Customer Reviews

Capresso 555.01 Burr Grinder Select, Black

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

After reading complaints of the mess the 551.01 grinder made for some people, I decided to go with the latest Capresso model hoping that lessons were learned from past mistakes. I was happy to find that coffee grounds are deposited neatly into a removeable containter. The 555.01 produces consistantly even grounds with 17 adjustable settings for fineness. The portion container is a handy feature that allows one to grind for the exact number of cups of coffee only (espresso drinkers will have to experiment to get proper amounts). For those wanting to mix different beans together, the portion container can be detached to feed beans directly into the grinder. Despite this convenience, I found myself grinding more beans for future use because of the hassle of cleaning the machine. The portion container and grinder wheel can easily be removed and washed, but the base unit has to be scrubbed and wiped down separately so the electrical parts aren't exposed to water. Capresso, however, had the thoughtfulness to include a small brush to clean the grounds spout with. Many will also find the grinder to be rather loud, but noise is not a factor for me.

I think this grinder really rates more like 4.5 stars, but since that isn't a choice I only gave it 4. I've now used it 4 times, and I need to debunk some of the the earlier complaints that I've seen. I'll compare this with the several Braun burr grinders I've worn out over the last 15 years or so.

1. The lid is no more loose than that of any other coffee grinder I've used, but it is a snap-on lid withour a latch. The portion container itself, however, does latch. The portion container can be removed entirely, and an extra included lid can then be used, thus turning the grinder into a model 554.01.

2. There is LESS problem with static and fine coffee, again comparing this grinder to the Braun burr grinders I've used for years. This is partly due to the fact that the Capresso does a much quicker job of grinding than my various Brauns did even when new. Less rubbing and bouncing around equals less static electricity. Tip: to almost totally eliminate the static problem grind your coffee a half hour before you need it. The static bleeds off rapidly.

3. This grinder is much, much quieter than the Brauns that I've used. No contest.

4. The ground coffee receptacle pours easily, if you pour from the narrow ends rather than the wide side.

I like this grinder. The only gripe I have is about the rapid buildup of caked coffee on the exit(nozzle?) from the grinder to the receptacle. I knock it loose after every grinding.

After using my Capresso espresso machine for a couple of weeks, I realized I needed a burr grinder. The espresso machine is very sensitive to the grind - I guess I was lucky at first that the grocery store grinder provided the precise grind needed.

After a lot of research - I learned more than I wanted to know about blade grinders vs. burr grinders - I decided this was the machine for me. I'm glad I did.

Some complained about the noise and the mess. True coffee lovers realize this is the nature of the beast. It's messy and loud, but not more than any other grinder. This grinder is actually less messy than my previous Krupps grinder. I've learned that putting a paper towel under the grinder before grinding catches a lot of the rogue grounds.

The taste of coffee and espresso is much better using freshly ground beans. If you want to experience great coffee, I suggest using Capresso products. They truly know the art making a great cup of java.

I initially reviewed this grinder the day we got it and gave it five stars. I updated this review at 6 months, still happy. We've now owned it for two years and see no reason to change my rating. We make 3-4 pots of coffee a day, so I figure we've now used it somewhere around 2,500 times.

Bottom line is that this grinder is wonderful. It's performed flawlessly. Let me address some of the criticisms I've seen with my own experience:

- Fragile: 2,500 grindings, no failure. 'nuff said
- Portion control: Silly gimmick, I tried it and hated it. Don't even know where it is now. With hindsight, I would buy the less expensive model that's the same without the portion control. We just keep a measuring cup on top of the bean jar.
- Static-loaded grounds fly everywhere: We've had all kinds of weather, dry and humid, and have NEVER seen this problem. Not once.
- Hard to pour grounds out: As many people have noted, pour it out the end of hopper, not the side. In fact, looking at the design, I don't see why anyone would even try to pour it out the side unless they don't realize you can take the top off the hopper and they're trying to pour it out the little hole for the grinder exit spout.
- Exit spout clogs: Never had this problem. Now, grounds DO tend to cake around the exit spout, but they don't actually stop up the exit and don't seem to affect anything. It maxes out at about 1/2 teaspoon and doesn't get any worse. Once a week or so, I just knock it off for general purposes, probably no real need. UPDATE: Now I clean it every couple of months, again for no particular reason, it just doesn't hurt anything.
- Cleaning brush: Pretty much useless. On the other hand, it's for cleaning the exit nozzle, which doesn't need to be done.
- Grounds stick to hopper sides lid and sides: Yeah, a little. When you pull out the hopper, tap it on the countertop. They fall off. No big.
- Grounds don't land in the hopper: Yeah, a little falls out, I think it's the stuff caked on the nozzle falling off when you remove the hopper, but it lands right on the base of the grinder. With the hopper in place you can't even see them. Takes several days to build up enough to bother me and 10 seconds to pick up the grinder and sweep them into the sink. UPDATE: I'm experienced now, it only takes 5 seconds :)
- Hard to clean: I don't understand this one at all. Once every week or two I clean the hopper. I stick the lid into the hopper, put the hopper in the sink and run hot water into it for a minute. Rinse once, wipe, back into the grinder. Two minutes, tops. As I said above, a few seconds every few days to sweep the grounds from the base. Exit nozzle gets cleaned a little bit during the minute of water running for the hopper. Cleaning the burr takes a couple minutes and I've only done that twice for no particular reason. UPDATE: I've now cleaned it three times :)
- Noise: It's not quiet, but it's not that loud either. When it's actually grinding, it's quieter than an electric can opener. But when it runs out of beans, it starts spinning faster and gets a little louder for a second or two until the auto-shutoff kicks in. But even then it's way quieter than my old blade-style grinder was.

