Baratza - Encore ESP (ZCG495)

I made the jump from a basic blade grinder to the [Baratza Encore ESP](https://www.reviewni.com/product/B0BW272XCV), and wow, what a difference! If you’re just getting into espresso (like me), this upgrade is a game-changer. My old grinder gave me wildly inconsistent grind sizes, which made dialing in espresso with my Breville Bambino Plus a nightmare. The Encore ESP, with its conical burrs, fixes that -- it pumps out fine, consistent grinds every time. My espresso shots have never been more tame: way less bitterness, way less weird sourness, and no more crazy channeling. Just reliable extractions that taste the same every time. It's also super beginner-friendly, with simple controls and a smooth cleaning process (though the first time I tried to get the lower burr out, the lock-screw fought me hard, factory must’ve gorilla-tightened it). A quick tip: if you’re cleaning, watch some YouTube breakdowns and be careful with those little washers and felts. I grabbed some spare parts from the Baratza site just in case.

Encore Esp is a workhorse. It just works without a fuss.

I am pretty sure the esp has the M burr which is touted as an upgrade. That said, you can swap in the M burr and it used to be priced around 45 usd if you could find it.

1. Manual grinders are not that bad if you're grinding for 1 cup. But not timemore c2. Get something long lasting like kingrinder k6, 1zpresso, etc. 2. In addition to being electric, electric grinders bring a level of consistency in brewing process. Hand grinder output can change based on how fast you're rotating, what angle you're holding the grinder at, etc. But if you must get an electric, dont cheap out. Cheap grinders will not grind fine and consistent enough to be respectable. The bare minimum is bartaza encore esp or the best budget being df54.

Start with the Encore. It's more than good enough for batch filter coffee. I used an Ode 2 for years and I can't say I was ever too impressed with it.

Price/value I'd go for a Baratza Encore ESP. I bought that one and a Bambino Plus last year and it has served me well. Got it for 100 quid new on Black Friday and puts out nice coffee. To get something better you have to go at least double.

I got the Fellow Opus, but that seems more geared towards pour-over coffee. It is capable of doing espresso as well; however, dialing in the coffee is finicky. The other one, which is similarly priced, would be the Baratza Encore ESP, which is made especially for espresso. James Hoffman recently made a video regarding coffee grinders in this range. You may want to check that on YouTube as well.

I second this. it's a very solid flat burr grinder with a lot of range from filter coffee to espresso. Build quality is fantastic, but it is a single dose grinder, so if you are looking for something with a hopper that can grind through larger amounts, then Baratza Encore ESP is a good introductory grinder with espresso range

Comments like these are why the ESP was my first decent electric grinder.

Hmm, i push my percolator brews up to like ~34, perhaps it is the beans I use for percolator coffee, but i find any finer and the ESP makes too many fines in the "middle range" of its settings.

Baratza ESP gang where we at 😭

Nice! In that case I would go for the Breville and probably a Baratza Encore ESP for the grinder, should be $500 total

I have the baratza esp and it gets the job done, I wouldn't over think it. It is loud, but it doesn't bother me, but if it is important for you keep it in mind

I got a 1zpresso j-ultra a couple weeks ago and haven't used my electric grinder since (baratza encore esp). I know you're tired of hand- grinding, but it's so easy on the jultra and the results are fantastic. It takes me about 50 seconds to grind through 18 grams, but i could go faster if I wanted. If you really want an electric grinder, the encore esp is $200 and will give you good results. The best in the $200 and under price range. But if you spent a little more $ on a df54, I think you'll be happier with that.

Get the encore esp. if you’re in the states, perc coffee has a sale every 13th of the month. You can get it for 31% off. Makes it a very good deal.

Baratza ESP is a clear winner for the money. Even Lance Hedrick gives it an A for all it can do. You’ll only need to endure the signature Encore noise profile for a few seconds every day. Side note: get a single dose hopper.

I got mine through Perc coffee in Savannah GA during their monthly sale for $138. I stand by this decision.

Damn I have the baratza encore ESP... Loooool it didn't even make it on the list 😂😂😂😂😂😂

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

Honestly? Baratza encore is easily your best choice that’s not a hand grinder

They’re great! I’ve had quite a few grinders, currently use a Timemore 064s w/ SSP Lab Sweet burrs. But if I ever had to restart my setup on a budget the encore would easily be my choice and I’d be perfectly happy.

I’d go with the Encore ESP. They’re genuinely good grinders that are easy to repair. Will you probably want to upgrade one day? Yeah, because we all have G.A.S. But it’ll last you as long as you want it to. If you’d rather spend $100 though, I’d grab a kin grinder k6 as some others have said. The OXO is serviceable, but you’d be better off with a k6. Plus if (when) you do decide to upgrade to something nicer, you’ve still got a great versatile grinder you can travel with.

TL;DR: I have only one grinder that I use acros the range. My Fiorenzato AllGround Sense does a great, consistent grid from pour over to espresso. If I did a lot of French press, I might still need a mortar & pestle. I have a Fiorenzato AllGround Sense which, I believe, is just over the 1K$ US threshold. I've had two Baratza's (ESP and Sette 270wi) that did espresso to my liking at the very edge of their range but the motors both died. I then got a flat burr grinder that ground well with more range for espresso but was still in the price range of the Baratzas (400US or so) I won't name the grinder as I neither wish to defend or debate it but the motor also died. I did some research and bought the AllGround Sense for it's beefy motors and because I now had the taste for flat burrs. I've never used the finer third of the dial as for my beans and tastes, it's fine ... enough. I grind some decaf drip for my wife, do some pour overs for friends and have developed a sense of where the dial needs to be. I suspect that the first time I do a dark French press it may not have a fine enough setting bit that day may never come.

I have both the J-Ultra and the Encore ESP. The latter I got after 4 or so months of handgrinding. I wouldn’t say I lost anything in terms of taste, as we prefer medium to dark roast in our espresso. On the contrary I’d say as I enjoy the more rounded shots I get now. The ESP has also been a lot easier when dialing in and more predictable. It was too much guesswork with the J-Ultra.

I have an encore esp and I'm being plagued by clumping and retention. I thought of getting a DF54 cause that's all my budget is atm, but thought that that would have been more of a side grade than an upgrade. Plus that grinder also had some clumping and static issues so I decided to not get a grinder till next year, save up for a df65. But then I saw this post, and another, and thought to try this one out. Ordered from Amazon US cause it's not sold on Amazon Canada. Had to pay $15 shipping and $17 customs (USD), for a total of around $157 US which was the cheapest. Waiting patiently for it to arrive!

Yeah pretty much, that's what it looked like. It would not leave the esp's grind chamber until new coffee forced it out in the form of clumps. I haven't had the time to write a review but another Redditor asked me the same question. DM me I'll copy paste my replies to them to you.

Also got an Esp 6 months ago and am loving it! Highly recommend if it's within budget.

I just got into the hobby and I got a Baratza Encore ESP. I don't really have anything to compare it to but so far I'm happy with it, does everything I need it to and seems to grind well.

Note this model grind numbers are very different than the non ESP....so start in the mid 20's to find your optimum if you go this way.

Baratza Encore. Want to do more espresso (while still on the cheap)? Baratza Encore ESP. That's the most budget I would go. There's some hand grinder options but I'll let someone else talk about that.

Baratza Encore. Want to do more espresso (while still on the cheap)? Baratza Encore ESP. That's the most budget I would go. There's some hand grinder options but I'll let someone else talk about that.

Here are my settings on the ESP - 24 for single cup pour over (Zero Japan) - 26 for pour over carafe (wire basket) - 12 for espresso (Capresso Ultima Pro) - 28 for percolator (Coletti) If your coffee is watery, you may not be using enough coffee or the grind is too coarse allowing unpressurized water to pass too fas

I’m very new to percolation, 28 hit a decent spot but don’t use it enough to have tested different grinds

The upgraded burrs for the Encore ESP/ESP Pro will provide better grind quality than the OXO. I am not aware of any head-to-head comparisons between an Encore ESP/ESP Pro and the OXO. I've only seen direct comparisons between the base Encore and OXO, and yes--the grind quality will be comparable between the base Encore and the OXO. You may wish to consider hand grinders for pourover, unless you will be batch brewing as well. What are you looking for in terms of flavor profile for your pourovers?

At your budget of $300, I recommend that you get two grinders, one for pourover and one for espresso. It's a real pain to use a single grinder for both pourover and espresso. I recommend that you get the K6 hand grinder for pourover and the Encore ESP for espresso. The Encore ESP will be quite a bit better than the built-in grinder in your Barista Express. This would fit in your budget (barely, but it fits), and perform very well for you. The K6 is generally considered the best hand grinder you can get for $100, and it's a good all-around performer.

1. OXO isn't garbage. It's a perfectly competent entry-level electric grinder. Many people don't need anything more than what OXO provides. That said, the OP probably should look at something better than an OXO. 2. "Even a hand grinder is better"? Ummm . . . some of the best grinders around are hand grinders. Furthermore, at the $300 and less price point, a hand grinder will typically produce superior grind quality than the equivalently priced electric grinder. Your comment suggests that hand grinders are somehow “less than”.

Encore ESP, because it's an X-Mas present. DF54 might be the superior performer, but Baratza is a well-established brand and will be much easier to get support for if needed.

# **Without philosophizing in the answer, you have two options: a handgrinder, or electric grinder.** — ## **🔹 Hand Grinders** ### **High-End Options:** - **1Zpresso K-Ultra** – External adjustment, versatile for both pourover & espresso. - **1Zpresso J-Max** – 8.8-micron steps, optimized for espresso but handles pourover. - **Kinu M47 Phoenix / Classic** – Precise & durable, great for both. - **Comandante C40 MK4** – Ideal for pourover; needs *Red Clix* for better espresso dialing. - **Timemore Chestnut S3** – Stepless adjustment, more suited for pourover. - **1Zpresso ZP6** – Produces ultra-clean grinds, excelling in filter brews. ### **Mid-Range Options:** - **1Zpresso JX-Pro** – Espresso-friendly with finer adjustments than JX. - **Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP** – Budget option with espresso-compatible burrs, decent for pourover. - **1Zpresso X-Pro** – Compact, external adjustment, slower but espresso-capable. — ## **⚡ Electric Grinders** ### **High-End Options:** - **Mahlkönig EK43** – The gold standard in specialty coffee shops. - **Weber EG-1** – Premium single-dose grinder for all brew methods. - **Lagom P100** – High-performance, SSP burr options for precision grinding. ### **Mid-Range / Prosumer Options:** - **DF64 Gen 2 / DF64P / DF64E** – Affordable single-dose grinders, great for both. - **Niche Zero** – Top-tier single-dose grinder for espresso & pourover. - **Eureka Mignon Specialita** – Stepless adjustment, solid for espresso & can handle pourover. - **Fellow Opus** – Budget-friendly, designed for both espresso & filter brewing. - **Baratza Vario+ / Sette 270** – Great entry-level grinders with micro-adjustments for espresso. - **Timemore Sculptor 078 / 064S** – New contenders with solid grind consistency. ### **Budget-Friendly Options:** - **Fellow Ode Gen 2** (Needs *SSP burrs* for espresso) – Excellent for pourover, but needs mods for espresso. - **Baratza Encore ESP** – Beginner-friendly with stepped adjustments. - **Eureka Mignon Crono** – Simple & effective for both espresso & filter. — 🔎 **Check reviews before buying**—grind quality & user experience vary. Preferences are subjective!

I had the X-Ultra and it was great. “Upgraded” to the encore esp as I wanted to be able to grind faster. Still can’t dial in those perfect shots like I did with the manual. If time isn’t an issue get the J-Ultra or X-Ultra

Baratza Encore ESP or DF54. I've had both, I stuck with the DF54. Not sure if the express has the baratza burrs but if it did id lean towards the DF54 Purely so I have a flat burr and cone burr for comparison.

I enjoyed my encore esp. Baratza is a great brand with the best customer service around where DF grinders leave you in the dark in that aspect and might not have the build quality to last long (although people swear by them so I can’t comment)

Would love to hear what grind settings everyone is using for coffee on the ESP. I use a Breville Precision Brewer with the cone filter and ever since I purchased the ESP a month ago I can’t get a good cup of coffee out of it. I’ve tried almost everything from 20-31 and it is always watery

Thank you! I’ve tried a wide range of coarseness/fineness and it is always watery. I use 15g of coffee for 250ml of water. I always used this ratio and always made great cups when I had a fellow ode gen 2. I’m wondering if it’s the heating element of the machine or something at this point. I know grinders are the most important, but I have a hard time believing that switching from the ode gen 2 to the esp makes it impossible to make drinkable coffee

i just put an extra shim in mine and it really does make a significant difference. Setting 4 with a nice Brazil light roast on my Flair 58 is the best espresso I've ever made.

Yeah I am quite satisfied with my Flair 58+ (on sale) and Encore ESP combo.

