KINGrinder Targeted In IP Lawsuit (2024)
Introduction
KINGrinder is an up-and-coming manual hand coffee grinder company that produces a variety of products that have quickly become fan favorites among home baristas trying to break into espresso without breaking the bank. And while KINGrinder has continued to expand, their growth is not without difficulties.
Recently, a February Instagram post on the @kingrinder account page shared that they were being targeted with a “malicious” legal case and have had to temporarily stop selling the popular K-series grinder on Amazon EU, their primary sales channel.
In this News Spotlight, we’ll explore KINGrinder as a brand, its current legal challenges, and a recurring theme of corporate lawsuits allegedly revolving around one specific hand grinder manufacturer.
Let’s get brewing!
Table of Contents
KINGrinder Hand Grinders
What are KINGrinder Hand Grinders?
Okay let’s take a step back and talk about KINGrinder. KINGrinder is a manual hand grinder company based in Taiwan. KINGrinder was founded in the early 2020s - and while they have no publicly posted launch date, their first blog posts were from May 2021, with a social media presence coming online in September of 2021. KINGrinder is active in markets across the world, primarily in the United States, and in Europe.
KINGrinder focuses on building highly affordable hand grinders that balance attainability and quality. KINGrinders first product line was the K line with 6 options, from the K0 to K6. While their most affordable K0, K1, K2, and K3 are primarily focused on non-espresso brewing methods, the K4, K5, and K6 are built to work with a full range from Pour Over to Espresso. I (ESB Chris) personally purchased a K6 in 2023 and have fallen in love with it. If you want to see why I think the KINGrinder K6 is such a great choice, see my full spotlight here.
Cylindrical Design
All of the KINGrinders have a very similar cylindrical design (remember this - it comes back!). The top of the grinder has a removable lid where beans can be added. Once added, the beans fall into the grind chamber. As the beans are ground, they fall into a removable catch cup at the bottom of the grinder.
Hand Crank
Operating the KINGrinder is as simple as turning a removable wooden crank arm atop the grinder. The smooth bearings inside the grinder give the K series a pretty effortless spin, and the removable crank reveals a standard hex bit, which means you can even spin the burrs with a standard drill or impact driver! (They even advertise this one their site as an acceptable method of use)
Inner Burrs
Inside each KINGrinder is a set of conical burrs ranging from 38mm to 48mm in diameter. KINGrinders currently sells 10 burr combinations ranging in material, size, and design. The Entry level P series uses 38mm stainless steel burrs, while the K series uses a range of 38mm stainless steel burrs to 48mm titanium-coated burrs.
Commercial Lawsuits
KINGrinders Experience
On February 15, 2024, KINGrinders shared on Instagram that they had been legally targeted for their K series grinders and were forced to temporarily remove the K series from their EU Amazon storefront.
Due to the malicious report filed by a German company, our K-series has been temporarily taken down on EU Amazon. We understand the frustration this may have caused our loyal customers who have been eagerly inquiring about when K-series will be back.
We want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support during this challenging time. Rest assured, we are actively working to resolve the issue and are committed to getting K-series reinstated on EU Amazon soon.
Past Experiences
Although the full details of the story are not revealed, this is not the first time a hand grinder company has been pursued to remove their products from Amazon EU and other EU-based distribution channels.
1Zpresso & Timemore
In 2022, 1Zpresso went through a similar experience in which their resellers were pursued legally to remove their products from distribution channels, such as Amazon. Timemore’s Chestnut hand grinder was also targeted in the same sweeping legal actions. As of 2024, both 1Zpresso and Timemore products have returned to Amazon.de.
Greetings,
We are sorry to inform you that our products were not available on Amazon EU due to the malicious complaint of infringement filed by a German company that is abusing the patent system.
We, 1Zpresso, are dedicated to innovation and development and provide quality products at reasonable and affordable prices. We have obtained the design patent for our products and our legal team is now fighting against the accusation.
Justice may come late, but it will never be absent. Amazon EU(s) are available for sale now.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your support.
Best Regards,
1Zpresso Team
1Zpresso 2022 Statement
Alleged Plaintiff
Comandante In the Spotlight
Although there has been no official confirmation, the industry understanding is that the prominent premium hand grinder brand Comandante is behind these legal pursuits.
In 2022, during the 1Zpresso and Timemore cases, dozens of frustrated home baristas took to forums and social media to share their perspectives. Popular coffee YouTuber and Social Media Figure Lance Hendrick even shared a declarative statement on the alleged lawsuit, stating that he no longer would endorse or support the Comandante brand.
I no longer support or endorse Comandante. These aggressive legal tactics they have been exercising are gross and stifle innovation. There shouldn’t be a monopoly in hand grinding. Plenty of testimonies can be found online from people who have been on the receiving end of their legal threats. Even for just selling other grinders. What a shame! (For legal purposes, I’ll say once more, allegedly)
Cylindrical Design
Remember the cylindrical design mentioned earlier? Well, this is likely the root cause of these legal proceedings. Although almost every hand grinder dating back 50+ years uses a cylindrical design, the alleged plaintiff holds legal patents on the design in both the United States and the EU. This design overlap, in addition to the perpendicular hand crank, is a common theme across all hand grinder brands and is potentially the reason for the potential patent infringement.
No Confirmation
Although there is substantial community discord over these lawsuits and Comandante's involvement, there is no official confirmation. Neither KINgrinders Instagram post, nor 1Zpresso’s 2022 announcement mention Comandante by name.
As such, the mention of Comandante in the context of a lawsuit is based on allegations that have not been substantiated by official documentation or confirmed by reliable sources. As such, any reference to ESB's involvement should be considered speculative and not indicative of actual legal proceedings. We do not assert the accuracy of these allegations and encourage readers to regard them as unverified.
Kingrinder K-Series Future
In Stock in U.S.
Although KINGrinder K series products are currently unavailable in much of the EU, they are still in stock and available in the United States. If you are interested in picking up one of these small and mighty grinders, head over to the official Amazon store. Or, if you’d like to read more, check out this K6 Spotlight.
Lead Time in EU
Although there is no official date for the K6 series' return to Amazon EU, KINGrinder has stated that they expect a return in late March to early April 2024.
