Made by Knock Aergrind Manual Grinder

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ArticleAergrind with HandleAergrind ComparedAergrind Main TubeAerGrind and PackagingThe AeroPress and AerGrindTi-Nitride BurrsPourover BrewKnurled EdgesGrinder Pulled OutThe Grind DialThe PartsPink HandleOuter BurrAergrind EspressoAergrind with Orange CollarNice packagingAergrind vs X-UltraTools RequiredAdjustment SystemAergrind and Timemore C3Aergrind with Pink HandleControl DialInside the topThe Entire GrinderWhereto BuyManufacturer WebsiteBuy from SupplierBuy from Amazon (US)Buy here to support CoffeeGeek!Buy from Cafune (CA)Not an affiliate link

Out of the Box

Opening the packaging that is the Made by Knock Aergrind made my heart flutter, if just a bit. It reveals a commitment to sustainability and quality from the start. Right off the bat, you’ll notice no plastic or polystyrene in sight: just a sturdy cardboard tube cushioned with crinkly paper. It’s a quiet nod to the kind of eco-conscious thinking we love to see in coffee gear these days, because hey, saving the planet one grinder at a time sounds pretty good.

The shipping tube (post office standard) has plastic tops and bottoms. But all the Aergrind packaging is plastics free.The Aergrind ships in a black plastic tube, with a protective outer cardboard wrap.The packaging for the Aergrind is simple, effective, and surprisingly information-rich.The company has the QR Code for the grinder manual on the outside of the packaging.Further details about the grinder and how it came to be.To open the tube package, you have to slice the yellow outer label.No plastics – sustainable materials to hold the grinder in transport. Plus it’s a bonus travel carry bag.The grinder as it initially comes out of the tube. But where’s the handle? Silicone grips? Etc?

Inside the tube, the Aergrind sits inside a fibre sack, and arrives mostly assembled. The main body is already fitted with its signature black silicone grip collar, seated perfectly in the precise recess on the sleek anodized aluminum frame. It’s the kind of fit that makes you think this thing was engineered by folks who really geek out about details. There’s also a larger silicone ring, with a built in crank arm holder, attached, and this one is stretchy enough to fit the outer tube of an AeroPress, giving you storage space for the crank on the go.

Also included in our test units were two extra silicone sleeves in bright orange and pink, perfect for some flair points or as backups when your hands get sweaty and grips wear out. The crank arm comes unattached, wrapped carefully in paper, like fragile tech to protect it from your greasy mitts, at least out of the box. It’s anodized aluminum with a walnut handle that snaps on magnetically, and doubles as a bottle opener. Because coffee and cold brews go hand in hand, eh? Though Canadians probably don’t need it; we learn from infancy how to pop tops with whatever’s at hand.

The package and the grinder. Note the second silicone collar, which can stay on the grinder, or fit on an AeroPress for crank arm storage.The Aergrind and handle, ready to set up. Note the handle has a bottle opener design to the end of it.Inside the top chamber resides the other two silicone grips in pink and orange.Everything unpacked, the grinder comes complete with spare o-rings, 3 silicone sleeves, the handle, and an outer silicone collar to use with an AeroPress to store the crank arm.

The grind catch bin is made from the same anodized aluminum as the main body, giving it a solid, premium feel. It features a threaded design that screws smoothly and securely onto the grinder base. The bin has a black aluminum bottom plate (no matter which colour of Aergrind you buy). Some reports online said it was plastic, but I can confirm it is metal.

Early Aergrind versions occasionally had issues with the grinds bin loosening during use, but the 2022 refresh delivered tighter machining tolerances and redesigned threading to ensure a much firmer, reliable fit. Honestly, it is one of the best fitting screw mounts I’ve used on a manual grinder.

When unpacking everything, you’ll also find a small envelope containing spare O-rings in the grinds bin, thoughtful extras that underscore Made by Knock’s attention to product longevity. A small postcard with a QR code leads to the online manual, avoiding printed instructions and reducing waste.

The crank arm can be stored in this secondary silicone collar, which is stretchy enough to fit on an outer tube of the AeroPress.The various parts of the Aergrind that can be taken apart by hand.This grinder is not “tool free” for full disassembly. You’ll need hex wrenches.The knurled edges of the grind adjustment dial are very easy to work with. Great touchpoint.

Assembly is simple but requires a moment’s attention. The crank arm slides onto a D-shaped spindle shaft that ensures correct alignment, aided by a small dimple marking. While initially fiddly, the crank arm attachment becomes second nature after a few uses. The walnut handle clicks into place magnetically, a satisfying snap that pairs well with the smooth rotation of the arm itself.

At the top, the metal grind adjustment cap snaps into place securely thanks to embedded magnets and features laser-etched grind setting numbers and ticks around a knurled outer ring. This stepless dial rotates smoothly over multiple full rotations to offer an impressively wide grind range.

Interestingly, neither of our test units came from the factory “zero’ed out” at 0. Both were around 7 for the burr lock edge.

The body itself is compact and lightweight, measuring just 16.5cm tall and under 5cm in diameter, designed explicitly to fit inside the AeroPress plunger tube without removing the silicone grip collar. The anodized aluminum finish is smooth, almost slippery, which makes the silicone grip collars essential for comfortable handling during grinding.

Very much at home with the AeroPress. Also this is the only one I’ve tested that fits the AeroPress plunger tube with the silicone grip attached.Looks actually quite nice with the black body and pink silicone grip in place.

Snapping off the top cap reveals the heart of the Aergrind, a 38mm titanium-nitrided conical burr set made by Italian manufacturer Italmill. These burrs are hard-coated to last approximately four times longer than traditional hardened steel, and feature an aggressive tooth pattern that “grabs” beans quickly and feeds them through with minimal resistance.

The burr setup in the grinder – 38mm Italmil Ti burrs, aggressive pattern for gripping beans quick.Tools are required to remove these burrs – hex wrenches. Inside the main chamber, the outer burr is visible. Very aggressive “grab” pattern.Adjusting is easy – either hold the handle still and spin the knurled grind dial; or hold the grind dial still, and rotate the crank arm.

If I can just use two words to describe unboxing the Aergrind, they would be beautiful and substantial.

The black Aergrind grinder, with the orange silicone collar. Work of art.

Using the

The Made by Knock Aergrind strikes a neat balance between smart design and everyday practicality. It’s built with a nod towards ease of use while performing like a pro, not to mention being built like one too. Here’s the lowdown on how it handles the essentials: grind adjustment, loading beans, feel in the hand, grind quality, and hopping between brew methods.

Adjustment System

Every time you grab the Aergrind, it feels ready to get to work. This isn’t a shelf queen (though you could display it: it’s a fine piece of engineering art). The stepless grind adjustment is right up top, no bin-removing annoyances required. The laser-etched numbers up top on the grind dial pop clearly, so no squinting under a desk lamp to confirm your setting.

It’s a smooth operator: up to four full rotations cover everything from Turkish powder to French press boulders. Espresso sits around one rotation, pour overs at two, press pot beyond that. Settings are typically written like “2.3” for V60: the first number is rotations, the second the dial position.

Two catches:

  • You can’t recalibrate or set a true zero point. Both my test units hit burr lock at about “7,” so your 2.8 might be someone else’s 2.4. For this reason, I’m not printing grind settings for various brew methods, like we usually do in our grinder reviews.
  • At very fine espresso or moka settings, the dial sometimes slipped coarser mid-grind. I contacted Made by Knock about this, and they said they weren’t experiencing this on their shop units, but both of my test units were slipping. It’s not a tragedy: just pause, nudge it back, and carry on, but worth noting.
Up top is the very easy to read (and turn) grind level dial.

Loading & Capacity

The hopper is narrow (47 mm), with little metal struts about 1.5cm inside the cavity, so pouring straight from a bag risks losing a bean or two to gravity’s dark side. Luckily, the grinds bin doubles as a snug-fitting dosing cup. Slip it over the hopper, pour in your beans, and you get zero mess.

Capacity tops out at about 25 g. That’s fine for single brews but not for fuelling a small party. The magnetic top cap pops off smoothly and never loosens or wears like a friction-fit lid. Click in the handle and you’re ready.

Grind Quality

Those conical burrs from Italmill are the real deal. They grab beans like they owe them money, chew them efficiently, and spit out grounds that are impressively uniform for such a compact grinder.

Kruve sifter tests showed the Aergrind holding its own against electric grinders like the Baratza Encore ESP Pro and manual contenders such as the Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro. Espresso and pour over results are tidy and balanced. French press is perfectly drinkable, with just a few extra fines (par for the course with conical burrs).

Here’s a challenge – grind for the Kone Mini, designed for V60 brewers. It can stall with too many fines. Works great with the Aergrind.

Handling & Feel

Small, well-balanced, and with enough heft to feel like a precision tool, the Aergrind is a pleasure in the hand. Without the silicone sleeve, the anodized aluminum body is slippy, but the grippy silicone locks it in place comfortably.

The crank action is smooth with almost no lateral play in the axle. The handle length hits that Goldilocks zone: long enough for espresso torque, short enough to stash easily. The walnut handle clicks in magnetically with a snap that is surprisingly addictive in its precision.

Brew Switching

Changing brew methods is easy. From V60 to AeroPress to moka pot, you are talking seconds, not minutes. French press settings taste good, though a few fines sneak in.

Interestingly, some Aergrind users like grinding directly into the AeroPress without the catch cup attached. I gave it a go, and it was mehkay. I saw some static issues (RDTing fixes that), and holding both the AeroPress tube and the top part of the Aergrind was awkward for my big mitts.

And, of course, the big party trick: it fits inside the AeroPress plunger tube, even with the silicone grip attached. Pre-dose your beans, slide it in, and you have a self-contained travel kit that is hard to beat.

Works just fine for espresso, but the occasional slipping coarser of the dial was something you have to stay on top of.

If you live and breathe AeroPress, the Aergrind was literally made for you. After all, that’s what the Aer in the product’s name is about. It’s the ideal sidekick for anyone who wants a grinder that fits right inside the AeroPress plunger tube: no fuss, no extra bulk. And it’s the only true stepless grinder in any price range that can do this.

But don’t let its compact size fool you. The Aergrind covers an impressively wide grind range: from powdery Turkish to espresso, pour over, and French press. It’s a solid all-in-one for folks who like to switch brew methods without juggling multiple grinders.

