‎Sage ‎BCG820BSSUK Electric Grinder - Review 🏆

The Sage BCG820BSSUK Smart Grinder Pro is an electric coffee grinder designed for home use. It's a mid-range model from Sage, a company known for its kitchen appliances. The Smart Grinder Pro aims to offer high-end grinding performance combined with intuitive ease of use.

This coffee grinder has many features to help make brewing coffee more convenient. It provides a range of grind sizes from espresso to french press, with precise digital control. The grounds container seals to help preserve freshness. There is also a built-in dose timer to help with consistent dosing.

Overall, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro is a versatile electric coffee grinder intended to deliver commercial-grade grinding with approachable usability. This review will examine its key features and performance to see how it stacks up for making great coffee at home.

Design and Build Quality

The Sage Smart Grinder Pro is designed with high-quality materials and excellent craftsmanship that make it feel sturdy and built to last. The exterior housing is made of brushed stainless steel that gives it a sleek, modern look that will complement any kitchen decor.

Despite its solid metal construction, the grinder still manages to remain surprisingly lightweight and compact. It measures only 5.8 x 7.5 x 12.2 inches, making it easy to store away or keep on your kitchen counter.

The materials used not only look good but also make the grinder feel solid and durable. The stainless steel is fingerprint resistant to help maintain its shiny appearance. All the interior burrs and gears are made of hardened steel for precise and consistent grinding.

The hopper on top can hold up to 12 oz of beans and has a locking system to securely attach it to the body. Overall, the choice of high-grade metal components gives confidence in the grinder's longevity and ability to perform for many years. It has a reassuring heft and stability while still maintaining a stylish, elegant look.

The design and build quality of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro make it a great choice for those looking for a durable, well-constructed electric coffee grinder. The solid metal housing not only looks sleek and modern but also feels sturdy and stable during use. For another high-quality electric grinder option, consider the UUOUU CG-8320. This grinder features a durable stainless steel conical burr grinder for uniform grinding and a powerful 250W motor. The CG-8320 has 60 precise grind settings and a built-in timer for accurate dosing. Like the Sage, it has a sleek stainless steel exterior that will look great on your countertop. Both grinders demonstrate excellent craftsmanship and material quality that contribute to their longevity and consistent performance over many years of daily use.

Grind Settings

The Sage BCG820BSSUK Smart Grinder Pro offers a wide range of grind sizes, from fine espresso to coarse French press. There are 60 precise grind settings to choose from, allowing you to dial in the perfect grind for your brew method.

The grind adjustment is done by a rotating dial on the front of the grinder. Turning the dial adjusts an internal burr mechanism, with clear demarcations for each setting. The dial moves smoothly between settings and provides a satisfying "click" feedback when turned, so you know exactly where you are in the range. The grind setting is also clearly labeled with icons for common brew methods like espresso, filter, and French press.

Overall, the broad range of grind sizes and easy adjustability of the settings make the Sage Smart Grinder Pro very versatile. You can brew a wide variety of coffee drinks with a simple turn of the dial, without needing to change equipment. The precise grind settings allow you to really fine-tune the grind for your taste preferences too.

While the Sage grinder offers excellent grind quality and adjustability, there are other electric coffee grinders on the market worth considering as well. The Huanyu QLW-134, for example, is a budget-friendly electric grinder with 18 grind settings. It uses durable stainless steel burrs and has a 150 watt motor. The Huanyu doesn't have as many settings as the Sage, but it can still grind for various brew methods. And at around $30, it's significantly less expensive.

When choosing an electric coffee grinder, factors like the number of grind settings, grind consistency, ease of use, noise level, and price should be considered. The premium Sage Smart Grinder Pro stands out for its high number of settings and consistent grinds. But the Huanyu QLW-134 offers good performance at a fraction of the cost. Your own brewing needs and budget will determine which grinder is the right choice.

Grinding Performance

The Sage Smart Grinder Pro excels when it comes to grinding performance. It has a powerful 250-watt motor that delivers fast grind speeds without overheating.

Many reviewers highlight how quickly it grinds beans. You can grind enough coffee for a full pot in under a minute. The grinding process itself is very quiet, especially compared to cheaper blade grinders. It operates at less than 70 dB, so early morning coffee prep won't disturb the whole household.

Where this grinder really shines is the consistency of the grinds. The conical burrs do an excellent job producing uniform particle sizes. This allows you to fine tune the grind for various brew methods. From fine espresso grinds to coarse French press grinds, you'll get optimal extraction and flavor. The grounds have very little dust or powdery fines that can lead to overextraction. Overall, the grinding performance is impressive for a home grinder in this price range.

Ease of Use

The Sage Smart Grinder Pro is designed to be very easy to use for home coffee enthusiasts. The controls are straightforward with a simple on/off pulse button and LCD display showing the grind setting.

There are 60 precise grind settings to choose from, clearly marked from fine espresso grinds up to coarse grinds for French press. The settings can be quickly and easily adjusted through the front-mounted dial. Once the grind setting is dialed in, the machine consistently reproduces the same grind each time.

Cleaning the grinder is also simple with a removable bean hopper that provides easy access. The grounds container can be removed and emptied after each use. There is also a handy grounds brush included for tidying up any leftover grounds.

