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Reddit mentions of Hario MSS-1B Ceramic Coffee Mill-Original, Black

Sentiment score: 181
Reddit mentions: 271

We found 271 Reddit mentions of Hario MSS-1B Ceramic Coffee Mill-Original, Black. Here are the top ones.

Hario MSS-1B Ceramic Coffee Mill-Original, Black
Buying options
View on Amazon.com
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    Features:
  • Manual coffee grinder using burrs made of ceramic
  • Burrs make for a more consistent grind that’s easily adjustable and set for repeat use
  • Ceramic burrs don't transfer heat and shave the coffee beans vs cracking the beans like blade grinders
  • 2 Cup Capacity
  • Handwash only
  • Sleek, slim design makes it easy for storage
  • Easy to clean, easy to use
  • Can be stored without the handle
  • Beautiful ceramic mill, does not rust
  • Consistent grind for perfect, fresh coffee
Specs:
ColorBlack
Height3.2 Inches
Length7.3 Inches
Number of items1
SizeOriginal
Weight0.7 Pounds
Width4.5 Inches

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Found 271 comments on Hario MSS-1B Ceramic Coffee Mill-Original, Black:

u/ZedsTed · 39 pointsr/Coffee

The Hario Mini MIll is the coffee grinder I'd suggest you go for on a student budget. It's hand-cranked and a burr grinder that's pretty popular on here as an affordable, quality grinder - it's just not suitable for more than one or two cups at a time if you don't want a hand cramp.
Looking at Amazon Germany, it seems to be 25 euros - http://www.amazon.de/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/
Perhaps keep an eye on it and see if the price drops? Over in the UK it's currently £22 on Amazon but I bought it for £13 back in August from the same retailer.

It works very well with a french press for me, the grind can be a bit inconsistent, but I've never found it to be detrimental to the quality of the brew. I'm sure many other folks can chime in on their experiences with the Hario Mini MIll as well.

u/Hoogs · 29 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder

Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer

Filters

That leaves you with about $12 to spare, which you could spend on some beans.

(This is my own setup btw, so I may or may not be biased. It is cheap though.)

u/kidblast · 22 pointsr/Coffee

My simple guide for UK beginners.

  • Hario Mini Slim grinder
  • Aeropress
  • Decent coffee roasters house blend

    Don't waste your money buying fancy AA single estate small batch beans because you just won't get the best out of them. You want a reliable and inexpensive blend that doesn't need a chemistry degree and £300 worth of equipment to achieve good results every time.

    I would go as far as to recommend new comers just pick up some decent supermarket branded beans to practice your technique and figure out what type of coffees work for you. The when you become more confident with your method feel free to start exploring more luxury beans.

u/tardyontrain · 20 pointsr/india

This goes two ways depending on whether you're lazy or willing to work for your coffee.

Are you a very lazy person?

Get some ready-made decoction from Amazon. Boil water, mix a little decoction. Done. It's much better than Nescafé.

Are you willing to put in some effort? You need to buy beans, grind them yourself and use an espresso machine.

Beans: Blue Tokai is very good, but expensive. I've heard Koinonia is good, too, but it is again expensive. Devans has good coffee and is cheaper, but are sometimes inconsistent on the roast. The Coffee Gatherer is probably the cheapest source of good beans, but they don't roast well at all. This may or may not matter very much to you.

Grinding mill: buy a dedicated burr grinder. Use it only for grinding coffee. I have this. It's good enough but you can buy bigger and more expensive ones.

Espresso machine: I have a Tecnora. It's cheap and very good, builds great pressure, makes great espresso. You can dilute the espresso to make Americano. Machines from other brands in the same price range don't build up enough pressure and make a very weak Espresso.

I also have an Aeropress which I used for years. People swear by it, as I did, but the espresso machine makes much better coffee. I also used a French press before. It makes gritty and bitter coffee, and leaves grounds in so it keeps brewing as it sits. If you tend to sip large cups over a long while French press coffee is the worst.

u/bayernownz1995 · 18 pointsr/Coffee

Here's a really cheap grinder. I got it on Amazon for $20, so if you wait and watch, the prices might drop.

Depends on the store. Trader Joe's coffee is really good for the price. Whole foods is probably good too. I've heard got things about 8 O'Clock, a brand most stores carry, but I've never had it.

u/tangerinelion · 16 pointsr/Coffee

Hmm... if he just got a French Press for Christmas and is buying pre-ground then I would say to get him a burr grinder such as the Hario Mini Mill (amazon).

Basically, good coffee needs only a couple things and one of them is freshly ground and freshly roasted beans. It doesn't matter what coffee you brew if you didn't grind it freshly it won't be as good. The Mini Mill is also pretty affordable so you could pair that with a bag of freshly roasted coffee. If you don't mind buying things offline (ie, in the real world), then I would try and find a local roaster that you can drive to. Odds are if you're in/near a city you have one but may not know you do. You mentioned a particular place, they sound like a re-seller but likely they do get very fresh shipments (perhaps once a week since this is how my local shops work). If you would prefer to buy it online, then I can suggest Klatch Coffee Roasters in CA and Verve Coffee (also in CA). The former charges for shipping, but it's $5-$6 via USPS. The latter does not, which is fantastic if you're interested in ordering one bag of coffee. I wouldn't pay $5-$6 to ship one bag of coffee, but I would to ship two bags.

The important thing to remember with coffee beans is that you want it fresh. Ideally a couple days after being roasted, if not sooner, so you should be looking to buy this a few days before Valentine's.

u/6745408 · 13 pointsr/Coffee

The Harios are decent hand-grinders

u/Jordan33 · 12 pointsr/Coffee

Grinder

>Capresso Infinity - $89
>
>or
>
>Hario Mini Mill Slim - $30 - If you don't mind hand-grinding your beans


Coffee Maker

>Aeropress - $23 - Balanced flavour, easy cleanup
>
>or
>
>Hario v60 - $19 - If you enjoy the process of preparing your coffee, and enjoy a brighter (more acidity) cup of coffee.
>
>or
>
>A french press - $20 and up - If you want to make more coffee at a time than the Aeropress, don't mind a "thicker" (more coffee particulate and oils in the cup) coffee, and are not opposed to having a little bit more clean-up.

You'll need a kettle for any of these brew methods; a programmable/temperature controlled kettle like this one ($95) is ideal for manual brew methods, but any kettle (and a thermometer if you'd like to get fussy) will do just fine.

Personally I would get the Capresso and the Aeropress if I were you. It's a very balanced and forgiving brew method that can make coffee a few different ways (eg. paper filter for a "brighter" cup, metal for a thicker one). Set aside the rest of your budget and find a good coffee roaster near you!

u/Bell_Biv_WillemDafoe · 12 pointsr/Coffee

Beginner's Kit around here is pretty much going to be a grinder, scale, and Aeropress.

For a grinder, unless you want to jump into the depths of coffee, I'd probably suggest a Porlex, or either a Hario Mini Mill or Skerton.

For a beginner's scale, you can use whatever you have on hand, if you already own one. If you need one, American Weighs are highly recommended.

And the Aeropress! Despite all of the gear I've picked up, I still come back to this method. It's clean, simple, and fast.

But don't forget the fresh coffee. That's going to make the biggest difference.

u/fjwright · 12 pointsr/Coffee

I wrote an answer to a similar question yesterday. Here's a version edited for you, hope this helps.

​

Cheapest possible way to get into it is a whirly blade grinder and a french press. No filters needed, just fresh ground coffee made rather quickly and easily. This was my first ever coffee set up, and really got me into drinking better coffee. Buying locally from a reputable roaster will be the best option for quality beans for a good price, and you seem to know that already.



The other option, is to buy nice or buy twice. After using the above set up for a few months I was hooked and decided to upgrade everything. So I will send you some options for the most cost effective way to make specialty level coffee. For this I would look at a nicer grinder and a pour over set up. While hand grinders are great, almost everyone upgrades to an electric one. The linked options there are my favorite for the money. The electric model from baratza can be found refurbished on their website from time to time for additional savings.

The next thing you'll need is a pour over and a kettle to pour with. I recommend a Chemex here as they are good for serving one to three cups comfortably. I recommended a glass handle chemex because they are beautiful, but wood necked models are a little cheaper. I would get the white square filters with it as they impart less papery flavor. As for a kettle you have a ton of options. I am going to link a budget electric kettle as I find the stovetop models to be more of a hassle. The additional cost for an electric kettle is pretty marginal.



Hope this is helpful! Happy brewing and welcome to the fam!

u/pokoleo · 11 pointsr/uwaterloo

After much experimentation, you have a few options:

  1. On-campus
  • EngSoc C&D: Though not world-class, the coffee is very inexpensive. It runs at about $1 per cup. It's less if you bring your own mug. A++ would recommend if caffeine boost is all you need. Cash only. Profits go to Engsoc.
  • Mathsoc C&D: Similar quality to the EngSoc C&D, and around the same price as the EngSoc C&D. Cash, Debit, and Visa. Profits go toward C&D improvements (furniture & appliances).
  • Science C&D: I've only stopped by once while it was open, and didn't buy coffee :(. Cash only. I assume profits fund SciSoc.
  • ENV C&D: I've heard amazing things about the C&D, and it seems like it's run very well. Similar to Science, I've never had a chance to stop by, but will try to this term. They seem to be very entrepreneurial, and are one of the few non-school-run places on campus to offer catering (of limited size). Unsurprisingly, things are green/fair trade. Cash only. Profits go to improving the C&D.
  • Arts C&D: I've never seen it open. ¯\(ツ)
  • UW Food Services (Various Locations): Coffee is consistent, both in high-prices and low-quality. Cash & Watcard everywhere, debit in some places. Profits go to the school.
  • Williams, EV3: I've never ordered a latte, but they probably serve them here. Expect worse service & selection than the off-campus Williams, with prices ≥ off-campus. If you're choosing this, just walk to the plaza for less expensive food and improved service. They take cash, watcard, (and probably debit).
  • 24H News, SLC: "Emergency Coffee" - don't bother, unless it's really necessary, and everywhere else is closed.
  • Turnkey Desk, SLC: This is "Emergency Coffee" - don't bother, unless it's an emergency. Choose 24H News over Turnkey.
  • Tim Hortons (Various Locations): Going to skip this, since it's probably well known to you.

  1. Selected off-campus locations:
  • Sweet Dreams: Despite being a tea shop, they have well-priced coffee, and awesome employees. Expect to wait a bit longer, since there's usually a line, and they use a french-press to brew the coffee after you order :'). They take cash/visa, and probably watcard.
  • Williams, Plaza: Miles better than the one in EV3. They have better food selection than the on-campus location. Cash/visa/watcard are all accepted.
  • Mel's Diner: Their coffee is ok, but they refill it as long as you continue to eat.
  • DVLB: I've only been for scotch, but something tells me that I'll be holed up at DVLB for a few afternoons this term. It's a nice place to be, and they (apparently) have wifi.
  • Second Cup: There's a second cup in the plaza. A friend worked there once, and swore to never go back. They may have what you want, but idk.
  • Starbucks: There's a starbucks at Uni & King. Starbucks is Starbucks is Starbucks.

    Many places off-campus & within a reasonable walk serve coffee, but I don't know of any other notable options.

    At home, I use an incredibly inexpensive coffee maker: Aerobie Aeropress, with a Hario Hand Mill, both of which are highly-recommended by /r/coffee. I haven't been able to find an amazing place to buy unground coffee beans near campus yet, and I tend to buy beans when in Toronto.

    Hope this helps.
u/Saermegil · 11 pointsr/Coffee
u/faceny · 10 pointsr/CampingGear

I take this everywhere - Aerobie Aeropress. It's not super light however it makes fantastic coffee. In fact I use it at home as my coffee maker of preference.

I use this grinder - Hario Mini Mill Slim Grinder - again, it weighs ~250 g and it just does it's job well.

Edit:

I weighed my grinder including handle - ~250g (+/- 5g accuracy on the scale).

I also weight my Aeropress including the stainless steel S-Filter - ~250g (+/- 5g)

u/my_knee_grows · 10 pointsr/Coffee

Sure!

This is the popcorn popper I'm using to roast (not pictured)

This is the Sweet Maria's sampler pack (4 lbs of green coffee for roasting). Mine specifically came with these four coffees:


u/trichotillomanic · 10 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Mini Mill on sale as well for $24! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/

I think I might pick up both thanks to this subreddit!

EDIT: Nabbed the Aeropress, filters, and Mini Mill for $50. I am ready for coffee heaven.

u/robaticus · 9 pointsr/Coffee

You can get a Hario Slim for less than $35. That's probably your best bet.

I'm going to assume that the pepper grinder won't work because of the size of the opening leading into the grinder-- it's going to be optimized for peppercorns, not something the size of a coffee bean.

You could get away with smashing the beans. There was just an infographic posted from Tonx -- here it is -- that talks about smashing with a mallet.

u/landrybennett · 9 pointsr/running

The aeropress and french press are the easiest way to get a good cup of coffee. Check out these brew guides to see which one you think would be best for you.

  1. Aeropress
  2. french press

    Both are pretty easy to clean, but I think the aeropress is a bit easier. However, a good cup of french press is hard to beat with any manual brewing technique, imo. Aeropress only brews a single cup, whereas a larger french press can brew however much you want it to up to its limit. The big downside for french press is that it uses a coarse grind and you have to drop some money on a good grinder if you want a consistent coarse grind - grind consistency is key. (You could also buy beans and have them ground coarse wherever you buy them if you don't want to grind fresh.) With the Aeropress, you use a medium-fine to fine grind which can be achieved with a relatively inexpensive grinder such as the [hario mini mill.] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451402224&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+mini+mill) I frequently use both. Aeropress is great for travel and work, whereas french press is great for weekend mornings.
u/unomar · 9 pointsr/Coffee

Aeropress - $25
Hario Mini - $25
Elec Kettle - $15

Total: $65 for a decent college budget brew station

u/EvanOnReddit · 8 pointsr/Coffee

You've probably seen this little guy before, but I use it for all of my coffee needs (Aeropress, Chemex, French Press) and it's perfect. I have two roommates and we all drink copious amounts of coffee and grind it all with the Mini Mill, about 2 years strong and no complaints whatsoever. 10/10 would buy again.

u/Beznet · 8 pointsr/Coffee

hmm, well are you looking for en electric of hand grinder?

for electric, I'd go with the Baratza Encore

hand grinder, I'd go with the Hario mini mill

u/CapCharlisimo · 7 pointsr/Coffee

Why not the Hario Mini Mill? It's only $24 w/ Prime, and you can even get it for $20 and free shipping from other sellers on Amazon.

u/st0rm79 · 7 pointsr/Coffee

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001804CLY/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Up that budget by just $13, you won't be disappointed

u/caseyboycasey · 7 pointsr/IWantToLearn

Better coffee helps. I've been drinking my coffee like a cowboy for quite a while now, and don't ever think twice about it anymore. But if I'm stuck with shit (like the crap you find in hotels) I'll throw a bit of sugar in there.

If you haven't already, start making your coffee at home. You'll not only save money, but your coffee can be exponentially better than what you can get at Starbucks (Who overroasts the shit out of their beans, resulting in cups that taste burnt.)

Buy a hand burr grinder and a French Press, and start buying fresh roasted beans from a local shop.

I own this grinder, and love it.

If you don't have an independent shop around, online companies like Intelligentsia ship amazing coffee out at what can be called reasonable prices. I never buy more than a pound at a time. Keep your beans airtight and in a dark, cool place.

Never grind your beans until right before brewing, as grounds begin to go stale after twenty minutes. For French Press, you'll want to use a coarser grind.

Try out different blends until you find something tasty, and gradually subtract creamers and sweeteners until you're in the black. I've converted more friends than I can count to black coffee simply by giving them something truly fresh.

u/tony_Tha_mastha · 7 pointsr/portugal

Eu! Ando para fazer um post sobre café no /r/portugal há algum tempo. Para além de expresso, costumo beber café de balão, aeropress e por vezes "pour over" num cone antigo da Melitta.

Em Lisboa tens 3 sitios onde podes beber café bom:

Copenhagen Coffe Lab Lisbon

A Fábrica

Wish Slow Coffee House

E na Ericeira tens o Kfé

Conheço os 3 de Lisboa e sei que tanto no Copenhagen Coffee Lab como na Fábrica podes comprar café em saco e equipamento.

Para mim o melhor kit para começar é um Aeropress e um moinho "Hario Mini Mill". Comprei ambos no Copenhagen Coffee Lab e levo-os sempre comigo quando viajo.

Se tiveres alguma questão, coloca.
__
PS: Para quem não gosta de café de filtro, vão a estes sítios beber um expresso e descobrirão que o delta do dia-a-dia não é assim tão bom.

u/MadScientista · 7 pointsr/Coffee

I've use this one and it works great for small batches.

u/between2 · 7 pointsr/Coffee

The Baratza would be great, but if you opted for a hand grinder, you'd spend $30 instead $100.