The Aergrind, with the pink silicone collar.

Made in Scotland (yes, really!), it is built tough with those titanium-nitrided burrs and ships with eco-friendly packaging, so points for thoughtfulness and durability. It is also in that “boutique” category of coffee gear. If that kind of craftsmanship and uniqueness matters to you, it’s a nice bonus.

That said, this grinder isn’t perfect. It’s on the pricey side (though still much cheaper than the Comandante C4s), and while it performs well, there are other manual grinders that match or beat it in grind consistency and ease of use. The grind dial slipping during fine espresso grinding can be annoying. And if you’re brewing espresso for a crowd or want bigger batch capacity, you’ll want to look at other grinders.

At the end of the day, the Aergrind makes sense for those who prize portability, build quality, and the boutique nature of the device, especially AeroPress fans who don’t want any compromises. But if absolute precision, high volume, or budget-friendliness are your priorities, it’s worth weighing other options before committing.

Everything fits together. Preload your coffee beans, and it’s a nice, tight package for quality coffee.

The Aergrind’s main competitors in the manual grinder space include the Timemore C3 ESP Pro, the 1Zpresso X-Ultra, and the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3, all solid grinders with their own perks.

Timemore C3 ESP Pro: Though almost double the price, the Aergrind’s unique external stepless grind adjustment is definite bonus points over the Timemore. The $80 C3 hides its stepped adjustment inside the body, so you must remove the grounds bin to change settings. The Aergrind’s slimmer, lighter profile with smooth aluminum and silicone grips feels comfortable in hand, while the C3’s chunkier, textured metal body offers excellent grip without sleeves.

The C3 earns big points for its folding handle design, which snaps up and down with a satisfying feel and provides a good crank length for comfortable grinding. It’s sturdy, handles espresso and filter grinds well, and is a dependable option if you prioritise ergonomics over absolute compactness. The Aergrind, with its 38 mm Ti burrs and AeroPress-friendly tube form, wins for portability and burr longevity.

The C3 ESP Pro has so many positives, including the best handle design in the business, but it doesn’t have the burr quality or external (and stepless) grind adjustment system the Aergrind has.

1Zpresso X-Ultra: The X-Ultra outperforms the Aergrind in most practical ways except for size. Its 40 mm steel burrs and engineering deliver a true multipurpose performance, with a precise, easy-to-zero grind dial and reliable click stops that have never slipped in my use. The folding handle and magnetic components make the X-Ultra friendly for packing and daily use.

That said, the Aergrind wins on sheer portability: at 425 grams and its slim profile that can still pack 25g in, it is the better travel companion. If you want raw, repeatable performance for home espresso and larger batches, the X-Ultra will likely feel more at home. If AeroPress travel compatibility and lightweight design matter most, the Aergrind takes the nod.

Similarly priced, the X-Ultra is possibly the best overall manual grinder today, when price is factored in. But it’s bigger than the Aergrind.

MHW-3Bomber Blade R3: A newer entry, the Blade R3 shares a few design philosophies with the Aergrind, including titanium-coated burrs, but it uses a stepped adjustment system rather than stepless. The R3 is heavier and more substantial, with a slightly larger footprint. Though it is bigger, the R3’s grind capacity is lower than the Aergrind.

Grind consistency is generally comparable; I give the R3 the slight edge on espresso. Static is an issue with the Blade R3, and much less so with the Aergrind. Of course, the R3 is substantially cheaper than the Aergrind, so there’s that.

The Blade R3 is a great first attempt by MHW-3Bomber, but static issues and lower capacity (though much bigger size) are stumbles.

In informal focus group testing the Aergrind’s grind quality and speed scored very favourably, outperforming the Chestnut C3 ESP Pro across a range of brew methods. We also compared it to the Baratza Encore ESP and found the Encore favoured for espresso, while the Aergrind shone for pour over. Note: we did not have our 1Zpresso X-Ultra test unit on hand during the Aergrind testing phase for a direct side-by-side.

Some of the manual grinders we compared the Aergrind to. Notably, the only other one that is a true AeroPress companion is the $70 Q-Air.

The Aergrind is not a budget grinder, but for $245 CAD (about $180 USD), it stakes a clear claim in the boutique segment. Unlike many mass-market hand grinders, it does not cut corners on materials or finish. The titanium-nitrided burrs alone justify a long-term investment: they handle years of daily use with minimal wear, and the overall build quality communicates that this is meant to survive both travel and daily routine.

Its portability is a practical value point that is easy to underestimate. Fitting inside an AeroPress plunger tube is not a gimmick. A single, well-engineered tool can cover multiple brew methods without extra bulk. For travelers, commuters, or anyone juggling limited counter space, that convenience is hard to price.

Compared to similarly priced competitors, the Aergrind distinguishes itself with thought out design choices rather than extra features. You will not get folding handles, built in sieves, or huge burr diameters, but you do get a grinder that feels deliberate and precise at every touchpoint. For someone who prioritizes reliability, ease of use, and a compact footprint over bells and whistles, the Aergrind delivers more than its price suggests.

That said, it is not ideal for high-volume espresso preparation or users seeking precise, repeatable grind calibration for multiple batch sizes. Single-brew users and travel enthusiasts will get the most out of it.

In short, this is a grinder that earns its cost by making everyday use smoother, more dependable, and genuinely enjoyable. It is an investment that makes sense if durability, portability, and well-considered design matter to you.

Conclusion

The Made by Knock Aergrind has matured into one of the most thoughtfully designed travel grinders available with the 2022 refresh. From the all-metal body to the titanium-nitride coated Italmill burrs, every element is built for durability and performance. The magnetic cap, laser-etched markings, and stepless grind system all bring their benefits, providing easy day to day use, while the compact size and AeroPress fit give it a helpful travel appeal.

In terms of grind quality, it ranks up there. Espresso, AeroPress, and pour over all benefit from consistent particle distribution, and even French press results are more than respectable for such a compact grinder. The stepless adjustment system, combined with the glassy smooth operation at most grind settings, offers an easy to use but versatile package that few travel grinders can match at any price.

The Aergrind with the orange silicone collar.

There are trade-offs. The narrow hopper can make loading awkward, capacity tops out at 25 g,and at very fine espresso settings the adjustment dial may occasionally slip (it did on our test units). There’s also the inability to calibrate or set a zero point, and you will need tools to take the grinder apart. These aren’t deal-breakers for most users, but they’re worth knowing about.

Where the Aergrind really stands out is its value proposition. It’s the lowest-priced stepless manual grinder available today, made by a boutique manufacturer in Scotland, with materials and machining that feel genuinely premium. In a market crowded with competent manual grinders, that’s no small achievement.

For AeroPress devotees, it’s an easy recommendation: slim enough to fit in the plunger tube even with the silicone grip attached, yet robust enough to be your daily grinder at home. For travelers, campers, and anyone wanting portability without sacrificing grind quality, the Aergrind deserves a spot at the top of the shortlist.

What do you think? Have you tried the Aergrind? Have we missed something you want to know about this grinder? Drop a comment below and share your experiences or questions. We’d love to hear what you think about this Scottish contender or any other grinders you swear by.

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#aergrind #AeroPress #madeByKnock #manualGrinder

1Zpresso X-Ultra Manual Grinder

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The Handle

Spindle Free

Inside the Case

Scan Code for Manual

1Zpresso Case

On the Testing Bench

Silicone Grip

X-Ultra vs J-Ultra

Grippy Bottom

X-Ultra Grinder from 1Zpresso

Optional Grip

Upper Chamber

Ultra Boxes-1

Grinder Taken Apart

Spindle Locked In

Open Case

Pull Ties

Box Opened

The Case and Grinder

Burr Details

Grinder Taken Apart

Drill Friendly

The Ultras

Magnet Catch Cup

The Bottom Burr

The Burr and Spindle Assembly

Specialized Nut

Air Squeezer

Ultra Series Boxes

Cap for Grinder

Whereto Buy Manufacturer Website

Buy from Supplier

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Out of the Box

The X‑Ultra I received in Pacific Blue arrived in a simple cardboard box, which itself contained a hard‑shelled zippered case. That case is not only protection in transit but also designed for daily use as your grinder’s permanent home. Inside, everything is neatly fitted: the grinder body, the folding handle, a removable silicone grip, a cleaning brush, and a small rubber air blower. No tools, since the grinder is designed with tool‑free disassembly in mind.

I am sad to report there’s two pieces of polystyrene foam inside the case to keep the X-ultra secure; 1Zpresso could have easily used cardboard forms here to do the same job, but in a much more eco-friendly way. I hope the company moves away from these nearly impossible to recycle packaging materials.

All the Ultra grinders from 1Zpresso come in the same outer box design. They do mark the specific model on the side.

Opening the box reveals the X-Ultra Case

The case that comes with all Ultra grinders.

A nice detail, the pull ties are branded for 1Zpresso

Sad to see they're using polystyrene here inside the case, when cardboard forms would have worked perfectly.

Inside is the grinder, handle, blower, dual sided brush (fine and coarse), silicone grip, and a scan card.

No manual included, instead, a scan code card.

Here's the QR code for the manual download.

The grinder body itself makes an impressive first impression. Weighing about 590 g, it is heavier than some of the other travel grinders we’ve reviewed, but still light enough to toss in a bag with confidence. At 17.5cm tall and 5.5cm in diameter (6.7” x 2”), the X‑Ultra fits easily into most hands, though people with larger mitts will want to pay attention to how they grip it during more forceful grinding.

With the folding handle collapsed against the body, the width stays under 12cm, keeping it slim enough for its case or even the side pocket of a backpack. The sandblasted matte finish has both aesthetic and practical value: it looks sleek while giving your hand extra grip. For tougher beans or fine espresso settings, the removable silicone sleeve provides even more traction.

The handle, borne out of a legal fight with Comandante, folds and bends.

The mounting cap and handle for the X-Ultra

The silicone grip provides extra grip security if you're grinding a lot for espresso or with ultra light roasts.

The grip is optional, because the slightly sandblasted body gives enough grip for most grinding applications.

The finish on the Pacific Blue model is especially striking. When new, it has a vibrant brightness, though I have noticed it darkens slightly with use and handling, adding a kind of lived‑in patina which I think is pretty cool. For those who want different looks, 1Zpresso also offers the X‑Ultra in Midnight Black and Space Grey.

