thus can clog easier than a more commercial style Home Grinder.
Hi again Joshua! Recently, I was asking you about some hand grinders, whether they are capable of grinding for Turkish coffee. So, same question here: will this Breville do the job, or at this price point I wouldn't be able to beat the hand grinder for this method? Thanks!
I would say, on a consistent level, I would not use the Breville for Turkish. It would eventually clog. The Knock Aergrind would be my first choice for affordable grinders - although it’s Manual, it’s very smooth grinding at any setting, including Turkish
Really great to see budget grinder performing just as good as an expensive Niche Zero. I love the single dose mod on the Breville. It does a great job on the retention. What was your internal/external dial setting for espresso?
Great review and nice that you blind tested. Doubting to buy this grinder. I have the sage/breville barista pro with built in grinder. The grinder cones seem built similar. What quality/comfort will I gain from this grinder?
better consistency between grind settings and grind to time. The in-built grinder is slightly less reliable and has a habit of becoming very dirty and clogged with old grounds, versus the BSGP that, as a stand-along Grinder - is built for the one job and is more easily able to be serviced on and cleaned out, separate to the machine.
I have the barista express and I am using Merlo espresso bean. I’m really struggling to work out the best grind setting on the express. I started off at 8 and now I’m at 3 and a 4. The barista express pressure is about 11 o’clock and won’t go much higher than that no matter the grind setting. I thought I had it right and few days later same process and I can taste some either sour notes or bitter notes. I’m just at a loss. Have contacted both breville and merlo. Breville have already swapped over my machine for a new one and tbh I feel like the last machine is better than this new one :/ Wish breville or merlo or you guys did home lessons. I live locally to your Oxley warehouse.
Right on! well you can come down to the warehouse, but unfortunately yes, we don't have Breville, Merlo or the facilities for the lessons - but agree! it would be a great thing to do. Check these two videos out as well if you haven't already - these might help further: ua-cam.com/video/oGgE1uRgWTM/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/TbBgwoEOeug/v-deo.html If there's anything I can help with, let me know 🫶
Yes, a stand alone grinder will be far better. To my knowledge - most In-built grinders have a setting of 5-10 grind settings that cover a wide spectrum of grind sizes. The power of the grinders is usually slightly lacking - I would always go with a stand alone grinder - versus an in-built one.
Hey Josh @alternativebrewing. What is the best way to tweak the grind setting. I am using the smart grinder pro for a year now and mainly focused on pourovers and aeropress. The setting i am using for v60 is 46 but i tried 35 in the video and the brew tasted great. How did you come up with the recommended grind settings? do you go by taste, or extraction time or the size of the grinds it produces?
Visual Grind Size mostly - as the Brew time, taste or extraction will depend on many other factors. A grind size of 400-700µ is recommended for Pour overs - depending on your recipe. What must also be stated, and apologies for this - the Grinder comes by default, with the inner burr adjustment set at 3 or 4 I believe. I had switched it up to 1 - so that means all the Settings I was using were coarser than if I were to take it straight out of the box. For reference - I could have probably adjust the inner burr carrier to 2 or 3 - given I was on 12 for my Espresso settings - and this would open up more range at the coarser settings as well.
@@AlternativeBrewing I get it now. Another thing. if i want to improve my pourover by really dialing in my grind size distribution, would a sieve (like one from the fellow) be a wise investment? Thanks again for replying :)
@@daniellonetree6131 It's two steps forward - one step back really. As you will be using say wasting 2g to get 15g within a certain grind size. But - you're right. Having a smaller distribution in grind sizes for pourover makes for a better brew 100%. You'll see the difference in flow and taste the difference in the final cup. Another way to do this - is use a small kitchen sieve - this will at least remove the FINES ... and this could act as the experiment to see whether you want to proceed with something like the Fellow Shimmy 👍
@@AlternativeBrewing Thank you so much for the clarification. You always wanted to get the most out of any grinders regardless of electric or manual, low price to ultra expensive like the niche...
@@daniellonetree6131 thx for this I did not know about the fellow shimmy. I'm thinking about this too as this Breville Grinder is an all rounder and hence isn't going to churn out perfect grinds for every brew type eg. it may lack in offering great pour over grinds with light roast beans. Lance Hedrick mentions (in his great burr battle video) that this may be due to it not having enough torque to deal with the quicker feed rate of a pentagonal burr (5 spokes compared to more spokes) when grinding light roast beans...I'm assuming this leads to more fines...thus perhaps a sieve may help here.
Hello man nice to discover your channel and analysis 😀 the Breville is well known to make really good espresso so can I conclude that it will be great too for using with moka pot type of brew ?
@@AlternativeBrewing that's what I thought since the begining thx a lot ! I would buy the Breville to use with a bialetti inox moka pot if you have some tips, advices for me I'm just waiting and reading ahah 👀
i've had my SGP for 6 years now paired with a rocket appartamento, and the worst thing about it? its "good enough" that it makes it hard to justify upgrading to a new grinder without spending stupid amounts of money. i've tried the neiche zero (family member has one) and its BEAUTIFUL. but until mine dies... its almost impossible to justify. just dont do it people. buy something a little nicer or you'll get stuck with it FOREVER! the build quality, and the feel of the interaction with the neiche just has no comparison to the SMP. its built like a kitchenaid mixer. so solid! even if there is no difference between the actual coffee. the interaction with the neiche is so much nicer. (granted.... i got my SGP for $150aud.... so it was a steal, pre covid prices woo!)
