I recently realized I hadn't yet written a Baratza Sette 30 review, which is kind of strange. I mean, I've tested out a handful of the manufacturer's grinders and always had (mostly) positive things to say. Plus, I'm fully aware that a growing number of folks are looking to abandon their blade grinders in favor of an entry-level grinder to pair with their home espresso machine.
I recently realized I hadn’t yet written a Baratza Sette 30 review, which is kind of strange. I mean, I’ve tested out a handful of the manufacturer’s grinders and always had (mostly) positive things to say. Plus, I’m fully aware that a growing number of folks are looking to abandon their blade grinders in favor of an entry-level grinder to pair with their home espresso machine.
With all that in mind, my review is finally here! I’ve spent quite a bit of time playing with this popular coffee grinder and I’ve got plenty to say.
I guess my biggest question going into this review was whether or not I’d have to update my guide to the best burr coffee grinders afterward. I mean, could the Sette 30 replace any of the awesome models currently populating the top 10? You’re about to find out!
Superb design
Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
A solid entry-level espresso grinder
Innovative design
Almost no grind retention
Fluffy and uniform grounds
Easy to use
Look s great
Plastic feels cheap
Limited grind settings
Baratza Sette 30 Review Overview
Perhaps there’s some additional psychic energy swirling around in the Pacific Northwest right now. I say that because no sooner had I decided to write a Baratza Sette 30 review than the Seattle-based manufacturer offered to send me one to test out. How weird is that?
Anyway, Baratza knows as well as you do that I tell it like it is in my reviews. You can be assured that Baratza’s generosity didn’t affect how I evaluated the Sette 30, and I aim to give you my honest opinion.
As a slight spoiler, I can tell you that I have plenty of good things to say about this conical burr grinder. Still, you can expect a few niggles and complaints along the way – the Sette 30 is far from perfect.
The Baratza Sette 30 has been around since 2017, although the manufacturer has tweaked the burr geometry here and there in the intervening years. At $299.95, this relatively inexpensive grinder is the most affordable of the Sette lineup, all of which feature the same unique design.
Having already reviewed the outstanding Baratza Sette 270Wi, I know that this seven-shaped design is more than just a gimmick. I’ll explain more about that later. For now, you should know that the Sette 30 is marketed as an espresso grinder that’ll also deliver the goods for pour-over, drip coffee makers and Chemex.
However, if you want something that’ll work for French press or cold brew, consider the Baratza Encore instead.
As its name suggests, there are 30 grind adjustment settings to choose from, making the Sette 30 significantly less versatile than its 270 siblings. So, can this popular grinder perform as advertised? All will be revealed in this Baratza Sette 30 review!
Baratza Sette 30 Features
Before I get into the nitty gritty of how the Baratza Sette 30 performs for espresso and other brewing methods, let’s take a closer look at what makes the thing tick.
Design and Build
I’m sure you’ve already figured it out, but sette is Italian for “seven.” And all it takes is one look to see why Baratza decided on this particular moniker. Still, as I mentioned earlier, there’s a well-conceived reason for this distinctive design choice.
You see, the grinder’s powerful motor is kept behind and away from the burrs, not only reducing heat transfer but increasing speed and efficiency. Moreover, the Baratza Sette 30 has a unique burr assembly setup, which I’ll talk more about in a bit.
Suffice to say, the Sette 30’s innovative “direct-through” design results in ultra-low grind retention.
In terms of build quality, I was surprised at how lightweight the Baratza Sette 30 felt as I lifted it out of the box. While the thing looked pretty darn impressive once it was sitting on my kitchen counter, there’s no getting away from the fact that all that plastic makes it feel a little cheap.
What’s more, the rubber mat that’s supposed to fit seamlessly on to the grinder to collect stray grinds just doesn’t sit properly. Well, at least mine didn’t – perhaps I received a slightly defective part. Either way, I felt a little disappointed by the overall quality of the materials, even at this price point.
User Interface
The Baratza Sette 30 user interface couldn’t be easier to navigate. There’s a start/pause button for grinding, as well as a stop button to reset the grinder. The other two buttons are used to set the dose, which is measured by time.
While it’s great to have a timed dose function – especially one that’s adjustable in increments of one tenth of a second – I always advocate for using a coffee scale. After all, weight-based dosing is the only real way to maintain consistency, whichever brew method you’re using.
Bean Hopper
I’m a huge fan of the Baratza Sette 30’s bean hopper. Like most hoppers, this one is made of plastic, but it feels very durable and premium. What’s more, there’s an awesome key for opening and closing the hopper, which makes it easy to take the thing off and switch out your coffee beans.
The 10.6-ounce (300-gram) hopper is UV-tinted and features a lid that fits really snugly. Still, I’d always recommend using a coffee storage container rather than leaving beans in there for an extended period of time. Anyway, thanks to the Sette 30’s incredibly efficient and low-retention grinding, you could easily use the thing as a single dose grinder.
Stainless Steel Conical Burrs
As with all models in the Sette series, the Sette 30 is equipped with 40mm stainless steel conical burrs. So far, so normal. Still, what really sets the Baratza Sette series apart from the competition is the way in which the burrs work.
