Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

Grinding your own beans for your coffee is a great method to improve your morning cup. There are a variety of grinders out there.

This OXO grinder features conical burrs which produce the perfect grind for French press, espresso and drip coffee. This grinder is an excellent choice for novices, however, hardcore coffee geeks will want a more precise grind.

OXO Brew

If you're planning to make your own coffee at home, you are aware that it requires a high-quality grinder to produce the most flavorful coffee. However, a good burr grinder can cost upwards of $200, which could be prohibitive for someone who isn't sure if they'll use it frequently or not. This is why the OXO Brew is a great option for anyone who wants to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.

The design of the OXO Brew may not be flashy but it looks solid. The stainless steel body features a permanent water reservoir in the rear, and a thermal caafe in the front. The carafe and tanks are designed so that the body can be easily fitted into smaller kitchens. The controls are concealed beneath the carafe to reduce clutter. There is also a light to let you know when it's heating or brewing.

Oxo consistently brewed well during our tests. Its water temperature remained within a precise range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test run, as measured by thermocouples located in the grounds basket and the water tank. The brewing time was close to the time that the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for the best drip.

Another plus for the OXO Brew is it comes with the single-serve feature that lets you to pour the coffee directly into the cup. This isn't an option that's available in other high-end models, and it can be an important benefit for those who want to make their own servings of coffee, but don't need the hassle of making a full carafe of coffee.

The only downside to the OXO Brew is that it doesn't come with an alarm clock or a timer that can be set to automatically start time, which could be a pain if you have a busy schedule. The water tank is difficult to remove since it has a lid which needs to be slid to access the reservoir. It is equipped with a mineral descaler to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating in the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

If you're a coffee lover seeking the top burr grinder, the Baratza Encore ESP is your top pick. This version of the original Encore has been re-engineered with upgrades that make it compatible with a broader range of brewing methods and offer greater flexibility than ever before. It is designed for baristas at home who are just beginning out and anyone who wants to have a range of brewing options in one grinder. It has a the ability to adjust the grind in a step and has simple controls for beginner baristas, as well as marked and notched settings to ensure consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinds. The hopper comes with a quick release feature that makes cleaning simple.

The ESP makes use of a DC motor that has high torque and gear reduction, much like the original Encore. However it operates at lower speeds in order to lower heat and static charge. It's also quieter than the classic Encore and comes with a an upgraded metal plate which improves stability and consistency. It comes with conical burrs of 40 millimeters similar to those used in the more expensive Virtuoso plus. This helps it attain a greater grind size distribution and consistent shots.

Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns, which gives high resolution when dialing in espresso, and more precise grinding for pour over. It comes with a dosing cup that can be used with both 54 and 58 mm portafilters which enhances the ergonomics of La CafetièRe Black Manual Coffee Grinder - Premium Quality dosing. The grinder can also be used with traditional grounds bins for those who prefer an hopper-based workflow.

One downside of the ESP is its inconsistent performance when it comes to back-to-back consistency tests although it still performs better than many other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings can be inconsistant, making it difficult to determine the ideal setting for your particular brewing process. However, the ESP is well-suited for various brewing methods and offers a great value for its versatility.

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 for espresso and filter brews, and also utilize the shims included to optimize its performance when pour over the brewing.

Baratza DF64

The Baratza DF64 grinder is a excellent one that is suitable for pour-over brewing and espresso. The burrs can be upgraded to Enhance Your Brews with KYG Electric Coffee Grinder performance and the hopper is large enough for a variety of sizes of grind. The DF64 is also simple to operate and maintain with few moving parts. It is a great option for those looking for a high-quality grinder for a reasonable price.

The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the original model and will be hard to beat by other grinders within the same price range. The new model is more attractive to the eye. It features a simple, flat-rounded base that can support up to 20 grams of beans at a single time and a single dose cradle. It also has a bellows made of rubber that will push air through the grinder when you do your dose to force 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 Efficiently grind coffee spices & nuts: SHARDOR Electric Grinder. 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.