This is our DF64 grinder review.
Finding the best grinder is always on your bucket list if you are a diehard coffee lover. For many, the DF64 is the ultimate Niche killer, and for many reasons.
The DF64 is a popular coffee grinder, yet, it’s hard to cut through the noise and discern the hype from the truth.
For this reason, we wrote this DF64 coffee grinder review to discuss the features, pros, and cons of the DF64.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
DF64 Coffee Grinder Review: At a glance
- Compact design
- Near zero retention
- Good build quality
- Ease of use
- Low maintenance
- Popcorning issue
- Faulty declumper
- Misaligned burrs in some cases
The DF64 came into the market in early 2021. Soon after its launch, this coffee grinder gained immense popularity quickly. The reasons are many, but in short, the DF64 burr grinder has the following:
- Intuitive features
- SSP burrs compatibility
- Single-dosing capabilities
- Extremely-low retention
- Solid construction and good durability
- Better price and availability than the Niche Zero
When the Niche Zero is still scarce and hard to get, the DF64 grinder is an excellent solution for home espresso lovers.
In this DF64 grinder review, we will look deeper at these features and see why this particular option is particularly suitable for home baristas and espresso enthusiasts.
Performance
To start with, the grind quality of the DF64 coffee grinder is awe-inspiring. When considering the reviews of the DF64 users, it’s clear that the stock burrs of this grinder show excellent performance.
It isn’t easy for some to find a compact coffee grinder with high-quality flat burrs at such an affordable price. Arguably, the masterful combination of high-quality burrs, a precise adjustment system, and a powerful and smooth motor make the DF64 burr grinder a top performer among coffee grinders for home.
Specifications
- Capacity: 70 grams with bellow and 50 grams without bellow
- Material: Aluminum
- Motor: 250W
- Weight: 15 lbs
- Size: 10″ L, 5.2″ W, 12″ H
Features
- 58mm dosing cup: DF64 has a 58mm transparent dosing cup made with food-grade materials. Although you can also use a portafilter, it’s better to use the dosing cup. For instance, if your portafilter isn’t 58mm, it won’t fit below the chute. In addition, the transparent design makes it easy for the user to monitor the grinding dose.
- 64 mm flat burrs: This coffee grinder comes with high-quality Italian 64mm stainless steel flat burrs. It minimizes the grind time and improves the grind particle consistency thanks to the large size of its flat burrs.
- Stepless dial: It has a stepless adjustment dial with a wide range, from fine to coarse. Thanks to this, you can dial in your desired espresso shot without much fuss and enjoy the same great taste every time you grind your favorite coffee beans.
- Low grind noise: coffee grinders can make a horrible noise, but this isn’t the case with DF64. The manufacturer knows this issue and designed it with quietness in mind. The use of high-quality materials and a powerful motor are a few of the aspects that help lower the noise level.
Pros
Let’s check out the most important pros of the DF64:
- Compact design: The DF64 is a compact coffee grinder that is quiet and functional. It has a sloping shape to minimize retention. It also comes with plastic portafilter forks to securely attach the dosing cup. A grind dial on the top is another impressive design feature. Due to its compact size, it can easily fit kitchen cabinets and countertops.
- Low grinding retention: when buying a coffee grinder, most informed buyers are concerned about grind retention. Since the leftover grinds go stale quickly, retention prevents you from grinding an accurate dose. Moreover, it harms the taste and aroma of the resulting cup of coffee. DF64 boasts near zero retention <0.2 gram. This is possible due to its blow-out funnel and powerful 250W motor. This feature makes the DF64 one of the best coffee grinders for home use.
- Good build quality: the DF64 is a sturdy and well-built coffee grinder. Most of the parts are constructed with metal, enhancing this product’s overall durability. However, this makes it slightly heavier than the competitors. The later V4 version has a new 2-piece de-clumper and a metal dial indicator. The dosing cup also looks durable.
- Ease of Use: Using the DF64 is a breeze. You just need to weigh your dose and grind. You can adjust the grinding size with the simple-to-use metal dial. Besides, cleaning this coffee grinder is easy too.
- Low maintenance: It takes a little effort to maintain the DF64. Little cleaning is involved, as you don’t have to remove many parts while cleaning this grinder. Simply remove the static cling and clean the grinder after every use. You can also access the burrs without trouble for deep cleaning.
Cons
- Popcorning Issue: This is a common issue reported by the users, which suggests that the DF64 coffee grinder encounters popcorning. It happens when the last few coffee beans bounce around in the bellow and refuse to go down. As a result, you may deal with a grinding consistency issue.
- Declumper problems: the declumper is a small screen that helps break up clumps and reduce static but can also cause retention issues. The DF64 came with a sub-optimal declumper for the first few models, which the manufacturer solved for the most recent grinders.
- Misalignment: alignment is critical for burr grinder performance, yet some users claim that their DF64 came with alignment issues. Fortunately, it doesn’t require an engineering degree to solve the problem. Yet, it can be a headache for those like me who aren’t gifted with handyman superpowers.
DF64 Alternatives
Other grinders may be better suited for your needs if you’re looking for an alternative to the DF64 grinder. Yet, I warn you that finding something similar at a better price is extremely hard.
Baratza Sette 270Wi
The Baratza Sette 270WI is an excellent grinder for home baristas looking for an affordable yet high-performance espresso grinder. It features a powerful motor and adjustable grind settings, with 30 macro adjustments and nearly stepless micro adjustments. Additionally, the 270WI includes programmable grinding times, adapts to three portafilter sizes, and features a weigh-by-grind capability exclusive to commercial grinders.
On the downside, some users have reported issues with static clumping in the grounds bin and noise problems due to its plastic construction.
Are you interested in the Sette 270Wi? Read our detailed Baratza Sette 270 review.
Eureka Mignon Silenzio
Eureka Mignon Silenzio has a competitive price compared to the DF64 and the Baratza Sette 270Wi. Still, this Italian grinder offers step-less grind adjustments to dial the perfect espresso, a solid build quality, an elegant design, and quieter than most grinders in this price range. And some argue that it’s even better in this aspect than many pricier grinders.
The downside of the Eureka Mignon Silenzio is its usability and need for advanced features. It’s pretty simple, hasn’t any screen display, and only has a couple of pushing buttons, with a dial to adjust the grind size.
Rancilio Rocky
The Rancilio Rocky comes in different versions: one with a doser and another doserless. In both cases, the Rancilio Rocky has a similar price to the DF64.
The strong side of the Rancilio Rocky is that it comes with a decent motor and a commercial-grade burr set. Conversely, its main limitation is that it comes with stepped grind adjustments.
Additionally, both retention and grind size distribution is good.
Although I’d prefer the DF64 to the Rancilio Rocky, it’s a solid option for more conservative users who prefer time-tested brands like Rancilio, with plenty of service centers and technical experts familiar with it.
You can read our Rancilio Rocky grinder review if you’re still curious about this grinder.
Final Words: DF64 Review
Regarding value, the DF64 grinder stands out among the rest. When writing this DF64 grinder review, no other coffee grinder offers top-notch grind quality, stepless adjustments, solid construction, and high-quality flat burrs in this price range.
Besides, you can further improve the DF64 by adding SSP burrs. To help you, we have discussed the critical aspects of DF64.
