Which espresso grinder is best for beginners? There's a lot to suggest that the Sage Smart Grinder Pro deserves precisely this title.
The question of excellent entry-level grinders has been occupying us for some time – partly because we receive many emails and comments daily with exactly this question. That's why we have specifically tested entry-level grinders in this price range over the last few years. The Sage Smart Grinder Pro has now gone through two tests with us. In April 2020, I had the opportunity to examine the grinder with the vice-barista champion (1x Germany, 3x Switzerland) Felix Hohlmann. In 2022, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro is part of our large espresso grinder comparison of 24 coffee grinders for home use.
In both test runs, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro impressed us. For us, the grinder is one of the most interesting espresso grinders for getting started in the world of coffee.
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Which criteria are important for qualitatively assessing an espresso grinder?
- Does the grinder grind espresso-fine? Can the grind size be set finely enough so that sufficient resistance can be built up in the portafilter to prevent the espresso from running through too quickly? (Guide: how to adjust espresso here.)
- Is the ground coffee homogeneous? Most of the ground coffee should match the target size and not clump. Many smaller or larger particles lead to increased acidity or bitterness in taste.
- Is it easy to use? Can the grind size be corrected in steps or steplessly, and is it easy to readjust the internal grinding mechanism?
- Consistency? Does the machine consistently dispense the desired amount of coffee, or does it fluctuate from shot to shot?
- Retention? How much coffee remains in the grinding mechanism after grinding and is therefore included as "old" coffee in the next grind?
- Heating up with regular use? Do the grinding burrs and thus the coffee heat up significantly with use? This can lead to changes in taste.
Espresso-fine!
The grind size of the espresso grinder can easily be set finely enough to brew a good espresso in 25 or 30 seconds. The grind size adjustment is made using the wheel located on the right side of the grinder. The digital display indicates the current grind setting. This helps with orientation.
It's a bit confusing that when turning the grind adjustment, you feel stepped adjustments of a gear that don't always correspond to the digital display. For example, I adjust the gear 3 steps, but the digital display only moves 2 steps. Consequently, one should not rely entirely on the grind display – which, in our opinion, is not possible anyway. Coffee is a natural product that changes due to external influences. For example, if the humidity in the room increases, the coffee powder clumps more, and the grinder should be slightly readjusted.
Working with an espresso grinder is, in this sense, never a finished process. Slight corrections are simply made from shot to shot.
The matter of the espresso grinder's consistency
We made 40 consecutive espresso shots. The grinder's consistency was astonishing. We set the grinder to a target amount of 18 grams. With the Sage Smart Grinder Pro, this setting is made via the grind time. So, on a programmable button, we set a grind time of 16 seconds. The grind time can be determined by trial and error and weighing. 16 seconds is relatively long compared to professional grinders but comparable to other grinders up to 500 Euros. (Commercial grinders grind an amount of approx. 18 grams in 3 – 6 seconds.)
Over 40 shots, the result fluctuated by a maximum of 0.4 grams. This value is very good and actually comparable to professional espresso grinders. In this case, it speaks more for the home grinder, as we have long wondered why commercial grinders are not more precise.
The large fluctuations in grinders are one of the reasons why participants in barista championships weigh every single shot with a scale.
How did the espresso taste, and how consistently did it flow?
By adjusting the grind size, we quickly arrived at a setting for a good espresso. This was balanced and met all the expectations we have for our Dreispitz Espresso. It was noticeable that after several consecutive shots, the extraction time became shorter and shorter. While we had extraction times of 29 seconds for the first shots, the tenth espresso ran through in only 22 seconds. The repeated shots also led to a significant heating of the ground coffee.
It must be said, however, that the grinder is not designed for such use. This should definitely be considered during use. By slight readjustment, the grind size and thus the extraction can be kept consistent.
However, too frequent grinding in a short time should still be avoided. Overheated coffee tastes significantly different, and the longevity of the grinder would also suffer.
Comparison of particle distribution. The Sage Smart Grinder Pro's particle distribution lies between that of the Sette 270 Wi and Graef on the right side and grinders with flat burrs on the left side. The grinders were each set so that the espresso extracted in the same time. More about this in the test report of the Graef CM800 and Niche.
Our data collected in 2021/22 also shows good grind quality, especially regarding the main peak of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro, as well as its smaller sibling, the Sage Dose Control. Good espresso grinders have a high and narrow main peak. In fact, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro is among the better grinders in the field of the 24 tested espresso grinders. The main peak can also be interpreted differently: the more particles fall within this range, the more precise the desired grind size is selected.
The fine peak of the Sage Smart Control is on the higher side. In terms of taste, this manifests in texture and a certain bitterness. In our tests, however, this did not dominate the coffee.
Operating the Sage Smart Espresso Grinder Pro
Operating the machine is easy. The side wheel turns smoothly, allowing for grind size adjustment. The digital display provides an idea of the current grind setting. The programmable grind time is consistent. Eight programmable areas are possible. This is completely excessive – but not bothersome.
Overall, the digital display provides good insight and makes control easier. We also have the Sage Dose Control espresso grinder here. It looks similar in construction but lacks the digital display. Our initial impression is that, especially for beginners, this is a practical tool.
As with the Sage Barista Pro and Express espresso machines, the grind size can be readjusted if the basic setting is too fine or too coarse. Because we have received many questions about these two devices, we have started a separate FAQ page. (Disclaimer: just to be clear. We do not sell Sage devices. We were not paid by Sage. We buy our test devices ourselves. And we test these devices because you have many questions about them, and we see answering coffee questions as coffee makers as one of our tasks.)
All grinders have a basic grind adjustment. This works for almost all coffees. However, light or dark roasted coffees can fall out of range. In that case, the basic adjustment of the grinding mechanism can be changed as shown in the following video.
Retention is the leftover ground coffee in the grinder
After each grind, some coffee powder remains in almost every grinder. In small crevices, screw openings, between the grinding burrs – these are all popular storage spots. The more coffee powder remains in such cavities, the more negatively it affects the next espresso extraction. The more regularly a grinder is used, the less of a problem this is. The longer ground coffee ages in the grinder, the more it affects the taste and the next extraction.
With the Sage Smart Grinder Pro, we measured approximately 2.7 grams of coffee in the retention. For this purpose, we disassembled the grinding mechanism and swept everything together. This is a lot compared to a grinder like the Niche Zero, which has only 0.47 grams of retention. Compared to the Graef CM800 and its measured 8 grams of coffee, however, this is a manageable value. The Graef is more the competitor that the Sage Smart Espresso Grinder must measure itself against in terms of price, and it wins this comparison.
Nevertheless, we would always advise you: as soon as the grinder stands for longer than 15 minutes, simply grind a few grams. Then you can be sure that the next espresso will be perfect and not brewed with old coffee.
Features and Conclusion on the Sage Smart Grinder Pro
We are providing a direct correction to our video here. In it, we mention that there is no portafilter holder on the grinder. That is incorrect. There are even two such holders, allowing you to rest the portafilter while the grinder grinds into it. This works with portafilters from 50 – 58 mm in diameter.
The grinder is very compact with a width of 22 cm, a height of 38 cm, and a depth of 15 cm. The casing is made of stainless steel and plastic.
We have a very good impression of the Sage the Smart Grinder Pro espresso grinder. So far, we have not tested an espresso grinder that performs so well for this price.
Therefore: the grinder is, for the time being, our beginner's recommendation as an espresso grinder.
