Crew Review: Eureka Atom Grinder

How Does It Compare?

What’s that sound? The silent snores of happy people sleeping through your morning espresso ritual. Eureka has done it again with one of the quietest grinders we’ve ever been blessed to hear: the Eureka Atom.

This new machine was released the same month as the now-famous Baratza Sette 270. And if you’ve been following our reviews, you probably know that the Sette 270 is loud. The Atom was just the break from all the noise our ears needed. The Atom flaunts stepless grinding and hefty 60mm burrs (almost as big as the Rocket Espresso Fausto’s 65mm), which means we can’t wait to get it set up for espresso! The Sette 270’s user-friendly adjustable burrs rock for espresso and, let’s face it, the Sette 270 is more than half the cost of the Atom. So why choose the Atom? Besides blessing us with quiet mornings, this machine can hold up to repeated use! Toss it in your local coffee shop or espresso-loving office and you’ll have the happiest (and least harried) patrons around.

Say hello to the newest grinder of 2016, the Eureka Atom.

Grind

Big Burrs

Large burrs are the bread and butter of fine espresso grinders like the Eureka Atom. Boasting 60mm flat hardened steel, beans are munched into consistent grounds—no irregular sizes here! Paired with stepless settings, the Atom’s precision is on par with most commercial grinders. Bonus: this espresso grinder doesn’t clump. We know, we were shocked too. Inside the Atom is where the magic happens. At the top of the chute, Eureka installed a “clump crusher” that effectively agitates fresh coffee as it grinds to create uniform grounds in your portafilter. The name may sound silly, but these two lightning-shaped arms really do crush clumps with impressive results!

Stepless Grinder

Stepless settings allow baristas to customize their coffee without limitations. A tweak here and there can make a world of difference. You remember what Uncle Ben said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” A stepless grinder is a powerful tool that once mastered can reap benefits for your espresso. That said, once you’ve dialed it in for espresso you won’t want to dramatically change it from espresso to drip.

The Atom's stepless grind adjustment offers unlimited settings for baristas.

Grade

Espresso Grinder

The Eureka Atom’s precision stepless adjustment is designed to be used with espresso machines. However, the Atom does have the ability to grind coarse for drip or pour over methods too! It even includes a catch bin to replace the removable portafilter arm. That said, we don’t imagine once you’ve dialed it in for espresso, that you’ll want to take it beyond easy, small adjustments.

The Atom comes with a grounds bin and portafilter holder for multiple brew methods.

Quick Shots

This time-based grinder clocks in an 18-gram double shot of espresso in 4.5 seconds. With that sort of speed for espresso, it’ll bring joy to any caffeine-deprived morning!

Glamour

Silent Style

Encased in metal and insulated for sound, the roar of the motor and bean crunching we're used to are missing. The Eureka Atom is as silent as a mouse. And this is true for all three color choices the Atom comes in; the matte black, chromed aluminum and metallic gray.

The Atom, much like its little brother the Mignon, features a distinctly squared off look to case and hopper that we haven’t really seen in other grinders. The wide, low set of the hopper lets the Atom squeeze in under cabinets while still holding a respectable pound of beans at a time.

The Atom holds a pound of beans.

Crisp Customization

There’s nothing like a crisp digital display to wake you up in the morning. Well, actually there’s coffee. Fresh ground coffee is only a touch away with two convenient spots to activate the grinder: a dedicated button beneath the chute activated by the portafilter or one of the three buttons on the interface. Two of those buttons are time-based programmable for a single or double shot—quick and easy for multi-taskers! The third button triggers manual grinding mode and lets you pulse grind with the portafilter button or start and stop grinding with the center button. The manual mode is a great way to test dosing before setting single or double shot grind buttons.

The Atom's crisp digital display is easy on the eyes, literally.

Conclusion

The Eureka Atom’s speedy and silent grinding will seduce any home baristas in the market for a new grinder. If you’re in the market for a new espresso grinder or interested in upgrading to the latest cutting edge technology, look no further than the Atom. It’s impressive sound dampening casing makes it possible for home baristas to indulge in their caffeinated craving any time of the day. Have you checked out the Eureka Atom yet? What are you waiting for—go look and tell us what you think.