Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
It is possible to make your morning coffee more enjoyable by grinding your own beans. There are many different types of grinders.
This OXO grinder has conical burrs that produce the perfect grind for French press espresso, drip coffee and French press. 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 make your own coffee that a quality grinder is essential to achieve the most flavor. But best grinder machine can run upwards of $200, which can be prohibitive for someone who isn't certain if they'll use regularly or not. This is why the OXO Brew is an excellent 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 appears sturdy and expensive. Its stainless steel body features a permanent water tank at the back, and a thermal carafe at the front. The carafe and tank are designed so that the body is easily installed in smaller kitchens. The controls are located below the carafe in order to minimize the clutter, and there's an indicator light that indicates whether it's heating up or brewing.
Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. The water temperature was within a small range (197.4 F to 205.0 F) for the entire test, as measured by thermocouples that were located in the basket for the grounds. Its brewing time was also close to the time that the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for a good drip.
Another advantage of the OXO Brew is that it has the single-serve feature that lets you to brew a cup of coffee directly into your mug. This isn't something you can find in other high-end models and is an enormous benefit for those who want to make their own portions of coffee but don't wish to hassle with brewing an entire carafe of coffee.
The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't include a clock or an automated start time, which could be a hassle when you have a hectic schedule. In addition, the water tank can be difficult to get rid of due to its lid that must be lifted off to access the reservoir. It is equipped with a mineral descaler that helps to stop mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
The Baratza Encore is the most popular burr mill for coffee enthusiasts. This version of the classic Encore was revamped to include enhancements that make it adaptable to a wider range of brewing techniques and offer more versatility than ever before. It is designed for home baristas who are just beginning their journey and anyone who wants to have a range of brewing options with one grinder. It features an adjustable stepped grind and simple controls for novice baristas, as well as notched and labelled settings for consistency. Its M2 Burrs ensure uniform grinding, and its hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature.
The ESP utilizes a high-torque DC motor with 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 classic Encore, and it has an upgraded metal plate that increases stability and burr consistency. It is equipped with conical burrs of 40 millimeters similar to those that are found in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This allows it to get a better size of grind distribution and uniform shots.
Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns. This gives excellent resolution when dialing in espresso and finer grinding for pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with portafilters of 54 and 58mm. This enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can also be used in conjunction with an old-fashioned grounds bin for those who prefer an hopper-based workflow.
The ESP's inconsistency in tests of consistency is a drawback however, it is better than other grinders at this price. The stepped grind settings can also be inconsistant, making it difficult to determine the right setting for your particular style of brewing. The ESP is a versatile brewer that can be used to make a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP is also a bit more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it's worth the extra cost due to its incredible flexibility. It can grind espresso or filter brews and utilize the shims included to improve its performance when pour over the brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that works well with espresso and pour-over brewing. 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 has only a few moving parts, making it simple to maintain and use. It is a great option to anyone who is looking for a premium grinder at an affordable price.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the previous version and should have a hard time being beat by any other grinder in the same price range. The new model is more appealing to the eye. It features a simple flat-rounded base that can withstand up to The cradle can accommodate 20 grams at one time. It also has a bellows made of rubber that is able to push air through the grinder when you take your dose to push out excessive grinds and to reduce retention.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee 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.
