THE FRESH 2024 CAPRESSO INFINITY CONICAL BURR REVIEW

The inexpensive Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder should definitely be on your radar. 

A good electric burr grinder is the easiest way to up your game if you’re new to brewing craft coffee. And despite what you might have heard, buying one doesn’t have to mean draining your bank account. Even an affordable entry-level model is miles better than a blade grinder or buying preground coffee.

The Infinity was my very first grinder, so it holds a special place in my heart, and it’s still the grinder I recommend most often to friends getting more serious about coffee. Is it the right choice for you? Keep reading to find out.

The Full Review Of The Capresso Infinity Plus Grinder

The Infinity grinder is one of Capresso’s best sellers. In this coffee grinder review, I’ll be looking at the latest edition, the Capresso Infinity Plus. Compared to the older Infinity, it has a slightly larger hopper, a redesigned exterior, and some minor improvements to the grinding chamber. For all that, you’ll only pay about $2 more, so it’s easy for me to recommend the Plus over the original.

How We Rated It

• Design
• Durability
• Ease Of Use
• Grinding Capability
• Value For Money

4

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Grind Settings, Quality, and Consistency

The Capresso Infinity has 16 grind settings, which is about average for a grinder in this price range. The grind adjustment ring is clearly marked with four grind categories (extra-fine, fine, regular, and coarse), each of which is subdivided into four micro settings. This spans a range of about 250 to 1200 microns, roughly espresso grind to French press grind.

Specialized brewing methods like Turkish coffee, which requires very fine coffee grounds, and cold brew, which needs coarse grounds, aren’t particularly well served by this grinder – or any entry-level grinder, for that matter.

Burrs and Motor

The Infinity has a 40 mm conical stainless steel burr set driven by a multiple-gear motor at 450 rpm. The 100-watt motor is relatively low power compared to most other home grinders I’ve tested, which means it can stall when faced with a dense light roast, particularly at very fine grind settings. 

It’s hard to fault it for that. If you want to make espresso with ultra light roast Nordic-style coffee beans, I highly recommend spending much more money on your grinder (1).

The grind consistency is very impressive, at least from setting 2 through 15. The burrs are clearly high quality, well-designed, and impressively sharp. Things were a little less uniform at the finest and coarsest settings, but in every case, it’s a tremendous step up from a blade grinder (2).

Overall, I’ve been impressed with the versatility of this grinder, particularly for brewing methods requiring medium-fine to medium-coarse grounds. With grounds from the Capresso, I’ve brewed fantastic coffee using my drip coffee machine, pour-over coffee maker, Moka pot, Aeropress, and French press.

Can the Capresso Infinity grind for espresso?

This Capresso coffee grinder can grind fine enough for espresso on the finest setting, but the uniformity is not great. More importantly, the relatively large size difference between grind settings makes it nearly impossible to dial in shots with different types of coffee beans. This is not an espresso grinder.

That said, it’s perfectly adequate if your espresso machine has a pressurized portafilter – as most inexpensive espresso machines do. As always, the quality and price of your grinder and espresso machine should scale together. If you’re going to use this grinder to pair with a cheap espresso machine, I’d recommend using the second-finest setting, which is small enough and a bit more consistent than the finest.

How Loud Is the Capresso Infinity Plus?

Thanks to its low-power motor and slow grind speed, the Capresso Infinity is one of the quieter grinders in its category. I pulled out the decibelmeter and measured it around 73 to 78 dB, much lower than the 80 to 85 dB I typically encounter.

How do you use Capresso Infinity?

The Capresso Infinity is an entry-level grinder, so it is quite simple to use. There are no screens, menus, or even buttons. In fact, there isn’t even an On/Off switch. It’s a basic grinder without any bells and whistles, but I’m not complaining about that. 

Dosing is carried out by manually turning a knob to set a timer. The timer can be set up to about 60 seconds, but it’s not marked with the associated grind times. Instead, it’s labeled from 1 to 12, corresponding to the number of cups you want to brew. 

As a seasoned coffee expert, I would prefer to see the actual number of seconds I’m setting. But I understand how this design decision makes sense for the target audience of beginners. You don’t need to know off-hand how many seconds to grind to brew a 12-cup carafe or single-serve V60.

Using The Capresso Infinity

Here are the steps to grind coffee with the Capresso Infinity:

1. Plug the grinder in.
2. Fill the hopper with whole coffee beans.
3. Twist the hopper to adjust the grind size if necessary.
4. Turn the dial to the number of cups you want to brew. Release the dial, and it will start grinding automatically.

That’s all there is to it! 

To stop the grinder before the timer runs out, twist the hopper anti-clockwise until the black dot at the base moves out of the range of the grind size markings. Be careful not to twist it to the point where the hopper unlocks from the body as you could accidentally pull the hopper out and spill the beans on your countertop.

This machine is also equipped with a simple safety feature that prevents grinding when the hopper is not locked into place.

What are the grind settings for Capresso?

These are the settings I’ve been using with the Capresso Infinity Plus for various ways I brew coffee at home. Capresso doesn’t number their settings, so I’m using 1 for the finest and 16 for the coarsest.

• Espresso (with pressurized portafilter): 1 – 2
• Moka pot: 3 – 6 
• Aeropress: 2 – 8
• Pour over: 4 – 9
• Drip coffee maker: 4 – 9
• French press: 10 – 15

How do you clean a Capresso burr grinder?

