Vintage Kitchen-Aid Coffee Grinders - are they good?

[scoots]

An image showed up in today's "Pic of the day" slide, a Kitchen Aid coffee grinder from the 50s.

I was wondering, as a grinder, are they any good?

Thanks

 

[perc-o-prince]

They're awesome! Before re-doing the downstairs kitchen, Rich had one on the counter all the time and used it for vac pots as well as French press! Almost indestructible, and easy to clean by running dry rice through it!

 

Chuck

 

[sarahperdue]

Avoid the repro

I had a reproduction one, and it was impossible to get the grind I needed. The setting dial appears to have a wide range of options, but it still didn't have the control I was looking for in a burr grinder. I resold it.

Now, I buy Cafe Bustello espresso grind. It makes good coffee in the Sunbeam C30, Chemex, Krups Espresso Nova and moka pots.

Sarah

 

[tomturbomatic]

I found mine in a thrift store in Bladensburg, MD for a few dollars. When I took it to the register, they wondered what kind of a blender it was. These got high ratings in consumer mags in the late 40s--early 50s. The nice thing is that a standard Mason jar will fit the base so you can keep the beans in the refrigerator between coffee grindings unless you only add enough beans for each brewing. There are something like 9 settings. Searching for the little measuring glass was fun in preinternet days, but I eventually found one at a Depression Glass Show.

 

[awooff]

Avoid the repro

Ditto here on the newer reproduction - same results as above poster. -Cant change out the grinding burrs and can tell these from the non removable screw in the back side

 

[rp2813]

My big beef with the repro types are that they spew the grounds all over the counter.  I don't know what causes this, but I've seen this same complaint from others on line.  I like their look, heft, and ease of adjustment for different grinds, but they have to work properly or why own one.

 

Several years ago Nate advised me that the '60s/'70s KA burr grinders didn't spew.  I found one on ebay and it's been grinding for me ever since, no spewing -- it drops the grounds into the catcher just as it should.  The hopper is smoked plastic and not removable, and the grind adjustment is on the bottom of the machine, but unlike the spewing, those issues are manageable.

 

[sarahperdue]

Spewing

My repro also spewed all over the counter. I'd forgotten that part. I loved the look and the heft, but got rid of it pretty shortly because it didn't work well. I am a form and function girl, never form over function.

Sarah

 

[paulg]

Have both, my opinion.

I’ve used the original (old version) grinder with great results. Someone gifted me with the reproduction grinder and indeed it intermittently sprays you with coffee grounds. It’s as if the motor goes into hyper-drive and then sandblasts you with coffee. I kept my reproduction grinder for parts only.