How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A coffee grinder is an essential tool in the home coffee maker's arsenal. What kind of grinder should you get?
Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated, rotating surfaces instead of cutting them with blades. They're considered superior to blade grinders. But what characteristics should you look for in a grinder?
1. Conical Burrs
As its name implies, 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 revolve around a central point. The angled teeth cut the beans more evenly and generate less heat, which is ideal because excessive heat can lead to bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs also last longer than flat ones. Flat burrs are more prone to warping and become dull very quickly, leading to unevenly ground espresso. They are also more brittle, meaning that small stones or other debris can damage the burrs over time. In addition, flat burrs generate more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.
A lot of burr grinders available on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs or no burrs even. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth. They are often paired up with motors that are weak, resulting in uneven ground. They are not true burr grinders, and, despite what some people believe they don't provide the same quality of grind as genuine burr grinders.
Some experts do not agree with this assertion however, others believe that the size and type of burrs used in a coffee grinder could affect the final taste. These theories are mostly speculative, but they have a firm grip on the minds of coffee enthusiasts. For example, some think that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs are able to soften and enhance dark roasts.
This may or may not be the case however it is something to think about if you want your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. smart grinder to determine that for certain is to test the grinder with the beans you plan on using it with. The overall design of the grinder as well as its features of operation will have a greater impact on the final cup than the type or burrs. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration other factors when you evaluate the quality of a grinder, like its reputation and customer reviews.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. A number of reviewers have praised it as a "time-tested option" that offers great value for money and is well suitable for pour-over, drip, French press, and cold brew.
According to the company, the grinder uses rotating metal burrs rather than blades to grind beans. This produces more uniformly-sized grounds than a grinder or other burr grinders. In addition the burrs create less heat while they grind which helps preserve the beans' flavor and aroma.
Blade grinders however are prone to producing excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds which can affect the taste of your finished cup. Burr grinders also tend to be quieter than blade grinders, but this can vary depending on the model and manufacturer.
While the majority of the burr grinders that we test have conical burrs, a few use flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth that are facing each other). We don't recommend them for espresso machines because they are more difficult to adjust and are generally less expensive than a high-end, flat-burr burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.
Some of the grinders we've tested allow users to control the amount of time it will be grinding for a particular amount of time, which is handy if you're brewing espresso. Some, like our top pick the Baratza Sette270 an inbuilt intelligent timer that can provide split-second precision. But this feature isn't necessary for the majority of brewing methods, and the majority of grinders under $200 use what's a fancier version of a windup timer.
The most affordable models we have in our lineup, such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs, meaning you'll need to crank them manually by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort, but is a good option if you're looking to get simple, compact and cost-effective option that doesn't require electrical power.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses a burr mill, and is also a budget-friendly alternative. It's louder than some of the other models we've tried, but still tolerable for those who don't mind some noise. In general, the pricier 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 produce a finer, more consistent ground than what you can get from a regular blade grinder. They also allow you to make drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor and acidity. They also do it more reliably. As you would imagine, a top-quality burr mill can cost anywhere from $200 to $200 and can be difficult to use.
We sought advice from experts on the easiest electric burr grinders to use. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to a lot of people and those who don't wish to spend a lot of money. It has multiple settings to accommodate a variety of options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, to drip coffee. It did well in our tests.
It's quieter than other electric grinders we've tested and doesn't produce more heat. This is important because excessive heat can destroy the delicate scents of your beans.
The OXO grinder's main drawback is that it's best in grinding at the coarse end of its range, which can be a problem with espresso. If you like to brew espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features such as the Baratza Encore may be a better option.
Manual burr grinders powered by cranking are simpler to use and perfect for those who drink only a cup or so of coffee per day. They're a good choice for people who travel or want to brew up a single portion of pour-over.
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Test Kitchen's director, loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It has 41 settings that are easily adjustable and will make a fantastic beverage using any method - except for espresso (the burrs made of steel aren't grinding finely enough). It's easy for anyone to use for as you don't mind a few messes or chaff that fly away.
4. Cost
A good burr mill will cost you a few hundred dollars, 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 produce a little bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee that are smaller than the officially designated grind size you select) however this won't bother the majority of drinkers, and it's a small price to pay for great-tasting, consistent coffee grounds.
Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth that are facing each other. They are less common but are preferred 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 may have to purchase new burrs for every different kind of brew or roast level.
The Baratza ESP offers the most cost-effective combination of price and capability for a burr grinder according to our experts. It's priced at less than $200 and is far more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that is perfect for all types of brewing techniques. It is easy to upgrade to other sets, such as the ones from SSP.
The OXO is a good affordable option that has a solid record 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 are suitable for French press and drip. The OXO is an excellent starter model for most people. True coffee enthusiasts may require a more sophisticated model however the OXO is suitable for them.
We also tested a few manual burr grinders for those who prefer grinding their coffee by hand. They are ideal for traveling and for people who are only able to make one or two cups of coffee at one time. These models, which employ the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders, use an actual crank, not motors and are typically much quieter than electric units.