@@AlternativeBrewing ok good to know. I had adjusted the inner burr finer but not all the way and was confused why I still wasn’t getting slow enough extraction.
10:11 wasting 5 grams of coffee because it's "old" then using a dirty portafilter..... like the video just wanted to point this out because I firmly believe the pretentious throwing away of "not perfect" coffee seriously needs to stop. love from canada xoxo
I’m just bored of most coffee people who always talk down about this grinder. Glad to come across this video of yours and you talked about this grinder in a positive way ◡̈
I appreciate that! Thanks for watching
Ive had mine for about a year and its been flawless
@freightdawg6762 what do you generally grind for? Im looking for one that is great with espresso grinds. A few forums that I read said it didn't do well with lighter roasts. Any recommendations?
@@Im_AshParker i do med/dark roasts for espresso, never done a light roast sorry
Thanks for this comment. I wouldn't have watched until the end without it after the 'plastic tap test' nonsense and other signs that this guy knows very little about this product.
Love that you posted this despite failing the taste test. It's a great reminder of how much closer a lot of gear is and also that a lot of the differences are subjective.
Great point! Yeah 😂 I was totally shock by the outcome - and my I watched my body language in that moment - I touch my nose, laugh and than I'm like OKAY ... did not see that coming 😂
- Another *excellent review on the channel.
- He didn't fail a taste test. That is a flawed premise. He was attempting to ascribe a set of distinctive nature or features of taste or palate characterization to a grinder - and perhaps to prior tastings and perception - against info he as yet did not have. It is a interesting challenge and means to inform oneself of his palate and make an informed decison.
- Not considered but impactful may have been the effect of benefit of WDT in the Breville and the unkown possibility of quakers in either unless sorted.
It was a win though i find out i dont need an expensive grinder😅
@@noahmn4985I guess the big difference will probably be longevity. That plastic burr housing etc.
@@whiskeyinthejar24 indeed. Note though, the plastic upper burr housing does not rotate when in use, therefore should not be subjected to excessive force (in normal domestic use). There are posts on youtube showing these grinders still in use after 5 years…YMMV of course 😊
I like that you did the blind test to eliminate bias; you demonstrated how bias can trip you up in the video. Excellent review!
Glad you liked it!
Hey I really appreciate the unbiased and “not bought out” take u provided. It is totally priceless and much appreciated
As a novice audiophile I find that there are similarities between fine coffees/espressos and music enjoyment. The placebo effect is real and your very honest presentation proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You can still make a lousy cup of espresso or poorly tune music even with the best equipment... and the best brewers/players can use practically anything and make it taste/sound good! Meanwhile I do still appreciate the details and quality of good equipment. God bless you and all you love.
Im a retired acoustic engineer and yes it's quit similar from a novice point but like everything else its using your experiences and training your ears/taste buds but alas not everyone has the ability to do that especially with sound quality as there's soooo many parameters to gauge, there's a saying in inner circles, there's engineers and there's rubber ears .
But that placebo effect goes way deeper and becomes a bit of conceit with many people especially with sound quality as spending more isn't always going to give you real better results as you've just been seduced by the price tag .
@@meandmeatmeoverthere Thanks for sharing your experience with me. It also applies to Gear Acquirement Syndrome GAS. Chasing after the next piece of new gear… when I need to be spending more time practicing my guitar! God bless!
Hahaha
Yes gas would describe it perfectly in more ways than one 😵💫😂😂
I’m 68 and been on tour or tech support for more musicians than could shake a stick at over decades .
I can remember when you couldn’t buy equipment like even a mixing desk to now when you can roll it out like a yoga mat 🤷♂️😁
Hate to throw in a wrench here, but observed placebo effects are often actually just misattributed observations of regression toward the mean.
@@greg5892 so people tend to be able to tell the difference even if it is on accident? 🤪
I had this Breville for close to 5 years now and I recently retired it from espresso grinding by getting the eureka Oro XL. I will still use this to grind more coarse grinds for drip coffee though. Honestly this is a fantastic machine for the price point and can't really go wrong with it. The reasons why I upgraded grinder is because I wanted more fluffier grinds and shorter grind time. Some pro about Breville is that it's super beginner friendly. Really easy to take out the hopper to clean the burr & the digital display is fantastic when you want to change to a different coffee brewing type.
was it good enough to get an italian sort of thickish creamy espresso? its all im looking for. an italian 30ml espresso...
It’s funny. I respect your channel even more now. A lot of people aren’t willing to blind taste test at the expense of their own reputation, especially in the event that their choice was “incorrect”. Most of the time people just think more expensive means much better without really putting that to the test. Thanks a lot for making this video 🫡
Thanks so much Sam! We're not an independent reviewer so people will always doubt our intentions or bias. Though I hope through this - and many more interactions that are filmed unscripted and without conclusions - this may alleviate the notion we're simply making videos to sell the items 👌
So I have had mine for about three years and got it from a friend who moved and had it for maybe two more. The "cup" feature is pretty much a pre-set, you program it yourself, which totally makes it useable. I use it all the time, 7 cups, 34.4 seconds grind for my moccamaster, is perfect. I have a setting for my french press, that makes a strong cup of coffee the way I like it. I love mine.