Make sure to get the Baratza encore ESP as the normal one isn’t designed for espresso

What this guy said ^ to echo I bought a fellow opus as well. I wanted to upgrade my pourover grinder . So I got the opus pourover mainly during the week and use the opus for espresso on the weekends . When I have time to savour the whole process better. I also wanted a single dose grinder, I prefer them over inadequate dose from the entry burr grinders and noise. One can just add exact beans to the empty hopper. The opus gets the job done but find has retention issues more so for espresso. I really like the different catch cups on the opus . It makes adding fine ground espresso so easy to my portifilters /dosing funnels . @ Alienfever I feel your pain ! As well @op the ESP was my second choice ! It's a solid grinder ! More solid than the opus ! I'm going from other coffee store recommendations as well as others ! Not to mention a pro like James Hoffman ! The ESP was another sixty bucks and doesn't really do pourover well ! So I couldn't justify the extra as my goal is to get a better grinder. Sooooo my response !t ! Op I'd suggest your budget ! What you want your grinder to all do ! How long you will have it ! I wasnt ready to invest in a better grinder than what I got. The opus will get used strictly as pour over once I get the espresso grinder of my dreams 🤩😍😅 this way my funds won't be totally wasted ! My espresso game stepped up amazingly with a 200 dollar grinder . Can't wait win a I get 600 to 800 dollar grinder. Choose wisely 😀

100% of people will say breville. cheapest grinder would be baratza encore esp. but id spend more and get a grinder you won't have to upgrade again, ie a df64. grinder is the most important part of good espresso.

ESP is more towards espresso > Aeropress > Pourover, the regular encore is more Aeropress > Pourover > chemex > French Press.

The ESP just isn't at all flashy so it doesn't get mentioned much. It does the job. It does it pretty gosh darn well for it's price, but its design is very dated and its the successor to a classic, which never gets as much love as the classic itself. For what it is worth, I have no complains about mine and have only avoided getting the 54 because I think it would be a side grade rather than an upgrade (ok, it'd be an upgrade, but only slightly).

Its okay okay.. not the best not the worst. probabbly similar to Encore ESP.

I was hand grinding, it was fine for just AeroPress but other times I wanted to make more using a Chemex or French Press. I just got a Barazta Encore ESP. They make a single dose hopper that I plan on getting for smaller amounts

I don't have an espresso maker so I can't speak for that aspect. It doesn't do timed or weighted doses so you will have to pre-weigh your beans. But for the cost it's done what I wanted which is to not hand grind larger amounts. Before I knew very much about coffee I had a Cuisinart burr grinder and the ESP is miles ahead of it in terms of volume, speed, and grind size consistency.

LOL, love this. I was using a similar mod on my Hairo Sekrton for like 8 years. My GF got tired of me keeping a drill in the kitchen so she bought me a Baratza Encore ESP this past Christmas. Works well enough for Espresso, Pour Over, and French Press. You might look at the Turin DF54 as well. Both are about your range.

My Baratza esp has been solid and their customer service is top notch!

I have the encore ESP and love mine for aeropress

The ESP is on Amazon for $199. If you don't need a digital display for grinding time, it's basically the same grinder as the Virtuoso+. Both have the M2 burrs.

The ESP can have some retention now and again, so I weigh twice: input dose, output grounds.

Recomendo o Baratza Encore Espresso. É bastante bom para o preço que deve ficar pelos 200€ ou abaixo. Tenho um moinho destes há quase um ano e pouco com que me queixar.

Anyone buy Breville refurbished from factory. Grinder and bambino are well priced. Love my bambino with baratza esp.

When I did my research Baratza Encore ESP did very well for under $200.

Ah yeah I would agree, it’s probably not very good. If you’re looking for manual, the lineup from 1zpresso or Kingrinder is great. For electric, Baratza Encore ESP, Fellow Opus, or something from the DF series. All of these (aside from the DF) are conical burrs, and will be a massive upgrade from a $20 hand grinder.

The Opus is great. The only thing I’d consider is the grind adjustment system, there is a standard dial for macro adjustments and then a second internal dial for more precise dialing in, which could be a bit confusing for beginners. But it’s pretty head-to-head with the Baratza Encore ESP. The Opus is certainly quieter and easier on the eyes.

Unless you’re open to a hand grinder, the best electric recommendations in that price range are going to be the Fellow Opus and Baratza Encore ESP. I tend to lean towards the Baratza because their brand has a reputation for longevity (and customer support, if you’re in the US). The Fellow is good, but the dialing system can be a bit more challenging for beginners, and I find the build quality to be a bit less sturdy (re: there have been cases of the plastic base starting to crack from tapping/hitting grinds out). Though, if volume and overall sound of grinding is important to you, you may prefer the Fellow. It’s more of a low hum, as opposed to a loud, more high-pitched sound on the Baratza.

Most grinders can. From the budget end like the Encore ESP all the way up to the premium stuff. And most people do have just 1 grinder. Or one electric for espresso and one hand grinder for filter (because it’s much easier to grind for filter) It’s only this sub that are the enthusiast outliers. The problem for those fussy enough about it, isn’t so much as the grinder not being able to do double duty, but the hassle of getting back espresso settings after grinding for filter.

yeah the encore esp would be good because it would also be an upgrade over your sage built in grinder, so you could use it for espresso too. i’m not sure if they sell it with the single dose hopper and dosing cup, but you would definitely want to weigh and single dose your beans if you’re looking to improve your espresso and get consistent results with the aeropress. i suggested a hand grinder in my other comments but if you want a grinder to also upgrade your sage built in grinder then i would go electric and do the baratza encore esp or spend more for a df54.

Hey all, I have finally narrowed down the list of grinders I am considering. I have the BBE and I am ready to upgrade on the grinder side of things; other than that the machine is amazing though. I am mostly making lattes and milk based drinks. Price is obviously a factor, given the products on the list, but the most important to me will be the user interface and the quality of the coffee it puts out (yes I use fresh beans). If I am missing something you think might fit on this list or there are other recs, I would love to hear! **Turin/Miicoffee DF54:** This seems to be the hot commodity right now, and its hard to argue with all of the positive reviews. My only turn-off is the negatives I have heard about retention/cleaning/clogging, but at this price point, I should keep up with cleaning anyway. My other concern (small) is that they don't seem to be shipping out for another few weeks, and I don't know how many more beans I am willing to waste on a crap grinder. **Varia VS3**: Also looks great, but some LOVE it and others HATE it. **Barratza Encore ESP:** not much to say here, probably the most reviewed/recommended grinder, but is it more worth it to spend an extra $20-$50 for the DF54 or similar? **Urbanic 070S**: Actually never even heard of this until I saw it in one of Lance's tier lists. Looks sweet and amazing price point, but that's about all I know. Know nothing about the quality. **LELIT Fred Tempo:** Saw it on sale at Williams sonoma, know absolutely nothing about it lol but the LELIT name carries weight. **LAGOM mini 2**: Also don't know much, but its a nice size, look, and price. **Orphan Espresso Lido OG:** I saw this in a tier list I believe and don't know too much about it. I don't necessarily LOVE the idea of a hand grinder, but I also wouldn't pass it up if I am paying \~$275 for the coffee quality of a $600 electric grinder. But this seems to be the best of the best with hand grinders at this price point. **1zpresso K-series or J-series:** Just to add another solid hand grinder to the list. Again, def let me know if you think I am missing anything. Would love to hear from current owners, users, etc... What would you all recommend?

Ended up choosing the baratza encore esp! Hard to argue with the countless reviews and consistent taste reported across the board. Plus ui is easy

I actually ended up pulling the trigger on the Baratza esp. between user interface, coffee quality, and the years of good reviews it was a no brainer. I’m also returning my bbe and getting the breville bambino plus instead, save like 50 bucks and some counter space. Feels weird to have the bbe if I’m not using the grinder lol. Plus the auto milk steaming seems useful

Save your money until you are able to purchase a Barattza Encore Esp. None of the grinders that you asked about make acceptable coffee.

That is the right one. To expand on my last comment, both of those grinders you asked about would likely not grind fine enough for espresso, additionally the combination of workflow and grind quality would mean that you would be overall not particularly satisfied. If you really aren't able to purchase a higher quality grinder than that budget would allow (which is fair, no shame) I would recommend either sticking it out and waiting (easier said than done of course) OR unfortunately buying a hand grinder, I know you've said you're not interested in that but it really is the very cheapest way to get good coffee. Since I'm not super familiar with importing costs I'll give a short list of reasonably cheap grinders that would be satisfactory for quite some time, I'll also give there current price in USD on amazon (or their website), I know that's not extremely helpful but hopefully its something. Barattza Encore ESP $200 Fellow Opus $195 Turin/MiiCoffee SD40S ( or similar variants like the SK40) $170 Breville/Sage Smart Grinder Pro $200 Urbanic 070s $169 Some handgrinder recommendations off the top of my head Kingrinder K6 Timore C2 Normcore V2 Any affordable comandante or 1zpresso grinders (just make sure they can do espresso)

I have the encore ESP and it has broken six months after having it. They sent me a replacement. I’ve had that for seven months and now that broke not due to negligence because I have been keeping it clean. I don’t know what’s going on. I use freshly roasted beans from a Good company so I don’t know what’s going on.!!! Ugh

My first machines were the Breville bambino and the baratza encore esp I upgraded my grinder after 9 months maybe because it broke down on me 3 times I got the df64 gen 2 grinder and still use my bambino so it’s definitely worth it. Bambino is still going strong but I would recommend getting the df64 gen 2 grinder because it’s great haven’t had any issues with it.

Encore ESP punches way above its weight! We use one for decaf espresso, V60 & Moccamaster grinding. The thing it gets right (a. Billion times better than an Eureka) is ease of adjustment.

Yes, I think they are great. Much less retention than the Mignon we originally bought & then returned. Easy to adjust, reliable. We use it for decaf, V60 & filter in a small cafe.

An encore ESP does our decaf. Small, cheap but punches way above it's weight!

I would get an electric one, it really is worth the convenience on the days you don't want to hand grind. But the main reason is I don't think hand grinders make as good espresso, well most. They can make a soup shot so if you like light roast and dont want milk in it, they are good. If you want traditional espresso an electric would be good. Before the Sage I would look at the fellow opus or even the baratza esp which is the same brand as sage. Or if you can get a flat burr probably that 400 range unfortunetly. They have the df-54 which is cheap and the fellow ode gen 2. Not sure what type coffee you make but as long as you don't use an open face portafilter or want Turkish it works best.

As a rule of thumb I try to avoid gifting people projects. Espresso is a hobby and if she’s not interested it may just collect dust. I also would not suggest a hand grinder for espresso, look at encore esp or df54. They might not taste as good but would be much easier to use. If it’s more about the asthetic of espresso ( I say this because the alternative is nespresso) maybe look at bbe or ninja lux (usually not recommended in these subs but this could be the exception). I’m kinda assuming she is not a huge gearhead but if she is totally include her in the choice, she will have opinions.

So so important. Some people would say that it's better to spend money on grinder than espresso machine. That said, a Baratza Encore ESP is a fantastic entry level espresso grinder. It grinds really well for the money, and is really reliable. Plus if it does ever break, Baratza are well known for being really good at providing spare parts.

The ESP is the Encore with upgraded burr, and also a fine adjustment system. It's primarily designed for Espresso but it's still an improvement on the base Encore for pour over. Alternatively you can buy the base Encore and then later upgrade the burr to get mostly the same result (I've just done exactly that).

The ESP is the Encore with upgraded burr, and also a fine adjustment system. It's primarily designed for Espresso but it's still an improvement on the base Encore for pour over. Alternatively you can buy the base Encore and then later upgrade the burr to get mostly the same result (I've just done exactly that).

Yes, it's great - exactly what I was going to suggest.

I was also optimistic by starting with a manual grinder which may grind better for the money than some other electric grinders but I switched to a baratza esp. Impressed with the quality. Way easier, especially when we have guests. The espresso machine is great, have the same one

😭Well damn. Back in 2020 or 2021 I watched a ton of videos on grinders and came to conclusion of wanting the Wilfa due to the Hoff. Sadly it wasnt in America. I just replaced my cheaper grinder with a Barazata Encore ESP but I would have considered the Wilfa had I looked it up again

On the ESP I find 16 is a good setting for AeroPress or for fresh espresso beans (18g works well in the single walled basket on my Bambino). On older store-bought espresso I dial it up to 18 and use 16g in the double walled basket, which gives more like a 1:3 ratio—which works well for milk drinks (and store bought espresso…) When I make cold brew (immersion method) or filter coffee, I dial up to 30. Hope that helps!

Have had the Baratza Encore ESP for 19+ months (usage 1-2x/day); no issue, no broken anything, I leave it alone and it simply does its job, nicely. :) (And note, the original, \*non-ESP\* Encore was not designed for espresso.) You also may want to consider a hand-grinder; the KinGrinder K4 and K6 often get recommended here for their quality/output/price ratio; and the \*very\* nice 1Zpresso J-Ultra with its small grind steps (and 2x the KinGrinder K4 and K6 price) currently is on a great (and rare) sale, e.g. at the 1Zpresso website and some Amazon sites.

For me, my Baratza Encore ESP is no noisier than other kitchen appliances, and less loud than a blender. And it's only for a \~20-second grind. (Perhaps I would find matters different if I lived in a home with thin walls and with a baby or neighbors right next-door.) Otherwise, espresso guru James Hoffmann has a recent video in which he discusses/reviews/rates entry-level espresso grinders--recommended. (The video also shows the grinders in action, including their sound levels--not a monumental difference there, it seems to me.) He includes the Baratza Encore ESP, DF54, Fellow Opus, and Smart Grinder Pro. https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1gu8612/the\_best\_espresso\_grinder\_under\_250\_james\_hoffmann/.

