Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own coffee beans is a great way to improve your morning cup. There are a variety of grinders.
This OXO grinder is equipped with conical burrs that produce a grind suitable for French press espresso, drip coffee and French press. Hardcore electric coffee bean grinder geeks may want more precision from this grinder, however it’s a fantastic option for beginners.
OXO Brew
You probably know if you make your own coffee machine with grinder that a good grinder is essential to ensure the most flavor. But a quality burr grinder can cost upward of $200, which may be prohibitive for those who aren’t sure if they’ll use it frequently or not. The OXO Brew is an excellent option for those who wants to enjoy freshly ground coffee without having to spend hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew may not be flashy, but it’s stylish. Its stainless steel body features an enduring water tank at the back, and an insulated thermal carafe in the front. The carafe and tanks are designed so that the body can be easily installed in smaller kitchens. The controls are concealed under the carafe, reducing the clutter. There is also a light to let you know when it’s heating or brewing.
In our tests, the Oxo produced consistently. Its water temperature remained within a precise range–197.4 F to 205 F–for the entire test according to thermocouples in the grounds basket and the water tank. Its brewing time was also very close to what the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for the best conical Burr grinder drip.
Another advantage of the OXO Brew is that it has one-serve functionality that allows you to pour your coffee directly into your mug. This feature isn’t present on other high-end models. It can be an advantage for those who prefer to make individual portions of their coffee but don’t want the hassle of making an entire carafe.
The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn’t come with an alarm clock or a timer that can be set to automatically start time, which could be a problem if you have a busy schedule. The water tank can be difficult to remove since it has a lid that needs to be slid in order to access the reservoir. It also has an integrated descaler that assists in preventing mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you’re a coffee lover seeking the top burr grinder the Baratza Encore is the best coffeee grinder choice. This version of the classic Encore has been revamped with improvements that allow it to be more compatible with a variety of brewing techniques and provide more flexibility than ever before. It’s designed for beginner home baristas and anyone who wants to keep their brewing options open by using a single grinder. It has a an adjustable stepped grind and simple controls for novice baristas and also labeled and notched settings for consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and the hopper has an easy-to-clean quick release feature.
The ESP employs the same high-torque gear reduction DC motor as the original Encore but operates at lower speeds to reduce static charge and heat during operation. It’s also quieter than the original Encore and has a metal plate that increases burr consistency and stability. It’s equipped with 40mm M2 conical burrs similar to those in the more expensive Virtuoso Plus, which helps it get a better distribution of grind size and more reliable shots.
The ESP grind adjustment is 9 microns between each step, offering excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. It features a new dosing cup that fits both 54 and 58 millimeter portafilters, which enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can be used in conjunction with the traditional grounds bin if you prefer a hopper based workflow.
One downside of the ESP is its inconsistency in back-to-back consistency tests, however, it still performs better than many other grinders in this price range. The settings for stepped grinding can also be inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the right setting for your style of brewing. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used to make a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP is also a little more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it’s worth the extra expense for its amazing versatility. It can grind for filter or espresso coffee brews. The shims that come with it can optimize the performance of Pour Over making.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 grinder is a good one that works well for espresso and pour-over brewing. The burrs can be upgraded to improve performance and the hopper can be big enough to accommodate a variety of sizes of grind. The DF64 is also easy to use and maintain, with only a few moving parts. This is a great choice for anyone who wants a high-quality, affordable grinder.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a significant improvement over the initial version and should be able to stand up to being beaten by any other grinder in the same price range. The new model has an updated design that is a lot more appealing to the eye. It is a flat-rounded base which can withstand up to 20 grams of beans at a time and a single dose cradle. It also has a rubber hose that forces air through the grinder to push out any excess grinds.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional coffee grinder or commercial grinders due to their ability to reduce grind time and heat generation and improve grind particle consistency. The 64mm flat burrs in the Ode also give it a much smoother grind than you would find in a typical home appliance grinder. And they are designed with single-dosing in mind, meaning that the grinder shuts off as soon as the hopper is empty. This helps to prevent over-grinding, which can rob your brews of flavor and aroma.
The hopper itself holds 100 grams, which is enough for one large pour-over or two small cups of espresso. The Ode has a variety of other neat features, including a built-in scale and a cool grind size chart that is mapped out on the underside of the lid. This shows the brewing methods that each setting is most suitable for, with pour-over and cold brews on the fine end of the range, and French press on the coarse end.
Another great feature of the Ode is that it has a quiet, almost purr-like sound during operation and is very fast. The grinder has a high-force spring that knocks excess ground beans and chaff into the catch, which helps to reduce grind retention and make clean-up a breeze. It’s also very easy to disassemble and is compatible with coffee tablet cleaners.
Despite some minor hiccups in the initial launch, the Ode is still a top contender for those looking for an excellent and aesthetically pleasing conical burr grinder. Fortunately, the company is committed to improving the product and recently released the Gen 2 version, which addresses some of the issues with the original. However, for those who want a better-suited grinder for espresso, the Baratza DF64 is an excellent alternative that is both visually and functionally superior to the Fellow Ode.