KitchenAid Blade Review
Pros: Cheaper than a burr model, very little spillage
Cons: More expensive than many other blade models, inconsistent grinds
Manufacturer: KitchenAid
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
KitchenAid Blade | |||||
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| Awards |  | ||||
| Price | $40 List $39.87 at Amazon | $100 List $89.95 at Amazon | $25 List $21.97 at Amazon | $50 List | $30 List $19.97 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Pros | Cheaper than a burr model, very little spillage | Good grind consistency, relatively inexpensive | Relatively clean and easy to use, quieter than most blade models | Inexpensive, small footprint | Inexpensive, relatively quiet for a blade model |
| Cons | More expensive than many other blade models, inconsistent grinds | Somewhat loud, can make a mess | Produces inconsistent grinds | Inconsistant grind-sizes, heavy static | Inconsistent grinds, messy, hard to clean |
| Bottom Line | A standard blade model that may be a bit more expensive than many are hoping | Excellent performance and one of the best values on the market make this a great choice | One of the better blade models on the market, but definitely don't expect it to produce consistent grinds | A basic burr grinder one-step above a blade grinder, providing mediocre grind consistency | This grinder has all the disadvantages of a blade model without many redeeming qualities |
| Rating Categories | KitchenAid Blade | Bodum Bistro | Mr. Coffee 12 Cup E... | Krups GX500050 | Mueller HyperGrind... |
| Grind Consistency (35%) | |||||
| Cleanliness (25%) | |||||
| User Friendliness (25%) | |||||
| Noise (15%) | |||||
| Specs | KitchenAid Blade | Bodum Bistro | Mr. Coffee 12 Cup E... | Krups GX500050 | Mueller HyperGrind... |
| Grinding Mechanism | Blade | Conical burr | Blade | Flat burr | Blade |
| Burr/Blade Material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Metallic | Stainless steel |
| Dosing Mechanism | Manual | Timer | Timer | Timer | Manual |
| Best Brew Application | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press | Pour over, french press |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 4.1" x 3.7" | 7.6" x 7.1" x 12.5" | 5" x 5" x 9" | 4.29" x 7.24" x 10.4" | 7.8" x 4.5" x 4.3" |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs | 3.2 lbs | 1.7 lbs | 3.2 lbs | 1.45 lbs |
| Cup Material | Metal | Plastic | Plastic, metal | Plastic | Plastic |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The KitchenAid Blade is a fairly standard blade grinder that costs a bit more than most comparable models and doesn't stand out in any particular category.
Performance Comparison
Likes
The major thing we like about the KitchenAid Blade is its price. It is much less expensive than even the most reasonably priced burr grinders on the market. However, this model does tend to sell for more than most other blade grinders, so price alone isn't a reason to go with this machine. We also found that the Blade's grind cup is easily removable and small enough that you can conveniently pour your grinds into your brewer without spillage, two things many other blade grinders don't offer and that we like.
Dislikes
Like all blade models out there, the KitchenAid Blade both fails to produce a consistent grind size and tends to create different grind size profiles (i.e., the amount of grinds within different size ranges) each time you grind. The problem with this is that it causes your coffee to brew differently every time you make a cup. This issue arises with every blade grinder, so you will have to pay more for a burr grinder if you want more consistency.
The biggest pain we encountered when using the Blade was cleaning out the grind cup and the blades themselves. The machine tends to create a lot of fines (coffee dust) that stick to the blades and cup and must be removed with a cloth or brush. This problem gets even worse if you're using particularly oily coffee, as the oil can combine with the fines to create a hard-to-clean sludge.
Value
In the world of blade grinders, the cost of the KitchenAidBlade is slightly above average, but not outrageously so. Most blade grinders are quite similar to one another, and we have seen lower-priced models perform similarly or slightly better than this one. Therefore, while we don't think you'd be overpaying if you went with this model, you can save a bit of money without making any performance sacrifices with some of the other models on the market.
Conclusion
The KitchenAid Blade performs about as well as one would expect of a blade grinder at a slightly above average cost. This makes it a somewhat less enticing option for those in the market for a blade grinder.
— Max Mutter and Michelle Powell