I was on the edge of my seat with the drama. 😆
I've just bought this, and your comparison gives me confidence in it. Much appreciated
Appreciate the honesty in the review.
Love the video and your head to head test. I will be buying the breville grinder. Sometimes the cost of the machine does not mean it's better. Marketing is what will help drive the consumer to purchase.
I just ordered the breville and mixer , thanks for the Laugh! :)
Breville Pro is a really great grinder. I had mine, I don't know for how long. Probably seven years or eight. Still works great. I just got a Fiorenzato, which is spectacular. I'll keep my Breville as backup. Great review 🎉
Thanks so much 👌 quality for the price I agree
I've had my Breville grinder since at least 2012 and still going strong
the best!
You kept it real ! Breville can make nice espresso shots and for an entry level grinder , it's enough money to spend on a grinder to make nice espresso. I was so stressed out thinking I needed to go broke to get my expensive grinder . Thanks for the video 😀
You got that right! Your welcome
I always follow this channel for their product reviews and I have a Breville Espresso Machine with a built in grinder. Overtime, I thought I could be doing something different to improve my routine and enhance my understanding of it for a better, more consistent result with flavour and extraction. This video helped me understand so much better and proved that I definitely shouldn't blame the tools xD especially compared with a niche, which is the grinder I considered getting separate, it was good to see a fair comparison between the two
Thanks 👍🏼
The Smart Grinder Pro was my first burr grinder. I loved the options, ease to clean. As I upgraded to better espresso machine, I found dialing in cludgy on the Breville and moved to the Sette 270. However, I collected Smart Pro Grinders over those years and supplied my wife and kids with these for their own coffee stations (wife’s art studio). Mine sits below my station in a cabinet but this video has inspired me to resurrect it and give it another go…experimentally. Loved everything about your production. Truly. Thanks.
Nice! Good luck
With this brilliant, honest review, you have gained my respect and also a new subscriber. Cheers from Ankara!
Awesome, thank you! 🫶
Great job! Thank you for your honest transparency.👍🏽
I'm on to my second Breville Smart Grinder Pro. The first one died after seven years, and there was no other option for me. Super happy with the SGP! :)
I use a home made thingy that does what a WDT does, and it really seems to help even out the taste variations.
Thanks Josh, I'm new to "quality" home espresso making and am finding your videos super useful ! They're honest, thorough, insightful yet concise. Liked & subscribed 😀👍
Great to hear! Thanks so much for watching and If there's anything I can help with, let me know
Great review. Thanks for all the details. As someone with young kids and light sleepers who likes to grind at time of brewing, noise is a factor imo. Was glad to hear the audio seemed real time so I could measure the sound
Thanks for watching!
Novice barista, yet 'coffee fanatic', here.. Thank you for this review. I appreciate this honest (and funny) assessment of the Breville SCP. This is the first Alternative Brewing video I have seen. Won't be the last.. Just subscribed. - Cheers from Mpls.
Glad it was helpful! And welcome 🤗
For anyone who just got it, my grind settings for medium-dark beans for espresso, I set the internal burr to 1 and the digital counter between 18-20. my machine (revile bambino plus) chokes out as his setting of 8-15.
Seems to be an exact copy of the grinder attached to their espresso machines, and I have had great success with that grinder for espresso and drip
had to hit subscribe after watching this... Interesting, informative, well spoken and clear.
Thanks and welcome aboard 😀
One benefit of the cup number button on the Breville - when it's 5AM and I'm making my coffe before heading off to work, doing time multiplication in my head isn't really going to be a thing. Dialling the grind time for 1 cup or shot then simply pressing for more removes mental effort before I've had my 1st coffee.
Such an honest and awesome review
Thanks 🙏
Excellent review.
My home setup is Eureka Atom 75 and Profitec Pro 800.
My travel (car travel) is Breville Smart Grinder Pro and a La Pavoni Europiccola.
I can't really fault the Breville for what it is.
We got fantastic coffee for the entire fam - good rich and sweet coffee (I bet the bitter one was the a Niche).
Cheers ☕️ ☕️ !
great setups 👌
I'm using this Breville for a few months now and you can save grind time to ech grind settings pressing and holding the grind time adjustment knob, that helps with single dosing. We use V60 and aeropress and the grind times saved to each settings is very convenient, especially when brewing single or double pourovers. Also the amount of cups with the middle button changes to shots if you go down to espresso range, I really appreciate this small design feats. Closer to zero retention is definitely better with the Niche but price to value ratio the small breville is unbeatable in my opinion. I can buy a lot of great quality coffee with that price difference. (we don't do espresso at home so I'm not sure what's going on with consystency at that grind size)
Yeah - that's a perfect scenario 100% It has great value to it 👌 Thanks for watching
Always good to find an authentically helpful and progressive coffee channel on YT - particularly with the level of detail here. I've been looking for an entry level espresso grinder (electric) and this is really interesting to see - the Sage looks great on many levels and seems less convoluted than a few others in that price range (Fellow Onus etc). Fascinating to see how the taste extraction differed with that roast to the Niche too. Thanks for the upload.
