Is there anything tastier than a cup of coffee that you made yourself, from start to finish? With a home coffee grinder, you’re in complete control of the roast, starting with the most important aspect of the drink – the beans.
Of course, a seemingly limitless selection of coffee grinders are available, so determining the best choice often feels confusing. Krups is a leading manufacturer of kitchen appliances, including many different types of grinders. Their most popular model is the Krups GX5000. But just because it’s popular doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at this Krups GX5000, and whether it’s the right choice for your kitchen. Here’s a complete rundown of the grinder’s pros, the cons, and everything in-between.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Krups GX5000
Not all coffee drinkers are the same. You want a grinder that matches your coffee-drinking preferences. So, before considering the features and overall quality, the first question we need to answer is: Who is the Krups GX500 for?
Overall, it’s a reliable, powerful, and versatile grinder for home use by a coffee connoisseur. Do you want the ability to make espresso, French press, pour-over, and more? With the twist of a knob, you can grind the coffee to nine different levels of coarseness, with additional options for finer adjustments in-between.
However, there are some limitations. While it can grind the beans down very fine, it can’t grind beans down fine enough for Turkish coffee. If that’s your favorite coffee type or even one you prefer on a regular basis, the GX500 probably isn’t for you.
Additionally, it’s not suitable for commercial applications. While you can quickly grind enough beans for 12 cups of coffee, it’s not durable enough for all-day, heavy-duty use.
Finally, it’s not the right grinder for you if you want a conical burr grinder. The Krups GX500 is a flat burr grinder. While the difference between the two types of grinds is minimal, a flat burr machine is louder and requires more power to operate. Check out our article Conical vs. Flat Burr Grinders for more information on the two types.
Brief Product Overview
The Krups GX5000 is one of the most popular grinders in the country. It’s an electric-powered grinder with a metal flat burr that handles all types of major grinds (with the exception of Turkish coffee, as we mentioned above). With over 45 fineness options, it’s geared towards the coffee drinker who appreciates a variety of different brews.
Aside from versatility, Krups also emphasizes the unit’s durability. Made from high-quality plastic and stainless steel, the package includes a removable 15-ounce container, a removable top burr, and a seven-ounce bean container. It’s built to last with minimal maintenance needs.
Things We Like
- Features 45 grind settings
- Grinds between two and 12 cups at a time
- Removable components allow for easy cleaning
- Durable construction is built to last
- Stylish, modern design
Room for Improvement
- Limited ability for superfine grinding
- High power consumption compared to conical burrs
Features and Benefits
It’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and check out the details of this bean machine.
Product Specifications
Let’s start with the basics. Here’s a look at the grinder’s specs:
- Name: Krups GX 5000 burr grinder
- Burr Type: Flat
- Coffee bean container (“bun”) size: seven ounces
- Ground coffee holder size: 15 ounces
- Product dimensions: 4.29 by 7.24 by 10.4 inches
- Product weight: 3.2 pounds
- Materials: Mainly plastic with some stainless steel
Of course, the specs only tell part of the story. Let’s take a deeper dive and look at how its features work in the real world:
Easy Adjustment
One of the most touted features is the versatile grinding options. However, all the options in the world are useless if you can’t switch between them easily. Fortunately, you make all coarseness adjustments with an easy-to-use knob located between the two containers. It lets you precisely select between the nine main grind settings, each of which has five additional options for fine-tuning.
Built-In Grind Storage
Grinding beans immediately before making coffee produces the freshest cups of joe. However, if you’re like us, you don’t always have time to grind and brew, so you keep some beans around for a few days. While you can use a separate storage container, it’s certainly easier to use a built-in container on the machine, as long as it keeps everything fresh.
Fortunately, the GX5000 has a large seven-ounce coffee storage container. It’s made from durable plastic with an anti-static treatment to help improve freshness. It also has a dark tint to help block sunlight and oxygen, which can affect the taste of the beans. The lid closely securely, too, trapping aromas inside.
While I wouldn’t leave beans in there for weeks, the storage container is good enough to keep beans fresh for around seven to 10 days.
Speaking of beans, the ones you choose have a major impact on the quality of the coffee you brew. If you’re not sure which beans to buy, check out our article How to Buy the Best Coffee Beans for helpful info.
Number of Cups
When you want a cup of coffee for yourself, you don’t necessarily want to brew an entire pot. At the same time, if you have a house filled with company, you don’t want to make everyone wait while you brew one cup at a time.
The Krups GX5000 lets you adjust the grinding quantity from two to 12 cups. It’s a useful feature if you have guests over or if you live with other coffee drinkers. You don’t have to grind more than you need for what you plan to brew, so you avoid wasting beans.
However, we did find some features lacking in this department. First, there’s no solo cup option. While most dedicated coffee drinkers probably won’t have a problem drinking two cups of coffee in one sitting, we still wish a solo option was available.
Another issue we have with the dosing is how basic it seems. High-end machines typically allow for more precise measurements. If the ability to brew a very specific amount of coffee is important to you, the GX5000 might not be the best choice. However, most users typically aren’t bothered by the relatively general dosing.