The bottom of the grinder features a silicone anti-slip disk, which is welcome because it helps keep the grinder more stable on countertops when not in use. It also keeps the catch cup more secure on the counter, and prevents any damage to wood tabletops. Still, the grinder is top-heavy with the handle installed, so it can be easily knocked over (a common problem with manual grinders).

Grippy silicone base with the 1Z logo, keeps itself secure on the counter.

The magnets in the catch cup. They do a good job, but not as grippy as models like the Blade R3 with 2x the magnets.

The robust spindle in the X-Ultra, plus it's mounting system means 1Zpresso officially endorses using a drill with this grinder for speed grinding.

The upper chamber containing the burr, spindle, bearings, dual mount and adjustment system is very solid and dense in feel.

At the heart of the grinder is its 40 mm stainless steel heptagonal burr set, which has a distinct seven‑sided cutting profile. The machining and engineering design is crisp, with sharp edges that make quick work of dense beans. This burr geometry is designed to limit fines and highlight clarity in the cup. Mounted on a thick central driveshaft (which is powered drill compatible!), the burrs are kept centred by a dual‑bearing system. Unlike earlier grinders where burr alignment was more of a hope than a guarantee, here the stability is evident right out of the box.

The external grind adjustment dial is one of the defining features of the X‑Ultra. It comes factory‑set at zero, with numerals and hash marks clearly embossed. Each full rotation provides 60 clicks, with every click moving the burrs by 12.5 microns. That puts it in the sweet spot for both espresso and filter brewing: fine enough for meaningful espresso adjustments, coarse enough that pour over settings don’t require endless clicks. Under good light, the embossed markings are easy to see, but in dim conditions you may find yourself tilting the grinder to catch the right angle. One thing I wish it had is an indicator for tracking full rotations, as found on grinders like the J-Ultra, or Blade R3 from MHW‑3Bomber.

A change from previous X-Ultra designs, the burr no longer has a bottom external plate attached. It is directly mounted on the spindle, for added stability.

The gear select system and mounts for the grinding shaft are very robust, beefy and secure.

The burr is sort-of permanently attached directly to the spindle. Note the mid plate, spring, and top hex nut design.

I'm always fascinated at these macro shots of modern burrs. So much engineering going on.

Note the collar has 3 anchor pins to slot into the top nut for the grind adjustment.

The case and stuff the grinder comes with. Note the dual sided brush

Capacity is another plus-point. The hopper can hold up to 31g depending on bean density. For my part, I rarely go above 25 g in this grinder, which is plenty for most pour over brews, but the extra headroom means you can push to a larger 450 ml brew if needed.

Cleaning the X‑Ultra is surprisingly straightforward and requires no tools. You simply rotate the dial a couple turns, push up on the burr from below, turn a very specialized locking nut up top about 5 degrees, and the drive shaft and lower burr just slide out. Reverse the process to reassemble. It’s deep clean–friendly without resorting to wrenches or dicey prying.

This very specialized nut is what holds the spindle anchored in place and allows for tool free disassembly.

Here, the spindle is free to drop down through the body, removing the burr and spindle assembly.

Here, the spindle is locked into place with the specialized nut, after turning it about 5 degrees.

Here's the various parts of the X-Ultra, taken apart.

Another view of the parts, lying on their side.

The little air squeezer thingie the grinder comes with. It's surprisingly strong airflow, for like .5 seconds.

Re‑calibrating the dial after a deep clean is easy too. Pop off the numbered ring, realign it to zero, and you are back in business. The included brush and blower handle routine cleaning duties well. Just remember the big rule: no water. A sticker inside the grinder itself reminds you that moisture can spell trouble for the burrs and bearings, which is why the Ross Droplet Technique (RDT, lightly misting beans to reduce static) is officially discouraged.

Taken together, this grinder looks the complete package. Smart engineering, sleek, tight as a drum snare, and it even comes with its own travel case. It’s a grinder designed to be used daily, used hard, and looking good doing so.

The X-Ultra, the evolutionary descendant of the Porlex Mini. Better in every single way Connect with us on Social Media MastodonInstagramFacebook-f

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Using the

Getting the X‑Ultra ready for use starts with the folding handle, and here is where my experience is a little mixed. The mechanism is clever and unique, but it occasionally takes a couple of tries to lock it into place. Once it’s engaged, the ergonomics are fantastic. The bend of the crank arm feels natural, and the handle itself fits snug in the hand, keeping longer grinding sessions from feeling like a McJob. These minor hiccups don’t ruin the workflow, but they do add a moment’s pause before getting down to the actual grinding.

With beans in the hopper – I usually dose around 20 g, though it will handle up to 30 comfortably – the grinder feels nicely balanced. The size and weight balance a sweet spot between sturdy and portable, and I’ve found it easy to keep steady even at finer grind settings.

The external adjustment dial is a real highlight during daily use. Each click equals 12.5µm, which is fine enough for espresso while remaining broad enough that pour over adjustments don’t feel endless. Just the fact it is so easy to make nice tight adjustments (without having to take the grinder apart) is a pleasure. After a few brews, memorizing your click counts for different methods becomes second nature. The dial markings are easy to track in bright light, though in dim kitchens or early mornings I sometimes tilt the grinder to catch them properly.

Grinding itself is smooth and consistent. Thanks to the dual‑bearing system keeping the burrs aligned, there’s no wobble or unwanted resistance beyond what you’d expect at espresso settings. An 18 g espresso dose typically takes me around 45 seconds. For pour over, grinding feels quicker and easier, with a steady resistance that reassures you the burrs are grabbing onto the flow of beans, and doing their job well.

The X-Ultra, on the testing bench. We've put well over 30 pounds of coffee through this grinder for this First Look.

The magnetic catch cup keeps the workflow tidy and transferring grounds simple, though I’ve knocked it off a couple of times (only a couple, and I’ve put about 30lbs of coffee through this grinder) when gripping too low on the grinder. Holding slightly higher solves that issue.

Cleaning fits well into a daily routine: a few quick brushes and a puff of the included blower keep the internals clear. Those tool-free deeper cleans aren’t pain points either, with the job itself, and calibration back to zero taking only a few moments.

In practice, the X‑Ultra feels like a grinder built for real daily use by the solo coffee drinker. Even with the minor quirks – the stubborn handle, or the catch cup that you need to be aware of when gripping the grinder – the overall workflow is smooth, intuitive, and satisfying across brewing methods.

In our Full Review, we’ll dive even deeper into specific brewing methods and how this grinder delivers.

How the X-Ultra (on left) stacks up against the K-Ultra (middle) and J-Ultra (right). Connect with us on Social Media MastodonInstagramFacebook-f

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The X‑Ultra competes directly with several manual grinders aimed at serious coffee nerds. Each of these grinders brings its own strengths and foibles, which makes the landscape interesting if you’re deciding where to put your money.

1Zpresso J‑Ultra

The J‑Ultra is the sibling that goes all in on espresso and let me tell you, we love it for that; make sure to check out our article on it. With its titanium‑coated 48 mm burr set and ultra‑fine 8‑micron increments, it’s designed for those who pull shot after shot and want minute control over flow rates. If you’re the type to agonise over the difference between a 25‑second and 27‑second extraction, the J‑Ultra is your machine. The downside is its kinda normal performance with filter brewing. Where the X‑Ultra produces clear and sweet pour‑overs, the J‑Ultra can come across as a tad muddier and less refined. At $200USD, you’re paying for that espresso precision. For anyone who brews across methods, the X‑Ultra gives you more flexibility at a lower price.

The two grinders, side by side.

Comandante C40 Nitro Blade

The C40 is the grinder that many see as the benchmark. It has earned its reputation for great build quality, a robust nitro‑hardened steel burr set, and a track record among competition baristas. It does, however, come with a few trade‑offs. Priced around $300, it’s nearly double the X‑Ultra. It also lacks an external calibration dial, so while grind quality is outstanding, repeatability relies more on careful counting and memory. Grinding speed is slower too, especially at espresso fineness. For those who want a beautifully crafted object with some heritage, the C40 is compelling. But if you value a fast, intuitive workflow and a smaller price tag, the X‑Ultra delivers much of the same grind quality with fewer headaches.

MHW‑3Bomber Blade R3

The Blade R3 is a more recent competitor and feels cut from the same cloth as the X‑Ultra. It shares a similar emphasis on portability and premium build, with one standout feature: a grind dial that tracks full 360‑degree rotations. That detail is a godsend if you want precise reference points without second‑guessing. Where it falls a bit short is the burrset: don’t get me wrong, the R3 has a fantastic burr design for its price point. But it does produce more fines, especially in the mid range. 3Bomber just doesn’t have the history of burr design that 1Zpresso has already accumulated. And I haven’t even mentioned how much more static that grinder produces. At about $50 more, I still give the big nod to the X-Ultra here, but the Blade R3 is a king of a choice if budget is your primary focus.

The Blade R3 sure has a lot of parts and bits!

Kingrinder K6

The Kingrinder K6 is the budget challenger that punches above its weight class. It uses a 48 mm heptagonal burr, larger than the X‑Ultra’s 40 mm set, and it offers external adjustment at roughly 16 µm per click. Capacity is higher, handling up to 35g of coffee in the hopper. The real draw here is price: around $100-110USD, saving $60 off the X-Ultra’s price. For many, the K6 is a revelation, providing grind consistency suitable for both espresso and filter without breaking the bank. It does lack the premium touches of the X‑Ultra: no magnetic catch cup, no folding handle, and a plainer overall design. Build quality is good but not at the same level of refinement. Still, if budget is a concern, it’s a serious contender.

Competition Roundup

In this group, the X‑Ultra doesn’t dominate in every single category, but it offers the most balanced package. The J‑Ultra wins for espresso micromanagement but stumbles in pour‑over. The Comandante C40 shines with heritage and burr quality but costs much more and slows you down. The Blade R3 appeals to detail‑oriented calibration junkies yet feels less polished overall. The K6 makes a strong case for affordability, but you give up some convenience and finesse.

What the X‑Ultra does so well is combine thoughtful features, a precise external dial, premium build quality, and a versatile burr set, all while staying within a price point that makes sense for serious enthusiasts. For many coffee drinkers, that balance is the sweet spot.