Maybe if you're a super-snob on coffee, this grinder won't suffice. But then again, you probably shouldn't be buying this inexpensive grinder, you should be shelling out 5-10 times more and maybe those will satisfy your needs. Me, I like good coffee and find that this grinder helps make the best I've ever had.

I bought this grinder to work with the Capresso CoffeeTec. I quickly discovered that if I used it at the recommended mid-range grind settings of 3.5 to 6, the resulting coffee was watery to my taste even when I used a full two tablespoons of coffee per cup. (I like my coffee on the robust side.)

I then compared the grind produced by the unit to commercially ground coffee from Starbucks and another roaster for drip coffee makers and discovered that the grind from the Capresso 555 was much coarser even at grind setting 1, the finest setting for the unit. Customer service at Capresso admitted that the unit will not produce the very fine grinds that some coffee drinkers may desire. I returned the unit and am looking for something that will produce finer grinds.

Other than the fineness of the grind, the unit worked well and I particularly liked the sensor feature. Like most others here, I did not have any luck with the automatic bean measuring device and would not buy that feature again.

In conclusion, this may work fine for you unless you need an expresso grind or a very fine grind for strong drip coffee.

Loud? Yes - it's a coffee GRINDER! Messy? Yes - espresso ground coffee is messy! But the espresso setting (zero - counterintuitively the lower the number the finer the grind) produces excellent results & the brewed espresso is half crema. The portion control top allows me to grind a small canister full at one go (not approved by espresso fans, but convenient). Remove the top to grind just a cup's worth. Plus it's a handsome design.

I got this one, but I found that the reservoir's "click-measure" system didn't work well for me, so I don't use the reservoir, thus (in effect) converting to the 553.01. I keep the coffee beans in air-tight containers and just measure out for myself the amount I want. Since I often switch the kind of coffee I make from one morning to the next, I really like the fact that the grinder grinds *all* the beans in the hopper, so it's ready for a different bean the next time I use it. Very nice--but the 553.01 is the way to go, IMHO.

I love the 'portion control' that puts the right amount of coffee beans into the grinder, and that it shuts itself off when it's done grinding the beans to the fineness I select.

In the past, I had used a mill grinder where you put in some beans and hold the top down to grind - I never really knew how much to put into it nor how long to grind the beans. The Capresso 555 takes the guess-work out of it. The ground coffee is perfect - not a mix of big chunks of beans and fine powder that I'd gotten from my mill grinder.

People have mentioned that it can be 'messy', but I've found it much cleaner than my old mill grinder. The instructions say to tap the ground-coffee container to reduce static electricity when you remove the container, and I've found this works very well. While I sometimes get some ground coffee on my countertop, it's no more than I get when I'm using pre-ground coffee and measuring it into the coffeemaker.

After hours of brain-numbing research and review reading prior to purchasing my first coffee grinder, I decided on the Capresso 555.01 Burr Grinder. I was shopping for a burr grinder specifically because I wanted to grind for both conical auto drip and espresso. The grinder works great, and I have noticed a problem with "grinds going all over the counter" like some reviewers encountered with various models.

I've only had the machine for a few weeks (using every day), but this is what I've found: I do agree with previous reviewer that the cleaning brush is ineffective. The size is ok, but the longer pliable bristles just don't really seem to do the job. I'll probably purchase a small paintbrush for cleaning.

Loudness: after reading reviews on grinders, I was under the impression I might wake the neighbors with a grinder. I find the Capresso quieter than my vacuum - by a lot. I wouldn't use the machine while people were sleeping in the house, but it's not a bother.

Gotta tell you that I found the instructions that came with the machine to be a little confusing. Maybe I'm just dense, but it took me awhile to figure out that the lower the number, the finer the grind. If they would just SAY that, it would be easier.

I'm using an auto drip machine that uses cone filters, so I use the setting of around 4 to grind for that. Setting 1 is great for espresso.

I have not used the portion container, because I have several kinds of coffee and rarely use the same two days in a row, so I only grind what I'll need for that morning.

Bottom line, this appears to be a great grinder for the money. Time will tell as to how well it performs over the long haul.

i researched way too many grinders and finally settled on this one. yes it is noisy. yes there are some beans that make it around the counter. yes it can be a pain to clean inside the grinder area. but the bottom line here is that since i purchased this little guy I have been enjoying the best coffee of my life. I have a drip coffee maker and an espresso machine and after a little experimenting I discovered what my "perfect number" was for each of them. I love the auto measure feature of this and have bought an extra one just in case mine breaks. I have had no trouble at all in the last 4 months I have had this and I use it every day at least once usually twice. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED