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How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder A coffee grinder is a vital device in the coffee maker's arsenal. What is the best one to purchase? Burr grinders crush beans between two revolving serrated surfaces, rather than cutting them using blades. They're generally regarded as superior to blade grinders. But what are the features you should look for in a grinder? 1. Conical Burrs A conical burr mill is equipped with an angled set of teeth and an elongated burr ring that is inserted within the other. This design allows it to grind more efficiently as the burrs rotate around a single central point. The angle of the teeth cuts the beans more evenly, and produce less heat, which is ideal because excessive heat can lead to bitter flavor notes in your coffee. Conical burrs last longer than flat burrs. Flat burrs are susceptible to warping and become dull quickly, resulting in unevenly ground coffee. They are also more fragile, which means that small stones and other particles could cause damage over time. Flat burrs also produce more noise, and require more frequent maintenance and cleaning. Many burr grinders that are sold on the market advertise themselves as “burr grinders,” yet they have flat or no burrs. These “false burr grinders” come with large, flat teeth and are often coupled with motors that are weak and produce irregular grounds. They are not true burr grinders, and, despite what some enthusiasts believe they don't provide the same quality of grind as real burr grinders. Although some experts disagree some believe that the burrs that are used in a grinder has an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly based on anecdotes but they have a powerful hold on the minds and hearts of coffee enthusiasts. Some believe that conical burrs can bring out the unique flavor of exotic beans, while flat burrs soften and enhance darker roasts. This could or might not be true however it is something to consider if you want your grinder to have a significant effect on the quality of your coffee. Only by testing the grinder with the beans that you intend to use can you be certain. The overall design of the grinder and its operating features will have a greater effect on the final cup of coffee than the type of burrs. This is why it's important to evaluate a grinder based on other criteria, such as the reputation of the brand and reviews from customers. 2. Convenience The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee lovers swear by. It has been praised by several 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 employs rotating burrs made of metal instead of blades to grind beans, which creates larger, more uniformly-sized grounds as compared to a blender or burr grinders, as per the company. The burrs also produce less heat and preserve the flavor and aroma of the beans. Blade grinders on the other hand are prone to producing excessive heat and unbalanced-sized ground that affect the taste of your finished cup. Burr grinders are also quieter than blade grinders. However, this may differ based on the model and the brand. While the majority of the burr grinders that we test have conical burrs, a few make use of flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth facing one another). We don't recommend these for espresso because they tend to be more difficult to calibrate and are generally more expensive than a high-end, flat-burr burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+. The grinders we've tested allow users to control the amount of time it will be grinding for a particular period of time, which is handy if you're brewing espresso. Certain grinders, such as our top pick Baratza Sette 270, have built-in timers that are precise to only a fraction of seconds. However, this feature isn't essential for all brewing methods and the majority of burr grinders priced under $200 are based on an improved version of a windup timer. The cheapest models in our selection, like the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity—use manual burrs, meaning you'll need to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice when you're looking for an easy, compact and inexpensive alternative without electricity. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another option for those who want to save money and uses a burr grinder. It's louder than some of the other models we've tested however it's still acceptable for those who don't mind some noise. The more quiet a grinder will be, in general the more expensive. This is due to the improved materials and advanced soundproofing technology. 3. Easy to Use If you're just starting to learn about home coffee brewing, there's one tool experts agree is essential: a burr grinder. These grinders provide a more consistent, finer grind than the regular blade grinder. They also allow you to make brews that are better balanced in body, flavor and acidity. They also tend to do it more reliably. As you might imagine, a top-quality burr mill could cost up to $200 and is difficult to use. So, we talked to experts and received their recommendations for the easiest-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder for many people and those who don't want spend a lot of money. It comes with multiple settings to accommodate a variety of brewing methods from pour-over, French press, to drip coffee. It performed well during our testing. It's also quieter than other grinders that we tested, and it doesn't create more heat than other grinders do. This is important because excessive heat can destroy the delicate scents of your beans. The OXO grinder has just one disadvantage that it is best suited to grinding at the coarser side of the spectrum. This can be problematic for espresso. If you're a fan of brewing espressos, a grinder with more advanced features like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice. Manual burr grinders that are powered by cranking, are more easy to use and are perfect for those who drink only a cup or two of coffee every day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel, or just need to make one cup of pour-over coffee. Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Director of Test Kitchen, is a fan of the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It has 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and will make a fantastic coffee using any method, except for espresso (the burrs made of flat steel don't grind well enough). It's a breeze to operate for anyone who isn't afraid of a little messes and flyaway chaff, and it's relatively quiet. 4. Cost A quality burr mill can cost you a few hundred dollars, but it's definitely worth it. 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 can produce a bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee ground that end up smaller than the official grind size you choose) However, it won't be noticeable to most average drinkers and it's a low cost to pay for delicious, consistent coffee grounds. Flat burrs are two discs that have cutting teeth that are facing each other. niche grinder are less common but are favored by coffee enthusiasts because they give a uniform grind size, which is ideal for French press and espresso. The downside is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you may need to buy new burrs for each different brew type or roast level. The Baratza ESP has the best combination of cost and capability for a burr mill, according to our experts. It's less than $200 and is more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It comes with an incredibly flat 64-mm burr set that's excellent for any brewing method and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to the ones from SSP. The OXO is another affordable option with a solid performance in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise, as burrs in higher-end models however its user interface and multiple settings work well for both French drip and press. The OXO is a great starter model for the majority of people. True coffee enthusiasts may require a more sophisticated model however the OXO is a good choice for those who are. We also tested a couple of manual burr grinders for those who prefer to grind their beans by hand. These are great to take on trips and for those who are only able to make two or three cups of coffee at each time. These models use the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders, but operate with a hand crank instead of motors. They are also generally quieter than electric ones.