Option-O Remi Hand Grinder Review

As the successor to the popular Helor 101, the Option-O Remi coffee grinder aims to build on that legacy with a number of thoughtful upgrades.

Option-O is an Australian coffee gear company that receives a lot of praise from the specialty coffee community. The Remi grinder combines their engineering prowess with refined design and promises commercial-level performance in a portable package.

But are the Remi’s offerings truly worth the investment? In this hands-on Option-O Remi review, I’ll scrutinize its grind consistency, build quality, ergonomics and output across methods.

Is this still a hand grinder to consider in 2024? Rad on to find out.

Design, Aesthetics and Build Quality

After enjoying the coffee from it’s predecessor the Helor 101 hand grinder, I was excited to unbox and try out the Option-O Remi. The Remi manual grinder sports a minimalist yet elegant aluminum alloy unibody design milled from a single metal block. It measures 5.5 inches tall with a 2.75 inch diameter and weighs a mere 26 ounces, feeling sturdy yet portable in the hand.

The durable aluminum body and beechwood accents give it a refined, premium look, available in silver, black, or rose gold finishes. It ships with a handy felt carrying case with slots for the grinder, crank arm, and included tools.

Accessories like the magnetic grounds catch, silicone grip band, and pin assembly tool showcase thoughtful design. The 35 gram hopper capacity can hold enough beans for a few cups.

After my daily use for several months, the Remi still looks sleek, with no scratches marring its premium finish. Its compact size takes up minimal space but offers big performance.

Grind Adjustment and Ease of Use

The Remi utilizes an external stepless adjustment wheel located under the grounds bin for easy access. Instead of preset notches, the wheel allows infinitely precise tuning in tiny increments.

The knurled dial has reference dots from 1 to 12 for a full rotation, providing a guide for repeatability. I estimate each dot moves the grind size by around 8-10 microns. It only takes about 1.5 turns to go from espresso to French press.

The adjustment wheel provides a satisfying tactile experience, with clear clicks between dots for feedback. The self-locking mechanism keeps the grind setting stable. I found dialing in new beans effortless and intuitive.

Grinding speed is moderately fast, churning through 30 grams of light roasted coffee in around 40-50 seconds on drip settings. Finer settings and harder beans take more elbow grease and time, but the smooth action minimizes strain. For most brew methods, ease of use is excellent.

The 2 main workflow issues I encountered with the Option-O Remi hand grinder were:

1. Retention and static: There was about 0.2g of grounds retained in the grinder after every use and grounds get stuck to the catch cup walls.
2. No portafilter support – Can’t fit a portafilter directly under, which makes espresso workflow trickier.

Burrs and Grind Performance

The Remi comes equipped with 38mm conical steel burrs that are available in either the conventional or contemporary style. I tested the contemporary burrs, which are designed to excel at finer grinds.

The sharp stainless steel burrs produce remarkably consistent grounds across grind sizes. Particle distribution is tight without many fines or boulders. This uniformity translates to balanced extraction and nuanced flavor.

It handles fine espresso grinds with ease though it is a lot slower than grinding on coarser settings. I get excellent crema and rich, complex shots without bitterness. On the coarse end for French press, the grind is free of silt or overextraction. Both light and dark roasts shine through optimally.

The durable steel burrs feel solid and stable. After months of daily use, my grind results have been totally consistent with no detectable wearing. Whether I’m brewing AeroPress, pour over, or cold brew, the Remi delivers exceptional grind quality for taste.

When cleaning the Option-O Remi manual grinder, I did run into an issue namely the fiddly burr alignment. I found that realigning the burrs during cleaning requires care and precision and can be a little trick to calibrate properly, especially for those less experienced with hand crank coffee grinders.

Tasting Coffee Made With The Option-O Remi Grinder

The consistent grinds produced by the Remi translate to complex, flavorful cups of coffee with balanced extraction. Light roasted single origins shine, with their distinct notes coming through clearly.

Pour overs have an elegant body with silky mouthfeel, allowing the subtle nuances of light roasted coffees to sparkle. The vibrant acidity of a Kenyan peaberry pops without being harsh or astringent. Cups are lively yet smooth.

Espresso shots pull with rich crema and ripe, well-developed flavors. The full body carries the natural sweetness inherent to the beans. Darker roasts have bold chocolate and caramel notes, but without any burnt bitterness.

Immersion brews like French press have rounded body with delicate floral aromas floating above. There is no grit or silt despite the coarse grind. Across methods, the Remi consistently delivers clean, nuanced cups that let the coffee speak for itself.

The Option-O Remi: Excellent Grinding with Some Workflow Tradeoffs

After extensively testing the Option-O Remi manual coffee grinder, I’m impressed by its grind quality and the coffee it produces, but there are some workflow tradeoffs to consider.

The Remi produces exceptionally consistent grinds that excel at brewing balanced, flavorful cups across methods. It looks and feels great and does a great job at grinding coffee beans.

If you’re ok with the workflow issues, then the Remi is an excellent choice of hand grinders for filter coffee and pour over, with the occasional espresso thrown in. But those predominantly brewing espresso may want to consider an espresso-focused option like the J-Max by 1Zpresso.

Overall, the Remi coffee grinder is a really nice piece of kit. It’s a marked improvement over it’s predecessor the Helor 101 and it makes really tasty coffee.