We like to keep coffee unfussy and easy over here, which is why we used a $20 coffee grinder for about ten years. Yup, I’m not even kidding.
Then, we started getting super into pour over coffee – thanks to the aroma, hypnotic and calming brewing process, and less acidic taste – and suddenly started questioning our coffee grinder choices.
I did a ton of research on entry-level burr coffee grinders we could upgrade to before clicking #addtocart on the Bodum Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder. I was sold on the sleek design, easy to use features and great reviews.
I gifted this to my guy for Christmas and we’ve been using it daily ever since. So, now, 5 months later, I feel fully qualified to share all of our thoughts on the Bodum Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder, what we like and don’t like, and whether or not it’s right for you.
Know that we bought this with our own money and these are our honest thoughts and experiences. Affiliate links are used below, which means at no cost to you we may receive a commission if you purchase though our links. Cheers!
Why a Burr Coffee Grinder?
Before we dive into the Bodum, in particular, let’s cover a quick question that I know I had when starting to research coffee grinders. The Bodum, like many other nicer coffee grinders, uses two revolving abrasive surfaces. The beans are crushed between a grinding wheel and another non-moving surface. This is designed to create a more consistent, even grind to your preferences.
In contrast, a blade grinder works more like a blender. you’ll see a blade that spins around and crushes things. This is great for blending food, but beans are a slightly different beast, and this slicing motion ends up with uneven coffee grounds. For a simple coffee machine, you probably won’t notice, but once you start doing pour overs and french press, you’ll start to see why this matters. For cold brew lovers, like myself, it is important to have a consistent grind.
This is why you’ll see most baristas recommending a burr grinder. They are definitely more expensive than a blade grinder, but you’ll notice the different in flavor and the appearance of your grind right away. There are various options in the burr grinder category, too, so you can find one to fit your budget.
That’s what I did with the Bodum. I knew I wanted to stay under $100 (grinders can get VERY expensive) to see if we even noticed a difference, but also wanted a grinder with the right features.
The Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder Review:
Bodum offers several burr coffee grinders ranging in price and features. I scored a Black Friday deal and opted for the more expensive, feature-rich option which is usually right under $100.
The reason why I was drawn to this one was the slim profile, so I could leave it on my counter, the white color, which matched my other coffee bar items, and the construction – which seemed solid.
Now that we’ve been using it for awhile, I can say that it is super easy to use, looks great, and has even more features that we appreciate now than when I bought it. Let’s dive in to what those are.
The Grind: Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder
First and foremost, we are all buying a coffee grinder to accomplish one goal: grind coffee beans. In our case, we were looking for more options and a more uniform grind. I am not a master barista – in fact, I like to keep it simple and tasty – so I wanted something fairly fool proof and easy to use.
Grind Key: I love that the lid of the hopper is etched with a built-in measuring guide. No more googling the ideal grind setting for the type of brew we are making. Nope, it’s all right here and we can check it each time. Score.
Burr Grind: Like I mentioned before, we wanted a burr grinder. This one features a conical burr with 12 adjustable grind settings.
Stainless Steel: I wanted a blade that was going to work well for the long haul and be easy to clean. Stainless steel to the rescue.
The results: We find this very easy to use and the grind guide is something we refer to all the time. I don’t have to remember anything, which is great #mombrain, because it’s all there for me. We find it works very well for all the grinds we have tried. Only on the more coarse grinds do I see a little less consistency, but it’s still much better than what we were using before.
Getting Started: Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder
I don’t have time to memorize a ton of how-to guides. I need something to plug in and get to work. This one definitely fit the bill. Right out of the box, you see exactly what you need to do.
Plug it in, fill the hopper with beans, choose your grind and time – hit the power button and let it go to work. Thank God for one less thing that takes me a million years to learn how to do.
If you’re looking for a nicer coffee grinder than the one you are probably using that is as close to plug-in and go as you can get, you’ll love the Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder.
Design: Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder
No doubt about it, this is one of the cooler looking grinders I found on the market. I definitely needed something that wasn’t going to look horrible on my counter. When it comes to appliances I use every day, I don’t want to feel like I need to hide it all the time.
But, beyond the sleek aesthetics, the Bodum Bistro Coffee Grinder is designed to perform well and to last. Crafted with a static-free borosilicate glass container with a silicone rubberized grip and a stainless steel conical burr, it’s not just pretty to look at.
Ease of Use: Bodum Burr Coffee Grinder
The static-free glass is designed to keep it easy to clean and it does – rinse or wipe down very easily. I do find that getting the little glass jar in and out of the machine cannot be done with one-hand and there are some coffee grinds that escape during this maneuver. Our original coffee grinder was not mess-free, either, so this doesn’t bother me, but if I were to level up to a more expensive grinder down the road – I would be anticipating that it could be operated one-handed and/or not have coffee grounds escaping.
Then, you just pour out the coffee grounds into whatever brewing device or filter you are using. Today, we tried out the Starbucks OXO pour over with reusable filter. It definitely controlled the drip more so than the Melita pour over we have been using. It took awhile longer, but the payout was coffee that was perhaps a touch more smooth.
If you’re new to pour over, check out my easy guide on how to do this for beginners, without a scale. So easy.
Bodum Coffee Grinder: What We Like
To sum up, we have been very happy with this upgrade from our former blade grinder. Bodum does market this grinder to people like us who are using a very entry-level grinder and want to move up.
We do taste a different in our coffee since using it and appreciate how easy it is to use and that it has a built-in coffee grind guide so we never have to guess.
It looks cool sitting on our counter, too, which is important to us, but more importantly, it brings out the best in our coffee beans.
We definitely recommend this grinder to the home coffee drinker who is looking to level up their brewing game, without spending a ton of money or time on a coffee grinder full of features only really needed in a coffee shop or for a professional level barista.
Bodum Coffee Grinder: What We Don’t Like
Although the static-free design is intended to make it easier to clean, I find it annoying. If you’re making enough for one or two cups, you won’t really notice anything, but if you’re filling it all the way up, you’ll have some light, easy clean-up to do in the form of a small amount of coffee grinders stuck to the cup and the machine.
I also wish it could be done one-handed, but I feel this way about everything. #MomLife
Oh, and it should be noted that the design is a very slightly off-white color. I brightened these photos, due to the lack of natural lighting in this corner of my kitchen, and the color of the machine is not a pure white.
Where To Buy the Bodum Coffee Grinder:
There are plenty of places you can buy the Bodum. Just make sure you have an easy way to return it if you get one that doesn’t work or breaks. Here are the stores we’d recommend shopping for your grinder:
I did see it available on other sites and felt the prices were not comparable to these. I also feel that customer service is important when buying this kind of thing and you need an easy, painless way to return or get a replacement if needed.
More Coffee Gear Reviews:
Looking for more honest reviews of easy-to-use coffee gear? Check out these posts!
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- 9 best Nespresso machines ranked
- Is the Fellow Stagg EKG Electric Kettle Worth It? We found out!
- 7 electric kettles from $40 and up!
- 9 excellent milk frothers for perfect foam
- Our 5 favorite coffee tumblers we use every day!
- Try Jot: Ultra Concentrated Coffee and get the WTF Bundle at 25% off!
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Thanks for reading today. We hope this review made it easier on you to decide if the Bodum is the right choice for you. We’d love to hear what you think about it and/or your preferred coffee grinder.
Get roasted,
A
