How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A coffee grinder is a vital tool for any home coffee maker's arsenal. But which one should you buy?
Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated surfaces that rotate instead of cutting with blades. They're considered superior to blade grinders. But what are the features you should look for in a burr grinder?
1. Conical Burrs
Like its name suggests, a conical burr crusher has one circular burr ring that is inside another one with angled teeth. This design allows it to grind more efficiently as the burrs turn around a single central point. The angle of the teeth cuts the beans more evenly and creates less heat, which is ideal since excessive heat can lead to bitter notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs are more prone to warping and dull very quickly, which results in unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They also tend to be more brittle, which means that small stones and other debris can damage the burrs over time. Additionally flat burrs produce more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.
A number of burr grinders available for sale are marketed as "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth. They are often coupled with motors that are weak, resulting in uneven grounds. They aren't true burr mills and contrary to what many people think, they do not provide the same quality grind as real burr mills.
Although best budget espresso grinder do not agree with this, others believe that the burrs that are used in a grinder has an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly speculative however they hold an unshakeable hold on the minds of coffee enthusiasts. For instance, some believe that conical burrs can help bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs can mellow and enhance dark roasts.
It could be the case. But it is something you should think about in the event that your grinder has significant impact on the quality of your espresso. Only by testing the grinder with the beans that you are planning to use will you be certain. The overall design of the grinder and its operating features will have more of an impact on the final cup than the design or burrs. It's therefore important to consider other factors when you evaluate a grinder, such as its reputation and reviews from customers.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that many coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by several reviewers as an "time tried and tested product" that offers great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
According to the company, the grinder makes use of rotating burrs made of metal rather than blades to grind beans. This produces more uniformly-sized grounds than a grinder, or other burr grinder. The burrs also produce less heat, which preserves the bean's aroma and flavor.
Blade grinders, on the other hand, can produce excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds, which can affect the taste of the final cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blades grinders. However, this can vary by model and brand.
Some burr grinders use flat burrs instead of conical. These are two discs that have cutting edges facing each one. We do not recommend them for espresso as they tend to be more difficult to calibrate and are generally more expensive than a premium, flat-burr burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.
A few of the grinders we've tested allow you to set the length of time that the machine will grind for a certain period of time, which is helpful when making espresso. Others--including our top pick, the Baratza Sette 270--have an inbuilt smart timer that can deliver the precision of a split second. But this feature isn't necessary for all brewing methods and the majority of burr grinders priced under $200 are based on an upgraded version of a windup timer.
The cheapest models we have in our lineup, such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs. That means you have to crank them by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice if you want simple, compact and inexpensive option that doesn't need electricity.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another option for those who want to save money and uses a burr grinder. It's louder than other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some background noise. The more quiet a grinder is likely to generally be the more expensive it will be. This is due to the more advanced materials and advanced soundproofing technology.
3. User-Friendliness
If you're just starting to learn about home coffee brewing there's one piece of equipment that everyone agrees is necessary: a burr grinder. These grinders create a much smaller, more consistent grind than what you can get from a standard blade grinder and assist in making drinks that are more balanced in flavor, body and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. However, as you may expect, top burr grinders can cost upward of $200, and are complicated to use.
We spoke with experts and obtained their recommendations for the easiest-to-use electric burr grinders on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to a lot of people, including those who don't wish to spend a lot of money. It comes with multiple settings to handle a variety options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, to drip coffee. And it performed well during our testing.
It's also quieter than other electronic grinders we've tested, and doesn't produce the same amount of heat. This is crucial because too much heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans.
The OXO grinder has only one drawback It grinds the best on the more coarse end of its range. This can be a problem for espresso. If you're looking to make espressos, a grinder with more advanced features, like the Baratza Encore may be a better option.
Manual burr grinders that are powered by cranking are easier to use and ideal for those who consume only about a cup of coffee a day. These grinders are great for those who travel, or just need to make only one cup of pour-over coffee.
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder, which has 41 adjustable settings that are capable of making an excellent brew using any method you want, except espresso (the flat steel burrs do not grind fine enough). It's a breeze to operate for those who don't mind a little messes and flyaway particles, and it's also relatively quiet.
4. Cost
A good burr grinder will cost a few hundred dollars, but it's well worth the price. 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. The grinders produce a small amount of fines, which are the small pieces of coffee ground that are smaller than the official grind size you select. However this isn't evident to the majority of coffee drinkers.
Flat burrs, which are basically two discs with cutting teeth facing one another They are not as common in home units, but are favored by coffee geeks for their ability to create a more uniform grind size which is ideal for espresso and French press. They can be expensive and you might have to purchase new burrs each when you change the type of brew you use or the amount of roast.
The Baratza ESP offers the most cost-effective combination of price and capabilities for a burr grinder according to our experts. It costs less than $200 and is more affordable than many other models with similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat burr set that is ideal for all brewing methods and is easy to upgrade with other sets, like the ones from SSP.
The OXO is a decent, low-cost option that has a solid record in our tests. Its burrs aren't quite as precise as those found in higher-end models, but it has various settings that work for drip and French press, and its user interface is simple. The OXO is a great starter model for most people. True coffee geeks might prefer a more advanced model, but the OXO will work well for those who are.
For those who prefer to crank their beans manually We also tested a few manual burr grinders, which are great for use on the go and for those who are able to make one or two cups at one time. These models, which employ the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders, use an actual crank, not motors, and are generally much quieter than electric units.