Polly is a freelance copywriter and content writer originally from South Carolina. She currently spends much of her time traveling. She also loves coffee, craft beer, and spending time outdoors with her dog. You can see more of Polly at pollycloverwrites.com.
If you love a good cup of coffee every morning, then a high-quality coffee grinder is a must-have investment, particularly if you have a fancy coffee machine such as a home Espresso machine. Doing so will allow you to grind high-quality fresh grounds, and enjoy a good cup of coffee, maybe for a cup of simple brew, for your Turkish coffee, or beat the summer for your cold brew coffee.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the Breville Smart Coffee Grinder Pro to see what it is all about, and should it be a worthy addition to your kitchen. We will also check some grinder alternatives that are worth checking out.
Every coffee lover, like myself, knows how important freshly coffee grounds are. There’s nothing like a hot cup of morning joe that features top-notch flavor. You simply can’t get this with pre-ground coffee. And it is much fun to grind and brew the coffee yourself.
Is the Breville Smart Grinder Pro the best grinder in the market? Let us find out in the Breville Coffee Grinder review.
Let’s kick things off and see what the Breville coffee grinder Pro has to offer!
Interested in matching your grinder with a coffee maker? Check out our list of the 7 Best Coffee Maker Options Under 100!
Table of Contents
All About the Breville Smart Grinder Pro
Breville Smart Grinder Pro Features and Specification
If we’re being honest, the Breville BCG820BSSXL model isn’t as affordable as some other entry-level automatic burr grinders or even the manual grinder in the market. However, this programmable conical burr grinder boasts tons of features. It is meant to grind and measure just the right amount of beans for any coffee lover‘s needs – whether you are looking to make an espresso shot, iced coffee, or a large pot of drip coffee.
Overall Design
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is designed for versatility, functionality, and elegance. Doesn’t that sound like a sweet deal for coffee lovers to brew and enjoy their cup of joe every morning? This machine is meant to handle whatever brewing method you throw at it including espresso, drip, cold brew, Aeropress, French press, and any type of coffee you prefer.
Burrs and Motor
Burrs and motors are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing the right grinder. The Smart Grinder Pro is equipped with 40 mm conical stainless steel burrs to provide the ideal grind consistency. Although conical burrs are known to be quieter than flat burrs, it is important to remember that this machine is a bit louder than you may anticipate.
It is also powered by a 165-watt motor that runs at 450 rpm which is just enough speed to reduce heat build-up. This feature maintains the integrity of the bean oil.
Bean Hopper and Grounds Container
Most hoppers are not really airtight, and we don’t recommend storing your coffee there for long periods of time. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro hopper, on the other hand, has an airtight lid and its hopper is big enough to hold a little more and a pound of beans. Breville’s hopper also features a locking mechanism so to ensure your beans are safely stored inside.
The grounds container is made of plastic, and it fits nicely under the grinding spout. It also has measurement markings to let you know how many cups of java you can make with the grounds.
Portability and Storing
One downside of owning the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is its size. This is a big grinder and that means it is not portable or easy to store. However, despite its big size, the grinder‘s appealing aesthetics make it an elegant-looking piece to display on kitchen countertops.
Easy Cleanup
Users love how this machine’s design makes it easy to clean. When you remove the hopper, the burrs are revealed. Then, you’ll notice red markings to show where to lock and unlock the upper burr for removal, cleaning, and putting back together.
Additional Accessories
A new Breville Smart Grinder Pro includes two portafilter cradles. These can fit a 50-54 mm and 58mm portafilter. These removable holders lock in place using magnets.
It also includes a coffee ground container with a lid and sealing cap and a conical burr cleaning brush.
Durability
Breville grinders are known for their durable build and superior design, and the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is not an exemption. Given its bulky and sturdy build, this grinder is built to last for years. It is made with stainless steel and strong plastic panels.
It’s important to mention, however, that while most mechanical grinders have fairly straightforward electronic parts, the electronics of this Breville grinder can affect its durability. However, handling it with care should make a difference and make this grinder last for years.
Ease of Use
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is designed to be easy to use. With that said, it may take some practice if you are used to an old-school electric grinder, or if you are coming from manual coffee grinders.
Again, this machine is packed with features. You might be overwhelmed at first with all the features you can choose. But once you figure out how to use them, you will be able to take your coffee bean grinding session to a whole new level.
Here’s how its features will improve your world of coffee:
- Dosing iQ: allows you to set the grind time in increments of 0.2 seconds giving you total control and a perfect dose every time
- 60 grind setting: lets you make all kinds of beverages and produce a fine grind or coarser grind; also includes a manual function
- LCD display screen: clearly and concisely shows you each of your settings
Grind/Particle Size Consistency
The 60 grind settings allow you to make grounds for various brewing methods such as the Espresso or French Press. There’s also a feature to adjust the burrs to give you a consistent grind size for whichever setting you pick. If your Smart Grinder struggles to produce consistent coarse grind, simply adjust the burrs to coarse. The same process applies when you want a finer grind size.
This Breville grinder has 10-step micro-adjustments built into the detachable top burr, so grind consistency and size won’t be a problem with this gizmo.
Our Overall Smart Coffee Grinder Pro Review
Considering all of the features, this machine offers great value. Here are what we especially like:
- Attractive look perfect on your kitchen countertop
- Works well with any coffee machine
- Consistent coffee grind
- Can hold a large number of coffee grounds
- Pack a lot of amazing features
3 Alternatives To the Breville Smart Grinder Pro
If after reading this review and you are still not convinced that the Breville Smart Grinder Pro—featuring smart features and a conical burr grinders—will be your next grinder, don’t you fret. We listed 3 additional coffee bean grinders that you might love.
