It's easy to see that the Aarke Coffee Grinder, with its flat burr system and seriously chic stainless steel design, makes a striking addition to any coffee lover’s kitchen. But at $400, it’s a serious investment.
Though it's undeniable that there’s something intensely satisfying about grinding your own coffee beans for a fresh brew, and even more so when your grinder looks the part like this one does.
After testing it, I can confirm it is a strong contender for a place among our best coffee grinders, but that eye-watering price doesn’t guarantee perfection. Here’s what I found on test – and whether it’s truly worth the splurge.
What I Experienced During My Aarke Coffee Grinder Review
Specifications: Aarke Coffee Grinder
Dimensions |
6" W x 16" H x 6.5" D |
Weight |
9.5 lbs |
Power |
Earthed plug in |
Body material |
Stainless steel, glass lid, BPA-free plastic |
Settings |
60 adjustable grind settings (not suitable for espresso) |
Bean container capacity |
0.5 lbs |
Cord length |
35" long, has a cord storage compartment inside the grinder allowing to hide up to 50% |
Grind type |
Flat burrs |
First Impressions: Aarke Coffee Grinder
There is no denying that the Aarke Coffee Grinder looks fantastic out of the box. It's a much larger unit than I was expecting, standing at 16 inches tall; however, the solid stainless steel construction from base to grind cup to hopper is a chic choice (albeit prone to fingerprint smudges) that makes up for the counter space it demands.
Just holding the box, I could tell it was a premium product. It's not heavy, but it isn't the lightest either. The weight speaks to its quality without being cumbersome.
The packaging similarly attests to the care clearly put into the design. The main body of the packaging is 100% recyclable cardboard, which I appreciate, as it makes it easier to be sustainable at home.
The bags that protect each stainless steel component, while not recyclable, are made from fabric rather than plastic; however, they not only prevent scratches but also make the whole unboxing experience feel that little bit more luxurious. The only plastic was a single twist tie used to secure the unit's cable in transit.
Setting up the Aarke Coffee Grinder was simple, and quite self-explanatory even without the detailed instructions (which are accompanied by a handy labelled illustration for reference).
After rinsing out the hopper, glass lid, and catch cup with water and drying them thoroughly, the cup sat beneath the spout, and the hopper was pushed into the top of the unit and twisted to secure into place. There are some plastic components at the base of the hopper, but Aarke promises that this is BPA-free, making the unit non-toxic and a perfect accompaniment to your non-toxic coffee maker.
I particularly loved that the glass lid had a printed diagram with the recommended grind settings for each brewing method, including moka pot, Aeropress, pour over, siphon, filter brewing, Chemex, French press, and cold brew. It is important to note that Aarke stresses that the flat burr grinder is not suitable for espresso, so you will need a separate grinder if you are partial to this brew.
With everything set up, I could plug in the grinder and get to work.
What It's Like To Use: Aarke Coffee Grinder
Using the Aarke Coffee Grinder looked intimidating at first. There are over 60 grind settings, and the ability to further fine-tune those settings from there. This is a lot of choice, and makes it perfect for the serious coffee aficionado, but might be overwhelming to the average everyday drinker.
The grinder is set for both single dosing, with a manual mode which will grind the beans until you either manually stop the process or the hopper empties, and cup mode, allowing you to grind between two and 10 cups (for Aarke, one cup is 125 milliliters, or 4.2 ounces) worth. For my tests, I ground the same beans for two-cups worth on three settings, for an even comparison.
To adjust the general grind, you turn the large dial at the top of the machine. This was easy enough with two hands. You then have the option to fine-tune the grind according to your strength preference using a smaller dial towards the base of the machine. This will tell the grinder to dose more or less coffee within a given cup setting. For my tests, I left this on the standard dose.
When operating, the grinder is fairly loud, running at around 80-90 decibels, but the grind time is quick enough that it is not bothersome. It is also worth noting that it is not entirely mess-free. Thanks to the open chute and separate catch cup, some ground dust did fly around, landing on the counter around the appliance. It was minimal, but wastage is wastage, and it is something else to clean up later.
Test 1: Fine Grind
For my tests, I picked the midpoints of each grind range. For fine moka pot grounds, Aarke recommends a range of 10-20, so I settled on setting 15 for my first grind.
Having half-filled the hopper and set the cup size to two, the grounds spat out in seconds. They were delightfully fine and even, with a soft brown sugar-like texture, making them ideal for moka pots, such as the Bialetti Venus Coffee Maker I reviewed and loved a few weeks ago.
I ran the medium and coarse grinds next, but I did return to the fine setting again later. I deliberately went against the Aarke instructions to move from coarse grinding to fine grinding incrementally to clear out coarser grounds and prevent clogging, but as I was trying to deliberately prompt clogging to answer some online reports of jams, I didn't have success.
I couldn't get the machine to clog for me, but I did notice that with the same beans on the same cup and grind setting as my first run, I received 5g more grounds than the first test. This, I believe, may have come down to retention in the device – supported by the fact that while most of the grinds were nice and soft, there were a few coarser chunks mixed in.
