I don’t want to get into this “like in my day” thing, but when I was first starting out in coffee, having a burr grinder was a large deal. Flat, conical, ceramic, stainless steel, it didn’t matter unless it was a blade grinder. The grinder market today is impoverished in terms of choice and at extremely reasonable prices. And so it is with the latest grinder options hitting the market. From Grin is a fresh grinder option that seems to do it all, and is already on Kickstarter.
Like most fresh brands trying to break into the specialty coffee equipment market, Grinista takes a lot of design cues from Friend; it looks like Ode. But that — and the 64mm flat burrs — is about where the similarities end. While Ode focuses solely on filter coffee, Grinista bills itself as a one-stop shop for all coffee-making methods, from espresso and Turkish coffee to French press and icy brew.
And if Ode is a meditation on simplicity, Grinista is an exercise in maximalism. The Shenzhen, China-based company has packed the grinder with just about every feature you’ll find in a newfangled coffee grinder. With stepless grinding, a built-in scale and timer, magnetic mounting, and even adjustable speed, Grinista has it all. Another thoughtful touch is the ground coffee container, which fits neatly into the 58mm filter basket, making it basic to carry your ground coffee.
Grinista is also introducing a fresh feature to the grinder market: auto-knocking. With the touch of a button, “the grinder’s auto-knocking function shakes coffee residue from the burrs and grinding chute, reducing waste.” This, according to Kickstarter, results in a grind retention of less than 0.1g per 10g of coffee.
The only design flaw—which may not be a flaw at all, depending on how you brew—is the size of the hopper. The single-dose hopper has a maximum capacity of 40g. So, if you brew, say, a 50-gram Chemex every morning, you’d have to grind in batches. The Grinist’s motor is capable of 5nM of torque, while the Ode’s produces 6nM.
Grinista is available in matte black and white. It can be equipped with lightweight and gloomy wood accents on the dial and hopper cover, allowing for intriguing and personalized configurations.
With about a week and a half left in the campaign, Grinista has surpassed its $10,000 goal, raising nearly $80,000 from over 400 backers. But there are still plenty of rewards and large discounts. Potential backers can still secure their own Grinista for $199, 50% off the $398 MSRP. The estimated delivery date for rewards is February 2025.
There has never been a better time for the home grinder market, and coffee lovers are the beneficiaries. For more information or to support the campaign, visit Grinista’s Kickstarter Page.
