VSSL Java Manual Coffee Grinder, 20 Gram Capacity, Stainless Steel Burr, 50 Settings, Black

Update: so after much research, I discovered the Vssl uses a very similar burr set as the timemore C2, if not exactly the same. This gave me the idea of swapping burrs. So I couldn't find anything at all online about anyone doing this with the Vssl but there was plenty of info about people swapping the C2 burrs. I couldn't foresee any reason why i couldn't do this with the Vssl, so I took a chance, ordered the 38mm S2C660 burrs directly from Timemore's AliExpress store. Thankfully, it turns out that the burrs fit the Vssl to exacting specification. As far as I know, I am now the only person with a vssl capable of doing an espresso grind. The performance is excellent; since I ordered the genuine timemore burrs, they came really sharp and appear equal if not superior to the stock burrs. Also, I noticed the grind is a bit faster now with the S2C660 burrs.If you have this grinder or are thinking about picking it up but you're put off by it's inability to grind for espresso, i can confirm that a burr swap works just fine. As for price, the Vssl at $160 plus $40 for the S2C660s puts me at $200. Would i say this upgraded grinder is worth it? Absolutely! I have not tried this mod yet but there are replacement clickplates that make the adjustments far more precise. With that mod plus the upgraded burrs, I honestly couldn't see why it'd be better to have a commandante red clix.Original Review: Full disclosure, when i was looking to purchase a handgrinder, "cool-factor" was pretty high on my list of consideration. I'd say it was maybe #3 after cost (considering a $200 budget) and grind versatility. My brew methods are Espresso and Aeropress, so i wanted something that could handle both these tasks pretty well. The Kinu was on my dream list but obviously costs too much, The M47 was top of my list but nearly double my budget. The commandante was second but also too expensing and nearly impossible to get in South Africa at the moment.Turning to the Chinese offerings, I found Timemore somewhat attractive but i was put off my the plastic parts in the C2. The C3 looked sleek but i think the Vssl looked better. When i discovered the Vssl was a Canadian design, i decided to go with it over the C3. Despite apparently great reviews, the 1Zpresso offerings didn't much appeal to me.After unboxing the Vssl, the premium feel was immediately noticeable. Coming from a relatively inexpensive Caffelano ceramic grinder, the buttery smoothness of the ball bearings and the burr alignment, and the durability of the crank mechanism immediately caught my notice.On my very first grind, using about 4.5 clicks in the first rotation, I ground to a medium coarse and brewed a nearly perfect aeropress, perhaps the best I had ever made up to that point. However, the limitations of the Vssl began to show when I attempted to use the lowest setting, .5 on the first rotation, to brew an espresso.Looking at the burrs, they seemed to have the tiniest micron-widthed gap but it was nonetheless visible. Proceeding to grind, I could tell that while the grind size was very nicely uniformed, it was very slightly too coarse for my typical 18g espresso pull..I proceeded with my attempt anyway, and sure enough the shot ran straight though like taco truck tuesdays. I will say, increasing the dose to 19g did improve the shot quality slightly but it is still coarser than i typically like. I did a bit of research and discovered the Vssl uses the same burrset as the timemore C2, with the latter apparently having the same problems for espresso brewing. This gives me a bit of hope because the C2 has a good community behind it and much reference on how to swap burrs to improve the grinder's overall espresso grinding capability.My hope is if the Vssl and C2 burrs are indeed the exact same size and shape, then I should be able to swap the Vssl burrs out for the Timemore E&Bs or Esp burrs. If I am successful in this, i will update this post; being able to easily grind for expresso with the Vssl will change my coffee game. But for now, I will stick to giving it ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.If you don't care about grinding for espresso; if you're more of an aeropress or pour-over person in the market for a handgrinder, the Vssl definitely hits the sweet spot between quality and cost, being more premium than most of Timemore and 1Zpresso's offerings but less expensive than the Commandante or Kinu offerings. I would highly recommend it. If espresso is more your thing, this is still an ok option but just note that using the Vssl unmodified, you will have to make some adjustments to my brew methods.

