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Owning a good coffee machine is just the first step in the coffee brewing process. To truly unlock the potential of your coffee beans, investing in a high-quality coffee grinder is essential. While pre-ground coffee is convenient and ready to use, coffee connoisseurs understand that to get the most out of each cup, an automatic coffee grinder is a must.
Over the past few months, I’ve tested several coffee grinders to find the best ones available. Grinding your own coffee beans offers numerous benefits. First and foremost, it allows you to grind coffee to your exact preference, whether you need a coarse grind for a French press or a fine grind for an espresso machine. Additionally, these grinders provide consistent grinds, ensuring even extraction and a balanced flavour in every cup. There’s also the undeniable fact that freshly ground coffee simply tastes better than pre-ground varieties, offering a richer and more aromatic experience.
TL;DR: The #1 Automatic Coffee Grinder for Most People 👇
The Sunbeam EM0440 is simple but super-efficient. It is equipped with hardened conical burrs that are precision engineered to give you consistent grinds every time.
It is not only efficient but also affordable, making it a suitable option for all users who are looking to process freshly roasted coffee beans. This may not be the most advanced automatic coffee grinder, but it offers great value for money and is well worth a look.
The Best Automatic Coffee Grinders in Australia
- Best Overall: Breville BCG600SIL The Dose Control Pro Coffee Grinder
- Best Automatic Coffee Grinder for Home: Sunbeam EM0700 Café Series
- Best Value Automatic Coffee Grinder: Sunbeam EM0480 Café Series
- Best Burr Automatic Coffee Grinder: De’Longhi KG521M
- Best for Most People: Sunbeam EM0440 GrindFresh Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Best Blade Automatic Coffee Grinder: Breville BCG200BSS The Coffee & Spice Grinder
- Best Budget Automatic Coffee Grinder: Sunbeam EM0405 Multigrinder II
1. Best Overall Automatic Coffee Grinder: Breville BCG600SIL The Dose Control Pro Coffee Grinder
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Out of the seven coffee grinding machines we tested, the tops our list of the best automatic coffee grinders. This machine offers the user full control during the grinding process with up to 60 precise grinding modes, allowing you to process roasted coffee beans to your exact liking. Whether you need ultra-fine grinds for espresso or coarser grinds for a French press, this grinder has you covered.
During my testing, I found adjusting the settings to be straightforward. Simply turn the hopper clockwise or counterclockwise to achieve the desired grind size. The electronic timer ensures consistent results with each dose of coffee, and you can make adjustments in 1-second increments for precision grinding. The heavy-duty stainless steel burrs are uniquely designed to maximize performance by increasing the surface area for maximum contact while keeping the heat to a minimum. This design preserves the natural oils and flavors in the coffee beans, giving you a rich and aromatic cup every time.
The conical burrs also have great wear resistance and require minimal maintenance, making the Breville BCG600SIL ideal for everyday use. With a 340-gram capacity, the bean hopper allows you to grind enough coffee to stay energized throughout the day. The package includes two cradles (58mm and 50/54mm), enabling you to dispense the coffee grinds directly into the stainless steel portafilter without any spills. The varying sizes mean you can use either small or large portafilter baskets, and you can even dispense coffee directly into a paper filter.
While this grinder lacks a digital display, the well-marked grind scale and timer are easy to use and guide you when adjusting the settings. Despite the absence of a digital display, the Breville BCG600SIL’s precise controls and robust build make it an excellent choice for coffee enthusiasts looking to enhance their brewing process.
2. Best Automatic Coffee Grinder for Home: Sunbeam EM0700 Café Series
If you’re in the market for a coffee grinder with a large-capacity bean hopper, the Sunbeam EM0700 Café Series Precision Grinder is an excellent choice. During my testing, I found that its 450g hopper is thoughtfully designed with a narrower front end, ensuring that coffee beans move effortlessly towards the conical burr grinding mechanism.
One of the standout features of the Sunbeam EM0700 is its hardened burrs, which offer impressive durability and resist wear over time. This grinder is powered by a high-performance motor, and the attached durable drive belt delivers power directly to the burrs, ensuring smooth and efficient grinding. The hopper lock keeps the container securely in place, even when the burrs are running at full speed.
The housing of the Sunbeam EM0700 is equipped with vibration dampening properties, which means the machine won’t scatter coffee grinds all over your worktop. Additionally, it features a cradle that directs the ground coffee into a portafilter, making the process tidy and efficient. The Sunbeam EM0700 offers 30 grind settings, allowing you to switch from coarse to fine grinds quickly. This versatility makes it perfect for brewing a wide range of coffee styles, from lattes to espressos and cappuccinos.
One of the highlights of using this grinder was its consistent performance. No matter the grind setting, it delivered uniform grinds every time. The illuminated delivery chute is a handy feature, enabling you to grind coffee beans in low-light settings without spilling.