Unlike just about every conical burr grinder you’ll come across, a Baratza Sette’s inner burr stays still, while the outer burr rotates. And as it turns out, this direct-through setup is how the Sette 30 is able to perform with almost no grind retention in the dispensing chute. Plus, this grinder is lightning fast, producing coffee grounds at up to 3.5 grams per second.
So, as it turns out, Baratza has cut corners in some places while really investing in others. Put another way, we might be looking at a grinder with cheap plastic housing, but it really delivers the goods. Honestly, I was floored by how efficient this coffee grinder is, especially at the finer end of the grind size spectrum.
Grind Settings
As previously mentioned, this particular Baratza Sette grinder is equipped with 30 grind settings. I actually really like the prominent adjustment dial under the burr assembly, even if it does seem back to front. I mean, finer settings should be on the left side, Right? Or maybe I’m just losing my marbles.
In comparison with both Baratza Sette 270 models, you can consider the Sette 30 to have only the “macro” settings of its siblings. In other words, you’re able to micro-adjust the burrs in between macro settings on the Baratza Sette 270 and 270Wi.
Of course, that means the Baratza Sette 30 isn’t nearly as versatile seeing as each setting change moves the burrs by around 24 microns. Sure, that’s still a small number, but it’s too much for dialing in espresso. As a reference, the awesome 1Zpresso J-Max hand grinder moves its burrs by 8.8 microns with each click of the dial.
With all that said, the manufacturer does market the Sette 30 as an entry-level grinder. Plus, this thing is capable of grinding for espresso. In fact, I was very impressed with both the fluffiness and uniformity of the finer grinds it produced. Still, this isn’t an espresso grinder for seasoned baristas with their fancy prosumer espresso machines. I’ll talk about why in just a minute.
Accessories
Unlike with the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, don’t expect a whole goodie bag of accessories with your purchase of the Baratza Sette 30. In fact, you won’t get much in the way of a user manual either – just a fairly basic quick start guide. Still, seeing as the Sette 30 is so easy to use, that’s no great loss. Plus, the grinder comes with everything you’ll need.
For starters, there’s a decent-sized grounds bin for grinding larger amounts of coffee. Additionally, you’ll get adjustable plastic support forks for grinding directly into a pour-over dripper or a portafilter.
My main gripe with these forks is that when you set them to accommodate a portafilter they don’t actually hold the darn thing. Instead, you’ll need to keep hold of the portafilter handle during grinding. To be honest, I think the Baratza design team could have done a better job here.
Finally, you’ll get a nice cleaning brush, a small washer for shimming the cone burr and a hex nut wrench.
The Baratza Sette 30 in Use
If you’ve made it this far into my Baratza Sette 30 review, you’ll have a fairly good idea of what we’re dealing with. Namely an entry-level coffee grinder that’s just about good enough for espresso.
All too often, I’ll find myself testing a grinder that’s advertised as being capable of grinding for espresso only to find that it just doesn’t have sufficient resolution to be worthwhile.
While the Baratza Sette 30 doesn’t offer enough micro-adjustments to make it a super-convincing espresso grinder, the grind quality and consistency it produces are truly impressive.
During my testing, I quickly realized that the Sette 30 isn’t the kind of grinder that’ll allow you to choose your ideal dose for espresso and adjust the grind accordingly. In fact, I only found three or four settings that kept me in the espresso zone.
So, to use the Sette 30 as an espresso grinder you’ll need to be willing to experiment with your dose once you’ve found a finer grind setting that kind of works.
For example, using 17 grams of coffee at grind setting 15 I achieved a pretty tasty 2-ounce shot with a 32 second extraction time. However, in an effort to reduce the extraction time slightly I used the same dose and changed the setting to 14. The result? An over extracted slow-dripper that hadn’t passed the 1-ounce mark at 25 seconds.
As a grinder for manual brewing and drip machines the Sette 30 is a real champion. You’ll get fluffy, uniform grounds in record time. Plus, I didn’t notice an overabundance of fines at the coarser settings. So, you can be confident that using the Sette 30 for Chemex or pour-over will produce evenly extracted coffee.
How Loud Is the Baratza Sette 30?
I won’t beat around the bush here. The Baratza Sette 30 is incredibly loud in operation. I mean, take a look at my phone’s app registering the decibels – this thing won’t just wake the baby, it’ll rouse the entire neighborhood!
What’s more, the quality of the noise of the burrs grinding is pretty crushing. Let’s just say that I almost jumped out of my skin the first time I used the thing!
Baratza Sette 30 Cleaning
Don’t worry, this section won’t be very long! Cleaning the Baratza Sette 30 is a piece of cake, thanks to the easily removable lower burr. It simply unscrews from the grinder, allowing you to get in there with the little brush and take care of any ground coffee dust or coffee oil buildup.
Every once in a while I’d recommend performing a deeper clean by using Urnex Full Circle Coffee Grinder Cleaning Tablets. Oh, and they’re fully biodegradable, so you can pat yourself on the back for being eco-friendly!
