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KitchenAid Blade Review

A standard blade model that may be a bit more expensive than many are hoping
KitchenAid Blade
Credit: KitchenAid
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Price:   $50 List | $30 at Amazon
Pros:  Cheaper than a burr model, very little spillage
Cons:  More expensive than many other blade models, inconsistent grinds
Manufacturer:   KitchenAid
By Max Mutter and Michelle Powell  ⋅  Oct 9, 2019
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48
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#11 of 12
  • Grind Consistency - 35% 3
  • Cleanliness - 25% 6
  • User Friendliness - 25% 6
  • Noise - 15% 5

Our Verdict

Seeing as blade grinders are so much less consistent than burr grinders, they have to be impressively inexpensive in order to justify their existence. While the KitchenAid Blade is cheap, it's not quite as cheap as some other blade models that are on the market. Unfortunately, in our experience it also doesn't endear itself to its user enough in any specific capacity to justify that small extra cost. Therefore, if you're in the market for a blade grinder, we think there are better options out there.

Compare to Similar Products

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KitchenAid Blade
This Product
KitchenAid Blade
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award  
Price $50 List
$29.99 at Amazon		$200 List
$199.95 at Amazon		$269 List
$249.00 at Amazon		$150 List
$128.19 at Amazon		$145 List
$139.00 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Pros Cheaper than a burr model, very little spillageGreat grind consistency, intuitive interface, relatively clean and quietGood grind consistency, burly componentsQuiet operation, good grind consistency, great for pour overAbove average grind consistency, clean operation
Cons More expensive than many other blade models, inconsistent grindsNot ideal for French press, expensiveExpensiveCan produce enough static to hang onto grinds, not great at the extreme ends of the grind spectrum (coarse and fine)Slightly pricier than some comparable models
Bottom Line Generic blade model at a slightly higher than generic blade model priceOne of the best overall models on the marketGood performance with a build that is more likely to stand up to heavy useGrinds well while emitting only a relatively harmless, low-pitched humGood all around performance without any standout strengths
Rating Categories KitchenAid Blade the Smart Grinder... Baratza Virtuoso+ Krups GX420851 Baratza Encore
Grind Consistency (35%)
3
8
7
7
6
Cleanliness (25%)
6
8
7
5
8
User Friendliness (25%)
6
9
7
7
6
Noise (15%)
5
8
7
9
6
Specs KitchenAid Blade the Smart Grinder... Baratza Virtuoso+ Krups GX420851 Baratza Encore
Grinding Mechanism blade conical burr conical burr conical burr conical burr
Burr/Blade Material stainless steel stainless steel high-carbon steel stainless steel stainless steel
Dosing Mechanism manual timer timer scale manual
Dimensions 7.1" x 4.1" x 3.7" 12.5" x 8.5" x 16.3" 6.69" x 6.69" x 12.6" 10.2" x 6.5" X 18.5" 4.7" x 6.3" x 13.8"
Weight 2.6 lbs 6.4 lbs 7.05 lbs 6.2 lbs 6.83 lbs
Cup Material metal plastic plastic plastic plastic
Warranty One Year Full One Year Limited One Year Limited Two Year Limited One Year Limited

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.

Credit: Jenna Ammerman

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 a tad 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.

The grind cup is easily removable and provides a consistent...
The grind cup is easily removable and provides a consistent, predictable pour.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

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 amounts of grinds within different size ranges) each time you grind. This results in a slightly different extraction everytime you make your coffee. This problem arises with every blade grinder, so if you want more consistency you will have to pay more for a burr.

Fine grounds can clump up and be hard to clean.
Fine grounds can clump up and be hard to clean.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

The biggest pain we encountered when using this machine 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 that 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.

The Blade creates a lot of fines, and leaves a lot of large chunks...
The Blade creates a lot of fines, and leaves a lot of large chunks as well.
Credit: Michelle Powell

Value


In the world of blade grinders, the KitchenAidBlade's cost 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 the KitchenAid Blade. 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 a blade grinder to at a slightly above average cost. This makes it a slightly less enticing option for those in the market for a blade grinder.

— Max Mutter and Michelle Powell