Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own coffee beans is a great way to enhance your morning cup. But, there are many different grinders available.
This OXO grinder is equipped with conical burrs which produce a grind suitable for French press espresso, drip and French press coffee. This grinder is an excellent choice for those who are just beginning, however hardcore coffee geeks will want a more precise grind.
OXO Brew
If you're interested in making your own coffee at home, you already know that it requires a good grinder to produce the best flavor. A good burr mill can cost as much as $200, which is prohibitive for those who aren't certain whether they'll use it. This is why the OXO Brew is an excellent alternative for anyone looking to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew may not be flashy but it looks solid. The stainless steel body has an in-built water reservoir that is permanently located at the rear, and a thermal caafe on the front. The carafe and tanks have been shaped so that the body can be easily installed in smaller kitchens. The controls are recessed below the carafe to minimize clutter, and there's a light that indicates when it's heating or making.
Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. The temperature of the water was within a narrow range (197.4 F to 205.0 F) throughout the entire test as measured by thermocouples located in the basket for the grounds. Its brewing time was also very close to what the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for an excellent drip.
The OXO Brew also has the single-serve option that lets you brew coffee directly into your cup. This feature is not found on other models with a higher price. It can be an excellent benefit for those who wish to make individual servings of their coffee, but don't like the hassle of brewing an entire carafe.
The only real downside of the OXO Brew is that it does not include a clock or an automatic start time, which can be a problem if you have a busy schedule. Furthermore, the water tank can be difficult to get rid of, as it has a lid that must be lifted off to access the reservoir. It comes with a built-in mineral descaler that can help keep mineral deposits from building up in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you're a coffee lover looking for the best burr grinder the Baratza Encore is your top pick. This version of the classic Encore was revamped to include enhancements that make it compatible with a greater variety of brewing methods, and offer more flexibility than ever before. It is designed for home-brewed beginner baristas as well as anyone who wants to keep their brewing options open by using a single grinder. It has a the ability to adjust the grind in a step and has simple controls for beginner baristas and also notched and labelled 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 that was used in the original Encore, but it operates at lower speeds to lessen static charge and heat buildup during the operation. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore, and it has a new metal plate that improves stability and burr consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm M2 conical burrs that are similar to those in the more expensive Virtuoso Plus, which helps it get a better distribution of grind size and more consistent shots.
The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, offering excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups can be used with both 58mm and 54mm portafilters. This enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can be used in conjunction with the traditional grounds bin in the event that you prefer a hopper-based workflow.
One drawback of the ESP is its inconsistency when it comes to back-to-back consistency tests although it is still superior to many other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings are too inconsistent, making it difficult to locate the right setting for your particular brewing process. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used for various brewing techniques.
The Encore ESP is also a bit more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it's well worth the extra cost due to its incredible versatility. It can grind for filter or espresso brews. The included shims will maximize its performance for Pour Over brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that is compatible with espresso and pour over brewing. The burrs can be upgraded to increase performance, and the hopper can accommodate various grind sizes. The DF64 has few moving parts, making it simple to maintain and use. It's a great choice for those looking for a high-quality grinder at a low cost.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the original model and will be hard to beat by other grinders in the same price range. The new model comes with a new style that is more appealing to the eye. It has a simple flat-rounded base that can withstand up to The cradle can hold 20 grams at one time. It also comes with a rubber hose that pushes air through the grinder, thereby forcing out any extra 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 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.
electric coffee grinder 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.