I bought one of these from Costco a month ago for a customer. Before he got it, I did some basic evaluations, and found it to be a great grinder for that price. Very uniform grind at a fairly fine setting. I didn't set it at espresso, since the customer isn't going to use it for that, nor is the grinder designed for it.
The only glitch he's found in using the Saeco is that the ground coffee hopper/catcher likes to slide out during use from the vibrations. But a strip of duct tape on the bottom will cure that.
I'm of the persuasion that the Saeco Titan, and Solis/Baratza Maestro, and some Starbucks grinders are all basically the same thing. The burr sets look to be identical, and I'd expect the motors to be the same as well, with only the housing and cosmetics different. Some have timers, others a simple on/off switch. But the performance should be the same, which makes the Titan a better deal.
If someone was looking at an entry level burr grinder like a Cuisinart, I think the Saeco Titan would certainly be worth another $20. Another customer just e-mailed to say he's buying one from Costco. Maybe I need to buy a case...
