Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

It is possible to make your morning coffee more enjoyable by grinding your own beans. There are a lot of different grinders available.

This OXO grinder uses conical burrs to produce a grinding system that is suitable for drip, French press and espresso. This grinder is an excellent choice for beginners, but the most dedicated coffee enthusiasts will require an exact grind.

OXO Brew

If you're into making your own coffee at home, you know that it requires a high-quality grinder to produce the best flavor. But a quality burr grinder can cost upwards of $200, which could be a bit expensive for those who aren't sure if they'll use regularly or not. This is why the OXO Brew is an excellent alternative for those who want to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.

The design of the OXO Brew isn't flashy, but it's stylish. Its stainless steel body features an in-built water tank that is permanently located at the back, and an insulated thermal carafe in the front. The carafe and tanks are designed in a way that the body is able to fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are located below the carafe in order to minimize clutter, and there is an indicator light that informs you when it's heating or making.

In our tests, the Oxo produced consistently. The water temperature was within a small range (197.4 F to 205.0 F) for the entire test as measured by thermocouples located in the grounds basket. The brewing times were very close to the Specialty Coffee Association's suggested time for a high-quality drip.

The OXO Brew also comes with a single-serve feature that allows you brew coffee directly into your cup. This feature isn't present on other models with a higher price. It's an advantage for those who prefer to make individual servings of their coffee, but don't want the hassle of making an entire carafe.

The only drawback to the OXO is that it has no clock or automated start time. This could be a problem if you are on a tight schedule. The water tank can be difficult to remove because it has a lid which needs to be slid to access the reservoir. It comes with an inbuilt descaler, which helps to avoid mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

The Baratza Encore is a top burr mill available for coffee machine grinder lovers. This version of the original Encore has been revamped with upgrades that allow it to be compatible with a broader range of brewing methods and offer greater flexibility than ever before. It's designed for baristas at home who are just beginning out and anyone who wants to have a variety of brewing options on one grinder. It comes with steps for grinding and simple controls for beginners, along with notched and labeled settings for consistency. The M2 Burrs guarantee uniform grinding, and the hopper has an easy-to-clean quick release feature.

The ESP employs the same high-torque gear reduction DC motor as the original Encore but operates at lower speeds to reduce static charge and heat during the operation. It is also quieter than classic Encore and features a steel plate that helps improve burr consistency and stability. It's fitted with 40mm conical M2 burrs that are identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus, which helps it attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more reliable shots.

The ESP grind adjustment features 9 microns between each step, providing excellent resolution for espresso machine with grinder and pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with both 54 and 58mm portafilters. This enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can also be used with an old-fashioned grounds bin for those who prefer a hopper-based workflow.

The ESP's inconsistent performance in tests of consistency is a drawback, but it still performs better in comparison to other grinders at this price point. The settings for stepped grinds are also inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the right setting for your brewing style. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used to make a variety of brewing methods.

The Encore ESP costs a little higher than other models however its versatility is well worth the price. It can grind for filter or espresso brews. The shims that come with it will maximize its performance for Pour Over Brewing.

Baratza DF64

The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that works well with espresso and pour-over brewing. The burrs can be upgraded to improve performance and the hopper is sufficient to accommodate a range of grind sizes. The DF64 is also simple to operate and maintain with few moving parts. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality grinder for a reasonable price.

The DF64 Gen 2 is a significant improvement over the previous model and should be hard to beat by any other grinders in the same price range. The new model is more appealing to the eye. It features a simple flat-rounded base which can withstand up to The cradle can hold 20 grams at one time. It also comes with a rubber hose that pushes air through the grinder, thereby forcing 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 grinder coffee machine. 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.