Mark MorphewFor those looking to graduate from a manual hand crank grinder and move on to an electric coffee grinder, the Krups GVX2 is an excellent entry-level option that won’t break the bank.
The GVX2 is well built, comes with a standard selection of grind settings for different brewing methods, and, more importantly, comes with a burr grinding mechanism.
I purchased the Krups coffee grinder a little over a month ago, and so far, I have been pleasantly surprised with how this budget grinder has performed.
Sure it’s not on par, with more expensive electric grinders that can cost almost four times the price, but the GVX2 does a decent job.
It’s worth noting that there’s a small range of grinders in the Krups GVX range. All are almost identical in terms of functionality the only difference seems to be cosmetics.
For example, the Krups GVX2 is almost identical to the Krups GVX1. The only difference I can tell is that the GVX2 has a stainless steel front versus the plastic finish found on the GVX1.
It can all get a bit confusing when brands do this. I have found similar confusion with Gaggia espresso machines where I have seen different models that only have cosmetic differences, but the core functionality stays the same.
So to avoid any confusion, the Krups burr grinder model I will be reviewing is the GVX212.
Here is my Krups GVX2 review.
Krups GVX2: At a Glance
The capacity of the Krups GVX2 is large, and for anyone transitioning from a small pocket-sized manual coffee grinder, the 200-gram coffee bean capacity is going to be a welcomed sight.
Plus, the 17 grind settings will cover all bases no matter what brewing style you’re planning to do, but realistically, they are more than you’ll need.
I found the GVX212 to be simple to use, fast, and one of my favorite things about this burr coffee grinder is the size. It has a slim profile, so it won’t take up a lot of space on your kitchen counter.
Most of the parts are removable for easy cleaning and are also dishwasher safe.
Also, the supplied cleaning brush lets you get into the nooks and crevices to remove any built-up leftover coffee grounds that are hard to reach.
Let’s take a closer look.
Design And Aesthetics
Don’t let its small size fool you. Standing at just 10 inches tall, the Krups GVX2 burr grinder packs a lot of punch in that compact size.
Grinding coffee for all brewing styles from a fine grind Espresso all the way to the more coarse French Press, the GVX2 has your back.
Staying on the subject of grinding, I must admit, The GVX2 is loud. But you expect that from an electric coffee grinder. However, with that said, the GVX2 is a lot quieter than some of the more expensive burr grinders I have used.
Okay, starting at the top. The transparent plastic bean hopper with its snug-fitting lid can hold enough whole coffee beans for about 12 cups or roughly 200g. The “max” line indicator ensures that you don’t overfill the chamber.
On the face of the Krups grinder, you have very few options.
The power button that lights up in a neon blue once pressed and a dial that you turn and set depending on the number of cups of coffee you want to brew.
It literally takes the guesswork out of how much coffee you need to grind.
Located on the left side of the Krups grinder, you will find the grind setting dial with each setting indicated by a simple dot.
As we continue to move down the grinder, we come to the plastic collection chamber that slides into place with a satisfying click.
As you can probably already guess, this is where your ground coffee falls through and collects.
It’s worth mentioning that the Krups GVX2 does like to move around when it’s grinding, but thankfully the rubber feet do somewhat help to stop the GVX2 from sliding across your kitchen countertop.
But even with the rubber feet, I still don’t like to stand the grinder too close to the edge … just in case.
How Do You Use The Krups GVX2?
Operating the Krups GVX2 is super easy.
Add your whole bean coffee into the bean hopper located at the top of the grinder. Snap the lid in place, and you’re all set.
Next, move to the left side of the grinder and lock in your preferred grind setting.
From the left, going clockwise, each white dot represents a different grind setting.
After a week of trial and error, I have found that 13 is my preferred setting for pour-over coffee (like the Hario V60), 16 or 17 for the French Press, 6 works pretty well for the Moka Pot, and 5 and below is best suited for Espresso.
However, you will have to play around in the finer grind settings to see what works well for you and your espresso machine. I found anything below 5 tended to clog the portafilter on my Gaggia.
Once you’ve locked in your grind setting, turn the dial on the front to let the Krups know how many cups you want coffee ground for, and then press the power button and walkway.
The Krups GVX212 will turn off once the pre-set cup quantity has been ground.
In theory, setting the number of cups you require ground coffee for should be easy, but I found it to be hit and miss in practice. At least with my GVX212, it was.
Now I prefer to weigh my coffee first using a scale, and then I add the whole beans to the bean hopper on the Krups. That way, I know that the exact amount of coffee required will come out.
An issue I discovered using the Krups GVX2 is static; it’s pretty bad, I’m not kidding.