I've had a Hario mini mill for 3+ years now, it's great. Porlex (spelling may be off) makes a similar hand grinder.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mini-Mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

u/Smartfood_Fo_Lyfe · 7 pointsr/Coffee

I've been using the Hario Mini Mill for six months now with no problems. You can use to it to grind anything from Espresso to French Press. I highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373867989&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+mini+mill

u/pipruppip · 7 pointsr/japanlife

You all need to go to /r/coffee
And sorry to tell you but all the GOOD coffee I've found in Tokyo is around 900jpy every 100g.
I recommend you to buy this grinder HARIO ( ハリオ ) 手挽き コーヒーミル ・ セラミック スリム MSS-1TB https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dlzdzbK42C1V8
If you don't have money for a grinder, then I can suppose you don't have a real espresso machine so I recommend you to throw it and buy an aeropress, V60, Kelita or a French Press, and get beans from a specialized shop.

u/lolbacon · 7 pointsr/Coffee

For a grinder, try one of these guys. I take that & a portable press with me when I tour or go on road trips. Most gas stations have hot water spouts, so I can snob out even in coffee wastelands.

u/ConnorCG · 7 pointsr/Coffee

This is a totally wide-open question, depending on budget and time commitments, as well as personal tastes.


I hate to sound like a /r/coffee cliche, but Aeropress is probably the most flexible, especially for milk drinks. You can brew a concentrated batch with an espresso blend, or a lighter cup with a more standard recipe and whatever beans you prefer. You can kinda texture milk with a french press. It's not going to be cafe-quality but it should be pretty good. If you don't want to get the french press you can honestly just use warmed milk and make a cortado.

Check out this video for some ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_J6Q4oAvLM.

You could probably get away with doing everything with a french press, but it's harder to brew smaller batches with one. You could also consider a Moka Pot instead of an aeropress, but it's more of a one-trick pony, and can be finicky to get consistent results.

I suggest picking up a grinder, a Hario Mini Mill is the best value in the low end. This way you can use fresh beans and get the best flavor. If you're not concerned with all that, the method I described above should work fine with Cafe Bustelo or Lavazza pre-ground coffee.

u/better_half · 7 pointsr/Coffee

Part of making a good cup is repeatability--eliminating variation wherever possible. You'll want a burr grinder and a scale. It's tough, especially with an inconsistent grind, to correctly measure coffee by volume. Any idea on your general brew time? That might be a good indication of what's going on. Let's experiment with technique a bit!

It sounds like you're pouring all of the water in at once after letting it bloom; instead, why not pour about a cup at a time, let it drain for a bit--never letting it get completely dry--and then add the next cup. Rather than pouring in the center, continue pouring in circles the entire time to ensure an even extraction. These are all super minor, and I'm honestly unsure if they'll make any difference. Still, worth a shot!

Maybe try a finer grind, if you can. Shake the blade grinder, grind it for longer--whatever works! A finer grind will prolong the brew time.

> Yeah not 100% sure how to describe the flavor. It's kind of sour but also very "planty" tasting. Sorry if that's unhelpful.

Nah, don't worry about it! I have a tough time describing taste, too. It sounds underextracted to me. If ya have any spare money, a scale goes a long, long way. I use this scale. If you're interested in a grinder, my first--and I'm sure most people's first--was the skerton. I currently use a Baratza Encore, but that might be more than you're willing to invest in a grinder right now.

If you're interested, I can make a video of myself making coffee in my little Chemex.



u/budude2 · 6 pointsr/baylor

Oh oh I love coffee! Some cool products to check out on the cheap:

Hario Mini Mill Slim Hand Coffee Grinder: It's a hand crank grinder, but it's a burr grinder so it produces a more consistent grind which in turn produces a better cup of coffee.

Chemex 3-Cup Classic Glass Coffee Maker: Not as cheap as the french press, but since it uses a paper filter so there isn't as much sediment in the cup. I find that I prefer it over the french press.

Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker: Classic french press.

Optional:

Etekcity Digital Kitchen Scale: Scales are helpful in getting a consistent cup every time. You can measure out the water and coffee and dial in the perfect ratio.

Also check out Pinewood Roaster's coffee. I think they're on Franklin and 11th in the same building as Alpha Omega. Grab a bag of Ethiopian Beriti and enjoy!

u/singsadsong · 6 pointsr/Coffee

Your best bet for dorm room drinks is going to be an Aeropress. It's a weird plastic tube that you use to push hot water through coffee. People here swear by them, and I do too. They don't make espresso, but they can make a terrific cup of coffee as well as a coffee 'concentrate' that can be used as a worthy espresso substitute. In terms of milk, it's really easy to froth milk in a french press. You just put warm milk in a french press and pump the plunger up and down a few times.

Grinding your own beans, if you want to make good tasting drinks, is unfortunately unavoidable. When was first getting into coffee I quickly became bummed out that the expensive and most important part of the process wasn't the exotic, perfectly roasted beans, nor was it the beautiful brewing devices, but instead... the grinder. Fortunately, a basic hand grinder will last you a long time and won't cost too much.

Aeropress - $28
Hand Grinder - $24
French Press - $17

In total that's about $70 worth of stuff. Add a bag of beans and you're at around $80-85 (hey, Christmas is fast approaching!).

Oh, and flavors like french vanilla and pumpkin spice don't really occur naturally in beans, at least not the way you're going to get them somewhere like Starbucks. Cafes typically use syrups, either artificial or natural, to get those flavors.

u/TelephoneMamba · 6 pointsr/videos

Hario mini-mill is a solid option.

I used it for about 6 months with good results. But I got tired of grinding 40g of coffee every morning by hand so I upgraded. It's nice have $300 for coffee grinders money.

u/Tru3Gamer · 6 pointsr/Coffee

The general tradeoff is taste for ease of use, a keurig you'd just pop in a capsule and get mediocre coffee, with some other brew method you'd get better coffee but you would have to work harder. A common starting setup which is quite quick and easy whilst providing a good cup of coffee is an Aeropress, Hario Mini Mill and any decent scale.

u/SnarkDolphin · 6 pointsr/Coffee

Well here's the thing about coffee, it's finicky stuff. Much moreso than most Americans would give it credit for. Automatic machines like you have can deliver quality coffee, but unless the one you have cost $200 or more, it won't really be up to the task of making cafe quality coffee. If you want coffee of the same quality (or even better) you'd find at a cafe, you're going to have to know a couple things. Don't worry, I'll tl;dr this with a few specifics at the end, but right now I'm going to go over the things that affect how coffee tastes:

Bean quality: probably the most esoteric and taste-dependent part of coffee, it's not much worth getting into grading, processing, etc, just suffice it to say that folger's is definitely not using top-rate beans and they're mixing robusta (high caffeine, very bitter) in with arabica (moderate caffeine, much better flavor), whereas a decent coffee shop is using 100% arabica

Freshness: Coffee goes stale quick and the flavors dull within about three weeks, a month tops after roasting. Those mass market beans are months old by the time you get them off the shelf. The good news is that there's almost definitely a roaster near you who sells decent beans that are nice and fresh roasted. The bad news is that the cheapest decent coffee you'll find is ~$10/lb most places.

Grind: piggybacking on my last point, coffee, even when sealed in those cans, goes stale VERY fast after being ground (like, within an hour), so buy whole bean and grind it yourself right before brewing

Grind consistency: if the grind isn't uniform, the coffee won't extract evenly and will taste off. The normal blade grinders you think of when you think "coffee grinder" won't work, you'll need a burr grinder, whether hand crank or electric. Doesn't have to be fancy but it does have to be a burr grinder

Brew ratio: coffee will optimally be brewed (for most methods) with 16 or 17g of water (a fat tablespoon) for each gram of coffee. You can guestimate it but digital kitchen scales that read in grams can be had for dirt cheap on amazon. IME people who don't know about brewing coffee tend to use way too little coffee for the amount they brew. This extracts too much from the grounds and makes it watery and bitter

Brew time: each method has its own ideal brew time but for most, like pourover or french press, ~4 minutes is optimal

Water temperature: Coffee should ideally be brewed between 195-205Fthis is where the vast majority of home drip machines fail, the reason that /r/coffee approved drip machines start off at like $200 is that they have big, heavy copper heaters that can reach ideal brew temp, most drip machines have crummy weak heating coils that end up brewing at lower temperatures and making the coffee taste flat and sour.

TL;DR

I know this seems overwhelming, so I'll give you a nice, easy starter kit and instructions how to use it to get you started. And I know you said your bank account was getting crushed, so I'll make this nice and wallet-friendly

For a grinder, go with either this manual one which has the advantage of being really cheap and producing decent grinds, but will take some effort to grind your coffee (2-3 minutes) and setting the grind size can be a pain, or if you want to spend a little bit more and get an electric, go for this one, it's not the greatest in the world but for a starting point it works ok and it's darn cheap.

You can either keep brewing with your auto drip or, if you're still not satisfied, get a french press. They're crazy easy to use (weigh coffee, put in press. Place press on scale and tare. Pour in water. wait four minutes. drink), and they can be had for damn cheap

Then find someone who roasts coffee near you, get some beans, and enjoy!

Anyway sorry to bombard you with the wall of text but coffee's a complicated thing and we're hobbyists (and snobs) around here. Hope that helps! Feel free to ask more questions

EDIT: forgot to add in Todd Carmichael's awesome instruction video for the french press.

u/euphrenaline · 6 pointsr/Coffee

What do you guys think of this one?

As I've mentioned in other comments, I only make a cup at a time, so this seems sufficient.

u/ThereminsWake · 6 pointsr/Coffee

Fellow college kid here, I went with this Hario hand mill. Sure it takes a little more effort to get your coffee, but its not nearly as bad as people make it sound. It takes a few minutes and I usually do it while heating up the water. I also hear good things about Hario's mini slim.

u/uRabbit · 5 pointsr/Coffee

AeroPress, for sure. Here is probably the cheapest setup you can do, and still get the best flavour/experience.

Aerobie AeroPress + Able DISK Fine - $40 (I strongly suggest the DISK Fine over paper filters, but the AeroPress does come with a bunch of filters.)

Pocket Scale - $7

Carafe - $7 (so you press straight into this, and measure yield, as most mugs will not fit on the scale; also great for serving two)

Hario Slim burr grinder - $34 (if you'd rather go electric, the Bodum Bistro burr is a great buy and can be had for $120 new or under $100 used/refurbished)

Bonavita Gooseneck kettle - $50 (You do not need a gooseneck for the AeroPress, but you do for any type of pour over, so why not?)

Good luck, and have fun! Give my video a gander to see how to prepare with the AeroPress. It is fun! Almost as fun as an espresso machine. Ha! Yeah, right! But definitely worth the small coin.

u/n0ia · 5 pointsr/Coffee

> Hario MSS-1B Mini Mill Hand Grinder - ~$33 - Cheap alternative to an electric burr grinder. Good for people on a budget who still want the quality of burrs.

This one is awesome for camping / traveling as well. Unlike the Hario Skerton, this one has a plastic body, so it's less likely to break.

u/Daversss · 5 pointsr/Coffee

This decision mostly depends on what your limits are. I'm guessing price, space, and quality are the three most important variables. With those machines you would consistently get a pretty medium quality cup, at a mid-high price range, and it would take up a fair amount of space.

What I would do is consider using a more hands on brewing method, like a french press, aeropress, or pour-over. These three options would be cheaper, take up about the same amount of space, and produce a higher quality cup every time (when you get used to them). If you were to choose one of these you would also need a kettle.

I would also use whole bean coffee (meaning you need a grinder, I would just use this.

In the end it's all up to you, but my favorite brew method is the AeroPress, after a few months of using it I could really start to taste the coffee the way I believe it's meant to be tasted. You'll start to notice things like the natural sweetness, and hints of chocolate or caramel. With a Keurig or Starbucks single-cup I'm sure you would never really get this deep into your coffee.

TL;DR: I advise using a kettle+hand grinder+AeroPress or French Press, not an electric machine.

u/JaggedOne · 5 pointsr/Coffee

33 bucks for a Hario ceramic burr hand grinder is hard to beat.

Edit: I should mention that I own one, and am quite happy with it. It provides a consistent grind. Be aware that it will take a good amount of work to grind the beans however. I grind while my water is heating, and it usually takes about the same amount of time to grind coffee for 1 cup as it does to boil the water for it.

u/redox602 · 5 pointsr/Coffee

I'm not sure what your price limit is, but I'd suggest considering Hario's Mini Mill. It has ceramic burrs, adjustable grind size, a 1 - 2 cup capacity and is operated manually (hand crank). They're about ~$30, but if you're patient you can get a pretty good deal on one. I have been very happy with mine.

u/Smile_lifeisgood · 5 pointsr/simpleliving

A tablet + a server running plex.

Replaces a TV, DVD player, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon et al accounts. Provides tons of entertainment when at home and when traveling.

Sleep Stuff

Personally I think there's really no proper way to value a good night's sleep. After years of dealing with poor sleep due to breathing problems in a dry climate and living with obnoxious neighbors whose religion prohibits using headphones figuring out some cheap solutions to my sleep issues has yielded immeasurable quality of life improvements.

Nasal dialaters.

I was having a lot of problems sleeping due to narrow nasal pathways + seasonal changes and my BP was off the charts. The quality of life improvement from quality sleep is hard to quantify as a value.

[Really comfy sleep masks.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJQFJX8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1)
The inner lining on these ones reliably peels off for me but I still use mine and I think I could put these on 1 mile from the sun and not see light.

Super comfortable noise canceling ear buds
I have a ridiculously loud 300lb stomping upstairs neighbor who enjoys putting together furniture at 3am due to either meth or sleep apnea or both. He also really enjoys his shitty 1990s R&B. I've had several confrontations and he's changed some of it but you can't request someone not walk around their apartment when they want. I think he has knee problems so his steps are really heavy. These things are the best answer I could find. If I put these on + a TV show it drowns him out. It sucks to rely on noise to cancel out other noise but I love these things, they're super comfortable and they do the job I need.

Coffee Stuff

GeneCafe Coffee Roaster

So I'm the sort of person who is willing to spend the right amount of money when there's value. For me roasting my own coffee provides tons of value. For starters you can order green beans online for $3-5 a lb. I order 6+ months worth of coffee at a time for around $100, give or take. This roaster has now paid for itself compared to buying coffee at my favorite roaster and is in line with the stale, burnt tasting shit you can buy in giant vats at the grocery store.

But beyond just that I get the supreme joy of truly fresh roasted coffee roasted to a level I like which is a lot different than the black and greasy shit you'll get at Kroger's or whatever. I also love that I can bring this is going to be useful if/when I'm living on a homestead somewhere.

Stainless Steel French Press

Goes with the above. I used to buy glass ones and break them, but this $40 french press will probably last for a very long time with only the screen to worry about replacing and god only knows how long that will take.

[Rough Bur Grinder] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001804CLY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I really enjoy replacing electronic equipment with stuff I can power with elbow grease. It's not much of a workout, but it's quieter and still does the same job as the electric one I had purchased and unless other electric ones I'm not sure this one will ever break. My previous ones would break/clog constantly, this one has been trucking without issue for a year and I suspect will last several.

u/fsbird · 5 pointsr/Coffee

Have a Hario mini mill:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

It's pretty good for every-day grinding, and would be fine to pack. Can't vouch for any different/better/worse than the GSI one though.

u/[deleted] · 5 pointsr/Coffee

http://brewmethods.com/

If you can, get yourself some good beans and a good grinder as well. Good coffee comes from freshly roasted and freshly ground beans.

u/pmrr · 5 pointsr/Coffee

I presume he's actually talking about this one but I'd imagine they're largely the same. I have the mini and it does a great job.

u/ekinetikz · 5 pointsr/Coffee

Everyone around here seems to recommend this grinder for those types of brew methods.

u/SierraHotel058 · 5 pointsr/BuyItForLife

This is the hand grinder that they recommend in r/coffee. I own one. Very high quality.

u/kdub114 · 5 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder

Beehouse Dripper

or

Hario 02 Dripper

or

Bonavita #2 Dripper

or any other pour-over device you like.

And cone filters from the supermarket for 3 or 4 bucks.
I'd recommend going with the beehouse or bonavita if you don't have a pouring kettle due to the slightly more restrictive nature.

u/Dubhan · 5 pointsr/Coffee

Even cheaper than aeropress and just as good, but different, is a Hario V60. If you need a new grinder, I'd also recommend Hario.


