Fiorenzato Allground Sense Plus Review: GbW Grinder – Strengths and Weaknesses

The Fiorenzato Allground Sense Plus is the updated version of a grinder we know well by now. We have tested the version without a scale (without "Sense" in the name), the model sold as the Sense until June 2025, and the Plus version – the latest iteration of the grinder.

The Allground Sense Plus is a hopper grinder with an integrated scale – so-called Grind by Weight – and 64 mm flat burrs. It costs around 850 euros at Stoll Espresso and approximately 900 Swiss francs, placing it in the premium home segment. As always, we bought the grinder ourselves – several times over, I should add. The difference from its predecessor: a new display, better integrated, oval-shaped, and a minor software update. Technically – burrs, chamber, flapper – the Plus version is identical to the old version without Plus. That means the strengths remain. So do the weaknesses. The changes are so marginal that some retailers don't even advertise the new grinder as the "Plus" version. That said, the Plus version released in June 2025 has fully replaced the previous model. If you own the version launched before June 2025 – don't worry. In our view, there are no quality-relevant differences.

Design & Build Quality

At 9 kg and 44 cm tall, the Allground Sense Plus sits imposingly on the counter. Metal housing, premium build quality, no wobble, no cheap gaps. The portafilter holder locks in cleanly: smooth, firm, reliable. The new display is an aesthetic step forward compared to its predecessor. It mirrors the oval shape of the physical housing in its on-screen layout. The IPS panel is now easier to read from various angles and offers clearer colour reproduction.

One concrete software update worth mentioning: portions can now be programmed up to 50 g – on the predecessor model, the single-dose setting was capped at 12 g. Not a game-changer, but useful for anyone experimenting with larger doses or filter coffee.

The visual grind adjustment scale is even coarser than the actual grind steps of the grinder. This is a genuine weakness, and it's hard to understand why Fiorenzato hasn't improved this easily fixable indicator since the original Allground was launched. The red vertical marker is as wide as 1.5 dots on the scale, and the dots themselves are already quite wide. They correspond to the grinder's adjustment steps. Since there is no numerical scale, you have to count dots every time you want to return to a specific grind setting.

The community has found workarounds – marker tape, 3D-printed indicators, hand-drawn scales. The fact that users are searching 3D printing platforms for solutions the manufacturer hasn't delivered in five years speaks for itself.

Cleaning accessibility is exemplary. No tools needed to reach the burr chamber – brush it out, done. Three seconds and you're inside. This is a genuine benchmark that other manufacturers should study closely. We rate the cleaning experience as "light green" rather than full marks only because the grind setting gets displaced when you open the grinder and doesn't automatically return to where it was. But how quickly you can reach the heart of the grinder – the burr chamber – is exceptional.

Burrs & Technology

The core of the Allground Sense Plus: 64 mm flat burrs, fixed at 1,600 RPM. No RPM adjustment available. The grinder is designed for hopper operation with an integrated scale; single dosing is technically possible but not its primary purpose.

The grind adjustment works in steps. A wheel with notches runs over a metal pin when adjusting, which physically fixes the position and provides an audible click. Without the pin, the adjustment would be stepless. With it, there remains the option of positioning the grind setting on the raised section between two notches rather than in the notch itself – but this requires some finesse.

Staying in the notches, we measured step jumps of three to four seconds in extraction time. In practical terms, this means it is barely possible to dial in the grind accurately within the steps. Stay between the clicks and you effectively bypass the limitation – getting much closer to where you actually want to be.

Our criticism of the manufacturer stands. Anyone who always grinds the same coffee and finds their setting once will get along fine. Anyone who frequently switches between roasts or actively works with the grind setting will get frustrated – unless they learn to target the spaces between steps.

Grind Speed & Noise

8 seconds for 18 g – fast, more than sufficient for home use. In 10 seconds of continuous grinding, 23.8 g comes out. These are numbers you'd be happy with when serving multiple guests in a row. The speed is one reason we can see this grinder working well in a small café environment.

Noise level is 84.1 dB(A) – measured at 20 cm distance. That's the upper end of what we classify as "medium": noticeable, but not a persistent problem. The tone is even, no sharp whining, no struggling motor. It's a high noise level of the more refined variety. Eight seconds of operation – then silence.

Grind Temperature & Consistency

Grind temperature starts at 29.6 °C and rises to 32.0 °C after five consecutive grinds. No thermal issue, even with multiple shots back to back.

Now for consistency. The standard deviation over 10 grinds is 0.067 g. Individual output values look something like this: 17.9 – 18 – 17.9 – 18 – 18 – 18 – 17.9 grams. The GbW system does what it promises: the set amount comes out, grind after grind, even when switching between coffees, without the grinder needing to "settle in". When 17.9 g is output, that falls within the margin of the reference scale used for cross-checking. No misfires, no portafilter recognition errors, no outliers.

An important quality benchmark for Grind by Weight grinders is how they handle vibrations on the work surface. In the early days of this grinder type, we once had a grinder on the bench that would stop every time a tram passed the building.

The two versions of the Fiorenzato Allground Sense behave slightly differently here. The Plus model pauses when stronger vibrations occur and resumes once they stop. The pre-June model grinds through, showing fluctuating values during vibrations, but recovers once they subside. As long as the vibrations don't last too long, both versions reach their target cleanly.

Retention

The retention volume is 7.1 g in total – 6.6 g temporary, 0.5 g permanent. This is unchanged from the Plus version. Burr chamber, flapper, carriers – all identical. And 6.6 g of temporary retention volume is too much. That remains our assessment.

