FEMOBOOK A2 REVIEW
BENJAMIN SAND
The Femobook A2 is a lightweight, battery-powered electric grinder that brings café-caliber consistency to wherever your coffee journey takes you. Weighing less than your phone and packed with thoughtful features, it's built for travelers, nomads, and anyone who refuses to compromise on their morning cup.
Positioned right in that sweet spot between cheap plasticky grinders and premium countertop machines, the A2 focuses on what matters: solid burrs, smart battery design, genuine portability, and grind quality that punches well above its price point.
This review digs into how the Femobook A2 performs across espresso, pour-over, and everything in between, who it's actually built for, and whether it lives up to the hype as one of the best value portable electric grinders available today.
Competitor Comparisons
What is the Femobook A2
The Femobook A2 is a battery-powered electric burr grinder featuring a 38mm stainless steel heptagonal conical burr, tool-free magnetic assembly, and over 120 grind settings. It's engineered to deliver consistent particle distribution from espresso to French press while staying lighter and more compact than most portable grinders on the market.
Unlike budget hand grinders that leave your arm tired or entry-level electrics that can't handle espresso, the A2 bridges the gap with replaceable batteries, automatic stop functionality, and surprisingly refined grind uniformity for something this portable.
The Positives
- Ridiculously lightweight at 650g - genuinely pocketable
- Replaceable battery means the grinder lasts for years
- Impressive grind consistency across brew methods
- Tool-free magnetic assembly makes cleaning effortless
- Auto-stop function prevents overgrinding
- Over 120 grind settings for precision dialing
- Outstanding value at under $100
- Quiet operation compared to other portables
- USB-C charging works with any power bank
The Negatives
- Power button placement is a bit awkward - you'll accidentally hit it when moving the grinder around
- USB-C port is on the front - would make way more sense on the back of the machine
- White version shows coffee stains easily - those dark grounds get everywhere and the white finish shows every speck
- Plastic body feels less premium than metal alternatives
- Slower grinding speed - about 110 seconds for a 20g espresso dose
- Small capacity magnetic cup holds around 30g max
Performance & Grind Quality
Here's where the A2 genuinely surprised me. For something this small and affordable, the grind uniformity is seriously impressive. The 38mm heptagonal burr produces a balanced particle distribution that translates to clean, sweet cups whether you're pulling espresso or brewing pour-over.
Multiple reviewers have run particle analysis tests on the A2, and the results consistently show it competing with grinders twice its price. You get that clarity and separation of flavors you'd expect from proper conical burrs, with minimal fines and a tight distribution curve.
For espresso, it takes patience - we're talking around 110 seconds for a 20g dose - but the end result is absolutely worth it. The grind is fine enough for light roasts, and you can dial in repeatable shots without issue. Pour-over is where it really shines though, grinding 15-20g in about 55 seconds with excellent consistency.
Build Quality & Design
The A2 isn't going to win any awards for luxurious materials - it's mostly plastic - but the construction is solid and thoughtfully designed. That lightweight plastic body is actually part of what makes it so portable, and after using it for a while, you realize it's a deliberate choice rather than cost-cutting.
The magnetic catch cup is brilliant. It snaps on and off with satisfying precision, and the seal is tight enough that you won't get grounds everywhere when moving it around. The tool-free disassembly is genuinely convenient - twist, separate, brush, done. No fumbling with tiny screws or wondering where you put that special wrench.
The grind adjustment dial is smooth and precise, though when you get it out the box it is not zero'd so you have to remember which number is "0".
Battery Life & Charging
This is where Femobook made a genuinely smart decision. The A2 uses a replaceable 4000mAh battery pack with standard 18650 cells. When the battery eventually degrades after years of use, you don't chuck the whole grinder - you just swap in new cells.
Battery life is solid. One charge gets you roughly 20 espresso doses or 80 pour-over grinds, which translates to weeks of regular use for most people. USB-C charging means you can top it up from a power bank while camping or charge it overnight like your phone.
Travel
This is the A2's killer feature. At 650 grams, it's lighter than most water bottles and genuinely disappears into a backpack or carry-on. I've been using it as my daily travel grinder, and it's transformed hotel room coffee and campsite brews.
The auto-stop function means you can start grinding and then prep your kettle or AeroPress without babysitting the grinder. It just shuts off automatically when it's done. Small touch, massive convenience when you're working in cramped spaces.
One note about the white version: it looks gorgeous out of the box, but coffee grounds are dark and clingy. If you're even slightly messy with your coffee routine (and let's be honest, we all are), those stains will show up fast. The black version is probably the smarter choice for anyone who doesn't want to constantly wipe down their grinder.
Final Thoughts
The Femobook A2 is a grinder that understands its purpose and executes it brilliantly. It doesn't try to be a countertop powerhouse or a luxury showpiece - it's built to deliver genuinely good coffee in genuinely portable form, and it absolutely nails that brief.
The quirks are there - that power button placement, the front-mounted charging port, the white finish that shows every speck of coffee - but none of them fundamentally undermine what makes this grinder special. The grind quality is excellent, the replaceable battery is future-proof genius, and the portability is genuinely liberating.
If you're a traveler, digital nomad, van-lifer, or anyone who values mobility without sacrificing your coffee standards, the Femobook A2 isn't just a good option - it's pretty much the perfect option. I love this machine, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for their first portable electric grinder without hesitation.
For the price, the performance, and the sheer convenience it brings to coffee on the road, the A2 is an absolute winner.
