Updated on 20 April 2023
This comparison is certified 100% impartial and follows our selection process.
Graef CM 800
This grinder is the most complete of our selections. With 40 types of settings and an efficient grinding system, it is ideal for any extraction method.
Equipped with a conical stainless steel grinder (32 mm), we recommend this machine to the most demanding coffee lovers who want a personalised grind. It has a hopper capacity of 350g, making it the largest in our range. With its 40 grinding options, it has a very precise setting that allows it to grind for both filter coffee machines and espresso machines. During our tests, it took no more than 1 second to get a dose of coarse-ground coffee (setting 40). And at level 20 (medium), 5 seconds gave us the equivalent of 2 shots. On the other hand, at the finest setting (1), the ground coffee had more difficulty flowing and sometimes got stuck in the mechanism. We had to shake the machine a little to get the rest out. Its dimensions (23 x 13.2 x 38.5 cm) and weight (2.6 kg) make it a little bulkier than cheaper models, but that’s the price you pay for more settings. Finally, thanks to the support provided, this grinder can hold ground coffee directly in a filter.
Coffee lovers like to be able to choose the degree of grinding that best suits their preparation.
Blade grinders are often very versatile, as they work on the principle of a blender.
The grinders produce a very uniform and homogeneous grind.
These devices offer two types of operation (continuous and intermittent).
To keep it as long as possible, opt for a grinder with a solid body.
Choose a model with an opaque bean container to keep the coffee beans away from light and moisture.
The capacity of the bean container is essential to determine whether it suits your needs.
An electric coffee grinder has two different settings (fineness of grind and quantity).
To ensure quick and easy cleaning, the grinder should ideally be removable.
Duronic CG250
The Duronic CG250 is characterised by its compact size, removable tank and ease of use. It is an economical and practical model.
If you are looking for an economical coffee grinder, the Duronic CG250 is probably just what you are looking for. With its stainless steel blades and the power of its 250 W motor, it can grind coffee beans and other small ingredients (sesame seeds, linseeds, almonds, etc.). Although it is the most compact of our range, its 75g capacity allows you to make a cup of coffee for several people. In fact, during our tests, it was possible to make such a quantity without exceeding the maximum without using the bowl. The bowl is removable, which makes it very easy to clean, a welcome feature in this price range. During use, it took only 5 to 7 seconds to grind coarse coffee beans and a maximum of 20 seconds to grind fine coffee beans (for one dose). The lack of a grinder setting is quite normal at this price. The worst thing? It’s quite noisy (our sound meter registered 83 dB), and the cord is only 84 cm long.
This compact grinder is easy to use (with automatic shut-off) and offers several options for the fineness of the grind.
Melitta 1019
This grinder from Melitta has some very interesting features for its price. It is equipped with a professional flat grinding wheel, a 100 W motor and an ‘automatic stop’ function. It offers no less than 17 grinding settings: from 1 to 3 (very fine, for espressos), from 2 to 13 (medium, for filter coffee machines) and from 12 to 17 (coarse, for piston coffee machines). With a capacity of 200g, you can make up to 14 cups of coffee. We also liked the large container for ground coffee.
This ultra-compact electric coffee grinder offers unbeatable value for money. It is particularly suitable for small kitchens and is very efficient.
Amazon Basics CG9402-UL
This stainless steel model can grind up to 60 g of coffee at a time and is compact at just 8.9 x 9.7 x 17.4 cm. It even has a space to wind up its 1-metre-long cord for easy storage. During our tests, we found it very easy to use. All we had to do was insert the coffee beans, put the lid on and press the button. Please note that you have to hold the lid tightly, as the contents are distributed over the edge with centripetal force. After 10 seconds, we obtained a coarse grind that can be used in the percolators. By adding 5 to 15 seconds, we obtained an intermediate to fine result for espresso machines. However, it was more complex to clean, as none of the parts can be disassembled. The best thing? It is less noisy (75 dB) than the other models in this selection.
Bodum Bistro
It is distinguished from its competitors by its conical grinding wheels and adjustable timer and grinding. It also has an anti-static borosilicate glass collector.
The Bodum Bistro, with a power of 160 W, stands out from the competition mainly because of its timer, which can be set to 20 seconds. During our tests, its conical grinding wheel allowed an efficient and homogeneous grinding of the beans. However, it is quite loud (88 dB). It also has a borosilicate glass bowl that reduces static electricity (we found it much more practical than plastic bowls). The removable bin also makes it easy to use and maintain. In terms of capacity, it came second in our selection, with a good real capacity of 220g. In terms of speed, we only needed 2 to 3 seconds at most to get a dose of coffee, whether we were grinding it coarsely or finely. Its biggest weakness? It’s not very instinctive to set up. Although the grinder is easy to place, we had to take a little time to place the bean container.
Our selection
Our choice, Best high-end Best budget Best mid-range Budget alternative High-end alternative Graef CM 800 Duronic CG250 Melitta 1019 Amazon Basics CG9402-UL Bodum Bistro This grinder is the most complete of our selections. With 40 types of settings and an efficient grinding system, it is ideal for any extraction method. The Duronic CG250 is characterised by its compact size, removable tank and ease of use. It is an economical and practical model. This compact grinder is easy to use (with automatic shut-off) and offers several options for the fineness of the grind. This ultra-compact electric coffee grinder offers unbeatable value for money. It is particularly suitable for small kitchens and is very efficient. It is distinguished from its competitors by its conical grinding wheels and adjustable timer and grinding. It also has an anti-static borosilicate glass collector. £ 183.08 on Amazon See the price on Amazon £ 41.70 on Amazon £ 12.89 on Amazon £ 129.99 on Amazon
Selectos compares and tests hundreds of products to help you buy better. We sometimes receive a commission when you buy through our links, which helps fund our work. Learn moreWhy trust us ?
