I am seeing this, believe me. That's why I gave up and created a thread. I needed to poll the smartest people I know, because you can only glean so much information from web sites.

That heat transfer thing is neat, but really only useful in an environment where you run the machine extensively. Mine will be run two to four times per day, with long rest periods in between, so there should be no worries about heat soak.

OMG! I'm talking about heat soak in coffee grinders now! Coffee geek alert!

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Interesting the issues you're having. I've got the DBM8, been using it for months and hasn't jammed a single time.

In its defense, it worked beautifully for the first six months, but then the performance level dropped like a rock. It never did make consistent and accurate grinds, but it did work as well as could be expected at first.

I think most of the issue can be attributed to how much use it has seen. We easily ran the thing five to six times each day for months. When the performance began to suffer despite my best cleaning efforts, we gradually began to drink less and less coffee, because it became more and more of a chore to get the thing to work. Now I can clean it completely, and then spend the next 20 minutes trying to get it to grind enough beans to make a 10 cup pot of coffee.

... I'm not a violent man, but I really want to take it out back and blow it away with a shotgun. I don't even own a shotgun, but I'm honestly considering shopping for one just for this purpose.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Kitchen-Aide wins the battle, hands down.

All metal construction with glass bowls. Weighs in at about fifteen pounds. Fortunately you do not have to lift it to use it. Costs under $200.

It's a flat burr, not conical, but does the job just as well. Fully adjustable from way too course to mud in the bottom of your cup.

I'm sceptical, but will investigate. I heart my commercial Kitchen Aid stand mixer, because it somehow brings the oomph of a power tool to a small kitchen appliance... Well, if you consider something that weighs enough to throw out your back a small appliance. The thing will knead bricks without bogging down, and I use it every chance I get.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Seriously, look at coffeegeek for all the reviews, but I think the Baratza is about the minimum you can get away with for espresso (we have an old Kitchen Aid and its fine for drip, but that's all). Our Maestro has served well for over five years. I think they can be had new for about $100, but if it were me I would by the Maestro refurb and save up to buy a REAL machine like anything Italian. There ought to be some of those Mazzers, Astorias, etc and the like on Craigslist from coffee shops going bust-especially in your town. That's my upgrade strategy....

Rick

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Stay away from the coffeegeek site! They'll have your bank accounts emptying on custom hand-pull espresso machines and Black Cat espresso coffee in no time.

For your budget, I would humbly suggest the Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder. Suggesting the 'Company-That-Must-Not-Be-Named' would have me roasted and ground at CoffeeGeek, but it is an excellent grinder for the money, especially when it is on sale. It's a Solis grinder (made in Switzerland), rebranded as a 'Starbucks Barista'. This is the one -

http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/starbucks_barista_grinder

There is even a 'hack' to get it to grind finer, though I find that it grinds fine enough for espresso. I've had it for a couple of years now, problem free, we use it daily.

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

We have one of their grinders. It is one of the few on the market using glass for the containers. Plus it just looks so alien. But next to a K-A stand mixer, I'm sure that it would feel right at home.

We have a Breville. It's just OK. Plastic hopper, and collection cup. Probably paid between $100 and $150 for it. It's pretty easy to pour out the grounds without making a mess. My biggest complaint is that it takes 2 thirty seconds (max) grinds, to make enough grounds for a 10-cup pot.

Your experience with the cuisenart can be applied to most of their other appliances as well... not well thought out and kind of crummy.

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

I also see some 4 panel illustrations there! is someone an illustrator??

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450

I have one of those $15 electrical grinders. But, if I am going to grind beans, I use my great-grandmother's hand cranked coffee grinder. Takes a few minutes, and gives your arm a workout too.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Oh, dear. How old is that old Kitchen Aid? I understand the newer versions seem to grind for espresso just fine. Of course, half or more of the coffee enthusiasts out there wouldn't know good coffee if it grabbed their spoon and beat them with it, so I don't know how much faith to put in to reviews.

Oh, and you have no idea how much trouble I have nearly gotten myself in to with Seattle Craigslist. Sometimes some unbelievable equipment pops up for incredibly low prices. Of course, I have to shake myself out of the spell I'm under when I see something like a used Astoria Argenta three group machine for sale for all of $800... My God... That's a $6,000 machine! I don't need that kind of power for personal use! I'm not even worthy of it!

Sigh. I have been known to spend money on more frivelous things. It's rare, but I'm as guilty of buying way more than I need as the next person. Possibly even more so!

You know, that Starbucks Barista/Solis is the spittin' image of the Saeco on Costco.com that Da Nag suggested I look in to. Hmmm.... If I can hack any of them the same way, that may be the way to go.

Alien, eh? I don't know why, but images of some baby alien bursting from my chest after having a steaming cup of coffee spring to mind.

That happens more and more these days. I, for one, am getting tired of having to shop a market polluted with inferior crap that doesn't do half of what it is supposed to do, and worse yet, breaks well before the cost to purchase it have been justified. My wife and I are going to go to Sears and buy an upright freezer at the end of the month, and to be entirely honest, I'm terrified that it is going to suck.

Oh, man. You know, I already remove and install lug nuts by hand, despite having an impact wrench. I sand the drywall repairs in the house by hand, because I can't justify those $800 power drywall sanders. Heck, I even cut numeous pieces of wood with a handsaw because it's less fuss than pulling out the power saw most of the time. If I start grinding coffee by hand, I'll have to start wearing sleeveless shirts, because I already have trouble fitting my arms through the sleeves of any shirts that fit my shoulders and chest.

... Now, if the coffee grinder could somehow eliminate or reduce the love handles, I'd be all over it. Those things just appeared on my 30th birthday, and will not go away!

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Wow. I think that was the singularly largest post I've seen on these forums to date!

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450

The dial on the K-A goes from 1 to 8 (I think), with half-steps. We run it on 4 or 5 for a drip maker with a gold-tone conical filter. There's still a bit of crud in the bottom of the last cup, but it's not bad and doesn't bother me.

You can adjust the screw for a slightly finer grade than stock very easily, if that's what you want. The instructions for doing this come with the unit. But I don't make espresso, so I don't care.

A multiquote masterpiece.

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon