Why You Can Trust CNET Make better coffee at home with the Sboly burr grinder for $46
Many such machines sell for $100 or more. This bean-blaster gets the job done at less than half the price.
It's not perfect, but for just $46, Sboly's conical burr coffee grinder gets the job done.
Last year I went on a mission to raise my coffee game -- and lower my coffee costs. One thing I learned immediately: Grinding your own beans yields the best possible cuppa joe. One problem: CNET's top coffee-grinder picks start at $100. Ouch.
There is a cheaper option, and a good one at that. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Cheapskate readers can once again get the Sboly Conical Burr Coffee Grinder for $46 after clipping the on-page $10-off coupon and then applying promo code FF7BL2HX at checkout. It normally sells for $70.
Sboly? I've been using its little single-serve coffee maker on and off for a couple years, and it's been rock-solid. But how does the company's grinder compare with something like the top-rated Oxo Brew, which sells for $100?
It works well for the most part. You slide a lever to set the grind texture (from espresso-ready powder to pour-over coarse), turn a dial to set the amount to grind and push a button. Presto! Ground coffee.
It's loud, but so are other grinders. I also noticed that the dial has some "play" in it: Turn it to, say, 4 and it can wiggle almost a full half-setting backward or forward. If you're trying to be ultraprecise about the amount of beans you're grinding, this makes it challenging.
Another gripe: The bean funnel is shallow, meaning sometimes the last beans don't drop into the grinder without a little nudge. I never have that problem with Oxo's machine.
But these are hardly deal-breaker issues. The Sboly delivers a consistent grind for less than half the price of the Oxo, and that appeals to my cheapskate nature. (That said, I'm totally loving Oxo's single-serve pour-over gizmo, which feels like a bargain at $16.)
Your thoughts?
First published last year. Updated with new deal information. Removed expired Oculus Quest bonus deal.
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