How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A grinder is one of the most essential tools in a home coffee-making arsenal. Which one should you buy?
Burr grinders crush beans between two revolving serrated surfaces instead of cutting them with blades. They're generally regarded as superior to blade grinders. What characteristics should you be looking for in the burr mill?
1. Conical Burrs
As its name implies, a conical burr grinder has one circular burr ring inside another ring with angled teeth. This shape allows it to grind more efficiently, as the burrs turn around a single central point. The angle of the teeth cuts the beans more evenly and generate less heat, which is desirable since excessive heat can cause bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs can be susceptible to warping and become dull quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee. They also tend to be more brittle, meaning that small stones and other debris could cause damage to the burrs over time. Flat burrs also generate more noise, and require regular maintenance and cleaning.
A lot of burr grinders available for sale call themselves "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth and are often paired up with motors that are weak, resulting in uneven ground. They are not true burr grinders and, contrary to what some enthusiasts believe, don't produce the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.
Some experts aren't convinced However, some believe that the shape and size of the burrs in a coffee grinder could affect the final flavor. These theories are mostly based on anecdotes but they have a powerful hold on the minds and hearts of coffee lovers. For instance, some believe that conical burrs can bring out the distinct flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs can soften and enhance dark roasts.
This could be the case. However, it is something you should consider when you are deciding whether your grinder will have a significant effect on the quality of your espresso. Only by testing a grinder with the beans that you are planning to use will you be sure. The overall design of the grinder and its working features will have a greater effect on the final cup of coffee than the kind of burrs. It's therefore important to consider other aspects when evaluating the grinder, including its reputation as well as customer reviews.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by numerous reviewers as a "time tried and tested product" that is a great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
The grinder utilizes rotating burrs made of metal instead of blades for grinding the beans, resulting in larger, more uniformly-sized grounds than a blender or another burr grinder, according to the company. The burrs also produce less heat, which preserves the bean's aroma and flavor.
Blade grinders on the other hand they can generate excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds that can alter the flavor of your final cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blades grinders. However, this can vary by model and brand.
Some burr grinders use flat burrs instead of conical burrs. These are two discs that have cutting edges that face each opposite. We don't recommend these for espresso because they can be difficult to calibrate and are generally more expensive than a premium burr grinder that is flat such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.
Some of the grinders we tested let you choose the amount of time that the machine will grind. This could be helpful if you are brewing espresso. Some grinders, like our top choice Baratza Sette 270, have built-in timers that are precise to just one-tenth of a second. But this feature isn't necessary for the majority of brewing methods, and the majority of burr grinders priced under $200 use what's a fancier version of the windup timer.
bean grinder coffee machine in our lineup--such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs. This means you'll have to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This is more laborious, but is a great choice when you're seeking a simple, compact and inexpensive option without electrical power.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another option for those who want to save money and uses a burr grinder. It's louder than the other models we've tested, but it's still acceptable if you don’t mind some noise. In general, the more expensive grinder is the quieter it's likely to be due to improved materials and the latest soundproofing technology.
3. Easy of Use
If you're just beginning to explore the world of coffee-brewing at home, there's one tool experts agree is essential that's a burr grinder. They produce a finer, more consistent grind than your standard blade grinder, and can assist in creating brews that have better balance of acidity, flavor and body. They are generally more reliable. But, as you might imagine, top-quality burr grinders can cost upwards of $200, and are difficult to operate.
So, we spoke to experts and received their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to a lot of people as well as those who don't want spend a fortune. It has multiple settings that can handle a variety of methods of brewing including pour-over to French press to drip coffee, and it worked well in our tests.
It's also quieter than the other electric grinders we test, and it doesn't produce the same amount of heat as other grinders do. This is crucial, since excessive heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans.
The OXO grinder's main disadvantage is that it's only effective in grinding at 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 such as the Baratza Encore may be a better option.
Manual burr grinders powered by cranking are simpler to use and are ideal for those who drink only about a cup of coffee every day. They're a good choice for those who travel or need to make a single portion of pour-over.
Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Director of Test Kitchen, loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It has 41 settings that are easily adjustable and will make a fantastic brew using any method--except for espresso (the burrs made of steel aren't grinding finely enough). It's simple for anyone to use for as you don't mind some messes or chaff flying around.
4. Cost
A quality burr mill will cost you around a hundred bucks, but is 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 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 that are smaller than the officially designated grind size you choose) However, this won't bother the majority of drinkers and it's a low cost to pay for delicious consistent coffee grounds.
Flat burrs are two discs with cutting teeth that face one another. They are not as common but are favored by coffee enthusiasts because they provide a more uniform grind size, which is ideal for French press and espresso. The drawback is that they are expensive to purchase, and you might need to buy new burrs for every different kind of brew or roast level.
The Baratza ESP is the best combination of cost and capabilities for a burr grinder according to our experts. It costs less than $200 and is more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that's ideal for all brewing methods. You can easily upgrade to other sets, including those from SSP.
The OXO is a decent, low-cost option that has a good track record in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise, as ones found in higher-end models however, its user interface and the variety of settings are suitable for French drip and press. While true coffee enthusiasts would prefer a more sophisticated model however, the OXO is a great starting point for most people.
For those who prefer to crank their beans by hand We also tested a few manual burr grinders that are perfect for travel and for people who only need to make one or two cups at one time. These models, which utilize the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders use the use of a crank rather than motors, and are generally much quieter than electric units.