Real espresso is a combination of freshly roasted beans properly ground and pressed at high pressure using 200 degree water. When you do that, you produce something so delicious it'll blow your mind if you love coffee. When purchasing equipment to do this at home, the most crucial of these three factors is in many ways the grinder. You need to be producing a very exact, very fine grind that doesn't include larger chunks (it'll mess up the pressure, because water will "channel" here) nor coffee dust (which will end up in your cup). And you kinda' want a grinder that won't break.
There are surprisingly few grinders sold that meet these requirements. Some espresso drinkers try to get by with one of the only two grinders under $150 which can sometimes manage this: the Solis Maestro and the Capresso Infinity. Whether you succeed will depend a lot on whether you got lucky, and you got one that happens to be put together well. Both make use of plastic parts which will fail over time. Some people buy the Solis Maestro Plus for $150 -it's heavier than the Maestro, but otherwise no better: you're really wasting your money. The next step up is the Gaggia MDF. It usually sells for around $200, and the Amazon price tends to fluctuate, actually coming in under $200 some of the time with promotions, which makes it a wonderful bargain, though that may be hard to fathom for folks used to a $20 whirly blade grinder. The MDF used semi-commercial grade steel burrs in a semi-commercial (and hence longer lasting) burr set. It will produce the even, fine grind necessary for espresso, and when paired with another Gaggia, or a Solis or Rancilio or FrancisFrancis machine, you're ready to be a home barista and blow the minds of your friends. If you've got a bit more money, I'd recommend the Rancilio Rocky, which typically sells for $280: it's quieter and more rugged, but uses the identical burrs to the MDF. Up from there would be the Mazzer Mini for around $360, which should last you 20 years if not a lifetime. Most people who get into home espresso eventually end up with a Mazzer someday, and you could save yourself some time and money by just starting out with one. But the MDF is probably the best bargain going for being a true home barista. If you're terribly on a budget, Vaneli's Maximo is inferior but useable, and sometimes sells here for low prices.
I've had this grinder for over two decades and it has performed well. When I first got my machine, I wondered which setting number would be good for cappuccino, or any particular grind. The manual said that since coffee can vary from variety to variety, or even from one roast to another, it's a matter of adjusting to each batch of beans. Perhaps with 34 settings, people have found that to be helpful, but I have found my beans to be consistent enough that adjustments are necessary for type of coffee, but can be left alone for a particular type of coffee and a particular variety of beans from a source. At the time I got the machine, I got my beans from Peet's back when they had five stores and no other distribution channels. Although they are a larger chain now, they are still small enough that roasting can be well controlled, and they can still buy beans from a single source for a variety to meet the needs of the chain. For beans from other sources, where roasting is done at a variety of locations, or from beans from differing sources, you might need to pay more attention to adjustments.
A much bigger issue that affects strength and everything else is the dosing. From reading the other reviews, it does not seem to have changed since I got my unit. The top of the unit can be filled with beans, and the part over the dispensing area will fill up with a remarkably consistent grind. That round area is divided into six sections, like a wheel with spokes. Five of the sections get filled with grounds. One section is empty, and is above the dispenser. Each time the lever is pulled, the wheel rotates one position clockwise, and one section gets dispensed through the empty section. In theory, if the unit were full, the amount of coffee in each section would be consistent. Chances are that in real life, you would not want to fill the unit up for home use, since the grounds would not be fresh by the time you use them. If you grind just enough for a few cups, then the coffee will not end up in the compartments evenly, and dosing by counting pulls will not work. If you lift the lower lid, you can see where the coffee is, and you will likely see a small mound in the back and partly filled areas toward the front if you grind smaller amounts. You could redistribute things with a brush, but even that way, some areas would end up more compacted than others. Or you could merely gain the experience to know how much was dispensed compared to how much you need, and pull the handle accordingly. Another option is to gring with the lower lid off. As you watch grinds fall into the compartment, you can rotate as each compartment gets filled, dispensing as you go along. Then you can become consistent once you develop a good eye for it.
Whether you want to consider the dispenser poorly designed is a matter of perspective. If you believe that this unit was designed to grind beans for two cups of coffee, then it would be a fair conclusion. If you believe that this unit was designed for people who prepare 6-12 cups an hour, you might think that it's just fine. If you believe that it was designed for a higher level of fairly constant use, you would probably not be disappointed. But since this unit is most likely for home users, it's hard to claim that the dispenser is ideally suited to the task.
Experience will let you know how high the grounds are supposed to be when you put them in the filter basket, and it's not going to take you long to learn. While this unit is not fool proof, chances are that you are not a fool, so things will work out.
