1Zpresso X-Ultra Review: Is This the One Grinder That Actually Does Both Espresso and Pour-Over?

My old two-piece hand grinder took almost three minutes to churn through a single V60 dose, and by the end my wrist ached. That’s the exact problem the 1Zpresso X-Ultra is built to solve. It’s a compact manual grinder that sits between 1Zpresso’s filter-focused K-Ultra and its espresso-tuned J-Ultra, aiming to do both jobs well instead of picking one. 

This 1zpresso x-ultra review is based on several weeks of daily grinding across pour-over, AeroPress, and the occasional espresso shot. It covers how the grinder actually performs, how it stacks up against two well-known rivals, and whether the price makes sense for your setup.

Quick Verdict

The X-Ultra is a strong all-rounder for anyone who drinks mostly pour-over or AeroPress and only pulls espresso now and then. Grind quality is clean, the external dial is genuinely easy to read, and the whole thing folds down small enough for a backpack. 

Best for: filter-first brewers who want one grinder for everything. 

Skip if: you drink espresso daily and switch beans often — a finer-stepped grinder will serve you better.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 40mm heptagonal burr produces clean, sweet cups on filter methods
• External 12.5-micron adjustment (60 clicks per rotation) is precise and easy to read
• Magnetic catch cup, foldable handle, and travel case make it genuinely portable
• Tool-free disassembly holds calibration through repeated cleanings

Cons

• The 25–30g hopper limits it to one or two cups per load
• The espresso “sweet spot” is narrow — roughly the first 20 clicks off zero
• Some static shows up in the catch cup on finer settings, so a quick tap or shake is part of the routine

Key Specifications

Here’s the full spec sheet before we get into how it actually performs.

Spec	Detail
Burr	40mm heptagonal conical, stainless steel
Adjustment	External ring, 12.5 microns per click, 60 clicks per rotation (4.5 rotations total)
Capacity	25–30g
Weight	590g
Body materials	Stainless steel, aluminum alloy, wood, polycarbonate
Warranty	1-year limited; rated for roughly 100–200kg of beans
Price	$159 (1Zpresso’s own store, at time of writing)

Who the X-Ultra Is Really For

The X-Ultra suits home brewers who mostly make pour-over, AeroPress, or drip, but still want a grinder that can pull an occasional espresso shot. Think of it as the middle sibling in 1Zpresso’s lineup. The K-Ultra is the larger, more batch-friendly option, while the X-Ultra focuses more on portability and finer adjustment. 

For a detailed side-by-side look at those differences, see our 1Zpresso K-Ultra vs X-Ultra comparison. The K-Ultra sits above it with a bigger hopper and burr for people who brew large batches. The J-Ultra sits on the espresso side, with 8-micron steps built for daily shot-pulling. 

CoffeeGeek’s first-look comparison of the X-Ultra against the J-Ultra and K-Ultra frames it well: for most coffee drinkers, the X-Ultra hits a sweet spot most people never notice they’ve left. In practice, that means a single V60 before work, or two pour-overs on a slow weekend, fits the 25–30g hopper ceiling comfortably. Anything bigger and you’re loading a second batch.

Real Performance Testing

Spec sheets say one thing. Here’s how the X-Ultra actually performed across grind quality, build, daily use, cleaning, and long-term wear.

Grind Quality & Consistency

The 40mm heptagonal burr — seven cutting edges instead of the usual six — is built to spread particles more evenly across a single pass. On a 12g filter dose, that translates to a grind time in the ballpark of 22 to 28 seconds, based on manufacturer and retailer figures for this burr size. That’s a reasonable pace for a hand grinder this compact.

At filter settings, cups came out clean and bright, with none of the muddiness that shows up when a burr grinds unevenly. I ran a light-roast Ethiopian through a V60 several times, and the clarity held up each time. Push toward the coarse end for French press and fines increase slightly, which is normal for a burr this size.

The espresso range is the real limiting factor. It’s roughly 20 clicks wide, which sounds generous until you remember each click only moves the burr 12.5 microns. Near the fine end, a single click can shift a shot from sour to balanced. That’s workable if you dial in once and stick with one bean. It gets tedious if you switch roasts often.

Build Quality

At 590 grams, the X-Ultra sits solidly in the hand without feeling like dead weight. The body mixes stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and wood accents, and none of it feels hollow. Turning the dial gives a firm, even click at every stop — no mushy resistance, no skipped numbers.

The crank handle folds flat against the body and locks in place with a small, confident snap. There’s no wobble when it’s extended and grinding, which matters more than it sounds once you’re several minutes into a coarse grind.

Ease of Use & the Adjustment Dial

The external 60-click ring is the headline upgrade over 1Zpresso’s older internal-dial models. Instead of counting clicks by feel, you read a number straight off the ring. Zeroing the grinder takes four short steps:

1. Turn the ring counterclockwise until resistance stops and the shaft locks.
2. That locked point is zero.
3. Turn the ring clockwise about two and a half rotations for a starting reference point.
4. Fine-tune from there in single clicks toward your target grind.

