![The elusive dual-purpose grinder: Espresso and Pourover [approx $500 CAD].](https://www.diningandcooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/fdgurdx52i1g1-scaled.jpeg "The elusive dual-purpose grinder: Espresso and Pourover [approx $500 CAD].")
I’ve seen some similar posts over the years but it’s been some time and none of them quite hit my sweet spot.
Background: I live in Vancouver, Canada. For over 8 years, I worked the Gaggia Classic/Breville Smart Grinder Pro. I always thought the grinder would be a temporary solution because well, you know. But other things took priority in life and I just got used to it.
(Oddly enough, I tasted its shortcomings more in the pourovers, with all of those fines, than my espresso.)
I make 1-2 pourover coffee cups every weekday. And then it’s espresso and milk drinks all weekend. The important note here is that I typically only switch grind settings twice a week. I also used to work in the industry so I’m pretty quick with my dial in.
The Gaggia died last week (long story) and I was able to pick up a Rancilio Silva. The espresso machine shift (and great price for the machine) and the onset of Black Friday got me thinking: it might be time to finally put the Breville to rest.
But—my coffee process makes for a tricky (or not?) decision as to which grinder is the right choice.
So, I humbly turn to the community for thoughts/experience/advice:
A grinder that can do a decent job with both espresso and pourover grinds. Ideally in the $300-600 CAD world. But I’m open to going used for a better machine.
I’ve mostly been looking at:
-DF54
-DF64
-Eureka Mignon Silenzio 55
-Baratza Sette 30
Which would you choose? Or would you go with something else?
Thanks!
by slowsundaycoffeeclub
24 Comments
I would take the Sette 30 off your list. It lacks the fine-grained adjustments needed to dial in espresso, unless you upgrade it to a Sette 270 by purchasing the micro-adjustment ring.
I would suggest the following:
1. DF54 if low budget is the most important factor.
2. DF64 if you want faster grinding than the 54 and the ability to later upgrade with aftermarket burrs.
3. CF64V, newer version of the DF64
4. Silenzio if you don’t want to single dose.
For used, look for Eureka Specialita (has a much better timer than Silenzio), Niche Zero or Timemore 064s/078s.
As someone who does pourover and spro regularly… Please consider having two separate grinders. You can keep your space savings and come in under budget. The Starseeker E55 Pro is a nice stepless single dose conical grinder with minimal retention. I feel like it does a pretty good job with all types of spro if you slightly adjust your feed rate. The Kingrinder K6 is a great heptagonal burr hand grinder that is incredible for filter coffee (if you ask me). I completely understand not wanting to hand grind for espresso. That takes a while even if you have the forearm strength. But hand grinding is really quick and easy for pourover. Both grinders take up minimal space and come in at under $300 USD.
Lagom casa
Have you looked at the [Timemore Sculptor 064s](https://www.timemore.com/products/timemore-electric-coffee-grinder-sculptor-series?variant=44668247146738&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc_pmax&utm_campaign=Sales-performance-max-sculptor-us-0921&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21732903335&gclid=CjwKCAiAw9vIBhBBEiwAraSATm6L_fOZrM8GkxK_HEBix2O0SLvJG753WG4qgfPbZqSpZkBQNdgFXhoC3HoQAvD_BwE)?
I have DF54 would not recommend as single grinder, Im not sure if I can recommend it at all but it’s just my experience.
I think you can get best hand grinder for pourover (K6, ZP6 or J Ultra or even K Ultra) I have K Ultra and use it when DF54 clogged.
Fellow Opus? Buy $100 of coffee.
I have had quite a few grinders and… just get a good one for espresso and a cheap one for pour over. It’s a nightmare going from espresso to pour over and back and with the amount of coffee you will waste dialing it back in every time you’ll eventually have been able to buy 2 extra grinders.
Get a hand grinder for the pour over if moneys that tight. Chock it into a drill or a cheap electric screw driver and have at it.
I have the DF64 v1 with SSP multi modal burrs and it was great with my Silvia and now with my Robot. But I have another grinder for pourover so I can’t speak to that.
DF83
Timemore 064s has served me well.
Granted I almost exclusively use it for espresso.
I got the eureka 65 single dose and really like it. Not many reviews out there though
I’ve been very happy with my Niche Zero for a number of years. Nearly every day we use it for both espresso and aeropress. It’s really easy to dial back and forth between grinds for different brew types.
For the best coffee in both settings (given the budget) the answer likely is a DF54 for Espresso and a ZP6 for pourover.
Other option would be stretching a bit for a DF64 for upgradability down the road with newer SSP burs and going Q Air for the POs.
I have a DF83 and it works well for both!
Just got a df83 second hand for 550.
The df 64 will do both, it’s a pain in the ass to switch between grind sizes all the time though.
Id honestly get a df64 and a cheaper one for regular drip coffee.
I used to have a df64 for espresso and a capresso grinder for drip. It worked well.
I now use my df64 for drip and a libra ap for espresso.
Did people still use the Baratza Vario? It doesn’t compete in the burr size race, but actually does a good job with big grind size changes while being relatively consistent.
I think I’d just get a 1zpresso k-ultra. Hand grinding espresso with it isn’t that big of a deal. Roughly 30s for 18g.
Also switching is a breeze, as the dial only goes one rotation.
If you want you could always add an electric one down the line.
I really like my eureka , it just feels well built
If you’re interested, I’m on Vancouver Island and selling my Eureka Mignon Facile.
Baratza sette is soooo loud. I would never purchase again
I bought the DF64 for this exact use and have 0 regrets.
The stock burrs are pretty good for both!
Varia VS3 Gen 2, been using it for the past 2 years twice a day for both espresso and pour overs and seemed to be the best decision in that price range.
Not sure if you can get a Fiorenzato AllGround for that price, the GBW version is about $900 outside of the US new. I don’t do it often but switching from espresso to filter you just keep going on the adjustment ring. You have to purge some beans in the transition but it’s like a second or two of grounds.