The J-Ultra had the lowest retention and one of the most uniform grinds Ive ever seen.
All that for almost $100 less than a Comandante?
Sometimes I really loathe testing hand crank coffee grinders.
Not because I loathe hand crank coffee grinders actually, quite the opposite.
My personal grinder is a hand-powered one.
But not the 1ZPresso J-Ultra.
Is that enough to make it one of thebest coffee grinders?
Well, youll be pleased to know that the J-Ultra passed all those tests with flying colors.
Could the J-Ultra replace my Comandante?
I think the answer is a big fat yes.
Find out everything in this 1ZPresso J-Ultra review.
The J-Ultra is$199 from Amazon U.S.and199 from Amazon U.K.. 1ZPressos most budget-friendly grinder is the1ZPresso Q Airat just $69 but it is super compact.
I think $199 is a great price for the J-Ultra.
Its objectively a fantastic grinder.
1ZPresso J-Ultra review: Design
The J-Ultra is basically identical to the K-Ultra.
Both the J-Ultra and the K-Ultra have the magnetic catch cup and a fabric covering on the shaft.
Adjusting the grind was much easier on the J-Ultra (and K-Ultra) than the Comandante C40.
Retention refers to how much coffee sticks inside the grinder.
Ease of use
As with the 1ZPresso K-Ultra, the J-Ultra is incredibly easy to use.
Even when I ground on the finest setting, I could rotate the crank easily.
Static & clumping
Just as with the K-Ultra, the J-Ultra has minimal clumping.
I would be happy to use the coffee straightaway for anything from pour-over to espresso.
Static, however, is another question.
I found that the J-Ultra had about the same amount of static as the K-Ultra.
Theres something about its Nitro Blade burrs that minimize static more than other grinders.
Uniformity
Uniformity refers to how consistent the coffee grounds are.
Grind uniformity is essential for good coffee.
In general, the J-Ultra is very uniform.
Here are my results.
Weight before grinding
Weight after grinding
Retention %
20g
0.0g
19.4g
0.6g
3%
19.8g
0.2g
1%
Avg.
retention
-
1.3%
As you’re able to see, theres very little retention.
The first time I tested, there was absolutely no retention whatsoever.
This is the lowest retention grinder Ive ever used, and Im supremely happy with its performance here.
However, with careful maintenance, Im sure the grinder would last you a lot longer.
I found it really easy to disassemble the J-Ultra, and I wouldnt particularly call myself handy.
At $199, its one of the most affordable hand grinders (of this quality) around.
Although you save $50 versus the K-Ultra, the differences are truly minimal for most people.
Just dont breathe on it too heavy itwillfall over.
