Comments on: Starbucks Barista Burr Grinder (Solis 166) Review http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/articles/starbucks-barista-burr-grinder-solis-166-review/ Experiential Serendipity Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:06:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: vashti http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/articles/starbucks-barista-burr-grinder-solis-166-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2403 vashti Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:15:23 +0000 http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/2005/starbucks-barista-burr-grinder-solis-166-review/#comment-2403 Mine was never great and then went downhill from there. From the start I couldn't figure out why the grind didn't reflect the setting!! Went online and discovered other people with the same issue. Starbucks' advice as a workaround was to use the grind markings as loose general guidelines. Hmm, ok. So it wasn't my imagination. The static created a daily annoyance, ok fine, I can deal with static; but add to this that the *vibration from the grinding would cause the grinds container to inch its way out*, so that the static-charged grinds could jump out during the grinding while some also fell *behind* the container. This added to the daily clean up and required FOUR workarounds--we kept it on a platform to contain the mess and make cleaning easier; tilted the platform up to help deter container from creeping forward; stood by and tapped it to stay snugly closed while grinding; cleaned out behind the container area as well as the vicinity (as noted in review above!). Over time, friends have brought gifts of pre-ground coffee, and the grinds were far more consistent than my own. Gee, wasn't this the point of forking over extra $$ for a BURR grinder? Life is too short for a life with this grinder in it. Even if it had been FREE instead of PRICY, the workarounds are a waste of anyone's time and I'm left feeling stupid to have put up with it as long as I did. What changed? I just got a new burr grinder (Breville BCG800XL) and the difference is so huge that I'm embarrassed! Mine was never great and then went downhill from there. From the start I couldn’t figure out why the grind didn’t reflect the setting!! Went online and discovered other people with the same issue. Starbucks’ advice as a workaround was to use the grind markings as loose general guidelines. Hmm, ok. So it wasn’t my imagination.

The static created a daily annoyance, ok fine, I can deal with static; but add to this that the *vibration from the grinding would cause the grinds container to inch its way out*, so that the static-charged grinds could jump out during the grinding while some also fell *behind* the container. This added to the daily clean up and required FOUR workarounds–we kept it on a platform to contain the mess and make cleaning easier; tilted the platform up to help deter container from creeping forward; stood by and tapped it to stay snugly closed while grinding; cleaned out behind the container area as well as the vicinity (as noted in review above!).

Over time, friends have brought gifts of pre-ground coffee, and the grinds were far more consistent than my own. Gee, wasn’t this the point of forking over extra $$ for a BURR grinder?

Life is too short for a life with this grinder in it. Even if it had been FREE instead of PRICY, the workarounds are a waste of anyone’s time and I’m left feeling stupid to have put up with it as long as I did. What changed? I just got a new burr grinder (Breville BCG800XL) and the difference is so huge that I’m embarrassed!

]]> By: richard dow http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/articles/starbucks-barista-burr-grinder-solis-166-review/comment-page-1/#comment-2246 richard dow Mon, 10 May 2010 00:23:59 +0000 http://www.metaphoriclabs.com/2005/starbucks-barista-burr-grinder-solis-166-review/#comment-2246 Don't ever buy a starbucks burr grinder. Mine was three years old when I lost a part. Starbucks couldn't tell me anything helpful about finding the part. They had not a clue as to who made it. Ihad the serial number and the manual etc. Starbucks doesn't care , if you're off warrenty. The grinder said only "starbucks barista " with no other manufacturing clues. Must be a very poorly run part of their operation. I used to get(many years ago) quick live help for my Barista espresso machine. They even sent me a part for free. The machine was off warrenty at that time. Don’t ever buy a starbucks burr grinder. Mine was three years old when I lost a part. Starbucks couldn’t tell me anything helpful about finding the part. They had not a clue as to who made it. Ihad the serial number and the manual etc. Starbucks doesn’t care , if you’re off warrenty. The grinder said only “starbucks barista ” with no other manufacturing clues. Must be a very poorly run part of their operation.
I used to get(many years ago) quick live help for my Barista espresso machine. They even sent me a part for free. The machine was off warrenty at that time.

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