The Breville Dose Control Pro is one of the most divisive coffee grinders — here’s why I disagree with the haters

But all discourse aside, I actually think the Dose Control Pro is one of thebest coffee grindersout there.

If youre a specialty coffee newbie, the Dose Control Pro could be the perfect grinder for you.

Ill go through everything in detail in this Breville / Sage Dose Control Pro grinder review.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

So in the U.S., itsBreville Dose Control Pro, available for $159 from Amazon U.S.. Ive tested the Baratza Encore ESP, which is $199, and eventhatis classed as budget.

However, mechanically both Breville/Sage grinders are exactly the same.

The silver exterior looks like stainless steel, but its mostly plastic.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

My favorite design aspect of the Dose Control Pro is the removable tray for easy cleanup.

Theres also a distinct lack of static, which makes overall cleanup easier than ever.

The Dose Control Pro has a button to, well, control the dose.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

This button lights up when the grinder is turned on, which I liked.

you could customize the grinder to whatever brewing method you want.

Speaking of grinding, the Dose Control Pro has two stainless steel burrs.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

I’ll discuss that more in the Grind adjustment selection below, though.

In practice, this makes adjusting the grind size for different brewing methods and bean roasts blindingly easy.

Other grinders Ive used (theEureka Mignon Specialita) have hidden rotations so you cant easily change the grind.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

The Dose Control Pro is 100% visual and beginner friendly.

There are 60 clicks on the hopper, ranging from espresso fine to coarse.

However, this is unnecessary for most people.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

Theres also an extra grind adjustment on the top burr.

As 6 is default, I did all my testing on that setting.

Turkish coffee requires no bigger than 220 microns.

a photo of the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, grinder showing static and clumping

Here Ill discuss all my results.

Ease of use

Where the Dose Control Pro truly excels is its ease of use.

Its truly as simple as that.

a photo of the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, grinder showing static and clumping

However, thanks to the easy stepped burr adjustment, this was simple to do.

I ground into a small glass jar and a normal bowl during testing.

Speaking of the removable tray, this is ideal for easy cleanup.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

I cleaned up by removing the tray and angling it over the bin.

There was also very little static and clumping while I was testing the Dose Control Pro.

Thanks to the removable tray, I was able to clean up in seconds.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

In terms of clumping, there was also very little.

This picture shows a jar full of coffee immediately after grinding.

There are very few clumps, which I love to see on a budget grinder.

the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment

Static and clumping (or lack of) gets a big thumbs up from me here.

Uniformity

Arguably the most important aspect of any coffee grinder is uniformity.

This basically means, how consistent are the sizes of ground coffee?

If I am grinding for espresso (fine grind), are there any anomalies in grind size?

If youre brewing pour-over or high-quality espresso, you need a consistent grind to achieve the best flavor profile.

Smaller grounds will hold onto water and become over extracted, leaving a bitter, unpleasant taste.

1Zpresso Q Air photographed in front of a blue background

I repeated the 0 grind tests three times because I was so baffled.

Even so, I got similar results every single time.

Why is the finest setting not as fine as setting 10?

the 1zpresso k-ultra hand coffee grinder, a 7 inch tall coffee grinder with magnetic catch chamber and 48mm stainless steel burrs

Retention

One of the most important aspects of a coffee grinder is its retention.

Usually, the more premium a coffee grinder, the less it will retain between uses.

To test the Dose Control Pros retention, I weighed out 20g of coffee on myAcaia Lunar scale.

Coffee grounds

Then I ground the coffee medium-fine and weighed how much the Dose Control Pro ground.

I repeated this three times, cleaning out the burrs each time.

Comparatively, the Baratza Encore ESPs average retention was 1.55%, and theWacaco Exagrindhand grinder retained 2.5%.

the technivorm moccamaster cup-one, a single serving drip coffee maker that uses number 1 filters and brews exactly 10 oz of coffee in 5 minutes, in bright orange

Even so, this didnt happen enough to actually negatively affect any of my brewing processes.

Even so, its still relatively easy to keep on a kitchen countertop.

I personally use and love myDeLonghi La Specialista Opera, which has a built-in grinder.

the espro p7 french press dual walled filter in silver photographed against a blue background

Thats not to say its a dumbed-down grinder not at all.

If youre a specialty coffee enthusiast, Id recommend something a little more sophisticated like a Comandante C40.

And its just $159?

Ninja Crispi spring colors

Breville knows what its doing with this grinder.

AeroPress Clear XL

The Wacaco Nanopresso on a wooden surface with the Wacaco Barista Kit and some beans in the background

the magimix blender power 4 in silver with a control dial and three buttons with the glass blending pitcher against a blue background with a plant and fruit bowl

the ninja detect power pro with blendsense, a powerful blender with removable blades, a personal blender attachment, and control dial photographed against a blue background