Wilfa Svart Aroma

What it does well

Grind consistency is strong for a compact grinder. my-best ground 15 g at a medium setting and found 14.12 g, over 94%, evenly sized. Its comparison average was about 88%, and it found fines nearly absent.

It is quick. my-best timed 7.42 seconds for one cup, against an average of about 29.8 seconds across the grinders it compared. Long & Short's reviewer said it takes under five seconds for a 16 g dose.

It is simple to use. Wilfa says you turn the bean container to set grind size, and my-best counts 17 levels. A timer then stops the motor, and a safety switch stops it starting if the grounds container is not seated properly.

Where it falls short

It is not for espresso. Long & Short's reviewer says plainly that it "doesn't grind for Espresso." Wilfa's own guide runs from coarse boiled coffee to moka pot.

The grounds container is the main complaint in Long & Short's review. Long & Short's reviewer called it "too small" and "fairly fiddly with a loose lid and random sized shape." A reader there found static leaves grounds clinging to its corners.

It is not quiet. my-best measured 80.5 dB at one metre, though it notes most grinders it compared were 80 dB or more. my-best also found the lower burr cannot be rinsed, and no brush is included.

Who should buy it, and who shouldn't

Buy it if you live in Europe, brew filter or French press, and want a fast, even electric grinder that takes little counter space. The timer suits people who grind the same amount every morning.

Skip it if you are in the US, since BrewMark found no local retailer. Skip it too if you want espresso. A grinder with a finer range will serve you better.

How it compares

The Baratza Encore is the default entry electric grinder in the US. It is the practical choice where the Aroma is not sold.

The OXO Brew Conical Burr is another compact electric conical grinder, and BrewMark's finder rates it among the most widely owned. It is the easier buy in the US if you want this style of grinder.

The Wilfa Uniform is Wilfa's flat-burr, single-dose grinder. It is a step up within the same brand. For a wider view, use the grinder finder.

Owning it

my-best found the hopper and grounds container removable and washable, and the upper burr removable. The lower burr cannot be rinsed, and one user said the lower burr is hard to remove. Clean often, since old grounds mix into fresh ones, my-best advises.

A Long & Short reader brushes it with a clean paintbrush and taps the grinder to free stuck grounds. The burr grinder cleaning guide and how to reduce grinder static cover both jobs.

Wilfa states a 5-year warranty on Wilfa-branded products bought after 1 September 2020. The settings chart on this page gives a starting point for each brew method. To translate a recipe from another grinder, use the grind converter.