We’re taking a closer look at the Kingrinder K6, a hand grinder that’s been getting a lot of attention for its affordability and solid performance.
In this review, I’ll walk you through the details of the K6, from its build quality and grind settings to disassembly and how it performs for both espresso and pour-over.
We’ll also compare it with the 1Zpresso K Ultra. Are their burrs identical? Is the K6 just a cheaper version of the K Ultra? Let’s find out.
Please check out my detailed KinGrinder K6 walkthrough on our YouTube channel.
Unboxing, Design & Build Quality
Let’s start with the unboxing. The Kingrinder K6 comes in a pretty simple package—nothing fancy, no high-end presentation here.
Inside, you’ll find a basic manual, with a small bag taped to it containing a white o-ring and a clip.
The grinder itself is solidly built, with a thick aluminum body that gives it a nice heft. The coating looks premium, and there’s a rubber band with the Kingrinder logo in the middle for extra grip.
The screw-on cup is large and deep, but it doesn’t have a rubber pad at the bottom, so it might get scratched easily.
The handle comes with a nice wooden knob. In some markets, they’ve replaced the bent handle with a straight one, but you might still have the option to choose the bent one.
Overall, the grinder weighs six hundred and thirty grams, which is lighter than the S3, R3, and K Ultra, but they’re all similar in size.
The packaging might not impress you—it might even look a bit cheap, like the box that came with the P2. But Kingrinder clearly focused on the grinder itself rather than the packaging. For a grinder in this price range, the build quality is quite impressive.
Grind Adjustment
The K6 features an external adjustment system with 240 clicks in total—4 full rotations with 60 clicks per rotation. Each click adjusts the grind size by 16 microns, giving you a wide range of options, from espresso to pour-over.
The adjustment dial is clearly marked with numbers, and rotating it feels smooth and precise.
However, when I first got the grinder, I disassembled it immediately to check out the internal parts, which messed up the grind setting. Now, the zero point on the dial doesn’t correspond to the finest setting anymore, and I haven’t figured out how to recalibrate it back to zero.
Even without resetting to zero, the numbers are still helpful for tracking your grind size for different brew methods. The dial also has a mark for tracking the rotation, which is a nice touch compared to the MHW-3Bomber R3 I reviewed before.
Here are my preferred starting points for different brew methods.
- Espresso Machine: 30 to 60 clicks
- Moka Pot: 60-70 clicks
- Pour-over: 80 to 100 clicks
- French Press: 100 and 120 clicks
Using A Drill
One standout feature of the K6 is its ability to be used with a drill. While you can use a drill on most hand grinders, the K6 offers more convenience with a larger hex shaft and a specially designed lid.
To use a drill, you’ll need to switch out the o-rings. The K6 comes with a black o-ring pre-installed on the cap, which should be swapped out for the white o-ring during manual grinding to keep the handle securely attached.
Here’s how to do it: First, remove the black o-ring from the groove. Be careful not to lose or break it—it can be tricky to take off. Next, attach the handle through the hole in the lid and secure it with the white o-ring. This setup ensures the handle and lid stay securely attached during manual grinding.
For those planning to use a drill, make sure it has at least 15nm of torque. My IKEA drill struggled with this. While it’s easy and fast to grind for pour-over settings without the drill, using one for espresso might be more efficient.
Burr Design & Comparison
Now, let’s talk about the heart of the Kingrinder K6—the burrs. This grinder is equipped with 48mm heptagonal burrs. The heptagonal design, which features 7 cutting edges, helps slice through the beans more efficiently, producing a consistent grind size.
Many people say the K6’s burrs are identical to those in the 1Zpresso K Ultra, so I compared them side by side.
At first glance, they do look very similar. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed some differences.
The lower blades on the K6’s burrs aren’t positioned exactly the same on each cutting edge, while the blades on the K Ultra are more uniform across all edges.
I’m not an expert on burr geometry, so I was a bit confused by this. I’m not sure if these differences are a design choice or if they reflect a difference in manufacturing quality or technique between Kingrinder and 1Zpresso.
But it’s clear that the K6’s burrs have some distinct characteristics. The side blades are also slightly different between the two grinders.
When I compared the K6’s burrs to those in the 1Zpresso K-Max, the differences were even more noticeable, especially with the lower blades.
Will these subtle differences in burr design influence the performance of each grinder? Let’s brew some coffee and find out.
Espresso Test
Let’s start with espresso. I set the grinder to 34 clicks, which worked well for the beans I was using. It takes about 40 seconds to grind 18 grams of beans—very fast for a hand grinder and similar in speed to the K Ultra.
Dialing in your shot is straightforward. If your flow rate is too slow, just go one or two clicks coarser. If it’s too fast, go finer. The K6 adjusts 16 microns per step, giving you a few clicks to fine-tune your shot.
The result is a well-balanced shot of espresso with syrupy sweetness and no harsh or unpleasant acidity. The K6 handles espresso grinding with good consistency and minimal effort.
I’ve heard that the Kingrinder K4 is designed specifically for espresso, while the K6 is more of an all-around grinder.
