Customer Reviews

KitchenAid Pro Line Series Burr Coffee Mill, Onyx Black

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

ORIGINAL REVIEW WRITTEN IN 1-2009: The Kitchen Aid Pro Line burr grinder has been sitting next to my drip coffee maker for more than a week and it effortlessly became part of my morning routine after its first use! It is solid, quiet, quick and grinds beans evenly with no static mess.

BACK STORY: I have owned burr and conical burr coffee grinders for more than 20 years. Most recently, I owned the Bodum conical burr grinder and it died after maybe 5 years of daily use. I did quite a bit of research and decided on the Breville conical burr grinder Breville BCG450XL Conical Burr Grinder as a replacement. The reviews on Amazon rate the Breville very highly for its price class but I was extremely disappointed when I received it. I found it was extremely lightweight and flimsy in construction. Other than the burrs, it's made of plastic. Worst of all I couldn't get the burrs (which had to be removed for cleaning along with the plastic bean hopper and grind cup before first use) to fit back in properly. I tried and tried. There was no diagram or detailed instructions. No information on the Breville web site and a customer service telephone number that was never answered. Someone suggested just letting the burrs sit "unsecured" under the bean hopper. When attempted, the unit spewed ground coffee all over the kitchen creating a mighty mess and extreme cursing. I wasted four days trying to get Breville customer service! With great aggravation, I returned the Breville to Amazon. Back to square one.

After more research, I decided that I needed to spend more money to get the kind of coffee grinder I could live with. I wanted quality construction, ease of use, good even grind from coarse to fine, reliable customer service from a company that was not going to disappear in a few years, and finally, no plastic parts that contributed to the static electricity that caused the ground bean residue to fly around and settle on to everything nearby.

I chose the Kitchen Aid. The Kitchen Aid is ugly-handsome in a 1930's futuristic, form-follows-function way. Like the classic Kitchen Aid mixer, this grinder delivers what it promises. "Just the facts, m'aam". It is made of solid, heavy metal and the bean carafe and grind carafe are both made of glass. No static! No mess! Heaven! The instruction book is extremely well written and specific to a fault. The unit is surprisingly quiet....no frightened cat! No closing the kitchen door so not to wake the household! The beans are evenly ground. There are over 15 grind settings to choose from. No timer, but really, why have one? I've never used a timer that delivered the quantity necessary. I don't even miss it.

Kitchen Aid offers an excellent, two year guarantee. The glass parts are removable and dish-washable. And, probably most important, should disaster strike, the glass parts as well as the burrs are replaceable! (NOTE 5-10-10: Disaster struck! The ground bean hopper broke! I called the KitchenAid Customer Service 800# printed in the instruction book and ordered a new glass hopper for $12.95 which included S/H. It arrived in several days. While on the phone, I asked the rep why I couldn't find the Coffee Grinder or spare parts for the grinder on the KitchenAid web site. She told me that KitchenAid was coming out with new small kitchen appliances very soon. They are selling out of and discontinuing manufacturing this particular model although spare parts would be available for several years.)

So far, I am delighted!

UPDATE 2-10: Excellent grinder. No complaints! A few months ago I noticed that the normally even grind was getting a bit rough and that beans were sometimes getting stuck in the grind mechanism. I got out the extremely well illustrated instruction book, opened up to the chapter on "Care and Cleaning" and followed the easily duplicated instructions. I loosened two screws, opened the faceplate assembly, removed the burr shaft and cleaned everything out with the supplied burr cleaning brush. I treated the bean hopper and grind container to a wash in the dishwasher. Re-assembly was a snap (unlike earlier Breville re-assembly fiasco) and my problems were resolved. A note to reviewers who have static problems: washing the grind hopper with dish washing liquid solves the problem. Also, I found that cleaning out the burrs and burr shaft helps to reduce the incidence of grinds falling onto the bin platform when the grind hopper bin is removed. Thus eliminating the need to BOP.

I've owned my trusty Kitchen Aid mixer for well over twenty years. Maybe, just maybe this coffee grinder will be around for a long time too!