However, there is a minor downside: the delivery chute can scatter coffee grinds if the cradle is not properly set. Despite this, the Sunbeam EM0700 Café Series Precision Grinder remains a robust and reliable option, priced similarly to the Breville BCG600SIL, offering excellent value for its features and performance.
3. Best Value Automatic Coffee Grinder: Sunbeam EM0480 Café Series
Why we like it:
- On-mode for continuous grinding
- It comes with a cleaning brush
- Mess-free grinding
What customers say:
“This is a great burr grinder for the money. The range of grind settings makes this very versatile. I use Aeropress to make my coffee and this is a great and affordable alternative to a hand mill.”–Ian G
Next up is the Sunbeam EM0480 Café Series Conical Burr Coffee Grinder, a reliable addition to your coffee-making kit. This machine is nearly as efficient as the Sunbeam EM0700 but features 24 grind modes and a smaller 250g bean hopper.
Built with high-quality materials, the Sunbeam EM0480 is designed to offer long-lasting service. The conical burrs provide top-grade coffee grinds for various applications. Made of stainless steel, the burrs do not retain heat, so the coffee beans maintain their flavor even during extended grinding sessions.
I particularly appreciated the on-mode for continuous, hands-free operation, which is useful when grinding large quantities of coffee beans. The rotating collar allows for easy selection of the grind style, and the accurately marked scale ensures precise adjustments, eliminating guesswork.
This automatic coffee grinder is ideal for beginners due to its simple design. It lacks a complex control panel and instead features an easy-to-use flip-style side switch for frustration-free operation. It includes all the essential features of a standard coffee grinder.
The Sunbeam EM0480 is more affordable than most automatic coffee grinders in its class, making it a great choice if you’re on a tight budget. The base is sturdy and wide, ensuring stability during operation. However, some users have reported that the machine is less efficient at producing ultra-fine grinds needed for brewing espresso.
In summary, the Sunbeam EM0480 Café Series Conical Burr Coffee Grinder offers excellent value with its durable build, ease of use, and affordability, making it a solid choice for both beginners and budget-conscious coffee enthusiasts.
4. Best Burr Automatic Coffee Grinder: De’Longhi KG521M
Why we like it:
- Backlit digital display
- Comes with a storage container
- Delivers consistent grinds
What customers say:
“Excellent. I was using a cheap model before. Never ground coffee right. This does it at a click of a button. Nice stainless finish and good holding container. Best home grinder I could find and have used.” –Conor Power
The De'Longhi Electric Coffee Grinders features a 150-watt motor and hardened conical burrs that ensure nicely ground coffee every time. With 18 customizable grind settings and a sizeable digital display, this grinder provides clear visibility of the current mode, making it user-friendly and versatile.
One of the standout features of this grinder is the backlit LCD screen, which ensures easy readability in any lighting condition. The aroma function lets you select the grind style based on your preference—strong, normal, or light. The grind scale is clearly labeled, so adjusting the settings is straightforward. Settings 1-6 are ideal for espresso grinds, 7-12 for drip coffee, and 13-18 for French press, giving you complete control over the grind size.
During my testing, I found the De’Longhi grinder to be highly rated for its performance and convenience. The long bristle cleaning brush included with the grinder makes it easy to clear away retained coffee grinds from the conical burrs. Additionally, the upper grinding burr is removable, simplifying the cleaning process.
The airtight storage container keeps coffee grinds moisture-free, preserving the flavor even after a few hours. However, it’s best not to store ground coffee for too long to maintain its quality. The hopper has a capacity of 350g of coffee beans, while the storage container can hold up to 170g of ground coffee.
This grinder can process enough coffee beans for 14 servings, which is perfect for brewing into standard-size coffee cups. If you’re searching for a high-quality burr coffee grinder, the De’Longhi KG521M is a solid choice. It’s reasonably priced and allows you to create barista-standard coffee at home, making it an excellent addition to any coffee lover’s kitchen.
5. Best for Most People: Sunbeam EM0440 GrindFresh Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Why we like it:
- Heavy-duty conical burrs
- 25 grinding modes
- Preserves flavour
What customers say:
“Easy to use without fuss or mess, it gives a good range of grinds. The recommended setting for coffee machines results in excellent brews. An excellently priced burr grinder that does just what I want.”–John E Saylor
You can grind your coffee with ease using the Sunbeam EM0440 GrindFresh Conical Burr Coffee Grinder. Its simple design makes it an excellent choice for all users, regardless of their experience level. Like most automatic coffee grinders in our review list, the Sunbeam EM0440 utilizes high-performance conical burr grinders powered by a robust motor that delivers stellar results.
