best conical burr grinder Conical Burr Coffee Grinders

Grinding your own coffee beans is a great way to enhance your morning coffee. But, there are many different grinders available.

This OXO grinder utilizes conical burrs to create a grind that works well for drip, French press and espresso. Hardcore coffee geeks may want more precision from this niche grinder, but it's a fantastic option for those who are just beginning.

OXO Brew

If you're planning to make your own coffee at home, then you already know that it requires a good grinder to give you the most flavorful coffee. But a quality burr grinder can cost upwards of $200, which can be a bit expensive for someone who's not certain if they'll use it regularly or not. This is why the OXO Brew is a great alternative for those who want to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.

The design of the OXO Brew isn't flashy but it looks solid. Its stainless steel body is fitted with a permanent water tank in the back and an insulated thermal carafe in the front. The carafe and tanks have been shaped so that the body can be fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are concealed beneath the carafe to reduce the clutter. There is also a light that lets you know when it is heating or making.

In our tests during our tests, the Oxo brewed consistently well. The water temperature was within a narrow range (197.4 F to 205.0 F) for the entire test, as measured by thermocouples in the grounds basket. Its brewing times were also very close to the Specialty Coffee Association's suggested time for a high-quality drip.

The OXO Brew also has a single-serve feature that allows you brew coffee directly into your cup. This isn't an option that's available in other models with a higher price, and it can be an important benefit for those who like to make their own individual servings of coffee but don't want the hassle of brewing a full carafe of coffee.

The only downside to the OXO is that it has no clock or automated start time. This could be a problem if you are working on a tight timeframe. The water tank is also difficult to remove because it has a lid which must be lifted to get to the reservoir. It comes with an inbuilt descaler, which helps prevent mineral deposits from building up within the machine.

Baratza Encore ESP

The Baratza Encore is the most popular burr mill for coffee enthusiasts. This version of the original Encore was redesigned to incorporate upgrades that make it more adaptable to a wider range of brewing methods, and offer more versatility than ever before. It's for home baristas who are just beginning out and anyone looking to have a range of brewing options with one grinder. It has stepped grind adjustments and simple controls for beginners, along with notched and labeled settings to ensure consistency. The M2 burrs guarantee uniform grinding, and the hopper has a new quick release feature that makes cleaning a breeze.

The ESP uses a DC motor that has high torque and gear reduction, much like the original Encore. However, it runs at lower speeds to minimize static charge and heat. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore and comes with a a new metal plate that increases stability and burr consistency. It's fitted with 40mm conical M2 burrs that are identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus which allows it to attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more consistently shot.

The ESP grind adjustment has 9 microns between each step, offering excellent resolution for espresso and pour over. It features a new dosing cup that can be used with both 54 and 58 mm portafilters which improves the ergonomics of manual dosing. The grinder can be used with the 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, though it is still superior to many other grinders organic coffee beans in this price range. The settings for stepped grinds are also inconsistant, making it difficult to find the perfect setting for your particular style of brewing. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used to make various brewing techniques.

The Encore ESP costs a little higher than other models, but its versatility is well worth the price. It can grind for espresso or filter brews as well as use the included shims to improve its performance when pour over brewing.

Baratza DF64

The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that is compatible with pour-over brewing and espresso. The burrs can be upgraded to increase efficiency and the hopper can accommodate a variety of different grind sizes. The DF64 has a small number of moving parts, making it simple to maintain and operate. It is a great option for those seeking a top-quality grinder at an affordable price.

The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the previous version and will have a hard time being beat by any other grinder at the same price. The new model is more appealing to the eye. It features a simple, rounded-flat base that can hold up to 20 grams of beans at a single time and a single dose cradle. It also comes with a rubber bellows that is able to push air through the grinder as you take your dose to force out 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 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.