Hopefully, KitchenAid will continue to offer spare parts!

After over two year's use (pretty much daily)this grinder continues to be a superior product. No problems whatsoever. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the grind 1/2 cup beans at 5 1/2 setting for medium roast beans and a 12 cup pot.

I especially like the pyrex carafe and metal toggle switch as opposed to the plastic ones in lower end grinder models we previously owned.

I have noted other complaints about coffee dust. I sense they are grinding much finer. There is so little clearance between the bottom of the grinding chamber and the top of the bottom carafe I can't imagine it is migrating during the grinding process.

I usually bounce the grinder lightly a couple times on the counter top to make sure as much ground coffee as possible exits the grinding chamber before removing the carafe. I always notice some additional coffee going into the carafe which would otherwise fall out on the counter.

This thing is the diesel truck of home grinders. The coffee tastes so much better...never thought a good grind could make such a difference. Yes you have to BOP it now and then while grinding but look at coffee beans...their all different and not consistently shaped. I like it all and it will last for ever. It's so much quieter than expected and grind consistency is superb. We love it.

I recently purchased this KitchenAid KPCG 100 Pro Line Series Burr Coffee Mill, after sorting through numerous coffee grinder reviews when my Baratza Maestro Plus burned up. My first coffee grinder, 30 years ago, was a blade grinder that worked, even better if you shook it while grinding, but had many limitations and was fairly inconsistent in grinding. My next, 25 years ago, was a Braun burr grinder that was certainly better than the blade grinder but not particularly consistent in grind size or capacity. Then 7 years ago I bought a Baratza Maestro Plus (branded under Solis) that was a very good grinder for French Press and Drip. It would do expresso but not consistently like a Rocky Rancilio--which was more than double the cost of the Maestro Plus.

I decided to try the KPCG 100 which is a second version of the original. I selected it because you could thoroughly clean it, take it apart with a screwdriver and allen wrench, adjust the burr grinders, the ground coffee bin was glass not plastic (less static cling), it had an On/Off switch (I don't like timer switches, it was heavy like the Maestro (would not creep on a granite counter top), and I thought it attractive looking. This appliance is also well made and very solid.

After the first brief trial use, I found it necessary to adjust and reset the the burr grinders as the standard dial had little affect on the grind size and was very inconsistent in the size particals of the ground coffee. This required and allen wrench, was well detailed in the instruction manual, and was very simple to do. It will now do drip and French--but it is not adequate for a quality expresso grind. In fact, the high end expresso drinker will find that nothing short of the Rocky is going to do a good job on expresso.

The KitchenAid has a very good gear reduction so it does not overheat the gounds, and it is quieter than most other burr grinders. Other reviewers complained that the replaceable glass ground coffee bin was fragile and easy to break. That is true but you also avoid the static grounds build up on grinders with plastic bins--a real pain and mess maker. If you should break the bin you can still grind substituting with another glass or plastic dish or jar--about 3.5" tall with a 3" diameter. You can also create a tighter fit for the bin while in the grinder with a thin coaster or piece of cardboard placed between the bin and the bottom of the grinder. This unit also does not create much of a mess with ground coffee. I think it is safe to say that most grinders do create some residue--including the Rocky.

I gave this KPCG 100 3 stars because I could not specify 3.5 stars. All things considered, I like it, it is easy to clean, service, adjust, and use. Units like the Baratza Maestro series which produce a better grind collect a lot of unground beans, coffee dust, and particle pieces inside the unit case. To clean them you must pry the plastic cases off of the units without chipping or cracking the case. There are no screws holding the case on the unit. And most other coffee grinders grind and throw the grounds 90 degrees down a chute and then to the coffee bin. These chutes can plug up and there is no simple way to clean them out. The KPCG 100 drops the ground coffee straight out the bottom of the grind chamber--much easier, much cleaner. My old Maestro Plus got so plugged up the motor overheated and died.

If you want a better coffee grinder that will do French Press, Drip and Expresso to near professional standards, be preparred to spend $400 and up, way up. I will stay with the KitchenAid. It is not perfect but has a lot going for it.