Total outlay? $36 and change.

u/jchiu003 · 4 pointsr/OkCupid

I think most supermarkets/Costco has a bulk coffee grinder you can use. I hand-grind my beans every morning and use this. I'm probably going to upgrade to an electric grinder soon. Sorry about the $250. He sounds like a shitty human.

u/m-a-t-t_ · 4 pointsr/Coffee

Aeropress plus Hario or Porlex grinder. Perfect set up. Exactly €50. Add some great, fresh beans and you are sorted :-)

http://www.amazon.de/Aerobie-80R08-AeroPress-Kaffeebereiter-Papierfilter/dp/B000GXZ2GS - €27

http://www.amazon.de/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ - €23

u/mdboop · 4 pointsr/Coffee

The mini mill is only about $24. If you're so strapped that you're already eating rice and beans every meal, then at least start saving up for one. Otherwise, I'm sure there's something you can sacrifice for a week or two to buy a burr grinder.

u/edsq · 4 pointsr/Coffee

The Bonavita drip brewer ($140) is one of the very few SCAA certified home brewers out there. It will make excellent coffee.

A good cheap burr grinder is the Hario Mini Mill ($20). It's a hand grinder and that entails a bunch of extra effort and time, but it's a fraction of the cost of comparable electric burr grinders. If you want a decent electric grinder, a good place to start would be a refurbished Baratza Encore ($99).

The Encore + Bonavita combination will make really good coffee and won't really be much more work than a combo grinder/brewer. However these things are obviously expensive, probably more than anyone who isn't looking to get seriously into coffee should consider. Find what works best for you.

u/-_-_-_-__-_-_-_- · 4 pointsr/Coffee

Welcome!

For a newbie, I think a good first stop is the wiki. You can get a lot of info about different coffee accessories. As for a grinder, the cheapest recommended is the Hario Mini Mill or the Hario Skerton, and you can find more in wiki section on coffee gear.

As for storing beans, the Tightvac has great reviews on Amazon.

As for your caffeine addiction, you'll find that higher caffeine content is rarely discussed here, but Death Wish Coffee claims to have the coffee with the most caffeine. However, it only comes pre-ground, and is made from robusta beans, which many find don't taste as good as the more common Arabica. I have a bag right now and I think it's a fine cup (not excellent), if a bit dark for my tastes.

Hope this helps!

u/LurkBot9000 · 4 pointsr/Coffee

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

Good and cheep for when you only want one cup at a time.

u/FailToObserve · 4 pointsr/Coffee

You came to the right place. Generally don't buy a box of stuff when your new to something. Always one or two items you don't need or want. And one or two items that are missing.

If your going for frugal, spend most of your money on the grinder. Hario Mill Grinder Slim is your best start. French Press is one of the cheapest brew methods (as low as $15 and no additions, plus it makes great coffee). Unless you want to do cowboy style coffee.

I personally like the V60 but it is soooo much easier to do when you have a gooseneck kettle. Maybe consider that later ;P.

u/ItWorkedLastTime · 3 pointsr/Coffee

Here's what I have at work:

Bodum French Press
Hario Mini Mill Grinder
Aero Press

It's hard to go wrong with this setup.

u/Natefellman · 3 pointsr/Coffee

Have you looked into hand grinders? I have this Hario Mini Mill to go with my aeropress and love it! That way you can enjoy fresh ground coffee without needing electricity.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001804CLY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1419405564&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

u/5thEye · 3 pointsr/Coffee

This thing? that's tempting...

u/MasterEvilFurby · 3 pointsr/Coffee

My beginner battle station.

Traveled down the coffee rabbit hole november and most of this stuff is from Christmas. The gear is, from left, a 250 ml graduated cylinder, a discontinued-found-at-thrift-store copco tea kettle, under it an old continental electric hot plate, next to it a hario slim mini mill grinder, an aeropress, and an aws 100 gram scale. I usually use 250 ml of water with 13-15 grams of coffee, grinded medium-fine, at 15 seconds off boil, steeping for 15 seconds and pressing twice that long. I'm planning on getting a bonavita variable temp soon too.

u/crazygama · 3 pointsr/premed

this

+

this

+

Any whole bean coffee of you choice (I like green).

This will delicious and still be way cheaper than paying for starbucks even semi regularly.

u/exmo_therapy · 3 pointsr/exmormon

Resources I used: /r/coffee and youtube (I particularly like the sumpcoffee channel).

Conclusions and setup I arrived at:

  • Bodum french press - 8 cups is misleading because each cup is actually measured at 4oz, not 8. This is pretty good for one person. I found mine on CL for $15, you can probably find an equally good deal in your area. Especially now, post gift season.

  • Hario Mini Mill - freshly ground coffee is amazing. I answered your post about using pre-ground coffee, so I won't repeat myself. Also consider the fact that as coffee is exposed to air it deteriorates. That's why pre-ground coffee is so derided by coffee community (more surface area exposed -> faster deterioration), and why people recommend you look at "roasted on" dates.

  • A medium roast. For me, these have the perfect combination of fruity and chocolatey. I love the complexity, and I think that Private Selection whole beans (Kroger brand) are a good balance of affordable and tasty. The yirgacheffe beans are a good place to start.

  • Next on the list of things to get (for me) is a scale. It's not a neccessity, but it makes certain things easier (measuring out can be tedious).

  • This is a good article that will teach you a few things

    Also, in regards to cleaning the french press. You don't want to dump the grounds into the sink because it can cause clogging. This is what I do - rinse off the metal filter immediately after brewing. Some grounds will be stuck to it, but this shouldn't be a problem. Then, I just leave the glass beaker out on the counter to dry out. That night or next morning the grounds are mostly dry, I dump them into the trash and rinse out the glass beaker with hot water.
u/Caspid · 3 pointsr/Coffee

For starters, get a grinder (here's a cheap but decent manual one) and an Aeropress. It's cheap, takes the last amount of time to brew (~3 minutes), lasts forever, requires the least amount of extra equipment, produces a great balanced cup, is super forgiving with regards to methods, beans, and grinders, you can experiment with its variables (brew recipes, steep time, press duration, etc) endlessly, and the cleanup is super simple (eject the puck, rinse under the tap). You don't need a scale or a kettle; just use the included scoop and fill the chamber.

The Aeropress is the device that got me through college. I used to buy coffee, grind it in-store, heat water in a mug, brew using the inverted method, and then press into the same mug. 8 years later and I still use it (though now I have a grinder, scale, and kettle, and I use a metal filter cuz it tastes better and saves money in the long run).

I would personally recommend against a pourover for your first brewer, as it requires more equipment and is less flexible and more finicky.

If you're having trouble finding good beans around the area, there's a huge variety of online vendors. Craft Coffee is the cheapest I've found ($10-14/12oz bag).

u/kfretlessz · 3 pointsr/Coffee

Well, knowing your budget would be important, but trying to be cost sensitive, I found a refurbished Baratza Encore for $99, and the brew method many suggest for entry level is the aeropress which is on amazon for about $30. If that's still too steep a price, you can always start off with a decent hand grinder like the Hario Mini Mill which is also about $30 on amazon. The hand grinder is more cost effective, but obviously takes more time and effort than the electric. All of this is fairly good entry level equipment, and you can always trade up grinders, and try new brew methods further down the road if you so desire.

u/wroclaw824 · 3 pointsr/Coffee

For a french press, might I recommend this: Bodum french press?

As for a grinder, you want to grind coarse for french press. Blade grinders are extremely inconsistent with grind size. Like others have mentioned, burr grinders are better because they grind more consistently and will not heat up the beans as much during the grinding process. The issue with the Hario Skerton that you posted is that is known to be pretty inconsistent at coarse grinds (unless you make some modifications to it). The Hario Slim Mill may actually be better because there is a spring loaded that helps prevent the burr from wobbling.

Your total here would be around $40 which is pretty decent for a beginner setup.

u/Matster2010 · 3 pointsr/Coffee

For this price point I'd suggest getting a hand grinder like the Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder, Mini https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_3mzJub0BJ1SAD

But I'm not sure how consistent it is with coarse grinds.

u/0x6d1e · 3 pointsr/Coffee

If you're making a cup or two at a time, you could do worse than a hand grinder like a Hario Mini Mill; does well as long as you don't want French Press, and you can store in a cabinet or drawer when not in use.

u/ThenThereWasReddit · 3 pointsr/cafe

This grinder would make an excellent addition to your current setup. Coffee grind consistency is pretty important when using the pour over method and your current grinder is a complete butcher (I should know, it's the one I started with too.)

u/o_the_huge_manatee · 3 pointsr/Coffee

This guy has served me well in my portable coffee kit for the past 4 years: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mini-Mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/

Smaller than the skerton- can't say enough nice things about Hario

u/thrBladeRunner · 3 pointsr/Coffee
  • Hario v60 $5 with $6 filters, if you have a gooseneck kettle, or a Ready, Set, Joe for $6 with $7 filters if you have a tea kettle/pouring from a pot
  • Scale* $17 or $9
  • Kettle
  • Coffee
  • Filtered water (I just always use Brita water...not sure if I can tell a difference, but I'm all about eliminating variables)

    Check here for information on kettles/scales/etc. A grinder is the most important part of your setup, but with your budget I would recommend simply visiting the store a little more often, buying smaller quantities of beans, and getting them ground there. Otherwise, the Hario Mini Mill for $28 is your best budget option for grinding at home, though they have trouble with coarser grinds (which means that the coffee grounds will extract at different times, potentially resulting in a bitter brew).


    Where you'll further run into "money issues" are with the kettle and coffee. A gooseneck is recommended for the v60 and is a little more expensive than a simple kettle. I suggest pouring hot water from a pot over the Joe. Quality beans can be a little pricey. But if you do the math, I think you'll find them worth it. $9 a pound at 12 grams per cup is about $.25 a cup. I'm buying some beans now that're $14 for 10oz (I think) and it's around $.60 a cup (I did the math awhile back, so I could be wrong). Point is — do the math for quality beans per cup and it'll put into perspective how (fairly) inexpensive quality beans can be. Especially when compared with store bought drinks or K-Cups.


    So, my overall recommendation: Joe, filters, scale, pour hot water from kettle/pot, grind at store for now. That's $22-$30 (depending on scale choice) for a good setup. Spend the other money on decent, hopefully freshly roasted and definitely freshly ground, beans. I suggest a 1:16.6 ratio of beans to water. I do 12g coffee per 200g water. Gets me about 6oz., which is how much I prefer to drink at once.

    Upgrade options: Hario v60, gooseneck kettle, grinder.

    *Scales aren't absolutely necessary, but they're very helpful. The $17 is my recommendation. Much larger base. But reviews for the smaller AWS scales show people using them for coffee. Likely only 1-2 cups at a time with the weight limitation, however, unless you do some smart tare work. A scale is really the only way to get consistent, repeatable results.
u/ccampo · 3 pointsr/Coffee

I have the perfect solution for you:

Hario Mini Mill.

Look no further, just buy it now.

u/TruculentMC · 3 pointsr/Ultralight

This suggestion will be totally not-ultralight... but for car camping I carry a Hario hand grinder along with an Aeropress. I've taken it on some day trips and easy overnighters though but definitely not when I'm really concerned about weight. http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

I've used the same combination in the office at work almost every day for years -- well over 700 cups based on the number of aeropress filters I've used -- and they're both still going strong.

For backpacking I either carry instant, or pre-measure ground coffee and put it in a fillable filter bag designed for tea.

u/gbeier · 3 pointsr/Coffee

For making single serve coffee that's not crap in that price range, I'd consider one of the following grinders (Ordered according to my preference... the first is my favorite):

u/danddel · 3 pointsr/Coffee

I just got the hario mini mill after much research yesterday, and It's supposed to be better than the skerton for a french press grind. I really like it so far. It does have less volume than the skerton though.

u/phenomenalanomaly · 3 pointsr/Coffee

Mmk.

Let's ignore the espresso machine route, and go for something that will give you strong coffee. Either a moka pot, or maybe an aeropress. (I personally recommend the aeropress.)

As for the milk, the cheaper route would be to heat it up (microwave?) and then use a milk frother to blend air into it. You'll get these big bubbles as opposed to microfoam like you'd get at an actual coffee shop. OR. You can go for a stovetop steam wand like this. You'll need to invest some time/money into this to learn how to make microfoam, but the results will be worth it. I'm actually about to embark on this step :/ (Note, you don't HAVE to foam/froth your milk. It just makes it a little tastier.)

NOW. Back onto the coffee. So we have your "machine/maker" figured out. Let's talk about the ACTUAL coffee. Depending on what you've picked from above, you're in $30-$100+ deep. If you have a local roaster, that's great! Buy beans freshly roasted from them. Learn from them. Ask them to make recommendations. If not, there are a few online sources good for buying roasted coffee. Remember, buy what you can use in about 1-2 weeks. Longer than that and you'll have stale coffee.

If you can, you should buy whole coffee beans, and grind them yourself. The cheaper method is to buy a hand grinder. The Hario Skeleton/Skerton is always highly recommended. A few drawbacks to this, but you'll learn about them on your coffee journey. (Don't want to bombard you with too much information for now.) The Hario Mini Mill is also a great option, especially for travelling, but grinds less.

As for electric grinders, the Baratza Maestro is a good entry level burr grinder, but at a pretty steep price :/ Note: always buy a burr grinder, and note a blade grinder. Bear in mind that using the hand grinders is actually quite a lot of work, especially if you're not a morning type of person. The entire Baratza line of grinders are all highly recommended, but as always, the better the grinder, the higher the cost.

u/PozzSka · 3 pointsr/Coffee

My go to budget conscious suggestions are: Hario Mini Mill + Aeropress or French Press of your choice.

$32 Hario Mini Mill

$26 Aeropress

$20 French Press

u/SCLuB7911 · 3 pointsr/Coffee

About a year and half ago I went from 0-60 with this setup:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Dripper-V60-Clear/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=pd_sim_k_6

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-White-Filters-Brewer/dp/B001U7EOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906139&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+v60+filters

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906080&sr=1-2&keywords=hario+hand+grinder

http://www.amazon.com/Ozeri-Digital-Multifunction-Kitchen-Elegant/dp/B004164SRA/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349906101&sr=1-5&keywords=kitchen+scale

Here is a video I found about how it all works:
http://vimeo.com/34182806

The big thing is to use FRESH roasted beans (we're talking ~3 weeks old or less). If you are buying beans that don't have a date on em, try again. Hopefully there is a coffee shop around you that will sell their own roast (usually comes in a 12oz package). If not you can try the grocery store or order online (http://ceremonycoffee.com/ is a good start), it really depends on the city you live in.

I had always liked the aroma and taste of coffee in other things (ice cream specifically) but it wasn't until I got into beer that I really started to appreciate it. Hopefully this finds you well, feel free to send a message my way if you have any specific questions!

u/GeneticRiff · 3 pointsr/Coffee

What is your budget?

The aergrind is possibly the best valued grinder, but it is a manual grinder. This guy can grind espresso quality and will greatly improve your mokapot and aeropress. Their Feld2 is also great but less portable. These expensive manual grinders are much easier to grind than the cheaper ones, you dont need nearly as much force. They grind as good as electrics 4x the cost.

If thats out of your budget you could go for this porlex or mini mill but these produce far less consistent grinds, harder to turn, and cant grind as fine.

If you want electric, the baratza encore is a popular recommendation. This is good enough for everything thats not espresso. This is very easily repairable, so it can last longer than other options.

But honestly the price difference to the bodum bistro isn't worth it. Id go for this if you wanted a cheap electric. Also wont grind espresso, but good enough for just about everything else.

Hope that answers your questions!

u/sorasonline · 3 pointsr/Coffee

Grinder: Hario Slim ~$25 or mini mill ~$29 (looks too expensive to go for the mini mill)

Option 1: Aeropress and filters, may be just under or around $50 with the grinder, might overshoot by a few bucks. ~$29 for Aeropress and paper filters, steel filter available but not within budget (~$15-18).

Option 2: melitta pourover cone and filters, need a pyrex to heat/pour your water, but every kitchen should have one of those anyway. ~$13 for cone and filters.

Looks like going the pourover route (before shipping and whatnot) will cost you a total of ~$38, while the Aeropress will be ~$54. The pourover route will mean you don't have as great a control over the brew (many people like an expensive gooseneck kettle, but whatever), but will be significantly under-budget. The Aeropress will be slightly over budget, but you won't have to worry about pour control.

u/marshmallowwisdom · 3 pointsr/Coffee

I started out with and highly recommend the Clever Coffee Dripper (I recommend getting the Large which makes about 14 oz and 28 oz if you use the bypass brew method) and a Hario Mini Mill hand grinder. The clean up and prep time for the Clever is just about the same as an Aeropress, but it yields a higher brew volume which is great if you have company.

