Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

It is possible to make your morning coffee more enjoyable by grinding your own beans. However, there are a variety of grinders out there.

This OXO grinder is equipped with conical burrs that create a grind suitable for French press espresso, drip coffee and French press. This grinder is an excellent choice for beginners, but hardcore coffee geeks will want an exact grind.

OXO Brew

If you're into making your own coffee at home, then you are aware that it requires a good grinder to produce the best conical burr grinder (lovewiki.faith) flavor. However, a good burr grinder can cost upwards of $200, which can be a bit expensive for those who aren't certain if they'll be using regularly or not. The OXO Brew is an excellent option for those looking to enjoy freshly-ground coffee beans and grinder without spending hundreds of pounds.

The design of the OXO Brew may not be flashy, but it's stylish. The stainless steel body features a permanent water reservoir in the rear, and a thermal caafe at the front. The tanks and carafe are shaped in such a way that the body can be easily incorporated into smaller kitchens. The controls are located below the carafe to minimize clutter, and there's a light that lets you know when it's heating or making.

In our tests, the Oxo brewed consistently well. The water temperature was within a narrow range (197.4 F to 205.0 F) throughout the entire test, as measured by thermocouples that were located in the basket for the grounds. The brewing time was close to the time that the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for an excellent drip.

Another plus for the OXO Brew is that it has one-serve functionality that allows you to brew your coffee directly into the cup. This isn't an option that's available in other models of high-end and can be an important benefit for those who like to make their own individual portions of coffee but do not want the hassle of brewing the entire carafe of espresso.

The only drawback to the OXO is that it has no clock or an automatic start time. This can be a problem if you are on a strict timeframe. Additionally the water tank could be difficult to remove, as it has a lid that needs to be lifted off to access the reservoir. It comes with an inbuilt descaler, which assists in preventing mineral deposits from building up within the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

The Baratza Encore is the most popular burr mill for coffee enthusiasts. This version of the original Encore was redesigned to incorporate enhancements that make it compatible with a greater variety of brewing methods and provide more flexibility than ever before. It's for home baristas who are just starting out and anyone who wants to have a variety of brewing options on one grinder. It features an adjustable stepped grind and simple controls for novice baristas as well as marked and notched settings to ensure consistency. Its M2 Burrs ensure uniform grinding, and its hopper is easy to clean with its quick release feature.

The ESP makes use of a high-torque DC motor with gear reduction, just like the original Encore. However, it runs at lower speeds to reduce static charge and heat. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore and has a new metal plate that improves stability and burr consistency. It comes with conical burrs of 40 millimeters similar to those that are found in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This helps to attain a greater grind size distribution and consistent shots.

Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns. This gives high resolution when dialing in espresso, and smaller grinding for pour over. It has a new dosing cup that fits both 54 and 58 mm portafilters, which improves the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can be used with the traditional grounds bin in the event that you prefer a hopper based workflow.

The ESP's inconsistency in tests of consistency is a problem, but it still performs better in comparison to other grinders in this price range. The stepped grind settings can also be inconsistent, making it difficult to determine the right setting for your brewing style. The ESP is a versatile brewer that can be used for a variety of brewing methods.

The Encore ESP is also a bit more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it's well worth the extra cost due to its impressive flexibility. It can grind for filter and espresso brews. The shims included will optimize its performance for Pour Over Brewing.

Baratza DF64

The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that is compatible 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 only a few moving parts. 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 should be hard to beat by other grinder within the same price range. The new model has an updated design that is a lot more appealing to the eye. It features a simple flat-rounded base that can withstand up to The cradle can accommodate 20 grams at one time. It also comes with a rubber bellows that is able to push air through the grinder as you do the dose, to eliminate 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 electric coffee grinder 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 coffee grinder 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.