Turin DF83 review

83mm burrs for far less than they usually cost, before a burr upgrade changes the sum8.5/10

Value is the reason to buy the DF83, and it is consistently praised. Burrs this size have been the preserve of far more expensive grinders, and The Real Sprometheus sums up the deal as "a commercial grinder for a prosumer price".1

The box helps the case. It includes a dosing cup, a dosing funnel, a brush, a spray bottle and bellows, the extras that buyers of earlier grinders in this family ended up adding themselves. A standard bean hopper is included too, and several other makers' 83mm burrs fit, so there is room to grow.

The caveat is what that growth costs. A set of SSP burrs adds a large sum to the bill and moves the grinder into a different price bracket.2 Coffee Chronicler also doubts that the speed and power of big burrs justify the outlay in a home kitchen, so the case is strongest if you plan to keep the stock burrs for espresso.

Thick, sweet espresso from the stock Italmill burrs, with clarity held back7.5/10

The stock burrs are widely liked for espresso. The shots are sweet, balanced and heavy in body, and the grounds come out fluffy and even. Lance Hedrick credits the burrs with "very gooey shots", and they get through a dose in a few seconds.3

What they do not give is separation of flavors. Hedrick says of the same burrs that "the clarity is quite low", and Coffee Chronicler describes them as good all-rounders with no particular specialty. The Real Sprometheus adds that the fines they produce can make dialing in fussier and leave some astringency in the cup.

Filter coffee is the weaker side. It comes out sweet and round, and Hedrick prefers it to the stock DF64 for pour-over, but Kyle Rowsell would not choose the stock burrs for filter. Anyone who already runs a DF64 with SSP burrs should expect no gain in the cup from switching.4

A stepless collar with a pointer you can read, and a zero that takes some finding7.8/10

Adjustment is widely liked, mostly because you can finally see it. The collar is stepless and a pointer shows where the setting sits against a marked dial, which fixes a long-standing complaint about the DF64.5 Small changes feel clean, and the move from espresso to pour-over takes less than a full turn.

The caveats are minor but real. Re-zeroing after a burr change is clumsy, and with burrs of a different thickness the zero no longer sits at dead center.6 Home Cafe by Charlie found a few numbers on the dial slightly out of line, and ARAMSE found the collar stiff around the espresso range with nothing much to grip.

Very little left behind with the bellows, and a chute that clogs and regrinds6.5/10

Retention divides opinion, because the numbers are good and the chute is not. With the bellows, nearly the whole dose comes back, and The Real Sprometheus measured only a fraction of a gram held back even without them.7 Static is lower than on the original DF64, though a spritz of water on the beans still helps keep the counter clean.

The exit path is where the complaints gather. The chute tapers as it leaves the chamber, and the declumper's stiff flaps can hold coffee back and send it through the burrs a second time. Lance Hedrick called the declumper "very much useless" and took it out.8 Home Cafe by Charlie opened the grinder and found "about a gram of coffee stuck in the chute".9

There are two habits worth forming. Pump the bellows early, before grounds back up, and watch the portafilter when grinding straight into it, because the grinder can fill the basket fast enough to pile up into the spout and clog. The dosing funnel also rattles on the portafilter while the motor runs.

23.15 lb of painted metal, a side-exit power cord and no agreement on alignment6.5/10

The body is the strong part of the build. The vinyl wrap of earlier grinders in this family is gone, replaced by a painted metal body that weighs 23.15 lb. Home Cafe by Charlie calls it "reassuringly heavy", and the motor is powerful enough that Lance Hedrick does not expect it to stall for any reason but a clogged chute.10

Alignment is where the DF83 suits some buyers and not others. Kyle Rowsell found his unit's alignment disappointing and concludes that for the best results "this grinder is going to require an alignment".11 Daddy Got Coffee's unit arrived well aligned, and so did Hedrick's.12 Opening the grinder is at least straightforward, and a wave spring makes reassembly simpler.

The small parts let the body down. The power cord exits from the side, which is a near-universal annoyance, and for Does Coffee it was the only dislike.13 The rubber grips on the portafilter forks tear easily, and the plastic accessories and bottom cover feel cheap beside the metal. Evidence on how the grinder holds up over years is thin.

Loud, large and shaky at 1400 rpm, for a few seconds at a time2.5/10

Noise is the clear weakness. The burrs spin at 1400 rpm and the motor brings vibration with it. ARAMSE, comparing the two siblings, says the DF64 is very loud and "the 83 is downright obnoxious".14 Home Cafe by Charlie put a meter on it and got "around 80 decibels".15

The vibration has a practical cost. A portafilter resting in the forks can work its way out while the grinder runs, so keep a hand on it.16 The one comfort is that a dose takes only a few seconds, so the noise does not last long.17

It is also a big machine. It takes up real counter space and is awkward to move at this weight. Without the hopper it is only a little taller than the DF64 and should still fit under cabinets.

Our verdict

Buy the DF83 if you want big flat burrs for espresso without paying for a commercial grinder, and you have the counter space and the tolerance for noise. Skip it if you grind early in a quiet house, or if you want something that works well untouched. Keep the stock burrs unless you are sure you want the extra cost of an upgrade. When it arrives, check the alignment, use the bellows early in each grind and decide quickly whether the declumper stays in.