The Smeg Coffee Grinder and the Breville Smart Grinder Pro cater to very different coffee lovers, one prioritizing iconic retro style and the other focusing on precision and performance. The Smeg grinder is a design-forward appliance with solid, straightforward functionality, while the Breville is a powerful tool for home baristas who need extensive grind settings and consistency for everything from French press to espresso.
Here's everything you need to know to decide which high-quality coffee grinder from Smeg or Breville is the right choice for your kitchen countertop.
Smeg '50s Retro Style Electric Coffee Grinder
The Smeg coffee grinder is instantly recognizable for its vintage-inspired design, making it a statement piece in any kitchen. It combines a durable build with simple operation, delivering consistent grounds for daily coffee drinkers who value both aesthetic appeal and reliable performance without needing dozens of settings.
- What it is: A conical burr grinder designed with Smeg's signature '50s retro flair, available in a variety of pastel and vibrant colors.
- Key features: Stainless steel conical burrs, 30 grind settings, manual and preset functions, and an anti-static system. Twist-and-lock bean hopper is simple to use.
- Price: Around $229.95
- Dimensions: ~6" W x 10" D x 18" H (depending on model)
- Materials/Construction: Features a durable die-cast aluminum body with chrome accents and high-quality plastic components. Burrs are made of stainless steel for consistency.
- Style: Unmistakably retro. Its bold colors and curved lines are designed to coordinate with other Smeg appliances, adding a touch of vintage charm to the countertop.
- Pros: Stunning aesthetic that stands out. Simple and intuitive to operate for beginners. Solid construction with a hefty feel. Produces consistent grinds for most common brewing methods like drip and pour-over. Relatively compact footprint.
- Cons: Limited grind settings compared to more technical grinders. Puts style slightly ahead of ultimate precision, especially for espresso. Higher price point for the functional features offered, with a premium being paid for the design.
This grinder is perfect for the style-conscious user who wants an appliance that looks as good as the coffee it grinds and doesn't require complex adjustments.
Shop this product: smeg.com/products/CGF01PGUS
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a top choice among coffee enthusiasts and home baristas for its incredible precision, versatility, and user-friendly digital interface. It specializes in providing consistent grind sizes across a huge range of settings, with specific features designed to help users dial in the perfect shot of espresso or the ideal coarseness for their favorite brewing method.
- What it is: An advanced, high-performance conical burr coffee grinder with digital controls and a professional-grade feature set.
- Key features: "Dosing iQ" technology for precise amounts, 60 grind settings with micro-adjustments, an LCD screen displaying settings, grind time, and number of shots/cups. Comes with two portafilter cradles.
- Price: Generally priced from $199.95 to $229.95
- Dimensions: 6" W x 8.5" D x 15.5" H
- Materials/Construction: Features a robust build with a brushed stainless steel body. The stainless steel conical burrs are designed to minimize heat and protect the essential oils in the coffee bean.
- Style: Sleek, modern, and utilitarian. Its professional appearance with brushed stainless steel matches popular high-end kitchen appliances and espresso machines.
- Pros: Massive range of 60+ grind settings offers incredible control. Extremely consistent grind size, especially important for espresso. "Dosing iQ" feature is excellent for repeatability. Built for durability and frequent use. Offers fantastic value for its pro-level features.
- Cons: Larger countertop footprint than the Smeg. The modern, industrial aesthetic might not fit all kitchen decor styles. Can be overwhelming for coffee beginners who don't need extensive customization.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is for a coffee hobbyist who values precision and wants the control to experiment with different brewing methods and dial in the perfect cup.
Shop this product: breville.com/us/en/products/coffee-grinders/bcg820.html
Smeg Coffee Grinder vs. Breville Coffee Grinder Comparison
Style & Aesthetic
This is the most significant difference between the two grinders. The Smeg is built around design. Its '50s retro look, available in colors like cream, pastel blue, and red, is meant to be a decor statement piece. It’s perfect for someone curating a kitchen with a specific vintage or colorful aesthetic.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro takes the opposite approach. Its brushed stainless steel body and digital interface give it a modern, professional, and almost industrial look. It’s designed to look like a serious piece of coffee equipment that complements other stainless steel appliances rather than standing out as a design element.