You know how you occasionally really love your job? I had one of those moments. I work in Quality Assurance at Whirpool,(who owns KitchenAid). I had always wanted this grinder,.....but the price. Then one day, we have a KitchenAid sale at work....this grinder...new...$75...yeah. As others have said, it is built INCREDIBLY well. It is going to be around ALOT longer than you. The grind is extremely even. 2 days before I purchased this, I had bought the Cuisinart Supreme Burr Grinder. There was as much dust as grind, which led to very bitter coffee. Within 5 minutes of bringing this KA home, I had done a test grind of it and the Cuisinart to compare. Within 10 minutes, the Cuisinart was packed back in its box ready to be returned. It was night and day. I had my first cup, with the same coffee as usual, and the difference in taste removed all doubt from my choice. To the person who said it wobbles on the counter,(as well as a replacement) uh..put a level on that counter.

I always try to buy the very best when I can, and I am a believer in the adage "you get what you pay for." So when my wife and I decided on moving up to better cups of coffee in the morning, I started reading reviews of coffee grinders. Alton Somebody on HGTV had a show on coffee making and praised the KitchenAid coffee grinder. The reviews I read were all positive, so I ordered it.

Is this the best coffee grinder out there? Maybe. It is, as another reviewer said, built like a tank (the Abrams, not the Sherman, for you fellow veterans). Since we also use a French Press on weekends, the KitchenAid Pro Line allows us the change the grind size with ease. The resulting grind appears very consistent in size, and frankly it's fun to experiment with the settings. Of course, the conical burs used for grinding the beans are the type serious coffee drinkers MUST have.

Yes, the glass bowl that receives the grinds seems a bit fragile, so be carefull when handling it. It's shape seems designed perfectly to fall out of your hands when washing it. Yes, you DO have to bop it when the beans stop falling into the grinding mechanism. The bopping makes much more noise than the grinding which sounds determined but relatively quiet.

Sure, the product is not perfect and that is the reason for not giving it five stars. (If I could have, however, 4.5 would have been appropriate.) The unit is a bit pricey, the receiving bowl a bit fragile, the bops a necessity, and the weight as much as that of the coffee maker. BUT, if you are determined to brew the BEST coffee you can every morning, then you HAVE to start with beans and the KitchenAid Pro Line Grinder.

But don't stop there. We finished out the system with a BUNN BTX-B ThermoFresh Brewermaker, a Premia Water Pitcher, a Bodum Columbia 8-Cup Stainless-Steel Thermal Press Pot, and a Nespresso expresso maker. I actually look forward to waking up and starting the process every morning, and the coffee is wonderful!

As I will argue below, this grinder addresses several of the problems inherent in coffee grinder design rather well, and in my mind comes out on top in its class.

When you use your grinder in the morning, it hasn't been used since yesterday. If there are any leftover grounds in the grinder, they have been sitting there for many hours. You don't want these to end up in your coffee, as they impart a terrible taste to your drink.

For this reason, the optimal path for ground coffee is straight down, which is what this grinder provides. Coffee enters on top and exits on the bottom, and the only thing in between are moving parts, which prevent any particles from sticking. Most other grinders have some sort of side exit for ground coffee. Baratza Maestro, which I was using prior to this, comes close, but isn't truly pass-through.

Next, materials. Coffee grounds pick up static easily, because they are a result of rubbing. This grinder is glass and metal, and the metal is grounded (grinder uses a 3-prong plug). As a result, coffee doesn't collect any static. Nicely done, thank you KitchenAid.

The switch also deserves some mention. Most grinders use a dial, which may seem like a good idea. But it's not, because it causes you to grind more coffee than you need. Baratza Maestro has an instant-on button in front, but that button is there because their container is black plastic, which nicely hides the amount of ground coffee from you, so you always end up using the instant-on button to even out the portion.

