How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A grinder is one of the most important tools in a coffee maker's arsenal. What kind of grinder should you get?
Burr grinders crush beans between two revolving serrated surfaces instead of cutting them using blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. What characteristics should you be looking for in a burr mill?
1. Conical Burrs
Like its name suggests, a conical burr grinder has one circular burr ring inside another with angled teeth. This shape allows for a more efficient grinding, because the burrs rotate around the central point. The angled teeth are more efficient in cutting beans evenly, and also produce less heat. This is a good thing since excessive heat can result in bitter taste in your coffee. Conical burrs last longer than flat ones. Flat burrs are more prone to warping and dull quickly, resulting in unevenly ground espresso that is not evenly ground. They are also more fragile, meaning that small stones and other debris can cause damage over time. In addition flat burrs create more noise and require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.
A lot of burr grinders available 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 coupled with weak motors that produce irregular grounds. They are not genuine burr mills and contrary to what some enthusiasts think, do not offer the same grind as genuine burr mills.
Some experts disagree with this claim However, some believe that the shape and size of burrs used in a coffee grinder can influence the final taste. These theories are mostly anecdotal but have a strong grip on the minds and hearts of coffee lovers. For best coffeee grinder , some think that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans while flat burrs are able to soften and enhance dark roasts.
It could be the case, but it is important to think about if you want your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. The only way to be sure for sure is to test a grinder out with the beans you will be using it with. The grinder's overall design and operational features will have a greater effect on the final cup of coffee than the type of burrs. It is therefore crucial to take into consideration other factors when you evaluate a grinder, such as its reputation as well as customer reviews.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that many coffee lovers swear by. It has been praised by a number of reviewers as an "time tried and tested product" that offers great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
According to the company, the grinder uses rotating metal burrs rather than blades to grind beans. This creates more uniform grounds than a grinder, or other burr grinder. The burrs also produce less heat which preserves the flavor and aroma of beans.
Blade grinders, on the other hand they can generate excessive heat and unbalanced-sized ground that can alter the taste of your cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blades grinders. However, this could vary by model and brand.
Some burr grinders employ flat burrs instead of conical. These are two discs that have cutting edges that are 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 you to control the amount of time it will be grinding for a particular amount of time. This is useful when you're making espresso. Others--including our top choice the Baratza Sette 270 a built-in smart timer that can deliver split-second precision. This feature is not required for all brewing techniques and most burr grinders under $200 use a fancy version of a windup clock.
The cheapest models in our lineup--such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs, meaning you have to crank them manually by hand to grind your coffee. This is more laborious, but is a great option if you are seeking an easy small, affordable option without electrical power.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another affordable option that uses a burr grinder. It's louder than the other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some sound. The more quiet a grinder is likely to generally be the more expensive it is. This is due to the improved materials and the advanced soundproofing techniques.
3. Easy of Use
If you're just starting to explore the world of home coffee brewing, there's one tool experts agree is essential that's a burr grinder. They produce more consistent, finer grind than a blade grinder. They can help you create brews with better balance of flavor, body and acidity. They also do it more reliably. But, as you might imagine, top-quality burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and are complicated to use.
So, we spoke to experts and received their recommendations for the most simple-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder to a lot of people as well as those who don't wish to spend a fortune. It has multiple settings that can handle different coffee brewing techniques such as pour-over, French press to drip coffee, and it worked well during our tests.
It's also quieter than other electronic grinders we've tested, and doesn't generate the same amount of heat. This is important because excessive heat can destroy the delicate scents of your beans.
The OXO grinder's only disadvantage is that it's only effective at grinding on the coarse end of the scale, which can be a problem with espresso. If you're brewing espresso, a more sophisticated burr grinder like the Baratza Encore might be a better option.
Manual burr grinders that run by cranking are simpler to use and ideal for those who drink only one or two cups of coffee a day. These grinders are ideal for those who travel or who only require a single cup of pour-over coffee.
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder that has 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and is capable of making an excellent drink regardless of the method you prefer, with the exception of espresso (the flat steel burrs do not grind fine enough). It's easy to use by anyone for as long as they don't mind some messes or chaff flying away.
4. Cost
A quality burr grinder will set you back a few hundred dollars, but it's well worth the price. 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. They produce a small amount of fines (the tiny bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the official grind size you select) However, this won't be noticeable to most average drinkers and is a minor cost to pay for delicious consistent coffee grounds.
Flat burrs, that are two discs with cutting teeth facing one another They are not as common in home units, but are favored by coffee lovers due to their ability to provide a uniform size of grind that is perfect for espresso and French press. The drawback is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you might need to buy new burrs for every different roast level or brew type.
The Baratza ESP has the best mix of cost and capabilities for a burr mill, according to our experts. It's priced at less than $200, which is a lot less than the majority of other models that lack the same level of capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat brewer set that's ideal for all methods of brewing. You can easily upgrade to other sets, like the ones from SSP.
The OXO is another affordable option with a proven performance record in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise as ones in more expensive models however, its user interface and a variety of settings work well for both French press and drip. While true coffee lovers may require a more sophisticated model however, the OXO is a great starting point for most people.
We also tested a couple of manual burr grinders for those who prefer to grind their beans by hand. These are great for traveling and for people who are only able to make two or three cups of coffee at one time. These models, which use the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders, work with the use of a crank rather than a motor and are usually much quieter than electric units.