Krups Fast Touch Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder: Honest Review

The Krups Fast Touch has been around for decades, and there's a reason it keeps selling. It's one of the cheapest electric coffee grinders you can buy, usually under $20, and it does exactly what you'd expect at that price. I've used one as a backup grinder for years, and while it's never going to win any awards from coffee snobs, it has a permanent spot in my kitchen drawer.

This is a blade grinder, not a burr grinder, so let's set expectations right away. It chops beans rather than crushing them to a uniform size. That means inconsistent particle sizes in every batch. But for the price and convenience, the Krups Fast Touch fills a specific role in a coffee setup that fancier grinders can't.

Design and Build Quality

The Krups Fast Touch is about as simple as a coffee grinder gets. It's a small oval canister, roughly 4 inches wide and 7 inches tall, with a stainless steel blade at the bottom of the grinding chamber. The lid is clear plastic so you can watch the beans while they grind. The whole unit weighs barely over a pound.

The exterior is glossy black plastic. It doesn't feel premium, but it doesn't feel flimsy either. Mine has survived being knocked off the counter twice and still works perfectly. The blade is stainless steel and holds its edge well over time, though it doesn't really matter because blade sharpness has minimal impact on grind quality.

The power button is on the front, and you hold it down to grind. Release the button and it stops immediately. There are no speed settings, no timers, no grind size selector. You control the grind entirely by how long you hold the button.

Capacity

The grinding chamber holds up to 3 ounces of beans, which translates to roughly 12 cups of brewed coffee. That's plenty for a full pot from a standard drip machine. I typically grind about 30-40 grams at a time (enough for 2-3 cups), and the chamber handles that amount well with good blade contact.

Grinding Performance

Here's where I need to be straightforward. The Krups Fast Touch produces an uneven grind at every setting. Short pulses give you a mix of coarse chunks and medium pieces. Longer grinding gives you fine powder mixed with medium particles. You'll never get the uniformity of a burr grinder.

That said, I've found a technique that gets acceptable results for drip coffee:

1. Add your beans to the chamber
2. Pulse for 2 seconds, then shake the unit sideways
3. Pulse again for 2 seconds, shake again
4. Repeat 4-5 times
5. Finish with one 3-second continuous grind

This takes about 15 seconds total and produces a medium grind that works well in a standard drip coffee maker. It's not perfect, but the cup quality is noticeably better than buying pre-ground coffee from the store.

Grind Targets by Brew Method

For French press, use 3-4 quick pulses only. You want coarse, chunky pieces. The metal mesh filter in a French press is forgiving enough to handle the inconsistency.

For drip and pour over, use the technique I described above. About 15-20 seconds of pulse-and-shake grinding.

For Moka pot or AeroPress, you can go a bit longer, around 20-25 seconds of pulsing. You'll still get some inconsistency, but both methods are fairly tolerant.

For espresso, don't bother. No blade grinder can produce a fine enough or consistent enough grind for proper espresso extraction.

The "Spice Grinder" Part

One of the Krups Fast Touch's biggest selling points is its dual purpose as a spice grinder. And honestly, it works better for spices than it does for coffee.

Whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander, dried chilies, and similar spices grind down quickly and evenly in this unit. Because spices are typically drier and more brittle than coffee beans, the blade mechanism actually produces decent results.

I use mine regularly for grinding whole spices for curry blends. A few seconds of pulsing turns whole cumin into a fine powder with minimal effort.

The Cross-Contamination Problem

Here's the catch: coffee and spice oils linger in the chamber. If you grind cumin and then grind coffee the next morning, your coffee will taste like cumin. Trust me on this one.

The solution is either to buy two units (at under $20 each, that's reasonable) or to thoroughly clean the chamber between uses. Grinding a small amount of dry white rice after spices helps absorb oils and odors. Then wipe the chamber with a dry cloth.

