Best Conical Burr Grinder: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders It is possible to improve the quality of your morning coffee by grinding your own beans. There are a lot of different grinders available. This OXO grinder makes use of conical burrs to create an excellent grind for drip, French press and espresso. This grinder is a great choice for novices, however, those who are serious about coffee will require a more precise grind. OXO Brew You probably know if you make your own coffee that a good grinder is essential to achieve the best flavor. A good burr mill can cost as much as $200, which is prohibitive for those who aren't certain whether they'll actually make use of it. The OXO Brew is an excellent option for those who wants to enjoy freshly ground coffee without having to spend hundreds of dollars. The design of the OXO Brew isn't extravagant, but it's solid. The stainless steel body features a permanent water reservoir in the rear and a thermo caafe in the front. The carafe and tanks are designed to ensure that the body can be installed in smaller kitchens. The controls are concealed beneath the carafe to reduce the clutter. There is also a light that lets you know when it's heating or making. In our tests in our tests, the Oxo was consistently brewed. The water temperature was within a tight range—197.4 F to 205 F—for the entire test period according to thermocouples in the grounds basket and the water tank. Its brewing times were also very close to the Specialty Coffee Association's recommended time for a quality drip. Another plus for the OXO Brew is that it has a single-serve function that allows you to brew the coffee directly into the mug. This isn't something you can find in other models with a higher price and is an enormous benefit for those who like to make their own individual servings of coffee but don't wish to hassle with brewing an entire carafe of coffee. The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it does not include a clock or an automatic start time, which can be a problem when you have a hectic schedule. Additionally, the water tank can be tricky to remove, as it has a lid that has to be lifted off to access the reservoir. It comes with a built-in descaler, which assists in preventing mineral deposits from building up within the machine. Baratza Encore ESP If you're a lover of coffee and are looking for the best burr grinder the Baratza Encore ESP is your best choice. This version of the classic Encore was revamped to include upgrades that make it more compatible with a wider range of brewing techniques and offer greater versatility than ever before. It is designed for baristas at home who are just starting out and anyone looking to have a range of brewing options on one grinder. It comes with stepped grind adjustments and simple controls for beginners, along with notched and labeled settings to ensure consistency. The M2 Burrs guarantee uniform grinding, and the hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature. The ESP makes use of a high-torque DC motor with gear reduction, similar to the original Encore. However it operates at lower speeds to lower static charge and heat. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore and comes with a an upgraded metal plate which improves stability and consistency. It's equipped with conical burrs that measure 40 millimeters similar to those that are found in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This helps it get a better size of grind distribution and consistent shots. The ESP grind adjustment is 9 microns between each step, providing excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups fit both 54 and 58mm portafilters. This improves the ergonomics for manual dosing. The grinder can be used with the traditional grounds bin if you prefer a hopper based workflow. The ESP's inconsistent performance during tests of consistency is a problem however, it is better than other grinders at this price point. The stepped settings are inconsistant making it difficult to locate the ideal setting for your particular brewing process. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used for different brewing methods. The Encore ESP costs a little higher than other models, but its versatility is worth it. It can grind for filter and espresso drinks. The included shims will maximize 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 increase efficiency and the hopper can accommodate a variety of different grind sizes. The DF64 has a small number of moving parts, making it easy to maintain and operate. This is an excellent choice for anyone who wants 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 any other grinders in the same price range. The new model has a new appearance that is more appealing to the eye. It is a flat-rounded base that can withstand up to 20 grams of beans at a single time and a single dose cradle. It also has a rubber bellows that is able to push air through the grinder as you take 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. The Ode is unique among coffee grinder s 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.