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Melitta Molino – Electric Coffee Grinder with 17 Grind Settings
Melitta Molino Coffee Grinder
The Melitta Molino is an affordable electric coffee grinder designed for people who want to move from pre-ground coffee to grinding whole beans at home without immediately investing in a more expensive specialist grinder.
Its 17 grind settings cover a useful range for different brewing methods, while the simple controls make it particularly approachable for beginners. It is best viewed as an accessible everyday grinder for filter coffee, pour-over, AeroPress and cafetière brewing rather than as a dedicated precision espresso grinder.
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Why Consider the Melitta Molino?
Grinding coffee shortly before brewing gives you more control over one of the most important variables in a coffee recipe: grind size. The Molino provides a relatively inexpensive way to introduce that control.
Unlike a basic blade grinder, the Molino uses a stainless-steel disc grinding mechanism and allows the grind setting to be adjusted deliberately. This makes it easier to reproduce a recipe and then make controlled changes when moving between brewing methods or troubleshooting a cup.
Key Specifications
- Grinder: Stainless-steel disc grinding mechanism
- Grind settings: 17
- Bean hopper: Up to 200g
- Quantity control: Adjustable from 2 to 14 cups
- Power: 100W
- Automatic switch-off: Yes
- Cleaning: Removable upper grinding disc and grounds container; cleaning brush included
- Dimensions: Approximately 25.5 × 16.5 × 9.5cm (H × W × D)
17 Grind Settings
The main advantage of the Molino over a simple blade grinder is its adjustable grinding system. There are 17 numbered settings running from fine to coarse.
Melitta recommends the finer end of the range for espresso, middle settings for filter coffee and the coarser settings for French press. In practice, the Molino makes most sense as a general home-brewing grinder where you want to experiment with grind size across methods such as V60, filter coffee, AeroPress and cafetière.
Anyone intending to make espresso a serious part of their home setup may eventually benefit from a grinder offering smaller and more precise adjustments at the fine end of the range.
Simple Quantity Control
A second dial allows you to select a grinding quantity between 2 and 14 cups. The grinder then runs for the corresponding amount of time before switching off automatically.
This is convenient, but it should not be confused with weighing the coffee. If repeatability matters, weighing the beans or resulting grounds with a digital coffee scale gives you much more useful information than relying solely on the cup selector.
200g Bean Hopper
The hopper holds up to 200g of coffee beans, giving the Molino enough capacity for normal home use without making the machine particularly bulky.
You do not have to fill the hopper completely. If you prefer weighing each dose before grinding, you can add only the amount required for the coffee you are about to brew.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The upper grinding disc can be removed for cleaning, while the grounds container and bean-container lid are also removable. Melitta supplies a cleaning brush with the grinder.
Coffee particles and oils accumulate inside grinders over time, so regular cleaning according to Melitta's instructions is worthwhile. The removable upper disc makes access easier than on grinders with a completely enclosed grinding mechanism.
Who Is the Melitta Molino For?
The Molino makes most sense for someone buying their first adjustable electric coffee grinder, particularly if they currently use pre-ground coffee.
It is worth considering if you:
- brew with a V60 or another pour-over brewer;
- use an AeroPress;
- make coffee with a cafetière or French press;
- want to explore different grind sizes without spending heavily;
- want an electric grinder rather than a hand grinder; or
- are building a straightforward beginner home-coffee setup.
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
The Molino is not the obvious choice for somebody building a more demanding espresso setup. Espresso can require very small grind adjustments when dialling in a shot, and a grinder designed specifically with espresso adjustment in mind can provide considerably more control.
It may also be worth stepping up to a more capable grinder if you regularly move between espresso and filter brewing, want to grind directly into a portafilter, require precise timed dosing or want a grinder intended to remain part of a more advanced setup.
Melitta Molino vs a Blade Grinder
The important difference is control. A blade grinder chops coffee for as long as the blades are running, whereas the Molino provides selectable grind settings through its disc grinding mechanism.
For somebody learning to brew consistently, being able to record a grind setting and deliberately move finer or coarser is much more useful than simply grinding for a longer or shorter period.
Where It Fits in a Beginner Coffee Setup
A sensible first home-coffee setup does not need to contain large amounts of equipment. A brewer, adjustable grinder, digital scale and suitable kettle are enough to start learning how dose, grind and brewing technique interact.
The Molino fills the grinder position at the accessible end of that setup. Its main appeal is not advanced functionality; it is providing useful grind adjustment at a relatively modest cost.
Conclusion
The Melitta Molino is a straightforward entry point into grinding whole coffee beans at home. Its 17 settings, 200g hopper, automatic operation and removable upper grinding disc give beginners considerably more control than they would have with pre-ground coffee or a basic blade grinder.
There are more sophisticated grinders available, particularly for espresso, but that does not make them necessary for every coffee drinker. For V60, filter, AeroPress and cafetière users looking for an affordable first electric grinder, the Molino occupies a useful position.
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