Elsewhere, feel free to wipe out the bean hopper every once in a while to remove coffee oil. You can also rinse the grounds collection container with warm water if you feel like it’s necessary. However, remember to never use water when cleaning the burrs. Trust me, rusty burrs don’t make a good cup of coffee!
Baratza Sette 30 Specifications
Manufacturer | Baratza |
Name | Sette 30 |
Type | Electric coffee grinder |
Grinder | Stainless steel conical burrs |
Grind levels | 30 |
Power | 200 watt |
Voltage | 120 volt |
Weight | 8.3 lb / 3.8 kg |
Dimensions | 16.1 x 5.1 x 9.8 in / 41.0 x 13.0 x 25.0 cm |
Suitable for | Espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, drip machines |
Accessories | User manual, grounds container, portafilter cradle, cleaning brush |
Current price on Amazon | $299.95 |
Baratza Sette 30 vs Other Burr Grinders
I feel like I’ve made it quite clear that I recommend the Baratza Sette 30 as an entry-level espresso grinder. However, I always like to make sure you know what your options are. So, let’s take a quick look at how the Sette 30 measures up in comparison to a couple of other fantastic conical burr grinders.
Baratza Sette 30 vs Sette 270
In essence, the Baratza Sette 270 is the same grinder as the Sette 30. Sure, it has nicer portafilter forks and three programmable dosing buttons. However, it has the same grinding range of between 200 and 900 microns.
But what sets the Baratza Sette 270 apart is the fact that you can select from 9 micro adjustments in between each macro setting. That’s what justifies its more substantial asking price of $399.95, as well as making the Sette 270 a much more convincing option for those who are serious about espresso preparation.
Of course, if you’re determined to get what is – in my opinion – the very best grinder for espresso, you’ll have to shell out a whopping $599.95 for the Baratza Sette 270Wi. But that’s a whole different story …
Related: Baratza Sette 270Wi Review 2024
Baratza Sette 30 vs Encore ESP
I’ve long been a fan of the original Baratza Encore, but when it came time to test out the recently released Baratza Encore ESP, I was a little suspicious. What was all this about? And why fix something that ain’t broke?
As it turns out, Baratza has done something very clever with the Encore ESP. There are 40 grind settings (just like the original) but the first 20 settings have been calibrated to grind coffee for espresso preparation.
In other words, each of the first 20 clicks moves the burrs by just 9 microns. Ultimately, that makes the Encore ESP a way more versatile espresso grinder than the Sette 30.
Sure, there’s no portafilter cradle and there’s no timer function. Still, for just $198.45, the Baratza Encore ESP is a fantastic grinder that’s definitely worth the money.
See Also: Baratza Encore ESP Review 2024
Baratza Sette 30 vs Others Comparison Chart
Baratza Sette 270 | Barata Encore ESP | ||
---|---|---|---|
Manufacturer | Baratza | Baratza | Baratza |
Name | Sette 30 | Sette 270 | Encore ESP |
Type | Electric coffee grinder | Electric coffee grinder | Electric coffee grinder |
Grinder | Stainless steel conical burrs | Stainless steel conical burrs | Stainless steel conical burrs |
Grind levels | 30 | 270 | 40 |
Power | 200 watt | 200 watt | 70 watt |
Voltage | 120 volt | 120 volt | 110 volt |
Weight | 8.3 lb / 3.8 kg | 9.0 lb / 4.1 kg | 7.0 lb / 3.2 kg |
Dimensions | 16.1 x 5.1 x 9.8 in / 41.0 x 13.0 x 25.0 cm | 16.1 x 5.1 x 9.8 in / 41.0 x 13.0 x 25.0 cm | 13.8 x 4.7 x 6.3 in / 35.1 x 12.0 x 16.0 cm |
Suitable for | Espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, drip machines | Turkish coffee, espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, drip machines | Espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, drip machines |
Accessories | User manual, grounds container, portafilter cradle, cleaning brush | User manual, grounds container, portafilter cradle, cleaning brush | User manual, grounds container with lid, dosing cup, cleaning brush |
Current price on Amazon | $299.95 | $399.95 | $198.47 |
Verdict: Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
Superb design
Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
A solid entry-level espresso grinder
Innovative design
Almost no grind retention
Fluffy and uniform grounds
Easy to use
Look s great
Plastic feels cheap
Limited grind settings
I really enjoyed testing the Baratza Sette 30, and I feel like the manufacturer has delivered exactly what it’s advertised. This affordable conical burr grinder is more than suitable for beginners and can be successfully used for a number of preparation methods, including espresso.
Sure, the Sette 30 is far from perfect, and those serious about espresso will likely upgrade at some point. But it’s hard to find fault with the Sette 30’s innovative design, high speed grinding and superb performance.
I’m fairly sure the folks at Baratza will be breathing a sigh of relief at this point – their entry-level Sette definitely made the grade. However, I will point out that I’d be willing to pay a little more for a better portafilter cradle and improved soundproofing. Just sayin’!
What’s your experience using the Baratza Sette 30? Any additional thoughts you’d like to share? Feel free to leave a comment below!