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Conclusion

The 1Zpresso X‑Ultra earns its spot as one of the most versatile manual grinders you can buy today. It is compact yet solidly built, with 40 mm burrs, a precise external dial, and practical touches like a magnetic catch cup and foldable handle. At around USD 159 or CAD 240, it costs significantly less than many competitors while still delivering excellent grind performance.

For espresso, it is not quite as specialised as the J‑Ultra, and for filter coffee, it may not deliver the body of the K‑Ultra. Yet for 95 percent of coffee drinkers, the differences will be indistinguishable. The X‑Ultra’s sweet spot is being a single grinder that can handle almost any brewing style well.

The quirks are worth noting: the foldable handle can be fiddly, the catch cup may slip if you are not careful, and the dial is hard to read in poor light. But these are manageable with practice. The included brush, blower, and case add value, and the all‑metal build gives confidence that it will last for years.

If you want one manual grinder for daily use across espresso and filter methods, the X‑Ultra is well worth considering. We will have a full review in a few months, where we will dive deeper into grind quality testing, sieving, and direct comparisons with the J‑Ultra and K‑Ultra.

Do you already own an X‑Ultra, or are you thinking of buying one? Leave a comment below. We would love to hear your experience or what you are most curious about.

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#1zpresso #Espresso #manualGrinder #pourOver #xUltra

1Zpresso Q‑Air Grinder

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ArticleBox OpenedBurr CloseupGrinder WeightAdjustment DialQ-Air Handle1ZPresso BodyQ-Air vs Kingrinder P21ZPresso Q-Air in AeroPress1Zpresso Q-Air and X-UltraComparedAdjustment System1zpresso Q-Air GrinderQ-Air vs Kingrinder P2Inner ConstructionAdjustment DialBox Opened1Zpresso Box Side1ZPresso Q-Air Max CapacityBean Hopper1ZPresso Q-Air with AeroPressSpindle CoverTotal Weight of the GrinderBurr AssemblyBurr AssemblyWhereto BuyManufacturer WebsiteBuy from Amazon (US)Buy here to support CoffeeGeek!Buy in CanadaBuy here to support CoffeeGeek!

Out of the Box

Unboxing the 1Zpresso Q‑Air gives you a compact package: the grinder itself weighs in under 365 g and measures 14.5 × 15 × 4.6 cm, roughly the size of a Red Bull soda can. It arrives with a silicone anti‑slip band (which you’ll need to remove to fit inside the AeroPress), the removable crank handle lid, and that’s about it; no brush or pouch, just simple and straightforward.

Sadly, 1Zpresso uses a lot of polystyrene to package this product, something we urge every manufacturer in the specialty coffee arena to get away from. They could easily create a cardboard cocoon to protect this grinder during transport. 

The Q-Air comes in four colour choices: Black, Blue, Grey and Purple, so you can pick one that suits your style. We went with the kind of steel blue model for this review.

The box is pretty basic; the grinder details are on the side.The side of the box indicates the model and colour.Box opened, reveals a lot of polystyrene. Initially, the grinder was also wrapped in plastic, and the silicone sleeve was not attached.There’s also an instruction card with a QR code to go and read a manual online.

At first touch, the plastic exterior of the Q‑Air feels light but well put together. While it lacks the all-metal heft of its Q2 sibling, the Q‑Air still houses the same internals. That means a 38 mm stainless steel heptagonal burrset, shared with the Q2 and original Q, and the same internal adjustment collar mechanism. The grinding core elements are steel and aluminum, so while your hand holds plastic, the force transfers through solid metal.

The body is a rigid, ribbed plastic, with a metal collar mid body. The grinder also comes with a silicone sleeve to provide extra grip.Inside the Q-Ar, almost everything is metal (aluminum and steel). The inner structure is very rigid, with little to no burr wobbleThe burr assembly is straightforward and easy to remove. The adjustment dial can be installed wrong though, “zero’ing” out the grinder at 5 instead of 0.The adjustment Dial system for the Q-Air. Note, going from 9 to 8 makes the grinder coarser, not finer.

Disassembly is intuitive and tool-free. Just unscrew the hopper, unscrew the adjustment dial, and lift everything out – adjustment system, bottom burr and spring. One small trap to watch out for: the adjustment dial mount is reversible, though not by design. It’s possible to reassemble it with the zero point accidentally offset, and I have done that myself, ending up with the zero point at the 5 click mark. Another quirk is that the dial counts up as you turn finer, which runs opposite to most zero-down designs and takes a little mental reprogramming.

The grind adjustment dial is easy to use, and each “click” delivers 25um of adjustment.The hopper comfortably holds 18g, and you can sort of max stuff it with 20g.

The adjustment system offers 30 clicks per full 360-degree rotation, each moving the burrs by roughly 25 microns (as claimed by 1Zpresso; we haven’t confirmed this granular detail as we don’t go that deep in Snapshot reviews, but others who have tested this confirm the click adjustment range is around 25 microns).

Also interesting to note: while the Q2’s dial markings might appear more extensive at a glance, the Q‑Air and Q2 share identical mechanisms underneath. This makes the Q‑Air just as repeatable and precise for grind settings within its target range as the more expensive grinder.

The adjustment dial, burr (lower) and click-plate of the burr assembly. Not pictured, the spindle or spring.A closeup of the 7 point 1zpresso burrs for the Q-Air

The handle is short, but it feels balanced and responsive. The ball shaped wooden knob rotates smoothly, and the textured plastic ridges along the body give a decent grip, even with slightly damp hands. Our test unit weighed in at 361g (367g with the included silicone grip), matching 1Zpresso’s spec sheet.

The handle is a wood ball, spins very freely and evenly. The bend in the handle helps with grinding.The cover and mount for the handle; it stays secure on the grinder in operation.

The build may not scream luxury, but it does feel deliberate. It’s designed for portability and function, not flexing on your Instagram brew rig (though to be honest, it looks pretty cool when stuffed in an AeroPress). And knowing it shares its internals with the Q2 gives some reassuring confidence that this budget grinder is cut from the same cloth, even if the suit is polyester instead of wool.

The grinder fits nicely inside the Aeropress plunger tube. In a pinch, you can leave the silicone sleeve on, but it needs to be near the top of the grinder.

First impressions: the crank rotates smoothly, though not silky‑smooth: a mild gritty feel gives tactile feedback. The plastic housing invites a pinch of skepticism, as it lacks the ruggedness of X‑Ultra or K‑Ultra, but the build feels thought‑out for travel, not the shop.

Early trial runs with coarse and medium grind settings deliver a fast grind with minimal retention. An 18g dose takes about 30-40 seconds, handy for V60 or Aeropress. Visually, it’s simple, functional, perhaps a little plastic, but undeniably compact. Early verdict: At $70, this grinder spent all its money in the right places.

Using the

Cranking away on the Q‑Air is straightforward and easy: pour your beans into the hopper (cheat-sheet: filling to the brim is around 19–20g, depending on the bean size), secure the lid, dial in your grind setting, attach the grinds bin, and go to work. For Aeropress, especially if you want a more condensed, extracted brew, try starting at one full rotation on the grind dial from zero; that should give you grinds in the 500 micron range. For V60, our starting point is around 50 clicks off zero, or 1.5 rotations on the grind dial.

Brew MethodMicron TargetDial Clicks (~)Q‑Air Dial Starting ValueAeroPress500–600 µm~30–40 clicks~1.0.0V60 Pour‑Over650 µm~50–60 clicks~1.5.0Chemex800 µm~80+ clicks~2.5.0Siphon650 µm~60–70 clicks~1.7.0

I love grinders that pair up with the AeroPress, even if by accident. The Q‑Air easily slots into the standard Aeropress main plunger (something the Kingrinder P2 can’t do). In fact, you can kind of wedge it in with the silicone collar attached, as long as the collar is at the top of the grinder. The dose limit also suits the AeroPress, going up to 20g is about as much as you want to do in the 250ml (typical) max brew volume of the iconic plunger brewer.

The Q-Air fits nicely in the AeroPress standard plunger. You can also leave the silicone sleeve on, but you’ll have to move it to the top of the grinder for everything to fit and for easy grinder removal.

For a full 18–20 gram V60 brew, grind time clocks in around 30 to 35 seconds, stretching to 40 if you’re dealing with a particularly light roast. The process feels efficient and easy to manage. That same timing generally applies for other pour-over methods like the Kalita Wave and Melitta-style cone brewers.

Cleaning the Q‑Air is straightforward: unscrew the adjustment dial until it (and the bottom burr) slide out, give the burrs a light brush (with your own brush, since they don’t include one), and reassemble without tools. If you’ve adjusted the dial, just be sure to double-check your zero point, as the orientation can flip if you’re not careful.

Because of the mix of materials in this grinder, static is an issue. You definitely want to use the RDT method if you can (spritzing the beans with a light mist of water) to keep things manageable. For me, this is an acceptable tradeoff considering all the good things about the grinder.

At the finer end of its range, the Q‑Air can reach espresso-adjacent grinds, but it’s not the grinder’s sweet spot. You’ll find a steep curve of diminishing returns in grind speed and comfort. Grinding at that level takes effort, and the results, while acceptable in a pinch, aren’t what most espresso drinkers would settle into long-term.

The Q‑Air offers impressive grind precision for its price. Each click moves the burrs by a company-claimed 25 microns, giving you repeatable settings as long as you note them down. The adjustment dial is internal, which means removing the grinds bin to make changes. It works, but it’s a step down in convenience compared to the external dials found on models like the X‑Ultra. That’s part of the trade-off in this entry-level category.

While it shares some design DNA with 1Zpresso’s higher-end grinders, the Q‑Air is not in the same class. The J‑Ultra, K‑Ultra, and X‑Ultra all feature better burr geometry, stronger construction, and much more refined adjustment mechanisms. Those models are not just the company’s flagships, they are also benchmarks across the entire manual grinder space right now.

That said, the Q‑Air performs better than its price might suggest. It creates more fines than the flagships, but fewer than similar grinders like the Kingrinder P2 (which I tested, head to head). When stacked against an entry-level electric grinder like the Baratza Encore (non-M2), the Q‑Air pulls ahead in grind clarity and consistency at pour-over and coarser settings.

For a lightweight, low-cost grinder, it holds up well. It’s easy to use, simple to clean, and genuinely capable if your brew method stays in the filter to immersion range.

