20 Irrefutable Myths About Best Burr Grinder: Busted

How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A coffee grinder is a vital tool for any home coffee maker's arsenal. Which one should you purchase?

Burr grinders grind beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces instead of cutting them with blades. They are considered superior to blade grinders. What features should you look for in a burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

Like its name suggests, a conical burr crusher has one circular burr ring inside another one with angled teeth. This shape lets it grind more efficiently, as the burrs revolve around a single central point. The angled teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly and produce less heat. This is good because too much heat can cause bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs also last longer than flat burrs. Flat burrs can be susceptible to warping and become dull quickly, resulting in unevenly ground coffee. They are also more brittle, meaning that small stones or other debris can damage the burrs over time. In addition flat burrs create more noise and require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.

Many burr grinders that are offered for sale are marketed as "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders feature large, flattened teeth and are usually paired with motors that are weak, resulting in uneven ground. They are not genuine burr mills and, contrary to what some people think, they do not provide the same quality grind as genuine burr mills.

Although some experts disagree some believe that the burrs that are used in the grinder can have an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are largely based on anecdotes, but they have an unshakeable hold on the minds of coffee lovers. Some believe that conical burrs can bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs soften and enhance your brewing experience with shardor electric coffee & spice grinders darker roasts.

It could be the case. But it is something you should consider in the event that your grinder has a significant effect on the quality of your espresso. The only way to determine for certain is to try the grinder with the beans you'll be using it with. The overall design of the grinder and its operating features will have a greater influence on the final cup than the design or burrs. This is the reason it's crucial to assess a grinder on other criteria like the quality of the product and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee lovers swear by. It has been praised by numerous reviewers as an "time tested option" that is great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.

According to the company, the grinder uses rotating burrs made of metal rather than blades to crush beans. This produces more uniformly-sized ground than a grinder or other burr grinder. Additionally, the burrs generate less heat while they grind and preserves more of the bean's flavor and aroma.

Blade grinders, on the other hand they can generate excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds that affect the taste of your finished cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blade grinders. However, this can differ by model and brand.

Although the majority of burr grinders we test feature conical burrs, there are some that make use of flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing each other). We don't recommend these for espresso because they can be difficult to adjust and are generally less expensive than a top-of-the-line, flat-burr burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.

A few of the grinders we've tested allow users to control how long the machine will grind for a specific period of time, which is useful when you're making espresso. Some grinders, like our top choice Baratza Sette 270, have built-in timers that are accurate to a fraction of a second. But this feature isn't necessary for the majority of brewing methods, and most under-$200 burr grinders are based on an improved version of a windup timer.

The cheapest models we have in our lineup, such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs, meaning you have to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice if you are seeking an easy small, affordable alternative that doesn't require electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another affordable option that uses a burr grinder. It's louder than the other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you're not worried about some background noise. The quieter a grinder will generally be the more expensive. This is due to the more advanced materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.

3. Easy of Use

If you're just beginning to learn about home coffee brewing there's one piece of equipment that every expert says is essential that's a burr grinder. These grinders create a finer, more consistent grind than your standard blade grinder, and can help you create brews with better balance in the flavor, body and acidity. And they tend to do it more reliably. But, as you might expect, high-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and are complicated to use.

So, we talked to experts and obtained their recommendations for the most simple-to-use electric burr grinders available on the market. Many people, including those with a budget would recommend the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has various settings that can be used to handle different methods of brewing, from pour-over to French press to drip coffee, and it did well during our tests.

It's also quieter than the other grinders with electric motors we've test, and it doesn't create the same amount of heat as others do. This is important because excessive heat can ruin the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder has one disadvantage that it is best suited to grinding at the coarser end of its range. This can be a problem for espresso. If you like to brew espressos, a burr grinder with more advanced features, like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice.

Manual burr grinders, powered by cranking, are user-friendly and are great for those who consume only one or two cups of coffee a day. These grinders are ideal for those who travel, or only need to make only one cup of pour-over coffee.

Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder that has 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and is capable of producing an excellent drink for any method you choose--except espresso (the flat steel burrs don't grind well enough). It's easy to use for anyone who doesn't mind a little messes and flyaway chaff, and it's quiet.

4. Cost

A quality burr mill will cost you around a hundred dollars, but is well worth it. 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. The grinders produce a tiny amount of fines, which are little bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the size of grind you choose. However it's not evident to the majority of coffee drinkers.

Flat burrs, that are two discs that have cutting teeth that are facing each other They are not as common in home units, however they are favored by coffee geeks for their ability to provide an even grind size that is perfect for espresso and French press. The downside is that they are expensive to purchase, and you might need to buy new burrs for every different roast level or brew type.

According to our experts, the Baratza has the best price and capabilities for a burr mill. It's less than $200 which is a lot less than the majority of other models that don't offer the same capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that is perfect for all methods of brewing. It is easy to upgrade to other sets, like the ones from SSP.

The OXO is a good affordable option that has a good track record in our tests. Its burrs may not be as precise as those in more expensive models, but it does have various settings that work for drip and French press and its user interface is simple. While true coffee geeks may require a more sophisticated model, the OXO is a great starter for the majority of people.

We also tried a few manual burr grinders for those who prefer grinding their beans by hand. They are ideal for traveling and for people who only need to make two or three cups of coffee at each time. These models use the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders, but operate by hand instead of motors. They are also usually quieter than electric ones.