Salter electric coffee, nut and spice grinder review

Salter’s electric coffee, nut and spice grinder was the only blade grinder featured in our test. While the other grinders, which all employ a burr-grinding mechanism, produce a more consistent grind, we have chosen to include this grinder as a good example of its type.

Using it couldn't be easier. Pour up to 60g coffee beans into the stainless steel bowl at the top (which is particularly wide and accessible), put the lid on, then press and hold the big power button on the front of the appliance to activate the blade.

As the grinder is single speed, the coarseness of the grind is determined by how long you keep the button pressed down. This introduces an element of judgement-by-eye that is not necessary with the other electric grinders we’ve tested.

The benefit to this is in the enjoyment of controlling the grinder. The disadvantage is that it makes it hard to achieve a consistent grind, especially if you need your coffee coarsely ground.

What Salter’s grinder lacks in precision, it makes up for in convenience. It can achieve a fine grind in less than 30 seconds, has a wind-up power cable storage facility built into the base, and the grinder is impressively quiet, with a mechanism that seems to produce less noise than the beans do when being ground.

Utility is the order of the day from an aesthetic standpoint, as seems to be broadly characteristic of Salter’s products. Symmetrical banking to the lip of the lid adds a touch of interest to the design, but really, this appliance is more focused on functionality.

As the grinder essentially comes in one piece (including the lid), it is simple to store and has a small footprint, ensuring it won’t take up too much space in the kitchen.

It’s also safe and sturdy. The blade won’t work unless the lid is securely fastened, meaning the risk of injury is minimal, as is the potential of coffee grinds escaping the grinder during use. The whole appliance feels very solid, and is encased in metal with no apparent weaknesses.

One downside emerges when it comes to cleaning the inside of the grinder. It can be quite hard to winkle granules out from under the blade, and the container within the grinder can’t be removed, which means cleaning with water is out of the question. The outside can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

This grinder’s packaging is pleasingly minimal and predominantly recyclable – just what it takes to keep the cylindrical grinder secure in a cuboid box.

Specifications:

Grinder type: blade
Grind settings: one
Time settings: manual
Power: 200W
Capacity: 60g
Dimensions: H18.3cm x W10.3cm x D10.3cm

Read our full review of the best coffee grinders

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This review was last updated in July 2019. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.