Good value in a non-espresso grinder
Pros:
Good, uniform grind; short clean path; great value.
Cons:
Noisy, slow at the finer settings, not really suitable for espresso.
The Bottom Line:
Has to be a value leader, if not THE value leader, in non-espresso grinders.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
The Solis / Baratza Maestro grinder has gone through several variations with no name change. In the latest incarnation, Baratza has increased the number of adjustment steps to 40, replaced the original motor with a more powerful DC motor, and geared the burrs down to 450 RPM. An anti-static treatment has been added to the grounds bin. The burr set remains the same, a 40mm conical burr set. This new, uprated Maestro is the one I'm reviewing -- not the older variants.
The grinder is a crucial part of good coffee preparation. Regardless of extraction method, you want to get uniformly sized grounds, NOT a mix of boulders and dust. Dust over-extracts, giving a bitter brew, and can choke vac-pots or leave sediment in press pot cups. Oversize grounds won't extract properly. Dust-and-rocks leads to bitter, weak coffee. The reason the burr grinder is the gold standard for coffee grinding is that a properly built burr grinder will produce this desirable uniform grind, at the size you dial in. Whirly-blade grinders can't help but produce dust and rocks.
(Espresso is a special case. Good espresso requires a very fine grind, AND the ability to make very very small adjustments to grind size. The best espresso grinders also produce a double peaked size distribution, with fines and relatively larger grounds.)
The Maestro delivers a good quality, easily adjustable grind. I use mine for Aeropress, which likes a fine grind, and press pot (French press), which likes a coarser one. The Maestro's fine grind extracts well, with no bitterness, and its coarse grind in the press pot gives a rich cup with a minimum of sediment. It's very much at home in the middle, too, for drip. I don't have a vac-pot but have no reason to think the Maestro would have any problems grinding for it too.
It's easy to use -- there's just a simple on/off switch -- and easy to clean. The grind path is short and it leaves very little coffee in the grinding path (where it would get stale). I've not had any static problems either. It's certainly sturdy and heavy enough, mine doesn't move at all when grinding.
The Maestro is NOT an espresso grinder. It can be user calibrated, and you could probably get a decent pour using a Maestro grind in a pinch; but I don't think the adjuster is delicate enough for espresso needs. The burrs don't have the dual-grind pattern found on high end espresso grinders either. I'm not saying that espresso is impossible with the Maestro, just that it's likely to be a hit or miss proposition. Regular espresso drinkers will be frustrated with the Maestro.
What do you give up with the Maestro as opposed to more costly grinders, besides reliable espresso grind? Well, not much. The Maestro is a bit noisy. It's slow at fine settings; two scoops at a fine Aeropress grind takes a good 30 to 45 seconds to grind. It does produce a tiny bit more dust at coarse settings than fancier grinders (but not enough to be annoying). The styling is clean and inoffensive, but a bit bulky, and certainly not anything worth noticing. (At least it fits under a standard kitchen cabinet, unlike some massive high-end grinders.)
I'm certainly happy with the Maestro. It's one of the best value grinders out there for non-espresso grinding.