OP: An earlier (2023) pro reviewer (Kyle Rowsell) video on the Fellow Opus and Baratza Encore ESP, plus other, electric grinders, and in comparison, that may be helpful and informative, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B\_iSvPdkWfQ. Recommended, if going there, that you go into a purchase of the Opus fully knowing its pro's and con's. I've had the Baratza Encore ESP (make sure that it is the ESP version, not the earlier simply Encore version) for over 19 months now, and its done its job. This year's "poster child" as a good entry-level grinder, the DF54 (US$229). \*Many\* posts here, and elsewhere, to read up on it. E.g.: The Real Sprometheus -- DF54 vs. DF64 | How Much Difference Can 10 Millimeters Make?, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxw\_G6tQYJc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxw_G6tQYJc). And a most recent take on entry-level grinders, by espresso guru James Hoffmann, and considering each of these grinders: https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1gu8612/the\_best\_espresso\_grinder\_under\_250\_james\_hoffmann/.

Recommended for a viewing: a good, recent source for electrics, from espresso guru James Hoffmann, https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments/1gu8612/the\_best\_espresso\_grinder\_under\_250\_james\_hoffmann/. FWIW, I've had the Baratza Encore ESP for 1-1/2+ years, and it's served me nicely as an entry-level grinder, and with fine quality (and almost no retention--I don't even think of that issue with the grinder). And, of course, there's this year's entry-level (and beyond) darling, the DF54 (considered in the above).

With my 1Zpresso J-Ultra, my dark roast grind typically takes me 40-50 seconds of no-thinking grinding (that is, just my hands/arms falling into their natural early-a.m. cadence and my not pushing to go fast), depending on the roast--compared to \~20 seconds with My Baratza Encore ESP. Clean-up with the 1Zpresso is near-zilch. The 1Zpresso is just fine for my typical 1-shot-a-day habit (with, maybe, another shot at lunchtime). And the J-Ultra really is quality. But there is an (acceptable and not-painful) effort there--if I was doing 2 shots at a time, while that readily would be fine with the J-Ultra, I can see that I might want to go electric. (And by the way, not at all comparable to my first hand-grinder (I already had it around), a Hario Slim, with its 2.5-3 minute grind (and which led to tennis elbow for me, lol).

Sorry for the slight necro, but wanted to ask if you had one of the newer Encores. My 11 year old one has been repaired countless times, and is getting to the point where it's no longer being consistent. I've read through a lot of reviews and there's been a consistent theme of the newer Encores being less robust and repairable, and wanted to hear your experience on that front.

Great write up, thanks, exactly what I needed. I've repaired the Encore myself multiple times (even upgraded the burr), it's just the plastic parts are breaking faster each time and it's getting out of alignment in a month vs a year. I use exclusively light roasts so the motor power is probably the issue. it takes a long time to even get it to pourover grind level, which would be fine if I didn't have to fix it monthly... I do lean towards the Ode 2 at the moment (though the design is putting me off). I do prefer keeping it in a hopper and measuring grinds vs measuring beans and adding individually in the morning, but I can adjust. Thanks again for the help!

I only do pour overs(one or two a day) and I went with the Baritza encore esp grinder. It's an electric grinder that can do just about everything. Other grinders that specialize in a particular area will do better in that area but the encore is good enough and runs about $199. Not to mention it is super convenient. Drop your beans turn the switch and give it several seconds, your good to go. I love it.

I started out with a hand grinder and decided to buy an electric for multiple brews on Saturday (wife, son and myself). I purchased Baratza's encore ESP for $199 and now it's all I use. It's a solid grinder that is Espresso capable of you wish, I love it. I usually do pour overs except for Saturdays, now I brew on the prime day Mocca Master. It's definitely at least looking into.

I was in the same boat, decided on the Baritza encore esp ($199) and I love it. I use it everyday 2 or 3 times a day. I usually do pour overs but occasionally break out the moka or French press. If you are making coffee for more than one person it is definitely worth it. I haven't needed it yet but they say baratza's customer service is great

No it’s not. Will ultimately depend on the grinder itself. An encore esp (a nice choice for you I think) is conical and I find somewhat hard to actually clean well (not to mention retention). A p100 is a flat burr grinder and insanely easy to clean (also rarely needs it). Obviously super different price points but my only point is no conical isn’t easier

For pourover, I do not recommend the ESP. For that price point I’d go for the Ode Gen 2.

I own the encore esp for aeropress and pourover. I feel as if it’s a good middle ground and allows me to get an espresso machine too. And what espresso machines would you recommend that are at the point just below ‘diminishing returns’

Before going with Opus, make sure you understand its Byzantine adjustment mechanism with macro and micro adjustments. I would much prefer a Baratza ESP or DF54 to the Opus.

Neither the Shardor, Hibrew, or Casabrews are likely to meet your requirement for a 5 year life. The Baratza ESP has the best build quality of any device on your list, but you can still do better. I'd suggest a Gaggia Classic E24 for the machine, and one of the Eureka Mignon grinders. These are high quality products that should last forever if well taken care of. I wouldn't give a lot of credence to the Amazon reviews. Many people buy espresso equipment (especially Breville) without realizing how difficult it is to learn to use. They get rapidly frustrated, blame their problems on the machine, and give it a poor review. Feedback from this sub and other coffee/espresso forums is much more relevant than Amazon ratings.

Be sure to add the washers after a few months of use. The helped my ESP go to the next level.

While, yes, the comments are saying "burr grinders are better," I don't agree that "any burr is better than any blade." Some cheaper burr grinders ("false burr" grinders) are really glorified blade grinders when it comes to results, and don't really improve on the grinding process at all. I have a friend who has an old Cuisinart false burr grinder that doesn't beat when I had a blade grinder. His coffees are very unbalanced with lots of sour notes poking through. I'd be careful thinking that just because it has burrs that it'll do fine. I shared a Baratza Encore with my ex, and when I broke up with her, I left the grinder for her. I borrowed a blade grinder from a friend until work started coming back (we broke up at the end of Covid) and I could afford to get an Encore ESP. It was totally worth the wait, and the coffee I make now is better than I made with the original Encore. If your budget is only $50, I'd say hold on to that money and save some more. You can get the Encore for $150, and maybe find a good price for one used or on sale. Personally, if I were to go for a used product, I would never spend more than 50% of the original price; I have no clue why current markets think used electronics should be 80+% when you could just get it new and have the warranty. I got my ESP from some company in Oregon (?) called Roastmasters for a great sale price. Anyway, don't get a $50 burr grinder. You'll be happy you waited. I know there are some hand grinders like Timemore and Kingrinder and 1Zpresso, but I don't know much about their pricing. Just don't go with something like a Cuisinart, Chefman, Gourmia, etc. They won't really offer any improvement on your Oxo. You'll likely taste your first cup, think there was minimal improvement, and feel like you wasted your money, and you might then feel like the better grinders are just market hype. Until you can afford a decent grinder, [James Hoffmann made a video on how to maximize results from a blade grinder.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y7d-5KWHCU) This is a fun thing to practice until you can afford a respectable grinder.

While, yes, the comments are saying "burr grinders are better," I don't agree that "any burr is better than any blade." Some cheaper burr grinders ("false burr" grinders) are really glorified blade grinders when it comes to results, and don't really improve on the grinding process at all. I have a friend who has an old Cuisinart false burr grinder that doesn't beat when I had a blade grinder. His coffees are very unbalanced with lots of sour notes poking through. I'd be careful thinking that just because it has burrs that it'll do fine. I shared a Baratza Encore with my ex, and when I broke up with her, I left the grinder for her. I borrowed a blade grinder from a friend until work started coming back (we broke up at the end of Covid) and I could afford to get an Encore ESP. It was totally worth the wait, and the coffee I make now is better than I made with the original Encore. If your budget is only $50, I'd say hold on to that money and save some more. You can get the Encore for $150, and maybe find a good price for one used or on sale. Personally, if I were to go for a used product, I would never spend more than 50% of the original price; I have no clue why current markets think used electronics should be 80+% when you could just get it new and have the warranty. I got my ESP from some company in Oregon (?) called Roastmasters for a great sale price. Anyway, don't get a $50 burr grinder. You'll be happy you waited. I know there are some hand grinders like Timemore and Kingrinder and 1Zpresso, but I don't know much about their pricing. Just don't go with something like a Cuisinart, Chefman, Gourmia, etc. They won't really offer any improvement on your Oxo. You'll likely taste your first cup, think there was minimal improvement, and feel like you wasted your money, and you might then feel like the better grinders are just market hype. Until you can afford a decent grinder, [James Hoffmann made a video on how to maximize results from a blade grinder.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y7d-5KWHCU) This is a fun thing to practice until you can afford a respectable grinder.

>I've considered the Baratza Encore, but there are a lot of recent reviews online that are very unhappy with Baratza's service in the last year or so. Was an Encore user, was *very* happy. It's easily the best grinder under $200: grind size is very consistent, few fines compared to other grinders at its price range, and brews excellent coffee. It's a little noisy, but you're already awake! The ESP is also more than just an Encore that makes espresso grinds, too. The M2 burr is a step up, and some people even buy the burrs alone to upgrade their basic Encore. I lost the Encore in a breakup, so I decided to get the ESP. I just started venturing into espresso, so I'm glad I have it. And the cool thing is that I am starting to make better tasting shots than all but the absolute best local third wave shops. And I'm using a simple DeLonghi machine I got on eBay for $30 (and had to do some maintenance and upgrade some parts, but still). I think there's tons of people who think the grinder will fix all their coffee problems, and then stick their grounds into a Mr. Coffee machine and get disappointed. If you're checking out James Hoffmann and Lance Hedrick regularly, you'll start really figuring out this whole coffee thing and how you can get great cups of coffee with halfway decent equipment.

>I've considered the Baratza Encore, but there are a lot of recent reviews online that are very unhappy with Baratza's service in the last year or so. Was an Encore user, was *very* happy. It's easily the best grinder under $200: grind size is very consistent, few fines compared to other grinders at its price range, and brews excellent coffee. It's a little noisy, but you're already awake! The ESP is also more than just an Encore that makes espresso grinds, too. The M2 burr is a step up, and some people even buy the burrs alone to upgrade their basic Encore. I lost the Encore in a breakup, so I decided to get the ESP. I just started venturing into espresso, so I'm glad I have it. And the cool thing is that I am starting to make better tasting shots than all but the absolute best local third wave shops. And I'm using a simple DeLonghi machine I got on eBay for $30 (and had to do some maintenance and upgrade some parts, but still). I think there's tons of people who think the grinder will fix all their coffee problems, and then stick their grounds into a Mr. Coffee machine and get disappointed. If you're checking out James Hoffmann and Lance Hedrick regularly, you'll start really figuring out this whole coffee thing and how you can get great cups of coffee with halfway decent equipment.

> Baratza Encore ESP ($199) is the more future proof, but it may be overkill for French Press. Also: when I got mine, I was unsure if I'd ever be interested in making espresso at home. Now I'm glad I have it, because I just got my first machine about two weeks ago.

Within your budget: - Kingrinder K6 or 1zPresso X-Ultra for manual grinders - Baratza Encore ESP or Fellow Opus for electric. I personally really like hand grinding, and I think it's superior in grind quality at this price point, but if you don't know if that's his thing, you can't go wrong with the Baratza. It's an excellent grinder. I'd also include the single dose hopper for conical burr series.

No no, in my first reply I gave you 2 good options, that should be under $200: Fellow Opus and Baratza Encore ESP. If you can, get the Baratza.

Hand grinding is pretty easy, that would be my first choice, especially because it's pretty quiet. Kingrinder K6 or 1zPresso X-Ultra. They can grind for espresso if you want. For more money, there's also 1zPresso K-Ultra or Comandante. For electric, you could go with Baratza Encore ESP, that can use a large hopper, or the single dose hopper that's way prettier. But it's loud. Fellow Opus is maybe a little quieter, but I wouldn't count on it. If you can spend more and forget about espresso altogether, the best option would be Fellow Ode 2.

Encore is still good, Encore ESP is much better - it has the M2 burrs, and can grind for espresso. For more money, and filter only, Fellow Ode 2 is the best you can get at that price point. If you're thinking about a hand grinder, the 2 most obvious options are Kingrinder K6 or 1zPresso K-Ultra. They are both superior to the Encore in grind quality, and actually similar to one another. Kingrinder if you want to save some money, 1zPresso if you want better quality in construction (and a magnetic catch cup, that is really nice to have). They're both meant for filter, but can do a pretty good job grinding for espresso.

Encore is still good, Encore ESP is much better - it has the M2 burrs, and can grind for espresso. For more money, and filter only, Fellow Ode 2 is the best you can get at that price point. If you're thinking about a hand grinder, the 2 most obvious options are Kingrinder K6 or 1zPresso K-Ultra. They are both superior to the Encore in grind quality, and actually similar to one another. Kingrinder if you want to save some money, 1zPresso if you want better quality in construction (and a magnetic catch cup, that is really nice to have). They're both meant for filter, but can do a pretty good job grinding for espresso.

