10 Meetups On Best Burr Grinder You Should Attend

How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is one of the most important tools in the coffee-making arsenal. But which one should you buy?

Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated, rotating surfaces instead of cutting with blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. What features should you be looking for in a burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

As its name implies, a conical burr grinder has one circular burr ring that is inside another one with the teeth angled. This shape permits more efficient grinding process, since the burrs revolve around a central point. The conical teeth cut the beans more evenly, and produce less heat, which is desirable since excessive heat can result in bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs can be susceptible to warping and dulling quickly, which results in unevenly ground coffee that is unevenly ground. They are also more fragile, meaning that small stones and other debris could cause damage over time. In addition flat burrs produce more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.

Many burr grinders that are on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs or no burrs whatsoever. These "false burr grinders" have large flat teeth and are often coupled with motors that are weak and produce inconsistent grounds. They aren't true burr grinders and, despite what some people believe they don't have the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.

Although some experts do not agree, others claim that the type of burrs in a grinder has an impact on the finished taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly speculative, but they have gained a strong hold on the minds of coffee enthusiasts. For instance, some people believe that conical burrs can bring out the individual flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs can soften and enhance dark roasts.

It could be the case. However, it is something you should think about if your grinder will have significant impact on the quality of your espresso. Only by testing a grinder with the beans that you are planning to use will you be certain. The overall design of the grinder as well as its operating features will have a greater influence on the final cup than the design or burrs. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration other aspects when evaluating a grinder, such as its reputation as well as customer reviews.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that many coffee lovers swear by. It has been praised by a number of reviewers as a "time tested choice" that is great value for money and well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.

The grinder utilizes rotating metal burrs instead of blades for grinding beans, which creates larger, more uniformly-sized grounds as compared to a blender or burr grinders, according to the company. The burrs also produce less heat which preserves the bean's aroma and flavor.

Blade grinders on the other hand, can produce excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds that affect the taste of your cup. Burr grinders also tend to be quieter than blade grinders, though this can differ based on the model and brand.

While most of the burr grinders we test feature conical burrs, some have flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth that are facing each other). These grinders are not recommended for espresso because they are difficult to calibrate. They are also less expensive and more difficult than top-end flat-burr grinders such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.

Some of the grinders that we tested let you select the amount of time that the machine will grind, which is useful for those who are making espresso. Some, like our top pick the Baratza Sette270 a built-in smart timer that delivers precise split-second timing. However, this feature isn't required for the majority of brewing methods, and the majority of burr grinders priced under $200 operate on what amounts to an improved version of the windup timer.

The most affordable models, such as the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, have manual burrs. This means you have to turn them manually yourself to grind your coffee. This takes more effort, but is a great choice in the event you're looking for a simple compact and affordable alternative that doesn't require electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another affordable option that uses a burr grinder. It's louder than other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some background noise. The quieter a grinder will be, in general the more expensive it is. This is due to the improved materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.

3. Easy to Use

A burr grinder is a tool that is recommended by every expert for those who are just beginning to learn about home commercial coffee grinder brewing. These grinders provide a more consistent, finer grind than you get from your standard blade grinder and assist in making drinks that are more balanced in flavor, body and acidity. They also achieve this more effectively. As you would expect, a good burr mill can cost anywhere from $200 to $200 and is a challenge to use.

We spoke with experts and received their recommendations for the easiest-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to many people and those who don't want to spend a fortune. It has multiple settings to accommodate a variety of brewing methods from pour-over, French press, and drip coffee. It was a success during our tests.

It's also quieter than other electric grinders we've tested and doesn't produce more heat. This is important since too much heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder's main disadvantage is that it's only effective when grinding at the coarse end of the scale, which can be a problem with espresso. If you're brewing espresso, a more advanced burr grinder, such as the Baratza Encore might be a better option.

Manual burr grinders, which are powered by cranking, are more simple to use and are great for those who drink only a cup or two of coffee machine with grinder per day. They're a great option for people who travel or want to make just one portion of pour-over.

Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Director of Test Kitchen, is a fan of the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It has 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and will make a fantastic coffee using any method, except for espresso coffee grinder (the burrs made of flat steel don't grind well enough). It's a breeze to operate for those who don't mind some messes and flyaway particles, and it's also relatively quiet.

4. Cost

A quality burr mill can 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. The grinders produce a tiny amount of fines, which are the tiny pieces of coffee ground that are smaller than the official grind size you select. However it's not noticeable to most coffee drinkers.

Flat burrs, that are two discs that have cutting teeth facing each other They are not as common in home units, however they are favored by coffee geeks for their ability to produce a uniform size of grind which is ideal for espresso and French press. The drawback is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you may have to purchase new burrs for each different kind of brew or roast level.

According to our experts, the Baratza has the most cost-effective combination of price and capabilities for burr mills. It's priced at less than $200, which is far lower than the majority of other models that don't offer the same capabilities. It has an incredibly flat 64-mm burr set that's excellent for all brewing methods and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to those from SSP.

The OXO is a good affordable option that has a solid track record in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise as burrs in higher-end models however, its user interface and a variety of settings work well for both French press and drip. While true commercial coffee grinder enthusiasts will want a more advanced model but the OXO is a great starter for the majority of people.

We also tested a couple of manual burr grinders for those who prefer grinding their industrial coffee grinder by hand. They are ideal to take on trips and for those who only require one or two cups of coffee at each time. These models, which utilize the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders use a crank instead of motors, and are generally quieter than electric models.