Solright DB-1 Coffee Grinder Review

After using the Solright DB-1 Coffee Grinder for several weeks, I finally feel ready to share my honest thoughts. This manual grinder sits in the mid price tier but punches well above its weight when it comes to build quality, usability, and most importantly cup quality.

The DB-1 arrived in a cardboard box boasting colourful and playful designs, included was as grinder brush and the DB-1 Grinder itself with a clean, minimalist aesthetic that leans towards the premium side of things. I’ve been using the matte black version, and while the finish looks sleek, I did notice at times it can be a bit slippery during use especially when grinding lighter roasts or denser beans. A silicone grip could go a long way in improving handling but I do feel that in contrast to the Comandante C40 grinders the Solright DB-1 grinder has a much slimmer body and is suitable for smaller hands.

That said, the rest of the design is smart. The grind adjustment dial is equipped with a quick-release mechanism, making it super easy to access the burrs for cleaning. If you’ve ever had to take apart a C40 or similar grinder just to do a quick clean, you’ll appreciate how thoughtful this feature is.

Grind Performance: Impressively Clean Cups

Once seasoned with 1kg of coffee, the DB-1 began producing consistently clean tasting cups of coffee. I didn’t experience the bitterness or astringency that’s often caused by excessive fines a common issue in lower quality hand grinders and visually the coffee grounds themselves appeared to be uniform in size and consistent.

• Solright DB-1 Grind speed is somewhere between a Kinu and a Comandante C40, it isn't the fastest, but not painfully slow either, the grinding experience even on finer grind sizes was quite smooth and didn't feel like I was over exhausting or the grinder was going to break, overall the grinder felt solid and easily plowed through espresso grind sizes.
• Dialing in Solright DB-1 was straightforward and repeatable. I found the stepped adjustment easy to navigate, and it holds its setting reliably. I tend to favour grinders without the general design of collar adjustment due to the accidental grind size changes while grinding but I didn't find this to too much of an issue with the Solright DB-1 grinder.
  I found myself using grind sizes between 6-7 for a pour over grind size, the Solright DB-1 Grinder has grind size increments of 0.022mm and is capable of grinding for espresso to cold brew grind sizes.
• The catch cup fits securely, but I did notice a bit of coffee buildup around the top lip. It’s minor, but worth mentioning if you're particular about tidiness.
• The Solright DB-1 Grinder is light weight, with the handle attached this grinder comes in at only 500g. Comparing this to the 1.5kg Pietro Grinder, I think I'd rather take the Solright with me when travelling.

Solright DB-1 Grind Size Testing:

Lab-Level Tested to have Consistent Particle sizes

The DB-1 grinder has undergone lab-level testing to ensure optimal particle size consistency with every grind. This grinder has a precision engineered burr set designed and crafted in Taiwan, the grinder’s adjustable settings from espresso to pour-over have been rigorously tested to deliver exceptional extraction and flavour.

Testing Equipment Used: CM200；Coffee Bean Roast Level: Agtron 60

Solright DB-1 Noteworthy Features:

Solright DB-1 Crank & Handle

The Crank is made from Stainless Steel and features the logo etched on the top, fixed to the crank is a wooden knob that comfortably fits the palm of your hand whilst grinding.

I love the low profile design of this and appreciate how small everything is when packing it down to take with me when travelling.

Solright DB-1 Lid

The Solright DB-1 Lid is a funnel shape with a silicone seal around the edges, when attached it doesn't close the grinder fully and is big enough to let you pour through smaller coffee beans in without taking the lid off. I should note that I haven't experienced any pop-corning (coffee flying out from the grinder) whilst grinding. 

Solright DB-1 Catch Cup

The catch cup is made from a coated metal and seems to be milled as it has a unique internal shape that easily funnels the coffee grounds out. As well as this the base of the catch cup has a non-slip rubber ring that ensures the grinder is sturdy whilst sitting on your bench and overall is a nice touch to include.

I love catch cups with removable bases and see it in only a handful of grinders, so I was very happy when I unscrewed the base of the Solright DB-1 catch cup.  

While my experience has been overwhelmingly positive, there are a couple of things I think could be improved:

1. Grip texture: As mentioned earlier, the matte black finish can get a little slick when grinding dense beans. A silicone sleeve or rubber grip would help. This still wasn't an enormous issue for me but worth mentioning.
2. Grounds retention: Some coffee grounds seem to build up on the lip of the catch cup. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s not the nicest thing to clean.

Final Verdict: A Well-Rounded Grinder That Delivers

The Solright DB-1 strikes a solid balance between price and performance. It delivers clean, sweet extractions without the harshness you'd expect from less refined grinders. The build quality is excellent, and the thoughtful design features like the quick-release burr access make it user friendly, even for beginners. It's really cool to see such innovation coming from Taiwan, the Solright DB1 Grinder is 100% designed and manufactured in Taiwan and is SGS-certified.