I eventually bought a second Fast Touch just for spices. At this price point, dedicating one to each task makes more sense than constantly cleaning between uses.

How It Compares to Other Budget Options

The Krups Fast Touch sits in a crowded field of sub-$30 blade grinders. Here's how it stacks up.

Vs. Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind ($15-20): Very similar performance. The Hamilton Beach has a slightly larger chamber but a weaker motor. I'd call it a coin flip between the two.

Vs. Mr. Coffee Simple Grind ($15-18): The Mr. Coffee has a chamber with measurement markings, which is a nice touch. Grinding performance is nearly identical to the Krups.

Vs. Bodum Bistro Blade ($25-30): The Bodum has a press-to-grind lid design that's slightly more ergonomic. Grind quality is comparable, but you're paying a small premium for the nicer design.

Vs. Budget Burr Grinders ($30-50): If you can stretch your budget to $35-50, a basic burr grinder like the Bodum Bistro Burr or a Hamilton Beach burr model will give you meaningfully better grind consistency. The jump from blade to burr is the single biggest upgrade you can make in home coffee grinding.

For a full comparison of electric grinders including burr options, check out our picks for the best electric grinder and best electric coffee grinder.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning the Krups Fast Touch is simple but requires a bit of care since the chamber isn't removable.

After each use, unplug the unit and wipe the interior with a dry cloth or brush. A small pastry brush works well for getting grounds out of the area around the blade. Don't submerge the unit in water or run it under the faucet.

For deeper cleaning, grind a tablespoon of dry rice to absorb residual oils, then wipe out the rice dust. Some people use a piece of bread instead of rice, which works just as well.

The blade doesn't need sharpening. If you notice the grinder struggling to break down beans after a year or two of daily use, it's more likely the motor wearing down than the blade dulling. At the price point, replacement is more practical than repair.

Who Is This Grinder For?

The Krups Fast Touch is the right choice if you meet a couple of conditions. You drink drip or French press coffee, you're currently using pre-ground beans, and you don't want to spend more than $20 on a grinder.

It's also a solid pick as a travel grinder or an office grinder. Something you don't mind if it breaks or gets lost. I've taken mine on camping trips (with a portable hand crank pour over setup) and it's survived bouncing around in a backpack just fine.

If you drink coffee daily and care about cup quality, save up for a burr grinder instead. Even a budget burr grinder around $40-50 produces noticeably better, more consistent coffee. The Krups Fast Touch is a stepping stone, not a destination.

FAQ

How long does the Krups Fast Touch last?

With daily use, expect 2-3 years before the motor starts to weaken. Some users report 5+ years, but that typically involves lighter usage. At the sub-$20 price point, it's designed to be replaced rather than repaired.

Can the Krups Fast Touch grind nuts?

Yes, it handles softer nuts like almonds and cashews reasonably well. Harder nuts like Brazil nuts and macadamias give it more trouble. Don't try to grind anything oily like walnuts or pecans, as the oils will gum up the blade and chamber.

Is it worth upgrading from the Krups Fast Touch to a burr grinder?

Absolutely. If you use the Fast Touch daily and enjoy coffee enough to notice flavor differences, a burr grinder is the single best upgrade you can make. Even a $40 burr grinder will produce noticeably more consistent grinds, which translates directly to better-tasting coffee.

Does the Krups Fast Touch work with decaf beans?

Yes, it handles decaf beans the same as regular beans. Decaf beans are sometimes slightly softer due to the decaffeination process, so they may grind a touch faster. Use the same pulse technique and check the grind between pulses.

The Verdict

The Krups Fast Touch does one thing at one price point, and it does it well enough. It's not going to give you specialty-coffee-quality grinds, and it never pretends to. For $15-20, you get freshly ground coffee that tastes better than anything from a can or bag. Use the pulse-and-shake method, stick to drip or French press, and manage your expectations. If you find yourself wanting more consistency and control down the road, that's your sign to step up to a proper burr grinder.