For me, the bottom line is that once you know the correct grind setting for your beans, the unit is more "set it and forget it" than what the instructions said, at least with consistent beans, but the dispenser is a lot less "set it and forget it" than what the literature implies.
Personally, I prefer a unit that takes the guess work out of getting the grinds to be the right consistency, since it's easy to get the amount dispensed right by eyeballing it. This unit does very well in that respect.
I use this in conjunction with a Gaggia Coffee (now known as Gaggia Classic; the new Gaggia Coffee is a different machine) and the two make a good pair. Learning how much coffee to dispense is a minor part, compared to learning how long to hold the switch on the espresso machine, or how to froth milk perfectly, but ultimately, it boils down to knowing how to make a proper espresso. If you can tell when to stop the water based on the color of the coffee coming out, then a bit more or less from the grinder will affect how full the cup gets rather than the taste of your brew. You can't automate a perfect espresso, but you can use the correct tools to allow you to make one with experience.
Buy Gaggia MDF Grinder Now
The Gaggia MDF fills a small, yet demanding space between the cheap and typically terrible $30-$100 burr grinders and the $500 Mazzer Mini. It's only real competition is the Rancilio Rocky and the Innova (if you can find one).
The main complaint about the MDF is that it is not continuously adjustable, which is true, however I have been able to position mine easily in the middle of two settings. This effectivly doubles the available settings and--with variations in tamp pressure--allows me to get really decent shots fairly consistantly.
I use this machine with my vintage swiss Elespresso machine (a Solis SL70 in disguise) and am consistantly pleased. It compares favorably with a Mazzer Mini on most days (I've got one of those too--as well as a La San Marco/Rossi) and for the price is a great buy. If you see a Rocky for the same price, that might be a better choice because of the larger number of settings, but only just.
For those not wanting to drop at least $300 on a grinder, this is a great choice. It fixes all the major faults of the Solis at only a few dollars more and is solidly made, reasonably consistant, and compact enough to sit next to most home machines on the market. Now if only it were a bit easier to clean...
Read Best Reviews of Gaggia MDF Grinder Here
If you are reading this, you probably already know why a burr grinder is the only kind of grinder to get if you want to make good espresso (or coffee for that matter). And in the world of burr grinders, I think this is the best value out there.
The Good: The grind is excellent and very consistent. It's a work horse and will get the job done every day, all day, the same way.
The Bad: The doser is worse than useless. Not only does it not do what it is supposed to do, it makes it a pain to grind large amounts of beans for a pot of coffee (as opposed to a shot of espresso). Easy work around though: rather than hitting the doser lever twice (which if it worked perfectly would dispense 14 grams of coffee just the right amount for a double shot), I just pull it until my portafilter is overflowing, level the top into a small bowl, and get on with the tamping. Also, some people feel the gap in grinds is too great (i.e. the jump from setting 5 to setting 6 increases too much) I've only found that to be a slight problem, and only with very picky beans. Hasn't been enough of a problem for me to complain about at all.
The Rest: The price is right. $200 bucks (less with a coupon) and you are in the high-end coffee game. Sure you have the doser issues, but that doesn't effect the quality of the grind which when it comes right down to it is the only thing that matters. The cheapest quality grinder that comes in a doserless design is the Rancilio Rocky, which is a great unit it's just that a) it costs about $85 more and b) isn't sold by amazon.com so no free shipping.
All in all, in a non-commercial setting I don't feel it's worth the extra dosh for the Rocky. For value and grind quality, this bad boy is 5 stars take away 1 for the bad doser design.
I say buy it.
Want Gaggia MDF Grinder Discount?
Let me preface this review with the following statement: I consider myself a grinder novice. I've been making French Press coffee for the past 4 years, but this is my first grinder purchase. Up until now, I had let the coffee shop grind the beans (Oren's Daily Roast, mostly). Why the sudden urge to finally cough up the money for a quality home grinder? The answer is simple: a 5-pound bag of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans (picked up in Jamaica @ duty free). Ideally, you want to grind your beans just before brewing to have the best flavor, so I started shopping for my new grinder.
After spending at least a week sifting through reviews on this and other coffee sites (coffeegeek, coffeekid, ect.), I purchased this grinder with high hopes. I had considered the Solis Maestro Plus as a lower-priced alternative ($149), but opted to pay the minimal additional cost to take a step up to the Gaggia ($200). Also, there was a $25-off coupon on a Friday Home and Garden sale, and I figured it was worth the cost (purchase price: $175 after $25-off, plus free 2-day air shipping with a trial of Amazon Prime).
