How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is one of the most important tools in a stainless steel coffee grinder maker's arsenal. What is the best one to purchase?

Burr grinders crush beans between two revolving serrated surfaces, rather than cutting them 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

A conical-shaped burr mill has an angled set of teeth and a circular burr ring inserted between the other. This shape permits more efficient grinding process, since the burrs rotate around the central point. The conical teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly, and also produce less heat. This is good because excessive heat can create bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs last longer than flat burrs. Flat burrs tend to warp and become dull very quickly, leading to unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They are also more brittle as well, meaning that small stones and other particles can cause damage over time. Additionally, flat burrs generate more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.

A lot of burr grinders available for sale call themselves "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders feature large, flattened teeth. They are often paired up with motors that are weak, resulting in uneven ground. They aren't true burr mills and contrary to what some people think, they do not offer the same grind as real burr mills.

Some experts aren't convinced however, others believe that the type and size of burrs used in a grinder for coffee can influence the final flavor. These theories are mostly anecdotal but they have a powerful hold on the minds and hearts of coffee enthusiasts. For instance, some people believe that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs are able to soften and enhance dark roasts.

This could or might not be true, but it is important to consider if you want your grinder to have a significant effect on the quality of your coffee. Only by testing the grinder with the beans that you plan to use can you be sure. The overall design of the grinder and its operating features will have more of an influence on the final cup than the style or burrs. This is the reason it's crucial to evaluate a grinder based on other factors such as the reputation of the brand and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee lovers swear by. A number of reviewers have praised it as a "time-tested choice" that offers great value for money and is suitable for pour-over, drip, French press, and cold coffee.

The grinder uses rotating burrs made of metal instead of blades to grind beans, which creates larger and more evenly-sized beans than a blender or another burr grinders, as per the company. In addition the burrs produce less heat while grinding and preserves the beans' aroma and flavor.

Blade grinders, on the other hand they can generate excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds which can affect the flavor of your final cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blades grinders. However, this could differ by model and brand.

While the majority of the burr grinders we tested have conical burrs, a few make use of flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing each other). These grinders are not recommended for espresso as they can be difficult to calibrate. They are also less expensive and more complicated than high-end flat-burr grinders like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.

Some of the grinders we tested let you select the amount of time that the machine will grind, which is useful for those who are making espresso. Others, including our top pick the Baratza Sette270 an inbuilt smart timer that can deliver the precision of a split second. However, this feature isn't essential for most brewing methods, and the majority of burr grinders priced under $200 are based on a fancier version of a windup timer.

The cheapest models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, use manual burrs. This means that you have to turn them by hand yourself to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice if you are seeking a simple, compact and inexpensive alternative that doesn't require 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're not worried about some noise. The more quiet a ceramic grinder will generally be the more expensive it is. This is due to the improved materials and the advanced soundproofing techniques.

3. Easy of Use

A burr grinder is a tool that all experts recommend to those who are just beginning to learn about home coffee brewing. These grinders provide a 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. However, as you may expect, high-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and some are difficult to operate.

So, we spoke to experts and received their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to a lot of people and those who don't want spend a fortune. It has several settings that can accommodate different methods of brewing such as pour-over, French press to drip coffee, and it performed well in our testing.

It's also a bit quieter than other grinders with electric motors we've tested, and it doesn't produce more heat than other grinders do. This is important because excessive heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder has one disadvantage It grinds the best on the coarser side of the spectrum. This can be a problem for espresso. If you're a fan of brewing espressos, a burr grinder with more advanced features like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice.

Manual burr grinders, which are powered by cranking, are more simple to use and are ideal for those who only drink just a cup or two of professional coffee grinder every day. They're an excellent choice for people who travel or want to brew up a single serving of pour-over.

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder that has 41 adjustable settings that are capable of making a great beverage regardless of the method you prefer, with the exception of espresso (the flat burrs made of stainless steel manual coffee grinder don't grind as finely as they should). It's easy to operate for anyone who doesn't mind a little messes and flyaway chaff, and it's relatively quiet.

4. Cost

A quality burr grinder will cost about 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. The grinders create a tiny amount of fines, which are little bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the size of the official grind you choose. However this isn't noticeable to most coffee drinkers.

Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth facing one another. They aren't as popular but are preferred by coffee geeks because they give a consistent size of grind, ideal for French press and espresso. The drawback is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you might require a new burr for each roast level or brew type.

The Baratza ESP offers 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 lack the same capabilities. It is equipped with a 64-mm flat brewer set that's perfect for all methods of brewing. It is easy to upgrade to other sets, such as the ones from SSP.

The OXO is a similar model that is affordable with a solid performance in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise as ones in more expensive models, but its user interface and the variety of settings work well for both French drip and press. The OXO is a great entry-level model for a lot of people. Coffee enthusiasts who are serious may require a more sophisticated model however, the OXO will work well for the majority of people.

We also tested a couple of manual burr grinders organic coffee beans for those who prefer grinding their coffee by hand. They are ideal to take on trips and for those who are only able to make two or three cups of coffee at each time. These models, which utilize the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders work with the use of a crank rather than motors, and are generally more quiet than electric models.