Much appreciated!
I got one of these along with the breville precision brewer. It does a good job. Once you've dialed in the grind size and time for your preferred dose and strength, the cups function can be quite useful. It's not just a multiplier. Each step can have it's grind time independently set.
When I dial in I just grind a small dose to get the grams per second and then multiply to get my desired dose.
If I'm using the autostart and brewing straight into my travel mug during the week I've got that set up on the 2 cups setting.
On the weekend I might make a larger pot of coffee so I have that set up on the 4 cups setting.
It's nice to be able to switch between them without having to change any settings.
I've used the smart grinder pro as my daily grinder for espresso for about 6 years now. I've been really impressed with the build quality, had no issues with it, the only thing I've had to do is adjust the inner burr settings up 3 notches over the years.
Yeah, you do get some clumping, but as demonstrated in your video WDT takes care of it pretty easily. I've been able to consistently dial in really nice espresso, with very little channeling.
Fantastic beginner grinder, I'm looking at upgrading mostly out of curiosity/FOMO, but like the idea of single dosing and maybe trying out flat burrs.
Thanks for sharing! yeah - A flat burr would be the unmistakable best next move to make. Something like a Eureka Mignon - and you can get parts for it now to take it from a 300g Hopper to a Single Dosing Bellows. Mignon's are fantastic commercial grade grinders - and will certainly off similar if not better longevity, as well as a different flavour profile.
i have been grinding with the lid off, and it's always a mess! I just saw another brand has a canister attached so it made me wonder if I had been using mine wrong and sure enugh i had been! ugh!
glad i saw this video
coffeegeek brought me here❤️.. This got me confused if I shld. let go of my BSGP or research and learn more from it .... I am mainly focused on espresso, so for the mean time, I'm gonna hold on to it. Thanks for the review☕
Unreal 🤘
Amazingly Josh from Alternative Brewing is also Josh from Desky. Nice one Josh, good to see you're getting plenty of work mate.
hahaha 😂 Thanks for that!
I appreciate the objectivity, good review, pacing and scripting could be improved. Good luck with the channel!
Much appreciated! pacing and scripting could be improved >> how so?
I have the Smart grinder which I bought together with my Dual boilder. I have been considering the Niche. Looks like it is really incremental improvement from Breveille to Niche, if there is. Proper puck prep plays a crucial part.
I moved from this to a Niche. The niche is a nice upgrade in terms of better work flow (much better for single dosing) and does make better espresso and filter compared to this. The smart grinder is really good for the money though and you don't miss out massively in terms of taste compared to a Niche. I think WDT with niche still helps. Overall I tend to get less astringency from the niche despite the outcome of the test in the video! It's easier to dial in too.
@@chrisdturner Agreed. The amount of retention in the Breville grinder is additional step in the workflow. For now, I use a collapsible rubber cup as a blower. If taste is better with less astringency in Niche, that's a worthy consideration. Another conical burr grinder to consider is the Weber Key with a bigger burr, variable speed and flexible voltage (good for travel/relocation). But it would be double that of Niche price and easily quadruple of Breville. Maybe for final upgrade?
@@jiewwantan977 yeah, definitely diminishing returns on investment above the price of a smart grinder.
It’s funny,
I went from breville to a niche.
Some elements I wish I still had of the breville.
Alas the niche does come into its own once’s dialled in.
It’s quieter, easier to keep clean. And makes brighter coffees. Alas the chocolates and nuts you describe are things I do miss as well.
Can’t have both worlds right.
The wife sold the breville as it was loud and I spent so much on the niche.
Yay, I'm even more confident that i got the right grinder now. Can't wait to give it a go. Had a cheap cuisinart grinder until now, ordered it because it was 25% off.
Just bought the breville after a real struggle with the Precision Gs2 . So hoping this next Grinder is the better choice
Thanks Josh!
You're welcome! 😊
I’ve seen so many videos, not giving good reviews about the Breville grinder. I’ve used it now for a couple of years with my dual boiler. Compared to any other Grinder that makes decent espresso, you cannot beat the price point. I guess the niche will last longer as it’s higher quality. But honestly idk why the breville gets so much hate
It's funny! I love your reaction when you saw that it is not the niche! It is convincing to me, as a beginner struggling to find a grinder at home at cheap price!
May I know the coffee bean you used?
Thanks so much! They were a Toby's Estate coffee. Freshly roasted within a two weeks. alternativebrewing.com.au/collections/tobys-estate-coffee
Really excellent review, thank you.
Thank you
Thanks for Review 👍
No problem 👍
Thanks very much, debating whether to replace my Barista Express (which has been excellent, but is going to a new place after a service) with the same or get a Dual Boiler with this grinder; you've just made up my mind. Absolutely loved your honesty and will be watching your channel to learn more; can't wait for the upgrade.
Best of luck! Thanks so much for tuning in
Thank you for a great review..I am just starting to grind coffee and have just purchased the breville.. cant wait to pick it up and get started
Hope you enjoy it!
