Compak Grinder Review: Can It Beat Other Professional Grinders? 

We’re pretty crazy for espresso here at Home Grounds, which means we take coffee grinders very seriously. An exceptional grinder is just as important when preparing espresso as a top-notch espresso machine. 

Today, we’ll look at the Compak K3 Touch Advanced grinder. Is it worth the splurge? Keep reading to find out.

Summary: The Compak K3 Coffee Grinder

• Prosumer-level coffee grinder designed for espresso
  
• High-quality 58mm flat steel burrs
  
• Quiet, fast, and uniform grind

Took me a couple of shots to configure the grind fineness, but it is so efficient and works well.

– Scott W

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Where To Buy The Compak Grinder

The Compak K3 is a popular grinder available from a number of trusted dealers. You can shop around for sale pricing, shipping options, and the best customer service. We’ve happily worked with all of these companies.

	Dealers	Details
	Chris coffee	Finance Available Easy Returns Free Shipping	click to check price
	1st in coffee	Lowest Price Guarantee 1 Year Warranty Free Shipping	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE
	Majesty coffee	Price Match Guarantee Free Shipping 1 Year Warranty	click to check price
	Whole latte love (K3 Touch)	Finance Available Free Shipping 1 Year Warranty	click to check price
	Whole latte love (K3 Elite)	Finance Available Free Shipping 1 Year Warranty	Click to Check Price

The Full Compak Coffee Grinder Review

We’ve reviewed many prosumer-level coffee bean grinders and other grinders for home use, and Compak’s portfolio of professional grinders is among the best. From their smooth silhouettes to their intuitive, easy-to-use interface, Compak grinders remove the hassle and mess that can go along with grinding fresh coffee beans for our morning espresso.

Keep reading for Home Grounds’ in-depth look at Compak’s K3 Touch Advanced to see if it is the right fit for you.

Compak Coffee Grinder Review

• Design
• Durability
• Ease of Use
• Grinding Capability
• Value for Money

4.1

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Who Is Compak?

Compak is a premium coffee grinder manufacturer founded by Jesus Ascaso in 1952 (1). After spending a few years as a serial entrepreneur and working with experts in the coffee world, he decided to forge his own path and create Compak coffee grinders, a coffee grinder company wholly dedicated to hand-crafting premium equipment. 

Design – 4/5

The Compak K3 Touch Advanced adopts the same curved silhouette that Compak is well-known for. 

It has a compact footprint, which takes up just 6.5” by 12” of counter space, but it is fairly tall at 19”. So there is no guarantee it will slide easily under your upper cupboards.

At the top of the unit, the 10-ounce bean hopper sits just above the stepless grind adjustment dial. You can grind directly into a portafilter thanks to the adjustable portafilter holder, so grinding for espresso is an ergonomic, hands-off experience.

Durability – 4.5/5

The K3 Touch Advance is built to last, making it suitable for home use and the rigors of a commercial environment. It weighs a hefty 17 pounds, a clear indication of the quality of the components within.

The 58-millimeter tempered steel flat burrs are treated with a pre-wear treatment to keep your burrs grinding consistently over the long run.

Ease of Use – 4.5/5

The Compak K3 Touch Advanced doserless grinder couldn’t be easier to use. The stepless adjustment dial is clearly marked, providing limitless options for dialing in your espresso. 

Grinding coffee is as simple as choosing between manual and automatic modes. In manual mode, the K3 dispenses coffee into the portafilter as long as it’s pressing against the lever. In automatic mode, the K3 grinds for a set time – typically programmed for a single shot – then stops independently. If you need a double dose, tapping the lever twice will get you twice the amount.

We found that Compak’s estimate of 7 grams per 1.5 seconds was fairly accurate.

Grinding Capability – 4/5

The K3 sports high-quality 58-millimeter flat burrs and a 210-Watt motor that can churn out a 20-gram dose in less than five seconds – fast enough for use in a small cafe or coffee cart. But if you’re looking for more power, consider the Compak E5 instead; it has a 650-Watt motor.

