1Zpresso JX-Pro review

Fluffy, even grounds from 48mm burrs, with arm work at espresso settings8.6/10

Grind quality is the reason to buy the JX-Pro, and it is consistently praised. The 48mm stainless conical burrs are large for a hand grinder, and the grounds come out uniform at both ends of the range. Pradeep Javedar calls it "the most consistent grind quality that i have seen so far"1, and The Coffee Chronicler describes a "really fluffy espresso grind"2.

It goes finer than espresso needs, down to Turkish. Alternative Brewing credits the twin bearings and enclosed shaft for keeping the burr from wobbling, which is where cheaper hand grinders lose consistency. An espresso dose takes less than a minute in every timed account.

The caveats are taste and effort. The Coffee Channel found "a little bit of an under extracted Edge"3 in its espresso however fine it went, and rates the grinder better for filter. Wide Awake PH hears a crisp, clear cup that can turn tart with bright coffees. Fine grinding is also hard work, more so with light and medium roasts.

“it's fairly hard work it's not as bad as grinding fine on a Hario but it's not something that you want to do all day every day”

Very small clicks on a top dial, and rotations you have to count7.9/10

The adjustment is what separates the Pro from the plain JX, and it is widely liked. The steps are small enough that a shot never sits stuck between two settings, and The Coffee Chronicler has little doubt that dialing in espresso is easier here than on its sibling4. The dial sits on top, so you change the grind without removing the catch cup, and each click is audible.

The cost of fine steps is distance. The dial runs through several full rotations, so you track the turn as well as the number, and moving from espresso to cold brew means a lot of winding. Returning to an earlier setting is the sore point: The Coffee Chronicler says "i still haven't found a way to ensure that you can get it back to the old settings"5, and Bartalks ends up recalibrating each time6.

The first dial-in can be slow as well. Home Cafe by Charlie admits "we use a good 200 grams of coffee dialing this thing in"7, and expects it to go faster the second time. Homecoffeeexpert.com adds that a stepped dial, however fine, may still not satisfy the most particular espresso drinker.

Priced like a hand grinder, compared with electrics that cost far more9.1/10

Value is praised almost without exception. With no motor to pay for, the money goes into the burrs, and the results get set against much dearer machines. Homecoffeeexpert.com puts it "on par with electric ones nearly triple its price"8.

The box is bare. You get the grinder, the handle and a cleaning brush, with no carry bag or extras9. Irish Chippy's only complaint is that it is often out of stock.

The closest rival is its own sibling. The Coffee Chronicler rates both as some of the best value on the market, and would still pick the cheaper JX unless you have a good reason for the Pro10. Espresso is that reason. If you brew mostly filter, the extra adjustment buys you little.

Heavy steel that feels made to last, a sleeve that slips and a cup that loosens8.2/10

The build is widely liked. The body is stainless steel, the handle and wooden knob feel like quality parts, and the weight reads as solidity; Home Cafe by Charlie calls it "reassuringly heavy"11. The bearings are a sealed unit that needs no maintenance, and Tom's Coffee Corner found the burrs well calibrated out of the box, with no shimming needed.

Two small parts let it down. The rubber band around the body gives a secure grip in some hands and slides in others, and Bartalks found the problem appeared only after months of use.

“that rubber sleeve slips slips down slips up it pinches and it's annoying it doesn't stop me from producing great coffee”

The catch cup is the other one. Hard or aggressive grinding can vibrate it loose, enough to rattle12. Taking the grinder apart for cleaning is easy and tool-free in Coffee Parts' account and awkward in two others. The body is wide, which suits larger hands better than small ones.

Close to the full dose back, with beans that perch on the dial7.0/10

Very little coffee stays inside. Bartalks reports "pretty much zero retention"13, and The Coffee Channel got out more or less what it put in. That matters for single dosing: each cup is made from fresh grounds, as long as you weigh the beans first.

Loading is the fiddly part. The opening for beans is small, and because the adjustment sits on top, beans can land on the dial and need a push into the burrs14. Fines also cling to the inside of the catch cup, and the cup is not a perfect fit for a standard portafilter basket, though it transfers grounds without much mess.

1.17 lb to pack, and a catch cup that can squeak

Noise and size get little attention, and what there is leans critical. Wide Awake PH hears the catch cup squeak in use15. Nothing else is said about sound, so treat this as a thin record.

Portability is a matter of degree. At 1.17 lb, with the adjustment mechanism adding bulk to the top cap, it is bigger and heavier than the small travel grinders. It still fits in a bag beside a portable espresso maker; it is just not the one to choose if every ounce counts.

Our verdict

Buy the JX-Pro if you want espresso-grade grinding without an electric grinder's price or footprint, and one or two shots a morning is the routine. Skip it if you grind for a household, have small hands or change brew methods daily. If filter is your main brew, look at the plain JX first. When it arrives, note your espresso setting with the rotation count, and check that the catch cup is screwed on firmly before each grind.