Best Coffee Grinders

Detailed List of the Top Coffee Grinders

1. OXO BREW - Best Coffee Grinder

The OXO BREW conical burr grinder is an innovative solution for home use and small cafés. It features a scale, perfect grinding, and one-click operation.

The OXO brew conical burr grinder has become very popular among coffee lovers since it was released. This is due to its high-quality assembly, simple operation, and integrated scale.

The coffee grinder is both beautiful and compact. Its body is made of wear-resistant plastic and metal and looks great in any kitchen.

The hopper is tinted to protect the coffee beans from sunlight. It also closes tightly with a lid to preserve the freshness and aroma of your coffee beans for a long time. The hopper can be rotated to fine-tune the grind size.

The front of the burr grinder features a backlit digital display that shows the weight of the ground coffee beans. There is also an illuminated dial that allows you to select your desired number of cups of coffee—the grinder will automatically weigh the required dosage of grounds. To tare the scales, just press the dial.

The scale works quite well, though occasionally it over- or under-weighs by a few grams. This isn't a critical flaw. The scale makes grinding super convenient—you don't need to count down the grinding time or manually weigh the coffee. You'll save time and, because a separate scale can be expensive, money.

The ground coffee container holds enough to brew up to 12 cups of coffee. This is great for a large family or even small coffee shops.

The OXO brew conical burr grinder uses conical stainless-steel burrs. They grind gently and evenly and can easily handle any grind. The coffee does not get stuck between the burrs, which is a common problem with many grinders.

Espresso grinds generally require very powerful, expensive grinders, but the OXO BREW can handle it. It is so well optimized that it doesn't overheat or burn fine grinds. You just have to choose the right coffee beans for your espresso.

Among the disadvantages, we note static buildup that makes grounds stick to the grinder. You can solve this problem by wiping the coffee grinder with a damp paper towel.

The best home coffee grinder does not require any special handling skills, since all parameters are initially set by the manufacturer for optimal brewing.

2. Baratza Encore - Best for Beginners

For more than 20 years, Seattle-based Baratza has been producing advanced, high-quality coffee grinders.

The Baratza Encore is the best electric burr grinder at the mid-range price point. Its specially designed conical burrs guarantee precise grinding, and it's suitable for almost all brewing methods.

It is worth noting that the Encore grinds beans grind quite well for home espresso machine, but not as well for Turkish coffee—large particles sometimes remain in the find grind.

This conical burr coffee grinder has a great design with high reliability, good ergonomics, and a compact size. It won't take up much space in your kitchen.

A convenient on/off switch is located on the side of the burr grinder, and a pulse-mode button is located on the front panel. You hold this button down to grind.

The hopper is small, holding about 7 ounces (200 grams) of coffee beans. The grounds container can hold 5.3 ounces (150 grams), enough for 10-15 cups of coffee.

To set the grind size, you just turn the hopper. There are 40 grind settings, from fine to coarse.

The burrs are easily removable, making cleaning or replacing them very easy.

The grinding speed is slightly lower than that of similar grinders, but this has its advantages: The device does not overheat, it's not very noisy, and it doesn't generate static.

Overall, the Baratza Encore's performance is sufficient for everyday use at home or in the office. No special maintenance is required, and there are no unnecessary settings. Just a couple of taps and twists, and your freshly ground coffee is ready. This is really the best coffee grinder for beginners.

3. Breville The Smart Grinder Pro - Best for Espresso

Breville's programmable Smart Grinder Pro with adjustable burrs gives a lot of room for home coffee drinker to experiment.

Breville Smart Grinder Pro is mainly designed for espresso coffee drinker. A key benefit is that it can dispense ground coffee directly into a portafilter. A special portafilter holder is included with this best espresso grinder, though a portafilter is not included.

Any brewing method that requires a medium to fine grind will work with this grinder, which offers 60 grind settings. This is an extremely useful function for making spot adjustments to an espresso grind.

Another advantage is the Smart Grinder Pro's low price. While special espresso grinders start at $1000, you can get this one for less than $200. And in terms of functionality, it's practically as good as those more expensive models.

The coffee grinder uses conical stainless steel burrs that can withstand heavy usage and always produce an even grind for both espresso and AeroPress. Coarse grinds are sometimes less uniform, but this won't be a big problem.

Another small disadvantage is low engine power. If you use the coffee bean grinder continuously for too long—about 10 minutes—it will overheat and give an incorrect grind.

The body of the grinder is stylish, easy to clean, and resistant to minor mechanical damage. A large LCD display on the front panel shows all the information you need to properly grind your beans. Grind settings can be easily chosen using the three buttons below the display.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro can remember your personal grind settings, and the precise grind-time timer will give you full control over dosing.

Despite its impressive functionality, the device remains quite compact and will easily improve any home interior. Plus, you can hide the power cord under the device to reduce clutter.

4. Hario - Best Manual Coffee Grinder

This device is suitable both for beginners looking for an inexpensive grinder and for experienced baristas looking for a portable grinder.