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The unit arrived in 3 business days, the delay a result of Memorial Day weekend. The most interesting thing I noticed when unpacking it was the presence of coffee grinds in the box. I then found the notice in the box that stated that this was not unusual, as all grinders are tested with actual coffee beans. I found this to be an excellent show of quality standards. The machine has a decent weight to it for its size, and takes up minimal counterspace (a big concern if you have a NYC apartment).
ON GRINDER SETTINGS:
There are 34 grinder settings: 1=fine (Espresso) and 34=coarse (French Press); the setting is adjusted by rotating the top. As I do not own an espresso machine (yet), I've only experimented with the coarse settings (32-34).
USING THE GRINDER:
Use is simple enough. Load the beans into the top, pick a grind setting, and turn on the power. There is no timer on this machine, so it will grind for as long as you keep it on.
The grinds are then deposited into the doser. You then pull the lever on the side of the doser to deposit the grounds into the FILTER HOLDER (read below). Each lever pull is supposed to deposit 7 grams of grounds (the amount recommended for a single shot of espresso). If your doser is not full, the first couple of pulls will not contain 7 grams of grounds.
Noise isn't a real issue. I wouldn't call it noisy, especially when compared to a blade grinder. But it IS a grinder, so a little noise has to be expected.
ON THE DOSER:
-First, there is no mechanism on the machine to catch the grounds deposited by the doser, only a FILTER HOLDER. This is essentially two "arms" below the doser meant to hold an espresso filter in place while you fill it (and most espresso filters should fit).
If you do not own an espresso machine, this may be a hassle. For making my French Press coffee, I have found that my half-cup measuring cup fits perfectly in the filter holder. This is fine for small amounts, but to grind enough to make larger amounts of coffee (like a pot), you would need to grind until you fill the doser, then dose over and over until you have enough grinds. It can get a little messy, but you're working with coffee grinds, so a little mess isn't unexpected.
NOTE: The doser is NOT removable.
-Another note about the doser is the possible effect on quality/taste.
Leaving ground coffee in the doser exposes it to air, which over time will reduce the quality of the flavor of your coffee.
This issue is not restricted to this brand/model, but it should be a consideration of anyone willing to spend $200 on a grinder.
To deal with this, you either have to: 1) grind just as much as you need, then dose until the doser is empty, or 2) leave some grinds in the doser. Option #1 will require some experimentation in grinding time, as there is no timer. Option #2 may not be a big deal, but if you spend this much on a grinder, then you should be getting your money's worth in fresh cups of coffee. (This hasn't been a concern for me, as I grind several days' worth of beans at a time, then vacuum-seal and refrigerate. If this is available to you, I highly recommend it.)
ON THE GRIND:
I've had my model for about 2 weeks, and I've had excellent results. I've taken the time to research the acutal burrs used in various grinders, and have found nothing but good things about the ones used in this machine. The ground is uniform each time, and works very well for my French Press (setting #32, a little more than one rounded tablespoon per 4 ounces of 200 degree filtered water, brewed for 4 minutes. I've noticed an immediate difference in taste with grinding my beans immediately before brewing, and static in the grounds has been negligible.
If you're reading this, then chances are you haven't convinced yourself to shell out $250 for a Rancilio Rocky (or even more for a Mazzer Mini), but you don't want to deal with the issues of the Solis Maestro and the like. As someone who values a balance between cost and value, I figured that the quality was worth the extra money. Thusfar, I've been having some great coffee, and I'm sure it will only get better with more experimenting. Aside from the workarounds required by the doser (dropping the rating to 4), I've found this to be an excellent product.
Update 8/2/2006: Regarding grinding time, I've found that grinding roughly one second per ounce of water of coffee for my French Press has given me great results.
Save 13% Off
The web site clearly indicated that this item is made in Germany. What we received was a poorly made product made in China as marked on the box and the product bottom itself. The plastic handle and cap are of poor quality plastic. The glass is supposed to be made by Schott (a high quality German manufacturer of precision instruments including surgical instruments, my sister-in-law works for Schott) but it is of lower quality than a typical coffee pot on coffee machine. In fact, the glass was not smooth, bumpy with horizontal ridges all around the kettle. Lastly, sloppy and copious application of silicon where the glass body meets the plastic top tells me that this is not made in Germany. I am not prepared to ingest lead (possibly in the glass) and BPA (in the plastic and the silicon). I wonder if this is a counterfeit item ? Disappointed, I am returning the product today.