Cleaning the Capresso is fairly easy, though I was surprised that none of the removable parts are dishwasher-safe. To clean the grinder, wipe the hopper, ground coffee container, and exterior casing with a damp cloth. Use a soft brush to sweep grounds out of the grinding chute.

The hopper twists off to reveal the upper burr, and the top burr is removable to give you access to the grinding chamber. Never use water to clean coffee grinder burrs! 

I usually use a toothbrush or paintbrush or a little compressed air gun to clean out any grounds. Stubborn residue can be wiped with a Q-tip dipped in isopropanol, or you can buy dedicated grinder cleaning pellets.

Capresso recommends cleaning your grinder thoroughly every week, but that strikes me as overkill. I usually give mine a deep clean every few months. However, you may need to clean more often if you regularly grind very dark oily beans or if you like to switch it up with flavored coffee.

Size, Design Features, And Aesthetics

The Capresso Infinity is hardly a looker, but it has a simple, classic design. While it may not win any awards for its appearance, it will undoubtedly feel at home in your kitchen. It’s certainly not an eyesore. 

The older model is only available in silver, while the newer Infinity Plus comes in black, white, or a pricier stainless steel version. Personally, I like the modern look of the white.

The Infinity is one of the most compact electric burr grinders I’ve encountered, measuring just 5” wide by 7.75” deep by 10” tall. If you don’t love its look (or don’t grind coffee daily), it’s easy to store in a cabinet. And weighing just 3 pounds, it’s hardly an inconvenience to move it around. 

If you choose to keep it on the counter, you’ll appreciate that it’s short enough to refill the hopper without having to slide it out from under the upper cabinets. 

Hopper And Grounds Bin

The transparent plastic hopper on top of the grinder can hold up to 11 ounces of whole bean coffee, up from 8.8 ounces on the older model. However, if you want fresh tasting coffee, I don’t recommend storing coffee beans in clear plastic for more than a day or two. 

The grounds bin has a 4-oz capacity, which corresponds to about the amount of coffee you’ll grind if you turn the timer dial to it’s max position (12 cups). It is made of plastic, which means it’s prone to static cling. This can mess with your dosing slightly, but the bigger annoyance is just that it tends to leave stray grounds drifting on your countertop (3).

So have a little patience. Wait a few seconds after grinding and give the grounds bin a tap before removing it. Keep a cloth nearby to wipe up the strays.

What is the difference between Capresso 570 and 575?

There are three models of Capresso Infinity, which is understandably confusing. I think they should have discontinued the original when they released the Plus, but it’s still kicking around.

• The older Capresso Infinity is designated 560. 
• The new Infinity Plus burr grinder is designated 570.
• The Infinity Plus with the stainless steel casing is the 575. 

The 575 conical burr grinder with stainless steel base represents a substantial durability upgrade, but it’s about 50% more expensive than the 570.

How long does Capresso Infinity last?

The precise steel burrs and the low-RPM motor are excellent, especially for the price you pay. You can expect them to last for years. However, the housing is made of ABS plastic and the timing mechanism feels flimsy. I suspect neither will hold up well to rough handling.

At this price point, you shouldn’t expect to find a burr coffee grinder that lasts decades. But with a little TLC and regular cleaning, it can last up to five years if you grind for just a few cups of coffee every day. Should anything go wrong with your purchase early on, Capresso offers a 1-year warranty policy.

I think this lifespan and price point make a lot of sense for an entry-level grinder. If you’re still serious about coffee in five years when it bites the dust, you’ll probably be ready for an upgraded grinder anyway.

Who Should Buy The Capresso Infinity?

Is the Capresso Infinity for you? The market for entry-level coffee grinders around the $100 price point is increasingly crowded, but I still think the Infinity is one of the best in terms of grind consistency and overall quality. 

The Infinity is versatile enough for most brewing methods, particularly if you want to explore manual brewers like pour-over drippers and coffee presses.

Don’t Buy The Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder If…

• You’re willing to spend a little more: The Baratza Encore is only a small step up in price from the Infinity, and it’s a substantial step up in quality. If you’re not scraping the bottom of your budget barrel, it’s well worth the extra cash. The Encore is another burr grinder with stainless steel 40-mm conical burrs, but they’re paired with a 240-watt motor and 40 grind settings.

• You want to grind for espresso: Espresso grinders can get pricey, but there are some affordable options that, while not perfect, are a nice step up from the Infinity in terms of grind consistency and size precision. 
  
  I’d recommend the Baratza Encore ESP as the best of the bunch. Or consider upgrading to the Baratza Sette 270 if you have the cash. A great budget-friendly option is to go with a manual grinder like the 1Zpresso JX-Pro, which gives you a phenomenal burr set at a low price because you’re not paying for a motor.

• Aesthetics are a high priority: A good coffee grinder is an expensive purchase, so I understand the desire to want a worthy showpiece for your counter or coffee bar. The  Bodum Bistro conical burr coffee grinder is a nice budget burr grinder with a funky vibe, available in red, black, or white. If you have (quite a lot) more to spend, the Fellow Ode II is both gorgeous and one of the best filter coffee grinders on the market.

The Verdict

The Capresso Infinity Coffee Grinder has a lot of things going for it: a good, low-speed motor, high-precision conical steel burrs, decent build quality, and a mostly consistent grind. It is a solid, entry-level option for anyone looking to buy their first electric burr grinder. 

If you’re getting into the craft coffee game, mostly drink drip coffee, and are on a tight budget, pick up the Capresso Infinity. You’ll be amazed at the difference fresh ground coffee makes!

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