Background
I've been in coffee for over a decade. Started pulling shots, got into roasting, now I test equipment.
Most baristas learn to dial in by feel. I couldn't leave it there. Why did one grinder choke the machine while another at the same setting pulled clean? I had to know what was happening mechanically, not just repeat what worked.
I founded Stovetop Roasters in Holland, Michigan in 2015. Started with a popcorn popper in my dorm room, graduated to a 1-kilo North, then a Diedrich IR12, now a 20-kilo Mill City. That progression taught me how origin and roast development change everything downstream. You can't properly evaluate a grinder if you don't understand what roasting does to bean structure. Dense Rwandan at City+ behaves completely differently than a Brazilian natural pushed into second crack. Same grinder, totally different results.
I spent the last few years making equipment content for Home Grounds. Tested probably 40+ grinders, a dozen espresso machines, more pour-over gear than I can count.
Testing Approach
Day-to-day I test equipment on my kitchen counter with whatever beans I have open. But Coffeeble's prosumer reviews use calibrated lab instruments. Scace thermofilters for thermal stability data. VST refractometers for extraction yield. Calibrated SPL meters for noise readings at 1 meter. The goal is to measure what you'd actually experience at home, with the precision you need to trust the numbers.
I also track the annoying details that spec sheets ignore. Does the grinder wake up your roommate at 6am? Does static fling grinds everywhere on dry winter days? Will the portafilter basket heat-soak properly after three back-to-back shots? We run 500+ cycles on espresso machines before reaching a verdict.
I test across roast levels because most reviewers don't. A grinder that rips through medium roast Brazilians might stall out on a dense Ethiopian natural roasted light. I want to know where it fails, not just where it shines.
Credentials
- Founder — Stovetop Roasters (est. 2015)
- BGA Level 1 — Barista Guild of America certified
- RGA Level 1 — Roaster's Guild of America certified
- 10+ years — Professional coffee industry experience
- Content Creator — Home Grounds YouTube Channel
- Started at Lemonjello's — Holland, Michigan specialty café
Press & Features
Contact
Questions about something I tested? Think I got it wrong? Want me to review a specific grinder? Email me. I actually read them.
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @steven__holm