The Q-Air next to the X-Ultra. The latter is one of the best manual grinders you can buy today.

The Q‑Air is clearly aimed at coffee adventurers: travellers, backpackers, campers, cottage dwellers, or minimalists building a budget-friendly setup. If you mainline AeroPress or brew 1–2 cups of filter coffee, and you value portability and burr quality over capacity, it is a great entry to quality manual grinding without heavy commitment. It offers an economical way into 1Zpresso’s precision burr tech without splurging on full-metal siblings.

This is an excellent starting point for any solo coffee drinker looking to improve their brew. The grind quality handily outperforms most electric grinders under $100 and even rivals some that cost over twice as much from just a decade ago. Manual grinders like the Q‑Air remind us how good things have gotten for coffee lovers on a budget who still want quality in the cup.

However, if capacity and price are major factors for you, the Kingrinder P2 offers a larger hopper and typically comes at a significantly lower cost. You basically only lose the ability to stuff the P2 in the AeroPress plunger for travel. Those who regularly grind for espresso or tend to brew bigger, multi-cup batches might find the P2 better suited to their needs.

The Q-Air’s compact format, short crank, and internal dial cater to simple routines rather than volume or pressure-focused prep. Essentially, this grinder will delight anyone who prioritizes travel usability, decent clarity, and grinder performance at a reasonable price, without needing full café-grade metal housing or advanced tuning control.

The Q-Air, with the silicone sleeve, weighs less than a pound, at 367g.

Kingrinder P2

The Kingrinder P2 and Q‑Air are both plastic-bodied, travel-focused manual grinders with similar 38 mm stainless steel burrs. In side-by-side testing, the Q‑Air produced slightly fewer fines and a cleaner cup, especially for pour over. Both use internal grind adjustment, but the P2 in real world testing holds about 23 g of coffee (its rated range is 20–25 g), while the Q‑Air tops out around 19–20 g.

The Q‑Air feels a bit better in the hand; the bent crank handle aids in operation compared to the straight handle on the P2. The Q-Air also has the edge in burr quality, delivering more clarity in the cup.

That said, with the P2 priced at around USD 44 compared to the Q‑Air’s USD 69, and with its larger capacity, the P2 may be the stronger value dollar for dollar. For those prioritizing budget and capacity, the P2 pulls ahead. For those focused on AeroPress compatibility and a touch more refinement in grind quality, the Q‑Air holds its ground.

Side by side, the P2 is a bit wider, and has a straight handle arm.Grinds bins are similar, though the P2 has a wider diameter.The absolute, stuffed to the brim max capacity of the Q-Air is just under 20g.The Kingrinder P2 max capacity is nearly 24g.

Baratza Encore (electric)

The Baratza Encore is a go-to electric grinder for beginners, offering dependable grind consistency for most brew methods and easier day-to-day use with its push-button simplicity. It handles light espresso duty better than the Q‑Air, though neither truly shines in that range.

Where the Q‑Air pulls ahead is in grind quality at coarser settings: producing noticeably fewer fines than the Encore, resulting in more cup clarity and better draw downs. If you’re mostly brewing single batch filter or AeroPress and don’t mind a bit of elbow grease, the Q‑Air is the cleaner cup in a smaller, quieter package. The Encore is your entry choice if you’re also grinding for larger batches (like Chemex or auto drip machines).

Timemore C2 (Basic)

The Timemore C2 basic, usually around USD 75 (sometimes as low as 65), offers excellent grind consistency, solid build quality, and outperforms the Q‑Air when it comes to espresso range and overall versatility. The all-metal construction feels more robust in hand, and the spike-to-cut burrs give it an edge in cup clarity at finer grinds. Less static issues too. If you can find the folding handle version for under $80, that’s a complete bargain.

That said, the Q‑Air is lighter, cheaper, and compact enough to nest inside an AeroPress, making it the better pick for travel and ultralight setups.

Value is more complicated than it first appears. For around CAD 90 (USD 69), the Q‑Air gives you sharp heptagonal burrs, tool‑free disassembly, and reasonably precise click adjustments; features often found in grinders that cost twice as much. It delivers 1Zpresso’s signature grind clarity, packing solid performance in a very compact footprint.

But when you bring the Kingrinder P2 into the picture, things shift. At roughly USD 44, the P2 offers a larger real‑world capacity (around 23 g versus the Q‑Air’s 19–20 g) and similar performance in grind consistency. I still believe the Q‑Air’s burrs are the better of the two, especially for pour‑over clarity, yet dollar for dollar the P2 arguably wins on sheer value.

If your focus is travel convenience, AeroPress compatibility, and grind clarity, the Q‑Air justifies its higher price. If you care more about stretching each dollar and grinding a bit more coffee per session, the P2 is hard to ignore.

Conclusion

The 1Zpresso Q‑Air remains a strong contender in the realm of portable manual grinders. Lightweight yet precision‑based, it brings clarity, convenience, and consistent performance in a minimalist frame. It’s ideal for coffee lovers on the move: backpackers, travellers, chalet dwellers or weekend cyclists, who brew with AeroPress or 1‑cup pour‑over and want reliable mornings without bulky gear.

The plastic body, internal dial, and smaller capacity are its main tradeoffs. And while it can reach espresso‑adjacent grinds, it’s not a daily espresso grinder. Where it shines is in portability and cup clarity.

That said, when factoring in price and capacity, the Kingrinder P2 deserves serious consideration. At nearly two‑thirds the cost, and with a higher capacity, it is the better dollar‑for‑dollar buy. Still, for those who value burr quality, 1Zpresso’s industry leading designs, and AeroPress‑friendly package, the Q‑Air makes a compelling case.

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#1zpresso #coffeeGrinder #manualGrinder #qAir

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Article J-Ultra GrinderGallery

J-Ultra Grinder

J-Ultra Parts Breakdown

Another closeup of the burr

Grinder and Blow Bulb

Top Lid

1zpresso J-Ultra X-Ultra

Ti-Coated Burr

The Grinder and Brush

1zpresso Box

One Piece

The Shape

Agressive Burrs

Opening the Case

Travel Case

1zpresso K-Ultra J-Ultra

Spindle Top

Burr Stack and Parts

Parts, Sideways

ID Tag

The Grinder and its Parts

1zpresso Handle Folded

Testing Stage

More Branding!

A Whole Lotta Magnets

Burr in Place

Dial and Textures

J-Ultra Grinder

Two Rotations

The Main Grip

Grinder at Zero Point

Whereto Buy

Manufacturer Website

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Out of the BoxJ-Ultra Grinder

The J-Ultra grinder from 1Zpresso comes in the same box that the other Ultra series grinders come in. The only way to tell what grinder is inside is by looking at the small white label on the side.

Because these grinders ship with a protective travel case, packaging is minimal, and the only environmentally unfriendly part in the box is a square of polystyrene to keep the shape of the travel case intact, in case some 500 pound weight is placed against the outer box.

The travel case is quite nice, with a good zipper, a nice small size, and the 1Zpresso logo emblazoned on one side. Opening it up reveals the grinder, all assembled. There is also a blower to blow out stray grinds when you clean the grinder.

In the back of the case you’ll find a cleaning brush, a silicone ring you can optionally attach to the main body of the grinder for extra grip, and card with a scan code. Scan that and you’ll be taken to the product page and manual for the grinder.

The box the J-Ultra comes in is identical in almost every way to the other Ultra grinders from the company.

The white label ID tag on the box is the only way to tell what's inside.

The 1zpresso travel case. They have stopped using the tube shaped one, and gone for this mini briefcase style

When you first open the case, there's one block of polystyrene to deal with, then the rest is all grinder stuff.

The J-Ultra is already all assembled and calibrated in the case.

Everything the J-Ultra comes with: brush, blow bulb, silicone spare grip collar, and a card.

At 684 grams, the 1Zpresso J-Ultra is a substantial piece of metal, though still lighter than previous J series grinders. Indeed, other than the semi opaque plastic lid, silicone grip and foot, and the wood handle, it is all metal construction top to bottom.

Holding it in your hand gives the utmost confidence in the device. This isn’t some janky basic plastic manual grinder. The grip area is a slightly smaller diameter than the grind adjustment ring or the bottom catch cup area, giving your hand a natural place to grip and hold the device. When extended, the handle is a good length and the wood grip feel like the perfect size and shape for the task.

The body of the grinder is all curves, and curves with intent. Because the catch cup is held on with magnets, some grinders with this feature had the rare tendency to be knocked off by your gripping hand if you were going to town cranking the handle and grinding at speed. This wasn’t a good thing: ground coffee would fly everywhere. The J-Ultra’s shape is designed to minimize this error because of the bulge and curve of the body about 1.5cm above where the catch cup attaches.

The J-Ultra, with the handle extended. It has a very good overall reach and wide turning circumference.

Same goes with the adjustment dial: on some manual grinders with external adjustment rings, users have reported accidentally adjusting the grind size while grinding because their hands would slip and the top external grind selection rings would rotate. On the J-Ultra, this is not an issue: again, the bulge and larger diameter of the adjustment ring area naturally stays separate from your gripping hand as you operate the grinder.

Top to Bottom, Externally

Right up top is the lid and handle assembly. The J-Ultra, like all of 1Zpresso’s top grinders features the folding handle design they were forced to come up with after Commandante’s threatened lawsuits. On one hand, I’m not a fan of it because it can be tricky to operate and it’s not the ideal solution for travel or storage, but on the other hand, it does make the grinder more compact when not in use, and makes it less prone to toppling over because of the heavy one sided weight of the grinder when the handle is extended.

As for the range and “feel” of the handle when extended, it’s nearly perfect. The big bulbous wood handle fits perfectly in most hands, and gives you a good operating area for using the grinder. The handle’s rotation circumference aids in good grinding speed and countering the resistance crunching down beans will give to shorter handles.

The main lid that closes off the bean hopper is the only plastic on the device: this is actually a good thing because it helps keep the weight down a bit, and honestly, this part never needs to be metal on any manual grinder. It just needs to fit well on the central spindle shaft connection, and the 1Zpresso one does this very well. Of course, the actual metal handle connects to a metal spindle connector.

The handle folded, the grinder has a tighter center of gravity and is less prone to tipping over.

