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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 buy? Burr grinders crush beans between two rotating serrated surfaces instead of slicing them with blades. They're considered to be superior to blade grinders. But what features should you look for in a burr grinder? 1. Conical Burrs The name suggests that a conical burr crusher has one circular burr ring inside another one with the teeth angled. This design allows it to grind more efficiently as the burrs revolve around a single central point. The conical teeth cut the beans more evenly, and produce less heat, which is ideal because excessive heat can result in bitter notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs can warp and become dull very quickly, resulting in unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They also tend to be more brittle, which means that small stones and other debris could cause damage to the burrs over time. Flat burrs also create more noise, and require regular maintenance and cleaning. A lot of burr grinders available on the market claim to be “burr grinders,” but they have flat burrs, or no burrs at all. These “false” burr grinders have large, flattened teeth. They are often paired up with weak motors which produce uneven grounds. They are not true burr grinders and, contrary to the opinions of some enthusiasts they don't have the same quality of grind as actual burr grinders. Some experts aren't convinced However, some believe that the shape and size of the burrs in a grinder for coffee can influence the final flavor. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee drinkers. Some believe that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans while flat burrs enhance dark roasts. It could be true, but it is important to think about if you want your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. Only by testing the grinder with the beans that you intend to use can you be certain. The overall design of the grinder as well as its features of operation will have a greater influence on the final cup than the design or burrs. It's important to consider other aspects when evaluating a grinder, such as its reputation and customer reviews. 2. Convenience The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that many coffee enthusiasts swear by. Several reviewers praise it as an “time-tested choice” that is a great value for money and is designed for drip, pour-over, French press, and cold coffee. According to the company, the grinder utilizes rotating burrs made of metal rather than blades to crush beans. This creates more uniform ground than a grinder or other burr grinders. The burrs also produce less heat, which preserves the flavor and aroma of the beans. Blade grinders, on the other hand, can create excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds, which affects the taste of the finished cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blade grinders. However, this could differ by model and brand. While the majority of the burr grinders we test feature conical burrs, there are some that use flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth 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+. The grinders we tested let you select the amount of time that the machine will grind. This could be helpful when you're making espresso. Others—including our top choice, the Baratza Sette 270—have an inbuilt smart timer that can deliver the precision of a split second. This feature is not necessary for most brewing techniques and the majority of burr grinders under $200 use a fancy version of the windup clock. The cheapest models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, use manual burrs. This means that you have to turn them manually yourself to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice if you want a simple, compact, and inexpensive option that doesn't require electricity. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an alternative that is affordable and features a burr grinder. It's louder than other models that we have tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some background noise. The more quiet a grinder is likely to generally be the more expensive. This is due to the upgraded materials and advanced soundproofing technology. 3. Simple to Use A burr grinder is an instrument that all experts recommend to those who are just getting started with home coffee making. They produce more consistent, finer grind than your standard blade grinder, and can help you create brews with better balance in the flavor, body and acidity. They also tend to perform the job more consistently. But, as you might imagine, top-quality burr grinders can cost upwards of $200, and some are difficult to use. We asked experts for their recommendations on the most efficient electric burr grinders you can use. Many people, even those on a tight budget, recommend the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It comes with multiple settings to manage a variety of options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, to drip coffee. And it was a success during our tests. It's also quieter than some other grinders with electric motors we've test, and it doesn't create as much heat as some others do. This is crucial, since excessive heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans. The OXO grinder has only one flaw: it grinds best on the coarser side of the spectrum. This can be a problem for espresso. If you're looking to make espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice. Related Site that are powered by cranking are easy to use and 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 a single cup of pour-over coffee. 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 can produce a great beverage using any method – except for espresso (the flat-steel burrs don't grind finely enough). It's easy to use by anyone, as long as they're not frightened by the occasional mess or chaff flying away. 4. Cost A good burr grinder will cost around a hundred dollars, however, it's well worth the price. 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. They produce a little bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee that are smaller than the officially designated grind size you choose) however it won't be noticeable to the majority of people who drink coffee, and it's a small price to pay for excellent-tasting consistent coffee grounds. Flat burrs, which are two discs with cutting teeth facing one another, are less common in home units but are favored by coffee geeks for their ability to provide a uniform size of grind which is ideal for espresso and French press. They can be costly and you might have to buy new burrs each when you change the type of brew you use or the amount of roast. The Baratza ESP is the most cost-effective combination of price and capabilities for a burr grinder, according to our experts. It's priced at less than $200 and is far more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm, flat brewer set that is perfect for all types of brewing techniques. You can easily upgrade to other sets, like those from SSP. The OXO is a different option that is priced reasonably with a solid performance record in our tests. Its burrs may not be as precise as those found in more expensive models, but it has various settings that work for drip and French press, and its user interface is easy to use. The OXO is a great entry-level model for most people. True coffee geeks may want a more sophisticated model however, the OXO will work well for those who are. For those who prefer to crank their beans by hand, we also tested a few manual burr grinders that are ideal for use on the go and for those who only need to make one or two cups at one time. These models, which employ the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders use the use of a crank rather than motors and are typically quieter than electric models.