A good coffee grinder is one of the most important investments a coffee lover can make. Grinding right before you brew is essential to making a delicious cup and the quality of your grind can have a very big impact on the quality on your coffee. Initially, Cape Coffee Beans only sold manual coffee grinders as they offer a high-quality grind at an affordable price. Unfortunately, most similarly priced electric coffee grinders just aren't sufficiently consistent and the ones that tend to cost thousands of Rand.
We had not found a grinder that we felt performed adequately in terms of grind consistency and was reasonably priced until we came across this Severin model. We were prompted to look into it when we saw many of the competitors at the WC Manual Brewers Competition using this very grinder. We then also discovered that some of our newest roasters recommend it to their customers as a good option for home.
The Severin Coffee Grinder features conical steel burrs which provide a much more consistent grind than any blade grinder ever could. It has 10 different grind settings, the coarsest of which are great for french press and the finest of which approaches an espresso grind. In between, you have a range of options allowing you to use this grinder for Aeropress, pour-over coffee makers and pretty much any other manual brew method.
Its hopper can store up to 150g of unground beans and it has a detachable container into which up to 100g of coffee can be ground. This makes it a perfect grinder for home and small office use. It has a cup setting that will switch the grinder off after a certain amount is ground as well as an easily accessible on-off switch for manual intervention. If you're brewing anywhere between 1 and 6 cups, and you don't want to use a manual grinder, the Severin Coffee Grinder is high quality and convenient choice.
Key product features
10-step adjustable grind setting
Electronic grind-timer based on number of cups
Conical stainless steel burrs for a highly consistent grind
150g bean capacity
100g ground coffee capacity - detachable container
Additional specifications
Power output: 150W
Voltage: 220-240V
Non-slip rubber feet
White & silver coloured finish
On-off button
Weight: ~2kg
Dimensions: 19.3 x 27.4 x 14.6 cm
A word on grinding for espresso
The Severin Coffee Grinder is fantastic for all sorts of manual brew methods. While the manufacturers do state that the finest setting is suitable for espresso, it's important to understand that if you are using a professional espresso machine, you will be better served by a dedicated espresso grinder. Not only will it grind finer but it will provide the ability to make small adjustments within the espresso range.
Having said that, the Severin Coffee Grinder should be adequate if the espresso machine you're using is a low-end / consumer model which does not have the same pressure as professional machines. It is particularly useful if you want to be able to occasionally use a consumer espresso machine and also enjoy manual brew methods like a coffee plunger, Aeropress or pour-over.