The two cheaper grinders you listed aren't bad, especially for French Press, but they're not great either. But as soon as you decide you'd like to try pour over, they will limit you. Baratza Encore ESP ($199) is the more future proof, but it may be overkill for French Press. It's super repairable though, it should be good for decades. As another commenter said, gooseneck is not needed for French Press, get one if you think you'll be interested in pour over. Get a coffee scale (Timemore, 3Bomber), it makes life easier. I don't have any recommendations for French Press models, but I like recommending this [video on how to clean it.](https://youtu.be/nyKTStFSNFQ?si=a3nBbhO70EW15i13)

To start, the DF54 is an excellent grinder. It was easy to dial in and the results were as good or better than with my KINGrinder K6 or the Baratza Encore ESP. Because this was my first serious electric grinder, I had some issues and questions in the beginning but resolved most of them by looking at some DF64 videos that applied to the DF54. Barret from Espresso Outlet also clarified some items. If you don't think the DF54 is a serious grinder, talk to my wife about the bill Here are some of the things I learned. **Support** For faster response, email is preferred. I prefer telephone. It took awhile but I did connect with Barrett and he patiently went through my questions. **Clogging** My DF54 worked fine for a week or so but started cloggling when grinding medium dark roasts - three times in a row after cleaning twice. After a thorough cleaning following a YT for the DF64, I tried hot starting and that seemed to solve the problem. One other owner on Reddit had the same problem but no others reported issues - with even very dark roasts. Barrett said he had not seen the issue at all on the DF54 *EDIT* I've been slow feeding and hot starting (turning on grinder before adding beans) for a month with no clogging. Recently, I accidentally dumped in 18 grams without slow feeding and it choked again. **Range** Espresso range is about 4 to 7 on the dial for my unit. Much more narrow than I expected. Dialing in 35 second shot with light roast beans is about 5 or 6 on the dial. Barrett said that is about right on the DF54. YMMV. *EDIT* On further use, with different beans, the espresso range on my unit is 4 to 12. The pourover range is broader, about 55 to 70. **Should you check alignment?** Some YT influencers say check alignment with new grinders.Others say don't bother unless you have a problem. Barrett says don't bother. They check most of the units. Also, smaller burrs like the 54mm aren't likely to have problems as larger burrs like 83mm. Finally, Barrett says smaller burrs are much harder to align and that even if they're 15% or so off, will not affect the performance noticably. If you are thinking about aligning your DF54, I recommend contacting your seller first for guidance. **Seasoning the burrs worth the time and coffee?** Barrett says no, and you could burn out the motor running it for twenty minutes or more at a time. Spromethius says in a YT on the topic that seasoning makes no difference in taste after many comparisons with different grinders. If you get a any new grinder, then go with manufacturers recommendations. *Edited to delete misinformation I repeated that seasoning can affect the life of the burrs. Mea Culpa. My bad.* **How do you avoid damaging the anti-clog device and the ionizer?** Be careful. See the YouTube uploaded today. [Turin Ion Cleaning -DF Grinder Maintenance](https://youtu.be/GEk3HKKidYk?si=rf5l1G_puXUZtK9v) **Cleaning** Barrett says ownets actually over clean. Pump the bellows and clear the chute after each use. Clean the chute with a screw driver and/or brush once a week. Remove the burr assembly and thoroughly clean once or twice a year. **Tips** You might/probably know of them but I came up with these solutions while tuning up the DF54. *Toothbrush* Use a disposable electric toothbrush to remove fine coffee powder or oil from threads when cleaning. I tried micro fiber rags with no luck getting to the residual oils or powder but the toothbrush worked in 30 seconds. Manual brush will probably work almost as well. *Dialing In* If you have an old grinder like a KINGrinder K6 or Baratza that has been dialed in for different brewing methods like pourover, AeroPress , etc, grind 5 or 6 beans in that grinder as your benchmark for that brewer. Then start doing the same in the DF54, adjusting until you get an approximate visual and texture match. That will get you a starting point for your new grinder. * **ALWAYS RUN GRINDER WHEN CHANGING GRIND SIZE. - ESPECIALLY COURSE TO FINER. Otherwise, you can JAM or damage the grinder. Applies to most consumer grade grinders.*** *Chirping when changing grind setting.* That sounds is almost certainly not the burrs touching. Rather it is a bean or bean fragments left between the burrs. Videos [Doesn't Grind Fine Enough](https://youtu.be/hzp5cI7wOWc?si=B0aTujcbmNGeSDkT) [Cleaning DF64 and Clearing Jams](https://youtu.be/hzp5cI7wOWc?si=B0aTujcbmNGeSDkT) Yesterday, Barrett says they will be producing some DF54 centric YouTube videos soon. The first dropped today on the ionizer link above. I will edit/monitor this post to keep current for a while. EDIT: *DF54 vs Baratza ESP - Coffee Chronicler* https://youtu.be/eb_5H8uydQs?si=HJnm-nT-eTNFW05r Thanks Pax

I don't have the experience base to answer fully. While waiting to be loaded the DF54 runs at a quiet hum. When grinding, it is noticably quieter than my Encore ESP.. Practically speaking I'll use the DF54 early morning without too much concern of waking the wife. I wouldn't use the ESP if someone was sleeping. Bottom line, DF54 noise isn't an issue at all for me. Pax

If you are in the US just get the Baratza Encore ESP. They’re built like tanks, super easy adjustments, great brand recognition and customer service, and on the off issue something doesn’t work well they’ll take care of you. All the parts are sold on their website Even if the DF54 is “better” I doubt anyone here has compared the two, further doubt it was blind comparison, and I doubt the difference is worth the trade off of reputation I’ve had my basic baratza encore for years. It’s had no issues. Makes great espresso. I love that thing and likely biased cause it’s been so great The only characteristic I can think of is noise level. Baratza ESP might be a bit louder than DF54

I had £200 MAX, and found a deal for the Baratza ESP... sure the DF54 gets all the claims but for another £100 i was fine with the Baratza ESP and its been brilliant... i went and checked out a Fellow Opus but just couldn't get on board with having to take the top off to do fiddlier increments. Found a deal where i got the ESP for £130 - i am very very happy so far.

Ohhh bro dont even consider baratza and never buy from brewing gadgets. Their customer service is shittttty. I have a encore esp. their response was everything is consumable in warranty. Get the df54. I have df64 as well fix coffee service is solid plus better built quality 

You should go for DF64 gen 2. That’s the entry point of authentic electric grinder. All are waste under the range if you want perfection. And if you can’t bring up the budget then atleast go for baratza encore esp. Also you can buy manual grinder like Hario (Perfection in your budget).

Does anyone else have issues with the Encore ESP when brewing pourover? Produces too many fines and tends to clog up the filter.

I think they're better, much quieter and much easier to clean. For pourover and drip they're the best and coffee tastes better with less burn. For espresso or similar I would use an electric because it's harder to grind and also you don't need the nuance. I use an Encore ESP

This is me with first, Encore ESP, then got a K6. Both taste very similar, and I mean delicious coffee from both, but again the electrical is a total mess to clean, the hand grinder is a breeze using the brush and bulb blower, with much less residue.

Yep. There are decent conical burr grinders out there especially for espresso. The Baratza Encore ESP and Fellow Opus are two good ones around $200. The DF54 is a good flat burr grinder for just over $200 but I think its sold out.

Some hand grinders cost as much as a baratza esp where I live (j-ultra at 285$ vs 280$ for the esp for instance). Why not just save up more money and get an entry level electric grinder. Its going to get you good enough results for the price point. When I was very tight on money I worked long hours and lots of overtime to make ends meet. I only had time to work, eat, piss, shit and sleep. I did not have the time to spend grinding 2 mins for coffee. Also, depending on how much coffee I needed, that would add up to 5 min spent on just prepping the coffee grounds. So if we're focusing solely on price, then sure buy a hand grinder. But as someone that was also on a tighter budget that just needed good coffee... No thanks.

First when I started brewing coffee I bought the same looking wonderchef machine Worked fine when I was using dark roast beans and even worked well on medium dark. As soon as I switched to the moka pot and went on for a finer grind, All the issues started occurring and I was unhappy with consistency. Even though I was working my way around with v60 I was not happy with the grind quality, I mean what elc can you expect from a ceramic grinder, no aroma no clarity on the notes, Much more issue Shifted to Agaro ( I was totally unaware about the community on reddit) Bought another cheap grinder, was not happy and at this moment I had already spent around 15k on the grinder and accessories, Those machines worked fine for few months and as soon as the burrs started getting old for say 5-7 months there were issues. Then I came to know about the community Went on for proper entry level Baratza Encore ESP grinder, Was happy for 6 months and then bought another grinder DF64, And now I find myself in a deep Rabbit HOLE 😅😅😅 I have used those cheap machines that's the reason I would suggest anyone not to spend your hard earned money on cheap machines, after some time you won't be happy and will be upgrading to the next known best thing.

Came to say the same thing, content creators online recommended a couple other options but I got a good deal on an Encore esp and I’ve been overall quite happy with it

Baratza encore or encore ESP. Great grinder, great customer service and very easy access to parts

Baratza encore or encore ESP. Great grinder, great customer service and very easy access to parts

Glad to see the esp get the James Hoffman approval. I bought it a few months ago after leaving my hand grinder in an Airbnb, and kind of went against the “there aren’t any good grinders under £250” narrative from the older roundup videos by going with the esp. So far I’m happy with it. I like the flavor profile and the grind is consistent. I haven’t come close to maxing out the grind adjustment even without the included shims so there’s no issues with it not grinding fine enough. The only issues I’ve ran into is that the hopper lid sometimes pops off if I’m not holding it while grinding, and there’s no good way to grind directly into the portafilter out of the box, but I just ordered the single dose hopper and portafilter holder attachment from baratza so hopefully that’ll resolve those issues. The noise of the machine improved for me after about a month of use. It was initially kind of harsh and uneven sounding out of the box, but it seems to have smoothed out after running about a pound of coffee through it. Overall it seems to be plenty good enough for my entry level usage and I think it’ll still be good enough to keep up once I decide to upgrade to a better espresso machine down the line.

Get a Baratza Encore ESP instead of a hand grinder if you can.

Just to contextualize what I'm about to say I intially bought a Baratza Encore ESP and have since bought a K-Ultra so I feel like I can recommend that you stick to the Baratza as your use case seems to fit it better. My primary reason for my move is that I felt that the Encore ESP dialed in too broadly and produced too many fines for pourover which is my primary brew method. When I've used it for french press on the other hand I felt it worked perfectly well and I've not noticed any notable improvements to my brews when I use my K-Ultra even if it produces a relatively smaller amount of fines. Naturally this is as french press is a inherently more forgiving way to brew. In addition to this as somebody else has pointed out the workflow for the K-Ultra for 50g per dose is not ideal. Whilst it will grind fast at a relatively high setting I don't even think that many can fit in the chamber of most hand grinders so you will have to do your grinds in two batches for one brew. Additionally whilst I do not own an espresso machine I did season the burrs on my K-Ultra with some very old starbucks coffee on the lower settings just to try it out and even \~20 grams takes a not insiginficant amount of time to grind out. I would say definitely get the Encore ESP in your case or even consider looking at a df54.

That was my first grinder, does the job. Today I’d replace it with a Baratza Encore ESP or something from Fellow as the next step up.

Reddit is very pro DF54. I don’t have one. It doesn’t appeal to me. I have the Encore ESP. It grinds for all types and works well. Very happy with it. I also have a K6 for travel.

That feeling when Daddy Hoff validates your choice to purchase an Encore ESP last year.

Did you check out Lance Hendrick's channel? He recommends the Baratza Encore ESP. I have one and it's pretty decent. Between arthritis and time constraints thtey use of my K grinder was losing appeal. However the IZpress does produce a significantly better and more consistent grind. But if you're pressed for time or broke your wrist the Baratza is great

I’ve got a Bambino and a Baratza ESP setup. Bambino is incredible, I highly recommend it. Especially for the price

Baratza Encore ESP is an excellent introduction to burr grinders. Baratza is highly reliable - I’ve had my encore for over a decade and I’m only looking to upgrade because I want to switch to flat burrs. If you want to spend more in the 500 range I’ve been looking hard at D64 and Time More 064

You SAY you don’t mind spending… keep in mind grinders can go into the many thousands. Encore ESP is a great entry level. I’m looking at Vario+ to upgrade my 10+ year old encore. If you’re truly open to spending then you would get dedicated grinders for purpose.. a lot of people have one for pourover and one for espresso.

+1 for ode Other notable options imo: Mhw3Bomber f74 Commandante c40 mk4 Wilfa uniform Barratza encore esp Varia VS3 Kinggrinder k6 (Rented all of those for a while before ending with an ode)

Top 3 would be Baratza ESP, DF54, Lagom Casa. Baratza ESP because it is probably the most beginner friendly of the three and baratza has generally great customer service (at least in US). DF54 has worse quality control and minimal customer service but definitely has a higher ceiling than the baratza as you learn. The Lagom Casa is definitely an upgrade from the other two but at over twice the price.

Unless you were wanting an espresso specific/only grinder, I agree either of these are a good choice. I've had my ESP 6 months and it is consistent from French Press to Moka Pot. I also have a friend with the Ode 2 for about the same amount of time and he loves it for pour overs and the occasional espresso.

Check Marshalls or Homegoods you can find the Breville Barista Pro with the updated Baratza grinder for $500. But having said that unless im making the coffee my wife hates using it and prefers to use our old Keurig. Like others have said check with her if she even wants to put in the effort it would take to make the coffee every morning and is she in a dorm then she might wake up/annoy her roommate with the various sounds.

