Breville BCG820BSSXL Coffee grinder: Full Review

The Breville BCG820BSSXL is a premium grade stainless steel conical burr coffee grinder designed for the home barista and coffee enthusiasts who want café quality coffee. This grinder features a step-less grind size selection with 60 settings that allow you to achieve the perfect grind for any brew method from espresso to French Press. It has a high torque 1600w direct drive motor that turns the hardened conical stainless steel burrs to create a consistent grind from coarse to ultra-fine with minimal fines and heating of the beans. The BCG820BSSXL has a wide grinding capacity range that can handle enough beans for 12-15 shots of espresso or 2 to 2 1/2 cups of drip coffee at a time, making it suitable for grinding enough for several cups or shots at once. With its stylish brushed stainless steel housing, digital timer with preset settings, and available accessories like dosing cradle and portafilter forks, the Breville BCG820BSSXL aims to take your home coffee experience to the next level while still being easy to use and maintain.

Design & Build Quality

The Breville BCG820BSSXL has a high-end stainless steel exterior that gives it a sleek, modern look perfect for any kitchen. The heavy-duty metal housing feels extremely sturdy and durable. All buttons and dials are made from metal as well, adding to the overall premium feel.

This grinder features a hardened steel conical burr grinding mechanism. The burrs are precisely cut and allow for a consistent grind. The burr casing and bean hopper are also constructed from stainless steel for maximum durability.

The Breville comes with a number of accessories that make it feel like a truly premium appliance. These include a grounds bin made from Tritan plastic that is odor and stain resistant, as well as a removable magnetic grounds tray that prevents coffee mess and allows for easy cleaning. There is also a convenient cord storage system located under the grinder.

Another option to consider is the Aigostar 7539905699. This grinder offers a compact and stylish design with a robust motor that delivers consistent grinding performance. Its adjustable settings allow for different grind sizes, making it ideal for various brewing methods. The Aigostar 7539905699 also features a large capacity hopper and a convenient one-touch operation for ease of use.

Overall, the materials and construction quality of the Breville are outstanding. It feels like it could last for years of daily use while still looking great in the kitchen. The metal exterior paired with high-end accessories give this grinder a very luxurious feel.

Grind Settings

The Breville BCG820BSSXL offers an impressive 60 grind settings to choose from. You can select fine espresso grinds all the way up to coarse grinds for French Press brewing.

Adjusting the grind size is easy - simply lift the hopper and turn the hopper collar to the desired numeric setting. The grinder features click steps between each setting, so you can precisely dial in the size you want. The numbers correspond to the various brew methods, with lower numbers for espresso and higher numbers for French Press.

The broad range of settings and easy adjustability let you customize grinds for any brew type. You don't have to guess and check to find the right texture. Just turn to the recommended setting for your brew method and you'll achieve optimal extraction and flavor.

If you're looking for a more compact and budget-friendly option, consider the Hamilton Beach 80335R. This grinder also offers versatility with its multiple grind settings, making it a convenient choice for both drip coffee makers and French Press. Its simple operation and durable stainless steel blades ensure consistent results, providing a reliable grinding experience without the need for a premium price tag. Perfect for those who need an efficient grinder on a budget.

Grinding Performance

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro delivers excellent grinding performance that produces consistent grinds for brewed coffee.

• Grind Speed: With a powerful DC motor, this grinder can grind coffee beans quickly. It only takes about 10-15 seconds to grind enough beans for a full pot of drip coffee. The grind speed is fast enough to not cause much heat buildup in the beans.

• Consistency: The conical burrs grind coffee beans evenly, resulting in a uniform grind size. The consistency allows you to reliably dial in the right grind size for your preferred brew method. The grounds have a uniform texture without a lot of fines or boulders.

• Noise Level: Despite its fast grind speed, the Breville grinder operates at a moderate noise level. It produces less high-pitched noise compared to other electric grinders. The noise is noticeable but not disturbingly loud. You can have a conversation near it while it's grinding.

Bean Hopper

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro comes with a generously sized hopper that holds about 1⁄2 pound of beans. This is more than enough capacity for most home use, reducing the need to frequently refill.

Filling the hopper is easy - just remove the lid and pour beans right in. The wide mouth opening makes it simple to add beans without spilling. The hopper also features a locking system to securely attach it to the grinder. Once locked, it stays firmly in place.

When it's time to switch beans, the hopper can be completely removed with the turn of the hopper release dial on the back. This allows all remaining beans to be emptied out before adding a new variety.

Overall, the hopper offers ample storage space in a user-friendly design. It's effortless to add beans, lock into place, and remove when needed. This is a hopper built with convenience in mind.

Grounds Bin

The Breville BCG820BSSXL has a large 1.5-pound ground bin capacity. The grounds bin is made of stainless steel which helps with grounds retention and easy cleanup.

To empty the bin, there is a handy release button on the front that allows the bin to slide out completely. The entire grounds bin is removable for fast and simple emptying into the trash or compost after grinding. No need to hold the machine over the garbage and hit the grounds out or use a plastic fork to scrape them out of a small opening.

