What do you guys think of this coffee grinder for start up small cafe
While I get my business up and running what do you think about this grinder ?
by Internal_Copy3237
27 Comments
octxtt
This will most definitely not work. It’s not a commercial grinder, let alone a decent home grinder. Aside from shot quality, the motor will probably quit on you within the first month. What’s your budget for a grinder? I’d go for at least a Fiorenzato AllGround Sense, although that’s more of a home grinder than a commercial one as well. (Or Niche Zero, but in a Café environment, grind by weight is probably a little easier to use depending on how many customers you have coming in)
We bought one for our coffee trailer which is pretty low-volume. Time will tell…
skippymyman
They (Shardor) make a commercial version that is more expensive ($250), better motor, and metal housing. I’d feel better about that. But still, probably not the best idea.
Lexoffthewall12
I don’t think Amazon is the best option when it comes to grinders or even espresso machines. I would personally try to get name brand products like Breville and Rocket. They’re more on the pricier side but the quality of the grind would be 10x better. Seattle Coffee Gear is also a great website that has all different kinds of grinders to choose from with videos on how each one works and their features. Hope this helps!
sandwich_influence
Please only buy commercial machines for a business. The product will be better and it will be much more reliable. Look into Mazzer or Mahlkonig.
goat20202020
Coffee grinders like this won’t be able to keep up with your customer traffic. It’ll fall out of calibration very often throughout the day. And it’s slow in general. A grinder and an espresso machine are two places you don’t want to skimp on.
Personally as a barista I hate working at cafes that don’t have a dual chamber for the grinder so I can easily pull decaf shots.
Pull_my_shot
Very much no. Look for a used Mazzer mini or Super Jolly.
spankedwalrus
my recommendation is to talk to people in the industry where you live and hire a consultant. a ton of people try to start a cafe on their own thinking ‘how hard could it be?’, and end up making a lot of expensive and very avoidable mistakes.
transluciiiid
my old cafe had this. it constantly got clogged and ended up breaking, i’d look into something more commercial!
great_mango_juicy07
As well as maintenance and longevity, you might wanna consider the attitudes of the customer. They don’t usually go to the shop to buy a glorified coffee they could replicate at home, using the exact same or similar machine. Try to think about how you’d feel if you went to a coffee shop and saw the exact same cheap machine you scrolled thru that one night on Amazon. You might get away with it to some extent if your shop primary focus is on the value and quality of beans though (they better be impressive too… ) or the price is incredible because it’s not going into machine costs etc.
Where do you see yourself in the future and what is your brand identity?
tableferret
Stop buying garbage off Amazon
crowcawer
Check restaurant depot, or call the cafés in your area to ask if they have any used equipment they would be willing to part with
Odd_Cockroach_3967
I have to say, as someone who hasn’t started their own but been part of new cafes or very very small ones, sometimes a grinder can start acting funny or just not work all of a sudden for no reason. It’s nice to have a plan B grinder as backup so you can keep pumping out the coffee and fix it later.
That being said, this looks sketchy to even use as a backup.
sum-9
No.
Sexdrumsandrock
No
Expert_Cantaloupe247
Mazzer is really worth it. Trust me.
PNW_Uncle_Iroh
Nope. That will not do the job at all
spytez
Sounds like it’s chinese garbage that’s going to break down quickly and you cannot repair.
Find a company in your area that does espresso machine reapirs. These will be the people who support and repair your equipment. Ask them what grinders they support, sell, and suggest. You will save money in the long run from not having to replace trash you bought because it was inexpensive, being closed because your gear is down, or in maintenance costs.
For example, when this garbage dies on you after a few months what are you going to do? Close for a few days until an amazon replacement comes in? No, you call your service provider, they order a new grinder and bring you in one to use for a few days until your new one shows up. You save thousands not having to close until your package is delivered.
Grubbens
Compaq makes some great machines you might want to look into
oliverpls599
Can we, as a race, stop opening businesses in sectors we have little to no knowledge or experience in?
MaxxCold
No
ander594
Google NSF standards for food service equipment
You have some homework to do.
MintyTramp29
I dont want to be that guy. But if you’re having to ask if this type of cheap grinder will be good for your cafe. . . You should probably pump the brakes and do a lot more research on what you actually need.
For any coffee shop, the grinder is arguably, the most important piece of equipment. And if you have no idea what you need to be looking for, maybe you should stop before you start 😬 or do tons more research
workshopmonk
Who the hell is shopping for COMMERCIAL COFFEE EQUIPMENT on Amazon? Honestly.
meringuewaste
The hopper looks tinyyy. Bear in mind that with commercial use you will need a lot of maintenance. Your burrs need changing every 6-12 months depending on use for example. Where will you get replacement burrs from? Will the screws wear down after a couple of times dissembling the grinder for cleaning and maintenance? What if you need more help than given in a manual by a technician?
Most roasteries loan out coffee equipment. This comes with the expertise if your equipment breaks down and usually free call outs if you need a technician to help you fix anything.