The K3 performed very well in terms of grind uniformity. We didn’t notice too many fines or boulders in our puck, a crucial parameter when preparing espresso (2).

Even when we pulled 10 double shots in a row, the Compak grinder performed flawlessly. A built-in fan kept the system from overheating, the grind adjustment remained consistent, and we had very little static build-up.

The Compak K3 grinder is designed so that the grounds drop straight down. Gravity is your friend, ensuring less waste and mess.

	Reviewed item
Manufacturer	Compak	Caedo	Eureka	Baratza	Mahlkonig
Model	K3	E37S	Atom 75	Sette 270	X54
Product category	Prosumer grinder	Prosumer grinder	Prosumer grinder	Prosumer grinder	Prosumer grinder
Housing material	Aluminum, Stainless steel	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic	Plastic
Color options	Black, white, polished aluminum	Black, white	Black, chrome, white	Black	Black, white, polished aluminum
User interface	Touch and push knobs	Touchscreen	Touchscreen	Screen with buttons	Knob
Burr type	Steel flat burr	Steel flat burr	Steel flat burr	Steel conical burr	Steel flat burr
Burr size	58mm	88mm	75mm	40mm	54mm
Grinding output	7g per 1.5s	5 g/s	4 g/s	3.5-5 g/s	1-2.8 g/s
Number of dose settings	2	3	2	Automatic	No
Stepless grind adjustment	Yes	Yes	Yes	No (39 grind settings)	Mix of 35 steps and a stepless movement between
Motor speed	1640 RPM	1400 RPM	1400 RPM	450RPM	1050RPM
Hopper size	28 oz	21oz / 56oz (upgraded)	10 oz	10 oz	80 fl oz
Easy to clean	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Programmable	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Loudness	Somewhat	Quiet	Quiet	Loud	Quiet
Weight	192 oz / 5.5 kg	432 oz / 12.2 kg	320 oz / 9 kg	144 oz / 4 kg	288 oz / 8 kg
Dimensions	19.5 x 6.7 x 14.37 inches	17 x 8.3 x 12.2 inches	10.5 x 7.2 x 17.25 inches	5.25 x 9.5 x 15.75 inches	20 x 13.5 x 10 inches
Warranty	1 year	3 years	1 year	1 year	1 year
Price	$697.2	$1785	$1399	$399.95	$599-649
	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE

Value for Money – 3.5/5

The price of the Compak K3 is reasonable for an espresso-capable grinder. Most prosumer grinders at this level fall in the $500 to $1000 range. The uniformity of the grind, ease of use, consistency, and quality justify the cost. However, we’d expect to see larger Compak grinder burrs at this price point. For example, it is comparable in cost to the Eureka Mignon Specialita, which has 65 mm burrs.

Do not Buy the Compak Grinder If:

• You prefer conical burrs: The Niche Zero grinder is a great conical burr grinder at a similar price point. It’s one of our favorite single-dose coffee grinders, featuring 63 mm burrs, a stepless grind adjustment, and a unique design to minimize grind retention.
• You’re looking for a no-frills coffee grinder: The DF64 grinder is a minimalist, single-dose coffee grinder with an exceptional 64 mm set of flat burrs. If you want uniform coffee grounds without any fancy features, the DF64 is an excellent choice.
• You need a commercial coffee grinder: The Compak K3 is suitable for light-duty commercial use but won’t keep up in a busy cafe. Turn to Compak’s higher-end models for coffee shop use, like the Compak K6 or Compak K10.

The Verdict

The Compak K3 Touch grinder is a solid choice for anyone ready to take their espresso to the next level. With a beautifullyl sleek design, curved silhouette, professional-grade flat burrs, and easy-to-use interface, the Compak K3 delivers coffee grounds suitable for cafe-quality espresso.

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