Bodum 10903-01US-3 Coffee grinder: Full Review

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder is an electric grinder designed for home use. Bodum is a well-known brand when it comes to coffee, French presses and tea presses. The Bistro grinder uses stainless steel conical burrs to produce consistent and uniform grinds for various brew methods like drip machine, French press, and espresso. It has 12 adjustable grind settings to allow users to fine-tune the grind size. The Bistro is a compact and stylish grinder with a 7.5 ounce bean hopper capacity. It uses a powerful but quiet 160 watt motor that can grind about 1/2 pound of coffee beans per minute. The Bistro aims to give coffee enthusiasts the ability to achieve café-quality grounds at home.

Design

The Bodum Bistro coffee grinder has an attractive modern design. The body of the grinder is made of strong plastic with a rubberized finish that makes it easy to grip.

It is available in three color options - black, red, and white - so you can choose the one that best matches your kitchen's aesthetic.

In terms of dimensions, the grinder measures 7.2 x 7.2 x 10.6 inches. It has a relatively small footprint, so it shouldn't take up too much space on your kitchen counter. The Bistro weighs 4.5 pounds, making it fairly lightweight and portable.

The plastic used in the body seems durable enough for regular use and easy cleaning. The rubberized finish gives it a nice tactile feel and prevents slipping. Overall the Bodum Bistro has a sleek, contemporary design that looks attractive on any countertop.

Grind Settings

The Bodum Bistro coffee grinder offers 12 adjustable grind settings, allowing you to finely tune the grind size for any brewing method. The settings range from extra fine for espresso to coarse for French press, with clearly marked steps in between.

Turning the hopper allows you to easily adjust between settings. Each click shifts the burrs to the next grind size. The hopper has a locking mechanism to keep it fixed in place once you've selected your setting. This ensures a consistent grind without the settings slipping during grinding.

The wide range of grind sizes and precise adjustability gives you maximum control over extraction and flavor when brewing. You can optimize the grind for any brew method and precisely dial in the right size particles for your beans. Whether you want a fine espresso powder or chunky French press grounds, the Bodum Bistro can accommodate your needs.

Grinding Capacity

The Bodum BISTRO burr coffee grinder has a 7.75 oz bean hopper which can hold enough coffee beans to grind approximately 12 cups of coffee per use. This makes it well-suited for regular daily home use by 1-2 coffee drinkers. The hopper is made of plastic with a rubberized non-slip grip which keeps it securely in place during grinding.

While the hopper capacity may be smaller than some bulk grinders designed for cafe use, it's a reasonable size for most home coffee drinkers. You can grind enough beans in one session for a full pot of drip coffee or to make espresso drinks for a few people. However, the hopper is too small for high volume use if you need to grind coffee for a large dinner party or event.

Overall, the hopper capacity hits a nice sweet spot between being too small for inconveniently frequent refills and too large where a lot of beans remain in the hopper getting stale. For most home users, it will allow grinding a sufficient amount of coffee beans for daily use without the hassle of constant refilling.

Grinding Mechanism

The Bodum Bistro uses conical steel burrs to grind the coffee beans. This type of burr grinder is preferred by many coffee experts over blade grinders.

The burrs have sharp teeth that crush and grind the coffee beans. Conical burrs slowly feed the beans through the grinder in a spiral movement. This produces a very consistent grind size.

Steel burrs are more durable than ceramic burrs. They hold their sharpness for longer and can grind thousands of pounds of coffee over their lifetime. The steel burrs in the Bistro are mounted on a cast iron base, adding further stability and reducing vibration during grinding.

Compared to blade grinders, burr grinders like the Bistro minimize the amount of coffee dust produced. This helps extract the best flavor from the ground coffee. The grind is more uniform, allowing water to extract the same amount of flavor from each ground particle.

Grind Consistency

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder produces very consistent grinds. The conical burr grinding mechanism crushes coffee beans between two abrasive surfaces, rather than chopping unevenly like blade grinders. This enables precise control over the grind size.

When grinding on finer settings, the Bistro generates uniform particle sizes with minimal boulders or fines. All grinds are evenly extracted during brewing for optimal flavor. The uniformity is impressive even on coarse French press settings.

Some reviewers did note the grind can be less consistent on the most extreme fine and coarse settings. But for common grind sizes like drip and pour-over, consistency remains excellent. Overall, the uniformity of the Bistro's grinds outperforms comparably priced blade and burr grinders.

Grinding Speed

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder has a very fast grinding speed, which is one of its major advantages. It can grind coffee beans at a rate of 2.5 to 5.5 grams per second, or about 150 to 330 grams per minute. This allows you to grind enough coffee for 8-12 cups in less than a minute.

The grinding speed is electronically controlled via a power pulse button. The longer you hold down the button, the finer the grind will be. This gives you precision control over the grind size. The Bodum also utilizes a borosilicate glass bean hopper, which helps keep the beans circulated for fast, even grinding.

The quick grind speed makes the Bodum Bistro perfect for busy mornings when you need to grind fresh beans and brew coffee in a hurry. You won't be left waiting around for your morning cup of joe. The grinding speed is comparable to many commercial cafe grinders.

Noise Level

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder operates at a moderate noise level that is similar to other electric burr grinders. Reviewers note that there is a low-pitched hum during grinding, but it is not irritatingly loud.

The noise levels seem comparable to other popular models such as the Baratza Encore or OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder based on reviews. The Bodum produces less high-pitched noise than a blade grinder would. Some users compare the sound to a food processor.

The noise level is likely to be one of the biggest downsides of this grinder for those who want to grind early in the morning without disturbing others. But it is not significantly louder than other electric burr grinders in this price range. The noise generated seems acceptable for most kitchen environments.

Ease of Use

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder is designed for simplicity and ease of use. The controls are straightforward, with a pulse or continuous grind button and a timer dial to adjust grind time. The timer can be set from 5 to 20 seconds, giving you plenty of flexibility.

Cleaning the grinder is also simple. The bean hopper, grounds catcher and outer housing can all be wiped down with a damp cloth to keep the grinder looking like new. The stainless steel conical burrs are not removable, but a brush can be used to sweep out any stale grounds stuck in the grinder.

Overall, assembly and daily use of the Bodum Bistro burr grinder is intuitive. The plastic grounds catcher snaps securely into place under the grinder spout. The bean hopper clicks into place on top of the grinder. And the cord can be wrapped neatly under the base when not in use. The simplicity of the Bodum Bistro makes it an easy addition to your morning coffee routine.

Pros and Cons

The Bodum Bistro burr coffee grinder has several pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• High-quality stainless steel conical burr grinding mechanism produces consistent grinds
• Lots of grind settings (12) to choose from for various brew methods
• Large 8.8 oz bean hopper capacity
• Fast grinding speed
• Compact and stylish design
• Good value for the price compared to similar grinders

Cons

• Louder than some other burr grinders when operating
• Bean hopper lid doesn't seal tightly so beans can go stale faster
• No portafilter holder for espresso grinding
• Grounds bin could be bigger than 5 oz
• Not ideal for ultra fine espresso grinds
• No timer function

Overall, the Bodum Bistro offers very good performance and grind quality for drip, pour over, and french press coffee. The many grind settings and hopper capacity make it versatile for home brewing. However, the noise and lack of features for espresso hold it back from being great for espresso drinks. It's a good mid-range burr grinder but not perfect.