Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder Detailed Review

Introduction to the Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder

The Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder is an exceptional entry-level grinder that blends style, performance, and innovation. It is designed with new at-home baristas in mind, offering an affordable solution for grinding both espresso and brewed coffee. Whether you’re looking to perfect your espresso shots or brew a flavorful cup of pour-over, the Fellow Opus is versatile enough to handle it all.

What sets the Opus apart from other grinders in its category is its sleek, modern design, which seamlessly fits into any kitchen. Its compact size, anti-static technology, and easy-to-use interface make grinding coffee a simple yet enjoyable experience. With the Fellow Opus, you can achieve consistent grind quality without the complexity or high cost often associated with premium grinders.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the key features of the Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder, discuss its performance, and provide insights into the overall user experience. Whether you’re a coffee enthusiast or just starting your coffee journey, this grinder offers great value for anyone looking to elevate their coffee brewing game.

Key Features of the Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder

The Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder stands out for its combination of style, functionality, and thoughtful design, making it an excellent choice for coffee enthusiasts who value both form and performance.

Design and Build

The Opus is designed with a sleek, modern look that seamlessly blends into most kitchen setups. Its minimalist design not only enhances its aesthetic appeal but also ensures it fits comfortably on countertops of various sizes, making it ideal for any kitchen. The matte black finish, true to Fellow’s signature design language, gives the grinder a clean, sophisticated appearance, perfectly complementing other Fellow products. Additionally, its small footprint makes it perfect for kitchens with limited space, easily fitting under overhanging cabinets or into tight corners without taking up much room.

Bean Hopper

The Opus features a single-dose hopper that holds up to 100 grams of coffee beans, providing flexibility for brewing different sizes or experimenting with various roasts without the need for large bean storage. The hopper lid doubles as a volumetric doser, allowing for precise measurements up to 100 grams. Additionally, it includes a convenient guide for grind sizes.

Grind Adjustment

Equipped with a 41-step macro adjustment range, the Opus allows for easy switching between espresso and brewed coffee grind settings, ensuring that whether you’re brewing a fine espresso or a coarser pour-over, you can achieve the ideal grind. For even more precision, the grinder includes an inner dial with six micro-steps, which is perfect for dialing in espresso shots and ensuring a flawless grind every time.

Anti-Static Technology

One of the standout features of the Opus is its anti-static technology, which significantly reduces grind spray and static cling, resulting in a cleaner and mess-free grinding experience. This feature minimizes coffee dust and makes post-grind cleanup much easier, enhancing the overall user experience.

Grinding Performance

The Opus comes equipped with 40mm “Burly Burrs,” which provide consistent grind quality and uniformity, making it suitable for both espresso and pour-over brewing methods. Additionally, the grinder is powered by a robust motor that delivers six newton-meters of torque, providing enough strength to grind through even light roasts at fine settings while maintaining consistency.

Timed Grind Function

The Fellow Opus Conical Burr Coffee Grinder comes with a thoughtful timed auto stop feature. This functionality allows you to grind your coffee with precision and ease. Depending on how you press the start button, the Opus will automatically shut off after 30, 60, or 90 seconds. For those who need a longer grind time, a long press will enable the grinder to run for a full 2 minutes (120 seconds).

This feature ensures you have complete control over your grinding process, making it convenient to tailor the grind time to your specific brewing needs. Whether you’re preparing a quick espresso or a longer brew, the Opus has you covered.

Catch Bin

Finally, the Opus includes a magnetic catch bin with a removable dosing cup that is compatible with 54mm or 58mm portafilters. This makes it convenient for espresso preparation, as it ensures easy transfer of grounds directly into the portafilter for a seamless and smooth espresso experience.

Performance and User Experience

Grind Quality

The Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder delivers consistent and uniform grinds that are suitable for both espresso and pour-over methods. While it may not be as precise as high-end grinders, it provides excellent performance for its price range. Whether you’re brewing a shot of espresso or preparing a pour-over, the Opus ensures reliable grind consistency, making it an ideal choice for home baristas who want to elevate their coffee-making experience without breaking the bank.

Noise Level

In terms of noise, the Opus is quieter than most blade grinders, offering a more pleasant grinding experience. However, it is not the quietest burr grinder available on the market. While it is significantly less noisy than blade grinders, users seeking an ultra-quiet operation may find it a little louder compared to some other high-end burr grinders. That said, its noise level is still manageable and unlikely to disrupt your daily routine.