Easy Cleaning and Maintenance
All coffee makers need regular cleaning; it’s just a necessary part of using a machine. While some high-end models have auto cleaning abilities, most grinders require manually cleaning, and the GX5000 is no exception.
We don’t really dock any points here because it doesn’t have an auto-clean function, as that’s actually really pretty rare. So, what we want to look at instead is: how easy is the grinder to clean by hand?
Turns out, pretty easy. The 15-ounce container and top burr both remove for cleaning. Dish soap and water are all you need (in fact, you want to avoid harsh cleaners altogether). The ability to remove the components makes cleaning a snap because you just clean each part in the sink under running water.
All grinders build up oil residue, calcium, and other particles over time. You want to keep it clean for two reasons. First, the resident affects the machine’s performance. The motor has to work harder than it should, which shortens the life of the appliance. Additionally, the buildup sours the taste of the coffee.
Regular cleaning is a necessity, so we were pleased to discover that the GX5000 makes the chore easy. They even throw in a free cleaning brush, specifically designed to wipe grind out of the burr.
Check out How to Clean a Coffee Maker for more information on keeping all of your coffee equipment in great condition.
Style
If the grinder delivers great performance, does it matter what it looks like? To some people, no. But for the rest of us, the grinder’s style is pretty important. After all, it’s not like you put the grinder away when not in use. It sits right on the kitchen counter, where it’s visible 24/7.
The GX500 looks stylish and modern. Even better, it avoids looking obnoxious or overly eye-catching. It’s mainly black with several silver-colored accents and two plastic containers. While the design is definitely mainstream, it has a universal appeal, and it’ll look right at home in your kitchen alongside other appliances.
It’s well-designed with no wasted space. At just seven inches tall, it should fit easily on your counter, even if you have upper cabinets. It’s electric, so you will need access to an outlet.
Is a Burr Grinder Right for You?
The GX5000 is a burr grinder. Burrs are oscillating blades that grind the whole beans. They don’t cut or slice the beans. Instead, they literally grind the beans together.
Burr grinders are – far and away – the preferred grinder among baristas and coffee connoisseurs. First, burr grinders have the greatest flexibility with grind sizes. If you grind up different types of beans or make different types of coffee, a burr grinder is your best choice for an all-in-one machine.
Also, and perhaps most importantly, burr grinders result in the most flavorful drinks. Grinding the beads down allows the flavor to emerge more fully than they do with other types of grinders.
The Difference Between Flat and Conical Burrs
Whether or not this grinder is for you really comes down to how much you like its burr style.
There are two types of burr grinders:
- Conical
- Flat
The Krups GX5000 is a flat grinder. It has two horizontal blades. One faces upwards and the other downwards.
To contrast, a conical grinder also has two blades, but they’re shaped like cones (as you probably already figured out). One faces upwards and the other downward.
Both types do an excellent job of grinding the beans together. However, due to the layout of a conical grinder, it operates more efficiently. A flat grinder makes more noise, uses more energy, and generates more heat than the conical type.
Is a flat grinder bad? Not at all. The GX5000 grinds beans with the best of them. But beyond performance, it might not be the best choice for you if you need the quietest option possible. Additionally, the higher levels of energy consumption do mean it’s technically more expensive to operate in the long run.
Final Thoughts
The secret to great coffee starts far before the brewing process. Instead, it starts with the right beans, and how they’re ground. Not just any home grinder can combine flavor, function, and affordability, so how does the Krups GX5000 stand up to other grinders on the market?
To be honest, we weren’t sure about the Krups GX5000 at first. The prevailing wisdom among coffee experts is that a conical burr grinder is superior to a flat burr. While it’s certainly true that this isn’t the option for you if you’re set on a conical model, don’t dismiss the GX5000 immediately just because it’s flat.
It has several strengths. First, it’s versatile, capable of grinding beans for practically any type of coffee drink except Turkish. Also, it’s a well-made machine that should last a long time. Even better, it’s one of the easiest-to-clean grinders we’ve even used.
Of course, it’s not the only option. If the GX500 isn’t for you, check out some grinder options from Capresso. They have several models, including budget-friendly options.
While the GX5000 is easy to use, if you’re a total beginner to grinding, you might prefer some options from Bodum, as they’re specifically made for grinding newbies.
Of course, the best grinder in the world can’t work miracles with bad beans. Regardless of what grinder you buy, you’ll want to check out How to Buy the Best Coffee Beans to ensure the tastiest brew.
Grinding your own coffee doesn’t just deliver great taste, it’s lots of fun, too. Whether you choose the Krups GX5000 or another model, the important thing is to pick a grinder that matches the types, quantity, and style of coffee you prefer. After all, there’s no better way to start the day than with freshly ground coffee!
Krups GX5000: Is this Popular Grinder the Best Choice for You?
Controlling the way your coffee is made from start to finish can be a satisfying feeling. Check out our full review of the Krups GX5000 grinder.
Product In-Stock: InStock
4