The dial is very easy to read and adjust. Clicks feel solid and authoratative. The grip is... grippy.

The grinder, with handle in the folded down position. The wood handle is big and well formed for most hands.

The top lid is the only plastic on the grinder, which is fine. The mounting point for the spindle is all metal.

Speaking of the spindle and shaft: 1Zpresso is one of only two manual grinder makers who currently recommend their grinders are compatible with electric drills. In fact, the shaft connector is the same size as the bit holder in most electric and cordless drills. They can claim this because their spindle shafts are thicker metal than most other manual grinder makers’ designs on the market currently.

So basically when the Jim Hoffmanns of the world recommend using an electric drill to power your manual grinder, you really shouldn’t, unless you own a 1Zpresso manual grinder (or 3Bomber’s Blade R3, or certain KINGrinders).

Moving down from the lid, we have 1Zpresso’s unique (and frankly: amazing) external grind selection dial. It actually works a bit opposite from their other grinders: Rotating it clockwise both lowers the dial into the grinder body more, and make the grind coarser. On their X-Ultra and K-Ultra clockwise rotation also makes the grind coarser, but the dial itself doesn’t move up or down.

The adjustment dial is easy to grip, and features 100 very reassuring and confident clicks per full rotation. The adjustment dial can be rotated a total of five times, giving you 500 (!!!!) total click settings. At the fine end, it stops rotating when the burrs are locked together (and the grinder is factory calibrated to be indicating 0 at this lock point). The collar will also stop rotating after 5 clockwise rotations at the top end, or 500th click.

There are numbers 0 through 9 embossed on the grind dial, with an embossed dot between each. Between each number are ten click settings (the dot indicates the 5th click in each range). They are easy to read in most lighting conditions. The grind selection indicator on the grinder body is five rows of dots, shaped like a pyramid, with the lowest row having 5 dots, and the top row having one dot.

I have a lot to say about this grind selection dial and how it works (including an absolutely ingenious feature 1Zpresso built into it) which will come later on in this First Look.

The top of the spindle; very strong and thick, and will fit standard drill bit holders.

The grind dial is easy to read and very study.

Below the grind selection dial is the grip area for the grinder. If you only rely on photographs of this grinder, you might think this area is wrapped with fabric, showcasing the 1Zpresso logo. It’s actually textured silicone, and very grippy. This keeps your hand very secure when operating the grinder.

Moving down the grinder, the narrow diameter of the grip area bulges out to a wider diameter for the lower body. There is a hash ring around the body and just below that, the catch cup is attached, via 12 rare-earth magnets.

This design is the result of 1Zpresso’s long term experience designing these grinders and getting user feedback. In previous versions of their magnetic catch-cup grinders, the grip area was the same diameter as the catch cup. Because there was little separation between the grip area, sometimes users would accidentally dislodge the magnetic catch cups while operating the grinder, sending ground coffee flying everywhere.

With this new design, your hand stays more secure in the grip area, and is much less prone to accidentally knocking the catch cup off. 1Zpresso also beefed up (upgraded as they say!) the magnets to stronger versions.

The main grip is made from textured silicone. On its own, it gives a good no-slip area to hold the grinder. If you still find it slipping, put the included silicone ring on this area.

The grip, and curves keep your hand steady while operating the grinder.

A lot of magnets built into the catch cup; the X-Ultra has more than previous models.

The overall shape and design of the grinder helps give a confident grip and assurance in use.

The catch cup can be removed either a) through brute force, pulling it straight down, or b) much easier by just twisting it slightly then pulling it down. The magnets line up with counter-magnets built into the main body of the grinder, so twisting the catch cup misaligned them, taking away their magnet effect.

The catch cup’s capacity is just under 40 grams of ground coffee. The J-Ultra’s hopper can hold about 38.5g of coffee in my testing, which is in line with 1Zpresso’s claim of 35-40g capacity.

Right at the bottom of the grinder is a silicone footpad, with the 1Zpresso logo on it. I mention this because the addition of this kind of material gives long term benefits from a manual grinder. It makes it less prone to slide around and topple over on your counter or table, and long term, will prevent possible damage to wood table tops and the like. It also just makes less noise when you put the grinder back on your table or countertop.

The bottom silicone pad, an upgrade from just leaving this area as metal.

Overall, the 1Zpresso J-Ultra is just… a work of engineering art. Curves in the right places. Finished edges. Graceful lines. Fit and finish is honestly the best in the industry. This grinder looks and feels like a precision instrument. It is very reassuring and inspires confidence in its use.

Unlike the X-Ultra, the J-Ultra only comes in one colour choice: it’s a bit hard to describe, but it’s like a midnight blue-purple colour that almost seems like a midnight grey in some light, more purple in other light, and more midnight blue in different light. 1Zpresso themselves call it “iron grey”.

What’s Inside

A lot of engineering, that’s what. The entire gear design for the grind selection is brilliant and unique to the J-Ultra (the K and X Ultras are different). The grind dial actually moves up and down on the J-Ultra when adjusting the dial, which also leads to one of the grinder’s killer features, detailed more below.

The spindle is held in place by three bearing rings and three connection points, two of them a solid range of metal. Way back in the bad old days of manual grinders, spindles would wobble as you operated the grinder, causing very uneven grinds. The spindle arm in the J-Ultra stays absolutely straight through the full 360 degree rotation of the grind handle.

The grind selection click dial built into the top of the grinder is very solid and gives reassuring clicks for each individual grind setting. If you want to do just one click (8 microns!) adjustment, you can, with confidence. The grinder can be taken apart entirely without tools, and this starts at the top. Rotate the grind selection a full rotation from zero, then push up on the bottom burr, and you can unscrew the top lock nut, by hand, to disconnect the spindle from the grind selection mechanism. Slide the spindle down through the body, and the spindle with attached inner burr will pop out.

The J-Ultra, completely disassembled.

The burr stack, with the three attaching nuts / bearings.

The Ti-coated burr has a unique cutting pattern in 1zpresso's lineup. A super close up shows additional groves in the sloping surfaces.

The burr in place show an all black area at the bottom of the grinder's insides.

The outer burr, hard mounted into a section of the grinder shows pretty agressive teeth patterns.

Another closeup of the burr, note the details in the design.

A side view of the main three parts of the grinder.

Unlike previous generations, the "stack" of the burr in the J-Ultra is permanently attached - you can remove the washer and spring, but the burr is hard mounted on the spindle.

For the J-Ultra, 1Zpresso ditched their mounting bottom plate for the burr. It is now directly attached to the spindle (on previous models, only the bottom plate was attached, and the burr mounted on it via a steel nub). You can remove the burr from the spindle, but there is absolutely no reason to do so, unless you need to replace the burrs.

The burrs themselves are a custom 48mm heptagonal (7 bladed) design, titanium coated. These burrs are different from the ones in 1Zpresso’s other Ultra series grinders. They are specifically tuned for better output in the espresso and finer range, but still do an excellent job for drip coffee, and a good job for press pot grinding.

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First UseJ-Ultra Grinder

After putting about 2.5kg of old coffee through the J-Ultra to season it, (thank God it is drill compatible!), I started actually using the grinder for its primary use: espresso output. Using 1Zpresso’s guide, which says espresso starts at 100 clicks (one full rotation of the dial off zero), I set it to 110 clicks 1+1) and loaded up 18.5g to pull in our lab machine, a Breville Dual Boiler.

The first shots ran very tight, so an adjustment 10 clicks (keeping in mind that’s 80 microns of vertical burr travel, but only about 40-50um actual grind size difference), tried again. This time too fast. I took off 4 clicks (32 microns vertical, about 18um particle size), and as they say in Australia, bob’s your uncle: I had a nearly perfect (visually, and time based) shot of espresso, delivering out 45g of liquor in 35 seconds (including the 10 second preinfusion). This is based on our long standing espresso testing regimen.

Taste? It was a postcard perfect representation of what Social Coffee’s People’s Daily blend can deliver. This was looking very promising.

I happen to be a closet Turkish Coffee fan, and have an automatic Turkish coffee maker. I noted that 1Zpresso gleefully claim their grinder can do the powder grind needed for Turkish, so I set that up next. 7.1 on the dial, or 71 clicks off zero.

It took some time, and the grinder was pretty hard to crank at times but we got there, and I got powder. Almost talcum powder levels of coffee grounds. And it brewed a lovely, foamy cup of turkish coffee. This is significant, because even though it was a difficult and long grind session, a) it was easier than other turkish-capable grinders I have, and b) I felt I could go even finer.

Third, pour over testing. Comparing to other products’ output would come later on, I just wanted to see how the cup tasted using the J-Ultra and brewing in a Hario Mugen / Switch hack device. To get there, 1Zpresso recommends 2.7 on the click dial – that is, 2 full rotations, then go to 7. 270 clicks off zero! But because the selection dial and markings are so well made, rotating it and getting there was easy. The little pyramid indicator (more on that below) also helps keep track of how many full rotations you’ve done on the grinder.

Absolutely no complaints about the pour over quality from this grinder. In fact, it was one of the better cups I’d had in a few weeks. And fast… this grinder is very fast for a manual grinder. Visually, I didn’t see a lot of excessive fines either, either in my hand, on a white table, or in the filter.

The J-Ultra delivers. Especially for espresso.

The Killer Feature

For many, the killer feature of the 1Zpresso J-Ultra is the grind selection dial and the micron adjustment size: just 8 microns in vertical movement in the burr set (which translates to about 5 microns or smaller in actual grind change) per click. And each click feels very precise.

That’s not my fave killer feature though, no matter how amazing it is. No, mine is the innovative way 1Zpresso shows how many rotations you’ve made on the grind selection dial! Because the dial moves up and down on the body as you adjust the grind, for each full 360 rotation of the dial, a set of dots is displayed at the adjustment marker. When the grinder is “zeroed” out, meaning the burrs are fully locked, the dial reads “zero” at the marker point, and the marker is a pyramid of five rows of dots: 5 dots at the bottom, 4, then 3, then 2, then finally 1 dot at the top. When you do a full rotation coarser, the first single dot row is hidden by the grind dial, showing 2 dots, indicating the grinder is on its second 360 rotation. Keep going coarser, and then the 3 dot line is the first visible one. And so on.

