Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

Grinding your own beans for your coffee is a great way to improve your morning cup. There are a myriad of different kinds of grinders.

This OXO grinder makes use of conical burrs to produce an excellent grind for drip, French press and espresso. Hardcore coffee geeks may want more precision from this grinder, but it's a great option for people who are new to the world of coffee.

OXO Brew

If you make your own coffee that a good grinder is necessary to ensure the most flavor. A high-quality burr mill could cost upwards of $200, which is expensive for those who aren't certain if they will use it. That's why the OXO Brew is a great option for anyone who wants to enjoy freshly ground coffee beans grinder without spending hundreds of dollars.

The design of the OXO Brew isn't flashy, however it looks sturdy and expensive. The stainless steel body comes with a permanent water reservoir in the rear, and a thermal caafe at the front. The carafe and tank are designed in a way that the body can be easily incorporated into smaller kitchens. The controls are recessed below the carafe in order to minimize the clutter, and there's a light that informs you when it's heating or brewing.

Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. Its water temperature remained within a tight range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test period according to thermocouples in the basket for grounds and the water tank. The brewing time was very close to what the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for an excellent drip.

Another benefit of the OXO Brew is it comes with the single-serve feature that lets you to brew your coffee directly into your mug. This feature isn't available on other models with a higher price. It can be an excellent benefit for those who want to make individual servings of their coffee but don't want the hassle of making an entire carafe.

The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't come with an alarm clock or a timer that can be set to automatically start time, which can be a hassle for those with a busy schedule. Furthermore the water tank can be difficult to remove due to its lid that has to be lifted off to access the reservoir. It comes with an integrated descaler that assists in preventing mineral deposits from building up inside the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

If you're a coffee enthusiast looking for the best conical burr grinder burr grinder the Baratza Encore ESP is the best choice. This version of the original Encore was redesigned to incorporate upgrades that make it more adaptable to a wider range of brewing methods and provide more versatility than ever before. It is designed for baristas in the home who are just starting out and anyone who wants to have a range of brewing options with one grinder. It comes with stepped grind adjustments and simple controls for beginners, along with notched and labeled settings to ensure consistency. The M2 Burrs guarantee uniform grinding, and its hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature.

The ESP employs the same high-torque gear reduction DC motor that was used in the original Encore however, it operates at lower speeds in order to minimize heat buildup and static charge during the operation. It's also quieter than the classic Encore and has new plates made of metal that increases stability and burr consistency. It's equipped with 40mm conical M2 burrs that are identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus which allows it to attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more consistently shot.

Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns, which provides excellent resolution when dialing in espresso and more precise grinding for pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with both 54 and 58mm portafilters. This improves the ergonomics for manual vs electric coffee grinder dosing. The grinder can be used with the traditional grounds bin for those who prefer a hopper based workflow.

One downside of the ESP is its inconsistency when it comes to back-to-back consistency tests though it is still superior to other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings can be inconsistent as well making it difficult to determine the best setting for your specific brewing method. The ESP is a versatile brewer that can be used for different brewing methods.

The Encore ESP costs a little higher than other models however its versatility is worth the cost. It can grind for espresso and filter brews, and utilize the shims included to optimize its performance for pour over the brewing.

Baratza DF64

The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that is compatible with espresso and pour over brewing. The burrs are upgradeable to improve performance and the hopper can be used to accommodate a variety of different grind sizes. The DF64 has few moving parts, making it simple to maintain and operate. This is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an affordable, high-quality grinder.

The DF64 Gen 2 is a significant improvement over the previous model and is expected to be difficult to beat by other grinder within the same price range. The new model has a new style that is more appealing to the eye. It has a simple rounded-flat base that can hold up to The cradle can hold 20 grams at one time. It also has an elastic bellows that is able to push air through the grinder when you take your dose to force out excess grinds and reduce retention.

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 machine with grinder. 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 smart 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.