Baratza Virtuoso
First on our list is the Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder. This is a more expensive option, but it also offers tons of cool features. The enhanced burr blade grinder set is made of hardened alloy steel. It also grinds quickly at a rate of 2g/second.
It has an accurate grind size anywhere from fine grind to coarse grind. Its timer allows you more control as it can be adjusted in 0.1-second increments. The 40 grind setting allows you to perfectly grind any coffee beans which you can brew to any coffee brewing method you like.
Since this is a fairly small machine, it is easy to transport and store in cabinets.
Rancilio Rocky Doserless Espresso Grinder
Next on this list is the Rancilio Rocky Doserless Espresso Grinders. Coming from the name itself, these espresso grinders are designed to work with your espresso machine. However, the Rancilio espresso grinders also capable of grinding coffee beans for the percolator, drip, and French press. Like the Baratza Virtuoso, this grinder can also directly grind into a portafilter.
The Rancilio Rocky grinder has 50mm hardened steel flat burrs for a consistently fine coffee bean. The burrs can easily be calibrated for a more accurate consistency if needed. The tinted hopper can contain an incredible 10 oz (0.625 lbs) beans.
Baratza Encore
And last on our list, but certainly not the least, is the Baratza Encore coffee grinder. If you want a more affordable burr grinder that provides a consistent grind for a wide range of brewing methods, this grinder is a great option. It is also versatile, easy to use, and has a powerful motor.
This machine is equipped with hardened alloy burrs that reduce heat conduction and help preserve the flavor of the coffee beans. The 40 grind setting allows you to brew all kinds of coffees to your liking.
- 40 mm stainless steel conical burr
- 40 grind settings for a wide range of brewing methods
- Side-mounted pulse button and on/off dial switch
- 8 oz (227 g) capacity of the bean hopper
- 5 oz (142 g) capacity of grounds chamber
- Weighs 6.83 lbs (109 oz)
- Hard plastic body
- Powerful motor
Why Breville?
Breville is an Australian company founded by Bill O’Brien and Harry Norville in 1932. It was originally known for its small home appliances, specifically kitchen machines.
In 1982, Breville was sold to a European company known as Newells Brands. For more than 80 years, the company has continued to bring innovation and world-class design for kitchen products in more than 30 countries across the globe.
With almost 100 years of experience in manufacturing and innovating kitchen products, there is no doubt that this company is worthy to be trusted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Breville Smart Grinder Pro good for espresso?
Yes. Since this machine provides consistent fine ground coffee, Breville is one of the best espresso grinders.
How do you use a Breville Smart Grinder Pro?
The Smart Grinder is very easy to use if you aren’t intimidated by its programmable interface. It can be hard at first but becomes easy once you become familiar with the device. Following these steps will allow you to use the machine with ease.
- Pour in the coffee beans in the hopper.
- Using the side-mounted dial, select the desired grind setting.
- The dial below the LCD screen is the grind time setting and you can set it in increments of 0.2 seconds.
- Press the start button and wait for the machine to stop. (Note that you can also use the manual button when using the espresso portafilter).
You may also use the shot/cups button. This will allow the machine to automatically calculate the exact time setting that will provide the perfect grind.
How do I clean my Breville Smart Grinder Pro?
To help ensure your machine lasts, it is a must to clean your burr grinder at least once a month. Cleaning your grinder not only ensures the quality of your beans but also keeps your device in mint condition, prolonging its lifespan. Cleaning your grinder is fairly simple by just following these steps.
- Unplug the unit from the outlet.
- Remove the hopper by turning the dial counterclockwise.
- Transfer the remaining beans into an airtight container by turning the dial clockwise to release beans below the hopper.
- Replace the hopper securely and turn on the grinder until there are no remaining beans inside the burrs.
- Unlock and remove the hopper.
- Remove the upper burr by turning it counterclockwise to the red align marking.
- Clean the upper and lower burr with a brush.
- Brush the ground chute.
- Replace the upper burr by pushing it down making sure the red arrow is pointing at the red align marker. Turn it to lock position.
- Put the hopper back in place and turn the dial clockwise to lock position.
How do I fix my Breville Smart Pro grinder?
There will be times when your Breville grinder will stop working. However, it could be a minor issue you can fix on your own before you call customer service. Here’s how you can do that.
- If the machine suddenly slows down, turn the pause button to stop the grinding process.
- Follow the steps above on how to clean your Breville grinder.
- Check to see if this has solved the issue.
This problem happens because the machine is equipped with an underpowered motor. Sometimes beans get stuck, and the motor tends to slow down or stop. However, it’s usually a simple fix. If the device still doesn’t work, try bringing your grinder to a Breville service center or bring it to a trusted technician.
In Conclusion
Breville Grinder Pro is an excellent upgrade for true coffee enthusiasts. We hope this Breville Smart Grinder Pro review gave you all the information needed to help you be on your way to brewing the perfect cup of coffee.
Remember, it is okay to go with one of our alternative options if that suits you better. The bottom line is whatever grinder you choose, it should meet your expectations in producing good quality coffee grounds, and also produces grounds suitable for your home espresso machine, French presses, Turkish coffee, or any brewing methods you use at home.
Do you love the Breville Smart Grinder Pro or hate it? What is your favorite grinder? Do you prefer a smart grinder over a hand grinder? Share with us what you think in the comments below.
If you’re interested in reading about other grinders, check out this article on the 7 best budget coffee grinders!
Happy brewing!