The smell of fresh coffee and its smooth taste is what most coffee lovers look forward to when they wake up. And the key to unlocking that smooth experience is the coffee grind and the grinder you use. Stale coffee grinds will lead to flat, bitter coffee, but fresh coffee grinds will produce smooth, tasty coffee.
Unlike traditional or manual coffee grinders, a single-dose coffee grinder ensures that every cup you brew is as fresh as the last. Most traditional coffee grinders adversely affect coffee flavor due to the coffee retention between the burrs, the burr chamber, and the exit chute, ultimately causing your coffee to lose its flavor.
Now, instead of purging the first 5 grams of your precious expensive coffee before making your espresso, there are single-dose coffee grinders you can use to get the perfect cup of joe every time.
Understanding Single-Dose Coffee Grinding
If you want to enjoy perfect espresso every morning or when you need a pick-me-up, a single-dose coffee grinder will do just that! As seen, single-dose coffee grinders are a must-have for every home barista who loves preparing and enjoying a fresh and delicious espresso every time. Not only will you be able to work faster, but you will also get to wow your visitors with a delicious brew. Their almost zero grind retention will make it easy to transition between different brews, thus saving you time and your priceless coffee beans!
Although single-dose grinders don’t precisely have zero retention, they do have very low grind retention. The retention can vary based on the roast level, burr size, coffee grinder, and age of the coffee.
A single-dose coffee grinder has bellows and is usually pumped to create an airflow to expel coffee trapped between the burrs. However, you should note that the amount that remains is negligible. For example, the Turin DF64 single-dose coffee grinder retains about 0.2 grams, while traditional hopper grinders can retain about 7 grams between the burrs.
Most manufacturers are developing better designs to reduce grind retention in single-dose coffee grinders. For example, the Mignon Single Dose grinder has a 15-degree chamber and chute incline to ensure a uniform grind consistency and reduce retention.
Popular single-dose coffee grinders include Mahlkönig EK43 grinder, Ceado E37SD Single Dose Grinder, Ceado E37Z Hero / Naked Single Dose Grinder, Ceado E5SD Single Dose Grinder, Eureka Oro Mignon Single Dose.
Our Top Picks: Best Single Dose Coffee Grinders
Here are some of the best single-dose coffee grinders you should consider in 2023
Ceado e37sd Single Dose Coffee Grinder
Ceado e37sd makes it easier to make a single cup of espresso, pour-over, French Press, or any other brew you want without wasting your precious coffee grinds. This single-dose grinder Has no hopper like most coffee grinders but has a funnel mounted in a bellows.
Ceado e37sd single-dose coffee grinder enables you to adjust grind size thanks to its worm gear set up with seventy complete rotations for precise coffee grind adjustment. This technology ensures that there is no chance of your coffee grind setting drifting. Depending on your brew method, you can easily change the grind setting from coarse to fine. Tapping the bellows attachment will release the ground coffee from this Ceado single-dose coffee grinder and reset it for another single dose. Other single-dose coffee grinders from Ceado include the Ceado e37z hero single-dose coffee grinder and Ceado e5sd single-dose coffee grinder.
Features
- Has 83 mm titanium burrs for a longer lifespan
- Super-precise worm gear adjustment
- Zero retention
- It is easy to use
- Easy to unlock and set the gear
Eureka Mignon Single Dose Coffee Grinder
Eureka is an Italian company that stepped in to fill the single-dosing coffee grinder gap created after Niche Zero couldn’t fill the gap. They Have high-quality grinders and have since produced Eureka Mignon Single Dose, a great addition to many coffee brewers. The SingleDoseBrew coffee grinder has become an instant hit for consistently extracting delicious brew every time.
The Eureka Oro Mignon Single Dose has a distinctive boxy build and sharp lines. It comes with a 54mm stainless steel dosing cup, and the grinder has a wooden lid and base, giving it a polished and sophisticated look.
Pros
- The Eureka single-dose coffee grinder has 65mm flat burrs for fast grinding
- low retention
- Stunning design
- It has an AC engine for higher efficiency, resistance, and durability
- It doesn’t make noises like other single-dose coffee grinders
- It produces delicious brews
Cons
- Some users complained of vibrations during grinding
- There is still some grind retention, albeit not very noticeable
MiiCoffee DF64 Single Dosing Coffee Grinder
The MiiCoffee DF64 single-dosing coffee grinder comes with 64mm flat burrs that you can upgrade whenever necessary. It has a blow-out funnel to ensure no coffee retention in the burrs after grinding. This Italian-made single-dose coffee grinder provides precision grind quality for the desired brew. It is among the best single-dose coffee grinders, priced under $1000.
The MiiCoffee DF64 single-dosing coffee grinder has a grind setting that indicates the ranges for whatever brewing method you want. You can also check out the MiiCoffee DF83 Single Dose Coffee Grinder, an upgrade from the DF64 single-dose coffee grinder.
Pros
- It is easier to use
- Faster grinding time
- Not too loud
Cons
- It has a silicon declumper that causes some retention
- Some users complain about static after each grind
Other great single-dose coffee grinders include:
Mahlkonig EK43, Molar Mini Z, Versalab M3 Single Dose, Bentwood Vertical 63 Single Dose or Hopper, Monolith Titan Conical Burr by Kafatek Single Dose, Acaia Orbit Single Dose and Kopi Deva Single Dose coffee grinder.
What are the Advantages of Single dose coffee grinders?
Here are the advantages of a single-dose coffee grinder.
- It offers the convenience of grinding coffee beans just before brewing, thus ensuring maximum freshness and aroma.
- Professional baristas find that single-dose coffee grinders help them to maintain uniform grind consistency.
- Your solo single-dose coffee grinder ensures great flavor because you will grind just enough coffee for a single serving.
- Single-dose grinders are compact and portable, making them ideal for home, travel, or office use.
- With no leftover coffee, single-dose grinders are quick and easy to use. Baristas can change from one coffee to another without worrying about contaminating the flavor due to their close-to-zero retention.
- By only grinding the amount of coffee needed for a single serving, single-dose grinders help reduce waste and save money.
- Single-dose grinders allow for precise control over grind size and quantity so that you can have a perfect cup of coffee every time
What are the Disadvantages of a Single-Dose Coffee Grinder?
The disadvantages include the following:
- It may be tiring, especially when making several cups, since it involves weighing into a dosing cup and adding the grinds into the blow hopper.
- They are costly compared to manual or electric dose coffee grinders
Grinders that Allow Customization for Single-Dose Use
Some grinders models can be modified for single dosing by upgrading using the single-dosing bellows and hoppers. Some of the grinders that can be modified include:
Takeaway
Single-dose coffee grinders are a must-have for every home barista who loves preparing and enjoying a fresh and delicious espresso every time. Not only will you be able to work faster, but you will also get to wow your visitors with a delightful brew. Their almost zero grind retention will make it easy to transition between different brews, thus saving you time and your priceless coffee beans!
Meet the expert
I'm a mom of two boys and a freelance writer who loves to travel and spend time at the beach. When I'm not chasing after my kids or working on my next writing project, you can usually find me sipping on a delicious cup of coffee while reading a book. I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting coffee shops, whenever I am exploring a new town or city.