boren wrote:Kingrinder K2 should fit the bill. I didn't personally use it, but expect it to be very similar to the K4. The main difference seems to be the grind adjustment ring - internal in the K2, external in the K4.

My daughter would not have the patience to use a hand grinder and I don't want to spend any "real" money on a "good" grinder until I see that she will use the system regularly and I don't think a "good" grinder at this time would motivate her. Sort of a circular reference. So I was hoping to get her something cheap as I did back when I started out that wasn't the best but just worked.

Equally a circular problem.

If you've got a grinder that is poor quality in its grinds, in repeatability, and in adjustability, it is likely to be a very frustrating experience to try learn to make espresso.

The responses you got around the budget are opinions about what is generally required to set someone up for success.

Vindibona1 wrote:Thoughts and/or suggestions?

Give the Sette to your daughter and see if she likes making espresso.

See if you can find one of the versions of the Trespade grinder. These are 39mm conical grinders sold under about a dozen different names and configurations. A random sample: lelit, isomac, pavoni pg series, ascaso steel (i-2 version), and many more. If it has 39mm conical burrs, it is a version of this grinder - especially if it is stepless. They often sell used under $100. A new set of burrs costs about $30.

This is a home grinder, not commercial grade at all. But it does a good enough job. I used one paired with a pavoni pro for about a year in temporary housing, and the Pavoni was more troublesome than the grinder. Mine was a 20 year old Dal Tio model that later became the Lelit grinder sold as the 043.

baldheadracing wrote:Give the Sette to your daughter and see if she likes making espresso.

Yes, what I said too. And if she do not get into it, then that could be used on like drip etc. And the new purchased good grinder for your espresso...

For what it's worth the best cheap grinder I even had was the Breville Smart Pro. Really good bang for bucks. I don't know any of the grinders in your orginal post but the Breville Smart Pro makes an acceptable espresso, parts are easy to access (Covid willing) and there are always quality second hand units for sale.

In this moment I'm going to loan my daughter my Cuisinart that has been modified with shims to produce a finer grind. I recall that, back years ago, coupled with a Saeco Sirena espresso machine it did a pretty good job. It did produce a lot of fines that I had to knock off before trying to does the portafilter. But the combination was surprisingly good and consistent. I kept it because it was pretty good for grinding for French press, though the burrs are a bit worn. If the Cuisinart, again modified, can do the job for her I'll get her a knew one under the "go with what you know" approach. I have no idea if she'll use the Gaggia Classic one day a week, every day, or once a month... of stick it in a cabinet. She said she wanted it, but we'll see what she does. I'll loan her a good steel tamper as I now have three, plus one of those adjustable tamper pucks.