I’ll go right ahead and say it: I really like the 1Zpresso J Max. That’s it. Review over. In seriousness, 1Zpresso is known for making excellent manual grinders, and J Max is no exception. This hand grinder feels well made and like it’ll last for years with daily use. I was satisfied with the adjustability and especially liked the external dial. It’s a bit of a premium hand grinder, but worth it, especially for an all-in-one use.
Here’s everything I liked and didn’t like about this hand coffee grinder, including what kind of coffee I think it works best for.
1Zpresso J Max Product Overview
J Max is manufactured by 1Zpresso (pronounced “easy-presso”), a coffee brand from Taiwan. The company started manufacturing coffee grinders fairly recently, and they quickly shot to prominence. Nowadays, they have the Q, J, and K series of popular manual grinders.
1Zpresso J Max highlights:
- 8.8 micron stepped adjustment
- 48mm titanium-coated stainless steel conical burrs
- Ergonomic handle
- Exterior adjustment
- Comes with a carry case, air blower, and a brush
J Max is an upgrade on the Jx grinder. It has excellent precision and range. I’m especially a fan of the exterior adjustment and the magnetic catch cup. That being said, it takes some time (a full minute) to grind at the finest settings. But this is true for all hand grinders, and the grinding time isn’t too long.
I found it somewhat difficult to read the exterior adjustment, but it still works better than most manual grinders, where you have to adjust the burr inside the grinder.
Overall, this coffee grinder outperforms many manual coffee grinders and electric grinders I used because of its extreme precision and consistency.
Pros
Excellent grind range
Ergonomic handle
Quiet
Good value for money
Cons
Grinds slow at fine settings
A little tricky to read the grind setting
Long transition from espresso to pour over setting
1Zpresso J Max Feature Breakdown
Design and Burr
1Zpresso J Max comes in a premium-looking travel case. The manual grinder color is attractive space gray instead of the silver that previous J models had. The numbered dial at the top for grind adjustment is a great improvement from the Jx-Pro (more on that below).
J Max feels solidly built and sits nicely in hand. The body is made from stainless steel and aluminum alloy. Overall, if you were to drop it, I’d be more concerned for the floor than the grinder.
1Zpresso made some design changes compared to the previous models. Let’s start with the longer handle. I feel the longer handle provides better leverage, and the wooden ball at the end looks like it’s made of a more premium material. Overall, it’s a pleasure to grind with it.
The main shaft has a fabric cover, unlike the silicone used on K models. The handle plate has 1Zpresso and J Max phrases and an ox icon (the hand grinder was made in the year of the ox in the Chinese zodiac). Overall, I didn’t mind the ox symbol, but most users won’t get it.
J Max also has a magnetic catch jar; I found it easy to attach and take off. It’ll come off with a simple twist and snaps back on easily. It helps there’s a textured silicone foot to keep it stable when you grind on a surface.
Keep in mind the grinding technique matters here. If you try to stabilize the grinder between your knees or close to the upper body, you could easily detach the catch jar. But if you’re using two hands, it won’t come off unexpectedly.
I also enjoy the exterior grind size adjustment. You don’t need to check underneath the grinder and turn a dial to adjust the settings. Finding the grind setting is a simple process. It’s easy to adjust the dial with audible clicks that complement the outside numbers.
Finally, this grinder has 48mm titanium-coated stainless steel burrs. The larger burr surface means a larger grinding area, so the result is less effort needed to grind and faster output. Titanium coating ensures better burr longevity and lower degradation, which is especially important if you grind finer. Finer grounds need more work and are more demanding on the serrations, but titanium coating lowers degradation.
Grind Adjustment Settings
1Zpresso J Max has a wide range of grind setting with 450 in total. The grinder goes from ultra-fine to coarse with superb grind consistency across all levels. There is an impressive level of precision, with 8.8 microns between each setting. For reference, human hair is 30-50 microns!
This grind precision is especially handy if you like espresso, as it gives you extra room to dial in espresso shots. The coffee grinder chews through the beans without any issues. It took me around 40 seconds to grind an 18g dose of espresso.
The grinding range is staggering — you can go from the finest setting if you want Turkish coffee to the coarsest when you want French Press. As I said, there are 450 grind sizes. These many settings mean it would take over a year to go through all the grind settings if you tried one setting a day.
In terms of grind adjustments, what more can you ask of a grinder? The huge range and its fine-tuning ability also mean J Max manual grinder can meet the requirements of specialty coffee machines. For example, you can use it with devices that need fine-tuning, such as the Flair coffee machines.
450 clicks is a lot of options, so how easy is it to track where you are? 1Zpresso thought of this too. An external adjustment ring with clear numbers from 1 to 100 on the outer ring lets you easily track the current grind setting. The indicator arrow tracks which rotation (out of five) you’re going through. The threaded adjustment ring moves vertically to allow the burr gap adjustment.
