Specs
| Burr | 40 mm stock six-spoke conical 25:30. The 2024 tier list says 38 mm 10:22. One video lists it as a flat stepless grinder, which doesn't match the full review 0:39 |
| Adjustment | A pull-down button and a toothed disc. There are lots of tick marks, but the smallest move is about four of them. Plumber's tape can make it stepless 25:30 |
| Speed | 750 rpm when Lance Hedrick measured it 25:30, and 550 rpm in a 2023 overview 3:39 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burr | conical | Hedrick | 25:30 | |
| Burr | conical | Hedrick | 10:22 | |
| Burr | conical | Hedrick | 3:39 | |
| Burr | flat | Hedrick | 0:39 | |
| Burr | conical | Rowsell | 7:10 | |
| Burr | summary | Three Lance Hedrick reviews and Kyle Rowsell describe it as conical, and one Hedrick video lists it as flat. | ||
| Adjustment | stepped | Hedrick | 25:30 | |
| Adjustment | stepped | Hedrick | 3:39 | |
| Adjustment | stepless | Hedrick | 0:39 | |
| Adjustment | stepless | Rowsell | 7:10 | Stepless with a lock |
| Adjustment | summary | Two Lance Hedrick reviews call it stepped, and some owners modify it to stepless. One Hedrick video and Kyle Rowsell describe it as stepless. | ||
| Burr size (mm) | 40 | Hedrick | 25:30 | |
| Burr size (mm) | 38 | Hedrick | 10:22 | |
| Burr size (mm) | 40 | Rowsell | 7:10 | |
| Burr size (mm) | summary | Lance Hedrick's review and Kyle Rowsell say 40 mm, and Hedrick's 2024 tier list says 38 mm. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pour-over | 19 | V60, 15 g to 250 g with boiling water, about 3:10, a Kenya at about 20% extraction. Matched to a Niche Zero at 50 | stated | Hedrick | 14:54 |
| Espresso | around 4 | Dark roast on a Gaggia Classic Pro, after going much coarser from a first shot that choked. He then settled slightly finer | approx | Hedrick | 12:24 |
Cup profile
- Juicier, sweeter and chocolatey, but muddled by lots of fines, with a pleasant finish 25:30.
- Its filter came last of five budget grinders in 2023 3:39, but in 2024 Lance Hedrick rated it above the Niche for filter 10:22.
Strengths
- Powerful, made of metal, easy to strip down and cheap 25:30.
Weaknesses
Verdict
In 2022 Lance Hedrick found it punched above its weight, and thought it would beat a Niche if it were slowed to 150 to 200 rpm 25:30. In 2023 he said it would be the best bet on a tight budget if it were stepless and slower 3:39. In 2024 he gave it a C, roughly level with the Niche Zero 10:22.
Kyle Rowsell's take
- 2022: the best value of his group under $300. It's all metal, stepless with a lock and runs at 750 rpm. The cups were tasty but muddled, with filter better than a Sette and espresso less sweet, and it needs bellows. In 2023 it came last in his blind espresso test 7:10 17:10.
Sources
- Lance Hedrick: BEST BUDGET CONICAL GRINDER?: A Review of the Turin SD40 (2022-09-16)
- Lance Hedrick: DIAL IN ESPRESSO WITH ME!: Lance Dials in a Mystery Roast (2022-12-20)
- Kyle Rowsell: The Best Budget Coffee Grinder Under $300?! (2022-12-20)
- Kyle Rowsell: Best Budget Espresso Grinder Showdown // OPUS vs ENCORE ESP Review (2023-02-21)
- Lance Hedrick: BUDGET ALL-AROUND GRINDERS: Overview (2023-03-04)
- Lance Hedrick: Grinder Tier List (2024-09-10)
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 SD40 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.