The Survival Store: Camping / Hiking: JavaGrind Coffee Grinder

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Designed in the best FDA approved polycarbonate out there, the GSI Outdoors Lexan JavaGrind is ultra bomber proof. Lightweight and cut resistant, this GSI Lexan resin won't stain or hold flavors. So you can use and reuse it for years to come. This hand-crank grinder features a locking cover and protective dust cap that keeps everything clean.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars

Bad product September 3, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I bought this item thinking that it would be a great option for those of us that try to be "green". I am trying to stay away from electrical appliances. Unfortunately, it only took two mornings of coffee-making for this thing to break. I am very dissapointed. I am returning it as soon as I find a box to send it back.

4 out of 5 stars

Nice April 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Works very well, especially when used with GSI's own press pots (they are designed to fit together). All I would have liked to see change is a slightly tighter seal so that coffee stored in the grinder's very convenient storage space could be air tight. So, other than not being able to keep beans inside the grinder space for more than a week, this grinder has worked out very well for me.

3 out of 5 stars

Wobbly Grinder January 14, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

The grinding mechanism consists of two unglazed ceramic cones that fit together. The casting of the ceramic is fairly course--so edges aren't very sharp.
The domed top is made from plastic and provides very little support to the shaft. Since the shaft is not centered or supported on the bottom the inner cone can move--up and down when the dome flexes, side-to-side when the shaft "swings". Of course, the shaft always swings because the crank is offset (as it must be). The upshot: inconsistent grind.

Credit where it's due: the mechanism for adjusting the grind is the best I've seen on any grinder, even Zassenhaus. The wing nut is keyed to the crank, and the crank slides onto the shaft, locking the wing nut in position--the grind won't change at all. Too bad the setting is pretty much meaningless because of the shaft wander.

The fact that it folds up compactly is nice, though not valuable to me. I also agree with other users who found this mill hard to hold. I found it so frustrating that I made a pine "pillow block" so that I could clamp the grinder in place, and then clamp the grinder to the table--which makes it much more pleasant to use.

One final design flaw is that the cup which holds the coffee does not slope enough toward the burrs. When I'm grinding the last 10 or so beans I have to stick my finger in and push the beans into the mill.

5 out of 5 stars

Javagrind rewiew October 5, 2007
7 out of 11 found this review helpful

Just received My new Java grind coffee grinder and put it to good use right away. It works as advertised and fits my GSI French press perfectly ..
A good durable product with great adjust ability ..I would strongly suggest this Java Grind to any coffee lover....

4 out of 5 stars

Good grinder; hard to use March 27, 2007
32 out of 32 found this review helpful

I bought this grinder for use with a small french press when camping and visiting friends. The ceramic burrs are adjustable and seem to produce a consistent grind: there is not too much sediment in the bottom of the cup. When using freshly-roasted coffee, the results are not too acidic and have a very smooth finish. Even my friends that do drink coffee tend to be impressed (I always share!).

The handle is easy to use and the fact that beans can be stored in the grinder during transport is handy. The idea behind the grinder is that it should be set on top of your french press for use, but I have found this to be the largest problem with the grinder. There is no handle to hold with your other hand as you grind, and nothing to keep the grinder itself from moving! I usually end up holding onto the top of the grinder with my free hand, but this is difficult as that hand gets in the way of the rotating grinding handle. Furthermore, keeping the grinder stationary requires a lot of downwards pressure; I have already broken one french press by pushing down too hard, and so I no longer grind directly into the press. I recommend the cups that come free when you order pizza -- they seem to be just the right size, and they're impossible to break. Using a cup that's just the right size (and plastic!) to grind into makes this grinder a whole lot easier to use.

This grinder is supposedly designed to work with the french press from the same company. The body does have an indentation for where the press's handle would sit, and the fact that they fit together has the potential to keep the grinder from slipping around and requiring so much downwards pressure to use. Additionally, the press from this company is made of lexan, and so should be very difficult to break. I don't know, as I don't own that press; I use a Bodum press instead. If you don't already own a press, you may want to consider buying both simultaneously from the same company.

If you're careful, though, you can use this grinder with any press and minimize difficulties and maximise taste. Highly recommended if you love great coffee but don't want to bring an electric grinder along -- just be aware of problems mentioned above before you buy.