Here we have a royal rumble: the battle for the title of best single-dose grinder is between four options that offer titan-level grind quality, but only one will prevail.
The people’s champion, the Eureka Mignon, might just win it all and has been called a perfect grind with its precise grind settings. We’ll have to take a look to determine if that’s truly the case and if Eureka can fend off 3 other equally powerful contenders.
Get the popcorn ready! The showdown’s about to begin.
- High sensitivity adjustments
- Anti-clumps and electrostaticity system
- 20 design options
- 30 grind settings
- Super-fast grinding speed
- Compact design
- Outstanding consistency
- Enormous 1500-gram hopper
- Easy to use
- Compact and portable
- Very affordable
- Dishwasher-safe
We’ve got the best of the best contenders to compete for the championship. These are the grinders that ticked the boxes for me and fulfilled the most commonplace questions and concerns I had when researching single-dosers.
Before we dive into our product reviews, let’s break down what single dosing is and why you should make the switch to something in the single-dosing market.
What Exactly Is Single Dosing?
The difference between single-dose grinding and other grinders is dosing the freshly ground beans out as you need them. With this technique, you’re leaving your hopper empty, weighing out your beans as you need them, and grinding them.
A lot of coffee professionals prefer single dosing over other grinder methods because it adds more versatility and variety to your coffee routine, while also saving you money in the long run.
Single dosing allows you to vary dosage from the first shot to the next with each specific grinding setting. You’re able to control factors and make grind adjustments while your coffee is freshly ground.
Since you’re able to make alterations on the fly, you’ll be saving money by not having to purge grinds held in the grinding chamber or portafilter holder; coffee that’d otherwise be in the garbage. You can make your choice of coffee just the way you like it in real-time.
A single-dose grinder allows you to switch between different beans easily. From dark roast to blonde, you’re able to experiment more freely and satisfy different taste buds. Your coffee will also stay fresher, and longer because you’re avoiding air exposure.
In-Depth Reviews
Summary: The combination of quality, time-honored design with new-age tech makes the Eureka Mignon the best single-dosing espresso grinder for those who want better-tasting coffee without the effort.
The Eureka Mignon takes the top spot for best overall grinder.
Built by hand, this Italian design gives you all the charm and tradition of the old country, with a twist of new tech. It also features over 20 design options ranging in choice from elegant Tiffany blue to flashy pink, or warm and refined pearl gold.
The Mignon contains 55mm flat steel burrs, designed to make high-sensitivity adjustments over your espresso grinds, giving you excellent quality coffee.
Guaranteed, Unmatched Performance
For the grinding itself, the Mignon features a stepless micrometric regulation system, a system patented and perfected by Eureka. Finding your perfect shot of coffee is within reach, and the possibilities are quite literally endless.
This stepless regulation system was also designed to be as close to silent as possible, meaning your grinder isn’t going to be the family alarm clock.
The Mignon also has a high-quality, uber-clean design because of its bottom-burr disassembly; you won’t lose your grind settings while giving your grinder a little TLC.
Along with the ACE (or anti-clumps and electrostaticity) system, you won’t have clumps of coffee grounds in your machine, and it takes the shock out of what should be your savory first sip.
- High-sensitivity adjustment for any grind size
- High-speed maintenance with ACE system
- Quiet grinding
- Stunning design with 20 color options
- User-friendly with detailed tutorials
- Tends to spill grinds
- Controls take getting used to
Summary: Coffee extraction with just as much power and customizable features as the big guys, the Baratza is the ideal solution to grind your coffee in as little as 5 seconds.
The Baratza is a more affordable price for java enthusiasts that want more from their coffee routine. But just because it’s in a lower price range doesn’t mean it’s cheap.
The Baratza grind setting can easily be adjusted from coarse to fine, with a burr size of 40mm and a total of 30 grind fineness custom settings on the motor speed control module.
You Want Coffee Fast? You Got it
The Baratza also boasts the most competitive grind speed, with an average of 5 seconds per 18 grams. The only drawback is that you’re trading power for noise, as the motor can be loud enough to wake the neighbors if your windows are open. It’s been called “ridiculously loud.”
The hopper can hold between 300-400 grams of beans while using a new automatic shutoff feature, meaning no stray grounds or spillage when changing beans. Plus, the bellows in the design mean you can simply blow out any stray grounds for easy clean-up.
- Affordability makes it great for those just starting out
- 30 adjustable settings
- Grinds quickly with an average of 18 grams in 5 seconds
- Automatic shutoff feature
- Compact and angled base takes the clutter off your countertops
- Motor runs “ridiculously loud”
- Could improve on grind retention
- Some users report reliability issues
Summary: Make delicious, finely ground Turkish coffee, espresso, drip, or French press with this massive commercial grinder boasting a 1500-gram hopper.