You have to be really careful adjusting the grind on the burr carrier itself. Usually it is factory set to 6, and this setting is more to allow for adjustment when the burrs wear down. Once you hit the minimimum grind size, which is basically where the burrs are virtually touching, you can't get any finer. removing the burr carrier and adjusting it to 5 makes a quite a big difference and I would not touch this (leave it at factory setting) unless you can't get it fine enough, then maybe reduce it by one click only. It is not designed to be constantly adjusted.
For most people, the grind will be kind of a set and then leave alone as most people grabbing a grinder like this will likely grab one brand of beans they like.
I am another one here saying thank you for being totally honest. A lot may have edited the video if they got it wrong, but you were honest and this was a really great review.
Good advice! & thanks for watching 🙌
I love my recently purchased Smart Grinder Pro - as an 'entry level' serious grinder it has the ability to dial in the grind size to suit almost any style of coffee. The selling point for me was the ability to adjust the burr. I am sure they are out there somewhere but I couldn't find another grinder at this price-point with the same feature. As Joshua said, you probably won't use it a lot, but it's nice to know it's there if you do. Incidentally, out of the box I felt the grind size at setting 60 for French Press was not coarse enough. A quick tweak of the burr solved this. The grinder is very quiet to use and is easy to clean.
To date, have brewed lots of Moka and French press with very good and consistent results. Being new to the hobby I wanted something I could use easily, provides a lot of versatility, gives me consistent results and that I wouldn't have to sell a kidney to buy it. Highly recommended.☕
Initially, I can only get 3 bar with bse 920 using single wall basket even set grind size to 1. Changed inner burr to 4 and problem solved.
If this grinder is too loud the Niche is a great one but more expensive.
Comparing apples to apples the Kitchenaid espresso grinder Model KCG8433ER is 71db beaten by the Niche, M4, Hedone Honne, Weber Key and even the Atom 75 at 68db is very respectable.
The fact the Kitchenaid can go from filter to drip to espresso is an added bonus. 71db is my baseline for any future grinder especially important in the mornings.
Honorable mention DF64 on 600 rpm grind settings is 73. Not bad. I'll add to this list as I find more information.
Had this grinder for about eight years, still going strong...though the machine it came with perished after four years 😳
Awesome video 👏
Thank you! Cheers!
I’m really curious about the DF64 Gen 2 vs breville
Great work 👌, I need your help in adjusting my Breville smart grinder , I have lelit Mara x with bottomless portafilter , what you recommend for inner burr setting ? For espresso?
I would recommend setting it to a 1 or 2. The finest it can go - especially with both a good machine and Bottomless basket 👌
Thanks, very useful video! I’m new to the magical espresso world, so sorry if it’s an obvious question.. why there is adjustable time but not grams? Or is a shot/cup something equivalent to a specific weight? Thanks!
Because technology hasn’t caught up 🤣
It’s on a handful of grinders - some companies own the rights to this technology. Others - it would make the grinders overly expensive. You’re better off using a single dosing grinder to compensate 🙌 weight your dose with scales and grind only exactly what you need - no hopper
I found using a dosing pot with a lid worked well with this grinder, a few good shakes very few lumps
Great tip!
Great video, I do have this grinder and have used for a couple of years. She did start to waver a bit over time but recently changed the burr set and now it’s working like a champ again. However I am considering the Niche Zero, not to replace but to go along side and will become my primary espresso grinder with the Sage becoming my drip grinder. Personally, through trial and error and a little extra effort like yourself have produced some great coffee with this machine. Thanks again Josh great vid 👍🏻
my pleasure! thanks for sharing your experiences 🫶
I bought a niche zero and sold it because the flavour in the cup wasn't as good as my used Eureka Mignon. It would be better to compare the SGP with a budget mignon as it is a superior grinder to both the niche and sgp in terms of the cup it produces.
You're absolutely right. I avoid those comparisons based solely on trying not to compare Flat burrs with conical burrs - as there will always be a difference there - however, in relation to shopping around for a good grinder - a Eureka Mignon is at a much closer price point, and therefore more likely competitor in the market then the Niche - i get it.
Great content....love it
Appreciate it!
Great video. We’ve just got the Sage Duo Temp Pro with Sage Smart Grinder but struggling to get the right balance on taste. Can you offer any advice on the below?? Beans are espresso and fresh. 54mm double shot basket, non pressurised.
1. Smart grind to size 14 for 10 seconds to produce 18g of grinds in the basket
2. Distribute and then tamp to Razor height
3. Extract for 28s from point I turn to manual.
Thanks for any help 🙏
Hi there! Sure. "get the right balance on taste" what is it lacking in? strength? or is it too strong?
1. This sounds good - great to hear you're weighing the coffee in.
2. Distributing and tamping are fantastic. To any particular height isn't much advantage here - coffee swells up in the basket. Just make sure you're not over-filling the basket. Generic Sage/Breville baskets are usually 16g max.
3. If you have the ability to weigh in your ground coffee, you should also weight out your extracted coffee. You don't have to do this every time - but it does help ballpark it. So you'd tare off the empty glass - brew your espresso to say 28 seconds - then place this back in the scales to see how much espresso you have. With 18g dose - you'd be aiming for a 36-40g espresso out. And 28 seconds is a good time to keep consistent. So from here - if you have less than 36-40g in the cup, adjust the grind coarser - to allow the coffee to flow faster into the cup. And if the opposite is true, and you have more than 36-40g in the cup after 28 seconds - than adjust the grind finer. Each time you brew an espresso ensure you're always weight the dose in at 18g and checking the espresso's weight too - and you'll soon discover a taste you prefer 😀
@@AlternativeBrewing
Thanks for this. So as the basket is 54mm on the Sage DTP should I be aiming for 16g of ground coffee as opposed to 18g? 18g does seem to fit fine. If I should be going for 16g how would your measurements adjust for espresso out?