Ease of Use

The Fellow Opus is designed with ease of use in mind, featuring simple grind adjustments and a user-friendly timed grind function. These features make it easy to control the grind size and the amount of coffee ground, which is especially helpful for new baristas. The intuitive interface and straightforward adjustments simplify the grinding process, ensuring that users can quickly dial in their desired settings.

How to Use the Fellow Opus: A Simple Process

Using the Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder is a straightforward process that allows you to achieve consistently excellent grinds for various brewing methods, from espresso to pour-over. Here’s a simple guide to get you started:

1. Set Up the Grinder

• Place the Fellow Opus on a stable, flat surface in your kitchen. Ensure it’s close to your coffee brewing area for convenience.
  
• If you haven’t already, plug the grinder into a power source.
  

2. Load the Bean Hopper

• Open the hopper lid and load your preferred coffee beans. The single-dose hopper can hold up to 100 grams of coffee, making it ideal for various batch sizes.
  
• Once the beans are inside, close the lid securely.
  

3. Adjust the Grind Size

• For espresso: Turn the macro adjustment dial to a finer setting (use the 41-step macro adjustment range).
  
• For pour-over or other brewing methods: Adjust the dial to a coarser setting as needed.
  

4. Measure Your Coffee

• The hopper lid also serves as a volumetric doser. Simply fill the hopper to the desired amount, keeping in mind your brewing method’s needs.
  

5. Start Grinding

• Press the simple button interface to start grinding. You can grind in timed increments of 30 seconds up to a total of 120 seconds. This feature is ideal for ensuring the right amount of coffee grounds for your recipe.
  
• For espresso, the grinder will deliver a fine, consistent grind, while for pour-over, the grind will be coarser.
  

6. Catch the Ground Coffee

• The Opus includes a magnetic catch bin that holds the freshly ground coffee. If you’re brewing espresso, you can use the removable dosing cup, which fits 54mm or 58mm portafilters, making it easy to transfer the grounds directly into your portafilter for espresso preparation.
  

7. Clean Up

• After grinding, simply empty any remaining coffee grounds from the catch bin, and give the grinder a quick wipe to keep it clean. The anti-static technology reduces mess, making cleanup even easier.

The Not-So-Perfect Bits

While the Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder offers a lot of great features, it’s not without its flaws. Here are some aspects to consider before making a purchase:

1. Grind Consistency

• Although the Opus delivers good grind consistency for most brewing methods, it may not match the precision of higher-end grinders. If you’re an experienced barista or a coffee enthusiast looking for the utmost consistency, you may notice slight variances, particularly at finer settings used for espresso.
  

2. Noise Level

• The Opus is quieter than many blade grinders, but it still isn’t the quietest burr grinder on the market. If you prefer a grinder that operates with little noise, this may not be the best option for you. While it’s certainly quieter than most, it still produces a higher-pitched whine compared to more premium models.
  

3. Grind Adjustment Dial

• While the grind adjustment system works well for most users, the dial could be improved for better tactile feedback. The macro adjustment dial could benefit from a larger or rubberized grip to make it easier to turn, especially when making finer adjustments for espresso. This would improve the overall user experience, especially during the dialing-in process.
  

4. Limited Hopper Capacity

• The single-dose hopper holds up to 100 grams of coffee beans, which is perfect for most home brewing setups. However, for those who regularly brew large batches of coffee, the hopper capacity might feel a bit limiting. You’ll need to reload the hopper more frequently for larger brews, which may be inconvenient for some users.
  

5. Noisy on Some Settings

• While not as loud as blade grinders, the Fellow Opus can produce a higher-pitched whine at certain grind settings, particularly when grinding finer for espresso. This could be annoying if you prefer a completely silent grinder.

Final Thoughts

The Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder stands out as an excellent choice for those seeking a stylish, versatile, and high-performance grinder at an affordable price. Its modern design, consistent grind quality, and user-friendly features make it an ideal option for new at-home baristas looking to brew both espresso and pour-over coffee. While it may not match the precision of more expensive grinders, it offers exceptional performance for its price point, especially with its 41-step macro adjustment, anti-static technology, and efficient motor.