Aarke Coffee Grinder Review: A First Look

When I reviewed the Aarke Drip Coffee Maker, its companion grinder wasn’t yet available on Amazon. However, that’s all changed, so I can go ahead and conduct an initial Aarke Coffee Grinder review.

I haven’t bought the Aarke grinder to test out yet, so this article will be a first look-style review. With that said, I’ve done a ton of research for you, and I feel like I’ve got a good idea of what this thing is all about. So, without further ado, let’s jump into my Aarke Coffee Grinder review!

Aarke Coffee Grinder Review Overview

I’ve seen the burr coffee grinder market become more and more competitive over the past few years. After all, since the pandemic hit, folks have rediscovered the joys of making coffee and espresso at home. And that means that blade grinders are getting thrown in the trash, to be replaced by grinders that actually produce even and consistent results.

If you’ve checked out my guide to the best burr coffee grinders, you’ll know that I’ve reviewed some models that offer seriously good value for money. For example, the Baratza Encore ESP is suitable for all brewing methods and will only set you back around $200.00.

Enter the Aarke Coffee Grinder, which hopes to convince you that it’s the ultimate solution for your drip coffee grinding needs. The Aarke Coffee Grinder certainly looks impressive, with its high-quality stainless steel housing and sleek, industrial design. In fact, the Aarke grinder looks pretty professional, and the manufacturer appears to be trying to compete with some of the best Eureka Mignon grinders.

Equipped with 64 mm stainless steel flat burrs, the Aarke Coffee Grinder promises high levels of performance. Plus, there are next to no bells and whistles to distract from what’s really important. In essence, this grinder is meant to do one thing and do it well.

I’ll admit that I’m a little skeptical, and I worry that this thing could be a case of style over substance. Plus, you’ll be paying $N/A for the privilege. Oh, and if you’re looking for the best espresso grinder you can stop reading now. The Aarke isn’t meant as an espresso grinder, and you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Aarke Coffee System

I’ve already established that the $400.00 Aarke Drip Coffee Maker is the real deal. It’s beautiful to behold and comes with the Specialty Coffee Association’s seal of approval. What’s really interesting is that you can use the Aarke coffee machine and grinder together. The manufacturer calls this the Aarke Coffee System, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it.

In a nutshell, you’re able to connect the two machines using a rather outdated-looking cable. Once you’ve added water to the coffee maker’s reservoir, the grinder can read the level and then grind what it considers to be the ideal dose of coffee for your brew. To be honest, I’ve heard mixed reviews of how effective this is. Still, it seems like a cool idea and I’m looking forward to testing it out in the Coffeeness kitchen.

See Also: Aarke Coffee Maker Review

Aarke Coffee Grinder Features

Now that we have a fairly good idea of what we’re dealing with, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. Let’s continue this initial Aarke Coffee Grinder review by taking a closer look at its standout features.

Materials and Design

Without a doubt, the Aarke Coffee Grinder is one of the larger models I’ve seen. Seriously, the Aarke is 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) tall, which is pretty outrageous. Especially considering the fact that a competitor like the Eureka Mignon Filtro rises to just 13 inches (33 centimeters). So, if you’re considering buying the Aarke grinder, make sure you’re going to have enough room in your kitchen for the thing.

With all that said, the Aarke Coffee Grinder certainly looks the part. There’s an abundance of shiny, high-quality metal in the grinder’s construction and the Aarke’s aesthetic is minimalist and rather industrial.

As it happens, the housing is high-grade stainless steel rather than cheap metal plating. Plus, other components are made of aluminum. In essence, there’s very little plastic used in the grinder’s construction. And whether or not the grinder can perform to the highest level, it’s certainly been well-built.

Incidentally, I should point out that many early users complain of jamming issues with the Aarke Coffee Grinder. This was a clumping problem with the finger guard inside the dispensing chute, and has since been resolved by the design team.

Grinder Controls

As is the case with many burr coffee grinders, the Aarke Coffee Grinder features a grind by time function. There’s a chunky aluminum dial on the side which allows you to select how many “cups” you want to grind. Interestingly, there’s also a kind of “fine-tuner” inner dial too, which allows you to adjust the “strength” of your brew. From what I can gather, this is simply telling the grinder to dose more or less coffee within a given cup setting.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, timer functions are all well and good, but they’re inherently imprecise. I mean, as soon as you change your grind size or coffee roast profile, you have to start all over again. That’s why I always recommend using a coffee scale if you value precision and repeatable results.

Elsewhere, there’s a rather nice lever for starting and stopping the grinding process. Made from sturdy aluminum, this lever is certainly nicer than the usual start/stop button you’ll find on most coffee grinders.

64 mm Flat Burrs

When it comes to the conical vs flat burr grinder debate, you know by now that I’ll never play favorites. I love all burrs equally, and there are pros and cons to each type.

With that said, it’s good to see that the Aarke Coffee Grinder is equipped with beefy 64 mm flat burrs. From what I can gather, these are SSP-style burrs, which are all the rage right now among true coffee nerds. Prized for their innovative and rather aggressive geometry, SSP burrs are known for producing exceptionally consistent results. So, I’m confident that you’ll see very uniform particle distribution when you’re using the Aarke Coffee Grinder.

