The No. 1 Question Everyone Working In Best Conical Burr Grinder Should Be Able To Answer
Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own beans for your coffee is a great way to enhance your morning cup. However, there are a variety of grinders on the market.
This OXO grinder uses conical burrs that create a grind that works well for drip, French press and espresso. This grinder is a great option for those who are just beginning, however hardcore coffee geeks will want a more precise grind.
OXO Brew
If you're planning to make your own coffee at home, you probably know that it needs a quality grinder to produce the most flavorful coffee. A good burr mill can cost up to $200, which is expensive for those who don't know whether they'll use it. That's why the OXO Brew is a great alternative for anyone looking to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew may not be flashy, but it's stylish. The stainless steel body has an enduring water tank at the back, and a thermal carafe at the front. The tanks and carafe are designed so that the body can be easily fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are recessed beneath the carafe to reduce the clutter. There is also a light to let you know when it is heating or brewing.
Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. The temperature of the water 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.
The OXO Brew also has a single-serve function that lets you to pour coffee directly into your cup. This isn't a feature found in other models of high-end, and it can be an important benefit for those who prefer making their own servings of coffee but don't wish to hassle with brewing a full carafe of coffee.
The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't come with a clock or an automated start time, which can be a hassle for those with a busy schedule. Furthermore, the water tank can be tricky to remove, as it has a lid that must be slid off to access the reservoir. It has a built-in mineral descaler that can help stop mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you're a coffee lover looking for the best burr grinder the Baratza Encore ESP is your top pick. This version of the original Encore has been re-engineered with modernizations that allow it to be more compatible with a variety of brewing techniques and provide greater flexibility than ever before. It is designed for home-brewed beginner baristas as well as anyone who wants to keep their brewing options open by using a single grinder. It comes with a the ability to adjust the grind in a step and has simple controls for novice baristas as well as marked and notched settings to ensure consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and the hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature.
The ESP utilizes a high-torque DC motor with gear reduction, much like the original Encore. However it operates at lower speeds to reduce static charge and heat. It's also quieter than the original Encore and has a metal plate that increases burr consistency and stability. It comes with conical burrs of 40 millimeters similar to those that are found in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This helps it attain a greater grind size distribution and consistent shots.
Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns. This gives excellent resolution when dialing in espresso, and finer grinding for pour over. It comes with a dosing cup that can be used with both 54 and 58 mm portafilters which enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can also be used with traditional grounds bins for those who prefer an hopper-based workflow.
One disadvantage of the ESP is its inconsistent performance during back-to-back consistency tests however, it still performs better than many other grinders in this price range. The settings for stepped grinds can also be inconsistent, making it hard to find the perfect setting for your brewing style. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used for a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP is also a little more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it's well worth the extra cost for its impressive capabilities. It can grind for filter and espresso coffee brews. The shims included will optimize its performance for Pour Over making.
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 improve performance and the hopper is large enough for a variety of grind sizes. The DF64 has only a few moving parts, making it easy to maintain and operate. This is an excellent choice for anyone who is looking for a top-quality, budget-friendly grinder.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the original model and will be hard to beat by other grinder within the same price range. The new model comes with an updated design that is a lot more appealing to the eyes. It has a simple flat-rounded base which can withstand up to 20 grams of beans at a time and a single dose cradle. It also comes with a bellows made of rubber that is able to push air through the grinder as you do your dose to push out excessive grinds and to 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.
best home espresso grinder 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.