It’s brilliant, because this grinder has so many clicks to get from an espresso grind to pour over grind (about 140 total clicks between those two!), this little indicator really helps you know exactly where the grinder is in its range of 500 (!!!!!) total clicks.

At zero, or locked, the pyramid indicates all five rows, with 1 dot at the top.

At one full rotation, the pyramid shows that you are on the second rotation.

After 2 rotations, the 3 dot row is shown, indicating you are on your third rotation

with 3 full rotations, the indicator shows 4 dots.

After rotating the dial 4 times, the last row with 5 dots shows.

Speaking of clicks: the dial has embossed numbers from 0 to 9 on it, with a mid dot between each number. Going one full number on the dial is 10 clicks in the grind setting. This means one full 360 degree rotation on the dial is 100 clicks. The dial can be rotated 5 total times (it has a lock out at the coarse end). Given that each click is 8 microns of burr movement vertically, this grinder has an effective range of 0 microns to 4,000 microns, in 500 steps.

Keep in mind, this is vertical movement. The actual grind particle size varies across this range because of the overall shape and curve of the burrs: in the turkish to espresso range, it could be 3 microns change in particle size per click, expanding to around 6 microns by the time you get to press pot. Based on some initial evaluation, the effective grinding particle size of this grinder is 150 microns to about 1800 microns.

1Zpresso recommends starting at 7.5 (or about 75 clicks off zero) for turkish style powder (I did this at 7.1). Espresso range starts at 1 full rotation (0, or 100 clicks) through 140 (1rotation+4). Aeropress starts at 2 full rotations (200 clicks), pour over at 2rotations+5, (250 clicks), Chemex / no-bypass brewers at 3rotations+5 (350 clicks), and press pot at 4 full rotations.

That may seem like a lot of clicks – 400 to get to press pot? – but in reality, it’s very easy to do, and the pyramid dot indicators help you know how many rotations you’ve done.

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ComparisonsJ-Ultra Grinder

For this First Look, this section is going to be very brief. I put the grinder up against its siblings, the K-Ultra and X-Ultra, and also tested the output next to the Lagom Mini, Turin SK40 and Baratza Encore ESP.

Against the 1Zpresso K-Ultra and X-Ultra

The J-Ultra is very close in size and shape to 1Zpresso’s K-Ultra; they are even the same colour externally. Two main elements of each grinder is quite different: the K=Ultra’s grind selection system is different engineering and has a bigger micron gap between clicks; and second, the burr group in the K-Ultra is a different design and composition when compared to that inside the J-Ultra.

K-Ultra on the left, J-Ultra on the right. Note the K's different grind dial, and the black handle.

The K-Ultra is 1Zpresso’s “brew primary” grinder, meaning it s designed for optimal pour over, drip, and Aeropress coffee brewing. It is very capable as an espresso grinder, but you don’t have the fine dial in adjustment ability that the J-Ultra provides.

For the First Look, I organized 3 side by side blind taste tests of espresso shots using our standard formula of 18.5g in, 45g out in 35 seconds on our lab machine, the Breville Dual Boiler. After calibrating the grinders as best I could, three samples were brewed and tasted, and in all three cases, the J-Ultra presented the better shot. It was a close sampling, and in two cases, I had to drink the entire shots to come up with my determination.

On pour over tests, the K-Ultra produces a slightly cleaner, more balanced shot with a slightly faster flow through time, telling me that the J-Ultra, for a V60 style grind, produces slightly more fines.

The X-Ultra… this is 1Zpresso’s “all purpose” grinder, equally capable on espresso as it is on pour over. The X-Ultra has a much finer micron adjustment range between its clicks, which provides the grinder better dial in ability. The burrs look similar to the K-Ultra burrs, but I’ve been told they are a slightly different geometry and pattern. Taste wise, the X-Ultra is very, very close to the J-Ultra on espresso. I didn’t do the formal 3 shot blind taste test I did with the K-Ultra, but some informal side by side tasting, and I struggled to find a difference between the X and J models.

I will say the X-Ultra, with its more-slim body and weight is actually my favourite of the three models to use. It seems to just work better in my hands.

The X-Ultra on the left. It turns a bit easier, and I like the feel better, but that is personal preference.

Against the Lagom Mini

I didn’t think I’d find another conical burr grinder that produced better espresso and pour over results than the Lagom Mini. That grinder is absolutely amazing.

But guess what: the J-Ultra edged it out on espresso taste. It was so close, I had to do 3 different taste tests, and the J-Ultra won 2 of the 3. It’s also faster to grind for espresso: I could do 18.5g in the J-Ultra in about 45 seconds or less; the Lagom Mini’s electric motor takes almost 60 seconds.

On pour over, the Lagom Mini remains the champ, at least compared to the J-Ultra. Cups are more expressive, more rounded, more things to discover. Again, the taste difference is pretty slight, but on three blind tests, the Mini won all 3, one almost a tie though.

Testing the J-Ultra against the Lagom Mini and Timemore C3 ESP Pro.

Baratza Encore ESP

When I get into the full review process, this one is going to be the most interesting lineup: the J-Ultra and Encore ESP are the same retail price, but offer very different packages to the end user.

In a very brief side by side test of both grinders, the J-Ultra is the “ultimate” in terms of dial in ability. As lauded as the Encore ESP’s espresso-side grind adjustment system is, it cannot match the calibrated magic that the J-Ultra offers. I found on the Encore ESP going one click difference on the grind selection resulted in no real changes some times, and other times, a very big jump in shot times. This tells me the collar doesn’t always move with each single click, but will jump a big jump in selection at other times.

Look, on its own, the Encore ESP’s adjustment system is fantastic. But when you put it up against the precision tool that the J-Ultra is, you see issues.

On taste, I also have to give the nod to the J-Ultra’s shots. As mentioned way earlier in this First Look, I had a postcard perfect example of what our test coffee – Social Coffee’s People’s Daily Blend – has to offer, with the J-Ultra. I didn’t get to that level of shot perfection with the Encore ESP.

When it comes to pour over grinds, I found the grinders were a lot closer in taste quality, but again, the J-Ultra offers way way tighter grind dial in ability, which also gives it the edge. It’s also pretty fast hand grinding 21g for pour over: around 30 seconds. It won’t match the 10-ish seconds of the Encore ESP (not to mention the Encore does the work for you), but it is noticeably fast.

Turin SK40

We didn’t do any real tests against the Turin SK40 and the J-Ultra for this First Look, but plan to compare them in our Full Review.

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ConclusionJ-Ultra Grinder

Given that I had one of the best shot pulls ever from our test-standard espresso blend, Social Coffee’s People’s Daily, and dial in was extremely easy, those two factors alone really speak volumes for how fantastic 1Zpresso’s J-Ultra manual grinder really is.

I don’t want our First Looks to draw too many conclusions; for that reason we don’t score products in these articles or give final ratings. But it’s hard not to, with the J-Ultra.

Everything about the grinder screams quality, engineering perfection and precision. I struggle to find anything I don’t like about the grinder. The least favourite thing is the handle design; I don’t like how difficult it is to fold down to its storage position, and don’t like how it has a click-lock half way through the process (why did they design it that way?) But the handle and crank arm itself function excellent under operation and make the grinder very easy to use.

All the materials, all the construction, the ways the 1Zpresso J-Ultra go together are best in class. As an espresso grinder, I don’t think this has an equal in the market. I was also amazed at its Turkish coffee grinding ability. As a brew grinder, it is more than capable, being beat by a few models (including it’s sibling, the K-Ultra) but not by any large measure most home baristas would notice.

$200 may seem a lot for a manual grinder. Considering the Commandantes and other ultra-premium grinders are $100 to $150 more, and the grinder I have that is closest in terms of output – the Lagom Mini – is double the price (and slower on output), $200 is a pretty decent price.

Sometimes when I do a First Look, I have a gut feeling my Full Review might change some of my opinion; in the case of the 1Zpresso J-Ultra, I’m confident my opinion of this grinder will only get better.

This grinder is the complete package with a special focus on espresso. The case, the accessories, the build quality, the materials, everything are best of class. If you want one of the best espresso grinders on the market today, this is the model for you.

If you are interested in this grinder, please consider buying it via our affiliate link with Amazon. The small income we make from these sales keeps our website going.

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MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 Manual Grinder

It’s not often I get excited by certain innovations in the manual, hand cranked grinder world.

Sure, there’s been some fantastic innovations in that space ever since the Porlex Mini came along 13 years ago and really shook the space up. Everything from intricate burr geometry designs, to ultra precise 8um adjustments on grind settings, to triple and even quadruple bearing mounts for rock solid burr rotations, and even things like hybrid grinders, doing double duty as electric grinders for home use, and manual when out on the go.

But as amazing and value-rich the hand grinder market has gotten, I still get my kicks from the innovations in the motorized grinder world, for the most part. Then I saw a new manual grinder from the feisty upstart company with the horrible branding nameMHW-3Bomber – that actually got me pretty excited. Because this new grinder has a wildly interesting innovation: it has a sieve and shaker system to separate out fines from your grind. Built right into the grinder.

The sieves for the Blade R3 manual grinder, from MHW-3Bomber.

That’s a bit of a game changer for anyone who happens to like no-paper filtration methods for brew coffee. If you’re a Kone user, use metal filters for your AeroPress, like using the Espro Bloom, or are a press pot aficionado, you probably know using a sieve system like the Kruve sieve can improve the cup of coffee quite a bit, and reduce the sludge in the finished cup. Problem is, the Kruve starts at $100 (IMO still well worth the investment!) and can go up to $200 or more if you go for most of the sieve options. 

But today, we have the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 manual grinder, with a built in sieve system. And in many cases, the entire grinder with sieves costs less than the Kruve starter system. Right now the Blade R3 Grinder is $99 on Amazon (once you apply the 10% off coupon). So is it worth the money? 

Well, this is not our formal review, but your TL:DR is: heck yes

Heck, I even bought one on my own, I was so intrigued (since then, MHW-3Bomber has also sent us a test unit, so I now have two to compare, side by side!)

The MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 grinder with grind cup, shaker lid, and five sieves.

The Blade R3 Grinder

Before I even get to the sieving system, which has benefits and drawbacks, let me briefly cover the rest of the Blade R3 from MHW-3Bomber. It is extremely well made, top to bottom. It certainly does not feel like a $90 grinder; just in feel, fit and finish, it matches well with $150 to $200 manual grinders out there. The entire construction is metal, and everything fits together with precise engineering.

