The folks at Indiegogo are putting crowdfunding products to the test in our new series of honest reviews.In this issue, our own senior analysts and relationship managersG. Morgan Lee Tried the new MILLAB – Cordless Portable Electric Coffee Grinder Now live on Indiegogo. Does it live up to the hype? Read on as we put it to the test!
I’ve been looking at different coffee shops for makes and models of electric coffee grinders since upgrading my coffee grinder has been on my wish list for a while. Electric coffee grinders made by professional brands on the retail market either require more counter space than my kitchen can accommodate or have eye-popping price tags that I can’t easily commit to.
When I saw the MILLAB – Cordless Portable Electric Coffee Grinder and its demo video, it looked too good to be true – it didn’t look like it would require much counter space, it was portable, it had a sleek aesthetic, and most of all What’s important is that it was developed by TIMEMORE, the same company that previously developed one of the best coffee grinders chosen by Wirecutter. It checked all my boxes.
[PHOTO – unboxing]
The MILLAB E01 grinder feels sturdy and takes up less counter space than my old grinder – for reference, the base of the grinder stand is about the size of my hand.
I usually grind 2 tablespoons of coffee beans for brewing and 4 tablespoons for the French press. MILLAB E01 grinds 2 tablespoons (about 20 grams) of coffee beans, it takes about 35 seconds for coarse grinding (turntable 18) and about 70 seconds for fine grinding (turntable 2); 4 tablespoons (about 40 grams) of coffee beans took me 80 seconds Make a coarse grind. It automatically turns off a few seconds after the grinding cycle ends.
The main reason I wanted to upgrade my grinder at home is that my current grinder doesn’t grind very evenly. I set up the grind of the MILLAB E01 next to my old grinder and definitely noticed that the grind of the MILLAB E01 was much more even. I made a French press out of it and it definitely tasted smoother than the French press I used to make at home with an old grinder.
I’ve been using the MILLAB E01 for two weeks now and it’s definitely growing on me.
- It’s quieter than my old grinder
- It is easy to use and does not require any attention once you start the grinding cycle
- It has a stylish aesthetic and requires little counter space
- It’s wireless, so you can place it on any flat surface you like
- It requires minimal maintenance – a fully charged unit will typically last 4 months if used once a day. The MILLAB team told me that it takes about 4 hours to fully charge the battery.I haven’t had a chance to complete a full charge cycle yet
A few things to note:
- I had the grinder on its stand and while grinding there was a small amount of grind coming out of the gap between the grinder and its stand so it needed some cleaning.
- The bean hopper has a maximum capacity of 50g (~5 tablespoons) and the container has a maximum capacity of 30g; this is not an issue for me, but I thought it was worth noting
Overall, I think the MILLAB E01 has all the qualities I’m looking for and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new grinder to take a look at.