Allground: A Deep Dive Into Breville's Do-Everything Grinder

I remember the first time I saw the Breville Smart Grinder Pro listed as the "Allground" on certain retail sites and getting confused. Are they the same thing? Different models? The name "Allground" has popped up across coffee forums and product listings, and it deserves a proper explanation.

The short answer is that "Allground" refers to a specific capability philosophy rather than a single product. It's used to describe grinders, most notably from Breville's lineup, that claim to handle every grind size from espresso-fine to French press-coarse in one machine. Let me break down what this actually means for your morning coffee.

What Does "Allground" Mean in Coffee Grinding?

The term "allground" describes a grinder that covers the full spectrum of grind sizes needed for every popular brew method. Instead of buying an espresso-specific grinder and a separate grinder for drip coffee, an allground grinder handles it all.

In practice, this means a grinder with enough adjustment range and precision to produce usable grinds for Turkish coffee on the fine end and cold brew on the coarse end. The idea sounds great on paper, but the reality is more nuanced.

Most grinders that market themselves as allground are better at some ranges than others. A grinder might nail espresso and pour-over but produce inconsistent coarse grinds. Or it might excel at drip and French press but lack the fine adjustment needed for dialing in espresso. True all-around performance requires high-quality burrs and a grind adjustment system with enough resolution across the entire range.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro as an Allground Option

Breville's Smart Grinder Pro (BCG820) is probably the most commonly discussed "allground" grinder at the consumer level. It offers 60 grind settings ranging from espresso-fine to French press-coarse, all controlled by a simple dial on the front.

What It Does Well

The Smart Grinder Pro performs admirably in the middle range. Drip coffee, pour-over, and AeroPress grinds are consistent and produce good cups. The 60 settings give you enough precision to fine-tune within these brew methods.

The dosing system is also well-designed for an allground approach. You can program it to dose by time, adjusting the seconds up or down for different brew methods. I set mine to 22 seconds for my morning pour-over and 7 seconds for a single espresso shot, switching between them with the push of a button.

Where It Compromises

At the fine end (espresso), the Smart Grinder Pro works but lacks the stepless micro-adjustment that dedicated espresso grinders offer. You might find yourself between two settings where one is slightly too fine and the next is slightly too coarse. For a pressurized portafilter, this isn't a big deal. For a serious prosumer espresso machine, it can be frustrating.

At the coarse end (French press, cold brew), the particle distribution gets wider. You'll see more fines mixed into your coarse grounds, which leads to over-extraction and sediment in French press. It's usable but not ideal.

Other Grinders That Fill the Allground Role

The Smart Grinder Pro isn't the only option if you want a single grinder for all brew methods. Here are some alternatives I've tested or researched extensively.

Baratza Virtuoso+

The Virtuoso+ has 40 macro settings with micro-adjustments within each step. Its conical burrs produce cleaner grinds than the Breville at coarse settings, but it has fewer total steps in the espresso range. It's a better allground option for someone who prioritizes filter coffee over espresso.

Fellow Ode with SSP Burrs

The Fellow Ode is designed for filter coffee only. But with aftermarket SSP burrs, some users have expanded its range into espresso territory. This is a tinkerer's approach to the allground concept: start with a great filter grinder and modify it for finer grinds.

Eureka Mignon Series

Eureka makes several models that cover a wide grind range. The Mignon Filtro handles medium to coarse well, while the Mignon Notte handles fine to medium. No single Mignon model is truly allground, but the Crono comes closest with its broad adjustment range.

Check our best coffee grinder roundup for detailed comparisons across price ranges.

The Single Grinder vs. Two Grinder Debate

Here's the honest truth from someone who's tried both approaches. If you brew espresso and filter coffee regularly, two grinders is the better setup.

Why One Grinder Falls Short

Every time you switch from espresso to pour-over (or vice versa), you have to readjust the grinder, purge the old grounds, and dial in the new setting. This wastes beans, wastes time, and introduces inconsistency. Finding your exact espresso setting again after grinding French press is surprisingly tricky.

I used a single allground grinder for about a year. Every morning involved 3-5 grams of wasted coffee while I purged the old grounds and verified the grind setting. That adds up to roughly a pound of wasted coffee per month.

When One Grinder Works

If you only brew one method (say, pour-over every morning), an allground grinder is overkill but works fine. You set it once and leave it.

If you brew two similar methods (like drip and pour-over), the grind change between them is small enough that you won't waste much coffee switching.

If you're on a strict budget and can only afford one grinder, an allground option gives you the flexibility to experiment with different brew methods without being locked into one.

Our top coffee grinder list includes both dedicated single-purpose grinders and versatile allground options to match your brewing style.

How to Get the Most from an Allground Grinder

If you decide the single-grinder approach is right for you, here are some tips from my experience.

Keep a Settings Log

Write down the exact setting number for each brew method. When you switch between methods, you can return to the exact position without guesswork. I keep a small label on my grinder with my three most-used settings.

Purge Before Brewing

After changing grind settings, run 2-3 grams of beans through the grinder before dosing your actual coffee. This clears out grounds from the previous setting that are trapped in the burr chamber and chute.

Use the Timer Function

If your grinder has programmable dose times (like the Breville Smart Grinder Pro), set different programs for different brew methods. This saves you from manually timing each dose.

Clean More Frequently

Switching between fine and coarse settings means coffee particles of different sizes accumulate in the grinder. Clean the burr chamber weekly if you're regularly changing settings. Monthly is fine if you stick to one setting.

FAQ

Is an allground grinder good for beginners?

Yes. Starting with one grinder that handles multiple brew methods lets you experiment and figure out which brewing style you prefer before investing in specialized equipment. Once you know whether you're an espresso person or a pour-over person, you can upgrade to a dedicated grinder for that method.

What's the best budget allground grinder?

The Baratza Encore at around $150 is the best value for an allground approach. It handles drip, pour-over, French press, and AeroPress well. It can grind for espresso in a pinch, though dedicated espresso grinders do it better.

Can a hand grinder be an allground grinder?

Some can. The 1Zpresso JX-Pro and Commandante C40 both cover the full range from espresso to cold brew with excellent consistency. Hand grinders avoid the retention problem of electric grinders since you can see and tap out every ground particle.

How many grind settings do I need for an allground grinder?

At minimum, 30-40 settings to cover all brew methods with enough precision. Grinders with 60+ settings give you finer control, which matters most at the espresso end where small changes in grind size produce big differences in shot quality.

The Practical Answer

An allground grinder makes sense if you brew one or two methods and want flexibility to try others. It does not make sense if you regularly alternate between espresso and filter coffee daily. Buy the grinder that matches your primary brew method and accept that you'll get excellent results for that method rather than mediocre results for all of them. If you brew pour-over 90% of the time, get a great pour-over grinder. You can always grind for the occasional French press or AeroPress on the side.