The Hario Skerton Pro is a worthy alternative to expensive electric grinders. Its large ceramic burrs do not overheat during operation and do not absorb foreign odors. This preserves the natural flavor of the beans and ensures that they are evenly ground. In addition, ceramics are not susceptible to rust, so the grinder can be cleaned under running water.

This best budget coffee grinder also has a grind adjustment, which favorably distinguishes it from other similar coffee grinders. The wide range of grind sizes allows you to grind coffee beans for any brewing method, from French press to the espresso.

The design has been well thought out so you can grind the right amount of coffee in the shortest possible time without your hand getting tired. The handle can be easily removed and the coffee grinder takes up very little space without it. This makes it ideal for small kitchens and offices, and for travel.

The transparent grounds compartment is made of high-strength glass and can hold enough grounds for 10 cups of coffee. This compartment can be closed with a lid to store freshly ground coffee beans.

In addition, there is a silicone seal on the bottom of the grinder, which ensures a stability while grinding.

5. Sboly - Best for Pour-Over

This quiet conical burr grinder is capable of grind quality that rivals professional devices. It gives you the perfect grind for a pour-over coffee makers at a very affordable price.

The Sboly conical burr coffee grinder is very compact at just 12.3 inches high. It will fit almost anywhere in your kitchen. And despite having a plastic case, the grinder looks quite solid. Plus, the transparent hopper and grounds container mean you'll always know how much coffee you have left.

As its name suggests, this grinder uses conical burrs, which are ideal when it comes to extracting all of the aromas from coffee beans and keeping their essential oils intact.

The essence of the pour-over method is to extract the acidity, sweetness, and entire flavor profile from coffee grounds while leaving out bitterness. To achieve this, you need the most even medium or coarse grind for a French Press, which the Sboly grinder provides.

Plus, the low speed of the device contributes to high-quality grinding. The beans don't overheat and their taste doesn't spoil. Low speed also means less noise.

The Sboly grinder boasts 19 precise grind settings. You can grind up to 12 portions at a time with just one touch of a button.

This best coffee grinder 2021 comes with a coffee scoop and a burr-cleaning brush.

One disadvantage of this grinder is that it produces a lot of static, so coffee particles stick all over it. You can solve this problem by slightly wetting the beans before grinding.

Another problem is the wide-but-shallow hopper. Due to its shape, the last beans do not fall into the burrs, but fly off in different directions. To avoid this, add more beans. The hopper has a tight lid, so the beans can stay fresh for a long time.

All the same, the Sboly grinder clearly has many advantages, all for less than $100.

6. Bodum Bistro - Best for French Press

This reliable home and office coffee grinder will quickly grind up to 10 portions of beans. The conical burrs produce a great coarse grind for tasty French press coffee.

The grinder is extremely easy to use as it offers 12 grind settings that can be selected by simply turning the hopper.

The hopper itself holds about 7 ounces (200 grams) of beans and is sealed with a lid. This will keep the beans fresh for a long time. On the lid are recommendations for adjusting the grind size

There is a mechanical timer under the hopper; it has a range of 5 to 20 seconds. The grinding process starts with pressing the power button and ends when the timer expires.

The grinder, although inexpensive, is equipped with a very nimble engine. Any grind size gets ground very quickly. Coarse grinding is as uniform as possible, but the fine grind is lower-quality, as the coffee overheats due to the high speed. In addition, the grinder generates a moderate level of noise.

This burr coffee grinder uses stainless steel conical burrs, so it preserves the natural flavors and aromas of the beans better than a blade grinder would. In addition, the coarse grind settings do not produce fine coffee particles, which is very important when brewing in a French press.

Bodum took the problem of static seriously and included a glass container for ground coffee. This prevents the buildup of small coffee particles due to static.

The device can be disassembled easily if necessary. This makes it easy to clean and maintain.

The Bodum BISTRO coffee grinder combines affordability with real quality that some users may need for home use.

7. Capresso Infinity - Best for Cold Brew

This is a quality grinder for everyday home use. High-quality cold brew requires a reliable grinder that produces a consistent coarse grind.

The time-tested Capresso Infinity meets this requirement. The success of the grinder lies in its excellent balance of uniform grinding and quality assembly.

The grinder fits perfectly into the interior design of any kitchen.

The burr grinder is quite simple to use. Its main advantage is that it has 16 grind settings. Plus, it can work continuously for 5 minutes, which is enough time to grind coffee for many people. Different degrees of grinding allow you to grind beans for any brewing method.

The conical stainless-steel burrs gently grind the beans without leaving behind small particles, which is very important for the preparation of a tasty cold brew without bitterness. The low grinding speed also has a beneficial effect on flavor because it results in less heat generation.

The burr grinder has a convenient timer that can be set from 5 to 60 seconds. A rotating hopper is used to adjust the grind size.

The device comes with a cleaning brush and a measuring spoon. In general, the grinder does not require any special maintenance.

Its disadvantages include static formation and being noisy. In addition, some coffee remains in the burrs and could jam the grinder or get into your drink the next time you use it. We suggest using the included brush to clean the burrs often.

The main unique feature of this grinder is its low price.

8. Porlex Mini - Best Small Coffee Grinder (For Travel)

This grinder is the ideal travel companion for any coffee lover.

