How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A coffee grinder is an essential tool for any home coffee maker's arsenal. But which one should you buy?
Burr grinders crush beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces rather than cutting them using blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. But what characteristics should you look for in a grinder?
1. Conical Burrs
The name suggests that conical burr grinders have one circular burr ring inside another with sharp teeth. best burr grinder allows it to grind more efficiently, since the burrs turn around a single central point. The angled teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly, and they produce less heat. This is beneficial since excessive heat can create bitter tastes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs are prone to warping and becoming dull quickly, resulting in unevenly ground coffee. They are also more brittle as well, meaning that small stones and other debris can cause damage over time. Additionally, flat burrs generate more noise and require regular cleaning and maintenance.
A lot of burr grinders sold on the market advertise themselves as "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false burr grinders" feature large, flat teeth and are often coupled with motors that have weak components that produce inconsistent ground. They aren't genuine burr grinders, and, despite the opinions of some enthusiasts they don't have the same quality of grind as genuine burr grinders.
While some experts disagree, others claim that the type of burrs used in the grinder can have an impact on the finished taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee drinkers. For instance, some believe that conical burrs can help bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs can soften and enhance dark roasts.
This may or may not be the case, but it is important to consider if you wish for your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. The only way to determine for certain is to try the grinder using the beans you plan on using it with. The grinder's overall design and working features will have a bigger impact on the final cup of coffee than the kind of burrs. This is the reason it's crucial to evaluate a grinder based on other criteria such as the quality of the product and customer reviews.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by several reviewers as a "time tested choice" that is a great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
The grinder employs burrs that rotate instead of blades for grinding the beans, resulting in larger and more evenly-sized beans than a blender or other burr grinders, according to the company. In addition the burrs create less heat while they grind which helps preserve more of the bean's aroma and flavor.
Blade grinders on the other hand are prone to producing excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds that can alter the flavor of your final cup. Burr grinders are also known to be quieter than blade grinders, though this may vary based on the model and the brand.
Although the majority of burr grinders that we test have conical burrs, there are some that use flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing one another). These grinders aren't suitable for espresso as they are difficult to calibrate. They're also cheaper and less difficult than high-end flat-burr machines like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.
A few of the grinders we've tested permit you to set the amount of time it will grind for a certain period of time, which is helpful when making espresso. Certain grinders, such as our top choice Baratza Sette 270, have an integrated timer that's precise to only a fraction of one second. However, this feature isn't essential for most brewing methods, and most under-$200 burr grinders operate on what amounts to an improved version of the 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 have to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great option in the event you're seeking an easy small, affordable alternative without electricity.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses burr mills and is also an affordable alternative. It's louder than other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some background noise. In general, the more expensive a grinder is, the quieter it's likely to be due in part to the improved materials and advanced soundproofing technologies.
3. Easy of Use
A burr grinder is an instrument that is recommended by every expert for those who are just getting started with home coffee making. These grinders produce a more consistent, finer grind than the standard blade grinder and help you produce drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. But, as you might expect, high-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and many are difficult to use.
We sought advice from experts for the best electric burr grinders to use. Many people, including those with a budget, recommend the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has multiple settings to manage a variety of brewing methods from pour-over, French press, to drip coffee. And it performed well during our testing.
It's also quieter than other grinders that we tried, and doesn't produce the same amount of heat as other grinders do. This is important because too much heat can damage the delicate scents of your beans.
The OXO grinder's only drawback is that it's best when grinding at the coarse end of the spectrum which could be a problem with espresso. If you're brewing espresso, a more advanced burr grinder like the Baratza Encore might be a better choice.
Manual burr grinders that run by cranking are easy to use and are ideal for those who drink just one or two cups of coffee every day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel or only need to make one cup of pour-over coffee.
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder with 41 adjustable settings that are capable of producing an excellent drink using any method you want, except espresso (the flat steel burrs do not grind fine enough). It's easy to use for anyone who doesn't mind small messes and flying chaff, and it's quiet.
4. Cost
A good burr mill will cost you a few hundred dollars, 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 small amount of fines, which are the tiny pieces of coffee ground that are smaller than the size of grind you select. However, this is not noticeable to most coffee drinkers.
Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth that face one another. They are less common but are preferred by coffee enthusiasts because they give a uniform grind size, which is ideal for French press and espresso. They can be costly and you might have to purchase new burrs each when you change the type of brew you use or the amount of roast.
The Baratza ESP offers the best mix of cost and capability for a burr mill, according to our experts. It's less than $200 which is far lower than other models that lack the same level of capabilities. It is equipped with a 64-mm flat brewer set that is perfect for all brewing methods. It is easy to upgrade to other sets, including those from SSP.
The OXO is a decent, low-cost alternative that has a great record in our tests. Its burrs may not be as precise as those in higher-end models, but it comes with various settings that work for drip and French press, and its user interface is intuitive. The OXO is a great entry-level model for a lot of people. True coffee geeks might prefer a more advanced model, but the OXO is suitable for them.
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 need to make just one or two cups at one time. These models employ the same grinding mechanism of electric burr grinders, but work with a hand crank instead of a motor. They are also generally quieter than electric models.