So this morning I did grind size of 18 which took 10 seconds to give approx 18g of grinds in the 54mm basket. I then extracted for 28 seconds and managed to weigh the espresso and it actually came out as just under 80g!! Which obviously seems way off looking at your guide. I did do a test the other day at grind size 8 and the espresso out tasted pretty foul. I’m not sure whether it was bitter or sour (perhaps my pallet is off) but didn’t have a nice after taste. Maybe I should try again and measure the espresso out on the scales (only bought scales yesterday)..
Thank you so much for your guidance 🙏
Cool video! I’ve got a bsgp and can confirm it makes a tasty coffee. My theory or the difference between each is that the smart grinder pro is a little bit less consistent when it comes to the particle size distribution. The larger percentage of grinds in the courser end of the bell curve are likely contributing to the acidic fruit flavour you were describing.
I totally agree!
great video. I have the Breville smart grinder pro as well. Did you adjust the burr grinder internally as well beside setting it at 12.
Yes I did - I set my internal setting to 1 - the finest it will go.
Thank you , interesting, still can not find the perfect grindsize and time for my La Pavoni Stradivari
The grind size is only one factor- perhaps lowering the pressure as you pull down will improve it overall- what about the grind size are you finding is the issue?
@@AlternativeBrewing it definitely helps when lower the pressure, and not to fine grinding
that bitterness came from the water you took just before you took the niche shot. not that water is bitter haha, but water doesnt neutralize the taste. try it out yourself, drink water while having the same espresso, the 3rd 4th time will always seem more bitter and the very first will be always sweetish. can i ask you something? i love italian style thick creamy short espresso 25-35ml. will the breville be good enough to give me a thick coffee with ssome gaggia bambino, or just get a breville express or barista pro? i am a minimalist, purist. just thick coffe italian style short espresso/ristretto. id really like your input. you seem the person to go to to ask for. thank you in advance, i hope:)
100% the Breville is a capable of this 👌 Two strong considerations though are - it may clog up much more than other grinders - when using beans that are roasted darker and have oils presents on the beans' exterior. If you don't use these coffees - No worries but it's worth getting a Grinder a little more robust if using oiler beans - or clean it out more regularly than you'd prefer to do. Secondly - the longevity of the grinder. I've heard from both sides of the equation - where it lasts for years no problems, and others it's broke in 6 months. However - after saying all that - it's a great grinder for making superb espresso on a budget 👌
Had this grinder for a while now but I learned a few things from your review. Didn’t know there was a single dose option or find adjustment. There does seem to be some weird quirks to the ratio of time, cups and grind size.
Could anyone tell me what would be best grind size to use on the DeLonghi Dedica Arte espresso machine?
I do 12 and I’ve changed out screens and use espresso pucks and I’m still not getting good crema but a lot of residual water and spraying.
Finally, a Niche killer! 😜
Excellent honest review. Thanks.
No problem!
It will be interesting to see what Breville comes out with in the future, incorporating Baratza.
I’ve never cared much for these grinders (I sure like the simplicity of my Niche over all the fiddling), but I own and really like many Breville products (including my dual boiler), but this line always felt like a miss.
It may still take some time before we see any crossovers. Likely Breville will be enhanced by Baratza then the other way around IMO. I'd agree, the Simplicity of a Niche is unmatched. I do believe Breville have the capacity to bring a Grinder out that really competes in the sphere, but only time will tell
I'd really love to see a test with this grinder using for different brew methods, changing the grind size from one to another. I mostly brew aeropress and v60, but twice a week I brew espresso. Would be this grinder suitable for this?
Great suggestion! Yes, absolutely it would be. Very reliable for changing grind settings. You know - I'd say, more reliable than a Eureka Mignon - just because its so much easier to track the settings. I had the inner Burr adjusted to 1 - and the digital adjustment at 12 for Espresso on the Rancilio - and then grind settings of around 25-45 would be ideal for you Aeropressing / V60 -so plenty of room to dial in 👌 Just perhaps want to purge the grinder if you're single dosing.
@@AlternativeBrewing I was thinking about buying the Mignon, before I found this grinder a few weeks ago. After that I saw your video and it was a confirmation for me. Yeah, the mignon's size dial button seems to be not so convenient when switching between brew methods that requires different grind sizes. I guess, retention is always is and will be a problem if I want to single dose in this price category.
Thanks for the advise!
Ive got the smart grinder pro for probably 10 years now and its clumping on finer grind settings, particularly as ive been trying different roasters. looking to upgrade although the wife doesnt like to fuss with grinding so single dose might not be an option for me :(
What is the material for the impeller?
In my lower end Breville the plastic impeller wore out to nothing. I ended up getting a 3d printed replacement.
