I read a lot of reviews and watched many videos trying to find a grinder for my recent Bambino purchase. New to making an espresso I was so frustrated but learned my grinder was not meant to grind fine enough for a quality espresso. I almost purchased the Breville Smart Pro grinder thinking it would line up well with the same brand name. Reviews were describing issues with not grinding fine enough and having to adjust the burrs manually to grind finer. For almost the same price the DF54 V4.1 allowed adjustments without messing with the burrs manually. Since fresh beans degas each adjustment is a breeze to continually dial in a quality espresso. I did need to get DWT tool at 0.23mm, puck screen and a different tamper with a Timemore scale to keep perfecting the espresso. My last piece to replace is the portafilter that came with the Bambino. A bottomless portafilter will allow me to perfect the espresso without the annoying drip from the plastic inside the boxed product portafilter. Of course this is manually stopping the Bambino since water output is too much. The details provided are additional tips that help perfect a quality espresso. A must is fresh beans meant for espresso. I firmly stand by purchasing the correct grinder and a good espresso machine. Both are the smoking gun to be on your way for your cafe espresso. Again being new to this process I was told by two guests who tasted my almond honey iced latte that the lattes were cafe quality. Another response was this is so good. The grinder has been in my possession for a little over two weeks and I was pleasantly surprised at their response since I am far from a experienced Barista. The grinder is quiet and I have not had any issues with clogging. Static is minimal so I am not spraying beans with water. To the consumer who wants to dial in their espresso shots the DF54 V4.1 is a quality product for the price. 100% satisfied with this product!
This is a solid cup. I got it because I didn’t like the idea of plastic. An 8oz mason jar also fits in my DF grinder so I’m not sure it was necessary but it works fine!
Only had this grinder a week but love it so far. Very quiet and really easy to use with fine settings. I like the bellows to blow the last of the grind out into the receptacle. Good value and well made.
After installing and setting the Premium Metal Dial Indicator on my DF54, my first thought was simple: this really should come standard with the grinder.
Obviously, you can use the DF54 without it, and plenty of people do. But once this indicator is properly set, it makes reading and returning to grind settings so much easier and removes unnecessary guesswork from the process.
Mine is now set exactly where I want it, and I honestly don’t know why I would ever want to use the grinder without it. It doesn’t fundamentally change what the DF54 can do. It simply makes using it less of a hassle, which is exactly what a good accessory should accomplish.
The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that after spending a significant amount of money on the grinder itself, I don’t think this should be an additional purchase. It feels less like an optional accessory and more like a piece that should have been included with the DF54 from the beginning.
The indicator itself? No complaints. It does exactly what I wanted it to do, and I wouldn’t want to use my DF54 without it.
If you’re buying a DF54, I recommend adding one. I just wish you didn’t have to.
I spent a lot of time researching grinders before buying the DF54, and I almost talked myself out of it because of some of the negative reviews and the price. I read about the issues people had reported, compared it against several other grinders, and went into this purchase knowing exactly what I wanted to watch for.
I’m very glad I bought it.
After living with the DF54 and using it every morning, I simply haven’t experienced the problems I was worried about. Instead, it has become one of those pieces of equipment that makes you wonder how you ever lived without it.
The workflow is simple, the adjustment is easy to understand, and most importantly, it has made a very real difference in the consistency and quality of my espresso. Once I got it dialed in, it just became part of the morning routine. No drama. No fighting with it. It sits there every morning like a loyal dog waiting for its chance to make its owner happy.
And it does.
If you’re researching the DF54 and hesitating because you’ve encountered some of the same negative reviews I did, or because the cost gives you pause, I can only speak from my own experience: mine has been excellent.
I was hesitant to spend this much on a grinder. Looking back, I should have done it sooner. Buying less expensive equipment only saves money when that equipment actually does the job you bought it to do. The DF54 does.
I would buy it again without hesitation.
Love the clarity and consistency produced making every cup i brew delicious. 10/10 would recommend!
Exactly what you would expect. Great for the price, zero complaints.
I got mine with the red titanium burrs and I love the consistency.
Original piece is plastic and breaks easy. This won't.
I'm new to the grinder world so I had to research; after researching for a while, I decided to go with the DF64 Gen 2. It's built solid, quiet, my coffee/espresso has been just as good as the local coffee shop. Definitely recommend the product.
I’m enjoying the DF64! It was slightly inconsistent at first but gives me 18g every time now. Nice finish, sturdy, and quick grinder. A little loud but doesn’t bother me.
They look amazing. Will install them next week. I will try a blind taste test to compare before and after.
The first thing my wife said, when I unpacked this grinder, was that it looks like an Easter Island stone figure, a moai, tilted forward. With its coffee chute nose and the little hands holding the dosing cup. I agree, and I will absolutely glue googly eyes to its face, and watch them jiggle, as it grinds my coffee.
A single-dose grinder is the most understated kitchen appliance you can own. It's a metal cylinder, with an on/off switch. There's no display, and other than the grind adjustment, which is accomplished by turning the top section against the base, there's nothing you can do with it, other than pouring beans into the top, and watching fine coffee dust come out of the chute.
The DF54 does do this one thing very well. It works without much noise (much quieter than the conical burrs of my old Breville Barista), it achieves excellent fineness and consistency, and it retains almost no ground coffee in its inner works.
I enjoy it. Its heft and the nicely machined top exudes quality. Like the moai of Easter Island, I think it will be around for a long time.
I got an espresso machine for Christmas. Love the machine but I only had an old grinder, noisy and a pain to get the right grind. My grandson told me about this grinder so I looked into it. Had to wait a bit for the (V4). Really glad I did! This grinder is awesome, and does a great job with my espresso shots. Its a lot quieter than I thought it would be too. Well worth the wait and I highly recommend the DF54 (V4)!
Thanks Chris for your immediate response to my order! DF65 is the best, it’s remarkably noise free and the build quality is exceotional! Highly recommend!
Just what this grinder needed. Just find out where your zero point is and set this adjustable ring to that location. Now you truly know the point NOT to dial beyond. It is a sturdy piece of metal (not 3D printed) and looks like it is an original part of the grinder.
Super sturdy chunk of metal and performs better than the standard, plastic cup (that is more prone to static).
I'm in love with this grinder! I ordered the unit with the Red Titanium burrs, the 54mm dosing cup and the black, metal dial indicator. I find the unit is relatively quiet (for a grinder). It has not produced much static at all (as I think previous generations might have). The metal dial indicator is quality (not plastic/3d printed) and I like the fact that I now have a true zero point. The dosing cup is also a high quality, sturdy chuck of metal with lid.
Something to note. I have a white, quartz countertop and the black, flat cushioned feet rubbed off on the countertop and took some elbow grease to remove. I solved this by ordering some 5/8" Clear Self-Adhesive Polyurethane Bumper Pads from Amazon that fit PERFECTLY into the indentation used for the exiting pads.
There is also a 3/D printed accessory (sold on Etsy) that lets you grind directly into a 54mm portafilter, which just saves you from having to transfer grounds from the dosing cup to the portafilter.
Overall - extremely pleased with the purchase and with the DF Grinder accessories. Shipping was also fast for me.
