Why You Should Skip the Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder (And What to Get Instead)

If you are building your first home espresso setup, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder is probably on your radar. It’s everywhere. It looks professional, has a fancy digital screen, and often comes recommended as the go-to "budget" option for espresso.

But here's my honest advice: I think you should skip it.

While it was a great option five years ago, the grinder market has moved on. For the price, you can now get something that is quieter, more consistent, and doesn't eat your coffee beans. Here is why I don't recommend the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, and what I think you should buy instead.

1. It Retains (Eats) Your Coffee

The biggest issue with the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is retention. This machine is designed with a lot of empty space inside the chute and burr chamber.

If you put 18 grams of beans in, you might only get 16 grams out. The rest? It gets stuck inside, goes stale, and then randomly falls into your next cup of coffee. This makes it incredibly frustrating to dial in a shot because you are always mixing fresh grounds with old, stale grounds from yesterday.

2. "Clump City" and Inconsistency

Because of how the Breville grinds, the coffee tends to come out in dense clumps rather than fluffy grounds. In the espresso world, clumps cause "channeling", where water shoots through the puck unevenly, leading to sour or bitter shots.

Additionally, the "steps" on the adjustment dial are too big. You’ll often find yourself in a situation where setting 12 chokes your machine (too fine), but setting 13 gushes out in 10 seconds (too coarse). You get stuck in the middle with no way to fix it.

3. The Plastic Impeller Wears Out

This is a known durability issue. The Smart Grinder Pro uses a plastic impeller to push the coffee grounds out. Over time, this plastic part wears down, causing the grinder to jam and make a horrible clicking noise. It’s a point of failure that you just don't see on higher-quality grinders built with metal components.

So What Should You Get Instead?

If you want a grinder that solves all of these problems, zero retention, fluffy grounds, and infinite adjustability, I recommend spending a little more for the TIMEMORE Sculptor 064S.

Why the Timemore wins:

• Single Dose Design: You put 18g in, you get 18g out. No waste, no stale coffee.
• Flat Burrs: It uses flat burrs (vs. Breville's conical), which generally provide better flavor clarity and consistency for espresso.
• Stepless Adjustment: You can make microscopic adjustments to get your shot flow exactly right.
• Build Quality: It feels like a premium tool, not an appliance.

It is simply a better investment that will save you money on wasted beans and frustration in the long run.

Check out the Timemore Sculptor 064S here

Still Not Convinced?

I totally understand if the Timemore is out of your budget range right now. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is still a massive step up from a blade grinder or pre-ground coffee. If you love the idea of a digital timer and a hopper that holds a whole bag of beans, it might still be the right choice for you.

✅ I decided to get the Breville Smart Grinder Pro anyway

But if you can stretch the budget, skip the Breville and go with the Timemore. Your espresso will thank you.

🔗 Check out the Timemore Sculptor 064S

🔗 Check out the Breville Smart Grinder Pro

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