How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is among the most essential tools in a home coffee-making arsenal. But which one should you buy?

Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated, rotating surfaces instead of slicing with blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. What characteristics should you look for in the burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

As its name implies, conical burr grinders have one circular burr ring within another one with sharp teeth. This design allows it to grind more efficiently, since the burrs rotate around a single central point. The conical teeth cut the beans more evenly and creates less heat, which is a good thing because excessive heat can lead to bitter notes in your coffee. Conical burrs also last longer than flat burrs. Flat burrs are prone to warping and becoming dull quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee that is not evenly ground. They also tend to be more brittle, which means that small stones or debris can damage the burrs over time. Flat burrs also generate more noise, and require regular maintenance and cleaning.

Many burr grinders that are sold on the market call themselves "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false burr grinders" have large, flat teeth and are often paired with motors that are weak and produce irregular grounds. They are not genuine burr mills and contrary to what some people believe, don't offer the same grind as actual burr mills.

Some experts do not agree with this assertion However, some believe that the type and size of the burrs in a coffee grinder can influence the final flavor. These theories are mostly speculative but they hold a firm grip on the minds of coffee enthusiasts. Some believe that conical burrs bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans. Flat burrs enhance dark roasts.

This could or might not be the case, but it is important to consider if you want your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. Only by testing the grinder with the beans you are planning to use will you be certain. The grinder's overall design and operating features will have a greater impact on the final cup of coffee than the type of burrs. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration other factors when you evaluate the grinder, including its reputation and customer reviews.

2. Convenience

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

The grinder utilizes rotating metal burrs instead of blades to crush beans, which creates more uniformly sized grounds as compared to a blender or burr grinders, according to the company. The burrs also produce less heat and preserve the bean's aroma and flavor.

In contrast, blade grinders can produce excessive heat and unevenly sized grounds, which can affect the taste of the final cup. Burr grinders are also known to be quieter than blade grinders, though this can differ based on the model and manufacturer.

Although the majority of burr grinders we tested have conical burrs, there are some that make use of flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing each other). We do not recommend them for espresso because they can be difficult to adjust and are generally less expensive than a top-of-the-line burr grinder that is flat like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.

The grinders we tested allow you to choose the amount of time the machine will grind. This could be helpful when you're making espresso. Others--including our top pick the Baratza Sette270 a built-in smart timer that can deliver precise split-second timing. This feature is not required for the majority of brewing methods, and most burr grinders under $200 use an upgraded version of the windup clock.

The cheapest models in our lineup--such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs. This means you'll have to crank them manually by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort, but is a good choice if you want a simple, compact, and cost-effective option that doesn't require electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses burr mills and is also an affordable alternative. It's louder than the other models that we have tested, but it's still acceptable if you're not worried about some background noise. In general, the pricier a grinder is the quieter it's likely to be due to better materials and sophisticated soundproofing technology.

3. Easy to Use

A burr grinder is a tool that every expert recommends for those who are just beginning to learn about home coffee making. These grinders create a much smaller, more consistent grind than you get from your standard blade grinder and assist in making drinks that are more balanced in flavor, body and acidity. And they tend to perform the job more consistently. As you might expect, a high-quality burr mill could cost up to $200 and is a challenge to use.

So, we spoke to experts and received their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders that are available on the market. Many people, even those with a budget are recommending the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has multiple settings to handle a variety options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, to drip coffee. It also performed well during our testing.

It's also quieter than other electronic grinders we've tested, and doesn't generate more heat. This is important since excessive heat can destroy the delicate scents of your beans.

The OXO grinder has one flaw It grinds the best home espresso grinder on the more coarse end of its range. This could be a problem for espresso. If you like to brew espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features, like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice.

Manual burr grinders, powered by cranking, are user-friendly and are great for those who only drink a cup or two of coffee a day. These grinders are ideal 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 settings that can be easily adjusted and is capable of making an excellent beverage using any method you want, except espresso (the flat steel burrs don't grind well enough). It's easy to use for those who don't mind small messes and flying chaff, and it's relatively quiet.

4. Cost

A good burr mill will cost you a few hundred dollars, but it's well worth it. 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 mini electric coffee grinder 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 small amount of fines (the tiny bits of ground coffee grinders makers that are smaller than the officially designated grind size you select) however this won't bother the majority of drinkers and it's a low price to pay for great-tasting consistently-sized coffee grounds.

Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth that face one another. They aren't as popular but are favored by coffee geeks because they provide a more consistent size of grind, ideal for French press and espresso. They can be expensive and you may need to purchase new burrs each time you alter the brew type or level of roast.

The Baratza ESP has the best mix of cost and capability for a burr grinder according to our experts. It's less than $200, which is much less than many competing models that don't offer the same level of capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that's perfect for all brewing methods. You can easily upgrade to other sets, like the ones from SSP.

The OXO is a different option that is priced reasonably with a solid performance record in our tests. The burrs on this model aren't as precise, as burrs in higher-end models however its user interface and a variety of settings work well for both French press and drip. While true coffee enthusiasts may require a more sophisticated model, the OXO is a great starting point for most people.

We also tested a few 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 one or two cups of coffee at a time. These models use the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders, but operate by hand instead of a motor. They are also generally quieter than electric models.