About Crema & Grind
Who writes this, what it is for, and the claims we deliberately do not make.
Last updated
What this site is for
Crema & Grind is written for one specific reader: someone who already owns the entry-level gear, knows what a portafilter is, and has worked out that one part of their setup is holding the rest back. The question is which part, and what to replace it with.
Most coffee-gear writing is not aimed at that person. It is aimed at someone who has never made espresso, which means it explains what espresso is and then recommends whatever is popular. That is a different job, and doing it well requires different pages.
So the pages here start from the assumption that you know the vocabulary, and they spend their length on the thing that actually decides a purchase: what the specification means, what it costs to run, and who the product is genuinely wrong for.
Who writes it
Sawyer V. — an enthusiast, in the ordinary sense of the word. Someone genuinely interested in how this equipment works, who reads the manuals, compiles the published specifications, and does the arithmetic.
That is the whole biography, and the omissions are deliberate. No certifications, because there are none. No years of experience quoted, because a number would be doing rhetorical work rather than informational work. No lab, no owned test units, no panel of experts.
What we publish, and what we refuse to
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
The full method, including its limits, is set out on our methodology page. It is the page we would read first if we were assessing a site like this one.
How the site is organized
Eight sections, each written as a destination rather than an index. Espresso machines and grinders are the two that decide most setups; pour-over and brewers cover the filter side; accessories is where the cheapest genuine improvements live; gifts is organized by what you know about the recipient's setup; guides explains the mechanisms behind every recommendation; and beans is deliberately small.
Every page links to the ones it depends on, in both directions. A recommendation without a mechanism behind it is an assertion, and a mechanism with nothing to act on is a lecture.
How it is funded
Affiliate commission. When you buy through a link on this site we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and that is disclosed on every commercial page as well as in full on our affiliate disclosure.
The structural safeguard is that every roundup contains at least one product we would not buy, and every product write-up names who should skip it. Both cost money and both stay.
Corrections and contact
If something here is wrong, we want to know, and we will change the page rather than merely reply. A link to the manufacturer's own specification makes that fast. Our editorial policy sets out how corrections are handled, and you can reach us through the contact page.
Who publishes it
Crema & Grind is published by Fathom & Foundry. The site is independent of any manufacturer or retailer, accepts no product samples, and has no commercial relationship with any brand it covers beyond the standard affiliate program disclosed on the affiliate disclosure page.
Questions people actually ask
Who writes Crema & Grind?
Sawyer V., an enthusiast who reads the manuals, compiles published specifications and does the arithmetic. No certifications, no test lab, and no claim to either.
Do you test the equipment you write about?
No. We compile published manufacturer specifications, show the arithmetic that follows, and report what large numbers of owners consistently agree on. We never write 'in our testing' about equipment we have not tested.
Is Crema & Grind independent?
Yes. We accept no product samples, no sponsored placements and no paid rankings. The site earns affiliate commission on purchases made through its links, which is disclosed on every commercial page.
Who is this site written for?
Someone who already owns entry-level coffee equipment, knows the vocabulary, and has identified one weak part of their setup. It is not written as an introduction to espresso.
How do I report an error?
Through the contact page. A link to the manufacturer's specification makes it fast to verify, and we correct the page rather than just replying.