Hey my coffee friends! My name is Tony, and you’re reading my honest review of a grinder I've been seriously wanting for a long time: the Gevi Grindmaster coffee grinder (also known as the VelPro 400). This project, which gained serious traction in the coffee community, has evolved into a stunning piece of machinery that blends high performance with truly smart design.
This grinder, which started as a crowdfunded project, is built for the coffee enthusiast, and I’m so thankful to finally share my experience with it. If you’re a coffee fanatic, a coffee geek, and you’re looking to take your setup to the next level, this is a must-read.
First Impressions: Design and Build Quality
The moment I unbox the Grindmaster, I'm struck by its presence. It boasts a full metal construction and a modern, sleek design that elevates it beyond a mere kitchen gadget. It genuinely feels like a quality, near art-piece appliance.
Power and Noise: Quiet Operation & Motor Specs
One of the most impressive features is its near-silent operation. Despite housing a powerful 400W brushless DC motor, the grinder remains incredibly quiet, even when grinding at high speed. The variable RPM ranges from 500 to 1500, offering the control needed for different coffee preparation styles. This silent power source is a huge win for anyone making morning coffee without waking the household.
Innovative Features for the Enthusiast
Gevi designed the Grindmaster with the home coffee geek in mind, incorporating features that simplify the daily routine and improve shot quality.
Integrated Scale & Dosing Cup: Thoughtful Design
The absolute standout feature is the included dosing cup, which has a built-in, highly accurate scale. This is a game-changer for single dosing. The scale automatically syncs and tares, simplifying my workflow by allowing me to weigh my beans directly, grind, and then move the grounds to my portafilter. The removable dosing cup is also designed to offer protection against excess tapping force—a subtle, thoughtful design touch.
Retention & RDT Testing
The Grindmaster performs impressively on retention, even without special techniques. However, in my testing, using the RDT (Ross Droplet Technique) resulted in near-perfect retention, yielding an 18g dose in for 18g out. While the unit does not include bellows, the low retention makes the Grindmaster an excellent choice for a single dose coffee grinder.
Grind Quality Testing: From Pour Over to Espresso
A true test of any high-end grinder is its versatility across the entire grind spectrum. The Gevi Grindmaster handles both coarse and fine grinds with confidence.
Pour Over & AeroPress Performance
For a large-batch pour over (tested at a grind setting of '50'), the consistency was excellent, achieving the texture of coarse salt—ideal for a clean extraction. The grinder effortlessly handled a large 60-gram dose. Similarly, the finer AeroPress grind (setting '40') produced a very tasty cup, confirming the burrs do an exceptional job across the coarse and medium ranges. Big thumbs up for the filter coffee performance.
The Espresso Dial-In Challenge
Dialing in espresso is always a challenge, and the Grindmaster proved its range:
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Shot 1 (Setting '1'): Too fine, choking the machine.
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Shot 2 (Setting '2'): Still too fine, resulting in a very slow, minute-long extraction. The high-TDS reading (13.99) indicated a potent, over-extracted shot.
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Shot 3 (Setting '2.5'): This setting hit the sweet spot. The shot pulled in the low 40-second range and yielded a higher, more viscous TDS rating of 14.47. Crucially, the flavor was transformed—smooth, milk chocolate, and highly enjoyable. The espresso range for this grinder appears to be between the zero point and the '3' setting.
The Heart of the Machine: Burrs and Mod Potential
The Gevi Grindmaster (VelPro 400) is built on a highly versatile platform.
The stock burrs are 64mm, a beautiful set with a proprietary design that handles both filter and espresso well. Importantly, the Gevi 64mm burr grinder is designed for future upgrades. The construction allows for the easy installation of popular third-party burrs, such as SSP or La Marzocco Brew, making it a great long-term investment for advanced users.
Disassembly and Maintenance
Cleaning and maintenance are straightforward. The upper section is held in place by magnets for easy removal. The dial system uses an internal bolt for reliable zero-point alignment, which simplifies reassembly. Just remember to unplug the unit before opening!
Final Verdict: The Next-Level Grinder
My conclusion is that this grinder is a tremendous addition to any coffee enthusiast’s setup. I love the industrial, yet sleek design, the powerful and very quiet motor, and the revolutionary built-in scale. The Grindmaster is a high-quality machine that provides excellent grind consistency across all brew methods.
If you are looking to upgrade to a robust, low retention, and mod-friendly single-doser, the Gevi Grindmaster (VelPro 400) is one of the best contenders on the market right now.