I got the Baratza ESP and just realized two days ago that the grinder is not what is holding me back from good shots but other stuff - which I methodically worked on with your espresso series and finally was able to turn a sour shot into a much more balanced one. Seeing you say that you like shots out of the ESP manifests this. Been waiting for this video. Thank you very much!

If you go with the Baratza I would recommend spending the extra 50 and go with the ESP, that way you can get great pour over and have the option to grind for espresso if your journey ever takes you there. It's a good entry level electric grinder that can grind well across all methods.

I had a Baratza encore and now an Ode Gen2. I get great results with both. I just finished a bag of Maracaturra from Torque roasters and it was spectacular. I'll be thinking about this one for a while. I'm also not chasing extreme clarity or funk, so there's that.

Second this. I've owned mine two years and love it. Paired with a Breville Bambino plus.

Burr grinders will give you the most uniform and customizable grind, but they are more expensive. If you’re going to be taking full advantage of the KBGT then I would go for something electric; manually grinding that amount of beans might get annoying. As others have said, the baratza encore is a good choice. The NYT (I think?) and Americas Test Kitchen name it their best-rated burr grinder, which is why I went with it. I’m happy with it.

Baratzas are well reviewed by places like Americas Test Kitchen and (I believe?) Wirecutter. I went with that and have been happy.

I have the Baratza encore esp

Bambino! + baratza encore esp is great option

I was able to get a Baratza Encore ESP reconditioned. Thats probably the cheapest decent one. James reviewed it recently. It’s been a great improvement for me over my hand grinder which wasn’t fine enough for espresso. It seems good. Frankly even the recon price was steep for me but I now do appreciate however that the money for the grinder is worth paying. If you get one it has to be the ESP version. I was using a King grinder before but it wasn’t fine enough.

It seems a durable machine. The company I bought from has also a 12 mth warranty like a new machine. I was well chuffed and it works controllably to grind a single portafilter or there abouts with the pulse button. I just judge how long to hold it manually and do a bit more of it isn’t enough. I’m currently using it on about 3 stops from the maximum fineness and it’s so much better than my hand grinder. Obviously I didn’t buy a Komandant so I have no idea if it could be as good or better (people like them). It might be better but would in the end be more expensive and it’s uncertain so I went with the electric jobby instead.

Hey, congrats! I picked up my BBP on Sunday! Made my third decent latte this morning. I think my next one I need to grind finer 🤔 I’ve had a Baratza Encore ESP for about a year while trying to decide on an auto or manual machine. For what I need (drip, French press, Moka, and now espresso) so far it seems great. They have parts available and their service is supposed to be good. And Baratza Encores have been known to keep running for years. Their motto is ‘Don’t dump it, fix it’. Hoping I don’t need their parts/service, but it’s nice to know it’s available. Edit: Oh, and Breville/Sage bought Baratza a few years back, so they thought enough of what Baratza was doing to buy them.

It's gonna depend somewhat on your budget. In the range of $150-$250 US, there are several good electric options. Off the top of my head, the Baratza Encore ESP, the Fellow Opus, and the DF54 are all solid options in this range. Size wise, the Encore ESP is smaller footprint but taller. The standard hopper adds some effective width and especially height to the unit. If you buy the single dose hopper then you can cut that down (but then you bump the price point up to about the same as the DF54). The DF54 is next up in size, and the Fellow Opus is the biggest of the three. None of them are huge. Of these three, it is sorta objectively hard to argue with the value for money on the DF54. Whether you like them better or not, flat burrs cost more to make, and it has those whereas the other two are conicals. But with that, you're buying from a middleman, which means you are counting on them to continue providing customer support, which they might just not do. I personally landed with a Baratza Encore ESP because the DF54 seemed to be sold out from distributors that could reach me when I was shopping, and because I knew that I would not be willing to do the microadjustment process for the Fellow Opus even if I found myself in a situation where it would be relevant. Baratza's general inclination towards right-to-repair is a nice bonus, but it makes less difference if you don't live in the US. For cheaper than that, you should probably consider a manual grinder, especially if you want (or might want in the future) the flexibility to make espresso without another machine. For more expensive than that, you open up even more options.

Baratza makes repairable grinders that will improve the taste of the coffee as well by having a more uniform grind.

absolutely. the encore with the m2 burr set from the virtuoso will set someone up for life basically. and diminishing returns won't see much of an improvement by spending any more money. It's the sweet spot for drip coffee.

But breville uses from baratza encore the burrs. why not also use them for filter? I can/t understand this

the new m2 burrs from baratza are ok. Yeah probably not as good as a zp6 but enough for the coffee I will do at the office. Nowadays I find also that most of the former light roasters are not roasting as light as they used to. Anyway I was hoping that breville would use the at least steel burrs in the all in one coffee dripper machine like they do in the espresso machines

I’ve had my Baratza Encore grinder since 2023 and been using it everyday since. Do I need to replace the burrs?

If you just want one, get a decent coffee burr that can do fine & coarse. Might cost more but you won’t hate your first latte or espresso. If I had to pick: Baratza Encore or Breville Smart Grinder Pro.

I have the Oxo grinder and it works great, but I wish I dropped more $ for the Encore because it’s repairable so it will probably last longer (part of the reason why I bought a moccamaster in the first place). As far as I understand, the grinder bits will wear out down the road. Trying to move away from disposable cheap appliances to ones that are repairable where I can.

I was a hard-core French Press user for many years and got a Baratza Encore. I now use an AeroPress but using it in a French Press style. The Encore continues to serve me very well and would recommend as a good "bang for the buck" option.

I jumped from a cheap $40 grinder to the Encore. It went against my nature to buy such an "expensive" appliance just for coffee. Totally worth it.

That's not true, they go plenty fine enough. Yours is either broken (burr holder tabs) or not calibrated to the fine side of the spectrum. a 10 on the adjustment wheel usually chokes most espresso machines when calibrated to the fine side.

The Baratza Encore is a conical burr grinder that does everything from press, to drip, to espresso at a reasonable price.

I bought a Baratza Encore grinder because I read many reviews and recommendations that said it’s a good grinder for the price (around US$150). I’ve had it for about two years. I like it. I am not a hardcore fanatic about making coffee. I buy good beans. I use my Baratza. I use my Moka Pot. I like the results.

I had a Baratza Encore and recently upgraded to a Fellow Ode Gen2. Ode has great consistency and works great for my AeroPress around the 2.5 mark (1-10, 1 smallest). On course grind for cold brew the Ode has gotten jammed a few times, so I break out my old Encore for chunky grind duties.

It sounds like you have two pretty different use cases. For your husband a standard baratza encore would work well. An encore is also decent for pourover, but adding a second nice hand grinder is probably the best way to do things. To get a nice electric that rivals nice hand grinders you would need to increase your budget a good amount.

I had a ton of success with the baratza encore, but it is probably better suited for espresso and not pour overs. After upgrading to the sculptor 78s, I realized the encore produced a ton of fines even at the coarse settings I used for pour overs.

Nope! But with the encore there is no space between the grinder output and the container. You’d have to add that extra filtering step on your own. TBH I just got used to the fines — some small differences with brew time due to clogged paper and small difference in taste. I guess I have a high tolerance for those variables.

I had to replace them once with the stock burrs because the holder broke. I think it took maybe 4-5 years before that happened. TBH I didn’t think I had a fines problem until I got the sculptor, and even now I’m not 100% sure it’s a big deal. It could be that my wife started drinking espresso and so switching between two grind sizes daily was what produced the fines. Overall I highly recommend the encore (and hear great things about the encore ESP).

I should also add .. I’m not sure “a ton of fines” is accurate. It definitely produced less uniform grinds than, say, the sculptor (visually obvious, not just suspicion). It also had poor retention so I had to add a bellow.

So I’m gonna go sideways here for a second. Honestly just get a grinder that can do large quantities. Manual burr grinders are a pain and overkill. If you’re going to be brewing larger batches, then definitely get an electric grinder. That being said I don’t believe you need grinder more than $50 at all. The Oxo may serve you best and they are dozens on FB marketplace (at least in my location.) You just need something that will grind coarse. My recommendation for a quality brew is consistency. Get the same bean every time while learning. Local coffee shops that roast their own beans would be a good bet. I personally get dark roast with chocolate and hazelnut notes. Measure. Measure. Measure. You will be working with ratios and be consistent. I like 200 grams of coffee to 64 oz of water. When serving it’s 50/50 coffee to water with a bit of milk. So I would literally write what you do down so you can replicate it. Lastly it’s important to note that cold brew tastes better after being in the fridge 24 hours after brewing. Even better after 48 hours. Getting good at ratios and replicating your craft is what will make a great brew. Once you get that down and are able to splurge a bit more with a grinder.. you will then be able to mess around with different coarseness. For now, cheaper grinder and the coarsest setting. Anyone pushing an encore for only cold brew is nuts. I got an encore esp recently because I still want to brew cold brew in large batches AND grind for espresso. That being said if FB marketplace Gods bless you then get one lol

(1) Scale with a tare function.  Get one that doesn't turn off too fast. (2) Infrared thermometer. Tells you when your pan or griddle is hot enough and when it's too hot.  Will also tell you if your HVAC is blowing hot or cold air and how hot your sidewalk is. (3) Slotted spatula  The Baratza Encore is our coffee grinder. One downside is that I'm always cleaning up the little bit of ground coffee that escaped.

When I worked in an office I used to use a manual coffee grinder. While fun at first I hope to never, ever have to grind by hand again. I found it became tedious to do so. I’d vote electric. As others said the Encore is a great choice for middle of the road and quality to price ratio. And speaking of ratios, pick one and stick with it (I ended up using the suggested 55g to 1 L of water), with whatever grinder you get brew a pot too bitter (fine grounds) on purpose, then do one too sour (too coarse) so you have those tastes in mind. Now keep dialing finer until you start to taste too much bitter for your liking. You now have the starting point for future bags of coffee. Maybe a bit finer for light coffee, a bit coarser for dark. Or just set it no forget it.

To add a bit of context to what others have said (more expensive grinders provide a more even grind, are higher quality for durability or fix ability) the reason the consistent grind is important is extraction of the coffee from the rounds. One wouldn’t get the same result if the grind size changes every time you brew. But it is a bit more in that in that lesser grinders produce more solvable fines in the grounds. These fines actually dissolve and end up in your coffee giving it more of an off flavor than if they were not in there. I’d actually suggest a good grinder is just as or even more important than a good coffee maker. The Encore you reference is good for the price, not doubt. I used one for years.

Hand grinder.. $60 or baratza encore @ $100 used / refurbed. Difference in either of these vs pre ground is night and day.

I did espresso with a Gaggia Classic and original encore for a year plus and it was adequate, but the ESP is better suited..

I have the Baratza Encore as well. I use the same grinder position (22) for both French Press and cold brew. I use position 19 for my Aeropress. Very happy with the Encore.

I own a Baratza Encore (electric) grinder for everyday use and also a genetic manual grinder. The two grinders take relatively the same amount of time for my 21g dose. They both have pros and cons. The electric is great for making multiple cups of coffee at a time. Being hands free it saves time for other coffee making tasks. It is also loud and significantly larger. The manual grinder limits you in terms of bean capacity, but for one cup and travel it is great. It is small and quiet. Personally, I own both because I go camping and on roadtrips in my RV where space is limited and I do not want to take my electric grinder. The added bonus with my manual grinder is that it grinds finer than my electric, so it doubles as my espresso grinder. After having an electric grinder for years, I very quickly fell in love with my inexpensive manual grinder, but only if I am making one cup of coffee.

New Baratza Encore. Tons of positive reviews. The best at that price point.

I got a Normcore V2 for $77, which is not a very popular option but I'm happy with it so far. It got some good comments on ytb about its quality in the price range. But recently I switched to a second-handed Baratza Encore for $100 and I couldn't be more happy with it, because it's electric and I got to make multiple cups of coffee without sore arms.

Opus actually does very well for filter, especially if this is going to be your first electric grinder. Hard to beat the cost. I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to tell much of a difference unless you’re really into coffee. The Baratza encore is also good for filter (not the esp version).

Baratza encore seems like the next logical step for you. Then upgrade to the M2 burr.

Yep. For the price it’s great. And their company motto “don’t dump it, fix it!” Is very BIFL.

You don’t need to hold the bottom on the Baratza. It’s an on/off switch. The encore is an excellent option.

The Encore is a decent machine for medium to large grind sizes, but isn't very good for Espresso.

I think so if you plan to stick to Mokapot and French press a baratza encore should be good enough unless you want the grinder to be espresso capable … even G5 is good along with being espresso capable… let me know if you want some discount on the G5 , you can use my link to get a 10% off

Encore is a great entry machine. And has a great range for going course with cold brew and almost fine enough for great espresso. You can’t go wrong with these options but like others have said, make sure you really plan to use it and enjoy the workflow before dropping $200. But if you’re committed to the game, welcome!

First - encore and virtuoso have the same motor (I’m 90% sure) so noise won’t be better. What do you mean by “fussy”? the ode is quieter and faster - I think the speed is really the thing that you’ll appreciate. I hear (ha) the Eureka Silenzio is very quiet. Lots of good grinders out there, take a look at r/pourover if you want more ideas

In my experience the encore needs way more cleaning than the ode lol. Not sure what you mean by “suitable for an office”, though. They’re both good grinders. Don’t stress yourself financially - the ode is nice and I really like the coffee it produced but it is not literally twice as good as the encore.

