Specs
| Type | Hand grinder, 48 mm titanium-coated hexagonal espresso burr with many finishing teeth 12:05 |
| Microns per step | 8.8 µm per click 12:05 11:42 4:47. Lance Hedrick also describes it as about 8 µm of burr travel rather than gap 3:00 |
| Build | External adjustment, three bearings, folding handle 12:05 |
Where sources disagree
The creators don't all give the same figure here, so every value is listed with the person who gave it.
| Field | Value | By | Source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Hedrick | 12:05 | |
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Hedrick | 4:47 | |
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Hedrick | 11:42 | |
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Hedrick | 5:36 | |
| Microns per step | 8 | Hedrick | 3:00 | |
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Rowsell | 3:03 | |
| Microns per step | 8.8 | Chronicler | 8:15 | |
| Microns per step | summary | Lance Hedrick, Kyle Rowsell and The Coffee Chronicler give 8.8 µm across six reviews. One Hedrick review gives 8 µm, which is probably rounding. |
Starting settings
Nobody has shared a grind setting for this one yet.
Cup profile
- Makes enough fines to build puck resistance 16:25.
- Traditional and chocolatey with a thicker body 11:42. Thick and syrupy, fine for modern shots but lacking clarity 3:00.
- Syrupy, honey-like body with a smooth texture. Lance Hedrick preferred it to the Niche Zero every time 4:47 19:02.
Strengths
Weaknesses
- Sits behind the Kinu M47 for espresso 12:05.
- Poor for filter and for bright turbo-style shots 4:47.
- The most expensive of the J series 5:36.
Verdict
In 2022 Lance Hedrick called it the best espresso hand grinder under $200, behind the Kinu 12:05. In 2023 it was his top pick around $200 if you want body 11:42, and in 2024 he gave it a B 3:00. By 2025 he found it very hard to beat for thick traditional espresso without spending a lot more 4:47.
Daddy Got Coffee's take
- 2026, on the J-Ultra, the J line's current flagship. It moves about 8 µm per click, and the fines-heavy burr gives thick, blended, sweet traditional espresso. It won't make a crisp pour-over however coarse you go 0:00 6:43.
Kyle Rowsell's take
- 2021: an easy choice for espresso, with 8.8 µm clicks, a magnetic catch cup and a build above its price. It leaves a touch more fines than the JX, so the cup is a little sweeter and more complex with slightly less clarity. If you mostly brew filter he'd rather have a JX or JX Pro. Steps this small blur together at filter sizes, and the dial gives no hint which turn you're on 3:03.
The Coffee Chronicler's take
- 2022: 1Zpresso's new espresso flagship, with the finest steps he knows of on a hand grinder, a longer handle and less static than the JX Pro. The body is wide and filter is roughly two turns away from espresso, so keep an eye on the marker 8:15.
- 2024: he rates it for darker-roast espresso but finds it weaker with medium and light roasts 2:00.
Notes
- Holding it nearly horizontal, so one to three beans go in at a time, gave coarser grounds with fewer fines at the same click 5:08.
Sources
- Kyle Rowsell: 1Zpresso J-Max: Is This The Best Espresso Hand Grinder? (2021-08-07)
- The Coffee Chronicler: The BEST 1Zpresso grinder? My Verdict (2022-01-02)
- Lance Hedrick: 1ZPRESSO 1XPLAINED: Review of the 1zpresso Lineup (feat ZP6 Special!) (2022-12-03)
- Lance Hedrick: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BUYING A COFFEE GRINDER (2023-08-21)
- Lance Hedrick: BRIEF GUIDE TO BUYING A HANDGRINDER: Which is best for you with Burr Man (2023-11-29)
- Lance Hedrick: INSTANT IMPROVEMENT ON ANY GRINDER: How Slow Feeding Completely Changes Your Grinding (2024-02-22)
- The Coffee Chronicler: The 80/20 Rule: Espresso for Beginners (2024-03-26)
- Lance Hedrick: Hand Grinder Tier List (2024-10-02)
- Lance Hedrick: Can Handgrinders Beat Electric? Espresso Edition (2025-08-07)
- Daddy Got Coffee: The Best Hand Grinder for Espresso (2026-07-25)
Summarised in our own words from the creators' videos, with every point linked to the moment it comes from. Notchbook isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any of these creators, so please watch the originals for full context. Sources
Dialling in from here
- Sour, thin or fast? Grind finer. Why coffee tastes sour
- Bitter, dry or slow? Grind coarser. Why coffee tastes bitter
- Espresso: how to dial in. Filter: pour-over grind size.
Compare with other grinders in the grind size chart, or see every grinder.
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