I've used a manual coffee bean crusher ($40) since 2017 and didn't know better. I count everything, and it takes 300 turns to crush 15 g of beans. A former student told me he recently bought an electric, single dose, sleek black, large setting knob grinder that proved to be a game changer for he and his roommates. I explored electric grinders. Some are tried and true. Some are new and bold. They require from 400-1000 cubic inches of kitchen counter space and emit 85-91 dB of sound pressure.As an a married American male I have no counter space. That, and most of the electric grinders sounded like a large blue plastic pencil sharpener former students silenced by sharpening the eraser-end of pencils. I listened to six at a Seattle, web based seller of coffee grinders. I even had one in my cart, but its review did not feature it turned on. I went looking for another review with audio and found one, but that reviewer mentioned two manual grinders with $500 price tags.I wanted a reasonably priced, manual, quick yet small grinder with negligible audio pressure. I found one, bought it, and it was delivered at 5:30 A the next morning by this crazy company. Two hours before it arrived, I ordered the VSSL. I liked its "wilderness ready 'cuz it's a carabiner" vibe.The first grinder, oxygen tank sturdy, was smooth and fast: 27 turns for 15g of beans! I liked it, and regretted my impulsive use of another $160. But the crank, and knob, didn't fit in my AeroPress tote. Vexing. I sent a video to my son and to the former student. Well, two videos. The first was 5 turns long because I left the collector off. The sequel was 22 turns long. Amazing. My son gets that grinder today: he likes coffee, and has been crushing it with the same thing I was using.The VSSL arrived that evening. I made a late cup of coffee with 20g of beans. It took 140 turns to silently grind the beans. The 7 oz coffee tasted as good as that from the crusher, and from the first grinder. The VSSL took half as many turns as the crusher, but almost 4 times as many as the large handle/knob model. It fits in my AeroPress tote and almost inside the AeroPress plunger. That strikes me as its only design flaw.Now, about my pics. One shows the VSSL adjustment nut flush with the grinding bolt, the "default" position it's shipped in. The AeroPress setting is 20 clockwise clicks away. I didn't catch the "default" definition at first, but just applied 20 CW clicks. I re-read the enclosed pamphlet, backed my adjustment nut out until flush with the bolt, then advanced it 20 CW clicks. This morning, newly adjusted, it took 81 turns to grind 15g of coffee (Frinj, from CA). That's less than 3 times my son's soon to be grinder, and 1/4 as many as the crusher, but melodious. And it's a carabiner.I have a wilderness coffee kit: VSSL grinder, a Ziploc w beans, an AeroPress, a Trail Designs conical stove, .75 L pot, Sawyer water filter and matches. There's a pine tree near a flat rock by the gin clear tailwater I call home water. Next time, between the morning and afternoon midge hatches, I'll brew a few cups of Frinj. A thermos of Che McDoh coffee would do, but where's the adventure in that?I like this grinder: It's enabling. I'm not a billionaire.

All pieces have great manufacturing, is very pleasant to screw/unscrew the coffee catcher, aswell as sping the top handle to grind coffee,Only "issue" i found was that on the first use the bearings were so smooth that you could grab the bottom end and unscrew it by spinning the main body and the top handle will not move because of the smoothness of the bearings, really loved that but is something i could not get again, not an issue really, just a very enjoyable feeling.There is that and to assemble back the top cap you have to kind of align the hexagonal shape of the cap with the one on the body to get it to click, not really inconvenient, that's as bad as i can say about it.Previous to this one I was using a Java press grinder, with this thing i can grind the same 15g of coffee in a third of the time with a much uniform grind size, you need a little attention while brushing it to clean it.It is a small grinder, I'll say they are very precise with the 20g capacity.As i see it, i don't think to need a replacement for this grinder ever again

Amazing quality - no cheap parts!Easy and fun to use. We got the reusable filters, but also ordered size one paper filters to use also. Grinder does a great job.Makes a great cup of coffee