But we want to be clearer about why – and for whom it actually matters.

The first problem is familiar: anyone who grinds in the morning and comes back to the machine in the evening will push 6.6 g of coffee through on the next shot – coffee that has been sitting ground in the chamber for hours. For a double espresso, that's a third of the dose. The first espresso after a long break is something many forum users describe: watery, flat, off. This is exactly why.

The second problem is less obvious – and for a GbW grinder, it's actually the bigger one: retention volume sabotages dialling in. Anyone who adjusts the grind setting and pulls the next shot immediately is still working with a third of the old grind setting. You turn the adjustment, pull an espresso, evaluate it – and go finer again. But a third of that shot is still the previous setting. You're chasing a result you can never clearly see until you purge. For beginners who bought this grinder specifically to learn dialling in with GbW, this is a real limitation.

What this means in practice: always purge when you change the grind setting. We programme the single-dose button to 6 grams and consistently purge 6 grams after every adjustment.

Anyone grinding multiple espressos daily will barely notice the retention volume, because the ground coffee rarely sits in the chamber for long.

Grind Setting Repeatability

In the adjustment test – espresso (T4), ristretto (T5), lungo (T6), return to espresso (T7) – the Allground Sense Plus shows a clear strength: the x50 value deviates by around 11 µm between the starting point (262.3 µm) and the return (273.2 µm). For a stepped grinder, that's good. The mechanism clicks in precisely – if you've found your setting and come back, you land there again.

The paradox remains: repeatability works. Finding the ideal point between two clicks in the first place – that's the challenge.

Particle Distribution

We analyse particle distribution in collaboration with the ZHAW using a Retsch Camsizer X2.

Espresso setting (T4):
x50: 262.3 µm – Fine particle content (Qf <100 µm): 31.8 % – 60% peak width: 177.7 µm

A fine particle content of 31.8% is high: more body, more density, higher extraction resistance in the puck. A higher fine particle content is typical of lower-quality grinders – or of very good ones with a narrow main peak, which is exactly the case here. The main peak at 177.7 µm is narrow. Very narrow. Despite the high fine content, this means even, structured extraction.

The grinder grinds precisely – and you taste it in the cup. Put together: the Allground Sense Plus is not a specialist for one roast style. It's a grinder that reaches in both directions – from light-roasted specialty coffees (such as our Lila range) to classically developed espressos of the Italian variety like the Compadre.

Cupping Notes

In the blind tasting with the Apas Espresso (18 g in, 42 g out, 25 seconds), the Allground Sense Plus shows a clear character: pronounced sweetness, soft texture, pleasant body. The finish is long and present – cocoa-like notes that linger unusually well. A bright stone fruit component was also detectable, something that rarely comes through this clearly with this coffee.

This aligns with the particle distribution findings: high fine content, narrow peak, body-forward cup with structured extraction. A very solid combination for specialty coffees and more classically roasted espressos alike.

One practical note: you don't need a WDT tool with this grinder. The ground coffee distributes itself well into the portafilter – with 18 g and centred placement, there's little to complain about.

Verdict

The Fiorenzato Allground Sense Plus is a very good grinder. That's the main takeaway – and one we should have stated more clearly in our first review video.

It has two weaknesses the manufacturer hasn't addressed in years. One of them you can work around yourself through modification. The other you can manage (grind adjustment) – and if you grind a lot or purge between sessions, the second one barely shows up (retention volume). Unless you're buying expensive coffees...

Both are unnecessary. The grind adjustment issue is inexcusable at this price point, and we want a proper fix from Fiorenzato – not from the community.

Strengths:
Exceptionally precise, reliable GbW system – consistent output grind after grind. Excellent particle distribution: high fine content, narrow peak, structured extraction. Good grind setting repeatability thanks to the stepped mechanism. Tool-free cleaning, accessible in seconds – benchmark class. Robust, premium build quality.

Weaknesses:
7.1 g total retention volume, of which 6.6 g is temporary – unchanged from the previous version. Problem one for anyone who grinds infrequently. Problem two for anyone using the GbW system to learn how to dial in. Grind adjustment too coarse: three to six seconds of extraction time difference between two clicks, no numerical scale. The manufacturer has not done its homework.

Who is it for?
Anyone who grinds daily, uses a consistent coffee, and dials in once – then mostly leaves the setting alone. Anyone looking for a reliable GbW system that delivers the same dose grind after grind. Anyone who values clean, accessible maintenance. And anyone who wants a robust, premium grinder that delivers in the cup at a very fair price.

A dark horse for small cafés? Worth considering. We'll be putting the grinder through its paces in a café context. The speed speaks in its favour. The retention volume is forgivable with high throughput – and how practical the between-step adjustment is in a real café workflow is something we'll test.

Who is it not for?
Anyone who frequently switches between roasts and needs precise grind control will struggle with the coarse steps. In that case, a single-dose grinder is the better choice anyway. Anyone who drinks only one or two espressos a day with long gaps between will notice the temporary retention volume in the cup. With 6.6 g of retention volume, always purge before evaluating a grind adjustment.

Value for money:
Around 900 euros for an excellent GbW system, outstanding particle distribution, exemplary cleaning access, and robust build quality – that's genuinely fair. The fact that retention volume and grind adjustment have remained unchanged for years is not a reason to walk away, but it is a failing. The potential is there. If Fiorenzato addresses these two points, this becomes a grinder without a serious rival in its class.

We show how the Allground Sense Plus performs against other GbW grinders in our grind-by-weight comparison.

Technical Specifications