Best Coffee Grinders Australia (Buyers Guide)

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, if you’re going to do it, then do it right. The experience you get from your coffee starts early on in the process when you grind your coffee beans.

Today we’re looking at the best coffee grinder Australia has to offer, looking at fully fledged electric machines and do it yourself manual grinders. There really is something for every budget here.

Whether you want an average brew or an amazing one, the choice is yours. But right now without a coffee grinder, you’re missing out on some seriously good coffee.

What is a coffee grinder?

Basically, a coffee grinder is a small kitchen or café electric appliance which grinds whole coffee beans into a granulated powder which can then be used to make percolated, espresso or other kinds of fresh coffee in a coffee machine, as opposed to ‘instant’ coffee.

A grinder is often also used to grind spices in a kitchen, although a coffee aficionado may frown upon that as the spices will undoubtedly contaminate the purity of the coffee.

Best Coffee Grinder Australia

1. Breville Smart Grinder Pro

  • 60 unique settings
  • LCD screen display
  • 450gm removable hopper
  • Amazing reviews online

For all your kitchen appliances Breville inspires you to produce perfect food and beverage results. The Smart Coffee Grinder Pro is no exception and makes the end result perfect every time.

With Dosing IQ technology the Grinder Pro has 60 unique settings to maximise the potential of all your coffee brews.

This is a conical burr coffee grinder which is programmable to granules for French Press or Filter cups to Espresso shots. You can grind either into the gold-tone filter basket, a paper filter or an airtight container for storage.

The grinder has a clear LCD screen to show you the grind setting, the grind time and the number of cups or shots selected. It has 60 grind settings for the coarsest to the finest of granulation.

The Smart Grinder Pro comes with both Small and Large Portafilter Cradles, a grounds container with sealing cap, and a conical cleaning brush. It also comes with a 450gm removable hopper.

The Dosing IQ technology allows you to program the grind time in 0.2second increments so you get the perfect granulation every time for that perfect blend in either a plunger or filter. To quote a satisfied customer: “Beats all my expectations straight out of the box”.


2. Sunbeam Conical Burr Grinder

  • Simple design
  • 25 grind settings
  • Grind to the cradle
  • Local Aussie company

They say that fresh is always best for a great cup of coffee and that’s why grinding your own beans is the best start to making your favourite brew at home.

The Sunbeam conical burr grinder promises to deliver a consistent and even granule size every time for that perfect coffee flavour.

Solid and well-constructed the Sunbeam grinder is a quality kitchen appliance. It is designed to grind directly to the cradle for the ultimate freshness of flavour.

The grinding surfaces are conical burrs, one at the base and the other at the top of the grinder. These rotate against each other with the coffee beans in between, a few at a time, grinding them into granules.

The conical burrs are durable for the longevity of the appliance and deliver a consistently even grind. The grounds travel through a 45-degree nozzle into the cup.

The 25 grind settings allow you to control the size of the coffee particles to achieve the perfect coffee for your taste, whether that be Turkish or traditional Espresso.

A word of caution: although the grinder is extremely easy to assemble from the box with most done already anyway, it is important that it is assembled correctly to ensure that the grinding is done to perfection.

The instructions show how to assemble the grinder. If not done correctly you may find that the grinding will not be as expected.

That said this is a fine coffee grinder from a reliable Australian company.


3. Breville Coffee & Spice Grinder

  • Compact electric
  • Single speed pulse
  • Use for beans, herbs, spices
  • Brushed stainless steel

Are you wanting something small and versatile with multi-functionality for grinding not only coffee beans but also herbs and spices?

Sick of the time and effort of the old mortar and pestle? Breville has the answer for you. Their Coffee & Spice Grinder is a compact electric appliance which will save you valuable time in the kitchen when making a quick cup of plunger coffee or a batch of curry paste.

The grinder is a single speed device which you can pulse to vary the coarseness of the granulation. Simply fill the top bowl of the machine with the beans or herbs/spices you’re wanting to grind, pop on the lid and press down on the lid to start the grinding process.

To pulse simply lift your fingers off the lid and repeat as often as you like until you reach the desired granulation.

It’s important not to overfill the cup to avoid clogging but otherwise fill, press and grind. The User Manual includes a guide to maximum quantities advised for various common herbs and spices.

The cup which holds the powder is removable for easy use and cleaning later. And the size is perfect for storage between uses. The brushed stainless-steel finish is a good look as well.


4. Sunbeam Multigrinder II

  • Small compact design
  • Very quiet to run
  • Perfect for all dry ingredients 
  • Transparent top lid

The Multigrinder II from Sunbeam is a multi-functional coffee, herb and spice grinder. So easy to use. One button, one speed, pulse to vary the coarseness of particles. A perfect size – can grind enough coffee for 6 people but also small enough for a single cup.