Next, the grounds container. In this grinder, the container is made of clear glass, which means it's easy to judge when you need to stop grinding. Baratza and most other grinders use opaque plastic containers, as discussed above. Above the grounds container is a spring-loaded plate. Its only purpose is to be flush with the container when it's in place, preventing good smells from escaping, and also holding the container somewhat in place. There is a small complaint about this aspect of the design. Nothing really holds the container down, it just sits there, so if you tilt the grinder or try to carry it with the container in place, it will most certainly fall out. The shape of the grounds container is excellent. It is that of a wine or cognac glass, wide on the bottom, narrow on top. What this does is focuses the aromatic smells similar to the way a flashlight does. Your ground coffee has a more pronounced, easier to appreciate smell.

The ground size is adjusted using a heavy plastic knob that occupies the front of the grinder. The knob is attached to the body using thumbscrews. Remove these every once in a while to clean bits of coffee that work their way past the adjustment plate and collect behind it.

All in all, it was a very pleasant surprise to get something for $160 that is pretty much optimal at performing its function. Well done.

I am a kitchen gadget freak and I love this coffee grinder. I have had one at home for several years and just bought a second to replace my office Cuisinart grinder. This Kitchen Aid is fantastic. The grind adjustment actually works from super fine to very coarse.

The top bowl doesn't hold more than two or three pots worth of beans, but the beans should be stored in an airtight container away from light long term anyway. While I like the auto-off function of my now dead grinder, you quickly get used to the simple on off and know that if your have finished filling you coffee pot with fresh water, you probably have ground enough beans. This simplicity also makes this machine a work horse. No delicate plastic bits to break here. Just rugged heavy metal and glass.

If you are like me and like dark roasted beans, you know they tend to be oily on the outside and stick to each other a little. Well, I'll admit, sometimes I have to rock the grinder or poke the beans in the hopper with a wooden skewer I keep on hand because they don't fall smoothly into the grinding mechanism. This quirk is NOT present when grinding medium roasted beans. The sticky beans issue has been an issue with every burr coffee grinder I have owned so I consider it a non-issue on this machine.

I just wish the manufacturers would realize they need to add a slow moving wire stirring the beans in the hopper so they can cascade more freely. Simple fix - KitchenAid, are you listening?

I use a regular old fashioned percolating coffee pot for my coffee and because of this have to grind my own coffee. I researched a lot of grinders and this is one of the few for any price that had a coarse enough grind setting that would not leave coffee grounds in my coffee. There are eight grind settings, 8 for very fine to 1 for very coarse and everything in between. Grind setting numbers are clearly marked with a large turning dial to set them. The motor housing is heavy duty.

The top hopper and bottom container which are both glass hold 1/2 pound of beans and/or ground coffee each so you can open a 1 pound bag of your favorite coffee, fill up the hopper, grind the entire amount and refill with the rest of the bag.

You will never, ever find a grinder with a more powerful motor than this one. I have had this grinder for about 3 years (maybe more), and I'm sure it will last for another 20. Buy this and you'll never buy another one.

2 Very minor drawbacks: 1. Grinding is noisy, but I think all burr grinders would be just as noisy. 2. Its very bulky looking, again due to the heavy duty nature of the machine. Neither of these should keep you from purchasing this wonderful appliance.

I have had this grinder for almost 3 years and it does exactly what it should. It works without any problems. Read the manual and adjust the burrs once. You won't have to do it again and it will give a full range of grinds from very course to fine.
The KA is built very well; all metal body and glass bowls (a plus because plastic parts tend to build a static charge and coffee clings)
Being a complete coffee geek, this is my everyday grinder (and it does get used every day) for everything except espresso. Regarding the previous review: No, this is not a real espresso grinder and if you are really serious about espresso, you really need a real grinder made for espresso). I wouldn't expect this to have the very fine control of an espresso grinder which is why I use this for everything else. The Rancillio Rocky is my espresso grinder and I wouldn't expect it to make a course grind for "regular coffee."
End of rant

Bottom line: excellent build quality; consistent grind; no plastic. Good value for the money.
Clean it occasionally (depending on frequency of usage). Just grind some uncooked rice, then a scoop of beans to clear the rice. Done. Maybe 3-4 times a year.