Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder Review

If you’re new to brewing craft coffee and are looking to up your game, chances are you’re in the market for a nice electric burr grinder.

If so, the Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder should definitely be on your radar. Read on for our in-depth review to figure out if it’s going to be your new craft coffee brewing side-kick.

Summary: The Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder

• High-quality, precise burrs
  
• Can grind fine enough for Turkish coffee
  
• Extremely well-priced

For maximum aroma and flavour retention nothing beats the Infinity Conical Burr Grinder.

– Capresso

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The Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder Review

The Infinity Conical Burr Grinder is one of Capresso’s best-sellers. Whether you prefer a French Press brew, a shot of espresso or even Turkish coffee, the Capresso Infinity has got you covered.

Let’s take a look at what makes this grinder such a popular choice.

Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder

• Design
• Durability
• Ease Of Use
• Grinding Capability
• Value For Money

3.9

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Design – 4/5

This machine is exactly what we would expect at this price. But we gave it bonus points for the high-quality precise burrs, relatively quiet low-speed motor, and its simplicity.

Burr & Motor Design: Capresso knew what they were doing when they designed the Infinity. Powered by a multiple gear motor, its 40 mm conical stainless steel burrs rotate at 450 RPM. When it comes to burr grinders, that’s at the low end of the spectrum. But it’s a good thing because it helps keep the friction generated heat to a minimum and prevents premature oil extraction from the beans. The motor and gear system also run quieter than expected, which is nice.

Additional Features: This machine also comes with an auto-off feature when the hopper is not locked into place, which is not unexpected at this price point. Other than that, it’s a basic burr grinder without any bells and whistles. But we’re not complaining as the burrs and the motor are high-quality parts.

Hopper & Grounds Bin: The transparent plastic hopper can hold up to 250 g of beans. But even if you’re tempted to store your beans in the hopper, we don’t recommend it. The grounds bin, on the other hand, is limited to a 115 g capacity. It is also made of plastic, which means it’s prone to static cling. We’re not saying it’s a negative because Baratza, a reputed coffee equipment manufacturer, states that (1):

So have a little patience. Wait a few seconds after grinding and give the grounds bin a tap before removing it.

Aesthetics: Sure it’s not as trendy as the Fellow Ode coffee grinder, but it has a simple, classic design associated with most budget grinders. While it may not win any awards for its looks, it will undoubtedly feel at home in your kitchen. You also get the option of choosing between a black-coloured model and one with a stainless steel finish.

Storability/Portability: At just over 37 cm tall, and a 20 x 25 cm footprint, this is a reasonably compact machine and won’t take up much space on your countertop. It should also fit easily in your kitchen cabinet, and at 1.8 kilos, it’s not too heavy to handle either.

Ease Of Cleaning: Like most burr grinders, Infinity’s top burr is removable. So it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to clean.

However, the bean hopper’s design makes it a little hard to reach with a brush. It is made of plastic, though, so you could give it a quick rinse. We can’t say the same of the chute (the channel which directs the ground coffee into the grounds bin), which retains some grounds after each grind. They are likely to fall out and accumulate behind the grounds container. For detailed instructions on how to clean your burr grinder, take a peek at our burr grinder cleaning guide.

Durability – 4/5

The precise steel burrs and the low RPM motor are excellent, especially for the price you pay. You can expect them to last you for years. However, the housing is made of ABS plastic, which might not stand up well to rough handling.

It’s worth mentioning that Capresso does make an Infinity model which has a heavy-duty zinc die-cast housing. A metal case is a more durable option than the ABS plastic model. A downside, though, is the increased weight.

At this price point, you shouldn’t really expect to find a burr grinder that lasts you for years and years. However, with a little TLC and regular cleaning, it can last up to five years if you grind just for a couple of cups of coffee every day. And should anything go wrong within the first year of purchase, you’re covered by Capresso’s warranty policy. (2)

Ease Of Use – 4/5

The Capresso Infinity is an entry-level grinder, so it is quite simple to use. It does take a bit of getting used to, though. This coffee grinder comes with a timer dial, which you can set from 5 to 60 seconds.

