****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
UPDATE: Year 8... RIP to my Breville Grind Control Coffee Brewer which lasted 7 years, 10 months. Honestly I'd have been happy had it lasted 2 years when I first bought it considering I was going through 3-4 brewers per year for a few years prior to buying the Grind Control. The machine technically still worked when I retired it due to a tank leakage I'd neglected to acknowledge that led to a rust build-up on the bottom of the unit. More rust than I wanted to deal with removing. Also, it was looking rather worn after producing so many cups of coffee over so many years. In the nearly 8 years of using the Grind Control I also started drinking and making different coffee brew methods such as French Press, Moka, Pour Over and Espresso. With all those options I afforded myself the time to research and read reviews on other automatic coffee brewers before buying another machine. Nothing seemed to compare to the Grind Control features wise though. So I read the reviews here as well. Not sure where all the hate directed towards this machine comes from. So. Some people overstate how difficult the cleanup is. Cleaning the Grind Control is similar to cleaning an espresso machine. If you want good coffee but feel like maintaining a machine is to complicated, it's probably best to buy your coffee somewhere. You can start cleaning the Grind Control as soon as the grinder stops moving - just unlock it, remove the hopper and as many beans as needed to be able to remove the grinder, remove the rest ov the beans and clean this area with a brush during the brewing cycle. Use a pipe cleaner to clear the 3 holes in both the top and bottom grinder sections. Once your coffee is ready, take a sip or two then put it on a warming plate while you take a few minutes to brush the grinding chute clean and wipe the entire machine clean with a damp microfiber cloth and wash the filter basket and all removable parts. Pat dry the spout where the water flows into the basket, just above the grinding chute as well since this area can acquire a mineral build-up that can affect the taste of your brew. After a few months of research and having no coffee from a drip machine, I bought my second Breville Grind Control 8 years and 2 months after the first. I've been using it for a month now and I've certainly missed this coffee. I'm maintaining the new machine better after each use than I did - some of the steps I listed I didn't do before. The only time I ever disassembled the grinder mechanism on the first machine was during the descaling process. I do use very dark beans though, and since I've grown accustomed to deep cleaning an espresso machine after regular use, I've noticed details about cleaning this machine I neglected before that when done regularly, produce a better brew. Also with this new machine, I only use the included basket instead of paper filters. This method delivers a brew consistency closer to a French Press, which is sort of what the Grind Control is - an electric French Press...... ... ... End of Year 8 Update... ... ....UPDATE: FIVE (5) Years Later... I Still use this machine daily, usually for at least 2 single serve cups of various size, depending on the mug I'm using that day. Occasionally I'll brew a pot, either when I have guests, or the day after I run the Decalcification cycle, which I just ran today. The machine has a censor that tells when to clean, but rather than waiting, I prefer to clean every 6 weeks. In addition to the brush provided, I use a bamboo picnic knife to scrape inside of the chute to remove more grinds. Compressed Air is useful as well when doing a deep clean of the machine which I do twice a year ((OUTSIDE)). With the hopper removed (and excess beans) I spray the compressed air through the chute and the grinder (top half removed). Vinegar-soaked paper towels help remove ground coffee built up around the grinder and in the chute. Allow to air-dry, and reassemble. ...(End of 5 Year UPDATE)...The Breville Grind control is the best product with an electric cord I have ever purchased. I first saw it at the mall, and upon inspection it was clear it was designed for people who really enjoy coffee, by people who really enjoy coffee. The display model was the only one in stock, and the next store did not have it either. I logged onto Amazon when I got home, and 4 days later it arrived. The next morning, just over 2 weeks before my 42nd birthday, I tasted the coffee I always wanted but never was attainable.The ability to brew as few as one to as many as 12 cups is awesome. Before work I only have time for one cup, usually 350 ml. On days off I fill the entire carafe, and after more than 3 hours, the last mug is still a very drinkable and tasty temperature. For a single cup, which I enjoy black, I use strength setting 8 (strongest), and grind setting 1 (finest). For a carafe I use 3 on the grind setting.For after work, I found it quite easy to make an even stronger brew by starting the machine just long enough to grind beans for a 295 ml cup. Stop, open and close the brew basket door, adjust the grind for 235 ml cup, and within a few minutes I have a great base for whatever espresso type drink I have attempted to make. I purchased a separate milk frothing/steaming machine, so now when I visit the local Coffee House it is only to buy beans.Clean up is easy. Barely 2 minutes of rinsing and wiping. The longer it sits, the tougher it is to wipe the release disk, but I've not been so lazy yet that it has been bothersome. This past weekend I performed the descale process for the first time. It was simple and the machine is programmed to allow plenty of deep cleaning time. The previous brewer I owned was a single cup grind and brew system. It made a decent cup of coffee, but was no where near as hot or good. Clean up was tougher as the actual grinders had to be rinsed and dried after each cup. After a few months, the pressure point on the lid of the grinder popped off, cracking the lid. I made it work for a few weeks until I found the Breville Grind Control.Honestly, the coffee is so tasty I actually thank the machine as soon as the brew process is complete. The only downside? I work at a Diner and usually allow myself whatever coffee I can manage to sip until 10 a.m. I just can't taste it anymore. It tastes vaguely like that sip of decaf I mistakenly had a couple years ago, and as such, leaves me asking, why? Why would anyone drink this? Well, I for one, am currently devising an iced coffee recipe for my Grind Control so I will no longer have to.I paid full price for my Breville Grind Control, and have neither requested nor received compensation for my honest review. It has had no performance issues so far and I am extremely satisfied with the purchase.The photos are of a latte macchiato, from start, to beginning of the end, made using the Grind Control and separate frothing machine. If you need a new coffee brewer and you really enjoy coffee, this is the machine you need.