During my testing, I found that you can easily adjust the machine to deliver either coarse or fine grinds, depending on your needs. The precision-engineered moving parts ensure smooth operation throughout the grinding process. Additionally, these parts are factory-lubricated to minimize wear and tear. The conical burrs are designed to stay cool, even with continuous use, which helps preserve the coffee beans’ flavor.
The 250g hopper simplifies the process when grinding coffee for multiple people, and the storage container can hold up to 96g of ground coffee—enough to brew 12 cups of your favorite coffee. When you purchase this unit, you’ll also receive two group handle attachments and a cleaning brush.
One of the standout features of the Sunbeam EM0440 is its relatively quiet operation compared to other units with a similar design. The chute is angled to ensure the coffee grinds are dispensed correctly, minimizing spillage. The collection tray, made of high-quality silicone, enhances durability and ease of cleaning.
While the Sunbeam EM0440 may lack some additional features found in higher-end models, it provides reliable performance and results comparable to the Sunbeam EM0480. This makes it a solid and affordable choice for those seeking a straightforward and effective coffee grinder for everyday use.
6. Best Blade Automatic Coffee Grinder: Breville BCG200BSS The Coffee & Spice Grinder
Why we like it:
- Multi-purpose
- Removable grinding bowl
- Takes up minimal space
What customers say:
“Great little product. Value for money and so easy to use. Not dishwasher safe though which is a bit disappointing but since it’s very small it’s easy to clean. Worth the price.”–M Smith
The Breville BCG200BSS The Coffee & Spice Grinder features a multifunctional design, allowing you to grind a variety of products including coffee, nuts, and herbs. This versatile machine is equipped with a durable stainless steel blade that delivers commendable results across various grinding tasks.
One of the things I appreciate about this grinder is that it comes from one of the best brands in Australia and boasts several reliable features. The grinding bowl, like the blade, is made from premium-grade stainless steel, ensuring durability and easy maintenance. The bowl is removable, making it simple to clean after each use.
Despite the motor being rated at just 200 watts, it packs a lot of power, allowing you to grind roasted coffee beans quickly and efficiently. Its straightforward design means it’s easy to control, making it an excellent choice for those new to using coffee grinders. The blades offer high corrosion resistance and are virtually immune to rust, ensuring the grinder remains in top-class condition for an extended period.
The included lid prevents coffee beans from scattering across your worktop when the motor is running, maintaining a tidy workspace. Its minimalistic design also ensures it won’t cramp up your countertop, making it ideal for kitchens with limited space.
However, there are a couple of drawbacks to consider. You cannot adjust the grinding speed, which limits your control over the grind consistency. Additionally, the blade, while effective, is not as efficient as a burr grinder in producing uniform coffee grounds. Despite these limitations, the Breville BCG200BSS is a versatile and reliable option for those seeking a simple and multifunctional coffee grinder.
7. Best Budget Automatic Coffee Grinder: Sunbeam EM0405 Multigrinder II
Why we like it:
- Easy clean-up
- One-touch control
- Stainless steel construction
What customers say:
“I’ve been through a few coffee grinders, but this one is holding up well. Grinds coffee beans with easy. I also use it to grind flax seeds, nuts and dehydrated herbs. Easy wipe out to clean.”–Abi Gale
The Sunbeam EM0405 Multigrinder II is the most affordable coffee grinder on our list, and it’s a solid choice for those seeking a budget-friendly option. Similar to the Breville BCG200BSS, this grinder uses blades to grind coffee. Its one-touch grinding system makes it extremely easy to use—simply press the large power button to start the motor.
Built from stainless steel, the Sunbeam EM0405 is designed to resist rust and offer durability. Despite its affordability, it maintains a sleek appearance with a brushed stainless steel finish that complements most kitchen décor styles and blends well with other appliances. The compact design ensures it won’t take up much space on your countertop.
The wing blade effectively chops coffee beans multiple times, producing coarse grind coffee suitable for use in French presses and drip filter coffee machines. However, like most blade grinders, it doesn’t deliver finely ground coffee, which may be a limitation if you prefer espresso or other fine grind coffee recipes.
Cleaning the Sunbeam EM0405 is straightforward—simply wipe it down with a damp cloth. Be sure to clean the blades and the bowl after each use to prevent odour retention. Besides coffee, this grinder can handle herbs and spices, making it a versatile addition to your kitchen.
One downside is the lack of multiple grind options, which may restrict you when preparing coffee recipes requiring fine grains. However, for its price and ease of use, the Sunbeam EM0405 Multigrinder II is a practical choice for those who need a simple, reliable grinder for coarse grinds and various kitchen tasks.