The freshly ground coffee sticks to the side of the collection chamber. When you pull out the drawer and remove the lid, the coffee jumps and sticks everywhere, it creates a real mess.
One way to combat this is to give the collection drawer a hard tap on the kitchen counter before removing the lid.
I bet you’re wondering just how fast the Krups GVX2 grind – let’s find out.
How Fast Does it Grind?
The Krups GVX2 grinds reasonably fast, a hell of a lot faster than a manual grinder – the speed of the GVX2 depends on the cup size setting you dial in.
Smaller dose sizes, say 6 cups takes not more than 60 seconds for the amount to be ground.
Krups GVX2 Grind Consistency
Since I purchased this grinder, I have used it for a wide range of brewing methods, from regular Drip Coffee, Pour-Over, French Press, the Moka Pot, and Espresso.
For its budget price, I must admit I’m pretty happy with how it performs.
Does it outshine the Baratza Encore or the Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder? Unfortunately, no, it doesn’t.
But, the Krups isn’t targeting that type of market.
The Krups GVX2 is an entry-level grinder best suited for the aspiring home barista looking for a decently priced electric coffee grinder.
As for the grind consistency, the Krups GVX2 isn’t too shabby. Using the conical burrs, it can churn out a reasonably decent medium grind for pour-over, but the coarse grind can be a bit of hit and miss.
Take a look for yourself.
One gripe I have noticed with the GVX2 is you have to keep it clean if you want a good uniform and constant grind.
As soon as coffee starts getting clogged inside the grinding mechanism, you will notice a significant decline in the quality of your ground coffee.
The design could be a bit better as I find it very awkward to clean the very back of the grinder, where the ground coffee comes out, even with the supplied brush.
And that brings me nicely onto how to clean the Krups GVX2 grinder.
How Do I Clean My Krups GVX2 Coffee Grinder?
There aren’t many components to the Krups GVX2, so cleaning isn’t that much of a chore.
The bean hopper lid, the collection bucket, and the top of the grinding mechanism are very easy to remove and wash.
For the other parts that can’t be removed? The supplied cleaning brush gets into the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
However, even after a very thorough clean, I find that coffee residue is still trapped at the very back of the shoot and grinding mechanism.
I’m sure there’s a way to take everything apart, but I haven’t discovered it so far. Maybe running some bread or dry rice through the grinder for a few cycles will pull out any hard-to-reach coffee debris?
Is Krups A Good Brand?
The Krups brand is a well-known global manufacturer of small kitchen appliances such as coffee machines, toasters, hand mixers, food processors, blenders, and coffee grinders.
They have been around for a long time and have built up a reputation of being both reliable and affordable.
When it comes to their coffee makers and grinders, if you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong.
However, don’t expect their appliances to perform well in a commercial environment – they’re just not up to that kind of workload, but for daily home use, they’re good enough.
The Verdict – Should You Buy The Krups GVX2 Coffee Grinder?
I have a love and hate relationship with the Krups GVX2 (or, more precisely, the GVX212).
Sure it does a reasonably decent job at grinding, albeit a bit messy, but to be honest, I still find myself picking up the Hario Skerton Pro (read my review here).
Yes, the Skerton requires a bit of manual elbow grease to get your coffee ground, but that extra effort pays off in terms of a more uniform coffee grind, I find.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the Krup GVX2 is a lousy grinder, not by any means.
But, As I have reiterated throughout this GVX2 review, this grinder is best suited for someone not wanting to spend a fortune on an electric coffee grinder.
It’s basically an entry-level electric coffee grinder. It can be slightly messy, so expect ground coffee on your kitchen counter.
It does perform well at this price point – I will give it that, but I’ll be honest, it’s not going to win any awards for the quality of its ground coffee.
What We Love
- Excellent Value.
- Reliable and a reasonably consistent grind.
- Easy to clean.
- Small and compact.
Take Note
- Static causes ground coffee to stick onto the collection box and grinder.
- Slightly noisy.
When he's not fiddling around with a new coffee gadget, you'll find him busy doing DIY projects around the home and taking his German Shepherd for a walk, who funnily enough is called Kona!
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Since the creation of the Bean Ground coffee blog in 2014, Mark and a small circle of coffee hobbyists have rigorously tested, reviewed, and researched coffee gear. In most cases, they have purchased the items themselves with the sole intention of rating and evaluating.
In that time, they have built up a list of quality points to look for and what makes specific equipment better than others. They cut through the noise and marketing hype that often surrounds products to give you their unbiased opinions so you can make clear decisions on your next purchase.