The Blade R3 has an external click dial for adjusting the grind fineness, and each individual click adjusts in the burr vertical movement by 16 microns. That puts it on par with some 1zpresso grinders, and and has better grind selection performance than the Commandante and other grinders currently on market. The grind number indicators are very easy to read, and the grinder comes zeroed out from the factory. The grinder can also be calibrated: it has a similar spindle / locking nut mechanism to some 1zpresso grinders.

The Blade R3 has an external adjustment dial for grind settings, with 60 clicks per full 360 degrees of rotation. Each click is about 16um in vertical burr movement.

On visual inspection, 3Bomber’s “custom” heptagonal (7 bladed) 48mm conical burr looks very similar to recent 1zpresso flagship grinders’ burrs, but not the current K-Ultra, J-Ultra or X-Ultra from 1zpresso, all of which are brand new designs. Once I get down to the full Snapshot Review for the Blade R3, I’ll give the burrs a much closer look. For now, here’s what they look like.

The inner conical burr for the Blade R3. 7 blade design, 48mm burrset.

The burr stack is also similar to the previous gen 1zpresso manual grinders: the thick spindle (electric drill compatible according to the manufacturer!) is permanently attached to a bottom block plate. The inner burr slides down the spindle and locks into place on the block plate via a mounting bolt. The spring sits above it. In this case, 3Bomber’s spring is a lot longer than those found on 1zpresso models.

I should note, 1zpresso did away with the bottom block plates on their most recent grinders, and instead, hard-attach the inner cone burr directly to the spindle. They said this reduces static issues with their grinder. Here’s what the 3Bomber setup looks like:

The burr, spindle, spring and mounting cap for the Blade R3.

The crank arm is very similar to those found on the Commandante, older 1zpresso and Kin Grinders, but has a longer reach. It is longer than the current gen 1zpresso J-Ultra handle, for example. The handle is beefy, made of wood and a bit different in shape compared to other grinders I have here.The mounting cap for the crank arm is made of metal and secures very well on top of the grinder.

The Blade R3 (foreground) has a slightly longer handle than the 1zpresso J-Ultra; also note the slightly different handle design.

The entire grinder can be disassembled without tools (except the adjustment external dial). This is fantastic for deep cleaning. Here’s the grinder, entirely disassembled, with all its parts:

All the parts that make up the Blade R3 Grinder. Can be disassembled without tools.

The grinder is long, with a good grip portion that is particularly elongated. The catch cup is held in place by a gazillion magnets, and holds on even tighter than the current generation 1zpresso grinders, which is saying something because the K-Ultra, J-Ultra and X-Ultra’s catch cups are held on quite firmly compared to previous generation models.

Now to the catch cup itself. It is a four part affair: the main catch cup, a screw on base, a sieve disk, and there’s also a magnetized lid to use when shaking the catch cup full of grinds. The Blade R3 comes with five sieves, in micron size holes of 300, 400, 500, 600, and 850. As mentioned there’s a gazillion magnets (each component has 24 rare earth magnets installed).

The catch cup, with outer magnets, and inner screen installed. The sieve installed in the bottom of the catch cup (but the bottom screw plate is not attached). One of the sieves, showing the hole pattern. The MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 grinder with grind cup, shaker lid, and five sieves.

The catch cup, with outer magnets, and inner screen installed.

The sieve installed in the bottom of the catch cup (but the bottom screw plate is not attached).

One of the sieves, showing the hole pattern.

The MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 grinder with grind cup, shaker lid, and five sieves.

There is one really weird thing about the Blade R3 you should note if buying: the capacity of the grinder is barely 20g if you are using the built in sieve system. This is weird because the grind chamber and “hopper” for beans above the cutting blades can hold a lot more coffee: at least 30g if not more. But the catch cup, at least when the sieves are installed, will top out at about 22-23g which I don’t recommend doing because that tops out the catch cup. If the catch cup is full to the brim, shaking the coffee for the sieving effect won’t work very well. You need some headspace in there, so 18-20g is the max coffee you should have in there when using the sieve.

Of course, you could use the catch cup without any sieve installed, and the capacity of it increases to around 25-30g, nearly matching the hopper up top.

Using the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 Grinder

Currently we’re testing a lot of manual grinders: three 1zpresso models, the latest Timemore external adjustment grinder, two from Staresso (including one that is rechargeable!), and a Kin Grinder. For the past 45 days, about 80% of the espresso and coffee brewed in my lab space and at home has come from manual grinders. I mention this because I’ve been able to do a lot of side by side comparisons with a lot of different brands.

Again, stressing this isn’t my formal review: the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 is holding its own. It isn’t matching the king of espresso grinders – the J-Ultra from 1zpresso – on overall espresso quality, but it is on par with the more expensive Timemore and K-Ultra. Considering the grinder is only $90, that’s seriously impressive.

The biggest issue I’ve had with the Blade R3 is static. The mix of materials (steel, aluminum, lots of magnets, and the steel sieve disks) plus the block-plate at the bottom of the burr set all seem to create a bit more static than I’m getting from the current gen 1zpresso models and the new Timemore. RDT’ing the dose helps a bit, but it is still there, and that moisture, as minute as it is, is also evidenced in the catch cup, with some grounds sticking stubbornly to the angled edge where the sieve meets the side walls of the catch cup.

Static is a problem with the grinder from time to time.

In terms of grinding “action”, it is smooth and very low resistance. This is obvious because of the long crank arm design. The spindle is held in place with three anchor bearings, making the rotation of the burr rock steady and even. And because the spindle is very thick, using an electric drill with this grinder, if you follow Jim Hoffmann’s advice, is actually fine (you should not use an electric drill on more narrow gauge spindle grinders like the Timemore series). 

Everything fits together well. The grind markings are extremely easy to read in most light conditions. The catch cup is held on so tightly it’s actually a bit difficult to remove, but there should be almost no worry about accidentally knocking it off and spraying coffee everywhere while you operate the grinder. 

In short, this is a very well built, well engineered, precision instrument. 

Sieving

I didn’t expect the sieves to work all that well. After all, the surface area of the sieves is like 1/6th the surface area of the Kruve Sifter sieves. But in practice, it actually works quite well, removing about .5g of fines from an 18g dose ground for pour over and using the 500um sieve, in my limited testing.

It even works better for press pot. I set the grinder up for 1200um particle sizes, used the 850um sieve, and for every 15g I ground (I would grind two batches to hopefully get 28g of coffee to use), it would sieve out about .75g of fines. This resulted in a lot cleaner cups overall from my press pot brews. Keep in mind you’ll have to grind about 8-10% more coffee to take the sieving amount into consideration. 

The process is this: install the sieve of your choice, set the grinder to your set grind level, and grind the coffee. Once done, remove the catch cup, put the catch cup lid on it, and start shaking the bejeebus out of the container. Side to side motions, knock motions, up and down. Do this for about a minute. Then pour out the coffee from the catch cup. Later on, unscrew the bottom plate, and witness all the fines you sieved out. Magic.

There is the aforementioned problem with static. I’ve also noted coffee would get stuck in crevices and edges in the grinder, making it a bit hard to get all the usable coffee out

Coffee, stuck at the edges; it amounts to about half a gram.

Oh, one more thing: 3Bomber, in their promo literature, says the act of shaking the container is calming and focusing, which has health benefits for you. Specifically: “sieving also relieves your pressure; enjoy it in the present moment!” More magic? 🙂

Should You Buy One

If all you do is espresso with your manual grinder, instead go with the 1zpresso J-Ultra, which is probably the best manual espresso grinder you can buy today. With the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3, the sieves won’t give you much benefit for espresso, and all that time shaking the grinds catch container will stale the coffee.

Also, if you want your manual grinder to crank out large (30g+ batches of coffee in one go, the Blade R3 might not be for you.

But if you want an all purpose grinder that gives you good value and excellent construction for under $100, then heck yes you should consider this one.

If you prefer using metal filters (or ultra rare, luxurious all ceramic mesh filters boo yah!) in your pour over, or metal filters with your AeroPress, or are a big press pot fan, this grinder might be the best choice for you, because of the sieving system, built in. The biggest drawbacks are a) the low capacity and b) the static. I did note there was less static when I did not use the sieves in place, so I’m pretty sure the mix of metals contributes a tad to this.

Right now, the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3 is listed for $100 on Amazon, with a 10% off coupon available, making it $90. That’s a killer bargain for this device. We’re working on a full Snapshot review for this grinder and several other manual grinders, coming soon.

#BladeR3Grinder #coffeeGrinder #coffeeSieve #manualGrinder #mhw3bomber

Trying to get a new piece of content out today: it's an introduction kinda post to a manual grinder I was so intrigued with, I didn't wait to get one from the manufacturer; I bought my own.

It's the MHW-3Bomber Blade R3. And the ONLY reason I wanted to get it, is the very unique, built in sieve system. As someone who doesn't like paper filtration much, and uses metal (or ceramic!) or cloth filters as much as possible, I sometimes use a Kruve Sifter to sieve out ultra fines for a cleaner cup.

Well, this grinder has it built in. And it's just $90.

More info soon!

cc @coffee #coffee #manualgrinder

I AM EXCITED. I always seem to get great news late in the evening.

1Zpresso wants our website to review all their major products, so they are sending us the latest K-Ultra, J-Ultra, and X-Ultra grinders to put through the ringer at CoffeeGeek.

In their email, they know we're tough but fair, and they fully expect their products to be put through the ringer, but also will score very highly.

Our blog contributor @natiasees is a major 1Zpresso fan, owning the J-Max grinder. I am looking forward to these tests.

cc @coffee

#manualgrinder #coffeegrinder

I always seem to get good news late in the evening.

We're going to be reviewing both the J-Ultra and X-Ultra grinders from 1Zpresso in the next few months. I've been looking forward to using these grinders for a long time now.

Our Blog contributor Natia owns a J-Max, and absolutely loves it. The J-Ultra is the successor grinder. Many believe it is THE BEST manual espresso grinder on the market today. I finally get to find out if that's true.

#manualgrinder #1Zpresso #espressogrinder

https://1zpresso.coffee/product/jultra/

J-Ultra Manual Coffee Grinder

Tax excl. The price above is in USD

1Zpresso