How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is among the most important tools in a coffee maker’s arsenal. Which one should you purchase?

Burr grinders grind beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces instead of slicing with blades. They’re generally thought to be superior to blade grinders. But what characteristics should you be looking for in a burr grinder?

1. Conical Burrs

The name suggests that a conical burr crusher has one circular burr ring within another ring with the teeth angled. This shape allows for a more efficient grinding, as the burrs are arranged around an axis. The angled teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly, and they produce less heat. This is beneficial since too much heat can cause bitter taste in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs are prone to warping and dulling quickly, resulting in unevenly ground coffee that is unevenly ground. They are also more brittle, which means that small coffee grinder stones and other debris could damage the burrs over time. Flat burrs also produce more noise and require regular maintenance and cleaning.

Many burr grinders that are available for sale call themselves “burr grinders,” yet they have flat or no burrs. These “false” burr grinders feature large, flattened teeth and are often paired up with weak motors that produce inconsistent grounds. These are not true burr mills and contrary to what many enthusiasts think, do not offer the same grind as actual burr mills.

Although some experts do not agree with this, others believe that the burrs that are used in the grinder have an impact on the finished taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly based on anecdotes but they have a powerful hold on the minds and hearts of coffee lovers. Some believe that conical burrs bring out the distinctive flavors of exotic beans. Flat burrs enhance dark roasts.

This could or might not be true, but it is important to consider if you wish for your grinder to have a significant effect on the quality of your coffee. The only way to determine for certain is to try a grinder out with the beans you plan on using it with. The overall design of the grinder and its features of operation will have a greater influence on the final cup than the style or burrs. This is the reason it’s crucial to assess a grinder based on other factors such as the quality of the product and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by numerous reviewers as an “time tested choice” that is a great value for money, and well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.

According to the company, the grinder uses rotating burrs of metal instead of blades to crush beans. This creates more uniform grounds than a grinder, or other burr grinder. The burrs also produce less heat, which preserves the flavor and aroma of beans.

Blade grinders, on the other hand, can create excessive heat and unevenly sized grounds, which can affect the taste of the final cup. Burr grinders can also be quieter than blade grinders, but this can vary depending on the model and brand.

Some burr grinders employ flat burrs instead, rather than conical ones. These are two discs that have cutting edges that face each opposite. We do not recommend them for espresso as they tend to be more difficult to calibrate and are generally more expensive than a premium burr grinder that is flat such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.

A few of the grinders we’ve tested permit you to choose the length of time that the machine will be grinding for a particular amount of time. This is handy if you’re brewing espresso. Others, including our top choice the Baratza Sette 270 a built-in smart timer that delivers precise split-second timing. However, this feature isn’t required for the majority of brewing methods, and the majority of grinders under $200 operate on what amounts to an upgraded version of the windup timer.

The most affordable models in our selection, like the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity–use manual burrs. This means you have to crank them manually by hand to grind your coffee. This takes more effort, but is a great option if you are seeking an easy, compact and inexpensive alternative without 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 if you don’t mind a bit of noise. The more quiet a grinder is likely to be, in general, the more expensive. This is due to the more advanced materials and advanced soundproofing technology.

3. Easy of Use

If you’re just beginning to learn about coffee-brewing at home There’s one thing that everyone agrees is necessary: a burr grinder. These grinders produce more consistent, finer grind than a blade grinder. They can help you make brews with better balance of flavor, body and acidity. They are generally more reliable. However, as you may imagine, top-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and some are difficult to operate.

We asked experts for their suggestions for the best coffee bean grinders electric burr grinders to use. Many people, including those on a tight budget are recommending the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has various settings that can be used to handle a variety of coffee brewing techniques such as pour-over, French press to drip coffee Grinder noise level, and it worked well in our tests.

It’s also quieter than other electric grinders that we tested and doesn’t produce as much heat. This is crucial because too much heat can damage the delicate scents of your beans.

The OXO grinder has only one flaw It grinds the best espresso coffee grinder on the coarser end of its range. This could be a problem for espresso. If you’re brewing espresso, a higher-end burr grinder such as the Baratza Encore might be a better option.

Manual burr grinders that are powered by cranking, are more simple to use and are ideal for those who drink only just a cup or two of coffee per day. These grinders are great for those who travel, or only need to make a single cup of pour-over coffee.

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder, which has 41 easily-adjustable settings and is capable of making a great drink for any method you choose–except espresso (the flat steel burrs don’t grind as finely as they should). It’s simple to use by anyone so long as they’re not frightened by a few messes or chaff that fly away.

4. Cost

A good burr coffeee grinder can cost around a hundred dollars, however, it’s well worth the cost. 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 can produce a bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee that end up smaller than the officially designated grind size you select) However, this won’t bother most average drinkers and it’s a low price to pay for excellent-tasting, consistent coffee grounds.

Flat burrs, that are two discs that have cutting teeth facing each other They aren’t as popular in home units, but are preferred by serious coffee geeks for their ability to produce a more uniform grind size that’s perfect for espresso and French press. They can be costly and you might have to buy new burrs each when you change the brew type or level of roast.

According to our experts, the Baratza offers the best price and capabilities for burr mills. It’s priced at less than $200, which is far lower than the majority of other models that don’t offer the same level of capabilities. It comes with an incredibly flat 64-mm burr set that is ideal for any brewing method and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to the ones from SSP.

The OXO is a decent, low-cost alternative that has a great record in our tests. Its burrs aren’t quite as precise as those of higher-end models, but it has several settings that work well for drip and French press and its user interface is easy to use. While true coffee enthusiasts may require a more sophisticated model but the OXO is a great starter for most people.

For those who prefer to grind their beans by hand, we also tested a handful of manual burr grinders that are ideal for travel and for people who need to make just one or two cups at one time. These models use the same grinding mechanism of electric burr grinders, but operate using a hand crank instead of a motor. They are also usually quieter than electric units.