The large capacity means you can grind many batches of coffee beans before needing to empty the bin. Even when grinding for espresso, the bin likely won't need emptying until you've pulled dozens of shots. This is very convenient compared to some small-capacity grinders that require emptying after just a few portions.

Overall, the grounds bin is well-designed for simple use and maintenance. The stainless steel material is durable, the 1.5-pound capacity is generous, and the front release button makes emptying fast and mess-free. The grounds bin is one of the standout easy-use features of this premium coffee grinder.

Ease of Use & Cleaning

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is designed for easy use and cleaning. The controls are simple and intuitive with a backlit LCD screen that clearly displays grind settings. There is also a handy reference guide on the inside hopper lid showing suggested grind sizes for various brew methods.

Operation is very straightforward - you simply choose your grind setting, turn the hopper to lock it in place, then press the start button. The grinder does the rest until you hit stop. An auto-off feature shuts the grinder down after a short period of inactivity for safety and energy savings.

Cleaning is also a breeze on this grinder. The upper burr is removable, allowing you full access to the grinding chamber for periodic deep cleaning. A handy cleaning brush is included. For quick cleaning between batches of different beans, you can use the grinder's grind adjustment dial to select "Clean" mode. This runs the burrs without beans to expel any residual grounds. The bean hopper, grounds bin, and all other parts are detachable and dishwasher safe.

Overall, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro excels in ease of use and keeping things simple for the user. Routine operation and maintenance are straightforward tasks anyone can manage.

Special Features

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro comes with several useful special features not found on most other home coffee grinders.

• Dose IQ Technology: This intelligent dosing system delivers the right amount of coffee on demand, from 5 to 60 grams. Simply choose your grind setting and desired dose size, and the grinder will automatically grind just the amount you need. This is extremely convenient and prevents waste.

• Precision Digital Time Display: An easy-to-read backlit LCD screen shows the grind time, number of shots or cups selected, grind size setting, and battery power level. You can adjust between grind times from 0.5 to 5.0 seconds in 0.2 second increments for complete control.

• Stainless Steel Conical Burrs: Hardened stainless steel conical burrs maximize bean flavor extraction and produce a consistent grind. The burrs have 16 grind settings to choose from for espresso, filter, and French Press brewing methods.

• Stepped Grinding Mechanism: The Breville grinder uses steps rather than a continuous sweep, allowing precise grind size adjustment for optimal espresso extraction. The steps help prevent the grind size from drifting during use.

• Portafilter Cradle: There is a dedicated holder that lets you grind directly into your portafilter with a hands-free operation. This is a great feature for making espresso at home.

• Grinding into grounds bin or portafilter: The Breville grinder can grind into the included grounds bin for most brew methods or directly into your espresso portafilter making workflow faster and simpler.

• Powerful DC Motor: A powerful direct current motor delivers maximum torque to efficiently grind a wide variety of roast levels with minimal static buildup.

Overall, the special features make the Breville Smart Grinder Pro one of the most versatile and high performing home coffee grinders available today. The advanced technology and precision grind control takes your home brewing to the next level.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Commercial quality burr grinder with high performance motor provides consistent grinds
• 60 precise grind settings from ultra fine to coarse for full flavor extraction
• Bean hopper holds 1/2 pound of beans for large batch grinding
• Heavy duty brushed stainless steel construction for durability
• Powerful 550-watt motor for fast grinding
• Digital timer grinds a preset amount, 0.2-2.0 seconds
• Easy to use controls and LCD display
• Grounds container holds up to 16 ounces
• Minimizes heat and friction to protect beans and oils
• Quiet operation suitable for early morning use

Cons

• Expensive price, though justified by commercial-grade quality
• Bean hopper could be larger for some users
• Grounds container fills quickly when grinding large batches
• Requires a learning curve to master all features
• Cleaning the burrs requires some disassembly
• Tall height may not fit under some cabinets

Conclusion

The Breville BCG820BSSXL is an excellent choice for coffee enthusiasts looking for a high-end home burr grinder. Its sleek and attractive brushed stainless steel design will look great on any countertop. The impressive 60 grind settings allow you to fine-tune grinds for espresso, filter, and French Press with precision.

The conical burrs provide fast, commercial-grade grinding performance. The grinder excels at producing uniform particle size for optimal flavor extraction. The 16 oz bean hopper has an airtight seal to keep beans fresh. The grounds bin can hold up to 1/2 pound of coffee grounds.

Overall, the Breville is very easy to use with its intuitive controls and LCD display. Keeping it clean is straightforward with the removable bean hopper, grounds bin, and burr cleaning brush. The hands-free grinding cradle allows you to grind directly into a portafilter.

If you don't mind paying a premium for one of the best electric coffee grinders, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an excellent choice. For a comparable alternative at a lower price point, consider the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder. The Baratza Virtuoso+ is another great option with superior grind consistency for espresso.

Overall, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro delivers exceptional grind quality and intuitive use in an attractive package. It's a worthwhile investment for coffee lovers who want precise control over their grind.