ConsFirst / Coffee grinders

Breville

Breville Smart Grinder Pro: the downsides first

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#6 of 8
$$Espresso grinderScore 3.2/5
9%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-11)About 7,000 ratings on the brushed stainless BCG820BSS listing.

Food & Wine's and Good Housekeeping's best grinder for espresso, with 60 settings and a clear digital display. But it's loud and traps fine grounds inside, Wirecutter dismissed it for too many fines and a complicated interface, and reliability is mixed on Amazon.

Top complaints

  • Traps grounds; clumpy output

    Food & Wine says fine coffee gets stuck inside and dispenses in clumpy spurts. Trapped espresso dust then falls into coarser grinds when you switch, reducing clarity.

    Source: Food & Wine
  • Loud

    Food & Wine calls its din unpleasant and lists loudness as a con. Noise is mixed on Amazon, where owners disagree.

    Source: Food & Wine, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Mixed reliability

    Reliability and durability are mixed on Amazon: some units last 3-4 years, but others stopped after 4 months or about 20 uses.

    Source: Amazon.com product page (Customers say)

What owners love

  • Wide range with fine steps

    60 settings with tiny adjustment clicks for espresso (Food & Wine). Good Housekeeping praised its fine, powdery espresso grounds and portafilter holder.

    Source: Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping
  • Helpful display

    Serious Eats likes the large dial and grind chart labeled by brew method, and Good Housekeeping sets grind time in 0.2-second steps.

    Source: Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping
  • Even grinds, easy cleaning

    Serious Eats and Good Housekeeping found very even grounds. Serious Eats says it's easy to take apart for cleaning, and ease of cleaning is positive on Amazon.

    Source: Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • Entry-level espresso plus drip
  • Grinding straight into a portafilter
  • Seeing your grind setting and dose on a screen

Scores (tap for why)

  • Grind consistency3.5
    Why 3.5?Very even in Serious Eats' and Good Housekeeping's tests, but Wirecutter found too many fines and Serious Eats found less flavor clarity.
    Source: Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping, Wirecutter
  • Grind range4.5
    Why 4.5?60 settings from espresso to coarse, with fine espresso steps (Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping).
    Source: Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping
  • Static & mess2.5
    Why 2.5?Traps fine grounds internally and dispenses in clumpy spurts (Food & Wine).
    Source: Food & Wine
  • Noise & speed2.5
    Why 2.5?Loud, an 'unpleasant din' per Food & Wine; mixed on Amazon.
    Source: Food & Wine, Amazon.com product page
  • Durability3.0
    Why 3.0?Years of daily office use at Serious Eats, but 1-year warranty and mixed reliability on Amazon.
    Source: Serious Eats, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • Food & Wine: Best grinder for espresso; cons are loudness and fine grounds getting stuck inside.
  • Serious Eats: Most helpful display and consistent sifting, but coffee lacked the clarity of the Virtuoso+, Ode Gen 2 and Encore.
  • Good Housekeeping: Best for espresso; its only listed con is the price.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Dismissed: too many settings, a complicated interface, and too many fines.
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked coffee grinders whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in coffee grindersTimemore Chestnut C5 Pro Manual Hand Grinder

Wirecutter's best hand grinder: even grinds from a 42 mm steel burr, a smooth crank and a sturdy aluminum body. But it makes only one or two cups at a time, fine grinds take close to 3 minutes and get tiring, and some owners find the grind adjustment tricky.

Its catch: small batches, slow at fine settings#2 in coffee grindersBaratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Serious Eats' pick for coffee geeks, with very consistent grinds and a solid build. But Food & Wine measured it at 88 dB and found it less reliable at its coarsest and finest settings, and Wirecutter dropped it because the ESP Pro offers more for $50 more.

Its catch: very loud#3 in coffee grindersFellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

Among the most consistent and quietest grinders in Serious Eats' and Food & Wine's tests, with 64 mm flat burrs. But it can't grind for espresso, it jams if the cup is misaligned, and 24% of its Amazon ratings are 1-2 stars, with jamming as the main complaint.

Its catch: jams and clogs

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