Customer Reviews

KitchenAid KPCG100ER Pro Line Burr Coffee Grinder, Empire Red

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

KitchenAid has a revised version of this ProLine grinder. This is the discontinued earlier version (the revised models do not come in red, nor do they sell for $99 new).

This version might have the following issues, which have supposedly been remedied in the new releases:

- Beans might stay on small platforms in the hopper. The new models are supposed to have a steeper platform so the beans don't hang around.

- The bottom jar feels thin and fragile (though there doesn't seem to be many complaints about breakage). The jar is made of thicker glass in the new models.

- There might be less than ideal seals and gaps at some junctions. Not sure if this was improved.

- Bad fit between the hopper jar and lid. This was apparently fixed as well.

- There's some confusion as to whether the burr quality was improved upon (i.e. sharper).

The $99 price seems very good, so hopefully not too many buyers will be seeing red. KitchenAid has excellent customer service and this version still comes with a good warranty. So if the one you got has the aforementioned problems, KitchenAid will replace the affected parts.

First of all this NEW model is less than reconditioned ones in different colors, sometimes as much as $50 less and up to 100 less than the new versions.

Second - Look at the forums section of the Kitchen Aid web site there is allot of information about this grinder. There are many modifications that are very easy and simple to do.

Third - Most of the problems that people mention can be easily corrected. Also the version that you will receive is the first generation of the grinder. If this results in any problems call Kitchen Aid and they will send you updated parts to correct any problems that you are experiencing.

Problems that have been mentioned and ways to fix them:
- Label off center - Kitchen Aid corrected this problem for me
- Lid is loose - Kitchen Aid has a new gasket
- Grind container does not touch bottom of grinder allowing grounds to get on counter - Kitchen Aid has a different jar.
- Beans do not feed well - there is an updated hopper and there are further modifications that can be made: either look on the forum of Kitchen Aid website or a web search.
- Inconsistent grind size - look at the forums it is easy to wrap some Teflon tape around the threads on the adjuster knob to remove play.
- It doesn't grind finely or coarsely enough - Look at you manual only a few minutes to adjust.
- The stops on the dial do not offer enough adjustment - Look on forums it is easy to make it stepless.


This is a heavy appliance that should last for years.

This is the same KitchenAid Pro Line grinder which sells for $200 if you buy the black or silver one. I have no idea why the red one is less than $100, but it's an incredible deal while you can get them. Even the refurbished red ones cost more than this. I have purchased five so far. It's the best burr grinder I have ever owned. The grinder produces a consistent, smooth grind with minimal noise. It is quite heavy duty and looks nice on the kitchen counter. I highly recommend buying it while they still have them in stock at this price.

I researched extensively coffee grinders before I purchased this one. This was a replacement for my old grinder, a copy of the Braun KMM30 which I had to donate to work for industrial purposes (grinds clay very well). The Kitchen Aid is really over kill for me as I drink almost exclusively French pressed coffee. I even considered a hand crank mill. But what I wanted was consistent sized grounds and this mill was purported to do that.

Visually the grind looks no different than my old mill, but there is more resistance when I plunge which tells me there are more grounds or more surface area. The grind is not finer than before so I have to assume it is more consistently sized. I find the taste of my coffee to be smoother also.

Being a metallurgist I love the heavy metal construction of this grinder. Beautiful finish, feels sturdy. If only it was cast iron instead of aluminum (my area of expertise).

I consider the simple on/off switch a positive. I never found those serving size dials to be accurate. This works much better for my purposes.

The finished grounds jar I have found takes getting used to but it is nice how you can just slide it in and out of place.

My niggle is with the glass bean hopper. My glass threads do not screw into the unit easily. It is in there correctly but I worried I was going to break it. And my press fit cover is no where near press fit. It doesn't seal at all but just loosely sits in place. I was hoping for something more air tight. I go through beans fast enough and don't use the hopper as a storage container, but still, I think it should have sealed better.

I'd give this 4.5 stars if I could, that seal being my only complaint. I would definitely recommend this piece to anyone who is a serious coffee drinker or amateur connoisseur.

This is a tank. I love the huge electric motor that probably can grind rocks, the easy to use grind dial, the large capacity of both hoppers, and the lack of static cling of the grounds. It grinds consistently, it begs experimentation, and its noise level is not objectionable. It even has a high-quality instruction booklet that walks you through the easy processes of cleaning the burrs or adjusting them for even a greater variety of grinds. The fire engine red color is the best, and the price of it compared to the metal finishes makes it an absolute steal. Super great quality. Making your coffee should be an enjoyable exercise and this adds to it. Buy this grinder with confidence.

We received the coffee grinder yesterday (in just two days) and had absolutely no issues with unpacking it and/or setting it up. This model replaced a Capressa Infinity Model 565 which was far messier, noisier and somewhat problematic.

Having read the reviews, we knew to start it on the 5.5 setting (for automatic drip grind). Based on our experience, it appears that some people reviewing this unit are very nit-picking when they complain about coffee dust, hopper seal, position of the KitchenAid logo, etc. The bottom line is that this unit is quiet, sturdy and attractive while making a GREAT grind of coffee for our professional Bunn Coffee maker. (A two-pot unit - same as in some restaurants and motels.)