Porlex is a small, family-owned Japanese company that makes legendary coffee grinders, which are highly regarded by professionals and baristas for their reliability and quality. The Porlex Mini is no exception.

Its body is completely made of stainless steel, which gives the grinder a stylish, minimalist look. It is durable enough to accompany you on any trip and can grind coffee for any brewing method, from espresso to French press.

If you are also taking an AeroPress with you, the perfect cup of coffee is guaranteed. A nice bonus for travelers is that the grinder fits inside the Aeropress piston, so it won't take up any extra space in your bag.

A special feature of the Porlex Mini grinder is that both fine and coarse grinds will be uniform thanks to the ceramic burrs, which also protect your coffee beans from unnecessary heat exposure. This preserves their natural oils and aromas.

The Porlex Mini is specially equipped with a comfortable rubber grip grip, which is simply indispensable when traveling. It will take no more than two minutes to properly grind 20 grams of coffee.

The convenient design of Porlex allows you to quickly and easily disassemble and clean all the parts of the grinder. You can adjust the grind size very easily by turning the special knob.

Why Is Freshly Ground Coffee Best?

You may ask: Why not just buy pre-ground coffee beans?

At first glance, ground coffee seems convenient. After all, you can just buy it and brew it—no grinding required. But believe me, this will result in sheer disappointment and sending your money down the drain.

The worst enemy of ground coffee is air. When coffee grounds come into contact with oxygen, the coffee's essential oils begin to oxidize, ruining the taste and aroma of the coffee within two to three hours. And moisture in the air disturbs the natural acidity of coffee. The end result is a flat, empty drink with a papery flavor

Grinding whole-bean coffee just before brewing prevents these issues and ensures that your cup of coffee will be rich, tasty, and aromatic.

And for this, you need a quality coffee grinder.

Why Is Consistency Important?

Size and consistency of the grind are also important for the quality of your drink.

Some low-cost grinders produce a very uneven grind—that is, the grind will have some larger particles and some smaller particles. This causes the coffee to extract unevenly. Smaller grounds will be over-extracted, leading to a burnt, too-strong taste; larger particles will be under-extracted, leading to a watery, diluted drink.

The best way to get a consistent, uniform grind is to use a burr grinder.

Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinder

Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s explore further.

Manual

A manual coffee grinder is a good way to get evenly ground, freshly ground beans. Manual coffee grinders are always made with burrs, which give the most uniform grind and preserve aroma and taste. Plus they hardly make any noise, and won't overheat your beans.

Other advantages include compact dimensions and simple design. Manual grinders are easy to take with you wherever you go. They also don't require much maintenance—they can be easily cleaned, washed and dried. Also, many manual grinders have a beautiful retro design, so they’re both functional and a stylish element in your interior design.

But these grinders take a lot of time and effort to use. It will take you about 2 minutes to grind 1 serving worth of coffee, which is not so convenient in the morning when you need to get to work. Plus, manual grinders are small, so you'll have to refill and re-grind for each new cup of coffee.

Electric

Electric grinders are a more modern option and have several advantages.

For example, they are very easy to use—you can control the settings by simply pressing a button. Also, electric coffee grinders are usually compact, so they fit in most kitchens.

In addition, best electric grinders save time compared to manual grinders, and their large bean hoppers allow you to grind more coffee at once than with a manual grinder.

But don't forget about the nuances of using electric coffee grinders. Compared with their manual counterparts, these devices cost more and are noisier.

There are two types of electric grinders: burr and blade. Below, we will consider each.

Burr vs Blade Coffee Grinders

Are burr coffee grinders really better?

It is worth remembering once and for all that burr grinders are the best solution and surpass blade grinders in many respects.

Electric burr grinder have an impressive number of grind degrees, and they grind very uniformly and preserve the flavors and aromas of your coffee beans. Blade grinders don't have grind size options, don't grind uniformly, and don't preserve flavors and aromas.

Blade grinders work like a blender—they use blades to chop coffee beans into ever-smaller pieces. Often, they overheat the coffee, depriving you of aroma and flavor.

Almost all modern grinders use burrs, either steel or ceramic. Even manual grinders use burrs.

How Coffee Grinder Works

The first coffee grinders were made of wood and stone, and couldn't produce a fine grind.

Millstones were the inspiration for the first manual grinder. These grinders consisted of two millstone-like burrs, the distance between which could be adjusted using a screw. The smaller the distance between the burrs, the finer the grind. In burr grinder, one burr is fixed and the second rotates. This is still the basis for how burr grinders work today.

The first European manual grinders were a small cube with burrs inside. The coffee grinder had a small drawer located at the base of the device. The ground coffee fell into this drawer, but it was hard to get a fine grind with these grinders.

Currently, manufacturers offer consumers a wide selection of all kinds of electric burr grinders, which are far superior to the other electric option, blade grinders. However, connoisseurs claim that only a manual burr grinder can provide the perfect grind to make first-class coffee.

Sources:

1. Ceramic Vs. Steel Burr Grinders - Know Your Grinder
2. The Advantages of a Hand Grinder - Driftaway Coffee
3. What’s the Difference Between a Burr Grinder and Blade Grinder? – TheKitchn