Atom 75 for espresso and encore plus for filter

My Niche will grind 50 grams in one go, 40 with room. That’s not enough for 3 cups for you? What’s your recipe. Someone else here recommended the Encore. Good grinder for drip but louder and with more static. Not a lateral move

I had a Baratza Encore that held up to heavy-duty use for years before the motor gave out. I replaced it with a Virtuoso five years ago and gave the old one away to someone who might repair it. About a week later, the electrical tinkerer reached out and said that she fixed it for something like $50 including expedited shipping and would I like it back? I had already settled on the upgrade so was happy to give it away, but even more impressed by Baratza that they could get out a replacement motor within a few days including shipping so cheaply for the new owner!

I've been happy with my baratza encore esp. It's great for easily switching between my aero press and Bambino plus.

Am I the only one that doesn't like Baratza grinders? My Fellow opus is much faster and quieter and easier to clean. I've had an encore and a virtuoso and wouldn't go back to that brand.

Great suggestions for other categories already posted, but the answer to your two specific requests would be one of the Baratza coffee grinders (Encore, Virtuoso, etc. depending on how fancy you're feeling), and stone mortar+pestle for spices. Electric grinders for spices are faster, but produce very fine dust that's nearly impossible to clean. So everything you grind will eventually emerge with a hint of cumin.

I have a Baratza Encore and am very happy with the grind. The biggest shout out for Sage/Baratza is customer service. They replaced my first grinder after almost 12 months of use after it developed a fault. No questions asked and a new grinder delivered. Such excellent service means a lot in my book.

Bambino + used baratza encore and you replace the burr with the M2 burr

Baratza encore for pour overs and aeropress. Mazzer philos for espresso. Its not necessary to have two as long as you are fine fiddling with grind size regularly. I wouldn't have two if I had bought the mazzer first, but I had the baratza for a decade and I know exactly what settings for what coffees I like. Edit: i dont have a separate decaf grinder because I dont really care if 1g is mixed in from retention when I switch beans. But i only drink decaf espresso like once per week.

Depending on how particular your tastes are, I would just make cold brew and then have a 50/50 cold brew & milk. Cold brew requires a mason jar and a good filter. Then just microwave if u want hot. 100% serious. Aeropress is fantastic, but won't give u the latte texture or taste. Moka is a good option also and you will get more of a latte texture. With your $100 you can buy a baratza encore grinder, and one of the above things and you'll be happy. However, none of these will give u the same satisfaction as a well pulled espresso. But that requires a slightly higher budget for an entry level machine.

The burr grinder makes a big difference. Baratza Encore it up! That's the price to performance grinder I would recommend. I have the Wilfa Svart, turns out I needed a voltage transformer for it in the US so I'd just recommend the Encore instead if you also live in 120v land. p.s. the hopper size means nothing - weigh your beans and throw the amount you weighed into the hopper and grind. Don't keep beans in the hopper. That's something I learned over time.

I’ve owned the Baratza Encore, Fellow Ode and now the 078. They clearly to me are bottom, mid and top in that order. The 078 is wildly good. 

Yes, get a Baratza Encore

It’s the only burr grinder I’ve owned and still going after 10 years. It’s loud and messy, but it’s like an old friend at this point.

I was going with the encore, but ended up with the ode g2. Thing is an absolute beast

It's likely not the burrs.  I just went through a similar issue. It's most likely the Burr Ring Holder.  It's the white plastic ring that fits around your burr.  There should be 3 small tabs that stick out, if you don't see them look for signs they have broken off.  When these break, the burr doesn't keep its position during grinding and causes a ridiculously course grind.  It's a $5 part and worth ordering two to replace later. I don't ever mess with the grind settings but if you do it's recommended to do it while empty, or VERY slowly while grinding.  That will help the longevity of the part, but it's truly a wear item since those tabs are constantly working to hold the burr in place.  Encore - ZCG485/ZCG484 this is the part number for the Encore. 

Baratza Encore for the win. My Baratza/Moccamaster combo is incredible. Set the grind at level 18.

Yes, it is that much better in the long run. You mention that you cycle through 4-5 bags of beans but has any of them ever "wowed" you or stood out with some clean and standout flavors? It's really hard to achieve with a blade grinder because with the uneven grind size, the fines have more surface area and will over-extract leading to bitter notes, the boulders have less surface area and will under-extract, getting sour notes. This will lead to a muddled cup. So all beans kinda just taste the same. I would highly recommend getting a burr grinder as it will just augment every single cup of coffee that you brew moving forward. It's like a value modifier that is applied to all your beans that increases its taste. If you buy lets say low quality dark roast beans then I would say it is less of an issue (getting a burr grinder that is) and that there aren't that many tasting notes you can extract from those to begin with. As for grinder selection, if you don't mind some manual labor, I would recommend something like a Timemore C3. I have one of these and it works great for me. I downgraded from a Rancilio Rocky as it was too much (and too loud) for my needs. If you want an electric one, the tried and tested Baratza Encore works great for most people.

Really the best option (with nothing else coming close IMO) is the Encore, as others have commented. I’d stay away from the Opus, personally. The Ode Gen 2 is probably the best you’re going to get at that price point, but it’s quite a bit more than you’d like to spend so I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s also really best for filter brews, you’re not going to be able to grind fine enough for espresso. Save yourself the hassle, get the Encore. A lot of my barista friends have it and swear by it. You’ll absolutely love it as it’s a huge step up from what you’re using and their customer support is excellent.

I’ve owned the Encore for about 5 years now it’s a great grinder. Great entry level grinder, I would start there. Eventually i desired more from my beans so i went with the kingrinder and the grind consistency difference is substantial.

Best coffee grinder depends on the intended usage. Some say it could be the Weber SG1 but most would say it's a bit retro. More seriously, there's nothing wrong with Baratza. For beginners a Baratza Encore is affordable and does a great job for filter coffee. Next step up for filter is Fellow Ode gen2. I run a Baratza daily for some years without issue. I recommended the Encore to two family members and they are very happy with their grinder.

I just grabbed a used Baratza Encore on Ebay for less than $60. Since the parts are replaceable, I figured used was not a bad option.

Why not? I picked up my 2nd Encore for $40 used for the office

Yes, like others have said I too have multiple grinders for different purposes. Breville Smart Grinder Pro for drip coffee (this was a gift) Baratza Encore for Espresso Hario hand grinder. I usually use this when I want to make coffee early in the morning and don't want to make too much noise. I'll eventually upgrade the Baratza, but I'm getting pretty good results at the moment and feel no reason to change.

If you’re drinking dark roasts the grinder isn’t as critical (still important) but a Baratza Encore or for an upgrade over that a Moccamaster KM5 would be more than sufficient. If it were me, I’d go with the Moccamaster KM5 since it’s 30% off on Amazon right now, it has flat burrs vs conical (nor uniform and you’d notice a meaningful improvement if you start drinking medium roast) and it would match your Moccamaster

For consistency and grind quality, a burr grinder is superior to a blade grinder. No question. There are two types of burr grinders: conical and flat. Flat burrs generally produce the most consistent results, but conical burrs are many steps above a blade grinder. I have a Fellow Ode Gen 2 and Baratza Encore. The Ode is superior in all regards except price. However it is not 3-4x better. The Encore served me well for ten years and is a very capable grinder. It prepared me for the precision and clean workflow of the Ode.

Baratza has superb customer service and reasonably price replacement parts. Working with Baratz has been professional and pleasant, and is a huge selling point for the company. The Greater Goods brand is good (I have one of its coffee scales), but Baratza is and outstanding value and performer, and when coupled with their customer service, the low risk choice in my opinion.

Ode2 and Baratza Encores are the buy once for AP/PO. I’ve had my Encore for years pushing AP or doing the occasional PO. I also have a Eureka for espresso and 1z JX Pro, but once you go electric, it’s a luxury. I only take the manual when travelling or at our cottage.

I would go with the origami over the v60 because it is more versatile and faster flowing. The grinder you choose will probably, aside from water, be your most important purchase. I have a Commadante C40 that I got on sale awhile ago, but you certainly don’t have to go that route. I can’t speak to the Opus but have heard good things. I also have a Baratza Encore from way back when I first started my pour over journey and it still produces good cups, especially with the Chemex or French Press, but it isn’t good for espresso. Hope you find a setup you’ll enjoy!

Baratza is AWESOME! I dropped off my Encore—which always ground perfect espresso for my La Pavoni—they fixed it and mailed it back to me FOR FREE! I didn’t even need to pay postage. When I upgraded to my Sette I sent them my old grinder to refurbish and sell because they are so great.

In that price range, I love my Baratza Encore for filter coffee.

I use that method. Let the coffee steep in a little pitcher, then pour through a fine mesh tea strainer. It's the same coffee as a French press, but without the expensive French press. And the pitcher and strainer are all you need, and they're durable and easily replaced. For the pitcher I use a stainless steel frothing pitcher, because it has Lori thermal mass so it doesn't stick much great from the water. For grinding the coffee, you could buy a decent grinder. People like the Baratza Encore. There are also hand grinders like the Timemore. I wouldn't use a mortar and pestle. It would get pretty oily over time, and you couldn't use it for anything else. And it would be hard to get a consistent grind.

When mine quit I was stunned to find they not only have spare parts but detailed instructions on how to make repairs.

encore conical burrs make silky dark roast coffee, if that's what they like I suggest encore. I have Ode Gen 2 also, but it's more $$ than the encore.

Baratza is great. They sell spare parts and it’s fairly easy to service. I’ve had my encore for about 5 years and upgraded to the M2 burrs and it is fantastic.

Are you currently making pourover coffee? I know this sounds like a dumb question, but I've seen plenty of people who buy expensive equipment and end up not liking the actual process of making coffee. So if you are already and looking to up your game, then I would say the Ode Gen 2 is worth it as someone who used an Encore for years (10+) and has recently upgraded in the past year. However, if you aren't already doing pourovers and just trying to see if you like it, I would recommend getting a dripper and a cheaper (but still good quality) hand grinder and see if you like the workflow. Can you imagine doing this every morning to make coffee? Can you imagine investing the time to perfect your technique? You may or may not. To each their own. But before you buy expensive equipment, maybe that's a good starting place. Just my two cents.

What grinder outperforms the Encore at its price point?

The DF54 notorious for uneven burr gaps and manufacturing quality problems? The Baratza is reliable and Baratza stands behind their products with great parts availability and repair manuals available online. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone at that price point. 

KINGrinder K6 can be had for $100, and is fantastic for espresso as well as drip. It can be your travel grinder if you upgrade later. My first decent burr grinder was the Baratza Encore. I used it 7 years before passing it on to my son in law. It was night and day better than preground and blade grinder. I used it with a Chemex, French press, and Aeropress. $150 for Baratza.

As someone who graduated from an Encore to the Fellow Ode 2 I suggest saving until you can afford the Ode 2. While the Encore is a very solid grinder, the fines produced can be tricky to deal with in a pour over. I cannot imagine the Oxo will be on par with the Encore in terms of fines and grind uniformity. So if you’re talking $300 already, spend $400 on the Ode 2 which makes significantly better cups than the Encore. The Ode 2 has much higher clarity than the Encore. But I should also specify that I enjoy more clarity and brightness, I drink light to very light roast coffee. If you are into medium to dark roasts and like a thicker, chocolate like cup then the Encore will work a treat.

I started with a hand burr grinder, and then stepped up to an affordable electrical burr grinder. I will never go back to a hand grinder.. although when I started taking coffee more seriously, I couldn't really justify the expense of the electric. Now a decade later I've settled on two electric burr grinders. One for light and medium roast (ode 2 w/ssp) and to me what is a more forgiving baratza encore for darker roasts.. Buy what you can afford, you'll eventually upgrade!

It was a hario hand grinder.. Yea,a few people who have asked me about my setup have seemed aghast at idea of spending that much on a grinder. The encore was my daily for years until I decided I wanted something nicer for light and medium roasted coffee. The encore now is primarily used for dark roasts only.

This is excellent advice. I would add, that as a student, you probably want something that is easy to stow away or take with you and will not make much noise. I have a Baratza Encore and am looking for a handgrinder for these reasons.

Yep - I now have a K6 and a Baratza Encore. I should have just spent less than those two combined and gotten a Baratza Encore ESP instead.

It’s a good basic grinder (I have one) but it’s near useless for espresso. 

Love the Barataza. Don't love replacing the burr casing as often as I have to. Probably need to do a better job of turning the size adjustment slower- I drink espresso and wife drinks pour over, so it gets adjusted multiple times a day.

For $150 budget it's gonna be the Baratza Encore. Capresso Infinity is darn good for the money too. It's what I used before uograding to the Ode 2.

Baratza Encore is the only answer.

I've had no issues at all. The ESP is specifically for espresso, so go with the regular one if you are not solely grinding for espresso. As for issues, all grinders break, but Baratza has a particularly robust parts and maintenance program, plus the aftermarket.

The Baratza is more reliable, easy to fix, and has a ton of replaceable parts. Fellow stuff looks nice, that's it.

