This review is about the VSSL Java coffee grinder that is completely made out of metal and beautifully engineered but comes at a price.
- Weight: 398,1 grams
- Packed size: ⌀ 52 mm x 153 mm
- Volume: 20 grams of beans
- Price: € 169,95 / $ 160.00
The review of the VSSL Java coffee grinder starts with the review I did earlier on the Rubytec Robusta Portable coffee grinder. A friend who saw that review pointed the VSSL out to me and told me that one is much better and I would love it. So… I got a VSSL Java coffee grinder and tried it for several months together with the Rubytec to see how different (or alike) they are.
Size and weight
Let me start with the Rubytec Robusta Portable coffee grinder: it has a packed size of ⌀ 50 mm x 130 mm and on my precision scale I weigh 205.7 grams. The VSSL Java coffee grinder has a packed size of ⌀ 52 mm x 153 mm and a weight of 398,1 grams.
Materials
The fact that the VSSL Java almost doubles the weight of the Rubytec has got to do with the used materials on both grinders. On the Rubytec plastic is used for the grinder housing. Only the grinding stones and the handle are made of metal. The VSSL Java body is made from aircraft grade aluminum, the grinding stones are made of stainless steel and it has metal ball bearings. That explains the weight difference.
VSSL Java Construction
The construction of the VSSL Java is wonderful; everything is engineered to great precision. On top a foldable grind handle can be screwed onto the lid creating a carabiner construction. In this way I can attach the grinder to – for example – a daisy chain on a backpack. The lid itself is attached with a quick release: push the button in the middle and the lid detaches and I can fill the top with about 20 grams of coffee beans. Super user friendly. The bottom part where the grinded coffee is collected is screwed on to the body with a very fine thread.
Grind settings
After filling the bean basket, it’s time to do some grinding. The distance between the grindstones can be adjusted in 50 small steps. Every time I turn it one step, I feel and hear a little click. Very subtle. In this way I can adjust the grind to the kind of beans I am using and to the kind of coffee I want. From very fine for espresso to a coarser grind for an old fashioned and therefore very fashionable pour on coffee.
Grinding comfort
The grinder handle is long and has therefore great leverage. On the small knob I can attach a bigger knob for even greater grinding comfort. It comes with the grinder so no need to buy something extra here. Turning is smooth and steady, but there is one thing that I think could be improved. The metal body is very slick. With small and sometimes cold hands this slick body needs a lot of force from the hands not to slip during grinding. This is a big difference to the plastic smaller body of the Rubytec that is much easier to hold on to. I solved it by putting a couple of rubber pieces of an old bicycle innertube around the aluminum body.
Grinding time
I measured a couple of times how long it takes to grind 20 grams of beans. Grind very fast, slower, course and fine. On average it takes about 1 min 12 seconds to grind 20 grams of beans. Funny: this is exactly the same time I measured for the Rubytec but that only takes 15 grams of beans. So… the VSSL Java is quicker and grinding goes with greater comfort.
Verdict
Do I like the VSSL Java coffee grinder? Yes! I am a nerd when it comes to beautiful engineering and the VSSL grinder is beautifully engineered. The VSSL is easy to fill with beans, the 50 clicks adjustments are super and grinding goes wonderfully smooth. Be aware that the outside of the body is very slick and for smaller hands sometimes hard to hold on to. I solved it with rubber bands around it. Now… All this positiveness comes at a price. The VSSL Java coffee grinder retails at € 169,95 / $ 160.00 and that is quite a hefty price tag. That is also the reason why I would never hang it on the outside of my backpack; it just doesn’t feel comfortable. Next to that the grinder is also quite heavy and therefore I rate the VSSL Java coffee grinder at 9.0 points out of 10 total.