Pour Over Test
Next, let’s test the K6 with a pour-over. I used a setting of 80 clicks.
To minimize static, I always spray a bit of water on the beans before grinding, even with hand grinders. This significantly reduces static, especially with fine espresso grinds.
In my tests, there wasn’t much retention to worry about—maybe around zero point one grams.
Some users have mentioned that the bearings in the K6 might rust more easily, so I’ll keep an eye on that and update you if anything changes.
It takes only 30 seconds to grind 15 grams of beans. The grind consistency is very impressive, with even particles and no clumping.
When brewing, the water flows through smoothly without any clogging.
This particular batch of medium-dark roast beans produced a cup with great sweetness and minimal bitterness. It was a really nice cup of coffee.
Comparison
I also brewed the same Ethiopian beans using the Hario Switch with the K6, 1Zpresso K Ultra, Timemore S3, and MHW-3Bomber R3 for comparison.
I used the same recipe—15 grams of coffee and 240 grams of water—dialed in a similar pour-over grind size, and steeped for the same amount of time at the same temperature. The drawdown time was nearly identical, around 50 seconds to one minute.
The K6 produced a cup with a bit more body, higher acidity, and complexity, along with a good aftertaste.
The K Ultra had a slightly lighter body, better clarity, and a more rounded cup, with less pronounced acidity than the K6.
The R3 was very similar to the K6, offering a fuller body and higher acidity, but with a bit of astringency—I didn’t sift the grounds with the sifter.
The S3, on the other hand, was definitely sweeter with lower acidity compared to the other three.
My wife enjoyed the cup from the S3 the most, while I preferred the K6’s output with these beans.
Taste is subjective, and honestly, they all produced tasty results.
Considering the K6 is around one hundred dollars less than the K Ultra, it’s a fantastic deal for anyone looking for a quality grinder without breaking the bank.
Disassembly & Reassembly
Like many hand grinders, the Kingrinder K6 is easy to disassemble for deep cleaning, but putting it back together can be a bit challenging, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
To take it apart, turn the dial to the coarsest setting. Then, push the burr up and flip the grinder over. Be careful—the top bearing, washer, and U-shaped clip will drop off. Don’t lose any of them.
Next, push the shaft out, and you’ll see the burr. Now, you can brush out the coffee residue for a cleaner flavor.
Putting everything back together is a bit tricky. First, push the spring, washer, and bottom bearing back onto the shaft. Then, push the shaft inside the grinder body.
After that, drop the top bearing in, followed by the washer. This washer has two sides; make sure the side with the groove is facing up.
The most challenging part is putting the U clip back in.
Here’s a trick—push the burr all the way up, and you’ll see a groove. Slide the U clip into the groove to lock the shaft in place.
It’s not easy to push the burr while inserting the clip, so here’s another tip: find a bottle cap and put it under the burr, then push the whole grinder down. This makes it easier.
If you have tweezers, that’s great, but if not, it might be a bit challenging to insert the small clip.
Finally, turn the dial back to the finest setting. It’s no longer at zero, and I haven’t figured out how to calibrate it back.
KinGrinder K6 Vs 1Zpresso K-Ultra
So, can the more affordable Kingrinder K6 stack up against the 1Zpresso K Ultra, a grinder often considered a more premium option?
When it comes to build quality and user experience, the K Ultra definitely feels more refined. It has features that the K6 lacks, like a magnetic catch cup, a foldable handle, and a grind adjustment dial that can be easily calibrated to zero.
The K Ultra is also easier to disassemble and reassemble for cleaning, which is a nice touch if you like to keep your gear in top shape.
However, these features come at a price—the K Ultra is significantly more expensive than the K6.
As we discussed earlier, their burrs look quite similar but are not one hundred percent identical. The K6 adjusts 16 microns per step, while the K Ultra adjusts 20 microns, giving you one or two extra clicks for fine-tuning your espresso shot.
For pour-over, the grind quality is consistent across both grinders, and they both produce tasty cups of coffee. However, I consistently get a brighter cup with higher acidity from the K6, while the K Ultra produces a cleaner, more balanced cup with a lighter body.
For those who prioritize value for money, the K6 is a great choice. It does a fantastic job at a much more affordable price compared to the K Ultra.
But if you’re looking for a more polished experience with some extra features and don’t mind paying more, the K Ultra is the better option.
KinGrinder K6 Vs MHW-3Bomber R3
Now, let’s compare the K6 with the MHW-3Bomber R3, which is priced similarly.
Both are well-built and have similar features, like external adjustment, 16 microns per step, and 48mm conical heptagonal burrs, though with quite different burr geometry.
The R3 also comes with a few built-in sifters that allow you to sift out the fines for a cleaner cup of coffee. It’s a fun feature to experiment with, but it can be a bit messy to use.
For pour-over, I like the flavor from the K6. The R3 seems to produce a bit more fines compared to the K6 if you don’t sift the grounds.
For espresso, both grinders work great and are easy to dial in.
Wrapping Up
Overall, the KinGrinder K6 is a fantastic deal for anyone looking for a quality grinder without breaking the bank. I hope you found this review useful. Thanks.