To stop the grinder before the timer runs out, twist the hopper anti-clockwise until the black dot at the base moves out of the range of the grind size markings. Be careful not to twist it to the point where the hopper unlocks from the body as you could accidentally pull the hopper out and spill the beans on your countertop.

You’ll get used to operating this machine after a couple of days, and its simplicity makes it a perfect daily grinding companion.

Grinding Capability (Settings, Range, & Consistency) – 4/5

You know that a burr grinder is far superior to a blade grinder. As per the Coffee Technicians Guild (3):

So with the Capresso Infinity conical burr grinder, consistency is a given. We assume that you also need the versatility of being able to grind for multiple brewing methods. In this regard, this grinder has got you covered with its grind range: 300 to 1200 microns.

The machine comes with 4 clearly marked grind categories: extra-fine, fine, regular, and coarse. Within each category, you have to ability to choose 4 micro settings, which brings the total grind settings up to 16. On paper, this sounds like a great setup for an entry-level grinder.

At its finest setting, the Infinity can produce very fine grinds, good enough for a pressurized portafilter. You could also use it to brew Turkish coffee, but we recommend a dedicated Turkish coffee grinder for an authentic brew. We’re not docking points from the Capresso Infinity for this as none of the home grinders can produce a fine enough grind for Turkish coffee.

At its coarsest setting, the grind size is just about good enough for a French Press style brew. We know many French Press connoisseurs who’d prefer a larger grind size, though.

We can’t fault it for that, though, as it’s a problem with most budget grinders.

Price – 3.5/5

In the US, the Capresso Infinity is priced just over $100, making it a truly budget option. The higher UK price is still affordable for a burr grinder, but it means it doesn’t offer quite the same value for money.

Don’t Buy The Capresso Infinity If…

You want the least expensive burr grinder you can get away with

If you’re determined not to spend a penny over £50 on your grinder, yet insist on grinding your beans right before you brew (good on you!), you can’t go wrong with the Krups Expert Burr Grinder. Cuisinart Supreme Grind. If you’re looking for grinder to pair with your drip coffee machine, this could be good bet. But we won’t recommend it for other brewing styles as it’s quite inconsistent.

You want a funky-looking grinder that’s easy to clean

Take a look at the Bodum Bistro. It’s made from materials that reduce static-cling (thus reducing the spilling of fine coffee grounds). It also has a funkier design (available in a choice of 4 eye-catching colours), and grinds fairly consistently. Read our review to find out more about it.

You want an entry-level burr grinder that produces the most consistent grind

For around the same price you can get your hands on the Baratza Encore. It has a stellar reputation and delivers highly consistent grinds. When we reviewed it, we concluded that it is the best value for money grinder you can buy.

The Verdict

The Capresso Infinity Coffee Grinder has a lot of things going for it: a good, low-speed motor, high-precision stainless steel conical burrs, decent build quality, and a mostly consistent grind.

It is a solid, entry-level option for anyone looking to buy an electric burr grinder. If you’re getting into the craft coffee game, mostly drink pour-over coffee, and are on a strict budget – pick up the Capresso Infinity.

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We should mention that the Capresso Infinity comes in 3 different models, all at different price points. Here’s the low-down on the differences among them:

• Capresso Infinity 560: The basic model (which we’ve reviewed above). It has an ABS plastic housing, which is available in black or stainless steel finish.
• Capresso Infinity 565: Same specifications and features as above, but has a heavy-duty zinc die-cast housing. Available only in stainless steel finish and more expensive.
• Capresso Infinity Plus 575: These models have a larger hopper at 310 grams (hence these models are slightly taller). They also come with a 1-12 cup selector. You can buy it in black (which has an ABS plastic body, hence cheaper) or stainless steel finish (which has a heavy-duty zinc die-cast body, hence more expensive).