Breville BCG820BSS The Smart Grinder Pro

My first grinder for espresso. Took minutes to dial in a grind. I've ordered a single dose adapter system from etsy with bellows, weight and tighter adapter for almost zero loss for single dosing. I feel like in order to get a "better" experience you need to spend triple the money. Timer, grind size, start stop, multi cup/shot settings, portafilter holder, grind cup. You can't get all of that from almost any grinder that I've seen regardless of price. The only complaint I have is the timer knob. I have no idea why they would choose such a gross feeling knob to adjust a digital setting. There are so many better potentiometers that could have been chosen from the music industry for example at almost any level of price point.Great exterior finish and feel in all ... MoreMy first grinder for espresso. Took minutes to dial in a grind. I've ordered a single dose adapter system from etsy with bellows, weight and tighter adapter for almost zero loss for single dosing. I feel like in order to get a "better" experience you need to spend triple the money. Timer, grind size, start stop, multi cup/shot settings, portafilter holder, grind cup. You can't get all of that from almost any grinder that I've seen regardless of price. The only complaint I have is the timer knob. I have no idea why they would choose such a gross feeling knob to adjust a digital setting. There are so many better potentiometers that could have been chosen from the music industry for example at almost any level of price point.Great exterior finish and feel in all regards other than that one potentiometer.

Overall, and considering the price, I'll give this grinder a 4-star rating. I needed to upgrade from an older burr grinder with one that will be primarily for my drip and pour-overs, but can serve as a back up for my espresso machine if my current espresso grinder (Eureka Silencio) should ever fail, and the Breville Smart Grinder Pro checked all the minimum boxes, including a budget limit of $200.The user interface is good once you understand the programming/operational interface. It gives me a fairly consistent grind, and does so in a reasonable amount of time and at a lower noise level than my previous grinder. The magnetic latches are a nice touch, and I appreciate the bottom catch tray that is easily removable.On to some areas that could use improvements:- ... MoreOverall, and considering the price, I'll give this grinder a 4-star rating. I needed to upgrade from an older burr grinder with one that will be primarily for my drip and pour-overs, but can serve as a back up for my espresso machine if my current espresso grinder (Eureka Silencio) should ever fail, and the Breville Smart Grinder Pro checked all the minimum boxes, including a budget limit of $200.The user interface is good once you understand the programming/operational interface. It gives me a fairly consistent grind, and does so in a reasonable amount of time and at a lower noise level than my previous grinder. The magnetic latches are a nice touch, and I appreciate the bottom catch tray that is easily removable.On to some areas that could use improvements:- During the grinding process, the pitch of the motor changes frequently -> a more powerful motor would be beneficial.- Static. As others have mentioned, there is a fair amount of static generated and especially on the bottom side of the grinds container cover. TIP: put a few drops of water in the beans before grinding and the static will be greatly reduced. Engineering with different materials and flow design can improve the static generated (my Eureka is outstanding at not generating static - no water drops needed!)- Grinds retention -> there is a lot in the chamber and chute. This will cause staleness and bitterness over time, and as others have pointed could cause premature damage to the impeller (secondary upgrade opportunity Breville -> use a metal impeller). Frequent cleanings are necessary.- Appreciate there is an adjustable finer/coarser setting on the removable burr. Some have indicated that it still can be a challenge to get really coarse grinds for French Press like applications and at the coarsest settings more grind size variability occurs -> likely could be addressed with upgraded burr design?

I bought the Smart Grinder Pro to accompany the Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine. It looks good and pairs well on the bench with the espresso machine. It has an air tight seal on the bean hopper to keep coffee beans fresh and has stainless steel conical burrs for optimal grinding. There is an LCD screen displaying the grind time, grind size and grind setting. The grind size can be adjusted from fine espresso to coarser plunger and everywhere in between and will grind beans manually or automatically. Now that I know the grind that I like for my coffee, I simply put the basket underneath and push the 'start' button. There is a microswitch at the rear of where the portafilter sits that wakes up the grinder when you touch it with the portafilter. Pressed a second ... MoreI bought the Smart Grinder Pro to accompany the Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine. It looks good and pairs well on the bench with the espresso machine. It has an air tight seal on the bean hopper to keep coffee beans fresh and has stainless steel conical burrs for optimal grinding. There is an LCD screen displaying the grind time, grind size and grind setting. The grind size can be adjusted from fine espresso to coarser plunger and everywhere in between and will grind beans manually or automatically. Now that I know the grind that I like for my coffee, I simply put the basket underneath and push the 'start' button. There is a microswitch at the rear of where the portafilter sits that wakes up the grinder when you touch it with the portafilter. Pressed a second time, it will begin grinding to the pre-set parameters. There is also a Grind Container if you wish to grind coffee in advance for, say, a picnic. It is a great enhancement to my Breville Dual Boiler espresso machine.