This Week's Top Stories About Best Conical Burr Grinder
Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own coffee beans is a great way to enhance your morning coffee. There are a variety of grinders available.
This OXO grinder features conical burrs which produce an ideal grind for French press, espresso and drip coffee. This grinder is a great option for those who are just beginning, however the most dedicated coffee enthusiasts will require an exact grind.
OXO Brew
You probably know if you make your own coffee that a good grinder is necessary to ensure the best flavor. But a quality burr grinder can cost upwards of $200, which can be a bit expensive for those who aren't certain if they'll be using it regularly or not. That's why the OXO Brew is an excellent option for anyone who wants to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew isn't extravagant, but it looks sturdy and expensive. Its stainless steel body features an enduring water tank at the back, and an thermal carafe on the front. The carafe and tank are shaped in such a way that the body can be easily incorporated into smaller kitchens. The controls are recessed beneath the carafe to reduce the amount of clutter. There is also a light to let you know when it's heating or making.
In our tests in our tests, the Oxo brewed consistently well. Its water temperature remained within a tight range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test according to 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 a good drip.
The OXO Brew also comes with the single-serve option that lets you brew coffee directly into your cup. This feature isn't present on other models with a higher price. It can be an advantage for those who want to make individual portions of their coffee but don't like the hassle of brewing an entire carafe.
The only issue with the OXO Brew is that it doesn't include an alarm clock or a timer that can be set to automatically start time, which can be a pain if you have a busy schedule. In addition, the water tank can be tricky to remove due to its lid that must be lifted off to access the reservoir. It comes with a built-in mineral descaler to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating within the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you're a coffee enthusiast looking for the best burr grinder the Baratza Encore ESP is your best choice. This version of the classic Encore has been revamped with modernizations that allow it to be more compatible with a wider range of brewing methods and offer greater flexibility than ever before. It's designed for beginner home baristas and anyone who wants to keep their brewing options open with a single grinder. It features stepped grind adjustment and simple controls for novice baristas as well as marked and notched settings to ensure consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and the hopper is easy to clean with its quick release feature.
The ESP employs the same high-torque gear reduction DC motor as the original Encore but operates at lower speeds in order to minimize static charge and heat during the operation. It's also quieter than the classic Encore, and it has a new metal plate which improves stability and consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm M2 conical burrs that are similar to those in the more expensive Virtuoso Plus which allows it to attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more reliable shots.
The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, offering excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. The new dosing cups are compatible with portafilters of 54 and 58mm. This improves the ergonomics for manual dosing. The grinder can also be used with an old-fashioned grounds bin for those who prefer the hopper-based method of working.
The ESP's inconsistent performance during tests of consistency is a problem however, it is better than other grinders at this price point. The stepped grind settings are also inconsistent, making it hard to find the perfect setting for your particular style of brewing. The ESP is a versatile brewer that can be used to make a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP is also a little more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but it's worth the extra cost due to its impressive flexibility. It can grind for filter or espresso brews. The shims that come with it 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 can be upgraded to increase performance and the hopper is sufficient to accommodate a range of sizes of grinding. The DF64 is also simple to use and maintain with few moving parts. It is a great option for those seeking a top-quality grinder for a reasonable price.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the original model and should be hard to beat by other grinders that are priced similarly. The new model has a new appearance that is more appealing to the eyes. It features a simple flat-rounded base that can stand up to The cradle can hold 20 grams at a time. It also comes with an elastic bellows that is able to push air through the grinder when you take your dose to force out the excess grinds and decrease retention.
coffee machines with grinder 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 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.