Plastic
I have 2 Pros, and after tuning them in for equivalent pucks, 28 seconds, one burr setting is at 11, the other at 5. Not sure what that indicates.
Wow - sooo same coffee? ... and the interior grind setting is the same too?
I would love to see an X-Pro review! Esp versus JX-Pro and Comandante!
It’s up! 👍
Great video! Love the comparison between the Niche too! How do you think the Breville compares to the Eureka Manuale for both espresso & filter? The Eureka is stepless so seems to have more settings but it's not as convenient switching between espresso & filter. After that comparison I'm starting to think the Breville will have enough settings for dialling in properly and it's quick to switch to filter. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks
Good question! Eureka I would say is the overall better build quality, with Flat Burrs - (but in saying that, i know people who've had a BSGP for 8 years no issues) - The breville is a Conical burr grinder - so great for espresso and okay for filter. Yes - if you're jumping back and forth with espresso and Filter I'd prefer the Breville 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing Thanks so much for the reply! Wonderful, think I’m going to go down the Breville route! From your experience, are the steps small enough to be able to dial in a variety of coffees? Thanks again!
@@joshdale It's not really steps. It's just that the readout is quantised. The readout changes fairly quickly as you turn the RHS knob, so it's quite sensitive (decent resolution). I don't know how repeatable the settings are, as I just left it at a good spot for the espresso I'm making.
Wow. Love it. That was illuminating. Very interesting. Thanks for this comparison. I have the Breville Barista Express which has the same built-in grinder and have brewed some tasty espressos. I wonder about an upgrade but am not sure if it is worth it, or if a conical or flat burr grinder is the way to go. I have tried the 1ZPresso with it which has been great. The flat burr might provide some.different flavors?
Very cool! Yeah - a flat burr grinder is going to provide a very different flavour profile to what you're already tasting - and it's honestly nice to have both - so you can go back and forwards occasionally
Hello can you let me know for ONE cut expresso what is the best setting with the grinder pro ? I do 8g with setting 10. And i have 37ml for 19 secondes the coffee is good
if the coffee is good - dont change a thing 😀
hello, we have the same coffee machine with a grinder as you, but we have a problem with the fact that, despite the fact that we have the grinder set to level 1 (the finest), the ground coffee is still NOT fine enough to create a quality espresso. Did you also adjust the grinder manually inside the device and bring the grinding stones closer together?
I did yes. So basically as fine as it will possibly go. Beyond this - you may look at how much coffee you're adding to the basket - ensuring its enough - as well as well tamped. Still not brewing well - it may be the coffee beans are not very fresh - and this will also impact the flow. Fresher beans are best 🫶
Hi
I have been using the Breville grinder with our dual boiler too, with fresh beans I have to have the grind setting to the lowest setting of 1 and a grind time of 17 seconds the coffee tastes great but I wonder if the setting on 1 is too low and I should try adjusting the internal burr setting too?
Cheers
I have the Barista Pro and my internal burr set is on 2 (it came on 6). I don't put it on 1 because 1 and 1 the burrs touch and it ain't good for the longevity
if it tastes good - don't change a thing I say 😀
Please compare the breville bambino to the gaggia classic pro. Great video
Does the Breville have problems with oily beans getting stuck or not getting down to be ground?
The new espressione grinder I got recently has to be tapped to keep the beans falling to grind them. I called their tech line and they said it may only be a problem with dark roast oily beans. I never had that problem with my Cuisinart burr mill.
Yes, if they're very oily Ive heard this does happen. I've not experienced it myself - but makes sense. These grinders are not particular that powerful and thus can clog easier than a more commercial style Home Grinder.
Will this grinder have any issues, in the espresso range, with light roasts? (around 70-74 agtron)
Hi again Joshua! Recently, I was asking you about some hand grinders, whether they are capable of grinding for Turkish coffee. So, same question here: will this Breville do the job, or at this price point I wouldn't be able to beat the hand grinder for this method? Thanks!
I would say, on a consistent level, I would not use the Breville for Turkish. It would eventually clog. The Knock Aergrind would be my first choice for affordable grinders - although it’s Manual, it’s very smooth grinding at any setting, including Turkish
Really great to see budget grinder performing just as good as an expensive Niche Zero. I love the single dose mod on the Breville. It does a great job on the retention.
What was your internal/external dial setting for espresso?
Right on! Internal - 1. / External - 12.
Great video👍, I would like to ask if the espresso grind produced by the machine is suitable for use with the Flair?
Yes, absolutely
Great review and nice that you blind tested. Doubting to buy this grinder. I have the sage/breville barista pro with built in grinder. The grinder cones seem built similar. What quality/comfort will I gain from this grinder?
better consistency between grind settings and grind to time. The in-built grinder is slightly less reliable and has a habit of becoming very dirty and clogged with old grounds, versus the BSGP that, as a stand-along Grinder - is built for the one job and is more easily able to be serviced on and cleaned out, separate to the machine.
Bought it in meantime. Problem solved. Can get way more beans now grinded perfectly, twice as fast, twice less loud
Thank you!
You're welcome!
I have the barista express and I am using Merlo espresso bean. I’m really struggling to work out the best grind setting on the express.
I started off at 8 and now I’m at 3 and a 4.