How did we do the testing?
To test electric coffee grinders, we first looked at their design: quality of the material, compactness, presence or absence of detachable parts, length of the cable, opaque or transparent lid, presence of clear grinder settings, a container that can actually hold the quantity indicated by the brand…
We then tested its speed by timing the time it took to grind a dose of coffee (first coarse, then finer). Finally, we measured the highest peak noise emitted by each model with a sound level meter at 40 cm (the average distance between the grinder and our ears when using it).
| Name | Cable length | Time to prepare 1 dose (fine grinding) | Time required to prepare 1 dose (coarse grind) | Max. capacity | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graef CM 800 | 0,95 m | 20 sec. | 1 sec. | 350 g | 80 dB |
| Duronic CG250 | 0,84 m | 20 sec. | 5 - 7 sec. | 75 g | 83 dB |
| Melitta Molino 1019 | 1,20 m | 4 sec. | 2 sec. | 200 g | 76,5 dB |
| Amazon Basics CG9402-UL | 1 m | 25 sec. | 10 sec. | 60 g | 74,9 dB |
| Bodum Bistro 10903-01EURO-3 | 0,80 m | 2 - 3 sec. | 2 - 3 sec. | 220 g | 88 dB |
| BLACK+DECKER BXCG150E | 0,96 m | 20 sec. | 5 - 7 sec. | 75 g | 78 dB |
| Bosch TSM6A013B | 0,88 m | 20 sec. | 8 - 10 sec. | 75 g | 87 dB |
How to choose an electric coffee grinder?
Nothing beats a good cup of freshly ground coffee in the morning! But with so many different grinders on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right one.
Coffee lovers like to be able to choose the fineness of their coffee beans to suit their preferred brew. In addition, coffee machines require a very fine grind, while piston coffee machines require a coarser grind. Finally, the type of coffee beans you choose is also important.
There are two types of electric grinders:
- Blade grinders: These are the cheapest on the market. They usually offer a degree of versatility as they work on the principle of a blender, so they can be used to grind spices, grains and nuts. They can therefore be used to grind spices, grains and nuts. What do we like least? Their high noise level and a certain fragility.
- Grinding mills: in addition to offering a higher capacity, they are quieter, faster and more resistant than blade grinders. They produce a very regular and homogeneous grind, but they are also heavier and take up more space on the worktop. The “standard” grinders are 22 mm, but the larger ones offer a higher and faster throughput.
With this in mind, here is a list of features to consider before purchase:
- Operation: most grinders have two modes of operation. The first is continuous (it works as long as you press the button) and the second is intermittent (press once and you get a cup of coffee). The automatic stop function is a less common option but can be very useful, especially if you are a multi-tasker.
- Materials: the ground coffee container can be made of stainless steel, but plastic is the most common material because it is transparent. This allows the fineness and amount of grind to be assessed and adjustments to be made. Stainless steel is the most common material for grinding wheels or blades because of its strength. However, it may be useful to sharpen them from time to time.
- The bean container: it usually has a generous capacity to allow a standard packet of beans to be completely emptied. Be sure to choose a model with opaque walls to keep the coffee beans away from light and moisture.
- The capacity of the drip tray: this is essential to determine whether a model will suit your needs. You will find grinders with capacities ranging from 2 to 14 cups. Please note that this is an approximate figure (the cup is not an exact unit of measurement).
- The settings: a functional electric coffee grinder has two different settings. The first relates to the fineness of the grind (from very fine for espresso, to coarse for piston coffee machines, to medium for filter coffee machines). The second set relates to quantity. Basic models are usually graduated in cups. Of course, the more graduations you have, the more precise the setting will be.
- Cleaning: to make cleaning quick and easy, it is best to choose a coffee grinder whose main parts are removable (the bean container and cover, the blades and the ground coffee collection tray).
- Storing ground coffee: ideally, grind the coffee just before brewing. But if you prepare a larger quantity, store the ground coffee in a cool, dark place and use it within 48 hours.
Other models we recommend
BLACK+DECKER BXCG150E (£25.95 upon publication): high performance, but with less capacity. This model can be quite an attractive option if you are looking for a design that is a little different from what we can find in this price range. It has a nice and original soft-touch finish. Apart from that, it is still a rather classic model. On the one hand, it was not the easiest to clean during our tests. On the other hand, it was quite efficient, giving us a dose of coarse ground coffee in 3-4 seconds and 12-13 seconds for a finer grind. We were also pleased to find that it has a safety feature that prevents it from operating without the lid. However, it only has a capacity of 50 grams.
Bosch TSM6A013B (£43.90 upon publication): efficient and economical, if a little noisy. When put to the test, this compact one-piece model took about 10 seconds to grind a dose of coffee and 20 seconds for a finer result. It has a maximum capacity of 75g (not 80g as usually stated online) and doesn’t need a gram more. Like the BLACK+DECKER, it has a safety feature that prevents it from working if the lid is not correctly aligned. Unfortunately, we found it very noisy (87dB), and its non-removable bowl does not make it easy to clean.
De’Longhi kg 521.m (£198.73 upon publication): for coffee lovers. With its stainless steel casing and conical grinders, this model has a modern look and a high-quality finish. It has 150W of power, a large 350g capacity (up to 14 cups) and 18 grind settings for excellent coffee, whether you prefer espresso, filter or plunger coffee. Although it has been left out of our top selection (we prefer more affordable models or models with more settings), it is an excellent choice for any coffee lover.
Another tested model
Krups F2034210 (£28.72 upon publication): this model was less expensive than the current model when it was launched. It does not, therefore, justify its price/performance ratio in terms of performance.
Translated by Ramsés El Hajje
