The Baratza Forté AP marks the home stretch of our comprehensive espresso grinder test. We have tested over 30 espresso grinders in the meantime. We have tasted espresso, measured particle distribution in a specialized laboratory, and tested the grinder for all areas of use.
The Baratza Forté AP shows mixed results. At the heart of the grinder is good espresso, which the Baratza owes to its 54 mm ceramic burrs. The fine content of the grind is low, which leads to clear and good extractions. On the other hand, the grinder is loud, very imprecise when using the portafilter holder, and has issues with retention and speed. In our test video, we go into the strengths and weaknesses of the Baratza Forté AP.
The Baratza Forte AP costs around 800 euros in the EU (e.g. at Coffee Circle) and can be found in Switzerland for just over 1000 francs, for example at Kafischmitte.
Good espresso and few fines
We drink some good espresso while we test the Baratza Forte with the All Purpose burrs thoroughly. The low fine content of the grind gives us a lot of clarity in the cup, sometimes at the expense of sweetness. But the texture and body work well together.
The repeatability of the results is generally good, although the fine peak fluctuates from test 4 to 7. However, the main peak remains constant at 261 microns in a medium range, compared to other grinders.
The Baratza Forté AP can be adjusted relatively precisely via micro and macro settings, and it is also easy to return to the same grind setting.
Speed and volume
In terms of volume, the Baratza is scratching the highest decibel numbers across the entire test series. 89.4 decibels are quite a statement. However, the grinding doesn't sound strained, as it does with some cheaper espresso grinders. If you choose the Baratza Forté AP as your grinder, you are definitely opting against quiet tones.
The grinder's speed is in the mid-range. The grinder grinds 22.7 grams in 10 seconds. What's surprising is that the grinder brings the heat of the ground coffee to an average of 38.2 degrees Celsius despite ceramic burrs. We have found that sensory perceptible changes to the ground coffee occur in roughly this temperature range.
Usability and bean hopper
The highlights of the Baratza Forte AP include the controls and usability. This starts with small details, like the easily removable bean hopper. With a flip lever, the bean hopper can be locked and then removed. Only 9 grams of beans remain in the bean chute.
The grinder controls are also easy to operate. It's simple to switch between weighing and timer-controlled mode. However, the timer-controlled mode is significantly less accurate. Ground coffee fluctuations of up to one gram mean that the grinder is unreliable with timer control. But the scale control is all the more precise. The deviation here is only 0.1 grams.
It's a shame that the portafilter cannot be filled directly in weighing mode. This leaves only the option of pouring from the dosing cup into the portafilter. However, the included catch container is far too bulky and large to fill the portafilter. That's why we were pleased that our own dosing cup also fits under the grind outlet with a bit of aim practice.
Single dosing and retention
It's a bit unfortunate that the grinder is not a leader when it comes to retention and single dosing retention. 3.9 grams remain in the absolute retention and the temporary retention is hardly any lower. Even when grinding out the grinder, at least 0.5 grams of coffee remain. Therefore, the grinder is only conditionally suitable for single dosing use.
In principle, the space around the burrs is relatively small. Unfortunately, the burr carriers fail to push the coffee past the flapper.
This way the grinder misses a real opportunity, because with the good grinding results for espresso and also filter coffee, the Baratza Forté AP is definitely an interesting choice sensorially.
