This is our Rancilio Rocky grinder review.
If you love espresso, you know a good grinder can make all the difference. And the Rancilio Rocky burr coffee grinder is one of the most highly regarded grinders in the market, known for its consistency, durability, and ease of use. In addition, for quality assurance, this grinder is factory tested with real coffee beans.
In this review article, we’ll take a closer look at this great Rancilio Rocky grinder, exploring its specs, features, pros, and cons to help you decide if it’s the right grinder for your home or cafe. So whether you’re a coffee enthusiast or a professional barista, please continue reading to determine if the Rancilio Rocky grinder is the most appropriate investment.
Table of Contents
At A Glance: Rancilio Rocky Review
- Café-worthy design
- Sturdy construction
- Generous capacity
- User-friendly
- Limited features
- Few grind settings
- Pricey
In this part of our Rancilio Rocky espresso grinder review, we will discuss this grinder’s key features. No doubt, Rancilio has been manufacturing top-tier coffee grinders for years. However, this manufacturer is still improving to offer the best possible experience.
The Rocky grinder features highly efficient and commercial grinding burrs, exceptionally suitable for espresso. In addition, it works in perfect collaboration with the Rancilio Silvia or any other commercial-grade espresso machine.
The Rancilio Rocky grinder is a viable choice if you are in search of a machine with an elegant design, sturdy construction, and consistent performance. It can serve the purpose well for espresso lovers who want barista-style coffee without much fuss.
It has 55 grinder settings, making it suitable for various brewing methods. Although it’s more expensive than entry-level grinders, it does well by ensuring grind consistency and greater precision. So, if you are looking for a mid-tier espresso grinder, you won’t regret getting the Rancilio Rocky.
Performance
The best thing about the Rancilio Rocky grinder is its consistent performance. Since the coffee beans are evenly grounded, it ensures proper extraction. In addition, the grind size consistency offers finer grinds, which are usually preferred for espresso. This is possible, as this grinder has a commercial size and high-quality burrs. Hence, this grinder proves to be a perfect companion for an espresso machine.
With this top-quality grinder, you can quickly grind your coffee beans from coarse grind to fine powder. Besides, it has a powerful motor (166-watt) with direct drive technology. Hence, this grinder can grind up to 7.7 lbs/hour. Changing the grind setting is easy; you just need to unlock the level and spin the bean hopper.
Specifications
- Hopper Capacity: 0.65lb
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Wattage: 166 watts
- Motor Speed: 1725 RPM
- Grinding Capacity: 7.7lbs/hour
- Grind Levels: 55
- Burr Material: Stainless Steel
- Weight: 15.4 Pounds
- Dimensions L x W x H: 9.8 x 4.7 x 13.8 inches
Features
Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder with Doser
- 50mm Burrs: The Rancilio Rocky grinder has 50 mm tempered flat steel burrs. It has a powerful motor capable of rotating at 1725 rpm. With this speed, it can grind your coffee beans within seconds.
- Low-noise Operation: In addition to speed and power, the motor of this grinder makes relatively less noise. This is so, as the engine relies on a “Direct Drive” technology that makes this grinder reasonably quiet.
- 55 Grind Settings: This grinder has 55 grind settings, allowing the users to choose a perfect grind size. For instance, the number one setting is for espresso, and the number 55 is for French press.
- Tinted Bean Hopper: Apart from being spacious, the bean hopper of this grinder is blue-tinted. It protects your beans from harmful UV rays.
- Portafilter Cradle: Rancilio Rocky grinder also has a removable portafilter cradle. You can either use a portafilter or remove it when you have decided to use a container.
Pros
- Elegant Design: By merely looking at this grinder, it exudes high quality. The casing is made of stainless steel for a striking look. In addition, the blue hopper also looks excellent.
- Sturdy Construction: Like other products offered by Rancilio, this grinder is built to last. The body and burrs are made of stainless steel for extended durability. On the other hand, it also has a heavy-duty motor, offering the required power for exceptional performance.
- Generous Capacity: Although this grinder looks smaller, its hopper can be spacious enough to handle over half a pound (0.65lb).
- User-friendly: Since this grinder has a few features, it’s suitable for novice users. The grinder is easy to clean and doesn’t require much maintenance. Besides, you can easily remove the hopper and clean the burrs.
Cons
- Few Features: Rancilio Rocky isn’t a feature-loaded coffee grinder. For instance, it doesn’t have a timer and requires manual operation. On the other hand, it’s a fairly basic grinder. However, it grinds exceptionally well, which makes it an ideal choice for coffee lovers.
- Limited Grind Settings: Another downside of this grinder is its limited number of grind settings. Besides, it uses a stepped mechanism for changing the grind settings. Hence, you can’t experiment with the grind size by manipulating the standard grind settings.
- Expensive: It’s the biggest hurdle that prevents people from buying this grinder. It’s a pricey option for people starting their home setup.
Rancilio Rocky Grinder Alternatives
The Rancilio Rocky Grinder is a popular choice among coffee lovers, but what if it’s not within your budget? Or if you prefer a different range of features, like stepless adjustments?
The Rancilio Rocky Grinder is known for its durability and precision, making it a top choice for coffee professionals and enthusiasts.
If you’re in the market for a coffee grinder and the Rancilio Rocky Grinder is out of your price range, or you prefer a similar espresso grinder, don’t worry. Below we offer you a few alternatives.
DF64 coffee grinder
The DF64 grinder has 64mm flat burrs designed to minimize retention. DF64 owners report that this grinder provides consistent results across various grind settings, including drip, immersion, and espresso.
The earlier versions of this grinder had some problems, but the newer models have been improved in several ways. Moreover, it has become more affordable after the manufacturer released more advanced models.
Baratza Sette 270
The Baratza Sette 270 and Rancilio Rocky have similar prices. However, the Sette 270 appears to be less expensive. The plastic body has a less attractive appearance and produces significant noise.
To distinguish between the two grinders, it is necessary to be perceptive and use fine coffee due to their competitive grind size distribution and retention. We also wrote a review of the Baratza Sette 270 for those interested in its unique design and affordable price.
Eureka Mignon Crono Coffee Grinder
The Eureka Mignon Crono is priced significantly lower than the Rancilio Rocky and other comparable options. Yet, the Italian grinder provides step-less grind adjustments for precise espresso, durable construction, an attractive design, and operates with less noise than comparable grinders in its price range. There is debate over whether it performs better than more expensive grinders.
One potential issue with the Eureka Mignon Crono is its level of usability and lack of advanced features. The device is uncomplicated, lacks a screen display, and features a few buttons for operation and a dial for adjusting the grind size.
The Verdict: Rancilio Rocky Coffee Grinder Review
We extensively researched the Rancilio Rocky grinder to provide a balanced, complete, and unbiased product review.
Hundreds of customers, coffee shop owners, and baristas agree on the quality of the Rancilio Rocky. It can provide commercial-grade precision and exceptional consistency, has stainless steel construction for superior durability, and can deal with heavy work. For all these reasons, it’s a common option among small cafeterias worldwide.
When it comes to appearance, this grinder has a professional look and feel. Regarding performance, the motor and burrs can withstand light commercial use.
Our Rancilio Rocky burr grinder review concludes that this grinder is a great option for home espresso enthusiasts with a medium-sized budget.
