After having used a couple of Krups blade grinders for more than 20 years, I decided it was time to take the next step in home coffee preparation. After doing some fairly extensive on-line research, and with the recommendation of an acquaintance, I settled on the
Capresso Infinity Model 560 conical burr grinder. This product is essentially identical to Capresso Models 565.03 and 565.04 (
found here and
here), with the exception of material used to form the base of the appliance. The model 560 has an ABS plastic base, the 565 models feature chrome plated metal bases in either polished or matte finish.
WHY BUY A CONICAL BURR GRINDER? If you're interested in grinding your own beans, you're probably enough of a coffee hound to know this. But I had ground my own coffee for quite a long time and did not know the differences in grinding methods, so here's a short primer:
Blade grinders shatter the beans with a blade at high speeds, generally in excess of 20,000 RPM. The grind quality is less consistent than burr grinders, with both larger and smaller particles in each batch. The high blade speeds can heat the coffee beans excessively during grinding, producing a bitter brew. Best suited for drip coffee makers (and/or grinding herbs), most manufacturers don't recommend them for French press coffee makers or espresso machines.
Disc type burr grinders operate at somewhat lower speeds (10,000 - 20,000 RPM), and produce a far more consistent grind than do blade grinders. Most are suitable for pump espresso machines, but the baristas out there will argue that it takes a conical burr grinder to achieve the ultimate in fine espresso grind. The still-high operating speed can produce heating in the coffee when ground especially fine, or when grinding a large quantity of beans.
Conical burr grinders like the Capresso 560 use cone shaped burrs and gear reduction motors to produce low operating speeds (generally around 500 RPM). This results in an extremely consistent grind, minimum heating of the beans due to friction, and as an added bonus, is far quieter than high speed blade grinders (your still-sleeping spouse will
really appreciate this attribute).
FEATURES - 16 grind settings, sub-divided in to the general ranges of Coarse, Medium, Fine and Extra Fine
- Solid carbon steel conical burrs - upper burr removable for ease of cleaning
- Reduction gear motor assembly, producing low operating speed, reduced noise and static build-up
- Timer switch to control length of grinding cycle and quantity of ground coffee output
- Clear plastic bean hopper with lid, 8.8 ounce capacity
- Safety interlock prevents grinding with bean hopper removed
- Tight-fitting, clear plastic ground coffee output bin, 4 oz. capacity.
- Scoop and cleaning brush included
- Operator's manual with instructions and grinding tips
- Dimensions: 10.8" H x 5.4" W x 7.7" D
IMPRESSIONS DURING USE This is basically a simple machine. Although there are hints on grind fineness and timing in the manual, it will only take you a couple of tries to achieve both the proper fineness of grind and amount of ground coffee that you desire. It isn't difficult. For example, I quickly found that I preferred a medium-coarse grind and a setting of "4" on the timer to grind the amount of coffee I make on an ordinary morning in my drip coffee maker. I don't make espresso often, and have to admit that I have not yet experimented with a fine espresso grind with this machine.
You will probably read reviews that discuss the "static cling" effect on ground coffee in the output hopper of coffee grinders, many complaining bitterly over this phenomenon. Static cling is not uncommon in any type or brand of coffee grinder, and I am convinced that it is a manifestation of variable, localized conditions such as ambient temperature, humidity, the type of coffee beans being ground and fineness of grind. In my case, I have had minimal problems with ground coffee clinging to the output hopper. A tap on the base unit before removing the ground coffee hopper and then a sharp tap on the bottom of the hopper itself over the filter basket will empty the grounds almost completely. Grinding very oily coffee beans will produce more cling, and require more cleaning, regardless of the type of grinder you use.
Speaking of cleaning, it's a good idea to remove the bean hopper, upper conical burr and clean out the coffee residue in the grinding chamber and discharge chute occasionally. The plastic coffee bean hopper, lid and output container are dishwasher safe (top rack), but the burrs themselves are not. In fact, I do no more than wipe off the burrs with a dry towel, to prevent rusting. Make sure the upper burr is fully seated before re-installing the bean hopper.
The Capresso 560 is cleaner than using a blade grinder, but is by no means free of all ground coffee residue on and around the machine itself. As such I found that I wound up locating it nearer the sink than the coffee maker for easy clean-up. But as noted, it's far less messy than using a blade grinder.
My one quibble about this machine is the design of the motor base of the unit. The bottom of the base is open to facilitate cord storage, which is a decent idea, but poorly executed. If you roll up excess cord in the base, it falls out every time you move the machine to clean under or around it. There is a slot to allow the cord to be routed out of the base at the rear, but the slot is too shallow to hold the cord in place, resulting in the unit being set down with the cord improperly routed most of the time and a wobbly coffee grinder teetering a bit on the cord. This is a relatively minor complaint/problem, but I expected more out of a $90 product. It annoys me enough to withhold a superior, 5-star product rating. Based on the component content of the machine and the rock solid retail pricing discipline (
try to find one for less than $89.95), the manufacturer certainly has the profit margin to correct this design flaw, and still make good money.
Finally, make sure the bean hopper is empty before removing it from the base, or you will be chasing coffee beans all over the kitchen. Also (and most importantly, as is noted clearly in the instruction booklet), the bean hopper is indexed, and will only go on the base one way. Pay close attention to this! From what I've read in others' reviews of this product, failure to insert the bean hopper properly will result in breakage, and the grinder won't function with the hopper broken or not properly in place.