Unfortunately when it comes to coffee grinders, price matters. Getting a quality one that will stand up to several uses is going to cost quite a bit of money. We have a Baratza coffee grinder and it was *expensive*, but it does its job well and has not failed us after several years of use. We got the Baratza Encore. Warning, the price may shock you. But paying more for a product that will last is better than continually replacing shitty products that break repeatedly. As far as coffee machines go, we just use a drip coffee maker. We have had cheap ones in the past but we finally splurged for a Ninja machine and it's worked for several years now as well without issue. It also boils water for tea, saving us counter space and sparing us from having to purchase an electric kettle.

Performance aside, aesthetically Encore is just not there. Also the sound and the "ratliness" it has in the plastics.. not a fan

I have three - Baratza Encore for everything but espresso, Eureka Mignon Zero for espresso, and an OXO grinder as a backup (was in regular use before getting the Encore.)

I have used the Baratza Encore with my Moccamaster for several years, and have found this combination produces exceptional coffee. Highly recommend the Encore for this use case. It may be advisable to consider the Encore ESP at a nominally higher cost, as the ESP can also grind for espresso. Have not heard much of the performance of the recently released ESP Pro (looks nice, but has a digital interface, and I find myself going low tech for consumer items when possible, as I find low tech can last longer is less prone to break due to greater simplicity.)

Yes, the Encore is loud, and the Ode is significantly quieter.

I’m going to assume you are talking electric grinders as opposed to manual hand grinders. In case you aren’t aware, there is a whole world of hand grinders out there, and you can get a hand grinder that will equal or exceed the quality of coffee from an electric grinder, for less money. But with a MoccaMaster, brewing full pots, hand grinding could get tedious. Do y’all drink light, medium, or dark roast? Dark roast, I’d probably recommend a conical burr grinder. Light to medium roast, probably a flat burr grinder. But there are exceptions - There are some conical burr grinders out there that do very well with light to medium roast beans. Encore is a basic (but good quality) conical burr grinder, with a couple of advantages - Excellent customer service, and also with thousands of these out there, it’s very easy to research grind settings. It’s about $150 on Amazon. You would not need the ESP version if not brewing espresso. Fellow Ode is also a good option. It has 64mm flat burrs, and the Gen 2 is on sale for $320 right now through either Fellow or Amazon. I’ve owned the Gen 1 version for a couple of years and just recently installed Gen 2 burrs in it. The fact that it uses 64mm burrs is a big plus - If y’all get real serious about coffee and/or decide to get into manual brewing like pourover and/or Aeropress, etc., there are many different aftermarket 64mm burr sets available. Another compelling (but unconventional) recommendation would be one of the rechargeable offerings from Femobook. These are remarkable grinders, essentially, rechargeable, electrified versions of 1Zpresso grinders like the ZP6. One charge lasts a long, long time. Like, weeks, at least. And then you don’t have to deal with a cord. The lack of clutter on the counter and ability to just put it easily in the cabinet when not in use, or travel with it easily, is attractive. These grinders have really captured my imagination lately, especially the A4Z version. Might be worth a look - they’re cool. The reviews I’ve read here have been just raving about how good they are. There are so many grinders out there! I’m sure other people would have good recommendations as well.

Baratza Encore is a great choice at that price point, it is easy to use and there's good US support. If you want to try different burrs and go down that rabbit hole, consider the shardor 64 on Amazon. But if you just want a simple, good grinder then Baratza ftw.

I think an Encore is great for French press. More expensive grinders often give you more clarity, which isn’t really going to come through on a French press. So, Encore would be a great choice and miles better than any blade grinder. The only reason that I would see if there’s any good deals on a Fellow Opus would be that Baratzas are on the louder side of the grinder spectrum.

The Encore is still decent for pour over, a lot of people use it and I think it’s 98% of people’s first ‘good’ grinder. If you’re seriously thinking about getting into pour over, then I’d consider getting a Fellow Ode 2 as it’s a good step up from the Encore and you’d notice the difference in clarity. It’s more expensive but the value is definitely there. And I think a kettle is the last thing to get. Definitely nice to have, a goose neck makes pouring easier, and temp control is pretty much a must (IMO), but I think Hoffmann has said you can use a regular spouted kettle for pour over.

Overall, flat burrs create less fines thank conical, and the Ode 2 creates less fines than the Encore. I still get some ‘sludge’ in my French press, I think it’s unavoidable, but the Ode 2 will create less than the Encore.

That was my first grinder. I had it for years and then noticed the particle sizes being more inconsistent/big. I've read bad reviews about Baratza parts support being unresponsive and I could never find the grinder piece I wanted in stock. I gave up and went to Fellow Opus.

My first grinder was the Baratza Encore. Like others have said, weight the beans first and you can clearly see and hear when those beans have finished grinding. Leaving a hopper full of beans is not a great idea if you want to keep them fresh.

LI5: more costly grinders make better flavored coffee because they process the beans more evenly and with less heat. Heat during grinding is bad. LI20: lowest end blade grinders are like a blender. They produce particles of all different sizes. They chop rather than grind. Burr grinders grind the beans between two sharp steel burrs. Cheaper ones have lower quality burrs that are less consistent and heat up more. Heat is bad. More expensive burr grinders have sharper burrs, higher quality steel and ceramic that last longer and are adjustable and replaceable. A Baratza Encore can last decades. Finally, the highest end grinders like the Vario on up, will grind fine enough for espresso, which is not what Moccamaster makes but if you wanted to move into that, you would need one.

hi, i've been using a baratza encore for, i dunno, five years now and the noise is really getting to me although i sort of appreciate how no-nonsense the grinder is. i'm considering a fellow ode just because everyone says they're extremely quiet but they look a bit fussy to me. is the baratza virtuoso more on-par with the ode in terms of noise, or is there some other solid less-loud grinder i should be considering? i'm open to any suggestions! most of the time i'm grinding 50g of beans for a chemex or 22 for a kalita.

I can't speak for either, but they are major brands, and I assume work as well as you can expect for the price. Cuisinart *($50)*. OXO *($75)*. Cold brew grind size is far more forgiving than other methods, but you will want a burr grinder. I recently upgraded and no longer use my Encore. The burrs may need to be aligned. It's old but has plenty of life. I would have to look it over, and you would have to figure out how to get it to you. If you want it *(free)* send me a chat.

I started with the Hario Skerton hand grinder or whatever it’s called…. Upgraded to the Encore. The biggest downside of that for me was the noise. Eventually an ill family member was getting into coffee and me and my wife decided to donate the Encore to him to make the rest of his time more enjoyable by having tools to really enjoy a cup. That’s when I upgraded to the Ode 2 and so far have zero complaints. I’m just using the standard burrs but that’s fine with me.

Not sure I understand the comment completely - but just want to note that a Baratza Encore is not good for light roast pour over. I had a Virtuoso+ (which is basically a better Encore) and it was terrible for light roast.

The Encore is a good grinder at its price point, but the K6 may even be better. I enjoyed grinding by hand for a long time and still do when traveling, but the grind quality of my Philos is just too good ;) My advice is to spend once as much as you can, not to go easy now and upgrade soonish. E.g. when going electric maybe go for the DF54 or (second hand) DF64g2, if you can afford it. When going for hand operated and you enjoy light roast, the 1zpresso ZP6 can’t be beaten (for med-dark K6 is great, especially for its price).

The Encore is anything but quiet...

"sort of" is doing some heavy lifting there, it's really freaking loud

All the popular options already mentioned. I used the Oxo for about a year. Nice enough grind but the timer didn’t deliver the same quantity of grounds each day. I ruled out the KM5 because I didn’t want to stand there with my finger on the button while it worked. Baratza Encore has an on-off switch on the side but still feeds from a hopper — not a big problem mind you, but accuracy would require some weighing. Fellow Ode 2 is set up to grind enough beans for one pot, so I have to weigh before I grind. And the Ode 2 shuts off automatically when the beans are gone. So I picked the Ode 2. Still in its first week, but it’s quiet and delivers some really nice grind for the MM. Your choice will depend on your own workflow. But any of Baratza, Fellow, or Moccamaster will deliver a great grind.

Under $150? Baratza Encore at $149.95! Oxo Conical Burr grinder is okay at about $75 today on Prime Day sale. I use the Oxo, but I have a Fellow Ode 2 in bound.

Go with the baratza encore. It's been at the top in reviews for many years.

A burr grinder compared to a blade is like drinking coffee in HD. I grind enough for 1 cup at a time in my Baratza Encore. It has a big hopper, but you don’t store beans there.

Love my silenzio, not as quiet as I was expecting but hey we’re pulverizing beans and a good deal quieter than the encore I upgraded from

If you can get the encore then you are set. Anything else suggested won’t be as good if there are other options

Encore. No other grinder would come close to the quality. So yeah, you might be able to find one in the same price range. but only to have a crap experience.

Yup. I was trying to decide between the Oxo and the Baratza Encore. Went with the slightly more expensive Baratza and it’s the best choice. Just make sure you dont overfill the coffee grounds or it backs up into the grinder and is a pain to clean the first time.

Baratza Encore for me and my MM.

A good decade and a half ago maybe even longer at this point I bought a Baratza Encore and it's starting to get a little old and tired. Curious how the current iterations of those perform, should I just replace it with a new one or are there better options in that price range? I've also consider a hand grinder so I can make coffee without waking up the whole house and I'm not sure where to even start with those since I've only ever had the Skereton back in the day. I'm mostly brewing with a v60 for reference. I've been saying for years that I'm going to get a manual espresso maker but I have yet to actually so I'm prioritizing drip coffee performance over espresso.

I have a kingrinder k6 and a baratza encore and I choose the hand grind most mornings because it tastes better. My wife pretty much always chooses the automatic grinder

I’ve got three grinders. Two Mahlkonig grinders, x54 for espresso and a Guatemala Lab for drip. Also, have a bodum bistro that I use as my travel grinder. Technically have an encore as well but it lives at the family cabin.

1- that all depends on what coffee you use, we've had decent cups from preground when I've been waiting for my new beans to arrive. We have an encore there are better grinders but this is probably the best value for money imo. 2 - Absolutely bean and taste dependant I like strong coffee so probably use more than this, my wife on the other hand would probably be happy just threatening it with a picture of coffee it's so weak 🤦‍♂️ 3- we get 4 good sized mugs out of it think Starbucks size 4- experiment with grind size and amounts to see what works for you and keep notes. Enjoy its simple and consistent and it's that consistency that makes it great imo because its then so easy to dial in.

The quality of the grind produced by these little blade grinders is definitely lacking. I’m surprised the motors last as long as they do. I don’t think buying a new one off the shelf today would have the longevity of ops. That said, for the budget conscious (unfortunately still not “cheap”) the baratza encore is a nice grinder for the price with replaceable parts meant to last a life time. There are also fantastic hand grinders from e.g. 1zpresso, Comandante, and others at all kinds of price points that are definitely bifl.

I have been using a Baratza Encore since January of 2019 and it has not missed a beat. It works well with the Moccamaster, Chemex and French press. The only part I have replaced is the gasket between the bean hopper and the upper burr set. Part was readily available from Baratza and easily installed.

Yeah I agree - I think a lot of coffee gadgets/techniques have diminishing value, but getting the right/consistent grind seems to be pretty important to avoid under/over-extraction. I was happy when I made the investment into the Encore grinder years ago (I currently brew with Technivorm, aero press, or chemex depending on the situation). TBH I can still make a cup that I’m happy with one of those shitty blade grinders, but it’s noticeably worse than the burr-ground coffee. Theres no technique or gadget that’s going to make good coffee out of over-roasted beans though.

The Baratza Encore is a great option if you need low maintenance and simple use. I’m not sure that an upgrade to the ESP model is worth it in this case but I could be wrong.

Yeah for real, I bought that because of the positive reviews here.

I invested in a good grinder and haven't looked back (baratza encore ). It was well worth the money. In terms of beans - whole beans are a little more resilient. I'll buy several pounds at a time and keep them in storage, like double bagged in the freezer and then when I'm ready to use one , move it into a proper canister.

I wouldn’t even entertain manual grinding. Every coffee person I know, thought oh hand grind, I’m more in touch with the process, etc. They romanticize the process. Within 6 months to year they buy electric grinder. Do you really want to do manual labor in the first hour after you wake? If you’re trying to dial in, like espresso, count on 4-6 grinding cycles. If you’re trying to are ok with pre grinding beans at Costco, you’ll be elated with a Baratza Encore or something in that range.

I have the Encore and it will grind to any size you need. Granted, I do use mine for near-espresso grind, but it can handle any other size.

People can be very dramatic lol. The Baratza encore in my mind is the baseline for good. Baratza is a good company that makes good grinders. There are better ones but get ready to pay for them lol I also like how easy they are to service and that they sell all their parts online. For under $200 unless you find a really good used grinder I think Baratza or an opus are going to be your best bet personally.

Yeah, id call the one you're a regular at and ask. If you want to start grinding fresh regularly, investing in an electric grinder with a hopper would hold your beans and easily grind fresh every day. Baratza is a good company and has a few options that aren't insanely priced. Expect to drop about $100-180 new. Encores are common and can usually be found for cheaper used too. If you want an occasional whole bean I'd consider a hand grinder. They're easy to use and small so you can store it. Expect to spend $40-$100 for a good one.

