Fellow Opus Review: Does It Meet Expectations?

It’s big news in the coffee world every time Fellow releases a new product. The brand’s gorgeous and functional gear often gains a cult following. 

The Fellow Opus Grinder is Fellow’s second grinder but the first one that claims to grind for espresso. I was impressed but not blown away. Keep reading to see what I loved and what left me wanting more.

Summary Box: The Fellow Opus Grinder

• Single-dosing conical burr grinder for espresso and drip coffee
  
• 40-mm stainless steel burr set
  
• Compact and attractive design

It runs quietly, and it keeps my kitchen cleaner while producing consistently ground beans no matter which setting I put it on.

– Customer

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The Full Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder Review

Coffee enthusiasts have been clamoring for the Fellow Opus. An all-purpose grinder with an affordable price tag is a lofty claim, but Fellow has an impressive track record (1).

I was excited to get my hands on an early model to bring you this first-look Fellow Opus review. Read on for the details, or start by watching this video with Steven from Home Brews Coffee:

How We Rated It

• Design
• Durability
• Ease of Use
• Grinding Capability
• Price

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Design – 4.5/5

The Fellow Opus grinder has a spare, industrial aesthetic that immediately identifies it as a Fellow product. And I’m a fan of their modern design. It features sleek curves and a matte black exterior, with a matte white version promised for later this year (2). The compact footprint won’t occupy much counter space at just 8.27” deep by 5.07” wide and 10.55” tall. 

The dosing cup slots neatly into the grounds catch cup and works for 58-mm and 54-mm portafilters. For me, this is a practical thing to have, because I don’t have to include extra equipment that I’d later have to wash. The catch cup has been redesigned to pour grounds more cleanly and I could tell it worked well.

The volumetric dosing lid is divided into two chambers. The smaller holds approximately 20 g of coffee, the larger holds 40 g, and the full lid holds 110 g – enough to brew a 12-cup carafe. Coffee nerds will cringe at the word “approximately,” but this is a nice solution for entry-level users. Having been an entry-level coffee lover myself, I know what I’m talking about. A grind guide printed on the hopper lid guides you to the best grind setting for different brew methods. And that’s another thing I loved about Opus’ design.

Durability – 3/5

Build quality is the first thing to take a hit when designing an affordable coffee grinder for home use. Unlike the aluminum metal casing of the Fellow Ode, the Opus is mainly plastic. And this is what I don’t like about it. Sorry, but plastic is never a plus for me. This includes the catch cup, though it still has the much-loved magnetic attachment to the base.

To be fair, plastic case doesn’t necessarily mean this grinder won’t last, but you must treat it respectfully. But, again, just thing about making coffee first thing in the morning with your eyes still half-closed, who could possibly think about being gentle to the grinder? It doesn’t work like that. So, less points from me for so much plastic.

Yet, Fellow is a reputable brand with excellent customer service. The Opus comes with a 2-year warranty, three years if registered online. If you do end up breaking the plastic parts, they’re eager to heal out. I cannot say this is not good. It’s great.

Ease of Use – 4/5

From my experience testing it, I say the Opus is very easy to use: it’s a single-dosing grinder with a timed autostop (3). Not much philosophy there, just add coffee beans to the load bin and press Start. What I also liked is there are four pre-timed options – press Start once for a 30-second grind, twice for 60 seconds, three times for 90 seconds, and long press for 2 minutes. You can also deactivate this feature and grind manually. I enjoyed the pre-timed option, since you don’t get to have that in many grinders of this level. It’s fun.

Changing grind settings was equally straightforward. I followed the instructions from the grind adjustment collar and that was it. However, I did notice that making finer adjustments dialing in espresso is more complicated and I’ll talk more about that below.

Cleaning

The Fellow Opus is a tidy grinder. The anti-static technology at the output works well for avoiding mess, though static tends to build in the hopper. Luckily, I removed it and rinsed it out in no time. When I removed the hopper I found a small metal handle to remove the upper burr for interior cleaning and maintenance –  a small but thoughtful inclusion. So, that’s a big plus.

Grinding Capability – 3.5/5

The Fellow Opus grinder has a stainless steel 6-blade 40-mm conical burr set. I’m telling you, this is a good-quality option at such price point. There are 41 grind settings, from espresso to cold brew and French press. In my particle size tests, this ranged from 400 to 1500 microns with good uniformity throughout.

The powerful motor spins slowly – at 350 rpm – but with high torque. This is ideal for a conical grinder as it crushes even dense light roast beans without generating much heat. It is relatively quiet. When I tested it it showed around 80 dB. Not so bad.

Does it work for espresso?

We’ve come to the million-dollar question. I say yes, but it’s not perfect.

The 41 grind settings from espresso to cold brew coffee necessarily have large steps between them. I found them too large to dial in an espresso. If I were an entry-level user I would’ve been satisfied, but I needed more precision.

Fellow tackled this problem with a second adjustment mechanism under the bean hopper that adds five steps between each setting. 

In comparison, the new Baratza Encore ESP addressed the same issue by making the steps smaller at the espresso end of the spectrum and larger in the drip region. I would argue this is a more elegant solution.

Grind Retention

Low retention is a crucial feature of single-dosing grinders, and I applaud Fellow for doing it well with the direct drop-down design and anti-static technology. In my tests, retention was about 0.5 g. It would be nice to have a knocker like the Fellow Ode, but I think you can use the tight-fitting lid as makeshift bellows to blow out trapped grounds. 

See the table below for a comparison between Fellow Opus and other similar grinders. This will help you make a final decision, after putting things in perspective.

Price – 5/5

The price of this Fellow coffee grinder is right. Indeed, most of my complaints are inevitable compromises when making an all-around grinder for under $200.

Fellow Opus vs. Baratza Encore ESP

Baratza also released an affordable all-around conical grinder this week, so we would be remiss not to compare them. In short, the Fellow is better for filter coffee and has a more efficient workflow. The Encore ESP is more convenient when dialing in espresso.

Steven from Home Brews Coffee makes a much more detailed comparison in this video:

Do Not Buy The Fellow Opus Grinder If…

• You only brew filter coffee: Opt for a grinder with a pour over coffee focus. The pricier Fellow Ode Gen 2 Brew Grinder has a similar aesthetic and superior burr set. Or save some cash with the perennially popular Baratza Encore.
• You only brew espresso: Serious espresso enthusiasts will benefit from an espresso-specific grinder, even if you have to spend a bit more. A prosumer-grade model like the Eureka Mignon Zero is a worthwhile splurge with a similar single-dosing workflow.
• You want a grinder with a hopper: If single-dosing isn’t for you, the new Baratza Encore ESP features similar specs to the Fellow Opus grinder but includes an 8-ounce hopper and manual dosing controls.

The Verdict

The Fellow Opus is an excellent grinder for the price. I won’t deny it. Despite some quirks, it delivers on its promise to grind for espresso and pour over coffee. And it keeps the stunning aesthetic and user-friendly design for which Fellow is known. Along with the Baratza Encore ESP, I believe it sets a new standard for entry-level all-in-one grinders.

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