What’s more, flat burrs produce fewer fines than their conical brethren, as well as less heat transfer during the grinding process. Overall, I’d say that these high-quality flat burrs are part of the manufacturer’s justification for pricing this grinder so high. It’s a case of “you get what you pay for.”

Grind Adjustments

As with many coffee grinders, the Aarke features a clearly marked adjustment collar beneath the bean hopper. By turning the collar, you move the burrs closer together or farther apart.There are around 60 grind settings to choose from, with the finest settings suitable for moka pot and AeroPress, and the coarsest settings suitable for cold brew and French press. From where I’m sitting, it seems like the typical Aarke Coffee Grinder user will want this grinder for pour over and drip, and it seems like there’s plenty of wiggle room to dial in your ideal grind size. Still, remember to always make grind setting changes when the grinder is running. That way, you’ll avoid jamming the burrs.

Incidentally, the manufacturer makes it clear that its grinder isn’t suitable for espresso preparation. Interestingly enough, Fellow did the same things with the Ode Gen 2 grinder. I have to say I truly appreciate this level of transparency, especially given the fact that many brands make false claims about their grinders being suitable for all brew methods.

Bean Hopper

I’ve been racking my brain, and I can’t remember ever having seen a coffee grinder with a metal bean hopper before. While it’s almost a little disconcerting to look at, the metal hopper makes complete sense in that it’ll prevent UV radiation from harming your coffee beans. And that can only be a good thing.

The Aarke grinder’s hopper holds up to 9 ounces (250 grams) of coffee beans, and features a cool grind size chart on the glass lid. I have to say that’s a thoughtful touch on the part of the manufacturer, although I’m not sure whether the lid has a freshness seal. Either way, I’d probably want to use the Aarke Coffee Grinder as a single doser and use a coffee storage container rather than keep beans in the hopper. But that’s just me.

Anti-Static Technology & Catch Cup

The Aarke Coffee grinder is fitted with an ion generator in the grounds chute, which is meant to reduce static buildup. Of course, I can’t yet give you a firsthand account of how well this works. Still, from everything I’ve seen, the grinder’s anti-static technology is fairly effective.

One thing this grinder has going for it in that regard is its metal catch cup. In my opinion, this is a good move on the part of the manufacturer, seeing as plastic catch cups usually cause significant static charge.

How Do I Use the Aarke Coffee Grinder?

One thing I can tell you is that using the Aarke Coffee Grinder is very straightforward. Once you’ve unboxed the grinder, I’d recommend rinsing the bean hopper and catch cup to remove any factory dust and debris. Oh, and make sure they’re completely dry before using them. Once that’s done, add freshly roasted coffee beans to the hopper and place the catch cup under the grounds chute. Once you’ve selected your desired grind size, you can use the Aarke Coffee Grinder in three ways:

Don’t forget that you can fine-tune your dose using the strength selector dial if you’re using Cup Mode or Automatic Mode.

As I mentioned earlier, there’s nothing to stop you from using the Aarke as a single dose grinder. In this case, you can simply weigh out your coffee beans, dump them in the hopper and use Manual Mode. Trust me, you’ll get the most reliable and precise results this way.

Aarke Coffee Grinder Cleaning

The Aarke Coffee Grinder comes with a cleaning brush and a cleaning cloth. I’d definitely recommend using the brush to remove excess coffee grounds from the chute, especially if you’re experiencing static retention issues. And seeing as the grinder is made of super-shiny metal, I’d imagine the cloth will come in handy for removing fingerprints and smudges.

As for the bean hopper, you should wipe it out on a regular basis to prevent coffee oils from going rancid in there.

Once a month, I’d recommend cleaning the burrs and burr chamber. Fortunately, Aarkle has made it easy to achieve this. Simply rotate the grind adjustment collar anti-clockwise until it comes off, then you’ll have access to both burrs. You can use the cleaning brush to remove dust and debris, and it never hurts to give the chamber a quick once-over with a vacuum cleaner.

Aarke Coffee Grinder Specifications

	Aarke Coffee Grinder
Manufacturer	Aarke
Name	Aarke Coffee Grinder
Type	Electric coffee grinder
Grinder	64 mm stainless steel flat burrs
Grind levels	60
Power	120 watt
Voltage	120 volt
Weight	9.5 lb / 4.3 kg
Dimensions	16.0 x 6.0 x 6.5 in / 40.6 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm
Suitable for	Moka pot, pour over, automatic drip, French press
Accessories	User manual, catch cup, cleaning brush, cleaning cloth
Current price on Amazon	$N/A

Verdict: Aarke Coffee Grinder Review

Now that I’ve reached the end of this first-look Aarke Coffee Grinder review, I’m more eager than ever to put the thing through its paces. From everything I’ve seen so far, this is a premium grinder featuring really high quality materials. However, the Swedish manufacturer doesn’t have much of a coffee grinder track record. In fact, I think this might be the first grinder Aarke has produced. With that in mind, I’m interested to see whether they’ve nailed it or failed it.

At the end of the day, there are loads of excellent burr grinders out there, many of which cost a lot less than the Aarke grinder. And as for the whole Aarke Coffee System thing, it doesn’t seem cool enough to justify buying both the drip coffee maker and the grinder. After all, it’s really easy to figure out how much coffee to grind for your coffee maker. Do we really need a machine to calculate that for us?