Get the best grinder you can afford. There's no substitute for freshness in coffee grounds, no matter what the bag says! I have an Etzinger etz-i, but if you're unwilling to spend £200 on a hand grinder, there are plenty of other choices! James Hoffmann did a review on the [KinGrinder P1](https://youtu.be/EPbVUR6Y83k?si=LdQ82LSeqs3EpFdm), which only costs £30ish. It's reviewed well, it might be a good starting point if you're on a budget. Stepping up, you could look at other offerings from KinGrinder, Timemore or 1Zpresso, they're the big names for budget grinders. Check the reviews, but it's my understanding that you can't go too badly wrong with their offerings. If you want to go electric, look at a Sage, Baratza Encore or Sette, Fellow Ode or Opus, or Wilfa Svart for good starting points, they can all be had second hand for not a lot, but I do see the odd Fellows going for £150 or so new. There are bargains to be had here and there! I kind of gloss over electric grinders not because they're no good, but because the money you spend is put to better use if the manufacturer doesn't need to pay for electric motors. Grinding as coarsely as a moka pot needs isn't too onerous, and the money just goes into making a decent grinder. Electric grinders start at well over £100 for anything worth looking at, so unless you're grinding for 4 espressos every morning, you'll get much more bang for your buck grinding by hand. I do make 4 espressos every morning though, for which I have a DF54. Worth a look for an espresso-capable grinder you can grow into, and you want a nice kitchen gadget. (Who doesn't?) Another wise investment is a jeweller's scale, or drug scale, depending on your upbringing. It doesn't need to be anything expensive or fancy, as long as it measures to 0.1g. Use it to measure out your beans before grinding them, and weigh the water into the base, so if you find a recipe you like, you can repeat it. A standard kitchen scale is no good for the coffee world if it only measures to the nearest gram. If you're weighing out 500g of flour, you'll end up between 499.5g and 500.5g. Pretty negligible in a loaf of bread. When you're working with 20g of coffee, you'll taste the difference between a 19.5g and 20.5g cup. Amazon is the place to look, they're a tenner well spent. Finally, when you make the leap, hand or electric, get yourself a burr grinder. If it costs three eighths of bugger all and has a little spinning blade at the bottom, don't waste your money on it. Blade grinders are near-universally regarded as crap by the coffee world because the "grounds" they produce are so horrendously inconsistent. You want a nice uniform(-ish) particle size, which blade grinders just aren't capable of by their design. You'll have coffee particles ranging in size from half a bean to icing sugar in the same batch. Unusable for making anything you'd want to drink. Also, avoid grinders with ceramic burrs like the Hario Skerton. They aren't as awful as blade grinders, but they don't produce good grounds either. Ceramic burrs are the very cheapest you can get, which shows how much thought and effort went into the rest of the grinder, and the quality of coffee it'll produce. You get what you pay for.

DF64 for espresso, Baratza Encore for filter at home, Timemore C2 for filter at the office.

Since you mentioned Baratza - I've got the Encore model. It is very slow and loud but grinds the coffee perfecty. I'm sorry I have no other recommendation.

My guess would be 10 mins, maybe even more. If you're looking for speed, don't buy this model.

What grind level do you use for the Moccamaster? We have a 20 year old 1.25 l model. Temp and time are still in spec. Just replaced the basket. Encore burr holder broke, so just bought an Ode V2 to try while fully rebuilding the Encore (6 years, it's a beast). So, what grind level? Started at 8, now up to 10.33 and it takes like 6:30 - 7:00 for the water to stop flowing and start dripping. I can go to 11, but that seems extreme. Though, if the V2 is highly engineered and there is no need to grind above 11, then I get it.

Baratza Encore is the standard recommendation for a really solid entry level burr grinder. You can get the Oxo burr grinder or Capresso Infinity for a bit less and they're ok but generally regarded as a step down.

Same. I have the Baratza Encore ... weigh out my beans and then put them into the (single dose) hopper.

I upgraded from an Encore to n Ode 2 and I would never go back. It’s great!

I always rec the Baratza Encore as the affordable standard. Loads better than the built in Breville or mostly anything else in its price range.

You don't need a manual for durability. Get a Baratza Encore. I've had mine going on 10 years. Just replaced the burrs. The thing that makes Baratza unique is that they sell replacement parts for all their grinders. They are built very well, but if something does break, you can buy an OEM part and easily fix it.

Yes, but I should have done it sooner. Baratza says to replace them every 5-7 years or 500lbs of coffee. Mine was taking longer and longer to finish a grind over the last few years, but I really didn't pay it any mind. I didn't notice how bad it had gotten until I put the new burr set in.

I caught the KM5 on sale around $240. It’s a good grinder but not a great grinder. I would be disappointed paying full price. The Good: I love the design and build quality. Looks hella good next to my Moccamaster brewer. Plus it’s hard to beat a 5 year warranty. It has great power and a nice consistent grind. The hopper lid can be flipped and used as a bellows of sorts to clear out stray/sticky grounds. It’s beautifully simple with a single switch and stepless adjustment knob. Some people complain about the switch being push and hold but I don’t mind that a bit. It’s quieter than my old KitchenAid blade grinder and that makes everyone in my house happy. I will still use a hand grinder when my partner and child are sleeping. The Bad: Static is a real problem with the KM5 but can be mitigated with RDT spray bottle. That’s easy enough for me. The hopper bottom is rather shallow leading to stray beans and kick back needing to be pushed back through 100% of the timing using it as a single dose grinder. Perhaps it wouldn’t be such an issue for someone who fills the hopper full of beans. I am also an avid AeroPress brewer so it’s common for me to grind ~15g doses. The KM5 is terrible for this. At times I’ll lose 0.7g and no matter what I do, I can’t seem to shake it loose. Generally the next time I grind beans will be a larger dose (26-40g) where I will push through the left over grinds and end up with more than what I put into the hopper. This only happens when grinding smaller doses so I don’t use it for that. That’s a big disappointment for me. All in all it’s a good grinder and it works for me. I’m happy to own it but after a month of use I’m not sure I would recommend it at full price. I don’t have experience with the Encore, Opus, or Bistro so I can’t say how they compare. The Encore seems to be a solid choice for a good and reliable grinder at a decent price. Just my two cents. Hope this helps in your decision!

I'm not as extreme as some others on here with regard to cycling equipment/upgraditis but I went Baratza Encore--> 1Zpresso-->getting ready to buy Fiorenzato All Ground Sense. While those first two combined were <$300, I wish I had just bought once, cried once.

My Baratza, ordered from Baratza, ground unevenly (dust, ground coffee, and biggish pieces) with a loud cracking noise at regular intervals (not just the usual burr grinding sound) from the git-go, and broke irreparably within a year -- as I drink coffee only two or three times a month, that would be more like a few weeks for most users. The on/off switch doesn't have a timer and if you fill the top -- if you put in more than a few tablespoons, actually-- and turn your back for a moment it will clog. As I put up with it for about a year, having no other option for grinding coffee, service was nonexistent. The years old Baratza this was supposed to be a replacement for had a timed switch (the same switch from the outside, and the little glitch of turning on until YOU turn it off wasn't mentioned in any review or Baratza's description), ground delightfully evenly at all settings, and never clogged despite my ex-husband -- the main coffee drinker-- never cleaning it and me only cleaning it (running rice or cleaning grains through it) when I thought of it, which wasn't often. I guess the gist is, be sure of what you're getting if you get a Baratza.

Baratza is the answer. I've had mine for over 20 years. I recently contacted the company to buy the little rubber feet that deteriorated on the bottom and they sent me the feet, some extra other parts, stickers and postcards. Years ago I contacted them to buy a few other normal wear and tear parts and they sent those free too. Buddy at work has one, they've sent him new circuit boards and gearboxes for free. Outstanding product and customer service you just don't find anymore.

Baratza is great.

Get a used grinder on marketplace for sure. Oxo and Breville are the bare minimum, but if you see a sub-$50 Baratza, that’s even better. If you don’t want to then start buying more beans, just resell it yourself when you finish the bag. Anything lower-end than those and I wouldn’t bother. Blade grinders ruin beans, as do super cheap “burr” grinders like Cuisinart and Shardor. As far as storage, if you brew coffee daily, I’d just keep them in a resealable container (with a “burp” valve if possible; old bags from previous coffee purchases should work) in a cool and dry place.

I got the Sage Barista Pro with the Baratza-Grinder and love it.

☝️this, I have 2 Mazzer Minis for regular and decaf espresso, and a baratza mainly for French Press and cold brew

I use a Comandante hand grinder with a Hario electric attachment to make pour over. I have a Baratza that rarely gets used.

I 2nd that. I got the one with the scale used on eBay. It's been great. Baratzas are great too. Better reliability and fix ability. But they are also a lot noisier.

We've had an OE Lido3 for years, and it's an excellent manual burr grinder. Have a Barazta that was just too damn loud, particularly first thing in the am. It's been collecting dust since the Lido3 showed up. But the Lido is $$$.

I recommend a Baratza coffee grinder. They are a quality product and the company sells replacement parts and stands behind their products.

Couple things to keep in mind: * Never underestimate the difference a good quality grinder will make, a cheaper machine with a good grinder will almost always beat an expensive machine with a bad grinder. Baratza makes excellent affordable machines, start with them. * Like with most products, the more complex it is, the more points of potential failure it will have. This is why I avoid all-in-one machines and fully automatic machines. Keep the grinder and the espresso machine separate, it will save your dad headaches down the road— and if he really gets into it, will give him the option to upgrade components independently * Espresso machine market is changing. Good home espresso is becoming increasingly within reach. You can get good value with some of the newer brands like Casabrews— but it'd still TBD how reliable these machines are, time will tell.

Agree. Barritza ($150?) plus Aeropress ($60?) work great together for me.

baratza is really bad, idk why people keep recommending it for espresso. K4 is also good and cheaper than K6. And lastly, even timemore C3 is a good option if you want something cheap and decent.

>it's really not that much time or effort to grind the beans by hand It actually is tiresome. Secondly, people in general want their coffee asap and grinding manually for 2 minutes in the morning is not that ... entertaining, let's say. And I would know as I've used one on and off for a year because baratza's bad qc.

Really hoped that the Varia would make a better showing here.  I wonder if the dial can be modded a bit to keep it from wandering (add friction material somewhere, maybe?) The noise of the Baratza puts me off, too.  I get offended these days by design decisions that don’t seem to care about the end user’s happiness.  I shouldn’t be forced to hate grinding coffee in the morning even if it’s just for thirty seconds. I did a lazy “noise analysis” vid of the earlier £500 grinder video to help me visualize their differences: https://youtu.be/3ELGcSK1G_4?si=5QGq5dh2InxT0DlP

I got a home grinder initially so that my coffee wouldn’t go stale as fast.  Whole beans last longer than preground.  Part of the bonus was, hopefully, that I could buy a larger bag for cheaper and still get good coffee for less money per cup. Then I got better at dialing in my grind size and getting the smoothest flavor I could, so now rather than spending ten dollars per kilo of commodity-grade coffee, I’m happy spending twenty per 300g of specialty coffee. 🤣 For the same money, you’ll get much better grind quality in a hand grinder than you would for electric.  Get a Timemore or 1ZPresso and it’ll rival electric grinders costing double or triple as much.  It’ll take a bit longer, but with the modern class of hand grinders, you’re only looking at maybe 45 seconds for a 3-cup pot without working very hard (which is much better than multiple minutes in a Hario Skerton). In electric grinders, the bare minimum I’d recommend would be an Oxo or a Baratza.  But I’d rather step up to, say, the DF54, Eureka Mignon series, Urbanic, and some others.

Side bar, but I would actually get the grinder first (I love my Bartaza). I got both at once and I found myself drawn to grinding the beans fresh for a French press makes wonderful coffee, to the point I hardly use my espresso machine anymore. You can use a grinder with any coffee method to make better coffee pretty quickly. Plus, using pre ground coffee for an espresso machine is .....not advised.

I got the Specialita and I believe - from my multiple reviews - the DF54 is up there is due to it's pricing. I've had the Baratza but the level up from previous to current one is not comparable. Eureka is just solid!

Just looking at it, I can see it's got the same internal design as the burr grinder Cuisinart has been making for decades now. It's better than a blade grinder, but it's on the lowest quality rung of electric burr grinders. The cheapest baratza is significantly better.

+1 for this analysis!! Like yes a Ferrari is a great car but if you’re frequently going to national parks, camping, gravel roads, and/or need some carrying capacity, then a Ferrari will be a nightmare. I'd get a combo of the Baratza and K6; the former will get through volume when you need it, and the latter will be a fun way to treat yourself when you have more time or want a slightly more fun cup.

For your needs you could look into the Fellow Opus or a Baratza. ETA: top end of your budget but the Niche

If it's volume you want go for the Baratza or Baratza ESP (this will future proof it if you decide to drive into espresso) That has a hopper that you can load with a bag of coffee. You just press go and stop it when you've ground the amount you want. It can act as a single dose grinder too, you just weigh out the amount and grind that.

Exact same situation as me. I just ordered the baratza as it seemed to have the best overall reviews for the $

Why wouldn’t Baratza be a good pick?  People clamored over the Fellow Ode but they botched the launch hard and had to offer replacement burrs.  I’ve never heard of Baratza doing anything like that. 

No complaints from my Baratza.

K6 is best bang for buck. Baratza is the same for electric

I have the kingrinder and the baratza, go for the second. My coffee tastes so much better and it's way easier to operate.