10 Things Competitors Lean You On Best Burr Grinder

How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A coffee grinder is a vital tool in the home coffee maker's arsenal. What kind of grinder should you get?

Burr grinders crush beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces rather than cutting them using blades. They're generally thought to be superior to blade grinders. What characteristics should you be looking for in the burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

A conical burr mill is equipped with an angled set of teeth and the ring of a circular burr that is placed inside the other. This shape allows for a more efficient grinding, because the burrs are arranged around a central point. The angle of the teeth cuts the beans more evenly and generate less heat, which is ideal because excessive heat can cause bitter flavor notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs are more prone to warping and dull very quickly, which results in unevenly ground espresso. They are also more brittle, meaning that small stones or debris could damage the burrs over time. Additionally flat burrs produce more noise and require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.

A lot of burr grinders available for sale call themselves "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth and are often coupled with motors that are weak, resulting in inconsistent grounds. They aren't genuine burr grinders, and, despite the opinions of some enthusiasts they don't provide the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.

While some experts do not agree, others claim that the type of burrs in the grinder can have an impact on the finished taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee machines with grinder enthusiasts. For example, some think that conical burrs bring out the individual flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs can mellow and enhance dark roasts.

This may or not be the case. However, it is something you should consider if your grinder will have a significant effect on the quality of your espresso. Only by testing the grinder with the beans that you intend to use can you be certain. The overall design of the grinder as well as its features of operation will have more of an influence on the final cup than the style or burrs. It's therefore important to consider other factors when you evaluate the quality of a grinder, like its reputation and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that many coffee lovers swear by. Several reviewers praise it as a "time-tested option" that is a great value for money and is suited for drip, pour-over, French press, and cold coffee.

According to the company, the grinder utilizes rotating metal burrs rather than blades to crush beans. This produces more uniformly-sized ground than a grinder or other burr grinders. The burrs also produce less heat and preserve the flavor and aroma of beans.

In contrast, blade grinders can produce excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds, which can affect the flavor of the final cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blade grinders. However, this could vary by model and brand.

Although the majority of burr grinders that we test have conical burrs, a few make use of flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing one another). We don't recommend them for espresso as they tend to be more difficult to calibrate and are generally less expensive than a top-of-the-line, flat-burr burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.

The grinders we tested let you select the amount of time the machine will grind. This can be useful when you're making espresso. Certain grinders, such as our top choice Baratza Sette 270, have a built-in timer that is accurate to only a fraction of a second. This feature isn't necessary for the majority of brewing methods and the majority of burr grinders that cost less than $200 use a fancy version of the windup clock.

The most affordable models, such as the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, utilize manual burrs. This means that you have to turn them by hand yourself to grind your coffee. This is more laborious, but is a good choice if you want an easy, compact, and affordable alternative that doesn't require electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an alternative that is affordable and features a burr grinder. It's louder than some of the other models we've tried but is still a good choice in the event that you're okay with a bit of noise. The more quiet a grinder will be, in general the more expensive it will be. This is due to the more advanced materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.

3. Easy to Use

If you're just starting to explore the world of home coffee brewing There's one thing that every expert says is essential is a burr mill. These grinders provide a finer, more consistent ground than you get from your regular blade grinder. They also allow you to make drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor, and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. As you'd expect, a good burr mill can cost up to $200 and can be difficult to use.

So, we spoke to experts and got their recommendations for the easiest-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to many people, including those who don't want spend a fortune. It has several settings that can accommodate various brewing methods, from pour-over to French press to drip coffee, and it did well during our tests.

It's also quieter than some other grinders that we tested, and it does not produce more heat than other grinders do. This is crucial, since excessive heat can ruin the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder's biggest drawback is that it's designed when grinding at the coarse end of the scale which could be a problem with espresso. If you're brewing espresso, a more sophisticated burr grinder, such as the Baratza Encore might be a better choice.

Manual burr grinders coffee beans, which are powered by cranking, are more easy to use and are great for those who drink only a cup or two of coffee per day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel, or who only require only one cup of pour-over coffee.

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder that has 41 easily-adjustable settings and is capable of producing an excellent drink for any method you choose--except espresso (the flat burrs of steel don't grind well enough). It's simple to use by anyone for as you don't mind a few messes or chaff that fly away.

4. Cost

A quality burr mill can cost you a few hundred bucks, but is very worthwhile. The grinding mechanism is simple enough that even a beginner can figure out how to get the most out of it, and you'll save money in the long run by ditching the pre-ground coffee and bad-for-the-environment coffee pods.

Conical burr grinders are the standard in electric home units, and they're a great choice for most people just starting out with this whole grinding-your-own-beans-at-home thing. They produce a little bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee ground that end up smaller than the official grind size you select), but it won't be noticeable to the majority of people who drink coffee and it's a low price to pay for great-tasting consistently-sized coffee grounds.

Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth facing one another. They aren't as popular but are preferred by coffee geeks because they give a consistent size of grind, ideal for French press and espresso. The drawback is that they are expensive to purchase, and you may have to purchase new burrs for each kind of brew or roast level.

The Baratza ESP offers the best coffee bean grinders mix of cost and capability for a burr mill, according to our experts. It's priced at less than $200 and is far more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that's ideal for all brewing methods. It is easy to upgrade to other sets, such as those from SSP.

The OXO is a decent, low-cost option that has a solid record in our tests. The burrs on this model aren't as precise, as ones found in higher-end models however, its user interface and the variety of settings are suitable for both French press and drip. While true coffee lovers would prefer a more sophisticated model but the OXO is a great entry point for the majority of people.

We also tested a couple of manual burr grinders for those who prefer to grind their coffee with their hands. These are great for traveling and for people who only require two or three cups of coffee at a time. These models, which employ the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders, operate with an actual crank, not motors, and are generally much quieter than electric units.