Right. And don’t get confused with the naming. Bambino Plus is much better than Bambino. So Bambino Plus and (“plus” lol) whatever grinder floats your boat. Encore ESP is recommended, I had issues with the Pro version so maybe stay away from that. But I’ve seen many people content with just the all-in-ones, no shame in owning what makes you happy. I have a Moccamaster, Virtuoso+, Encore ESP Pro, and Bambino Plus. And I still sometimes use my Stagg kettle and Acaia scale to make pour over, or my hand grinder when someone wants decaf. Such is life.
Right. And don’t get confused with the naming. Bambino Plus is much better than Bambino. So Bambino Plus and (“plus” lol) whatever grinder floats your boat. Encore ESP is recommended, I had issues with the Pro version so maybe stay away from that. But I’ve seen many people content with just the all-in-ones, no shame in owning what makes you happy. I have a Moccamaster, Virtuoso+, Encore ESP Pro, and Bambino Plus. And I still sometimes use my Stagg kettle and Acaia scale to make pour over, or my hand grinder when someone wants decaf. Such is life.
Don’t get it twisted, you will not stop spending your money at Starbucks. If anything, the amount of money I spend on coffee went up after I bought a full system. So let’s be realistic and say it cuts down half your trips. That’s $1,000. At that point, your best bet is the Bambino + Baratza combo everyone is recommending (the next step up is way out of your budget, curse of the Bambino). You could go with the Breville Express if you don’t mind all in one. It won’t be as good, but still better than what you get at Starbucks.
You want to get an espresso focused grinder and a reputable brand under $300. I have three good options. In order of preference considering (grind/burrs, retention, user experience, durability)
1.) Varia VS3 ($270) changeable burr options & quiet
2.) 1Zpresso J Ultra ($199) hand grinder with great accuracy and flavors
3.) Baratza Encore ESP Pro ($299) old faithful but the Varia looks better and quieter with many burr options
I’m sorry but I don’t recommend the DF54. Too many complaints and user issues. Turin has a lot of fans though, I’m just not one of them 🤷♂️🤠
Baratza ESP Pro. $300 at launch in August. I really feel it’s the ESP Pro/ESP and Df54 in the 300 and under range for electric grinders. I like that the pro had a lot of quality upgrades (stepless, digital display, construction, auto stop) over the standard ESP. I chose the Baratza over the df54 due to access to domestic customer support/repairability. Paired with a regular bambino.
Dreaming of a Mazzer Philos one day!
the Baratza ESP PRO is a winner for Filter, pour over and basic espresso. and its priced super great! we use it all the time in shop for demos and classes [https://torque.coffee/products/baratza-encore™-esp-pro-coffee-espresso-grinder](https://torque.coffee/products/baratza-encore™-esp-pro-coffee-espresso-grinder) the ESP is lower priced but struggles to get fine enough for better espresso machines that do a full 9 bars like the Brevilles do.
the Baratza ESP PRO is a winner for Filter, pour over and basic espresso. and its priced super great! we use it all the time in shop for demos and classes [https://torque.coffee/products/baratza-encore™-esp-pro-coffee-espresso-grinder](https://torque.coffee/products/baratza-encore™-esp-pro-coffee-espresso-grinder) the ESP is lower priced but struggles to get fine enough for better espresso machines that do a full 9 bars like the Brevilles do.
Baratza ESP or ESP Pro, no question.
Avoid the SGPs. They are old designs, barely suitable for dark, oily roasts of dubious origins; perhaps a step up from a blade grinder. Apologies to contented users of these; mainly I am irate at the gall of Breville's inflated pricing for them.
Baratza Encore has very capable Etzinger burrs that do a great job across roast levels and brew methods, and are probably held back by the...frugal build of the Encore. But for the price, they're great. Get the Pro if you can swing it (for the quality of life/workflow improvements), but don't feel like you're missing out if the regular Encore ESP is within easier reach.
Baratza service is still excellent, despite its recent acquisition by Breville.
As much as I dislike the DFs for their teething issues so far, I will concede that they have a decent grinder in the DF54, for the price point. However, not a lot of choices in 54mm space, so you're a little bit stuck unless you perform [some surgery](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADnoqcns4dc).
The other contender is the Encore ESP. So much plastic. But a respectable burr for a broad range of espresso and filter roast levels.
I would avoid the Breville Smart Grinder for its jankiness. It makes passable cups for dark roast only, and has poor prospects for repairs/upgrades.
Similarly, I think Eurekas in general are quite overpriced and hard to use because of their antediluvian grind chamber design (lots of retention) and what might possibly be the industry's most user-unfriendly grind adjustment knob (tiny diameter, unable to calibrate/zero, small adjustments all but impossible due to thread lash, easy to lose track of revolutions). Also, Eureka seems insistent on undersized, under populated, (and underperforming) burrs of proprietary specs, so upgrading/exploring other burrs is not possible.
Kidding-not-kidding recommendation: amzn has a $170 grinder from Shardor that can host standard 64mm flat burrs. The grinder itself is a plastic copy of a Mazzer Super Jolly, down to the aggressively sprung but huge grind adjustment dial. However, the grind chamber and carrier are well machined, with a properly sized exit path/chute. Save a few bucks, invest in a pair of SSP MPs or Ditting Cast LS, and call it a day.
Hope that helps, let us know how you get on
In cup, Niche Zero is pretty similar, but as others have noted, out of budget, especially with the tariff nonsense rendering them especially unworthy.
Baratza Sette 270 is noisy, plasticky, and janky. But excellent support from Baratza and the Etzinger burr gets you better texture and flavor (more clarity, sweetness, dramatically less ashy bitterness). Sometimes on sale just below USD$300.
Baratza Encore ESP. Also an Etzinger burr, more liveable than the Sette, perhaps. I mean seriously, the Sette is noisy.
Varia VS3 — good when they are good, but I guess QA got wobbly. I had one in a lab for a year, where people abused it 30-40 times a day without a hiccup. But some units were plagued by drifting grind dials which I agree would be infuriating. Stock burrs are decent in cup, maybe slightly cleaner than Niche/JMax. Good body, slow to grind. Excellent build.
Baratza ESP or ESP Pro, no question.
Avoid the SGPs. They are old designs, barely suitable for dark, oily roasts of dubious origins; perhaps a step up from a blade grinder. Apologies to contented users of these; mainly I am irate at the gall of Breville's inflated pricing for them.
Baratza Encore has very capable Etzinger burrs that do a great job across roast levels and brew methods, and are probably held back by the...frugal build of the Encore. But for the price, they're great. Get the Pro if you can swing it (for the quality of life/workflow improvements), but don't feel like you're missing out if the regular Encore ESP is within easier reach.
Baratza service is still excellent, despite its recent acquisition by Breville.
aboynamedculver
