Hand crank grinders were used by coffee lovers who preferred manually grinding their coffee at home. But in the last few years, automatic grinders have replaced them. While there are people who use modern coffee makers with built-in grinders, the majority of them, have upgraded to these automatic grinders due to the benefits that they offer.
If you too are looking to purchase an affordable burr grinder from a renowned brand, BCG800XL Smart Grinder from Breville can be an excellent choice. The grinder comes with a host of innovative features that are available only in expensive premium grinders. In this Breville Smart Grinder Review, we’ll have a detailed look at the features and benefits of this burr grinder.
Contents
Features
Dosing IQ- The grinder uses an advanced Dosing IQ technology which automatically calibrates every dose whenever the grind settings are changed. This ensures that you’ll always have the accurate amount of grinds you need irrespective of whether you are selecting coarse or fine grind size.
25 Grind Settings- Different coffee makers and preparations need different grind sizes. This Breville grinder has 25 different grind options to allow you to make many different types of coffee in any coffee maker. Be it uniform grinds to make French press or consistent, fine grind for making Espresso, this coffee grinder will be perfect for every application.
Conical Burrs- The grinder features 2 x 40mm conical burrs made from stainless steel. Unlike the blade grinders, the conical shape of the burrs keeps the grinding heat at a minimum to ensure that the essential oils of coffee beans remain protected.
Manual Adjustments- While BCG800XL is an automatic grinder, you can also use the portafilter activation or cancel/hold switch for making custom grinds. Simply release the button, and the grinding will stop. It enables you to manually select the calculated crushing amount by the Dosing IQ technology to make sure that the grinds perfectly suit your preferences.
1 Pound Bean Hopper- The bean hopper in this Breville coffee grinder has been designed very thoughtfully. It has 1 pound capacity and features a locking system for closing the bottom of the hopper to enable users to effortlessly remove it while making sure that the beans remain in the hopper. There is also a lid for the hopper along with a ring remover. This means that you can also remove and use the hopper as an air-tight container for storing coffee beans.
Benefits
Easy to Use- The Breville grinder has an intuitive LCD panel which displays all the different options. Below the screen, there are 3 push buttons – Adjust Amount to select between Weaker and Stronger, Amount in terms of shots or cups and Start/Cancel. The large knob on the right side of the grinder can be used for adjusting the grind. Using this grinder is very simple, and people who have not used a grinder in the past would be able to use it easily.
Minimum Noise- As compared with many other grinders in this price range and even more expensive models, the Breville BCG800XL is much quieter. Many of the Breville grinder reviews on the internet too have appreciated the smooth performance of this coffee grinder.
Easy Cleaning- The coffee grinder features a removable catch tray to allow users to easily eliminate the mess created while grinding coffee. Even the hopper can be easily removed for cleaning. While the detachable parts can be easily washed in the sink, the area which cannot be detached (housing) only requires a few wipes from damp cloth now and then. However, the frequency of cleaning depends on how often you use this grinder.
Compact and Light in Weight- The grinder is made from plastic and stainless steel, which Breville uses on almost all of its products. As the unit is compact and weighs only 5.5 pounds, it can be easily stored, used, and won’t take a lot of counter space.
Stylish Built- BCG800XL looks highly sophisticated and is available in three attractive colors- black, cranberry and silver. The LCD Display of the grinder looks intuitive, user-friendly and modern. Over, it is highly functional and elegant too.
Accessories- The grinder also comes with a variety of accessories, like 58mm portafilters, 50mm and 54mm portafilter cradles and a cleaning brush for the conical burr. It also comes with a user manual with detailed instructions.
Specifications
- Brand- Breville
- Model Number- BCG800XL
- Dimension- 6 x 8.2 x 15.5 inches
- Weight- 5.5 pounds
- Material- Stainless Steel and Plastic
- Burrs are made from stainless steel for enhanced durability
- Upper burrs can be easily removed and also come with a lid using it as a container for storing beans
- Innovative Dosing IQ technology for automatically calculating the dose when the grind settings are changed
- LCD display for enhanced convenience
- 25 different grind settings to select from various levels of fineness
- Produces minimum noise while being used
- Easy to clean
- Value-for-money product
- 1-year warranty
- Not an ideal grinder for grinding oily beans
- Some users have mentioned that the beans get jammed at times
Conclusion
Overall, Breville BCG800XL is one of the best coffee grinders currently available on the market. It looks attractive, the LCD display is pretty neat, doesn’t take a lot of space on the counter, and does a great job of delivering consistent grind for many different types of coffee machines and preparations.
While some users have complained about not being able to use oilier beans and bean jams, given the price tag, it is still an excellent coffee grinder.
All the important feature and benefits of this coffee grinder have been discussed in this Breville Smart Grinder review. However, if you do have any queries, do write them to us with the help of the comments section below. And don’t forget to visit other pages of our website to know more about some of the best coffee machines.