The Multigrinder II uses a stainless-steel wing blade grinding system to grind in seconds. It’s made of sturdy steel throughout, is very easy to clean and very quiet to run. The brushed metal finish is a stylish look in any kitchen.

The grinder is not recommended for soft herbs or ‘wet’ ingredients such as ginger, chilli’s, garlic and some fresh herbs because the appliance can’t be disassembled sufficiently for thorough cleaning of all the working parts.

Otherwise however it’s perfect for all dry ingredients you need grinding into coarse through to fine powders. Note however that this does include dehydrated herbs such as dried chilli’s.

Keep an eye on how the grinding is going through the transparent lid.

A note to the new owner it’s important to ensure that the lid is locked into position before turning the grinder on. As with many appliances, this is a safety mechanism to prevent injuries.

With an 86% 5-star rating on Amazon, this appliance certainly is a winner.


5. DeLonghi Dedica Electric Grinder

  • 18 adjustable settings
  • LCD screen display
  • 350gm hopper
  • Italian heritage brand

After choosing the coffee beans de jour, the next step towards the perfect cup of coffee is to grind the beans into the best granules for your blend, whether that be a shot of Espresso or a Café Latte.

The correct granulation is important and the DeLonghi Dedica coffee grinder will get you there quickly and easily every time.

With 18 adjustable settings, the stainless-steel conical burr grinder features an easy to use backlit LCD display to set and personalise your grind levels, number of cups and aroma strength. With its premium steel finishes and compact design, the Dedica looks the part as well – it belongs in a high-end café.

The bean hopper has a generous 350gm capacity and you can grid either directly into the espresso filter handle or into the 170gm grounds container for future use.


The Dedica can grind up to 14 cups of coffee in one batch. The upper burr is removable for cleaning, as is the coffee powder container.

DeLonghi has a proud Italian heritage of manufacturing domestic appliances since 1974, with an eye not only to functionality but to elegance as well.


That certainly comes through in the Dedica. Team it up with the Dedica coffee maker and you’ll be in heaven.


Differences between Burr & Blade Grinder?

There are two different kinds of coffee grinder: a blade driven grinder and a grinder which uses burrs.

Blade grinders are similar to blenders – they rely on a central blade to grind the beans like a propeller. They don’t generally allow a lot of control over the process and are pretty well frowned upon by baristas and coffee specialists.

A burr grinder uses two revolving surfaces (burrs) which rub against each other with the coffee beans between them to grind the beans, a few at a time.

There are two different types of burr grinders: flat and conical, but the principle is the same. And the distance between the burrs can be altered to adjust the size of the coffee granules.

Burr grinders have far greater control over the size of the granules and are therefore much preferred by those who are fussy about their coffee.

Blade grinders need to be pulsed to achieve the same result, and even then it’s a bit of a hit and miss affair.

Although most coffee grinders are electric these days you can find manual burr grinders if you look. These are much smaller machines if you’re pressed for space and/or on a low budget.

But if those issues aren’t a problem best to look for a larger, heavier, burr grinder which allows you to change the settings, including speed.

Should I grind my own coffee?

If you own and use an espresso machine you need coffee granules. That’s a no-brainer. Now it used to be the case that you could buy the beans and grind them at the supermarket: ah, those were the days.

Now, however, you need to either buy them pre-ground or buy the whole beans and grind them at home. Or there are specialist shops which do sell coffee beans and which will grind them for you.

The problem is though that the freshness of the ground beans will deteriorate even when they are carefully stored airtight in the fridge. If you live alone or just don’t drink a lot of coffee this can be a problem.

Much better really to be able to grind your own coffee beans as and when you want them. And you can buy different types of beans to have a choice of flavours on-demand as well.

Is making your own coffee cheaper?

It won’t come as any surprise that brewing your own coffee at home is a big money-saver, especially with store-bought coffee the price it is these days.

A polystyrene cup of MacDonald’s coffee will set you back $5 at the drive-through! And a decent Espresso at a café in a nice china cup about the same.

The cost of making a cup of brewed coffee at home is now around 25 cents (according to an estimate published in Business Insider in October 2015 which quoted 16cents).

That, of course, is after you’ve recouped the initial outlay on the grinder and espresso machine.

Nonetheless, you’re in front on that figure, easily. On paper at least. Whether you prefer to be at home when you’re drinking your brewed coffee is another issue.

The coffee you like to have on your way to work is something you may not want to give up. But the bottom line is that there are big savings to be made by swapping some of those store-bought coffees for home-brewed ones. And the chances are that very often they might taste a whole lot better!

Verdict

When it comes to choosing the best coffee grinder Australia has to offer, you really are spoilt for choice. Different brands compete on price while offering lots of the latest tech to help give you value for money. After much deliberation we believe the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is the top pick. 

Yves Matthews
Latest posts by Yves Matthews (see all)

Last Updated: July 14, 2020 by Rhys