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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 22nd, 2023

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  • You’ll hear a lot of people talk about baratza models. They are great at grinding and are fairly low cost.

    You will have significant issues with static electricity and every time you use it you will make an enormous mess. I have had limited success with water spraying which is generally considered to minimize the impact. You’ll be sweeping the floor, using a wet cloth on your countertop, washing out the bin, and using a brush and cloth to clean out the machine. I have found the only way to clean out the chute where grinds exit is to use percussive maintenance, otherwise you have grinds just hanging out in the guts of the machine which are statically charged, just waiting for you to pick it up for next use.

    After a while I decided I didn’t think a $150++ grinder that needed so much attention and care for regular use was worth it and instead order my beans pre-ground every 1.5-2 weeks from a local roaster at a minimal price premium. I figure let them deal with the mess while I get fresh coffee far more often. My prep time and cleanup is next to nothing thanks to this.

    It’s all about convenience vs “perceived quality”. I don’t perceive the quality of freshly ground beans every day to be worth it vs avoiding all that mess, wasted table space and stuck with just one blend for weeks and weeks or very stale beans.

    If you absolutely love the hour morning ritual of prepping and cleaning your coffee implements then i’m sure it’s quite therapeutic. I just have other priorities.