We don't store coffee beans in the hopper and, based on various articles, freshness will be lost if you do. As far as a few beans remaining in the hopper goes, we find a drinking straw very easily remedies the situation sending the beans on their way to "grindsville". The size fooled us somewhat in that it was actually smaller than what was expected. We thought it might rival our KitchenAid mixer in size but it doesn't and fits easily and almost unobtrusively on our counter beneath standard cabinets.

As others have stated, the manual is first-class and (if you've owned another grinder) almost unnecessary until you get to needing to disassemble it for cleaning. In our case, we didn't have to monkey with the burr settings because neither Espresso nor French Press is our choice - just automatic drip. The coffee itself seems a bit smoother, no bite or bitterness and, unlike our Capressa, it can be stopped by simply flipping the on-off toggle switch. We no longer have to wait for the timer to stop it.

All-in-all, a GREAT BUY and an enjoyable result from its use. Buy it and you'll love it!!!

I just got mine tonight. It looks great and feels very solid. The noise output is about what I would expect. It grinds much faster than I expected. I am not knowledgeable enough to comment much on the grind quality or fineness, but I have found #8 to be too fine for my relatively cheap pump espresso maker, so it grinds plenty fine for me.

I am primarily writing this review because the unit I recieved has two defects on the upper glass bin. One, the lid does not fit tightly and is in fact quite loose. The owners manual states that it should be snug and one would expect it to be so. Secondly, the KitchenAid logo does not face forward. When tightened down the lettering faces off to my right about forty-five degrees.

Not incredibly major concerns but I will likely contact KitchenAid or Amazon about this as I now feel I have a unit with defective parts, even though it was not represented as such. I did buy this at a very large discount so I am still plenty happy with the design and quality of the grinder.

*Edited after grinding several espressos worth of beans and finding more information on the KitchenAid forums about this being a discontinued grinder (updated model features already noted in review after mine.) I wish I could revise to stars to 4/5 with two deducted for the unexpected upper bin issues and one star added back for the great price.

After wearing out several other burr grinders, I bit on this one because of the price and the slow speed burr. I really like the fact that it is quiet!
I did an initial setup for the burr spacing so that I could get a fine enough grind for my espresso machine. It has worked flawlessly for over a year now and I haven't even had to take it apart and clean it. I made the lid fit tighter by putting a rubber band under the gasket, now it fits quite snugly. I also put an O-ring between the housing and the plastic where the glass receiver fits to make a tighter fit. The only improvement that I'd like to see is a finer thread on the adjusting screw; the range of adjustment is far wider than anyone would possibly use. As it is the smallest movement of the dial affects the grind more than it should and if the dial gets bumped it can ruin the first cup of espresso.
I roast my own coffee in a popcorn popper twice a week and it is quite oily. This grinder doesn't get gummed up and delivers a consistent grind month after month. You can spend three to four times as much for a European grinder that won't grind any better, will probably make more noise and probably won't last as long.

I love coffee.. I've had this unit for six weeks or so, replacing a $15 Mr Coffee blade grinder that I've had for four years. The difference in the flavor of the coffee is amazing; I use a setting of 5 to 6 for my run of the mill drip coffee maker, using flavored and unflavored beans (Hazelnut and Hawaian Kona mostly), and the flavor is 100% better, much clearer, if you know what I mean.

I have beans caught in the hopper (up to six to eight), but I use a couple of toothpicks to dislodge them, turn the grinder back on, and I'm done. It takes less than 30 seconds. I've talked to friends and coworkers who have other brands of grinders, and they all have this issue.

As for the KitchenAid logo being off center, I could care less. IT'S ABOUT THE COFFEE, PEOPLE! And this grinder does one heck of a job. I highly recommend it.

I did much research on this and other coffee grinders before purchasing it, even talking to Kitchenaid for reassurance that the nickel pearl color had no engineering upgrades that would make it a better unit than the less expensive red one -- it doesn't; and in fact William Sonoma still sells the few red ones they have left for the retail price. I had previously used a Braun burr grinder for over ten years, then two Solis Maestro burr grinders, each one lasting only a couple of years (quite a disappointment as they were not inexpensive units). The Kitchenaid Pro Line Coffee Mill is fabulous. It grinds beautifully a consistent result. I started on setting #5 for my Kitchenaid Pro Line Coffee Maker (the BEST coffee maker on the market for automatic drip coffee) and worked up to a #6.5 setting for the flat basket filter -- it produces an outstanding grind and a superb cup of coffee. I use very oily, dark roast Peet's coffee beans and have had no problems with the machine. I've cleaned it once -- the instruction manual makes it a very easy process -- and found some impacted grounds in the burrs after one month's use, which Kitchenaid said is to be expected with oily beans and this has been confirmed by others on www.coffeegeek.com. I have found, as others have noted, that on occasion the beans have to be "helped" down the chute; I use the end of the accompanying brush and that sends the beans on their way without further interruption. As far as the lid seal of the hopper is concerned: A grinder hopper is not meant to store coffee beans! They need to be kept in an OPAQUE airtight container and there are such products available at any coffee house. As to others with production complaints with initial units: I give them no credence, as they have failed to utilize Kitchenaid's HASSLE FREE, no questions asked, free replacement warranty. Sometimes, a defective unit may pass quality control -- give them a second chance! I think this is the BEST coffee grinder I've ever seen, for quality of construction, sheer beauty, solid parts, terrific glass hopper and receptacle (very strong) and, bottom line: amazing grind performance. You cannot find a better grinder and the price is a steal.