As for beans, just do a search for a local coffee roaster and start experimenting with beans from various locations (Central/South America, Africa, Pacific Islands, etc). Good luck with your coffee journey!

u/theFlipside619 · 3 pointsr/LesbianActually

I'm a mild coffee snob. So what is key: filtered water, temperature and grinding the beans the moment you make it. Straight tap is okay but check your municipality on how they process the water. If they put add weird stuff to reprocess... don't use. I can taste that stuff and then it makes my coffee taste sad, lol. So if not filtered at home then store bought.

I also use a french press. To get the full taste of coffee you don't want to use a coffee filter. The filter pulls some of the nom nom oils from the coffee. Also, more oils means more caffeine in your system. :)

But I had one of those master baristas tell me that they only keep their coffee (once bag is opened) for a week. Gawh! If I tossed out my coffee every week...nope I don't drink coffee that fast and not gonna waste money like that.

I prefer mostly dark roasts. But the most memorable cup of coffee I made for myself was one I bought from a local store and it was an Organic Italian Dark roast. OMG, that was just superb! So I recommend supporting your local stores.

Therefore, get a hand grinder and french press. Also, this may seem like a lot of work but it's a five to seven minute process and really I love it. Once I did it, I gave away my Breville Coffee maker and have never purchased another one since.

I love coffee!

u/CaptainTachyon · 3 pointsr/Coffee

If you take a look at the wiki for this subreddit, there's a gear guide. Most people are going to recommend the Hario Mini, it's a solid, inexpensive grinder that will really have a dramatic effect on your coffee.

u/Mural_ofaMexicanGirl · 3 pointsr/Coffee

I was thinking about buying the Aeropress (I've heard great things). I know it won't make true espresso or w/e, but for my needs, I think it'll be just fine. I also found a cheap grinder online that got good reviews. Link: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405019304&sr=8-2&keywords=hario+grinder

Thoughts?

I'm just sick of drinking shitty coffee every day.

u/sir_ramen · 3 pointsr/Coffee

College usually means frugal so; Hario Mini Mill, $33.00 no s&h.

u/infestacool · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I would say go with the clever coffee dripper, a hario hand grinder, and an electric kettle.

The Clever Coffee Maker is great and easy to use and clean. Also less than $20
Here is a guide on how to use it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_-wyjaCPj8
http://amzn.com/B0047W70GY

The clever is an immersion coffee maker not a drip so it doesn't require complicated pouring methods like a Hario V60 or a Beehouse.

Nothing beats the Hario Hand grinder for a cheap burr grinder. But a motorized grinder will save your wrist. Also pre ground coffee is blasphemy here but it might be worth keeping it around if you're in a rush.
http://amzn.com/B001804CLY

If you have access to hot water, some common rooms have microwaves and/or hot water bubbler taps, You can skip the kettle. Also Some dorms forbid electric kettle and will throw it out if found.

If you don't have access to hot water and dont want to shell out the $50 for a high end one like the bona-vita kettle you can use the clever with any hot water source. So a $15 kettle from amazon works fine. Check out the cheap ones on amazon and read the reviews. Some don't last very longs so be aware that you might have to buy another in a few years.

u/victorjo · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Grinders, similar to speakers or headphones, generally do get better with price.

Now, I have no experienced with Mr Coffee, but I do own the Encore and have use Hario Mini Mill while visiting a friend overseas. However judging from the reviews in Amazon, I'd say you're actually downgrading if you're going with Mr Coffee.

u/ZombieHousefly · 2 pointsr/exmormon

That's what I use. Then I have a hand operated grinder from Amazon, and a bag of roasted beans for when I have time (I'm convinced it tastes better freshly ground, but then again, I used to be convinced Native Americans were darkened Israelites), and grinds for when I don't.

u/Im_getting_to_it · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I'm hoping that's the case with hario. I've only had the grinder for a few months, and I'd rather not have to buy a new one. It's the slim mini mill like the one here. Any chance your grinder parts are compatible?

u/PopoTheBadNewsBear · 2 pointsr/Coffee

The Skertron comes up a lot whenever anyone asks this question. Also, check out the Mini Mill.

u/exmos_gf · 2 pointsr/exmormon

We did essentially this with our french press. We have a hand grinder (this one) that grinds one french press-worth of coffee in the time that it takes our $20 Costco hot water pot to warm up. A quick stir, and 4 minutes later press the most delicious coffee. It's part of our morning routine, and fits right in with

Good quality beans are necessary, but I'd add that you'll probably want to experiment with what sort of roasts/beans you like. Bf and I like an Indonesian dark roast best...

u/RelativityCoffee · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Clearly the grinder is your problem; a blade grinder just isn't going to work. A lot of people on here say good things about the Hario Mini Mill -- a hand grinder that delivers much more consistent particle sizes than a blade grinder.

u/daveb25 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

You can get something like this for around $300-400 used, and it is pretty good for the price.

The problem is that you can't really buy preground espresso, and espresso grinders start at $300 so finding a setup for $100-200 is nearly impossible.

That said, if you really must have decent espresso for under $200, get this Delonghi for $90 and a Hario hand grinder for $25. You'll have decent espresso, but it will be a lot of work.

u/Zircon88 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Ah, uhm. I'm a newbie to this coffee business - only recently made the transition to ground coffee (Jakubs Kronung) from instant Nescafe. Also, in Europe so most models would not be easily available in the US, I guess. Tbh you could easily get a grinder for much, much less than $900 - that's the price of a shitty used car.

Something like this is quite elegant and does the job for $875.02 less. Remember, although expensive is usually better, there's a point of diminishing returns. The one you linked is ideal as a very, very expensive wedding gift.

u/ruffienne · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I just got a Hario Mini Mill burr grinder for my Aeropress setup, and recently got a gift of two types of beans from my favorite roaster.

Question: Is it important to somehow clean the grinder after using it for one type of bean, and wanting to switch to the other? How do you go about it? I believe the burrs are ceramic; would running water through it damage it in some way?

Thanks guys!

u/maggit · 2 pointsr/Coffee

The best thing you can do to get better coffee is to get a grinder and only prepare freshly ground coffee. The Hario Slim (as suggested by others as well) would do for this.

Failing that, you should definitely get it ground properly at a coffee shop. Improperly ground coffee is worse than preground, slightly old, coffee.

u/cottoncubes · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Mini Mill

Kettle

Scale

Brita Filter

Aeropress

Thermometer. The one I have is from a Culinary Arts class I took, but this looks to be the same. It's very useful, and to calibrate it, which you'll need to do every once in a while, fill a cup full of ice and then water and put the blue thing on so you can move it (I'm not sure how to explain it, but I'm sure you'll get it), and make sure the dimple is in the water and move it to 32 degrees.

Edit: Also, the mug was from the reddit Secret Santa exchange! It's a really fantastic mug.

u/brokenantler · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

Starbucks is shit. Buy her a Chemex, some filters, a cheap yet decent burr grinder and a nice bag of freshly roasted beans. You'll be out about $100, but your mom will thank you and will stop wasting her money on burnt swill.

u/Hooblah2u2 · 2 pointsr/barista

It's hard to beat the affordable and durable Hario Mini Mill or Hario Kerton hand grinders. They aren't the best grinders around, but for below $40 and a little work, it's well worth the minor investment.

If you happen to choose the Mini Mill, check out the mods that are easily installed and your grind consistency will improve significantly.

u/fidepus · 2 pointsr/Coffee

If you want true Espresso the first one you list isn't gonna do it.

I think one of the cheapest useable option is the Gaggia Classic. You can get it with a hand grinder and are all set to go. This one is pretty good.

Want to spend more? The Rancilio Silvia is beloved by many, from beginners to advanced. Here it is with a matching electrical grinder.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of those devices, because my kitchen is way to small for more than an AeroPress but I have friends who own this stuff and they make great coffee.

u/Lipworth · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Aeropress or V60(Need to buy filters for both but they aren't expensive) and a Hario Mini Mill . Cheapest methods but make extremely high quality coffee.

u/lunchtimeillusion · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I recommend a french press to start you off. They're easy to use with minimal clean up, no paper or plastic waste, and they make great coffee. As far as beans go, look for something locally roasted if you can. Also, get a burr grinder. I recommend one of
these or something similar.

u/dreiter · 2 pointsr/Coffee

You gotta be sure to use Fakespot these days. Lots of companies using shady tactics to get their review average up. This one is definitely a risky buy.

Put a bit more cash into it and get a Hario Slim or even a Hario Skerton.

u/sli · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Honestly, the easiest way to start is probably an Aeropress and a decent kettle. Get a gooseneck early, then you won't have to buy a second kettle later if you decide to start playing with pour-overs. If you want to make boiling water a little more passive, get an electric one. I have this one and it works like a charm.

Another cheap starter option for brewing is the V60 and its various clones. The original is plastic, but this one is ceramic and only $20. It takes some practice to get pour-overs just right, but it's worth it. And for $20, it's not a bad way to give it a shot or just to have in your collection.

Grinders are a whole discussion. I have a Baratza Encore that I really like. It's easy to maintain and Baratza's support was pretty good to me when I needed them. If you want to go a little cheaper, you might consider a Skerton or Mini Mill.

For beans, have fun. There are a ton of places to get decent beans, and part of the fun is finding new places. There are a number of redditors that roast and will probably sell beans to you if you like. (Including me!) I would suggest some, but I actually skipped this part and went straight to roasting.

EDIT: Oh, and good luck. You're opening a door to a rabbit hole, now.

u/theCardiffGiant · 2 pointsr/Coffee

this grinder fits very well into this brewer for one of the cheapest and easiest ways to make really good coffee at home.

The Hario Skerton is a better grinder, but the slim is cheaper and dumps the grounds into the aeropress very easily.

I second Tyler's recommendation to try to find a local roaster, both to buy good beans from and ask questions about coffee. Making really good coffee is a lifelong self improvement journey, not a $10 purchase at Safeway. You will need a mentor. If you're willing to say where you live I have a feeling we could help you find the best place.

u/Ace-O-Matic · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I would recommend the Hario Mini. Gives a good grind, and given your relatively small portion sizes it's not gonna become a wrist pain for you to grind up your beans.

u/professorpan · 2 pointsr/Coffee

If you go just a little over budget...

u/segasean · 2 pointsr/Coffee

To answer your question, the strength of your coffee is mostly influenced by how much coffee you're using versus how much water. For a strong cup with your Keurig, go with the setting with the smallest amount of water. The Keurig is by no means the "best" method to make coffee, but it will make coffee. If you decide to get a manual brewer (French press, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, etc.) the brew time has some leeway, but I'd recommend just using more coffee than trying to push the recommended brew time too far. Coffee can/should be strong without being bitter, and keeping the water and coffee together too long will create bitterness.


What follows is everything you need to know about making great coffee. Warning, this may be overwhelming:

  1. Freshly ground coffee is going to taste better. Consider coffee like bread. A loaf left on the counter will get stale faster if you slice it up. Freshly roasted is better, but it might be more expensive/harder for you to find and you might not want to dive that deep yet.
  2. Conical burr grinders are better than blade grinders. The problem is that a decent automatic burr grinder is going to be ~$100 and that's a steep price for someone just getting into coffee. Many people will recommend the mini mill, Skerton, or something along those lines that is hand-crank. (Good non-name brand options: 1 and 2) Those are your best bet. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, you can get an automatic blade grinder if you might have an issue with manual grinding/don't want to drop a lot of money. I will mention that darker roasts are easier to grind manually so there's less worry for your wrist. The problem with blade grinders is you get a bunch of differently sized bits, which makes it more difficult to get consistency and figure out a grind size/brew time you like.
  3. Each method of brewing calls for a differently sized grind. This is pretty important. If it's too small, you'll get a bitter cup. If it's too big, you'll get a sour cup. The same goes for brew time. Too long will make a bitter cup, and too short will make a sour cup. However, there's some leeway on both of these to your taste.
  4. There are a bunch of ways to make coffee that change how it tastes. Methods that involve filtering through paper make a cleaner cup, but you lose most of the oils in the coffee. Metal filters leave in these oils, but can also leave a lot of sediment/mud in the bottom of your cup. You might drink this if you drink that last sip, and it isn't really nice.
  5. Weighing your coffee is much more accurate if you want to make a consistent cup. A tablespoon of a darker roast might be 5 grams while a tablespoon of a lighter roast might be 7 grams.
  6. You'll need something to boil water in. If you have a kettle, great. If you don't, you can use a pan or you can buy a kettle. It doesn't need to be a fancy/expensive gooseneck-style one (1 and 2), but you might want one of those if you get into pourover methods.

    I would recommend a French press (1 2 3 4) or Aeropress for someone just getting into coffee. They're much more forgiving than pour-over methods, meaning you're less likely to make a bitter cup. They each have their own drawbacks, too. An Aeropress is easier to clean up, but can only make one cup at a time. A French press takes more time to clean, but can make about 3 cups at a time. (By cups I mean a standard 12-ounce mug.) Definitely get a grinder, too (see above). A scale (1 and 2) is optional but recommended. For beans, seek out a local roaster/coffee shop, but there are tons of online options available, too.

    Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes crazy) world of coffee!
u/JP2214 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Coffee gear really isn't expensive at all. People who say otherwise are either obsessive (like me), want luxury, or are wrong.

A drip cup shouldn't cost more than like $15. A glass V60 costs less than $12. Filters are paper and cost pennies. Coffee mills are the only things that can cost a lot and are genuinely worth the cost. The cheapest good mill is considered to be this hario mini mill at $30 or less. A gooseneck drip pot is not required but can be useful, like this one

Honestly... you don't need any other gear

However, the most important aspect of coffee, as always, is fresh beans.

u/fryingchicken · 2 pointsr/Coffee

i have the hario mini mill and it works great!

u/ecib · 2 pointsr/Coffee

>I'm not looking to spend a lot of money on my coffee habit (at least not yet).

You can get a cheap burr grinder (hell, even a shitty blade grinder will be better than what you're used to) and a French Press pot for less than 50 bucks.

Right there you will have everything you will ever need to brew the most delicious coffee you've ever had until you drop your French Press and break it or your grinder craps out. Here is a cheap manual grinder, though you may want an electric for convenience: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Happily, the absolute best cups of coffee you can brew are less costly setup-wise than the bad stuff.

Just don't skimp on your beans. Best bet is to try and find a local place that roasts their own if you can.

u/CKJazz0105 · 2 pointsr/PipeTobacco

I was using the press for the last couple of years, and while I enjoyed it sometimes I wanted a lighter, cleaner cup. The chemex, as far as I can tell, tends to brew a cup that is lighter and brighter. There is less sediment too. If you care about mouth feel at all I would say that the chemex is more silky while the press is more velvety.

This is the grinder I ended up with. It costs a bit but I'm a sucker for things that look nice. http://www.redroostertradingcompany.com/products-page/coffee-grinders/camano-coffee-mill/

The recommended hand grinder over at /coffee is http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345136964&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+mini+mill or the skerton for 3$ more.

I did try a melitta brew, another pour over method, before settling on the chemex. I found it to taste very similar to a drip machine. The chemex filters really do make a difference.

Any other questions?

u/chipernator · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I would disagree.

The reason I don't like my french press as much (in my opinion) is that I associate it with the garbage coffee I made in it with my old blade grinder. Honestly, just getting a Hario Mini Mill like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY made a wold of difference.

It's also pretty easy to follow french press directions. Just sayin'.

u/an_imaginary_friend · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Like others have mentioned, less than 10 minutes and I can be out the door

You need: good beans + way to grind + near boiling water + brewing method of choice

Hario Mini Mill - Good grinder to start with. You want a burr grinder. If money really isn't an issue, invest in an electric burr. Faster and more consistent grind. Baratza is great.

Aeropress is a solid option. I highly recommend it too. French presses are good too, but just be aware that cleaning it can take a while, so you might have to leave it around until you have time to clean it.

Clever Coffee Dripper - I recommend this. Really easy to use and cleaning it takes a minute at most. As fast as a french press to brew.

u/grumpypineapple · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Never used the Bonavita, but a conical burr grinder is great!

One thing is you can also jump in making great coffee for a lot cheaper than this. This Hario hand grinder and an Aeropress/Hario V60 pour over are a great way to get amazing coffee for half the cost.

Although don't let that persuade you if you have done your research and that's what you want! To a better brew!

u/Hustlin_dem_bones · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Depending on how much coffee you drink, a Hario Mini Mill or a Hario Skerton is probably your best bet. There's really no replacement for a burr grinder if you want consistency, and the Harios have high quality ceramic burrs and are both <$50.

u/anon-182 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Make sure it's a burr grinder, that's probably a blade grinder. The cheapest adequate grinder would probably be the hario mini mill which is usually ~$30, but keep in mind it's a hand grinder so it requires some muscle. The cheapest passable electric one would be closer to $100.

u/Connguy · 2 pointsr/Showerthoughts

Both will be about the same, neither will be any good. the first steps to a good cup require three main things:

  • Good beans (find a local roaster. Expect to pay $10-15 a pound. I know this is steep, but it makes ALL the difference)

  • grinding your coffee fresh when you brew it (pre-ground coffee loses much of its flavor in a few hours, forget the months that many people spend on a ground bag). You can find excellent cheap hand-operated burr grinders for about $35. Stay away from blade grinders; they'll make your beans a choppy, uneven mess.

  • a better brewing method. They're not hard to learn at all, and the equipment is cheap. Here's a plastic pour-over cone for 6 bucks. A pack of filters for it costs another $5. A lot of people like the $25 aeropress also, because it's very straightforward and versatile (the pourover only makes regular coffee). there are other options as well; browse /r/coffee to learn more.

    tl;dr the things you should do to up your coffee game the first level (in the order you should do them) are: 1. Find a new brewing method 2. Buy better beans 3. Get a grinder
u/agitatedandroid · 2 pointsr/Coffee

The Hario Slim is the grinder I use every day. And the Aeropress that I brew my coffee in. Amazon even links them all together in the "commonly bought together" thingus for $65.

Admittedly, $65 sounds like a lot to lay out for anything new. That said, it's very hard to screw up and the Hario/Aeropress duo are, I've found, quite reliable. Mine gets daily use.

A French Press, while terribly fancy, may be more work than you're willing to invest to start yourself off. The Aeropress, conversely, is simple to use, simple to clean up, and well supported by we coffee snobs.

The next thing you'd need are beans. Beans you can get lots of places. Something to be aware of, the reason we prefer going from the bean directly rather than just buying pre-ground is because once you grind the bean you really ought to use it with in a day or two. That tub of Maxwell House was ground up months before you ever opened it. It suffocated long ago and died.

There are numerous roasters that you can order from online with a pound of beans ranging from $13-17 or thereabouts. This is for beans that were usually roasted two or three days before they arrive at your house.

Personally, and not to seem like a shill, but I get my beans from SW Roasting, a fellow redditor. Their sampler pack of beans from multiple continents can be a great introduction and they offer a truly personal service.

If even that seems like a little much for a beginner, I've found the single origin beans on offer from Target's Archer Farms brand aren't terrible. They're cheap, around $9. They're not as freshly roasted as you'd get from one of the online roasters but they're still good.

Admittedly, the initial outlay might seem daunting but you will have set yourself well on your way to coffee snobbery with the rest of us. After that, it's just $15-20 a month for beans depending on how much you drink.

And, really, worlds beyond instant. Go ahead, get the things I mentioned or any of the other options my fellows have suggested. Then, make that instant coffee in a mug you threw in the microwave. Drink it black. Spit it out because you love your tastebuds and wish to apologize to them. Brew some good beans you ground yourself and taste a significant, staggering difference.

u/CAPTyesterday827 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

If you're looking to buy a grinder, something like this should do just fine if you don't mind grinding manually: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/

I have a similar one from Hario and love it.

u/RushAndRelaxx · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I got recommended the porlex mini and the porlex JP-30. Both are the same expect for size and use burr grinders. Got the JP-30 and I think its great. Also heard the Hario Skerton and Hario Mini are pretty good.

u/TheMonsterVotary · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I'd recommend a Porlex grinder, it fits right in the Aeropress and is super portable, or if you want something cheaper but still very good I'd recommend the Hario Mini Mill, it's what I personally use.

u/has_no_karma · 2 pointsr/cigars

It may be just me, but I'd think a bitterer cup might overpower some sticks. Maybe try a medium or "blonde" roast?

This is going down a bit of a rabbit hole, but if you drink coffee often enough you might want to look into at least getting a decent hand grinder (I've had this one for several years, but there may be something better out now for around the same price) and grinding your beans fresh. That, along with getting beans that were roasted recently, makes a world of difference in the quality of your coffee, even if you're still brewing in an auto-drip.

u/Ramachandrann · 2 pointsr/rawdenim

I have a Hario Mini Mill which I like and it gets the job done, but I'm really looking for something electric. If you're doing french press, it doesnt take much time to grind beans but if you're doing anything finer than that it probably takes me 5 minutes to grind 45-50g of beans which just isn't what I wanna do right after I wake up. I've heard good things about the Hario Skerton as well.

For electric grinders, I've heard that the Baratza Encore is the best bang for your buck. Also, I would get an adjustable temperature kettle (people perfer goosenecks but I just have a regular one) and a kitchen scale! The scale is super useful for cooking in general and I think they're good to have, especially for coffee.

Also, I have a Chemex and love it. I don't think I could live without it.

u/sehrgut · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I love that your first cup of coffee linked you strongly-enough to the coffee community that you're already saying "we". :-)

Welcome to the cult club!

I became a coffee snob accidentally, since with each improvement I'd make to my coffee, I could no longer even stomach what I'd enjoyed before. So beware of that . . . That said, my advice would be:

  1. An order of magnitude more important than ANYTHING else (buying good coffee, brewing it "right", etc.) is fresh-ground coffee. Grinding stale grocery-store beans minutes before brewing and throwing them in an old Mr. Coffee won't be "good", per se, but it'll be better than fancy third-wave beans ground the day before and brewed with TLC in a fancy third-wave pourover.

    1b. A blade grinder will have been be a waste of $15 when you finally replace it (and you will). Go for a Hario Slim for your first grinder, because even when you upgrade, you'll still use it for travel, work, etc.

  2. Espresso is expensive. Don't even try until you want to invest significant (>$500) money into it. For the cost of an espresso setup at home that you won't outgrow simply as your tastes and skills evolve, you can have a prime setup for every other mainstream and traditional brewing method. When starting out, save espresso for your favourite coffee shops. There's time enough to decide if you want to invest in that whole sub-cult[ure].

  3. Manual > automatic, even when it's not. This is because almost any manual brewing method will grow with you as you improve your skills and explore your tastes, but even a Technivorm will never make different coffee than it does right now, regardless of how your tastes change. Save even a good automatic brewer for later, if you end up needing/wanting one.

    My recommended starter kit:

  • Melitta Ready Set Joe dripper
  • bleached filters
  • Hario Slim grinder

    For under $40 shipped, you'll have a setup with minimal sunk cost if you decide manual coffee isn't for you, will make coffee every bit as good (imho) as more beautiful systems, and won't be obsolete if and when you upgrade (since it'll still give you wonderful coffee at work or on the road).

    PS. See my essay on my descent into coffee-snobbery I contributed to an online writing community I used to participate in regularly.

    PPS. If you meet the Coffee Buddha in the cafe, kill him.
u/TheEighthGrader · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Aeropress

Mini Mill

You can also get a thermometer and scale, to help with consistency a little, but there are rules of thumb that make them unnecessary IMHO. At least for my humble pallet.

I started with that setup, and have since upgraded to an expensive electric grinder and expensive electric kettle, but they really only help with speed. $50 gets you everything you need, so to me it's a great place to start. Use the rest to buy great beans.

u/CA1900 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

That grinder is likely a big part of the issue. The ones with the little whirling blades make it pretty much impossible to get a consistent grind, since some of the already-ground coffee will get re-ground (to a finer consistency) as the machine operates. It also can make the coffee more bitter, because the super-fine coffee that's part of the mix will get over-extracted.

Shaking it around a little bit as it grinds can help a little bit, but the real solution is a burr grinder, which start at around $30 for this little hand-powered Hario Mini Mill, and going up over $1000 depending on the model. I've been using this little Capresso Infinity ($86) for many years and it's still serving me well.

In the meantime, adding a little more coffee grounds before brewing should help with the wateriness.

u/Kalahan7 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I would advice against buying that electric grinder. It won't be very good and pretty hard to make consistent tasting coffee with.

This one uses blades. Blades to grind coffee is like using a rock to cut vegetables. Yes it gets "the job done" but with a lot of compromise.

Blade grinders (as opposed to burr grinders) are unable to grind coffee in consistent size particles. Meaning hot water won't extract your coffee evenly. Which makes a huge difference.

Cheapest "good" hand grinder is the Hario Skerton or Hario Mini Mill. A step up from that is the Porlex Mini which offers a bit better grind quality, alluminium instead of plastic, and fits inside the aeropress.

If you want to go electric the cheapest good option is this Bodum grinder but at that point you might as well go with the Baratza Encore which is a great iconic grinder that is a great grinder for everything up to espresso.

Manual grinding isn't too bad. If you enjoy "the ritual". Grinding for the Aeropress takes about 1 minute. The thing is, if you want to start brewing more, for say French Press or V60, you really want to invest in an electric grinder. Because grinding for 4 cups of coffee by hand suuuucks! Also, early in the morning, you really appreciate an electric grinder.

Ideal is to have both. But I know that's kinda crazy. Electric at home, manual for at work/while travelling.

u/canekicker · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Not sure about availability and pricing in Germany so everything here is in US dollars. If pricing over there is a straight conversion from dollars to euros ( $100 = 105€) you'll be pretty close to 100€.

In terms of grinders, you'll be in the manual grinding arena with Hario Skerton, Hario Mini or the Porlex JP-3 if you want to spend a bit more. Just be aware these are good enough for a single person but if you're doing more, be prepared to grind in batches.

Since you're doing a pour over, you're going to need a gooseneck kettle to help control your pour. You're out of the range for electric kettles with temperature control, however you may be able to find electric goosenecks without temperature controls. Again, Hario is a popular option but I've heard mixed reviews about them, namely poor heat retention and debate over whether to use it directly on a stove top. The Stagg Kettle is well regarded and can fit into your budget if you choose a less expensive grinder.


u/robotsongs · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Mini. I fucking love mine so much I use it as my main grinder. Gives a nice little work out in the morning.

Pretty decent grinds as well, and cheap to boot with a ceramic burr.

u/joeasian · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I don't have any experience with this but it has good reviews: Hario MSS-1B Mini Mill Slim Coffee Grinder for $40.

u/alkw0ia · 2 pointsr/SelfSufficiency

I have a friend who's really happy with the Hario mini for his espresso machine.

u/ch2435 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047BIWSK/

Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder, Mini https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/

u/jeffpluspinatas · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I'd go with the Hario mini.

u/browneyedgirl79 · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

As one of the newer members of the RAoA Aeropress Society, I need a good grinder, please. Will the real slim shady please stand up? I have a Hario Slim on my list.

Thank you for the contest!

u/SmilerControl · 2 pointsr/Coffee

While on tour last summer, I had this little kit to keep my coffee habit happy in middle of nowhere America:

Hario Mini Mill

[Bonavita Bona Voyage 0.5-Liter Electric Travel Kettle] (http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Voyage-0-5-Liter-Electric-Travel/dp/B008YQLZOW/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1404394599&sr=1-10&keywords=bonavita)

Clever Dripper

I went with this set up so I didn't have to worry about bringing a goose neck kettle with me and could just pour straight from the kettle to the clever. I weighed out the typical amount of beans I use for a full Clever and marked it on the mini mill so I wouldn't have to keep a scale with me. Worked great and saved me from buying daily coffees at Starbucks. I've seen others post more elaborate travel set ups around here, so hopefully they'll respond.

u/ShadySkins · 2 pointsr/daddit

The one in OP's pic looks like a Hario Skerton

There is lots of info at /r/coffee ..... my recommendation based on my research and my use is the Hario Mini. The Skerton has some downsides as compared to the mini which swayed me to the mini. It's been almost 2 years since I researched so I don't remember exactly the differences.

As for the Aeropress in OP's picture, it is a very fine coffee maker and I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend a Chemex. I use my Chemex daily and the Aeropress frequently.

/r/coffee should have all the info you need.

u/GarryBunk · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hey, I'm a complete noob when it comes to coffee and just found this subreddit. I've been looking at what people suggest for single cup coffee makers and and looking at getting the Aeropress and the Hario Skerton grinder. Are these good or is there something else you guys recommend? I'm very open to any input you guys have but would like to keep it under around 100 dollars. Thanks in advance.

u/annnm · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I don't know about that manufacturer for the grinder, but most people haven't had great luck with similar types. There are lots of reports of them breaking or being of inconsistent build quality. Almost universally on this sub, people recommend hario for introductory grinders (sub 30$) and nothing else. It should be noted that non-coffee enthusiasts may quickly tire of manually grinding their coffee. And imo, while freshly grounded is superior, many may feel that increase in quality not worth the extra effort. you know your dad. he may be one of these people. in which case, a manual grinder might only just take up space.

french press seems good. it's pretty! It'll be a full bodied murky coffee because there isn't a paper filter. A cleaner coffee can be achieved via a v60 cone or aeropress like you were thinking about. This is all up for preference and i will note that the cost of filters is near negligible. It comes down to like a nickle per brew. As for cleaning, the aeropress is slightly more annoying to clean and dry than a cone, but it's not that troublesome.

As for the beans, i have no idea. i'm a part of the camp that believes the process is superior to the materials. So, so long as it isn't bad, then it should be good. And accordingly, I buy bargain bin beans because i don't care. They taste good enough for me. But some of my friends believe in only single origin beans from an expensive and artisan roaster like blue bottle. I don't think either of us is wrong. again: just preference.

all in all, looks decent. hope he enjoys the gifts!

u/not_a_relevant_name · 2 pointsr/CampingGear

Kinda late here, but I would say if you want to be able to control grind size on a budget you should get a manual grinder. Here is the one I have and it works great. If you need coffee for more than two people then it's a bit of a chore, but for a single cup it's perfect.

u/johnty123 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

i'd say at that price try to find something used. this way:


1.)if you get a cheap pump-driven pressurized portafilter machine, you're not going to regret it after moving up and realizing you spent so much on something that would have little value later (for resale, or just keep as a "backup")


2.)you may be able to find a decent used machine. not sure what the UK market is like but here (vancouver, canada) you can find stuff like the old starbucks machines (with the non-pressurized PF) comfortably in that price range.


either way, if you get used make sure the owner can show you how to pull a shot on the machine. the reason is it can be quite involved (especially for better machines), and it also shows if machine is in good shape (the gaskets, especially). on cheaper machines it may be close to impossible to replace. (i picked up a bar32 for $5 at a thrift sale to play with, and it leaks like crazy. =)

as to the grinder, this article is making more and more sense the more i'm getting into espresso. there is a minor loophole: the hario hand grinders here and here can actually get you to pretty close to the grind that works on most machines.

TL;DR- machine: try get used. grinder: hario hand grinders

u/mccluresc · 2 pointsr/astoria

This manual grinder is great - just be prepared to put in some effort:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/

u/xeren · 2 pointsr/ReviewThis

Maybe this is too labor intense, but for insanely good espresso and americano, get an Aeropress and a Burr Grinder like this electric one or this hand one

The aeropress prevents over-pressing of the beans, which prevents the coffee from getting acidic, as I understand it. The aeropress requires a bit more work to use, but it's really easy to clean (you just pop the used grounds into the trash and then rinse off the end of the areopress). The burr grinder grinds the beans much better than your average slicing grinder can.

u/foamerfrank · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Mini Mill and an MSR MugMate or equivalent will be an excellent office set up. I use the Kyocera CM-45 which I love but tends to be more expensive and harder to find - and the MSR mugmate every day in my office. It's essentially french press coffee. Coarse grind, brew for 4 minutes, enjoy!

u/somenumbers · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hario makes good stuff, I use one of their hand grinders at home. Similar to the Skerton but this one is slightly smaller but IMO easier to hold onto while grinding.


http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371863664&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+grinder

u/MoeGwain · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I have this and it does a great job. It grinds the perfect amount for two large cups of coffee. Takes less than a minute to do.

u/kariudo · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Totally understandable, can't just dispose of a gift. I hope you enjoy the coffee "hobby". I can say my first upgrade when I started was to get a [Hario Mini](Hario Mini Mill Slim Hand Coffee Grinder https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/) to use at my office so I could stop drinking the Keurig garbage haha. It's small, but pretty good for what it is, and the results are good for the money, plus it's portable! Enjoy!

u/drun3 · 2 pointsr/Coffee

Hario Slim is $25 and worked well for me. The hex on the shaft eventually wears out, but they'll replace it for free if you email them (or they did for me at least)

Hario MSS-1B Mini Coffee Mill Slim Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DvdZxbM1MQA0Z

u/Salsa_Z5 · 2 pointsr/rawdenim

I'm not exaggerating when I say you need a grinder. Doesn't matter what method you use to make coffee if you don't start with freshly ground beans.

This one is good and pretty cheap.

u/thisformihold · 2 pointsr/Coffee

I second the Hario Skerton or the Slim. Those are the best grinders you're going to be able to find at that price range. Absolutely steer clear of any blade grinders whatsoever.

u/CBlackmer · 1 pointr/Coffee

Not gonna get much kcup or similar love here. They are common for this use but make overpriced weak bad coffee. Have to mention it as it is the mass market solution.

French press is good work kit, but can be messy http://amzn.com/B000KEM4TQ

Aeropress (http://amzn.com/B0047BIWSK) is my work setup.

I used an electric moka pot at work for a while but it was awful loud for a cube, easy though, and moka is somewhere between coffee and espresso. Good conversation piece also. http://amzn.com/B000TDDVL8

Grinder also? Highly recommended to grind right before brew, http://amzn.com/B001804CLY

Good luck!

u/d-4-dave · 1 pointr/Coffee

I'm currently looking to upgrade to either a Hario mini mill or a Baratza Encore.

http://amzn.com/B001804CLY
http://amzn.com/B007F183LK

u/xthecharacter · 1 pointr/minimalism

> I maintain a coffee maker and a rice cooker, exclusively.

Dude same here. I use my rice cooker to do so many things, and it's awesome. I also have a toaster oven, though, since I can't toast bread or make pizza bagels in a rice cooker (as much as I'd like to). And of course coffee is a necessity. I have an aeropress and a Hario coffee grinder and I love them both.

u/hughmonstah · 1 pointr/Wetshaving

No problem! You can always get the Hario mini mill for ~$22 if you want a cheaper option; that's what I'm using right now until my LIDO 3 comes.. which will hopefully be sometime soon.
A step up from that would be a Porlex grinder for $52. From what I've read, the mini actually fits inside the Aeropress which will be good for travel. I think it has better grind consistency than the mini mill, but there are pretty cheap mods you can do to the Hario Mini Mill (tape and rubber band) and the Skerton (someone sells a 3d printed mod attachment). The Porlex is made of metal, though. Which may be worth the extra, if that's your thing.

If you're looking for an electric grinder that's good for everything but espresso, you can look for a Baratza Encore, which is widely recommended on /r/coffee. It's ~$120, but can last you a long time. Baratza also sells them on their site refurbished for ~$90 from time to time. Though, shipping costs will kill you and make getting a new one almost more worth it. I was thinking about getting one for myself but I opted for the more expensive LIDO since I anticipate living with roommates for a few years and electric grinders are loud. If I were older and settled down, I probably would've opted for this or a Virtuoso. I'm planning to get myself a Baratza Sette 270W when I actually make money, though :p

u/wrelam · 1 pointr/Coffee

Awesome! While you save up for a more expensive grinder, you could get a Hario Mini Mill to tide you over. It'll make you appreciate having a nice electric grinder once you get it :).

u/Amilius42 · 1 pointr/Coffee

This is the grinder i'm useing. I'm new to this whole thing so i bought pretty cheap stuff to try it out.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001804CLY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01

u/bejingstockoption · 1 pointr/vancouver

I don't think they do but you probably can ask. I always have just bought whole beans.

If you're looking for a decent affordable grinder I would suggest this:

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001804CLY/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/182-9342944-5419637?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0PVCJ3QHNKCMD4QSTMST&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1977604522&pf_rd_i=B001802PIQ

Adjustable bore ceramic with a pretty high build quality that lasts for years. For the price you can't go wrong.

u/benwell · 1 pointr/Coffee

ok, well this is a bare minimum, you'll soon get bored of hand grinding but its a good introduction to fresh ground coffee

u/dcabines · 1 pointr/coffeestations

I enjoy it, but I'm no espresso expert. I have a Hario hand grinder for grinding espresso.

u/ajmacbeth · 1 pointr/BuyItForLife

I bought this 5 years ago. Use it almost everyday.

u/TNoD · 1 pointr/TheVeneration

I'd recommend this to start: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001804CLY?cache=638891ad78f1a31080722956f5dddcdc&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1408979087&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

Basically it'll take a few minutes of work but good hand mills are cheap and produce a much more even grind, which is necessary for a French press. You also wanna set it to the finest grind that won't go through the press.

To go for electrical grinders that are worth a damn would be going to a much higher price range (I'm not too sure exactly but I could find out).

u/OneToForeseeForOne · 1 pointr/Coffee

Can you link to the mini on Amazon? I might swap out to that grinder. This one isn't so user friendly. This???

u/spectrum1012 · 1 pointr/Coffee

If you'd like to stay fairly budget, I'd recommend one of the Hario hand grinders you can find on Amazon. I got one as a gift, it was maybe 30$ and is pretty darn good for what you pay for. I've had mine for a year now and it's doing very well still, and I rarely clean it (when I do it's with a dry brush). It's doesn't product quite as consistent a grind as something like the Lido (I've only seen YouTube demonstrations of the Lido, not first hand) but it is good. It'll still get you miles better tasting coffee than pre ground and would be a good starting point. I'm not planning on replacing my Hario until it breaks.

Edit: Canadian Amazon has it for 40$ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B001804CLY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484841823&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=hario+coffee+grinder

u/Theshag0 · 1 pointr/Coffee

Moka Pot

[Hario Grinder] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1368467219&sr=1-1&keywords=hario+grinder)

Milk Frother

It won't be perfect, but at 100 bucks that's the best you are going to do. If you are looking for a machine, expect to spend ~250 bucks to get good shots, more than that if you want to do it easily.

I'm waiting with baited breath to see if http://zpmespresso.myshopify.com/ is going to change the whole home espresso game, but for now I'm rocking the Moka Pot and it honestly works pretty well for me.

u/spyc3r · 1 pointr/Coffee

The best investments you can make are in a quality grinder and a decent scale. I would suggest you don't waste your time with a blade grinder. As others have said, Hario makes a few great hand grinders:

Hario Slim

Hario Skerton

You can use any cheap scale. This is the one that I suggest to most people.

Since you are on a budget I would lean towards an aeropress or a french press. They are close to the same price (~$30) so it depends on the style of coffee that you enjoy. You can certainly use a pour over, but I feel that to get a consistent cup you will also need a goose neck kettle which might put you over your budget.

u/CEAgrower · 1 pointr/Coffee

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY


Better grind than most sub $150 electric grinders and it's quiet.

u/writer__ · 1 pointr/Coffee

Haha, yeah this sub might seem really elitist at times. It is actually pretty easy to get started; you can get a $3 Melitta plastic pourover at a grocery, fresh grind, and do a nice cup with an extremely small budget. The grinder is probably the most expensive purchase you'll make, so unless you plan on upgrading, it's worth it to get into it. I make due with a Hario Mini Mill for $26 and am perfectly happy :)

u/scriptingsoul · 1 pointr/Coffee

Wow, this is a great selection, thank you for sharing your collection of websites! After (quickly) combing through, I've already found some awesome looking roasts. I'm going to have to give a lot of these a try:

Sao Domingos

Maximilian Sentinel

Keystone Blend

French Roast

Thank you again for these recommendations.

On the subject of a grinder, I'm currently using a blade grinder. I've heard a lot of great things about burr grinders, and I'm thinking about getting a hand-operated burr grinder to not break the bank with the more expensive ones. So far the blade grinder has been working well, so upgrading isn't too critical for me right now.

u/quadroplegic · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I've used Hario's mini mill for almost two years, and I love it.

As for getting consistency out of the Aeropress, try this:

  1. Insert the plunger around .5"
  2. with the setup upside down, fill with grounds and hot water
  3. stir
  4. Screw on filter, flip, press.
u/PuristaBlog · 1 pointr/Coffee

You can certainly make a French Press work, but I prefer it only as a cold brew method. When our reviews launch, you will see that the French Press is good for certain types of coffees, but more often than naught, the French Press simply does not present as good of a cup as, say, the Chemex, V60, or AeroPress.

I strongly recommend going with the AeroPress. Really hard to get a bad cup out of that. I suggest getting a $7 American Weigh scale (AeroPress fits on there) if you don't have a scale already. Also, try out the paper filters that come with it, but I recommend the Able DISK for $12.50.

If you do not have a burr grinder, pick up the Hario Mini. Awesome little grinder!

u/mixmastakooz · 1 pointr/Coffee

Well, if this a regular grinder to you, then this is a blade grinder. Cheap and gets the job done, but the grind size is inconsistent as the grinder is slicing and smacking the beans: as such, you'll get large particles in the grind to very small fine grinds at the same time. It's 10x better than buying pre-ground, but if you want consistent coffee, then you'll need a burr grinder. With the Clever, a blade grinder should be fine as it's a forgiving coffee brewing method. Burr grinders crush (for lack of a better word) the grinds between two metal or ceramic burrs and you get a consistent sized grind which is optimal for brewing. This is a hand cranked burr grinder which will give you that consistent grind but since it's manual, takes a bit of effort. If you have $100, then get a refurbed Baratza Encore (or if you're in a big urban area, just do daily searches on Craigslist, and you should be able to find a Baratza for about $50). These are great entry level burr grinders. When you get out into the world and make some money, that's when you can graduate to stepless or the top-level burr grinders.

u/fuser-invent · 1 pointr/Coffee

Wow, props to Gawdor for writing all those up! I think they are awesome and personally don't think they are a bit long in the tooth. The extra info is really good and having details is nice for people like me who like to delve a little deeper into things.

What I'd like to see in addition to the guides though is a list of equipment recommendations in certain price ranges, with very brief descriptions and links to Amazon or something where people can see the products there and buy them if they choose to. For example:

>Grinder Under $50
>
>Hario Hand Grinder - ~$33 - Cheap alternative to an electric burr grinder. Good for people on a budge who still want the quality of burrs.

However, no Amazon affiliate links where people make money, they should all be straight/direct links like the one in the example.

EDIT: I'm setting up a new section for that right now.

u/sleepwizard · 1 pointr/Coffee

Aeropress, Manual Grinder, and a Steel Disk Filter. I started with the Hario Mini Mill with an Aeropress and I still use it for work daily. The Aeropress is so loved because its very simple to use and most consistent.

I also said to add in the Able Fine Steel Disk the Able Disk will let in more oils and is reusable forever.

Grand total is $72.50 on Amazon. You can wait on the Filter to drop your total to $60 and it will be worth every penny.

u/rotf110 · 1 pointr/knifeclub

I have some pretty weird hobbies (knives and knife sharpening included). I actually don't remember watching videos specifically about roasting in a Whirley Pop, but I think this video is fine, although it's also sort of a plug for a company. I also stir way more than this person.

I would recommend just starting with figuring out the brewing process of coffee before diving into the roasting side of things. A very quick turn-off for a lot of people is the sort of laxative effect coffee has on people, and it's quite bad for some people.

The "minimum" brewing equipment I would recommend is a Melitta pour-over cone, gooseneck kettle (a beaker would probably also work), Hario hand grinder (buying pre-ground is okay, but not great), and scale. If you live in the Bay Area or Boston area, I have recommendations on where to buy beans. If you're anywhere else, I can suggest mail-ordering beans or other nationally supplied coffees.

u/blahblahrasputan · 1 pointr/Coffee

Get one of [these](https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Mini-Slim/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr\_1\_1?crid=1UIODQHOKL90M&keywords=hario+hand+grinder&qid=1554493021&s=gateway&sprefix=hario+hand%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1](https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Mini-Slim/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UIODQHOKL90M&keywords=hario+hand+grinder&qid=1554493021&s=gateway&sprefix=hario+hand%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1), $50, probably cheaper in USD if that's applicable. I've really enjoyed mine and it made a huge difference to my coffee.

Honestly regardless of what people tell you taste is subjective and unless you taste your home made coffee with a better grinder, there's like no way you're gonna know if it's worth it, there's also no way anyone else can either.

I would say go with the cheapest improvement you can and personally I think something like the hario mini mill is that.

u/racalavaca · 1 pointr/Coffee

Great, thank you very much!

Admittedly, this wasn't my first option but it seemed like an OK compromise... I was looking to get this one initially. But it is double the price of that other one, and I am currently in a position where saving money would be wiser. How much of an improvement would you say that would be? Or would it be acceptable to buy this one for now? I do expect my financial situation to get better eventually, probably soon.

u/dannoffs1 · 1 pointr/Coffee

I'm going to assume you typo'd or autocorrected pretty hard and are using an auto-drip machine. If you're not using one of the SCAA certified machines, it's probably pretty poor in terms of reaching adequate temperature and evenly dispersing water.

While it is possible to find decent coffee at co-ops, the only tried-and-true way of ensuring fresh coffee is buying directly from the roaster. Almost all roasters sell online and ship either the day of or the day after roasting. But supporting local business is good, so look for roasteries. What city are you in? I, or someone else here, could probably make some suggestions for a good roaster near you.

"Cheap" depends on your budget. The bottom end for good electric grinders is about $80. But it is possible to get a coupon for Bed, Bath & Beyond and using it on one there to get it cheaper. If you don't mind a little work out with your morning coffee, a good entry-level hand grinder will run you ~$30.

u/siacn · 1 pointr/cigars

> grinder

Ah man! Well, if you don't often get whole bean you could pick up a hand grinder that isn't super expensive and works well. I use one of these

Of course the electric ones that are like a mini-blender are cheap but it's hard to get a consistent grind with them.



u/sconeTodd · 1 pointr/canada

well tea is a totally different thing than coffee and some teas you can only steep once.

for office use I use an areopress with a hand grinder and a metal strainer


uses a lot less coffee than a pour over

warning your colleagues wont shut the fuck up about how interesting your coffee maker is

u/conrthomas · 1 pointr/Coffee

I'd start with a french press an/or an aeropress. I love my aeropress - cleanest coffee I've ever had. That being said, if you can, pick up a Hario Mini mill on amazon as it will greatly improve the taste of your coffee. Total investment would be $60 or less, not counting coffee.

As far as coffee goes, go to your local small coffee chops and see if any of them roast their own coffee. If they do, support them!

u/Picrophile · 1 pointr/cigars

Well this is gonna get kinda long and will only scratch the surface but I'll break down the pros and cons of some of the most popular entry-level gear in as un-confusing of a way as I can. First up, let's look at grinders.

First off, you want a burr grinder, particularly a conical burr grinder because those blender-y blade grinders they sell at wal-mart for $5 don't get any kind of a consistent grind. Varying sizes in a grind means varying levels of extraction in the cup and that means off flavors. Because burr grinders are more expensive, hand crank conical burr grinders are commonly recommended to beginners because of their lower price point compared to similar quality electrics. They're cheap and work well but do have some drawbacks beyond the extra effort involved in grinding. First, most of them don't have actual grind settings and you adjust the grind size by twisting a wheel until it looks as fine/coarse as you want it to. If you use different brew methods and switch grind size a lot, this can be a bit of a pain. Second, most hand grinders aren't ideal for french press because of the way the burrs are stabilized; they'll give fantastic fine/medium grinds but the coarse grind is a tad inconsistent. That said, I use a hand grinder for french press all the time and am relatively happy with the results. A few common ones are:

The Hario Skerton. I personally have one and love it. As I said, not perfect for french press but it's a durable daily driver that never lets me down and can do an espresso grind damn near as well as a $300 baratza

The hario mini is essentially the same grinder in a different, smaller package. Perfect for travel

The porlex JP-30 is a tad more expensive but has grind settings that, while unmarked, do "click" into place making adjusting grind coarseness a bit easier


If you wanted to go the electric route, I've seen refurbished Baratza encore grinders for around $100. This will give you a mediocre espresso grind but a perfect and much easier drip and french press grind


Next up: preparation methods

French presses use a metal mesh filter, which gives you all of the oils in the cup and lets a tiny bit of really fine coffee solids through, which gives the cup a rich, full-bodied, velvety character They're also very easy to use as there's pretty much one accepted way to brew in them. And here's Philly's own Todd Carmichael demonstrating it. As far as which one to buy, they're all pretty much the same: a glass tube with a stick in it and some mesh on the end of the stick. I like my sterlingpro a lot but the bodum chambord is hugely popular and looks just as nice. Even a cheapo will do the job just as well, though, even if it doesn't look as nice.

pourovers do essentially the same thing as a drip coffee machine just with a lot more input from you, which is good because all but the most ludicrously expensive drip machines are very inconsistent and don't work as well as just doing it your own damn self. With a pourover, you're going to use a kettle or measuring cup with a spout to pour the water over the grounds in a set amount of time (3-4 minutes depending on the grind size) and usually in a very specific manner. Because these use a paper filter, there are no oils or insoluble solids in the cup so the coffee is clearer, tastes cleaner and usually a bit brighter than french press coffee. Popular models include the Hario v60 which is one of the more finicky models. If you decide on one of these, be sure to use a gooseneck kettle like Mr. Carmichael was using in the french press video above. Slightly more forgiving are the kalita wave and the melitta both of which would work fine with a normal kettle so long as it has some type of pour spout. If you want something with very thick filters, so as to produce a very clear cup, and also looks very nice, the chemex is a beautiful thing that produces great coffee, has a built-in carafe, and can make more than one cup at a time. Really more of a replacement for a large-volume drip machine than most pourovers.

