Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

It is possible to improve the quality of your morning coffee by grinding your own beans. There are a myriad of different kinds of grinders.

This OXO grinder makes use of conical burrs to create a grinding system that is suitable for drip, French press and espresso. Hardcore coffee geeks may want more precision from this grinder, but it's a fantastic option for beginners.

OXO Brew

If you're interested in making your own coffee at home, then you are aware that it needs a quality grinder to produce the most flavorful coffee. A quality burr mill can cost upwards of $200, which is prohibitive for those who don't know whether they'll actually make use of it. 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 OXO Brew's design isn't flashy but it looks solid. Its stainless steel grinder steel body features an enduring water tank at the back, and an thermal carafe on the front. The carafe and tanks have been shaped so that the body can be installed in smaller kitchens. The controls are hidden under the carafe, reducing the amount of clutter. There is also a light that lets you know when the carafe is heating or brewing.

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

Another advantage of the OXO Brew is it comes with the single-serve feature that lets you to pour the coffee directly into your mug. This isn't a feature found in other models with a higher price and is an enormous benefit for those who like to make their own servings of coffee but don't need the hassle of making the entire carafe of espresso.

The only real downside of the OXO Brew is that it doesn't come with a clock or an automated start time, which can be a hassle if you have a busy schedule. In addition the water tank could be tricky to remove, as it has a lid that needs to be slid off to access the reservoir. It is equipped with a mineral descaler that helps to keep mineral deposits from building up in the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

The Baratza Encore is the best burr mill for coffee lovers. This version of the classic Encore is redesigned with improvements that make it compatible with a broader range of brewing techniques and provide greater flexibility than ever before. It's designed for beginner 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 novices, along with notched and labeled settings for consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and the hopper comes with a quick and easy release feature.

The ESP uses the same high-torque gear reduction DC motor that was used in the original Encore but operates at lower speeds to lessen heat buildup and static charge during the operation. It's also quieter than the classic Encore and comes with a new plates made of metal that improves stability and burr consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm M2 conical burrs that are identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus that help it attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more consistently shot.

Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns, which gives high resolution when dialing in espresso and finer grinding for pour over. It has a new dosing cup that is compatible with both 54 and 58 mm portafilters which enhances the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can also be used in conjunction with a traditional grounds bin for those who prefer a hopper-based workflow.

One drawback of the ESP is its inconsistency in back-to-back consistency tests, however, it is still superior to other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings can be too inconsistent, making it difficult to find the right setting for your specific brewing method. However, the ESP is ideal for a wide range of brew methods and provides a remarkable value for the versatility it offers.

The Encore ESP costs a little higher than other models but its versatility is worth it. It can grind for filter or 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 and espresso brewing. The burrs are upgradeable to improve performance and the hopper is able to accommodate various grind sizes. The DF64 is also easy to use and maintain with a minimal number of moving parts. It is an excellent choice to anyone who is looking for a premium grinder for a reasonable price.

The DF64 Gen 2 is a massive improvement over the original version and should have a hard time being beat by any other grinder in the same price range. The new model has an entirely new appearance that is more appealing to the eye. It has a simple, rounded-flat base that can hold up to 20 grams of beans at a time, and a single dose cradle. It also has an elastic bellows that pushes air through the grinder when you take the dose, to eliminate the excess grinds and decrease 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 machine grinder 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 non electric coffee grinder grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional or Commercial Grinder 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 coffee grinder 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.