Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own coffee beans is a great method to enhance your morning cup. There are a myriad of different kinds of grinders.
This OXO grinder makes use of conical burrs that create a grinding system that is suitable for drip, French press and espresso. This grinder is a great option for beginners, but the most dedicated coffee enthusiasts will require an even more precise grind.
OXO Brew
If you're planning to make your own coffee at home, then you already know that it needs a quality grinder to give you the best flavor. However, a high-quality burr grinder can cost upward of $200, which may be a bit expensive for those who aren't sure if they'll use regularly or not. The OXO Brew is a great option for anyone looking to enjoy freshly-ground coffee without spending hundreds of pounds.
The design of the OXO Brew isn't extravagant, but it looks solid and expensive. The stainless steel body features a permanent water reservoir at the rear and a thermal caafe on the front. The carafe and tanks are designed to ensure that the body is easily fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are concealed beneath the carafe to reduce the amount of clutter. There is also a light to let you know when it is heating or brewing.
Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. The water temperature was within a narrow range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test period which was measured by thermocouples in the basket for grounds and the water tank. Its brewing time was also very close to what the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for an excellent drip.
The OXO Brew also comes with the single-serve option that lets you to pour coffee directly into your cup. This feature is not found on other high-end models. It's a great benefit for those who wish to make individual servings of their coffee but don't like the hassle of making an entire carafe.
The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't include a clock or an automated start time, which could be a problem if you have a busy schedule. The water tank is also difficult to remove because it has a lid that must be lifted to access the reservoir. It comes with a built-in mineral descaler that helps to stop mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
The Baratza Encore is a top burr mill available for coffee lovers. This version of the classic Encore is redesigned with improvements that make it more compatible with a wider range of brewing techniques and offers more flexibility than ever before. It's designed for baristas in the home who are just beginning out and anyone looking to have a variety of brewing options with one grinder. It has a the ability to adjust the grind in a step and has simple controls for beginner baristas, as well as marked and notched settings to ensure consistency. The M2 burrs provide uniform grinds. The hopper comes with a quick release feature that makes cleaning a breeze.
The ESP makes use of an electric motor with high-torque and gear reduction, similar to the original Encore. However, it runs at lower speeds in order to minimize static charge and heat. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore and has new plates made of metal that improves stability and burr consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm M2 conical burrs identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus that help it attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more consistently shot.
The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, providing excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with both 58mm and 54mm portafilters. This improves the ergonomics for manual dosing. smart grinder pro Coffeee can be combined with the traditional grounds bin for those who prefer a hopper-based workflow.
One disadvantage of the ESP is its inconsistent performance when it comes to back-to-back consistency tests however, it is still superior to many other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings are too inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the ideal setting for your particular brewing process. However the ESP is well-suited for many brewing methods and provides a remarkable value for the versatility it offers.
The Encore ESP costs a little less than other models however its versatility is worth it. It can grind espresso or filter brews as well as use the included shims to optimize its performance for pour over the brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 grinder is a good one that works well for pour-over and espresso brewing. The burrs can be upgraded to increase efficiency and the hopper is able to accommodate a variety of different grind sizes. The DF64 is also easy to use and maintain, with only a few moving parts. It is a great option for those looking for a high-quality grinder at an affordable price.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a major improvement over the initial model and should be hard to beat by any other grinders that are priced similarly. The new model has a new appearance that is more appealing to the eye. It has a simple, flat-rounded base that can support up to 20 grams of beans at a time and a single dose cradle. It also comes with an hose made of rubber that pushes air through the grinder to force out any grinds that are not needed.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional or commercial grinders due to their ability to reduce grind time and heat generation and improve grind particle consistency. The 64mm flat burrs in the Ode also give it a much smoother grind than you would find in a typical home appliance grinder. And they are designed with single-dosing in mind, meaning that the grinder shuts off as soon as the hopper is empty. This helps to prevent over-grinding, which can rob your brews of flavor and aroma.
The hopper itself holds 100 grams, which is enough for one large pour-over or two small cups of espresso. The Ode has a variety of other neat features, including a built-in scale and a cool grind size chart that is mapped out on the underside of the lid. This shows the brewing methods that each setting is most suitable for, with pour-over and cold brews on the fine end of the range, and French press on the coarse end.
Another great feature of the Ode is that it has a quiet, almost purr-like sound during operation and is very fast. The grinder has a high-force spring that knocks excess ground beans and chaff into the catch, which helps to reduce grind retention and make clean-up a breeze. It’s also very easy to disassemble and is compatible with coffee tablet cleaners.
Despite some minor hiccups in the initial launch, the Ode is still a top contender for those looking for an excellent and aesthetically pleasing conical burr grinder. Fortunately, the company is committed to improving the product and recently released the Gen 2 version, which addresses some of the issues with the original. However, for those who want a better-suited grinder for espresso, the Baratza DF64 is an excellent alternative that is both visually and functionally superior to the Fellow Ode.