After disassembly for cleaning, the ring generally lands back near zero without much fuss, which is the main selling point of this design over 1Zpresso’s older internal dials. It’s a small thing daily, but it removes one of the most annoying parts of owning a hand grinder — losing your setting every time you take it apart.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Every part pulls apart without tools, which is the whole point of the “swift disassembly” design. A full teardown, brush-out, and reassembly takes a few minutes once you’ve done it twice. 1Zpresso is explicit that the burr should never touch water — dry brush and air blower only, every time.

After a stretch of daily grinding with darker roasts, oil residue builds up on the burr collar. It’s not dramatic, but a few stray grounds start clinging to the chute instead of dropping cleanly. A quick pass with the included brush and blower clears it completely, and the next few grinds drop right back into the cup like new.

Long-Term Durability

1Zpresso rates the burr for roughly 100 to 200kg of beans before it needs replacing, which works out to years of typical home use even at a bag or two per week. The dial keeps its zero point through repeated teardowns, and the catch cup’s magnet hasn’t weakened with regular twisting on or off.

Mini Case Study

Situation: After several weeks of daily grinding, mostly darker roasts for AeroPress, I noticed grounds starting to cling faintly to the collar instead of falling cleanly into the cup.

Observation: A light film of oil had built up around the burr chamber — nothing gritty, just enough to slow the drop.

Action: A full disassembly, a dry brush-and-blower pass through the chamber, and a quick recheck against zero on the dial.

Result: Grounds dropped cleanly again right away, and the dial hadn’t drifted, so no recalibration was needed beyond the quick check. The whole fix took well under five minutes.

1Zpresso X-Ultra vs. Comandante C40 MK4 vs. 1Zpresso K-Ultra

The X-Ultra sits between a cheaper, filter-leaning stablemate and a pricier German benchmark. Here’s how the specs and price actually compare.

Spec	1Zpresso X-Ultra	1Zpresso K-Ultra	Comandante C40 MK4
Burr	40mm heptagonal, stainless	48mm heptagonal “K burr,” stainless	39mm Nitro Blade conical, stainless
Adjustment	12.5 microns/click, 60/rotation	20 microns/click, 100/rotation	25–30 microns/click, ~40 clicks (finer with optional Red Clix add-on)
Capacity	25–30g	35–40g	40g
Weight	590g	700g	~740g
Price	$159	$259	Roughly $270–300
Best for	Filter-first, occasional espresso	Filter-first with more volume	Espresso-through-cold-brew, premium build

The X-Ultra’s finer click resolution actually beats the K-Ultra for espresso precision, despite costing $100 less. The Comandante wins on raw burr pedigree and hopper size, along with reported retention as low as 2.75% versus the K-Ultra’s 1.8%, but it costs nearly double what the X-Ultra does.

Price & Value — Is the X-Ultra Worth $159?

At $159, the X-Ultra undercuts most premium hand grinders by $50 to $150, while still offering the external-dial feature usually reserved for pricier models. For comparison, an electric option like the Baratza Encore runs about $150 to $170 and handles filter brewing well, but it can’t touch espresso and it needs a wall outlet.

If you’re replacing a cheap blade grinder or an entry-level burr model, the X-Ultra is an easy step up. It’s a harder sell if espresso is the only thing you ever brew — that budget is better spent on a grinder built specifically for shots.

Who Should Buy the X-Ultra — and Who Should Skip It

Who should buy:

• Pour-over and AeroPress drinkers who want one grinder for the occasional espresso shot
• Travelers who need a compact grinder with a proper carrying case
• Anyone upgrading from an entry-level blade or basic hand grinder

Who should skip:

• Daily espresso drinkers who switch beans often — the J-Ultra’s 8-micron steps fit better
• Households brewing large batches — the 25–30g hopper means multiple grind cycles
• Buyers chasing the lowest possible retention and static — the Comandante edges it out here

Final Rating

4.3/5 — An excellent all-rounder for filter-first brewers, held back only by its narrow espresso range and small hopper.

Where to Buy

The X-Ultra is available directly through 1Zpresso’s official online store, as well as on Amazon. A handful of specialty coffee retailers in the U.S. also carry it — worth a quick price check before buying, since sales pop up periodically. 

This article may include affiliate links; if you purchase through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

How long does a 1Zpresso X-Ultra burr actually last? 

1Zpresso rates the burr for approximately 100 to 200kg of beans. For someone grinding a bag or two of coffee a week, that works out to several years of regular use before the burr needs replacing.

Can you buy replacement parts for the X-Ultra? 

Yes. 1Zpresso sells burrs, catch cups, and handles through its official parts store, so a worn part doesn’t mean replacing the whole grinder.

Does the 1-year warranty cover burr wear? 

The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for one year. Normal wear and tear, along with damage from misuse, falls outside that coverage.

Is the X-Ultra dishwasher- or water-safe? 

No. 1Zpresso specifically advises against washing the grinder or its burr with water. Stick to the included brush and air blower, since moisture can affect the internal mechanism.

How does the X-Ultra compare on price to electric grinders in the same range? 

It lands close to entry-level electric grinders like the Baratza Encore, which runs roughly $150 to $170. The trade-off is speed and convenience for the electric option, versus espresso capability and portability for the X-Ultra.

Is the carrying case included, or sold separately? 

It’s included. Every X-Ultra ships with a 1Zpresso carrying case, a cleaning brush, and an air blower in the box.