Like everyone else said, if you’re going commercial do not buy from amazon. Go through roasteries or commercial coffee equipment sellers. Don’t save on something upfront that will cost you a lot of money and heartache down the line.
jiafujang
If you’re opening a coffee shop follow scott rao advice : buy a real good grinder, even if it cost more than the Coffee machine. Because a good grinder with a less good machine will give you a good coffee. Think investment
27 Comments
This will most definitely not work. It’s not a commercial grinder, let alone a decent home grinder. Aside from shot quality, the motor will probably quit on you within the first month.
What’s your budget for a grinder? I’d go for at least a Fiorenzato AllGround Sense, although that’s more of a home grinder than a commercial one as well. (Or Niche Zero, but in a Café environment, grind by weight is probably a little easier to use depending on how many customers you have coming in)
Tom’s has a good review:
https://tomscoffeecorner.com/shardor-64mm-flat-burr-grinder-review/
We bought one for our coffee trailer which is pretty low-volume.
Time will tell…
They (Shardor) make a commercial version that is more expensive ($250), better motor, and metal housing. I’d feel better about that. But still, probably not the best idea.
I don’t think Amazon is the best option when it comes to grinders or even espresso machines. I would personally try to get name brand products like Breville and Rocket. They’re more on the pricier side but the quality of the grind would be 10x better. Seattle Coffee Gear is also a great website that has all different kinds of grinders to choose from with videos on how each one works and their features. Hope this helps!
Please only buy commercial machines for a business. The product will be better and it will be much more reliable. Look into Mazzer or Mahlkonig.
Coffee grinders like this won’t be able to keep up with your customer traffic. It’ll fall out of calibration very often throughout the day. And it’s slow in general. A grinder and an espresso machine are two places you don’t want to skimp on.
Personally as a barista I hate working at cafes that don’t have a dual chamber for the grinder so I can easily pull decaf shots.
Very much no. Look for a used Mazzer mini or Super Jolly.
my recommendation is to talk to people in the industry where you live and hire a consultant. a ton of people try to start a cafe on their own thinking ‘how hard could it be?’, and end up making a lot of expensive and very avoidable mistakes.
my old cafe had this. it constantly got clogged and ended up breaking, i’d look into something more commercial!
As well as maintenance and longevity, you might wanna consider the attitudes of the customer. They don’t usually go to the shop to buy a glorified coffee they could replicate at home, using the exact same or similar machine. Try to think about how you’d feel if you went to a coffee shop and saw the exact same cheap machine you scrolled thru that one night on Amazon. You might get away with it to some extent if your shop primary focus is on the value and quality of beans though (they better be impressive too… ) or the price is incredible because it’s not going into machine costs etc.
Where do you see yourself in the future and what is your brand identity?
Stop buying garbage off Amazon
Check restaurant depot, or call the cafés in your area to ask if they have any used equipment they would be willing to part with
I have to say, as someone who hasn’t started their own but been part of new cafes or very very small ones, sometimes a grinder can start acting funny or just not work all of a sudden for no reason. It’s nice to have a plan B grinder as backup so you can keep pumping out the coffee and fix it later.
That being said, this looks sketchy to even use as a backup.
No.
No
Mazzer is really worth it. Trust me.
Nope. That will not do the job at all
Sounds like it’s chinese garbage that’s going to break down quickly and you cannot repair.
Find a company in your area that does espresso machine reapirs. These will be the people who support and repair your equipment. Ask them what grinders they support, sell, and suggest. You will save money in the long run from not having to replace trash you bought because it was inexpensive, being closed because your gear is down, or in maintenance costs.
For example, when this garbage dies on you after a few months what are you going to do? Close for a few days until an amazon replacement comes in? No, you call your service provider, they order a new grinder and bring you in one to use for a few days until your new one shows up. You save thousands not having to close until your package is delivered.
Compaq makes some great machines you might want to look into
Can we, as a race, stop opening businesses in sectors we have little to no knowledge or experience in?
No
Google NSF standards for food service equipment
You have some homework to do.
I dont want to be that guy. But if you’re having to ask if this type of cheap grinder will be good for your cafe. . .
You should probably pump the brakes and do a lot more research on what you actually need.
For any coffee shop, the grinder is arguably, the most important piece of equipment. And if you have no idea what you need to be looking for, maybe you should stop before you start 😬 or do tons more research
Who the hell is shopping for COMMERCIAL COFFEE EQUIPMENT on Amazon? Honestly.
The hopper looks tinyyy. Bear in mind that with commercial use you will need a lot of maintenance. Your burrs need changing every 6-12 months depending on use for example. Where will you get replacement burrs from? Will the screws wear down after a couple of times dissembling the grinder for cleaning and maintenance? What if you need more help than given in a manual by a technician?
Most roasteries loan out coffee equipment. This comes with the expertise if your equipment breaks down and usually free call outs if you need a technician to help you fix anything.
Like everyone else said, if you’re going commercial do not buy from amazon. Go through roasteries or commercial coffee equipment sellers. Don’t save on something upfront that will cost you a lot of money and heartache down the line.
If you’re opening a coffee shop follow scott rao advice : buy a real good grinder, even if it cost more than the Coffee machine. Because a good grinder with a less good machine will give you a good coffee.
Think investment
MALKOING ALL DAY FOR A CAFE