Overall, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro scores very highly for intuitive use. The controls and settings are self-explanatory even for beginners. But it also provides the precision and adjustability expected by experienced baristas. The simple workflow makes it easy to achieve consistent results day after day.

Additional Features

The BCG820BSSUK has some handy additional features that make the grinding process easier and more consistent.

One of the most useful is the built-in scale, which allows you to weigh beans and grounds directly in the portafilter or grounds bin. This takes the guesswork out of dosing and helps ensure you get the right amount of coffee every time. The scale is accurate to 0.2g which provides precision for dialing in your preferred dose.

The grinder also has an adjustable portafilter cradle that fits both single and double spouts. This holds the portafilter steadily in place under the grinder spout for neat, mess-free grinding directly into the filter basket. No need for a separate dosing cup or scale when you can grind directly into the portafilter.

For easy operation, the BCG820BSSUK has digital controls with pre-programmed grind settings and dose amounts. You can set your ideal grind size and dose weight, then quickly select them again in the future at the touch of a button. This saves time and removes variability in the grinding process.

Overall, the addition of the built-in scale, portafilter cradle, and programmable controls really improves the convenience and consistency of using this grinder. These extras help justify the higher price tag compared to more basic models.

Value for Money

The Sage BCG820BSSUK Smart Grinder Pro typically retails for around £150-£200. While not the cheapest coffee grinder on the market, it provides excellent value compared to other electric burr coffee grinders with similar build quality and features.

The premium materials, commercial-grade conical burrs, and precise grind settings justify the price tag. You're getting a grinder built to last rather than a flimsily constructed budget model. The consistent grinds and range of settings also help you get the most out of your coffee.

Compared to other electric burr grinders in this price range like the Baratza Encore or Breville Smart Grinder Pro, the Sage holds up very well. It offers comparable performance and more precise grind settings. The Sage also has a slightly more solid feel thanks to its heavier build.

While it costs more than entry-level blade grinders, the Sage delivers vastly superior grind consistency. For anyone who cares about optimizing coffee flavor, the Sage is easily worth the extra investment over an inconsistent blade grinder.

Overall, the performance, build quality, and reliability of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro make it a great value electric burr coffee grinder. It's a worthwhile upgrade for both home brewing enthusiasts and coffee shops on a budget.

Who It's Good For

The Sage Smart Grinder Pro is ideal for home coffee enthusiasts who want precise control over grind size. It's a great choice for:

• Home baristas - The 60 grind settings allow you to dial in the perfect grind for espresso or any brew method. The consistent grinds and precise adjustments help produce café-quality coffee drinks at home.

• Those seeking high-end performance - With a powerful 450-watt motor and commercial-grade conical burrs, this grinder delivers fast, even grinding and minimal clumping. It's a step above entry-level models.

• People who brew multiple methods - The wide range of settings lets you customize grinds for espresso, drip, pour over, French press, etc. No need to have separate grinders.

• Those who value quiet operation - The Smart Grinder Pro operates at a low noise level, making early morning coffee prep less disruptive.

• People who care about aesthetics - With a solid stainless steel construction and minimalist design, this grinder looks great on the counter and complements other high-end appliances.

The precision and versatility of the Sage Smart Grinder Pro make it a great option for passionate coffee lovers who want to get the most out of their beans. It gives them commercial-level quality in a home grinder.

Downsides

The Sage Smart Grinder Pro is not without some minor flaws. Here are a few potential downsides to consider:

• It's quite large and heavy compared to some other home grinders. Weighing in at over 7 pounds, it takes up a good amount of counter space. This may be an issue for some with smaller kitchens.

• The hopper holds a lot of beans (over 1 pound), which is convenient but can lead to stale coffee if you don't go through it quickly enough. There's no smaller hopper option.

• While it excels at grinding for espresso and drip, the grind size range may not be wide enough for some methods like French press or cold brew. Very fine espresso-level grinding is no problem, but it can't go as coarse as some may like.

• The grind settings, while extensive, are not infinitely adjustable. You have to choose between the 30 macro settings. It's not quite "stepless."

• Grounds can clump together when grinding fine for espresso. A little stirring or shaking helps, but it's an extra step.

• It's an expensive grinder, over £200. You can get cheaper grinders with similar performance if you don't need features like the electronic timer.

Overall the downsides are minor. The Sage Smart Grinder Pro remains an excellent electric grinder for the home, especially for espresso and drip coffee. Just be aware of its large size and lack of micro-adjustability when considering your needs.

Conclusion

The Sage BCG820BSSUK Smart Grinder Pro is an excellent electric coffee grinder that delivers high performance and versatility. It's one of the best mid-range options for someone looking to step up their home brewing game.

The consistent grind, extensive grind settings, and useful features like the dosing cradle and electronic timer make this an easy to use and reliable grinder. It produces evenly ground coffee suited for various brew methods from espresso to drip.

The build quality and grind consistency rival more expensive grinders. While not as fast as some commercial grinders, it can churn through enough beans for most home use. The grind is uniform and adjustable from fine to coarse.

For someone who wants to explore pour over, cold brew, espresso and more, this grinder can handle it all. The digital controls and timer allow you to dial in the right grind precisely. The grind container, portafilter cradle, and grounds tray keep your countertop tidy.

Overall, the Sage Smart Grinder Pro punches above its weight class and would make an excellent addition to any home coffee station. For someone looking to upgrade their grinding game without breaking the bank, it's easy to recommend.