Grind Settings & Versatility
Breville is the clear winner in versatility. With 60 distinct grind settings plus internal burr adjustments for fine-tuning, it can handle everything from a very fine espresso grind to a coarse French press grind with exceptional precision. The Dosing iQ Technology allows you to get the exact same amount of ground coffee every single time, which is critical for consistent results.
Smeg’s 30 grind settings are perfectly adequate for most automatic drip, pourover, and cold brew enthusiasts. However, it offers less nuance at the very fine end of the spectrum, making it less ideal for espresso aficionados who need to make tiny adjustments to perfect their shot.
Materials & Construction
Both grinders are well-built, but their construction reflects their purpose. The Breville features a heavy-duty stainless steel build designed for longevity and performance under frequent use. It feels like a small commercial appliance.
The Smeg has a solid die-cast aluminum body that gives it a satisfying heft and premium feel. It's built to last for typical home use. However, it does use more highlighted plastic components for aesthetic purposes compared to Breville's function-first metal construction.
Price & Value
With RRPs sitting close to each other, the value proposition is quite different. With Smeg, a significant portion of the cost goes toward the iconic Italian design, licensing, and brand name. You're paying for a beautiful appliance that also works well.
With Breville, nearly the entire cost is dedicated to performance-oriented engineering - the powerful motor, the precise burrs, and the smart technology. For the serious coffee enthusiast, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro offers superior value due to its technical capabilities and versatility at a very competitive price point in the prosumer market.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both of these grinders excel in their own way, but they serve different users with different priorities.
Choose the Smeg Coffee Grinder if:
- Aesthetics are your number one priority and you want an appliance that doubles as kitchen decor.
- You want to match other colorful or retro appliances in your kitchen.
- You primarily brew drip coffee, French press, or pour-over.
- You appreciate simple, straightforward operation without a lot of technical settings.
Choose the Breville Smart Grinder Pro if:
- You are a home barista or want to get serious about making great coffee.
- You need precise control to dial in perfect espresso shots.
- You frequently switch between different brewing methods that require different grind sizes.
- Function, consistency, and versatility are more important to you than looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between Smeg and Breville grinders?
The core difference is design versus function. Smeg prioritizes its iconic retro aesthetic and offers solid, user-friendly performance for everyday coffee. Breville prioritizes pro-level features, precision, and versatility for coffee enthusiasts who want minute control over their grind.
Is the Breville Smart Grinder Pro worth the money?
Absolutely. For anyone serious about improving their coffee game, especially with espresso, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro offers features and consistency typically found in much more expensive machines. It is widely considered one of the best value grinders on the market.
Is the Smeg grinder good for espresso?
The Smeg grinder can grind fine enough for espresso, but it lacks the micro-adjustment capabilities of the Breville. This makes it challenging to "dial in" a shot perfectly, which often requires tiny changes in grind size. It's better suited for less demanding brew methods.
Which grinder is easier to clean?
Both grinders have a similar cleaning process. The upper burr on both machines is removable, allowing you to easily brush out old coffee grounds. Both also feature removable hoppers for easy bean swapping and cleaning.
How long do these coffee grinders last?
With regular cleaning and proper care, both grinders are built to last for many years of home use. Breville's robust, metal-focused construction may give it an edge in terms of long-term durability under very heavy daily use.
Which brand has a better aesthetic?
This is purely subjective. If you love colorful, vintage, and fun designs, Smeg is unbeatable. If you prefer a sleek, modern, professional look that blends in seamlessly with other high-end appliances, Breville's aesthetic will be more appealing.
Why is a burr grinder better than a blade grinder?
Burr grinders crush beans to a uniform and consistent size, which is essential for a balanced and even extraction. Blade grinders act more like a blender, randomly chopping beans into inconsistent-sized particles, which leads to a mix of over-extracted (bitter) and under-extracted (sour) flavors in your coffee.
Can you adjust the burrs on the Breville for a finer grind?
Yes. Beyond its 60 external settings, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro has an adjustable top burr with 10 additional settings. This allows you to calibrate the grinder even finer, a feature specifically useful for dialing in different types of espresso beans.
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