Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
It is possible to improve the quality of your morning coffee by grinding your own beans. There are a variety of grinders.
This OXO grinder features conical burrs which produce an ideal grind for French press, espresso and drip coffee. Hardcore coffee geeks may want more precision from this grinder, but it's a great option for those who are just beginning.
OXO Brew
If you're into making your own coffee at home, then you already know that it requires a high-quality grinder to give you the most flavorful coffee. A high-quality burr mill could cost as much as $200, which is expensive for those who aren't certain whether they'll use it. This is why the OXO Brew is a great alternative for anyone looking to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew isn't flashy, but it looks solid and expensive. niche grinder an in-built water tank that is permanently located in the back and an thermal carafe on the front. The carafe and tank have been shaped so that the body can be easily fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are located below the carafe to minimize the clutter, and there's an indicator light that informs you when it's heating or brewing.
Oxo consistently brewed well during our tests. Its water temperature remained within a tight range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test, as measured by thermocouples in the basket for grounds and the water tank. The brewing time was very close to what the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for an excellent drip.
Another plus for the OXO Brew is that it has the single-serve feature that lets you to brew the coffee directly into the mug. This isn't an option that's available in other high-end models, and it can be an enormous benefit for those who want to make their own individual servings of coffee but don't wish to hassle with brewing the entire carafe of espresso.
The only drawback to the OXO is that there is no clock or automatic start time. This could be a problem when you are on a strict schedule. Additionally the water tank can be difficult to remove because it has a lid that must be slid off to access the reservoir. It has a built-in mineral descaler to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
The Baratza Encore is the best burr mill for coffee lovers. This version of the original Encore is redesigned with modernizations that allow it to be more compatible with a wider range of brewing techniques and offers more flexibility than ever before. It's designed for beginners in home baristas, as well as anyone looking to keep their brewing options open with a single grinder. It comes with stepped grind adjustments and simple controls for beginners, along with labeled and notched settings for consistency. The M2 burrs guarantee uniform grinds, and the hopper comes with a quick release feature that makes cleaning easy.
The ESP uses a DC motor that has high torque and gear reduction, similar to the original Encore. However, it runs at lower speeds in order to minimize static charge and heat. It's also quieter than the classic Encore and comes with a new plates made of metal which improves stability and consistency. It comes with 40 mm conical burrs similar to those used in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This allows it to achieve a better grind size distribution and consistent shots.
The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, providing excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with portafilters of 54 and 58mm. This improves the ergonomics for manual dosing. The grinder can be combined with the traditional grounds bin for those who prefer a hopper-based workflow.
The ESP's inconsistent performance in tests of consistency is a problem but it still performs better than other grinders at this price. The settings for stepped grinds can also be inconsistent, making it hard to determine the right setting for your brewing style. The ESP is a versatile brewer that can be used for a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP is also a bit more expensive than many of the other models on this list, but it's well worth the extra cost for its amazing flexibility. It can grind for filter and espresso coffee brews. The included shims will maximize its performance for Pour Over Brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 grinder is a good one that works well for pour-over brewing and espresso. The burrs can be upgraded to increase performance and the hopper can be big enough to accommodate a variety of sizes of grinding. The DF64 is also easy to operate and maintain with only a few moving parts. It is an excellent choice to anyone who is looking for a premium grinder at an affordable price.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a significant improvement over the previous model and should be hard to beat by other grinders that are priced similarly. The new model is more attractive to the eye. It has a simple flat, rounded base that can hold up to The cradle can accommodate 20 grams at a time. It also has a rubber bellows that is able to push air through the grinder when you take your dose to force out excess grinds and reduce retention.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional or commercial grinders due to their ability to reduce grind time and heat generation and improve grind particle consistency. The 64mm flat burrs in the Ode also give it a much smoother grind than you would find in a typical home appliance grinder. And they are designed with single-dosing in mind, meaning that the grinder shuts off as soon as the hopper is empty. This helps to prevent over-grinding, which can rob your brews of flavor and aroma.
The hopper itself holds 100 grams, which is enough for one large pour-over or two small cups of espresso. The Ode has a variety of other neat features, including a built-in scale and a cool grind size chart that is mapped out on the underside of the lid. This shows the brewing methods that each setting is most suitable for, with pour-over and cold brews on the fine end of the range, and French press on the coarse end.
Another great feature of the Ode is that it has a quiet, almost purr-like sound during operation and is very fast. The grinder has a high-force spring that knocks excess ground beans and chaff into the catch, which helps to reduce grind retention and make clean-up a breeze. It’s also very easy to disassemble and is compatible with coffee tablet cleaners.
Despite some minor hiccups in the initial launch, the Ode is still a top contender for those looking for an excellent and aesthetically pleasing conical burr grinder. Fortunately, the company is committed to improving the product and recently released the Gen 2 version, which addresses some of the issues with the original. However, for those who want a better-suited grinder for espresso, the Baratza DF64 is an excellent alternative that is both visually and functionally superior to the Fellow Ode.