Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 41
 Great for pressurised portafilters July 26, 2010
Jeffrey Smith (Springdale, AR USA)
Just got this in today, after dialing in the grind just right, it's great. No coffee "dust" to plug up your portafilter and very little static. I wish it would go a little bit finer, though. As it stands, this grinder should only be used if your machine has a pressurised portafilter. This grinder operates at a lower RPM, it is quieter and won't burn the beans as it grinds.
Looks are nice and it feels quite sturdy. Big upgrade from my old Braun KMM30.
Burr grinder #2 June 13, 2010
A. Manzi
I had one just like it and loved it. The grinder worked very well however one day I received a lb of coffee beans with a stone in it and it destroyed the burr in the grinder. I tried to fix it with parts sent to me by the manufacturer but I could not do it. I purchased a new one just like the old one and am very happy so far.... The first one was terrific.
 Mediocre performance considering cost June 12, 2010
L. A. Henderson (Bennett, Colorado)
I just threw mine away. I got about 3 years of use out of it, but it has given me trouble with clogging and over heating for most of that time. I recently bought a dark oily bean that was the last straw on this camel's weak back. That killed it.
So, I give it a mediocre rating. For the money, I simply think it should have performed better. It gives acceptable performance with coarse grind settings on medium roast beans. But fine grind on dark oily roast is a no go.
 Two out-of-the-box-failures in a row! April 16, 2010
heldmyw (Detroit)
Reading reasonable reviews, I decided to take the plunge and bought a Baratza Maestro. The first grind of espresso beans went well and delivered promising results.
The second grind was set coarser for a french press and, halfway through the grind, the drive shaft spun or gears stripped or the reduction cluster lunched. Anyway the thing packed up.
The nice people at Baratza put one in shipment to replace and I sent the old one back. Hey, accidents happen, right?
Repeat. Second grind, no fooling around, commercial beans and the transmission went "blooey".
I shall wait to see what happens next.
In the meantime, you might want to search out some alternatives.
 Frech Press Coffee Has Never Been Better! (Even w/ /Better Coffee) February 15, 2010
Benjamin D. Miller (Atlantis, Bottom of Sea)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Woke up a little late today and started to heat the water for my coffee. Next thing, the doorbell rings and my Baratza Plus arrives, which means not another day of the stupid cuisinart blade grinder. I mean, you really don't get one grind with a blade grinder. I have tried to grind in the middle, which means course, medium, and such tiny particles that I have a sixteenth of an inch in the bottom of my large starbucks cup (sediment). All of that sediment makes it bitter. The course grind I got today (i used 34. the grinder goes up to 40) i could only have gotten by leaving half of the beans only quartered with a blade grinder (no joke). My preliminary thoughts? Well for one, I thought since the grind was so much courser, I increased the amount of coffee by approx. 15% and still used the standard 4 min. brewing time. I also thought being my first time and not knowing what coarseness to set it on, I might not taste any improvement. What I got was the best cup of coffee I've made period. And is was made with the Starbucks beans that I am somewhat sick of. I can't wait to try it when I get my green beans and start roasting my own coffee.
I would not ignore the reviewers who said this is inadequate for espresso. However, this note may be more pertinent than the bad reviews: BARATZA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE GRINDER MAY NOT PRODUCE THE RIGHT GRIND EVEN RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE. FOR THIS REASON, THEY OFFER A METHOD OF RECALIBRATION. I do not have an espresso maker, tho I do have a moka pot for which you do not need the very find grinds. Read the review of the person who said good for french press and percolator, not for espresso. He also noted that getting the grind right and settling on grinding it way in advance is sometimes much better than using a wholly inadequate grinder. I was never able to get an adequate grind from the blade grinder for a percolator and so I ground it at the store. They indeed have professional grinders that probably cost thousands of dollars. But even better? Wait till you have around 450-500 dollars. I must admit though, I have read reviews from professional reviewers that claim this grinder can grind adequately coarse for press pot and fine for espresso MAYBE THEY HAVE DEALT WITH THE CALIBRATION. I also know that beyond this model you can jump to a baratza that costs $400+; however you can buy a refurb that comes with a guarantee from the company.
Also, do not be mistaken that even for drip coffee a $50 cuisinart burr grinder will be adequate. They will grind okay in the mid-range for a while but the burrs will wear quickly (mine wore to where the machine was unusable in 2-3 months) and they do not even acknowledge that burrs wear, let alone offer replacement parts. (at least not last time I checked). As for Baratza, you can buy the burrs and other parts susceptible to wear and they are not overly expensive. Also, a new Baratza is covered under warranty for one year. I looked at their site and it seems that even if one is past the warranty, you can have a maestro + fixed (probably replaced in actuality) for $50, which is a lot better than buying a new one.
Next thing: There are four advantages to this grinder beyond the regular Maestro. 1. the hold down button that starts and stops the grinding process manually 2. the timer switch. 3. the more solid build 4. the option to grind directly into an espresso pod (pretty cool if this can actually grind for espresso).
I bought the Maestro + primarily for the 1st believe it or not. I felt that the on off switch would be more susceptible to damage and also perhaps less convenient such that the burrs might be running more without beans (didn't want to risk burning the motor).
As far as the grind itself? The Maestro and Maestro + are identical according Manufacturer's specs.
I will update with info regarding wear, etc. but as of now, I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND HAVE WASTED MORE MONEY ON THE COST OF GOOD COFFEE GROUND IN TERRIBLE GRINDERS THAN THE $150 THAT THIS COST. I.E., THIS WAS MONEY WELL SPENT.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 41
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