The Aeropress is an absurdly popular, extremely versatile, and very well priced coffee brewer which is essentially a huge syringe with a paper filter instead of a needle. There's a thousand recipes online with different ways to use it, all of which produce a different cup.



Also worth noting is that you may want a kettle with temperature control, coffee should be brewed at 195-205F, so knowing what temp your water is helps reduce a lot of the headaches of cooling off boiled water for a vague amount of time. This bonavita is a little on the pricey side but has temp control and a gooseneck, which is always useful

u/thejoshnunez · 1 pointr/Coffee

Although the best deal would be the Hario Mini Mill, I've heard great things about the Porlex Mini.

u/Macklem0st · 1 pointr/Coffee

College student here, this is my cheap yet effective setup that I just got for Christmas

Aeropress $22

Hario Slim grinder $23

[Basic electric kettle] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DEQDF7C/ref=twister_B00DEQDEXW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) $15

American Weigh scale $9

Basic thermometer $9

Grand total: $78, still less than a Keurig!

Happy Mug sells beans for $14/pound shipped. At 17g of beans a cup, you can make almost 27 cups of coffee with a pound of beans. This comes to about 52 cents for a cup of coffee, which is comparable to cheaper K cups.

Also, as a former dark roast addict I suggest you start a little more towards a medium roast. I got a lighter roast with my first bag of beans after walking into a local roaster and grabbing what was available. The sweetness took a little while to get used to (I didn't know coffee could actually be so sweet!) but it really accentuates the differences between great coffee and "common" coffee.

u/estsauver · 1 pointr/Coffee

Well in that case I would save and do the grinder first honestly. If you're spending ~25$ for an aeropress, I might do this hand burr grinder first.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334215615&sr=8-1

It's gotten some pretty good reviews from other people on coffeegeeks.com and reddit. I own the big brother Hario Skerton and it's served me quite well. I've also heard that the mini-mill is much better with coarse grounds than a Skerton, so that probably suits your needs pretty well. It's also nice because then if you ever upgrade to a nice electronic burr grinder you'll have a great travel grinder/backup/spare.

u/kodozoku · 1 pointr/Coffee

The Hario Slim is a very popular burr grinder, here and in general, for very good reasons:

  • price (~$40)
  • quality of construction (excellent)
  • output (uniform particle size, easy to adjust).

    I own one and absolutely love it. It is manual, however, so you have to grind for a minute or so every time you want to make coffee; if you intend on serving larger quantities of coffee it can become quite annoying. However, seeing as how your machine is a single-shot, this could be a very affordable solution for your needs.
u/Gargan_Roo · 1 pointr/Coffee

This is the grinder I want

If you're going for super cheap but still consistent, you could always get a manual grinder.

Whatever you end up using, get one that uses burrs instead of blades.

No espresso advice though, I still use a French Press atm which only takes me like 10 mins from boiling the water to pouring the coffee with little actual work (I'm about to use a 60sec Keurig machine at work, so it's still luxury in comparison).

u/snaynay · 1 pointr/Coffee
  1. There are a few basic brew methods, and many variations of each. I'm sure that once you get into it, you'll stumble into the variations. Pour-over/drip, steeping, pressure.
  2. Espresso isn't something I'd rush into. I'd also avoid a generic drip machine because like the little espresso machine, it wont do a good job and it'll hinder your ability to improve when you realise you can do much, much better.
  3. The coffee roaster looks good from the website. Assorted/Taster packs are good to start with and find one or two you might enjoy. Find a nice coffee then work with that for a while so you can see how you develop and how far you can go before you even change the coffee!

    I'd recommend an Aeropress for it's flexibility and popularity. Inexpensive, durable and has all sorts of aftermarket parts. For example, check out the Prismo for your curiosity on espresso. Its easy to use and easy to clean. There is a massive community of users on the internet who'll give you endless variations on how to use it.

    Assuming you have a kettle; an Aeropress, cheap jewellery scales, possibly a cheap meat thermometer and the biggest expense will be the best manual coffee grinder you are willing to spend on. Hario Mini Mill would be an OK starting option.

    Doing a price conversion, the Indian Amazon's Aeropress is nearly 2x that of the UK, but the Hario Mill is basically the same. I'd see if you can find the Aeropress for cheaper than Amazon.
u/The-Neutral-Planet · 1 pointr/policeuk

Absolutely. You can have top grade coffee for £50.00 total:

  • Grinder

  • Press

    And source some beans from a good local roaster to you. I have a few recipes I like but coffee is very subjective. Best to experiment with different beans, brew times etc. My go to recipe :

  • Dark Roast Coffee Beans
  • Filtered Water 30s off the boil

  • Grind beans very fine, 18g

  • Pinch of Himalayan Rock Salt (trust me)

  • I use the inverted press method. Add salt and grind to press as shown.

  • Pour in a finger of water. Agitate in the press with the handle end of a spoon for 15s.

  • Fill up to brim of press, leave for 3min.

  • Pre-wet filter and add filter/cap to press.

  • Place cup on end upside down and revert back to normal orientation. Slowly less water through (should take around 30s) until just as air starts to come through the press.

  • No milk

    Enjoy. It’s very strong, rich coffee though. Not a very delicate brew.
u/yellownippleman · 1 pointr/Coffee

you wont have to break the bank with the hario mini mill. you can adjust the grind setting with a simple twist. durable plastic and ceramic burrs. takes about 2 minutes to grind about 25g which i use to brew a 16oz. i heard it can grind fine enough for espresso machines as well, but never tried it myself.

there's many out there, but once you start hitting close to $100, might as well spend a little more for a electric burr grinder.

u/murrayhenson · 1 pointr/CasualConversation

I've got two French presses, actually. One is for tea, the other's for coffee. :) ...I've always made coffee that way, just with pre-ground coffee.

The grinder I got is the Hario MSS-1B.

u/urban_ · 1 pointr/LifeProTips

Hey there - I'm a regular at /r/coffee--definitely join our sub. There are quite a few ways you can modify and up your coffee game.

In regards to your post--there could be a few things:

  1. Get better coffee. Do you use instant? Whole bean? Try a few beans and find something you like (and even stick to it!)

  2. Modify your brewing method. Getting a cheap Aeropress coffee maker and hand grinder could make you rethink coffee altogether. It doesn't take long to make a cup (actually JUST made one before writing this reply), and your coffee comes out pretty damn good.

  3. If you're using whole bean, change up your beans. Try new ones out.

    Also - maybe you can add a sweetener to help with the bitterness.
u/alexander_apathy · 1 pointr/Coffee

I'm more of a novice than most of the users on this sub, but here is what I can recommend in terms of good ratio of quality to price (and keeping it below $100).

Grinder: Hario Mini Mill

Brew method: Hario V60

That's $50 right there, and it'll put you well past the quality of the Keurig once you do even a decent pour. You'll also need to blow ~20 bucks on a kettle, ~5 bucks on a pack of filters, and then you have to do your own research on finding beans that work for you.

Small edit: Definitely need to recommend getting kitchen scale so you can be measuring your grounds to water ratio more accurately.

u/Avgvstvs_Caesar · 1 pointr/Coffee

I really don't know... I wanted to recommend it because of it is a hario and under $40, however, I've never tried it. I was hoping someone else had and can recommend one over the other. I can't even get exact dimensions on the hario.

That said, i'm sure it's a great product. I bought my kyocera for $40 based off good feedback and a user video on amazon showing it in action. i can't say enough good things about it.

EDIT: After looking into the subject some more, I would definitely go with the Hario. In fact, it seems like the Hario mini mill has the best construction out of the three despite having plastic components.

u/baristalab · 1 pointr/Coffee

I made a video on this with the almost exact same title a few months back, but it was more focused on the "lazy" aspect haha. But I don't think you need to spend $100 for personal (single cup) use, you can get an Aeropress for $25, a
Hario Skerton for ~$40 OR a Hario Mini Mill for ~$30, and
a scale that measures grams for $10 (American Weigh Systems makes cheap digital scales)

All on Amazon-- but the scale is really only important until you get enough practice, and you'll start to eyeball everything. That's basically all you need other than the coffee. Specialty coffee is tough to get under $20/bag, maybe cheaper with a subscription. With the coffee, it's less than $100, albeit not by much.

For what it's worth even if you don't use specialty/single origin coffee, you can still get better coffee out of an Aeropress and a Skerton using fresh ground whole bean bulk coffee from say, Wholefoods, than you could with a Mr. Coffee machine and some Folgers.

Completely agree with /u/milehighmischief 's comment though, if you're using old or burned coffee, you're gonna have a bad time.

u/_Lady_Deadpool_ · 1 pointr/Coffee

Yes! I'm in college and have no cash. I used to use a Capresso electric grinder but that broke so I'm grabbing a Hario Mini Mill soon, only like $30-$40 - link

I also use a French Press, $20 or so - link

And I have an electric kettle with built-in thermometer, about $20 - link

Eight O'Clock beans are like, $4 from Target. If you have a Trader Joes nearby, they're also a good source of cheap beans.

All in all, I've spent maybe $80 on coffee equipment to make a pretty damn good cup on a college budget, while maintaining some portability.

u/the_bellhop · 1 pointr/goodyearwelt

Fwiw if you’re not making big batches I really recommend the Hario mini mill burr grinder. It’s a hand crank, but I used to use it for espresso and it worked great - ran me maybe $30 at the time and the new version which fixes a few design flaws is around $35. Also, I always use the Stumptown French press guide with ~10 tablespoons (have a scale but never got into using it for coffee, only baking) and usually get good results.

u/lukey · 1 pointr/vandwellers

I have owned the Hario Slim and the Hario Skerton grinders, they are both very recommendable products. Lots of adjustment and pretty fast. They each take around 300 turns to grind depending on your grind size. The slim is small and ideal for 1 cup, but I'd recommend the Skerton if you want to process more grounds at a time. I think the Skerton produces a better quality overall grind too. Both make delicious coffee.

u/RosieBuddy · 1 pointr/Coffee

The Hario Mini-Slim is pretty good.

u/minus8dB · 1 pointr/Coffee

Here are the links:

Aeropress

Grinder

Scale

Thermometer

EDIT: I bring this setup with me when I travel for work, along with a small screw top tupperware full of coffee beans.

u/Crimms · 1 pointr/Coffee

The general consensus here seems to be to aim for a Gaggia machine as the absolute minimum. Preferably a Gaggia Classic (~$388).

I've heard people recommend the lower priced Gaggia New Baby (~$300) to try out espresso and to help decide whether "to get a real espresso machine".

A step up from that, the recommendation seems to be the Crossland CC1, but that's in the $600+ range.

To save some money, you might do better finding a used machine or see if they're on sale at different sites.

If you want to go cheaper than that, people have recommended the MyPressi ($170), but I have not seen that in stock anywhere recently. There's some buzz regarding the MiniPresso (Preorder at $39), but that won't be out until 2015. So there won't be any reviews regarding it for a while.

As for grinder, if you're looking for cheap, you might have to make do with a hand grinder, either Hario Skerton (~$35) or Mini (~$26) or Porlex (~$43). The cheapest acceptable electric grinder seems to be the Baratza Preciso at $300.

This is the information I've gathered anyway. I don't have any personal experience with an espresso machine, but I hope this helps. If you decide to go with something, post your experience and help some people out.

Personally, I'm thinking of saving up for the CC1 and Vario (~$1000) combo...

u/drew_writes · 1 pointr/Coffee

This was my college starter pack:

u/freshent · 1 pointr/Coffee

I have not, but I can recommend this, the Hario Mini. It's an excellent little fella, whose extremely easy to clean, has adjustable grind settings (although they are just clicks), and is in the same price range as the one you posted. I've had mine for probably 2 years now, and it's still going strong. Just make sure you clean him (no water though).

u/Ice3D · 1 pointr/Coffee

I guess it's not going to be possible in the budget I'm really prepared to spend on coffee:

Aeropress - £23.50

Grinder - £19.00

Frother - £21.00

Good beans - £5.50

That adds up to ~£70 which is about $100. Eek. I know lots of people here spend lots more than that on it, but it's quite an investment for something I have no idea if I'll even like as much as the pro machine stuff. :(

u/blackbeatsblue · 1 pointr/askTO

I use an apparently older version of this at work:
https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458227629&sr=8-3&keywords=hario

It's lasted five years without issue at this point. I paid less than $30 but I guess that's inflation + shitty dollar.

u/NightFuryToni · 1 pointr/PersonalFinanceCanada

I have Ekobrew cups which I grind my own beans. I buy the Kicking Horse beans when they go on sale at Loblaws, usually at $10/lb.

u/inner-nette · 1 pointr/Coffee

I'd recommend the Clever. It is easy to use and like it says, it will make ~18 oz. Make it a little strong and dilute with 2 more oz of water for your 20 oz mug. This sub plugs the Hario mini mill or skerton for hand grinders as well.

u/Rashkh · 1 pointr/Coffee

A hand grinder should be fine. The scale is for measuring the amount of water and and coffee used. A cheaper scale will work just fine.

A gooseneck kettle isn't as necessary for aeropress, but you will need to be able to heat water to just below boiling. The more control over water temperature, the more consistent your coffee will be day to day.That said, if you heat the water to just below boiling and are happy with the results, then that's all that matters.

I neglected to mention that you'll need a timer, but a smartphone will serve you just fine in that regard.

u/dloe48 · 1 pointr/Coffee

I've got a pretty high quality dorm setup that is approved. Here are your options:

Option 1:

Hario ETL Certified Kettle

Hario V60

Filters

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $119

Option 2:

Aeropress

Proctor-Silex Water Kettle

Hario Skim Grinder

Total: $66


Currently, I'm using the first setup. The v60 is a great pourover method. You'll be having the best coffee on campus. However, since it requires the gooseneck kettle it runs a greater price. Last year, I had option. The aeropress is a kick-ass coffee maker, and you can get by with the way cheaper water heater since pour method has no factor on the brew. Either way, you'd have the small hand grinder which is cheap, easy to clean, and does a fantastic job.

Either of these will make a solid cup, better than anything you'll find in a keurig.

u/BoiseCoffee · 1 pointr/Coffee

Head over here if you want more responses!

  1. I'm going to reccomend two types of coffee brewing equipment to you: the Aeropress ($26) and the Chemex (6 cup for $41.50). To start out, I'd get a hand grinder like the Hario Mini Mill($25). So there you go, get the Aeropress and the Mini Mill and you're barely over $50. There are tons of Aeropress brew methods out there, so I'll plug my own blog here. I use 18g of ground coffee. You can use any standard kitchen scale that is accurate to the tenth decimal place to measure out your beans, but this one seems to be a popular pick.
  2. The longer you leave your ground coffee laying around, the less delicious it will taste. If I'm going to spend money on quality beans, I want to make sure I get the best possible cup out of them. This means grinding right before I brew.
  3. For the Aeropress method I have listed above, you'll be making one cup at a time. If you want to brew multiple cups at once, you'll want to pick up the Chemex.

    For beans, please support your local coffee shop or roaster rather than buying Caribou or Starbucks. A lot of folks work their butts off selecting and roasting the best possible beans, and it's really special to be a part of that process as the consumer in my opinion. I do understand that it can be hard if you're from a town with limited options.

    I know this can all be a bit confusing if you're used to brewing pots of coffee at a time. If you have any other questions, hit me up!

u/K3zter · 1 pointr/Coffee

The Hario Mini is pretty good for grinding enough beans for 1 or 2 cups:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mini-Mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/

or a Hario Skerton which is a bit bigger:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill/dp/B001802PIQ/

They have nice ceramic burrs and a smooth motion. Additionally they are quite popular so it's easy to find a ballpark figure for what setting to use for different brew methods.

For brew method, I would probably say aeropress is your best bet. Other good budget options are Clever Dripper, Moka Pot, french press, Kalita Wave, Melitta. Most of these methods work reasonably well without any additional equipment.

These methods all produce different cups, so it depends what you like. Anything with a paper filter tends to lead to a smooth cup without much body, the thicker the filter the more tea-like the cup. French press uses a metal filter so lets a lot of particles into the final cup, which makes it a lot more thick and soupy.

u/queermaxwellhouse · 1 pointr/Coffee

Just got a new grinder (this one) and I'm suddenly having sludge in my coffee. I use an Aeropress. I may just not have the right setting, but I really just want the sludge to go away.

Before my grinder now, I used this one and had no sludge.

They're both burr grinders, what am I doing wrong?

u/snutr · 1 pointr/Coffee

No, it wouldn't get too stale. However, there are some nice hand grinders like the Hario that won't break the bank, is quiet and has a small profile.

