How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A grinder is one of the most essential tools in a home coffee-making arsenal. But which one to buy?
Burr grinders grind beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces instead of cutting them with blades. They're generally thought to be superior to blade grinders. But what characteristics should you look for in a burr grinder?
1. Conical Burrs
As its name implies, conical burr grinders have one circular burr ring inside another ring with sharp teeth. This shape allows it to grind more efficiently, since the burrs turn 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 lead to bitter flavor notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs can be susceptible to warping and become dull quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee that is not evenly ground. They also tend to be more brittle, meaning that small stones or other debris could cause damage to the burrs over time. In addition, flat burrs generate more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.
Many burr grinders on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs or have no burrs even. These "false burr grinders" come with large flat teeth and are often paired with motors that are weak and produce irregular ground. They aren't true burr grinders and, contrary to what some enthusiasts believe they don't provide the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.
Some experts disagree with this claim, but others believe that the shape and size of the burrs in a grinder for coffee can influence the final flavor. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee drinkers. For instance, some believe that conical burrs bring out the individual flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs are able to soften and enhance dark roasts.
This may or not be true. But it is something to consider when you are deciding whether your grinder will have significant impact on the quality of your espresso. Only by testing a grinder with the beans that you plan to use can you be sure. The overall design of the grinder as well as its operating features will have a greater impact on the final cup than the design or burrs. It's important to consider other factors when you evaluate the quality of a grinder, like its reputation and customer reviews.
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 is a great value for money, and well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
The grinder utilizes rotating burrs made of metal instead of blades to grind the beans, resulting in more uniformly sized grounds than a blender or another burr grinders, as per the company. Additionally the burrs create less heat while grinding and preserves the beans' flavor and aroma.
Blade grinders however are prone to producing excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds which can affect the taste of your cup. Burr grinders can also be quieter than blade grinders, but this can vary depending on the model and the brand.
Some burr grinders employ flat burrs instead, rather than conical ones. These are two discs that have cutting edges that face each other. We don't recommend them for espresso as they tend to be more difficult to calibrate and are generally more expensive than a top-of-the-line burr grinder that is flat such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.
The grinders we tested allow you to choose the amount of time that the machine will grind. This is useful when you're making espresso. Others, including our top pick, the Baratza Sette 270--have a built-in smart timer that can deliver the precision of a split second. This feature is not required for all brewing techniques, and most burr grinders under $200 use a fancy version of a windup clock.
The cheapest models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, have manual burrs. This means you have to turn them by hand yourself to grind your coffee. This requires more effort, but is a good option if you're looking to get a simple, compact, and affordable option that doesn't need electrical power.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses burr mills and is also an affordable alternative. It's louder than the other models we've tested, but still tolerable in the event that you're okay with a bit of noise. In general, the more expensive grinder is more quiet it's likely to be due in part to the improved materials and the latest soundproofing technologies.
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 brewing. These grinders produce a smaller, more consistent grind than you get from your standard blade grinder, and can help you produce drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor, and acidity. And they tend to do it more reliably. However, as you may expect, top burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and are complicated to use.
We spoke with experts and received their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders on the market. Many people, even those with a budget are recommending the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has multiple settings to accommodate a variety of options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, to drip coffee. It also did well in our tests.
It's also a bit quieter than some other grinders that we tested, and it doesn't produce the same amount of heat as other grinders do. This is important because excessive heat can destroy the delicate aromas of your beans.
The OXO grinder's main drawback is that it's best at grinding on the coarse end of its range which could be a problem for espresso. If you're looking to make espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice.
Manual burr grinders that run by cranking are easy to use and ideal for those who consume only one or two cups of coffee a day. They're an excellent choice for those who travel or need to brew up a single serving of pour-over.
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder with 41 adjustable settings that are capable of making a great beverage using any method you want, except espresso (the flat burrs made of steel don't grind well enough). It's easy for anyone to use so you don't mind the occasional mess or chaff flying around.
4. Cost
coffee machine and grinder will cost you around a 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 can produce a bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee ground that end up smaller than the official grind size you choose) However, this won't bother the majority of drinkers and is a minor price to pay for excellent-tasting consistent coffee grounds.
Flat burrs are two discs with cutting teeth that face one another. They are less common but are favored by coffee geeks because they give a consistent size of grind, ideal for French press and espresso. The downside is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you might have to purchase new burrs for every different kind of brew or roast level.
According to our experts, the Baratza is the best price and capabilities for burr mills. It's less than $200, which is a lot less than many competing models that don't offer the same capabilities. It has a 64-mm flat burr set which is perfect for any brewing method and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to the ones from SSP.
The OXO is a different option that is priced reasonably with a solid performance in our tests. The burrs aren't as precise as those found in more expensive models, but it comes with various settings that work for drip and French press and its user interface is simple. While true coffee geeks would prefer a more sophisticated model, the OXO is a great starting point for most people.
For those who prefer to crank their beans manually We also tested a handful of manual burr grinders that are ideal for those on the move and who only need to make one or two cups at each time. These models use the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders, but operate by hand instead of motors. They are also usually quieter than electric ones.