Again, I did go against the advice for this test, and it is something Aarke warns against, but it is worth noting if you like to change your brewing method and don't want to spend a few minutes (and some potentially wasted beans) on working down five points at a time from a French press grind to a moka pot grind.
Test 2: Medium Grind
My next test was a medium grind, more suited to sifon or filter brewing. For this, I picked setting 35 out of 60, and let the machine run for two cups worth once again. It worked just as quickly, and with no real noticeable difference in noise.
There was a noticeable difference in grind texture between the medium and fine grinds, both visually and tangibly. It was more akin to sea salt and was once again very uniform.
Test 3: Course Grind
To test the coarse grind, I moved up to setting 50, which Aarke says is perfect for Chemex pour over that we have reviewed, French press, and Cold brew. Again, the grinder worked very quickly.
There was a stark difference between the medium and coarse grind here, with the results very rough and almost gritty, but uniformly so. Overall, three of the main grind types provided vastly different results, performing as expected for a grinder that costs $400.
Cleaning and Maintenance: Aarke Coffee Grinder
Maintaining the Aarke Coffee Grinder is relatively straightforward, and it comes with most of the tools you need.
The hopper, glass lid, and catch cup can be removed and washed by hand using warm water and a soft sponge. Be sure to dry each thoroughly before using again, and don't drop the lid, or you risk shattering it. The outside of the appliance can then be buffed clean using the black cloth provided.
Aarke recommends cleaning the burrs every three months. Accessing them is easy enough. Once the empty hopper has been removed, you untwist the top until it comes loose in your hand. This takes more twisting than you think, but persevere. Inside the device is a compartment that houses the burr brush, which I love, as it means I will not lose it in my drawers.
When brushing, I did find that some static meant that the grounds hopped from one surface to the other, making this process mildly irritating. Beyond this, a larger brush is ideal for brushing out the spout, which retains some grinds in the process.
You will also need to wipe down the counter where you use your grinder, as I mentioned above, some grounds do fly out of the chute and dust your kitchen.
Who the Aarke Coffee Grinder Would Suit
The Aarke Coffee Grinder is a fantastic investment for serious coffee drinkers who regularly indulge in a range of brewing methods when making coffee at home and need a device that will reliably provide the type of grind they need. The adjustable grind and strength settings make it perfect for the aficionado who knows exactly what they want from their coffee and doesn't want to settle for less.
It is also perfect for people who have the Aarke drip coffee maker (available at Amazon), which we reviewed last year, as the two can be connected into one complete system using a plug-in cord. We have not tested this feature ourselves, but I can see how it would be useful for simplifying routines.
As Aarke says themselves, this is not the grinder for espresso drinkers. For that, we suggest the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, from Amazon, which also allows you to grind straight into a portafilter.
What Do People Say Online?
The Aarke Coffee Grinder has largely positive reviews, sitting at 4.5 stars across most outlets, including Aarke's own store page. One common complaint, however, is clogging and jamming. This was not something I was able to replicate despite stressing the machine, but it is a common complaint for any flat burr coffee grinder. While they offer a more uniform grind, the horizontal design can allow grounds to build up, leading to jams.
The flat burr design also makes it less forgiving than conical burrs, with some complaints about needing some trial-and-error to find the perfect grind settings for your perfect brew. This might make it less suited to a beginner.
Overall, however, the response is largely positive, especially from those who have paired it with the matching drip coffee maker. It looks great, has fantastic adjustability, and, once you get the hang of it, is surprisingly simple to use.
My Verdict
All in all, if you have the budget, I would recommend the Aarke Coffee Grinder to experienced coffee drinkers who want to have fine-tuned coffee grinding at their fingertips.
It takes a little getting used to, as does any luxury appliance, but it can deliver great results when given the time, especially alongside the matching coffee maker.
That being said, the grinding device is $400, with the machine costing a further $400 on top of that (at the time of this review). It's an eye-watering price. The design is stunning, however, so it really will come down to how much you value non-espresso coffee and the overall aesthetics of your kitchen.
What to Shop
Whether you’ve decided to take the plunge and invest in the grinder or simply want a machine to match, these are the tools and accessories I recommend to help you get the very best from the Aarke flat burr coffee grinder.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
The Aarke flat burr coffee grinder is a solid investment if you have the budget and put heavy emphasis on the look of your appliances. It isn't optimised for espresso, but it does deliver a good range of ground consistencies for a range of brew methods.
The Aarke Coffee Grinder connects to the drip coffee maker for automatic grinding and dispensing. It can brew a full pot of coffee in under six minutes, and is crafted from quality stainless steel and BPA-free plastic.
With a 2-10 cup capacity, this double-wall insulated thermal jug will keep fresh-brewed coffee warm without a hot plate. It is crafted from stainless steel and BPA-free plastic. It is also 100% dishwasher safe.
Looking to cut down on coffee shop spending while still enjoying café-quality brews at home? Our guide to making coffee at home will help you perfect every cup, no barista required.
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