Melitta Molino Coffee Grinder: A Solid Budget Pick for Beginners

The Melitta Molino is a compact electric burr grinder that usually sells for under $70. It's one of the cheapest flat burr grinders you can buy from a reputable brand, and it does a surprisingly decent job for drip coffee, pour-over, and French press. If you're upgrading from a blade grinder or pre-ground coffee, the Molino is a meaningful step up without a big financial commitment.

I've used the Molino as a backup grinder for about a year, and I want to share what it does well, where it struggles, and how it compares to other budget options. It's not going to compete with a $200+ grinder, but that's not the point. The question is whether it's worth the money for what it is.

Design and Build

The Molino has a plastic body with a matte black finish. It feels lightweight but not flimsy. The design is simple: a removable bean hopper on top, a grind adjustment dial on the side, and a removable grounds container at the bottom.

Size and Footprint

At roughly 6 inches wide and 10 inches tall, the Molino fits easily on a kitchen counter or in a cabinet. It's one of the more compact electric grinders available, which is nice if counter space is limited. The bean hopper holds about 200 grams (enough for roughly 10 cups of drip coffee), and the grounds container holds a similar amount.

Materials

The burrs are steel, which is standard at this price point. The hopper and grounds container are both plastic. Melitta includes a cleaning brush, which is a small but welcome addition. The power cord is a reasonable length, about 30 inches, so you won't need an extension cord in most kitchen setups.

Grind Quality and Settings

The Molino offers 17 grind settings, ranging from fine to coarse. The selector dial clicks between each setting, so there's no stepless micro-adjustment. For espresso, this is a problem (more on that below). For drip, pour-over, and French press, 17 settings provide enough range to find a grind that works.

How Consistent Is the Grind?

For a sub-$70 grinder, the Molino produces a reasonably even grind at medium settings. I've used it for drip coffee and V60 pour-over with good results. The cup tastes clean and balanced, with none of the muddiness you get from a blade grinder.

At finer settings, consistency drops off. You start seeing more fines mixed in with the target particle size. At coarser settings (French press territory), the grind is slightly uneven, with some larger chunks alongside the medium particles. This is typical behavior for budget burr grinders, and it's not bad enough to ruin a cup. It just means you won't extract as evenly as you would with a grinder in the $100 to $200 range.

Can You Use It for Espresso?

I wouldn't recommend the Molino for espresso. The stepped adjustment doesn't offer fine enough control, and the finest setting isn't consistent enough for proper espresso extraction. You'll end up with either choking your machine or pulling watery, under-extracted shots. If espresso is your goal, save up for a Baratza Encore ESP or a dedicated espresso grinder.

How It Performs Across Brew Methods

Drip Coffee

This is where the Molino shines. Set it to the medium range (around setting 8 to 12), and you get a consistent grind that works great in automatic drip machines. I've used it with both a Moccamaster and a basic Mr. Coffee, and both produced good cups.

Pour-Over

For V60 or Chemex, the Molino does a decent job on the medium-fine settings. You might need to experiment to find the sweet spot for your preferred recipe, but there's enough adjustment to get close. Just keep in mind that the stepped settings limit your ability to make tiny tweaks.

French Press

Coarse grinding is the Molino's weakest area. The consistency at the coarsest settings isn't great, which can lead to over-extraction of smaller particles and some silt in your cup. It's still much better than a blade grinder, but if French press is your primary brew method, you might want to look at a conical burr option.

For recommendations across all price ranges, check out our best coffee grinder roundup.

Noise and Speed

The Molino is moderately loud. It's not going to wake up the entire household, but it's definitely audible from the next room. Grinding a single dose (about 20 grams) takes around 10 to 15 seconds, which is typical for a small electric grinder.

The motor runs at a consistent speed and doesn't bog down with fresh, dense beans. I haven't experienced any jamming or stalling in my time with it. That said, if you overload the hopper and try to grind a huge batch, the motor can heat up. Stick to grinding what you need and you'll be fine.

Maintenance

Cleaning

Remove the hopper and use the included brush to sweep out the burr chamber every week or so. Coffee oils will build up on the burrs over time, so running a grinder cleaning tablet through once a month is a good idea. The grounds container should be washed with soap and water regularly to prevent rancid oil buildup.

Durability

The Molino uses a timer-based dosing system. You turn the dial to set how long the grinder runs (measured in cup markings, from 2 to 14 cups). The timer mechanism is simple and reliable. I haven't had any mechanical issues with mine, and online reviews suggest the Molino holds up well over time for the price.

Burr Replacement

Replacement burrs for the Molino are available directly from Melitta for around $15 to $20. For home use, burrs should last 2 to 3 years with daily grinding before they start dulling noticeably.

How It Compares to Similar Grinders

Melitta Molino vs. Baratza Encore

The Encore costs about twice as much, but it's a significant upgrade. The Encore has 40 grind settings versus the Molino's 17, better grind consistency across the range, and a more powerful motor. If your budget allows, the Encore is the better investment. If you're strictly limited to under $70, the Molino is the next best thing.

Melitta Molino vs. Bodum Bistro

The Bodum Bistro is in the same price range and uses conical burrs instead of the Molino's flat burrs. The Bistro produces a slightly more uniform coarse grind (better for French press), while the Molino is slightly better for medium and fine settings. Pick based on your primary brew method.

Melitta Molino vs. Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder

Both are budget options, but the Molino produces a more consistent grind. The Mr. Coffee grinder is fine for drip but struggles at finer settings. The Molino also has a better build quality and more reliable motor. It's worth the extra $10 to $15 for the Molino.

See our top coffee grinder picks for more side-by-side comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Melitta Molino good for Moka pot?

It can work for Moka pot on its finer settings, but the stepped adjustment makes it harder to dial in precisely. You might get a decent cup, but don't expect the control of a stepless grinder.

How loud is the Melitta Molino?

It's moderately loud, comparable to a small blender on low speed. You can grind while having a conversation in the same room, but it's noticeable. Early morning grinding will be heard by light sleepers in adjacent rooms.

Does the Molino have a timer?

Yes. The grind quantity selector on the side sets a timer from 2 to 14 cups. The grinder stops automatically when the timer runs out. It's not perfectly precise, but it gets you close to the right amount.

Where is the Melitta Molino made?

The Molino is designed by Melitta (a German company founded in 1908) and manufactured in China. The quality control is consistent with what you'd expect from a budget appliance made by a reputable brand.

Should You Buy It?

The Melitta Molino is a great grinder for anyone stepping up from pre-ground coffee or a blade grinder for the first time. It handles drip coffee and pour-over well, it's compact, and it's affordable. Don't buy it if you want to make espresso, and don't expect it to match grinders that cost three or four times as much. For under $70, it does exactly what it should: grind coffee beans into a consistent enough particle size to make a noticeable improvement in your morning cup.