Rocket Espresso is no stranger to the coffee grinder game. With their classic Fausto and Faustino Rocket has slowly built its presence and prowess in the grinder space, and the Giannino works to expand that footprint. Does this grinder provide the premium experience that it demands with its price? We've got thoughts!
Design
The Giannino, first and foremost, is designed to sit comfortable beside a Rocket Espresso machine. This grinder is styled and built to match Rocket's aesthetics, with a sleek, rounded appearance, black finish, and chrome accents (and additional colorways available to match your needs).
We're still fans of the general design of this grinder, which is similar in many ways to the other touchscreen offerings from Rocket Espresso. The screen is placed logically above the grind chute, and the design of the chute continues to provide aesthetic balance and function, helping to reduce retention and clumping.
The screen itself is simple and well organized, and provides easy access to up to 3 timed dosing programmings.
Using the Giannino
The real star of the show with this grinder is its 55mm burrs and quiet grinding. The Giannino may not offer a large jump in performance over similarly priced grinders, but the speed, precision, and noise level it brings is notable. The grinder's stepless adjust is not the most forgiving on the market, but with roughly a single revolution and easy calibration it is definitely on par with competitors.
Actually using this grinder is a breeze, and its 55mm burrs make short, precise work of your grounds. As noted above, the large funnel at the end of the grind path helps to prevent clumping and reduce retention, a notable thing when compared with similarly priced options. We were also quite impressed with the insulation in the case, which provides pretty exceptional sound dampening and puts this grinder in par with similar options from brands like Eureka in terms of noise level. While its programming is simple, combining the expected shot timing options with high build quality and solid performance really is a win for Rocket.
While less important than performance and noise level, the aesthetics of this grinder really shine as well. The clever design nods to Rocket's espresso machines are apparent, and the rounded sides and other elements provide a nice contrast to the stark, angular edges of many modern grinders.
All in all, using the Giannino may not be revelatory, but it is enjoyable.
Who's it for?
Ultimately, the most satisfied Giannino customer is going to be the one that pairs it with an espresso machine from Rocket. While many other grinders may provide a similar level of performance and functionality, the Gianinno does it while matching the aesthetics of Rocket's espresso machines.
Users looking for a generally precise and powerful grinder may find something to love with the Giannino, but it is primarily build to work alongside something from Rocket's espresso machine lineup.
One thing to note is that this grinder is not particularly suited for slower brewing. its stepless adjust is great for precise espresso ranges, but it doesn't really provide the specificity on the coarse end to make it a compelling choice for slow brewing.
Do you have thoughts on Rocket's new grinders? Let us know in the comments below, and check out our video review to see the Giannino work!