The ring partially covers the arrow indicator. There are five blocks at the indicator arrow base, which go down to one block at the arrow’s tip. Each complete rotation goes over one more row of the arrow, so you can track where you are. Overall, it may need some time to get the hang of it, but once you do, you’ll be fine.
The downside is it takes some time to go through those settings, and it’s not obvious which rotation you’re on. Nor are those micro-adjustments necessary for a Chemex or French press either.
Lastly, I didn’t have issues with static. The J Max comes with an anti-static burr cap. Very little was created during use, and there weren’t many fines left to clean out. The grinder comes with a brush and a blower, which do the job well.
Ergonomics and Ease of Use
1Zpresso J Max is easy to use. The grinding is comfortable, thanks to the wooden knob on the handle and the textured sleeve. Simply weigh your beans in the catch cup, put them in the grinder, attach the handle to the top, and you’re ready to go.
The ease of use largely depends on your grinding technique. I’ve seen many users find it hard to have a firm grip, especially when grinding finer grind sizes, such as for espresso. It’s difficult for some to find a hand placement that makes it possible to hold the grinder without detaching the magnetic catch cup. If you hold it too low, the cup falls off during the grinding, and if you hold it too high, the adjustment ring twists and changes size while you turn the handle.
It’s easiest to grind while holding the J Max in the air. I had the most comfortable experience when rotating both hands clockwise, so each arm was doing part of the work (with one hand on the lever and the other on the main shaft).
Alternatively, you need to find a position and a stable surface that lets you grind with reasonable force without affecting the magnetic catch cup or the grind adjustment. Once you do, minimal force is needed, and it’s easy to keep the grinder steady.
Overall, I liked the magnetic catch cup. It pops off easily, and the grounds are ready to go. It saves time compared to needing to unscrew the cup. It’s a nice feature when you’re tired and want a caffeine kick quickly.
Flavor Profile and Use Cases
J Max works with all brewing methods. You can use it to brew light-roasted specialty coffee beans, make filter coffee, or concentrated AeroPress coffee with a medium roast. Anything will taste great with the J Max.
Even though this grinder works with all kinds of coffee, this excels at espresso. I find it works great for espresso, especially compared to most of the previous J models and other manual grinders. Dialing in is easy, thanks to the abundance of settings.
Value
J Max is a high-quality grinder that has extremely good value for money. The grind quality is top-notch, and the grind size options can’t be matched. The build quality is excellent. The grinder looks premium, feels durable, and it makes most other grinders I used feel antiquated. While it’s expensive for a hand grinder, it’s a bargain compared to other electric grinders, particularly those made for espresso.
The titanium-coated burrs, good leverage with the crank, magnetic cup, ergonomic handle, and carry case make this grinder an excellent choice.
Alternative 1Zpresso: J Max Options
Jx
Jx is a fast grinder — it grinds about one gram per second. This is another quality grinder that works well with different brewing methods.
Jx highlights:
- Heptagonal 48 mm steel burr set
- 30 to 35 g capacity
- Internal adjustment with 30 clicks per rotation
Jx’s handle, knob, and body improve the grip, so you have a smooth grinding experience, but you need to apply strength to work the grinder. If you can’t apply sufficient force, this isn’t the best choice.
Overall, Jx is a good choice if you’re on a tight budget and need a good grinder for various brewing methods. However, if you’ve got more money to spare, J Max is a better choice. Keep in mind; the Jx predates the J Max, which means J Max is a more advanced model with better adjustment, a coated burr that retains sharpness for longer, and a magnetic catch jar.
Jx Pro
Jx Pro highlights:
- Heptagonal 48 mm steel burrs
- Internal adjustments with 40 clicks per rotation
- 35 g capacity
- 12.5 microns per click
Most importantly, you get 40 increments per rotation instead of 30, as is the case with Jx. This means more options for dialing in an espresso shot. A wider range means more options, and you aren’t stuck between settings. However, one feature I was surprised with is the speed. Jx Pro isn’t as fast as Jx because of the slightly different hopper design.
Overall, Jx Pro is another excellent grinder that works well with espresso and other brewing styles. However, J Max is still the best choice with the most grind size settings, a numbered dial at the top for easier grind adjustment, a lighter body, better ergonomics, and overall smoother grinding.
Who Should Consider The J Max?
J Max is the perfect choice if you want a hand grinder that works for all brewing styles. If you’re looking for good build quality, tons of grind adjustments, and consistent results, you can’t go wrong with J Max. It’s also great if you primarily brew espresso. The huge amount of grind settings will ensure you have a flavorful drink every time.
1Zpresso J Max Review: Final Thoughts
J Max performs at the level of electric grinders that are double its price. It has a quality, stylish design that is easy to use and clean and will last for years. The huge amount of grind size adjustments is arguably its biggest advantage, and you can use this grinder to brew everything from Turkish coffee to French Press coffee.
If you want more grinder options, check out our Baratza Sette 270 270wi review, or learn about manual vs. electric coffee grinders.