The Mahlkonig EK43 stands apart for all espresso lovers; and stand it does, measuring more than 30″ in height. This grinder is made for bustling coffee shops, coffee professionals, or folks with more kitchen space to experiment with their single-dosing options.
Not only does the EK43 make complex, tasty espresso, but it also makes Turkish coffee, drip, and/or French press-style java with consistency and quality. This is perfect for all types of coffee preparation and indecisive coffee drinkers.
High Dosage, High Grind Capacity, Highly Addictive
The EK43 sports a 1500-gram hopper and an enormous dosing chamber. This grinder also maintains an automatically controlled ventilation rate for higher-daily use.
It features a hands-free, automatic start-up; all you have to do is insert the portafilter. So easy, you can sleepwalk your way to the kitchen for that morning cup.
Ease of use is key here, as the EK43 was designed to be user-friendly. Push buttons indicate single or double for your volume of shots, while the machine has an electronic controller for exact dosage.
- Can grind literally any size to perfection
- Huge 1500-gram hopper
- Stainless burr choices mean less maintenance
- Hands-free, automatic start-up with portafilter holder
- Electronic controller makes exact and consistent dosage
- Very expensive
- Huge and heavy
Summary: This small and sleek grinder is very quiet and can grind up to 12 cups at once. Its price and versatility make this an option for those on a tight budget just starting out.
For something a little more manageable that won’t take up any space in your kitchen and is at a very affordable price point, this dosing machine still has the chops to grind your favorite shot of coffee efficiently and quietly.
It’s important to mention that this grinder features blades, an inferior method to grind beans when compared to burrs. The rotating blades unevenly grind the beans and can lead to over- and/or under-extraction. Still, we wanted to feature a grinder for those on a tight budget, or just starting out.
Not Like Other Grinders Of This Size
Somehow, this grinder is very quiet. Usually, small grinders sound like an airplane taking off, but this one is great for those early mornings when you don’t want to wake the whole house.
Having single-dosing options is great, but sometimes you need more. This can grind up to 12 cups at once, and even if you don’t need it right away, it has a storage feature. The stainless steel bowl has its own top to keep your grounds fresh for a few days.
This is also dishwasher safe, so whether you grind coffee or any other herbs, you can be sure you’re getting the flavor you want every time.
- Very quiet for a grinder of this size
- Very affordable
- Grinds up to 12 cups at once
- Completely dishwasher safe
- Removable stainless steel bowl with lid
- Blade grinder grinds unevenly, leading to over-/under-extraction
- Uninspiring design
Buyer’s Guide
Let’s take a look at why we chose these single-dosers below so you can make the most informed decision when getting yourself a grinder.
Accurate Grind Settings & Grind Quality
I’ve listed these single-dosing options because of their accurate grind size and excellent grind quality. That’s what I found most important because it’s about the quality of your coffee extraction above all else.
These single-dosing options will make you the perfect grind that you can customize to how you take it.
Whether it’s stronger and coarser coffees, or a lighter, more subtle finish, the types of coffee preparation depend on you just as much as you can depend on these dosers.
Brands
All of these coffee grinder brands make single dosers into a science, and it really comes down to which brand you can see yourself supporting.
Personally, I like the Krups and the Eureka brands as the forerunning single-dose companies that coffee connoisseurs can get behind.
With the Krups, you’re guaranteed to receive a highly durable, tried, and tested single-dose grinder. For the Eureka, they have patented and perfected the stepless micrometric regulation system.
Size
A dosing home user must take into account the size of the space you’re working with. Your kitchen may or may not have the capacity to house some of these grinders.
The EK43 stands a whopping 30″ tall, which is certainly not made with apartments or condo kitchens in mind.
If the size is still a concern for you, I’d recommend checking out Krups machines, as Krups makes their grinders on a smaller scale than most of their contemporaries.
Price
You get what you give, and you get what you pay for. While some of these grinders are for the prosumer and people who want to invest in a better dose coffee grinder system, the price increase may be off-putting.
The price range on the lower side would be the small but mighty Baratza Sette, and I’d also recommend the Fellow Ode Brew Grinder.
These single-dosers are a great alternative to the more expensive grinders. Still, they offer you great coffee retention, adjustable grind speed control, burr grind adjustments, and delicious roasted coffee.
Conclusion
The best single-dosing grinder will be one within your price range that has adjustable grind settings, stellar grind quality, and can be trusted to last many uses to come. For us, the champion of single-dosing options is the Eureka Mignon.
So there you have it, the Eureka Mignon comes out on top and takes home the belt as the top grinder on the single-dosing market. This doser will make a noted addition to your coffee moments and make your favorite java that much better.
In a relatively affordable price range, the Mignon has a virtually unlimited amount of adjustable grind choice controls and settings. It grinds quality coffee and makes for easy maintenance while being a reliable dosing machine.
