How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is among the most essential tools in the coffee-making arsenal. But which one should you buy?

Burr grinders grind beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces instead of cutting with blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. But what are the features you should be looking for in a burr grinder?

1. Conical Burrs

A conical burr mill has sharp teeth that are angled and the ring of a circular burr that is placed between the other. This shape permits more efficient grinding, as the burrs rotate around a central point. The conical teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly and produce less heat. This is beneficial since too much heat can cause bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs are more prone to warping and become dull very quickly, leading to unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They are also more brittle, which means that small stones or debris can damage the burrs over time. Flat burrs also produce more noise, and require more frequent maintenance and cleaning.

Many burr grinders that are on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs, or no burrs whatsoever. These "false burr grinders" come with large flat teeth, and are often paired with weak motors that produce uneven grounds. They aren't genuine burr grinders, and, despite the opinions of some enthusiasts they don't provide the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.

Although some experts do not agree with this, others believe that the type of burrs in the grinder have an impact on the final taste of the coffee beans grinder. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee drinkers. Some believe that conical burrs bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs soften and enhance darker roasts.

It could be the case however it is something to consider if you wish for your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. The only way to be sure for certain is to try a grinder out with the beans you'll be using it with. The design of the grinder as well as its operating features will have a larger impact on the final cup of coffee than the type of burrs. It's important to consider other aspects when evaluating the grinder, including its reputation and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee lovers swear by. Several reviewers praise it as a "time-tested choice" that offers great value for money and is well designed for drip, pour-over, French press, and cold stainless coffee grinder.

According to the company, the grinder utilizes rotating burrs made of metal rather than blades to crush beans. This creates more uniform grounds than a grinder, or other burr grinders. In addition, the burrs generate less heat while grinding and preserves the beans' aroma and flavor.

In contrast, blade grinders can create excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds, which affects the taste of the finished cup. Burr grinders are also known to be quieter than blade grinders, but this may vary based on the model and brand.

Some burr grinders use flat burrs instead of conical. These are two discs that have cutting edges facing each one. These grinders aren't recommended for espresso as they can be difficult to calibrate. They are also cheaper and less difficult than top-end flat-burr grinders such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.

A few of the grinders we've tested allow users to set the amount of time it will grind for a certain amount of time, which is useful when you're making espresso. Others--including our top pick the Baratza Sette 270 an integrated smart timer that delivers the precision of a split second. This feature isn't necessary for all brewing techniques and most burr grinders that cost less than $200 use an upgraded version of the windup clock.

The cheapest models in our lineup--such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs. This means you'll need to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort, but is a good option if you're looking to get simple, compact and affordable option that doesn't need electrical power.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an alternative that is affordable and features a burr grinder. It's louder than the other models that we have tested, but it's still acceptable if you're willing to tolerate some sound. The quieter a grinder will generally be, the more expensive it is. This is due to the improved materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.

3. Ease of Use

If you're just starting to discover the world of coffee-brewing at home there's one piece of equipment that experts agree is essential that's a burr grinder. These grinders produce a more consistent, finer grind than you get from your standard blade grinder and assist in making drinks that are more balanced in flavor, body, and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. As you would expect, a high-quality burr mill can cost anywhere from $200 to $200 and is difficult to use.

So, we spoke to experts and received their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder for many people as well as those who don't wish to spend a fortune. It has multiple settings to handle a variety different brewing methods, from pour-over, French press, to drip coffee. It did well in our tests.

It's also quieter than some other grinders that we test, and it does not produce more heat than others do. That's important, as excess heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder's main disadvantage is that it's only effective in grinding at the coarse end of the scale, which can be a problem for espresso. If you're brewing espresso, a higher-end burr grinder like the Baratza Encore might be a better option.

Manual burr grinders, which are powered by cranking, are easy to use and are perfect for those who drink only just a cup or two of coffee per day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel, or only need to make only one cup of pour-over coffee.

Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Director of Test Kitchen, loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It comes with 41 settings that are easily adjustable and will make a fantastic brew using any method--except for espresso (the flat-stainless steel manual coffee grinder burrs don't grind well enough). It's a breeze for anyone to use, as long as they don't mind some messes or chaff flying away.

4. Cost

A good burr mill will cost you a few hundred dollars, but is well worth it. The grinding mechanism is simple enough that even a beginner can figure out how to get the most out of it, and you'll save money in the long run by ditching the pre-ground coffee and bad-for-the-environment coffee pods.

Conical burr grinders are the standard in electric home units, and they're a great choice for most people just starting out with this whole grinding-your-own-beans-at-home thing. The grinders create a tiny amount of fines, which are the tiny pieces of coffee ground that are smaller than the official grind size you select. However this isn't evident to the majority of coffee grinder compact drinkers.

Flat burrs, that are two discs with cutting teeth facing each other They aren't as popular in home units, but are preferred by serious coffee lovers due to their ability to provide an even grind size which is ideal for espresso and French press. They can be costly and you might have to purchase new burrs each time you change the brew type or level of roast.

The Baratza ESP is the best combination of cost and capability for a burr grinder according to our experts. It's priced at less than $200 and is far more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It has a 64-mm flat burr set that's excellent for all brewing methods and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to those from SSP.

The OXO is a good affordable alternative that has a great record in our tests. The burrs on this model aren't as precise, as ones in more expensive models however its user interface and the variety of settings are suitable for both French press and drip. The OXO is a great entry-level model for a lot of people. True coffee geeks might prefer a more advanced model however the OXO is a good choice for the majority of people.

We also tried a few manual burr grinders for those who prefer to grind their coffee by hand. These are great to take on trips and for those who only need to make two or three cups of coffee at each time. These models utilize the same grinding mechanism of electric burr grinders, but work by hand instead of motors. They are also typically quieter than electric ones.