Baratza Solis Maestro Plus Grinder Review

I ordered a Baratza Solis Maestro Plus Grinder two years ago for $170.00 after an extensive search and doing a lot of comparing this coffee grinder to other brands.  I wanted a compact but powerful grinder to use for good quality coffee beans that I was ordering online and having shipped in fresh-roasted.  I felt I had done my homework and happily ordered my Baratza Solis Maestro Plus Grinder--looking forward to putting away the evil $25 blade grinder that I felt sure was ruining my wonderful beans by heating them up and bashing them around in the little cup as the blades spun around chopping the life out of them.  Now I would have a GOOD grinder--no, a GREAT grinder!  My fresh roasted special ordered FRESH beans would be gently crushed, kept cool by the big powerful motor, and would burst with flavor.  Mmmmm.  I didn't even wince at parting with the $170 plus shipping.

The grinder arrived.  Setting the grind was not as easy as advertised.  The options seemed to be powder fine or powder fine.  This would not do for a French press pot because that just makes sludgy mud.  I read the book, read it again, called the company... finally got some adjustments made.  Now we could get powder fine or fine but now powdery.  Another call.  Another technical adjustment.  Ok, now we have fine and not quite fine.  The coffee is a little muddy, but what the heck.  New beans arrive--WOOHOO!  The grinder turns them into greasy goo and jams.  WHAT???  We call AGAIN.  They tell us..."Oh, this grinder cannot be used with oily beans, only DRY beans."  Dry coffee beans are old and have no flavor.  Who buys a $170 grinder to run flavorless beans through it?!?!?!  Oh yes, let me get some beans from three years ago so I can crush them up in my $170 super-bean-grinder.  Will that make the coffee taste good?  I think not.  I want to make coffee with my FRESH beans!

So this stupid useless gadget got all the precious coffee goo cleaned from its innards and has been in storage for two years.  Too expensive to throw away.  Too useless to sell at a yard sale.  Luckily in my excitement over it's arrival I didn't throw out the little $25 blade grinder, which is still chopping away at my coffee beans.  I haven't had the heart to research grinders again and take the plunge on another one, lest I get another fine beautiful dud.  If you have a good one that works on GOOD oily fresh beans without locking up, please let me know.