How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
A coffee grinder is an essential tool in the home coffee maker's arsenal. What is the best one to purchase?
Burr grinders crush beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces rather than cutting them with blades. They're generally thought to be superior to blade grinders. But what characteristics should you be looking for in a burr grinder?
1. Conical Burrs
A conical-shaped burr mill has an angled set of teeth and an elongated burr ring that is inserted within the other. This shape lets it grind more efficiently as the burrs turn around a single central point. The angle of the teeth cuts the beans more evenly and creates less heat, which is desirable because excessive heat can result in bitter notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat ones. Flat burrs are susceptible to warping and dulling quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee that is unevenly ground. They are also more fragile, meaning that small stones and other particles can cause damage over time. Flat burrs also generate more noise and require more frequent maintenance and cleaning.
A number of burr grinders offered for sale call themselves "burr grinders," yet they have flat or no burrs. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth. They are usually paired with weak motors that produce uneven grounds. They are not genuine burr mills and contrary to what many enthusiasts think, do not offer the same grind as genuine burr mills.
Although some experts disagree some believe that the type of burrs in a grinder has an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly anecdotal but hold a firm grip on the minds and hearts of coffee enthusiasts. For example, some think that conical burrs can bring out the individual flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs can soften and enhance dark roasts.
This could or might not be true however it is something to consider if you wish for your grinder to have a significant effect on the quality of your coffee. The only way to know that for certain is to test the grinder with the beans you will be using it with. The grinder's overall design and operating features will have a larger impact on the final cup of coffee than the type of burrs. This is the reason it's crucial to evaluate a grinder based on other factors, such as the reputation of the brand and customer reviews.
2. Convenience
The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that many coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by numerous reviewers as an "time tested choice" that is a great value for money, and well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew.
The grinder uses burrs that rotate instead of blades for grinding the beans, resulting in more uniformly sized grounds than a blender or another burr grinder, according to the company. The burrs also produce less heat, which preserves the flavor and aroma of the beans.
Blade grinders on the other hand they can generate excessive heat and unevenly-sized grounds which can affect the flavor of your final cup. Burr grinders also tend to be quieter than blade grinders, though this can vary depending on the model and manufacturer.
Some burr grinders utilize flat burrs instead of conical burrs. These are two discs with cutting edges that face each other. These grinders aren't recommended for espresso because they can be difficult to calibrate. They are also less expensive and more complicated than top-end flat-burr grinders such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.
Some of the grinders that we tested let you select the amount of time the machine will grind. This is useful when you're making espresso. www.coffeee.uk , such as our top choice Baratza Sette 270, have a built-in timer that is accurate to one-tenth of seconds. This feature is not required for the majority of brewing methods and most burr grinders under $200 use the most expensive version of a windup clock.
The most affordable models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, use manual burrs. This means you have to turn them by hand yourself to grind your coffee. This is more laborious however, it's a good choice if you want simple, compact and inexpensive option that doesn't require electrical power.
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses a burr mill and is also a budget-friendly alternative. It's louder than other models we've tried, but it's acceptable if you don’t mind some noise. The quieter a grinder will generally be, the more expensive it is. This is due to the more advanced materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.
3. User-Friendliness
If you're just starting to learn about coffee-brewing at home there's one piece of equipment that everyone agrees is necessary is a burr mill. These grinders provide a smaller, more consistent grind than the regular blade grinder. They also allow you to make drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor, and acidity. They also tend to achieve this more effectively. But, as you might expect, top burr grinders can be priced upwards of $200, and are difficult to use.
So, we talked to experts and got their recommendations for the most simple-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. Many people, including those on a tight budget, recommend the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It comes with multiple settings to accommodate a variety of options for brewing, from pour-over to French press, and drip coffee. It also did well in our tests.
It's also a bit quieter than some other grinders that we tested, and it does not produce more heat than others do. This is important since excessive heat can ruin the delicate aromas of your beans.
The OXO grinder's only disadvantage is that it's only effective when grinding at the coarse end of the spectrum, which can be a problem with espresso. If you're making espresso, a more sophisticated burr grinder such as the Baratza Encore might be a better choice.
Manual burr grinders that run by cranking are simpler to use and ideal for those who drink just a cup or so of coffee every day. These grinders are ideal for those who travel, or only need to make one cup of pour-over coffee.
Bon Appetit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder, which has 41 easily-adjustable settings and is capable of making a great drink using any method you want, except espresso (the flat burrs made of steel do not grind fine enough). It's easy to operate for those who don't mind small messes and flying chaff, and it's relatively quiet.
4. Cost
A good burr grinder will cost about a hundred dollars but it's worth the cost. 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. The grinders create a tiny amount of fines, which are little bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the size of grind you select. However it's not obvious to most coffee drinkers.
Flat burrs, which are basically two discs with cutting teeth that are facing each other They are not as common in home units, however they are preferred by serious coffee enthusiasts due to their ability to provide a uniform size of grind that is perfect for espresso and French press. They can be expensive and you may need to buy new burrs each when you change the type of brew you use or the amount of roast.
The Baratza ESP is the best mix of cost and capabilities for a burr grinder according to our experts. It's less than $200 and is more affordable than many other models with similar capabilities. It comes with a 64-mm flat burr set that is ideal for all brewing methods and easy to upgrade with other sets, like those from SSP.
The OXO is a different option that is priced reasonably with a solid performance record in our tests. Its burrs aren't quite as precise as those in more expensive models, but it does have multiple settings that perform well for drip and French press, and its user interface is intuitive. While true coffee lovers would prefer a more sophisticated model, 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. They are ideal for those who travel and who are only able to make two or three cups of coffee at each time. These models, which employ the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders, use an actual crank, not a motor and are usually more quiet than electric models.