How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A coffee grinder is an essential tool for any home coffee maker's arsenal. Which one should you purchase?

Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated, rotating surfaces instead of cutting with blades. They are considered superior to blade grinders. What characteristics should you look for in the burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

The name suggests that a conical burr crusher has one circular burr ring within another one with sharp teeth. This design allows for more efficient grinding, because the burrs are arranged around an axis. The inclined teeth are more effective in cutting beans evenly and produce less heat. This is good because excessive heat can create bitter taste in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs can warp and dull very quickly, leading to unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They are also more fragile, meaning that small stones and other debris can cause damage over time. Flat burrs also generate more noise and require regular maintenance and cleaning.

A lot of burr grinders offered for sale advertise themselves as "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false burr grinders" come with large, flat teeth and are often paired with motors that are weak and produce uneven grounds. They aren't true burr grinders and, contrary to what some enthusiasts believe, don't produce the same quality of grind as genuine burr grinders.

While some experts disagree, others claim that the burrs that are used in a grinder has an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are largely anecdotal, but they have an unshakeable hold on the minds of coffee enthusiasts. For example, some think that conical burrs can help bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs can mellow and enhance dark roasts.

It could be true. However, it is something to consider in the event that your grinder has an impact on the quality of your espresso. The only way to determine for certain is to try a grinder out with the beans you will be using it with. The overall layout of the grinder and its operational features will have more of an impact on the final cup than the design or burrs. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration other factors when evaluating the quality of a grinder, like its reputation as well as customer reviews.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that many 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.

According to the company, the grinder utilizes rotating burrs of metal instead of blades to grind beans. This c due to the upgraded materials and the advanced soundproofing techniques.

3. Simple to Use

A burr grinder is a tool that all experts recommend to those who are just getting started with home coffee making. They produce an even, finer grind than your standard blade grinder, and can help you make brews with better balance in flavor, body and acidity. They also tend to perform the job more consistently. However, as you may imagine, top-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and are complicated to use.

We asked experts for their suggestions for the best electric burr grinders to use. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to many people and those who don't want spend a fortune. It comes with various settings that can be used to handle various coffee brewing techniques such as pour-over, French press to drip coffee, and it worked well during our tests.

It's quieter than other SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder: Precision Setting Adjustable Size grinders we've tested, and doesn't produce more heat. This is crucial, since excessive heat can harm the delicate aromas in your beans.

The OXO grinder has one disadvantage: it grinds best on the more coarse end of its range. This can be problematic for espresso. If you brew espresso, a more advanced burr grinder, such as the Baratza Encore might be a better option.

Manual burr grinders powered by cranking are easier to use and are ideal for those who consume only one or two cups of coffee per day. They're a great option for those who travel or need to make just one portion of pour-over.

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder, which has 41 adjustable settings that are capable of making a great drink regardless of the method you prefer, with the exception of espresso (the flat burrs made of steel don't grind well enough). It's a breeze to operate for those who don't mind small messes and flying chaff, and it's quiet.

4. Cost

A good burr grinder will cost you around a hundred dollars, but 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 produce a small amount of fines, which are little bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the size of grind you choose. However it's not evident to the majority of coffee drinkers.

Flat burrs, which are two discs that have cutting teeth facing each other, are less common in home units, however they are preferred by hardcore coffee lovers due to their ability to produce a uniform size of grind that's perfect for espresso and French press. The drawback is that they are expensive to purchase, and you might have to purchase new burrs for each different roast level or brew type.

The Baratza ESP has the best mix of cost and capabilities for a burr grinder, according to our experts. It's less than $200, which is far lower than many competing models that lack the same capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm, flat brewer set that's ideal for all types of brewing techniques. You can easily upgrade to other sets, including the ones from SSP.

The OXO is a similar model that is affordable with a good performance record in our tests. Its burrs may not be as precise as those in pricier models, but it does have various settings that work for drip and French press and its user interface is intuitive. The OXO is a great starter model for the majority of people. True coffee geeks may require a more sophisticated model, but the OXO will work well for those who are.

We also tested a few manual burr grinders for those who prefer to grind their beans by hand. These are great for those who travel and who only require two or three cups of coffee at one time. These models utilize the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders, but work by hand instead of a motor. They are also generally quieter than Electric coffee bean grinder units.