How We Researched the Best Automatic Coffee Grinders
We initiated our search for the best automatic coffee grinder by visiting ProductReview.com.au to get unbiased opinions on some of the coffee grinders that are commonly used by Australians. From this, we were able to find a variety of coffee grinders, but we only chose appliances with good customer ratings. We further visited the world’s top online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon (the Australian versions).
Also, we scoured through renowned local e-commerce storefronts such as Harvey Norman, Myer, and The Good Guys. To find the best coffee grinders, we paired the products that we had picked and did side-by-side comparisons, taking into account the features, price, ease of use, and construction. This made our work easy because we were able to eliminate the appliances that did not meet our criteria.
We were only left with seven automatic coffee grinders after we were done selecting the products. You can go for any of the coffee grinding machines that we have covered in this review. Moreover, the appliances are meticulously curated to ensure you get nothing but the best.
Automatic Coffee Grinders: Buying Guide
When shopping for an automatic coffee grinder, there are a number of factors that you need to consider before spending your money. Plus, there are different types of coffee grinders on the market, so you should see to it that you pick a machine that has all the features that you may need.
To help you with your search, we’ve listed some of the top-rated automatic coffee grinders, but we felt like that wasn’t enough, and that is why we included this buying guide. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it!
What to Consider When Buying an Automatic Coffee Grinder
Type
As stated earlier, there are a variety of coffee grinders that you can choose from, and they all vary in terms of features and overall performance. Generally, there are two main types of automatic coffee grinders—burr and blade grinders.
Burr grinders are highly preferred because they allow for precision grinding. With that being said, you can customize the grind size depending on the number of settings that the machine in question has. And as the name implies, burr coffee grinders feature rough grinding edges that are mostly made of metal or ceramic. This type of coffee grinder can have conical or flat burrs. Both grinding mechanisms are highly efficient, so you are the one to choose the machine that suits your needs.
Blade grinders, on the other hand, are fitted with propeller-like blades, which spin at high speed, thus cutting the coffee beans with each pass that the blades make. However, most people don’t prefer using blade coffee grinders primarily because they don’t grind the coffee beans evenly.
In terms of price, size, and performance, burr grinders are often larger, costly, and perform better than blade grinders. Most of the automatic coffee grinders that we have listed above are burr grinders, but there are also great blade models that you can consider buying.
Capacity of the Hopper
Automatic coffee grinders come with different sizes of hoppers. Large capacity hoppers will allow you to grind more coffee beans than their small counterparts. Most bean hoppers can hold 150-450grams of unground coffee beans.
Nonetheless, some models can hold more or less, so it will all depend on the unit that you have chosen. If you know that you will be grinding coffee beans for multiple servings, you should go for grinders with large hoppers. You also need to check the type and quality of the material used in making the hopper.
Grind Settings
If you are looking to brew different recipes of coffee, it would be wise to go for a coffee grinder with multiple grind settings. A large percentage of the coffee grinders on our review list has several grind settings that you can use in different scenarios.
For example, the has 60 grinding modes that can help you grind your coffee beans to the level that pleases you. As such, it can allow you to brew your coffee using a wide range of coffee makers, including the French press.
Size
Size is also another thing that you should consider when buying an automatic coffee grinder. We cannot specify the right size that you should go for since this solely depends on the amount of space available on your countertop.
If your kitchen counter has limited space, you should consider buying a coffee grinder with a small footprint. As earlier noted, most blade coffee grinders are small, so they can be a great pick, that is if you are not after precision. Nonetheless, if space is not an issue, you can try out large burr coffee grinders like the Sunbeam EM0700 Café Series Precision Grinder.
Ease of Cleaning
Coffee beans contain oils that can easily stick onto the surface of the grinding machine. If these units are not properly cleaned, they may alter the flavour of your coffee. Additionally, grinding coffee beans in a machine that is not clean can give it a rancid smell.
With this in mind, you should only buy easy to clean coffee grinders to avoid the aforementioned problems. It is recommended that you go through the user manual to familiarise yourself with the maintenance requirements of the machine.
Price
These appliances vary in terms of price, so ensure that you purchase a unit that is within your budget. The price of a standard automatic coffee grinder can range anywhere between $60 and $500.
Nevertheless, you can find some cheaper models and can as well go for the more expensive units. If you are after quality, you need to invest in high-end or mid-range models.
Benefits of Using Freshly Ground Coffee Beans
According to a study posted in the Journal of Food Quality, coffee brewed from freshly ground beans is of better quality. It is rich in natural aromas, more flavourful, and less bitter.
Coffee made from freshly ground beans had a stronger coffee aroma, less bitterness and was more preferred compared with the beans stored for 1 or 2 weeks.
Even though the research talks about actual coffee beans, it can apply to pre-ground coffee. Besides, coffee aficionados report that storing pre-ground coffee for a long period can alter its flavour.
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Last update on 2024-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
