Specs
| Motor | 150 W at 1400 rpm, clockwise 1:31 |
| Burrs | Stock, or Baratza Ditting steel or ceramic sets. Steel needs the motor reversed and a shim 1:31 10:46 |
Starting settings
These are the settings each creator gave, measured from their own grinder's zero. Use them as a starting point.
| Method | Setting | Context | Confidence | By | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | just past chirp | Reversed motor with Ditting steel burrs, light-medium roast, 16 g in, 35 g out | stated | Hedrick | 12:18 |
| Espresso | near 5 (most users 10 to 15) | Daddy Got Coffee's V2, 20 g in a high-flow basket | approx | DGC | 9:37 |
| Pour-over | 60 to 70 | V60 at the finer end, with very good results | stated | DGC | 9:37 |
| Espresso | about 15 | The Coffee Chronicler's usual espresso setting. 16 g in about 23 to 24 s | approx | Chronicler | 3:40 |
| Pour-over | about 55 to 60 | 13 g of a light roast, ground in 12 to 15 s. A free-flow brew drained in about 2:15 to 2:20 | approx | Chronicler | 8:33 |
| Espresso | 10 | Light-roast style shot in a 58 mm precision basket | stated | Chronicler | 11:20 |
Cup profile
- The stock burrs are clearer and sweeter than Encore-class cones. With Ditting steel it's very clear and silky with sparkling acidity, close to 64 mm multi-purpose burrs 1:31.
Strengths
- Cheap, with a metal body and a wave spring 1:31.
Weaknesses
- More unimodal than a Niche, so a narrower dialling window 6:09.
- It can stall on very light, fine grinds. Feeding the beans slowly fixes it 4:05.
Verdict
In 2024 Lance Hedrick called it the new budget standard, especially with Ditting burrs 1:31.
James Hoffmann's take
- In his 2024 test of grinders under £250 it was his favourite for espresso, with the most clarity and sweetness. Filter is very good if you go a little finer. It's messy unless you spray the beans and keep the ionizer clean, and the stiff collar makes it easy to end up a full turn off zero after taking the burrs out 0:32 23:12 33:54.
Daddy Got Coffee's take
- In 2025 he tried the $225 V2. It made sweet, clear espresso and surprisingly good filter, with 0.1 to 0.2 g retention using bellows. The range is narrow and fussy, though, and it jumps from choking to gushing. Approach your setting from the same side every time 0:00 10:38 15:13.
The Coffee Chronicler's take
- In 2024 he called it revolutionary at $229, with flat burrs, an aluminium body and 0.2 to 0.3 g retention. The cup is middle of the road and works for both espresso and filter. The index mark can't be reset after a burr swap, and the plastic cup is prone to static 14:33.
- Later in 2024 it beat the Wilfa Uniform and Timemore 064S for drip, with a long finish. Espresso is thinner and balanced, without the classic sweet flat-burr style. True zero sits well below the printed zero. With SSP high-uniformity burrs it handles dark-medium to light-roast espresso. It's his top pick under about $300 14:15 1:30.
- In 2026, with the brew burrs at about $260, it was his best-value pour-over grinder. It's a little less precise than a Femobook A4Z but develops flavour more strongly. There are few 54 mm burrs to choose from 20:12.
Sprometheus's take
- In 2024, matched for median particle size, it cupped the same as the DF64 V2 while being cheaper, smaller and quieter. It's about 10 s slower for 18 g of espresso and roughly twice as slow at coarse filter sizes 6:17.
Sources
- The Coffee Chronicler: DF54 review: They just disrupted the grinder market (2024-01-31)
- Sprometheus: DF54 vs. DF64 | How Much Difference Can 10 Millimeters Make? (2024-03-22)
- The Coffee Chronicler: The 80/20 Rule: Espresso for Beginners (2024-03-26)
- The Coffee Chronicler: Baratza Encore ESP vs DF54: Best grinders around $200? (2024-07-25)
- James Hoffmann: The Best Espresso Grinder Under £250 (2024-11-18)
- Lance Hedrick: New Standard for Budget Grinders: DF54 Review (and Surprise Mod) (2024-11-23)
- Daddy Got Coffee: Flat Burrs at $225? The DF54 V2 Changes Everything (2025-10-11)
- The Coffee Chronicler: Buying a pour over grinder? Here's what I'd do (2026-08-31)
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.
Notchbook is a free app that remembers the setting that worked on your Turin DF54 for each coffee and brew method, and keeps a journal of every brew. Get it free on Google Play. The iPhone app is coming soon. More about Notchbook.