The barista express pressure is about 11 o’clock and won’t go much higher than that no matter the grind setting. I thought I had it right and few days later same process and I can taste some either sour notes or bitter notes. I’m just at a loss. Have contacted both breville and merlo. Breville have already swapped over my machine for a new one and tbh I feel like the last machine is better than this new one :/
Wish breville or merlo or you guys did home lessons. I live locally to your Oxley warehouse.
Right on! well you can come down to the warehouse, but unfortunately yes, we don't have Breville, Merlo or the facilities for the lessons - but agree! it would be a great thing to do.
Check these two videos out as well if you haven't already - these might help further:
ua-cam.com/video/oGgE1uRgWTM/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/TbBgwoEOeug/v-deo.html
If there's anything I can help with, let me know 🫶
@@AlternativeBrewing thanks man.
Is the Smart Grinder Pro a large upgrade over the internal grinder on a Breville Barista Pro?
Looking for the answer too. I have the Barista Pro and with some beans, even on internal burr set to 2 and the wheel at 1, I still have fast shots 🙄
Yes, a stand alone grinder will be far better. To my knowledge - most In-built grinders have a setting of 5-10 grind settings that cover a wide spectrum of grind sizes. The power of the grinders is usually slightly lacking - I would always go with a stand alone grinder - versus an in-built one.
Hey Josh @alternativebrewing. What is the best way to tweak the grind setting. I am using the smart grinder pro for a year now and mainly focused on pourovers and aeropress. The setting i am using for v60 is 46 but i tried 35 in the video and the brew tasted great. How did you come up with the recommended grind settings? do you go by taste, or extraction time or the size of the grinds it produces?
Visual Grind Size mostly - as the Brew time, taste or extraction will depend on many other factors. A grind size of 400-700µ is recommended for Pour overs - depending on your recipe. What must also be stated, and apologies for this - the Grinder comes by default, with the inner burr adjustment set at 3 or 4 I believe. I had switched it up to 1 - so that means all the Settings I was using were coarser than if I were to take it straight out of the box. For reference - I could have probably adjust the inner burr carrier to 2 or 3 - given I was on 12 for my Espresso settings - and this would open up more range at the coarser settings as well.
@@AlternativeBrewing I get it now. Another thing. if i want to improve my pourover by really dialing in my grind size distribution, would a sieve (like one from the fellow) be a wise investment? Thanks again for replying :)
@@daniellonetree6131 It's two steps forward - one step back really. As you will be using say wasting 2g to get 15g within a certain grind size. But - you're right. Having a smaller distribution in grind sizes for pourover makes for a better brew 100%.
You'll see the difference in flow and taste the difference in the final cup.
Another way to do this - is use a small kitchen sieve - this will at least remove the FINES ... and this could act as the experiment to see whether you want to proceed with something like the Fellow Shimmy 👍
@@AlternativeBrewing Thank you so much for the clarification. You always wanted to get the most out of any grinders regardless of electric or manual, low price to ultra expensive like the niche...
@@daniellonetree6131 thx for this I did not know about the fellow shimmy. I'm thinking about this too as this Breville Grinder is an all rounder and hence isn't going to churn out perfect grinds for every brew type eg. it may lack in offering great pour over grinds with light roast beans. Lance Hedrick mentions (in his great burr battle video) that this may be due to it not having enough torque to deal with the quicker feed rate of a pentagonal burr (5 spokes compared to more spokes) when grinding light roast beans...I'm assuming this leads to more fines...thus perhaps a sieve may help here.
Hello man nice to discover your channel and analysis 😀 the Breville is well known to make really good espresso so can I conclude that it will be great too for using with moka pot type of brew ?
Yes, absolutely
@@AlternativeBrewing that's what I thought since the begining thx a lot ! I would buy the Breville to use with a bialetti inox moka pot if you have some tips, advices for me I'm just waiting and reading ahah 👀
Is it better then Delonghi dedica last version ?
i've had my SGP for 6 years now paired with a rocket appartamento, and the worst thing about it? its "good enough" that it makes it hard to justify upgrading to a new grinder without spending stupid amounts of money.
i've tried the neiche zero (family member has one) and its BEAUTIFUL. but until mine dies... its almost impossible to justify. just dont do it people. buy something a little nicer or you'll get stuck with it FOREVER!
the build quality, and the feel of the interaction with the neiche just has no comparison to the SMP. its built like a kitchenaid mixer. so solid!
even if there is no difference between the actual coffee. the interaction with the neiche is so much nicer.
(granted.... i got my SGP for $150aud.... so it was a steal, pre covid prices woo!)
Hi! I saw you put the inner burr at 1, but what's your setting for the dial? Thanks!
It was 12 for this particular coffee 👌
thanks so much!
No worries!
What grind setting did you settle on for the breville set at the burrs?
I had it adjusted on the inner burr, as fine as it will go - and the adjustment in the LCD screen was set at 12 👌
@@AlternativeBrewing ok good to know. I had adjusted the inner burr finer but not all the way and was confused why I still wasn’t getting slow enough extraction.
10:11 wasting 5 grams of coffee because it's "old" then using a dirty portafilter.....
like the video just wanted to point this out because I firmly believe the pretentious throwing away of "not perfect" coffee seriously needs to stop.
love from canada
xoxo