KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder - Onyx Black

The KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder and Spice Grinder works great! It’s super easy to use and grinds coffee beans evenly for a fresh brew every time. I also use it for spices, and it handles them perfectly. The build quality feels very solid and durable — you can tell it’s made to last.It might be a little overpriced compared to some other grinders, but you definitely pay for quality. Very happy with this versatile and reliable appliance!

Got this grinder yesterday - in use today. THE big improvment for me is the deep cup which holds the beans. Vendor claims it holds from level 4 (min) to 12 (max) of beans that will on average deliver 4-12 cups of coffee. After some use I can vouch for this. For optimal flavor, the experts insist you consume promptly after grinding. But, I like the convenience of grinding 8-12 cups worth early in the day, transfer to a handy jar, and we live off that for the rest of day. Flavor is good the whole time. Everything about this grinder is solid and well made, unlike others I have used. And, it's the quietest blade grinder I have ever used. It has that feel of a machine that will last a long time. I wont say more for now, but intend to return to update my review a month from now when I expect to know more.... Dec 13, 2020 UPDATE. I've been using this coffee grinder for at least a month now, and can confirm that the KitchenAid Grinder (BCG111ER) exceeds all my hopes and expectations, best grinder of the many I've had in the past several decades. Best features = (1) excellent control over the extent of grind (from fine to coarse). At max bean fill (that will make at least 12 cups), if you hold the lid down (i.e., turn the grinder on) for 20-25 seconds you get a fine grind suitable all the way to espresso. [Note - for espresso you may need to go longer than 25 seconds (with a full grinder cup) depending on your espresso machine and the nature of the beans. The vendor cautions that excessive grind time may over heat the grinder. As a test, I went up to 29 seconds without over heating my machine.] Between 15 to 20 seconds will give you a coarser grind suitable for example for a french press (mine works best at 16 seconds). Remember, I determined these grinder times required to get my desired grind (coarse to fine) WITH THE GRINDER CUP FILLED TO MAXIMUM WITH COFFEE BEANS. If you put fewer beans in the grinder cup, required time to get a particular grind will be reduced. (2) Consistency of grind - For a given quantity of beans and a set grind time I get very much the same grind output every time. (3) Small foot print. This KitchenAid grinder takes up very little space on your counter top. (4) Sturdy build that makes below average noise, and feels solid with a pleasing heft to it.To get the performance you want, you should go through a bench-marking process similar to what I did so you can consistently get the extent of grind you prefer (coarse to fine). You really need a timer for this. And, for ease of use, you should carefully familiarize yourself with the outer (clear plastic) cap and the stainess steel inner cup which holds the beans. Notice that the outer cap connects to the grinder body with two small plastic pins that extend down from this cap and fit into two corresponding holes in the grinder body. These pins have to fit into their holes or you can not push the cap down far enough to start the grinder motor. This is a safety feature. God forbid that a child could somehow start the ginder. And, for someone who is sometimes a bit rough with their equipment, this 'pin in the hole' design may also present a slight chance of breaking one of the plastic pins. In that event, you will need another plastic cap and I don't know if KitchenAid sells replacement parts.Another safety feature is having the cutting blade built into the steel cup which holds the beans. If the cup is not inserted into the grinder body, it might be possilbe to start the motor (I didn't try this), but only the driver shaft would spin harmlessly, there being no blade to engage. There are indentations on the cup which must be aligned with an obvious mark on the grinder body. To accomplish this, insert the cup with the indentation aligned. It wont fit in! Good, that's another safety feature. While gently urging the cup to insert downward, rotate the cup counter clockwise. After a half inch or so, the cup will readily drop down to the 'engagement level'. At this lower level, rotate the cup back in a clockwise move until that cup indentation is aligned as desired. The fit is snug, another reflection of the grinder's sturdy build.

This has been PERFECT for grinding flax seeds, chia seeds, and some other seeds. I use it every morning, and it has performed flawlessly. I LOVE being able to put the little grinding container and lid in the dishwasher after each use. After it is completely dry, I put it in the drawer, and use the other little container the next morning to make sure that there isn’t any retained moisture from the DW so that the seed powder stays dry. While there is some expected noise while grinding the seeds, I don’t find it excessively loud. The grinding process takes only a few seconds, so any noise is short lived. I’m so glad I chose to buy the Kitchen Aid grinder with the two accessory grinders. I would definitely recommend it!

Tl;DRGet a burr grinder insteadREVIEWAs a total newbie to coffee grinders, this seemed like a low risk way to get into it. KitchenAid in general makes good quality stuff, so you're going to get a quality product.However after using this for a bit, and continuing to research this product category, I would suggest avoiding blade grinders in general.PROBLEM #1 of Blade Grinders:- One problem is that you won't get a consistent grind.- Now you can just grind away for awhile, and it'll eventually achieve a static level of consistency.PROBLEM #2 of Blade Grinders:- You're limited to a fixed grind level.- Depending on your machine, and how you make your coffee, you may need a little more coarse or finer grinding- With a blade grinder, you can try to reduce the grind time to get more coarse, but that will result in more inconsistency. And if you grind for a long time, it can only go so fine.PROBLEM #3 of Blade Grinders- It's difficult to scoop the coffee under the blade levelDrawback of the KitchenAid- The power cord is not retractable, whereas there are other models which have this.- Retractable power cord makes it much easier to put things away in a tidy wayPros of the KitchenAid- The cup where the grinding occurs is detachable, which improves on the usability- Noise level is reasonable- Can be used as a general purpose grinder (e.g. nuts)Final Takeaway- What I've learn is a burr grinder is the way to go (which KitchenAid does have an offering)- Produces less mess and allows for more control over grind level- Burr grinders are a little more expensive (the higher end ones can get very expensive), but if you're taking the time to grind your coffee, you might as well invest in the right solution, otherwise just buy pre-ground coffee