1st-line “Sonny” On Demand Stepped Doserless Espresso Coffee Grinder
The smallest of 1st-line’s series of entry-level espresso coffee grinders, the ‘Sonny’ is a heavyweight champ for the home barista. Available in black or chrome, it’s a perfectly sized grinder for any stainless steel espresso machine. The black version matches the black handles and knobs on most stainless steel espresso machines. The chrome version matches polished stainless steel superbly.
The ‘Sonny’ grinder can be used manually by pressing the portafilter firmly against the switch (for 2 seconds or more) just above and behind the forks and holding it until the desired amount of ground espresso coffee is dispensed. Or, the Sonny grinder can be programmed for either a single or double dose (only one of the two) whereby the built in programmable timer will stop the grinding when the programmed time is reached. Need a little more ground coffee in the portafilter? No sweat! Just hold the portafilter for 2 seconds or more for a little more ground coffee.
Inside of the chute of our Sonny espresso coffee grinder, there is a clump breaker that does a pretty good job! However, when taking it down to almost Turkish grind, there is some clumping. We found there is only about this ~3 grams of retention in the chute. Not bad for a well built espresso grinder!
The stepped adjustment makes it super easy to get back to the fineness setting desired, and the bean hopper is easily removable or can be secured to the adjustment dial with two included screws.
Cleaning is easy by putting in some UrnexGrindz in Sonny!
Grinding adjustment
- Stepped – Adjustment dial is located underneath the hopper. The entire dial is numbered so you can remember your current grind setting easier. Turn clockwise for a finer grind and counterclockwise for a coarser grind.
- Setting lock – A setting lock button keeps your current setting. Prevents users from accidentally altering it and spending time to find your correct setting again.
Grinding burrs
- Flat burrs – Sized at 50 mm. Not as noisy as other grinders around this price level.
- High rpm – Faster spinning rate at 1400 rpm. The higher the speed, the faster the production, which can increase efficiency and reduce wait times.
On demand grinding
- Easy operation – Below the coffee chute is the grinding button. Simply press the button and the grinding automatically starts and stops at the set time.
- Timer controls – In the back of the grinder, there is a screw that adjusts the on demand grinding time. Using a flat head screwdriver, turn the screw clockwise to increase time and counterclockwise to decrease time.
- Semi-automatic control – Holding the grinding button for 2 seconds will activate semi-automatic grinding. Once you have enough grinds, release the button to stop grinding.
Bean hopper
- Low profile – We include the short hopper in your purchase of the Sonny grinder. The overall height in under 16″ which will easily fit and operate under standard 18″ cabinets.
- Tinted – Helps to avoid pre-mature deterioration of beans from light sources (such as sunlight).
- Finger guard – Prevents users from “accidentally” putting their fingers in the grinding burrs. The finger guard is removable.
- Set screws – There are 2 screws that come with the grinder. These screw into holes underneath the finger guard. This helps secure the hopper to the grinder. Prevents users from quickly removing the hopper, spilling beans everywhere.
Grinds catch tray
- Small size – The tray has a 1/4″ depth. This will be able to catch and hold a lot of grinds.
- Removable – The tray sits on a platform with a hole that it locks onto. This keeps the tray from sliding away from the grinder. Easy to install or remove.
Espresso Coffee Grinder Warnings:
- Changing grind settings: It is very important to only change grind settings when the unit is powered on and the burrs are in motion. If you do not do this, the burrs will ‘gunk’ up and render the grinder to only produce very coarse grinds or no grinds at all. To remedy this, you will have to open up the grinder to get access to the grinding burrs. This issue will be considered operator error for lack of following directions, and not be classified as a defective grinder.
- Electrical cord: For most grinders, the cord is placed between the packaging (foam or cardboard) and the underside body of the grinder. During shipping, it is normal for a bend or insignificant blemish/slice to damage the cord.
- Finding coffee grinds in a new grinder: Most manufacturers test their grinders with coffee beans before they leave their facility. Unfortunately, they are not always able to get every trace of coffee out of the grinders after testing. As a result, you may find coffee beans or grinds inside your grinder, or there may be grinds in the packaging.
- Static issues: There are static issues with all grinders, even the highest-quality models. We firmly believe that the static comes from the coffee beans. If you are having static problems with your coffee grinder, try using a different blend of beans.
- Electrical: To avoid electrical damage (which is not considered a manufacturer’s defect), please acquire and install a single-outlet surge suppressor rated at 1080 joules or higher. A surge without protection can damage a grinder at the power switch, the capacitor, the motor, or the wiring.
- Burr cleaning: For routine maintenance of the grinding burrs, we recommend using grinder cleaning agents. We do not recommend any removal of the burrs or the burr carrier for cleaning (unless necessary) as re-assembly can cause damage.
- Replacing burrs: NEVER use a flathead screwdriver and hammer to wedge under the burrs for removal. This could badly damage your grinder.
Specifications
| Brand | 1st-line |
|---|---|
| Height (inches) | 15.5, approximate |
| Width (inches) | 6.5, approximate |
| Depth (inches) | 11, approximate |
| Weight (pounds) | 12 |
| Wattage (watts) | 213 |
| Voltage (volts) | 110 – 120 |
| Burr size (mm), Type | 50, flat |
| Grinding speed (RPM) | 1400 |
| Hopper capacity (grams) | 250 |
| Country of manufacture | Italy |
| Approvals | CE |
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