I don't know what your situation is -- but if you can secure it in a locked drawer or hide it I would highly recommend it. You're quality of life at work will improve as well (not to mention the new friends you'll make if you share).

u/techtied · 1 pointr/Coffee

I just bought the Delonghi EC702:
http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EC702-15-Bar-Pump-Espresso-Stainless/dp/B001CNG7RY

It's basically the same machine just a the steam wand is a little better. I have a Bodum Burr Grinder:
http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1332696852&sr=1-1

Works very nicely. However if i could have done it over again i would have bought the Baratza Maestro instead:
http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Black-Maestro-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0002OQNVO/ref=pd_sbs_hg_15

If you are looking to go cheap i would buy the Hario Mini Mill:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1332696967&sr=1-3

The Mini Mill is nice because it has a lid, unlike it's larger borther the Hario Skerton:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1332696967&sr=1-5

The Skerton is also a bit harder to hold and grind with (i've tried both). Since your basket will only hold about 12-13 grams you should be fine to use the mini mill.

u/Tyzan · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I would get the ekobrew if I were you (doesn't matter much), but what matters most is the beans and the grinder. this grinder I got recently (price is down 10 bucks as well) and it is great.

u/PM_Me_Melted_Faces · 1 pointr/Coffee

Get this and these filters for doing pourover.

You might also want this grinder, unless you want to have your local shop grind for you as well, which they will. Tell them you're grinding for pourover so they'll know how coarse.

If you decide to also get the presspot, you'll need to grind differently for that, which is why I recommend buying the grinder also. Not to mention, it's super helpful to be able to grind your own, so you can dial in your brews. Additionally, whole beans stay fresh longer than ground coffee. You'll definitely notice a difference between fresh ground and the very end of a bag of ground coffee.

All you need other than that is a way to heat water, and some beans. Do you have a kettle of some sort? Stovetop or electric will work. You want to avoid using your keurig to make hot water, as it doesn't get hot enough.

u/Vivaitti · 1 pointr/Coffee

Yeah. I know this may sound crazy but I think the Hario Mini Slim grinder is better than this grinder. I went on a 1 month trip and I used my same setup except for the grinder obviously and got much better results. Either that or the water in the Middle East is far superior than the water in Boston, which I don’t think is the case.

u/afuckingusername · 1 pointr/food

Definitely grind your own beans right before you brew them. It makes a huge difference in taste.

If you are using a drip coffee maker, I honestly don't think buying a burr grinder is worth it. But if you are using anything else such as a French press or moka pot, it will definitely be worth the investment. You could also buy a manual coffee grinder, which is a lot cheaper, but obviously more effort.

Porto Rico is great place for beans, there's a lot of variety and it's very cheap. Oren's Special Blends and Gimme Coffee are also worth checking out.

u/TheTheoryJackBuilt · 1 pointr/Coffee

We can help you out a little better if you had some sort of budget. When I was 13 I got about $5-10 a week from my parents but I knew others that received more or even nothing at all. I'll try to aim for what a typical intro to coffee setup would look like.

So with any method you use the first and most important step is the beans. They should ideally be whole bean and roasted semi-recently (a couple days to weeks ago). This is going to be a reoccurring purchase for you/your parents depending on how often you drink coffee. Price could be anywhere from $7/lb to $15/lb.

Setup 1: You can buy the $8 reusable keurig pod and grind your own coffee. With this method you could get away with using a regular bladed grinder probably. Or you can step it up a bit and buy $25 this hand grinder that gets recommended on here a lot. I have it, it worked pretty well when I was first getting into coffee. You just grinder your beans, fill the pod, and use as normal. Cost for parts: $8-$34

Setup 2: If you get the same $25 hand grinder you can then get either a $24 french press (give a more oily cup, there will always be particulates in your mug, you can also make ~8 cups of coffee with this method) or you can go with the very often recommended, and my current favorite way to make a quick cup, the $26 aeropress. This only makes 1-2 cups at a time but it's hard to make a bad cup with it. Cost of parts: ~$50

You should look of reviews for both the french press and aeropress methods on here or online to figure out what meets your needs better. If these are still to expensive then you can try goodwills or garage sells.

u/p00he · 1 pointr/Coffee

IMO I think you can get better bang for your bucks, all possible with a cheaper price tag -- I've assembled a list assuming a pour over kit. Obviously you would want to get a dripper. Now, there are a lot of different kinds out there (even within the same product line e.g. plastic vs ceramic construction), amongst which the popular ones would be the Hario V60 and the Melitta, the Beehouse included. For the kettle, you can get the Bonavita Variable GooseNeck for $60 now at Amazon (it's a steal!), or the Stovetop version for $20 less. The Bonavita allows the user to manipulate the temperature much more precisely, and thus ensures more consistent consecutive cups of coffee. To be even more precise, get a scale. I have owned the Hario Slim Mill for some time now, and with some simple modification, it can grind some pretty darn consistent grinds! I think altogether this will sum total to at most the same price. And above all, make sure you buy him freshly roasted beans!

u/AKBlackWizard · 1 pointr/Coffee

GSI Java Press Commuter
It looks pretty durable for camping. I also got the [Hario Coffee Mill Slim] (http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY). I like that the GSI's inner casing is the plunger, unlike [Bodum's] (http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Insulated-Stainless-Steel-0-45-Liter-15-Ounce/dp/B008TYX146/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1407167811&sr=1-2&keywords=Bodum+travel+press) stick plunger like a tradition French press. I wanted something that would make coffee at home or work as I don't want a drip since I'm trying to reserve electricity, and my wife doesn't drink coffee anymore (medicinal reasons).

EDIT: Hyperlink Formatting (first time, thank you for patients)

u/amenbrews · 1 pointr/Coffee

Hario Burr Grinder is definitely small and portable. Grinds from fine to course. Espresso to drip.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464923297&sr=8-2&keywords=hario+slim+mill

Aeropress is also a handy coffee maker to have in your kit.

http://www.amazon.com/Aeropress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1464923394&sr=1-1&keywords=aeropress

I also like to carry with me a traveling mug. You can definitely get a really cool traveling mug, but this is a basic one if you dont already have one.

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-33208-Stainless-Enamelware/dp/B001Y8R4TC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464923484&sr=8-2&keywords=camping+cups

as far as the kettle goes, i've never looked into kettles that require no electricity or stovetop. Someone else may have to put their input on that one.

and dont forget fresh coffee beans.... :O

u/Philip1209 · 1 pointr/Coffee

Seconded. The greatest thing in the world. However, if you don't grind your own beans, you should prioritize a hario hand grinder.

u/c_is_4_cookie · 1 pointr/Coffee

This one by Hario has excellent reviews and is recommended on several sites.

u/ajfirecracker · 1 pointr/Coffee

Glad it's working a little better for you!

Mine is 2-3 minutes on the heat till it brews (with pre-heated water) and probably 30 seconds of extraction time (maybe a bit more)

+1 to get a grinder

+1 to get a scale

u/utopianfiat · 1 pointr/funny

3-Cup Chemex // Aerobie Aeropress

Mini Ceramic Conical Burr Mill // Electric Burr Grinder (Faster than manual, but inferior grind quality and life)

Immersion Water Boiler // 1 Liter Gooseneck Kettle

/r/Coffee — Join Us.

u/OldPeoples · 1 pointr/Coffee

Depends on how much work you wanna put into gettin your grind. My friend and I use this, a manual burr grinder. A burr grinder is going to be much more constant than a cheap blade grinder, although this grinder takes maybe 2-3 minutes to grind up 2tbs of beans (enough time for your water to boil).

u/adiosboss · 1 pointr/Coffee

Could you please share the knowledge on how to get an unpressurised basket for your De'Longhi? I have EC330s which only has a pressurised basket and I haven't been able to find any online which I can be certain of working?

I myself have just made the transition to freshly ground beans this morning when my Hario Slim arrived in the post. The difference between pre-ground and freshly ground is pretty drastic in terms of crema production and taste!

u/dizzyd719 · 1 pointr/news

It's called "Hario Coffee Mill Slim Grinder"

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396263953&sr=8-3&keywords=hario+grinder

not hard to use at all and has lasted me just as long as the aeropress.

u/way2funni · 1 pointr/Coffee

I good price/performance point for a couple cups of coffee on a weekend morning (not in a rush) is a Hario mini grinder and an Aeropress


Add a bag of fresh roasted beans of your choice.

u/giggidywarlock · 1 pointr/Coffee

Hey there! I used to be a coffee heretic and then I started roasting. You can't stick with your old ways and expect consistently incredible results when you're trying to produce something incredible.

With that said, you aren't really a heretic. You just have your preference, and it is different than the rest of us. Sure, buzz words like Starbucks and $20 krups grinder are like poison to some ears, but that's not an issue. At least, if you are happy with it then it isn't.

But if you are wanting to stretch yourself in terms of coffee you'll need to look into different options. I don't know what your budget is, so I'm not going to push the $150 grinder on you. But many people around here like the Hario Slim for being small and effective. You may also see the Aeropress promoted around here. It is a popular item around here as well.

Now, in terms of coffee, there are options for you to get quality coffee online. Roasters like Chromatic Coffee offer free shipping to US customers. They are one of my personal favorites. And you may be surprised what a quick google search of your area can find. I'm in a big city that wasn't exactly known for its coffee, but when I searched on Google I found that there are 6 roasters within an hour of my house.

u/Z3rdPro · 1 pointr/Coffee

Both of your methods described are known as blade grinding or a blade grinder. If do not want to make the investment, a blender will do fine. But search this subreddit for blade grinders and you'll learn they are not ideal, creating a wide range of inconsistent particle sizes.

For coffee, you want the coffee particles all about the same size, this makes brews consistent. In extraction rates and brew time.

It is commonly recommended to get a burr grinder, a good manual one, the hario mini is about $30 dollars. If that doesn't work, going up the ladder is to the nice electrics at about $99 to $140 the best in this range is the baratza encore, at about $140 or so. However, you can buy a refurbished for $99 dollars.

The baratza encore is much more convenient and consistent than the mini, but both of these are light years ahead in terms of consistency.

If you are dead set on the blade grinder, search up the pulse and shake method for a little better consistency.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1407560597&sr=1-1&keywords=Hario+mini
http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK
https://www.baratza.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=RFRB

They update this listing every Thursday.

u/informareWORK · 1 pointr/goodyearwelt

I got my dad one of these for Christmas and it works really well. It's what I recommend for people who make a cup at a time but don't want to spend a bunch of money: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Mill-Slim-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

u/dubzors · 1 pointr/Coffee

First off, there are guides for this already which is why people are not responding. They are in the side bar and I linked them again here:

How To Coffee: A Primer

Coffee Gear Suggestions by Price

Now on to my own advice. I am also relatively new to coffee so my advice is based on researching how to get started over the last couple of months

Give us a budget, but under $100 puts you here:

  1. Grinder: The Hario Mini Mill ($27) is fairly highly recommended here
  2. Scale: American Weigh Scales SC-2KGA ($25). The AC-adapter version of a fairly popular scale here. It should work for a long time and work well for most types of brewing. The Jennings CJ4000 ($27) is also very popular and is worth a look. The difference is the Jennings responds way faster - which is useful for pour over - but is less precise (increments of .5 grams instead of .1 grams, though this is not as big of a deal)
  3. Brew device: Aeropress ($22), French Press ($25), or Pour Over (Melitta Cone or Beehouse) There is only one Aeropress version but there are lots of French Presses, I linked to a Bodum Chambord which is the favorite here. You can decide which one of these will work better for you based on the other responses on this thread or by searching in /r/Coffee.
  4. Cheap water thermometer or an electric kettle that can set temperatures. If you go with a Pour Over method you need a gooseneck kettle which sets you back another $35-65 depending on how nice. A lot of people go with the Bonavita Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle ($63).
  5. The coffee! Try to get freshly roasted (look for a "Roasted On" date instead of an expiry or packaged/binned on date) coffee. Try and buy stuff that is roasted less than 5 days ago and use it before 3 weeks from the roasted on date (some people say 2). You can try to find local roasters and coffee houses that sell fresh whole bean coffee using the /r/Coffee search or Yelp. Be careful with darkly roasted (ie French roast) coffee because a lot of the dark roasts at Grocery Stores and even shops (Starbucks) is considered over roasted and basically burnt. If you want suggestions for brands search /r/Coffee, though really popular and expensive stuff would be Intelligentsia and Stumptown.
u/cnbll1895 · 1 pointr/rawdenim

It doesn't take much. You can get an Aeropress, a small hand-powered ceramic burr grinder, and some fresh whole beans. You'll make an excellent cup with this setup.

Or just go to a nice coffee shop and try a proper cup (Aeropress, Chemex, pourover or something) to see if you like it.

u/leros · 1 pointr/Coffee

I bought the Haiko mini grinder specifically for camping Hario Mini Mill Slim Hand Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3hfIAb8VRT0VT

u/ENFIVEs · 1 pointr/Coffee

Honestly, take this from someone who has had cheaper machines, get an Aeropress and if you want to use beans, get a Hario MSS-1B 1-Piece Coffee Mini Mill Slim Grinder https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hZaCybJYJWTPD or a Rhinowares Hand Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00M0NS8A4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o0aCyb1WY52X2

I've owned both grinders and they're both great, though price prevails here and the rhino is better. Honestly get these, then a cheap milk frother... Its makes a mean coffee and latte! :)

u/kb2005 · 0 pointsr/Coffee

I like the Hario Mini. About as cheap as it gets, and adjusting the grind size is super easy. Adequate for pour over grinds, but not really consistent enough for french press. Could probably use it for a moka pot, too.

u/yangachee · 0 pointsr/BuyItForLife

Wow, nobody has suggested the aeropress yet. Unbreakable. Paired with a small hand-crank grinder, you can take amazing coffee anywhere. This is my exact setup:

http://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker-Filters/dp/B001HBCVX0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375100557&sr=8-3&keywords=aeropress

and grinder:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1375100557&sr=8-8&keywords=aeropress

Of course, if you're making coffee for more than one person, it's a huge pita and the Chemex is good advice.

The thing is, the brew method isn't even that important. The more important thing is the grinder and freshly roasted beans. If you're up for spending some money there's this:

http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Vario-W-Coffee-Grinder-985/dp/B0058J1XMC/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1375100733&sr=1-6

If you have a nice grinder, you can by a 5-10 dollar "dripper" and be in business. Or even just a large glass mason jar (cold brew), or "cowboy coffee" and you'll be drinking some damn good coffee.

u/PoetsLiveForever · 0 pointsr/Coffee

I'm sorry some people here are being condescending about your setup, or being unhelpful otherwise. If you don't mind using a hand grinder, you can check this out, although it's a bit higher than your budget: https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Skerton-Ceramic-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B01LXZACFB/

This one here is within your budget, but I am less certain of its quality. However, Hario is a great company and I'd be surprised if this disappoints you (although it is quite small so you'd have to grind per ~2 cups): https://www.amazon.ca/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Mini-Slim/dp/B001804CLY

u/morridin19 · 0 pointsr/Calgary

Couple that with a Haribo Mini Conical Burr Grinder and you have yourself an excellent cup of coffee anywhere you can boil water.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Mini-Mill-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

I have used an Aero Press and that grinder for about the last 4 years about twice a day during work days, I take it with me when I travel for work, or go camping. It is consistently great coffee.

u/heybaybay · 0 pointsr/Coffee

I would find it drinkable, but somewhere in between bad and mediocre. Honestly the last 3 terrible no good totally rotten cups ive had have been 2 from starbucks (dark and medium roasts) and random crap from a keurig.

this grinder is one I have... works like a charm and is cheap. Its a burr grinder which is absolutely necessary for good homebrewed coffee.

You already have a french press so you are off to a good start. I would try to convince you to spend 12-20 per pound of coffee but it would only be worth it if you ground it fresh, so you need a grinder. I could go on and on about how good the coffee is that I drink, but its hard to explain taste in a few sentences online. You have to drink it and be won over. first you'll be hit with a fruity aroma that you've never smelled in your cup of coffee before. Then the cup will be sweet, not bitter, and the taste will match the smell. And after that you'll never look back.

u/godless-life · -1 pointsr/Coffee

https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B001804CLY

Using beans from http://www.bravicaffe.com/?lang=en (Bravi Superior) on the 4th finest setting, it produces amazing results with my Tecnosystem Magic 108 CL.

Great taste, stiff Crema, perfect running time (21 seconds).

Should you ever come to Berlin, I'll gladly demonstrate it!

u/Icecursor · -2 pointsr/Coffee

A good hario v60 pour-over (https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001RBTSMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6VZiDb1CNSQBY or similar) and a kettle ( or if this is for work, they may have a hot water dispenser) will work. My buddy bought a hand grinder ( Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Mini-Slim https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001804CLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XXZiDbK27Q3N2) and that pourover for work and that works well for him.

u/Vladimir_Pooptin · -2 pointsr/Coffee

My "bare minimum setup" for good coffee would be a hario mini mill grinder, a french press and beans roasted <30 days ago

u/soad2237 · -6 pointsr/Coffee

Get a Hario instead