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How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder A grinder is among the most important tools in a coffee maker's arsenal. What is the best one to purchase? Burr grinders grind beans between two serrated surfaces that rotate instead of slicing with blades. They're considered to be superior to blade grinders. What are the features you should be looking for in a burr mill? 1. Conical Burrs A conical burr mill has 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 revolve around a central point. The conical teeth cut the beans more evenly and generate less heat, which is desirable because excessive heat can cause bitter flavors in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs can be susceptible to warping and dulling quickly, resulting in unevenly ground coffee that is not evenly ground. They are also more fragile, meaning that small stones and other particles can cause damage over time. Flat burrs also create more noise, and require more frequent maintenance and cleaning. A lot of burr grinders available on the market claim to be “burr grinders,” but they have flat burrs or no burrs even. These “false” burr grinders feature large, flattened teeth. They are usually paired with motors that are weak, resulting in inconsistent grounds. They are not genuine burr mills and contrary to what many enthusiasts think, do not produce the same quality grind as genuine burr mills. While some experts do not agree some believe that the type of burrs in the grinder have an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are mostly based on anecdotes but hold a firm grip on the minds and hearts of coffee enthusiasts. Some believe that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans. Flat burrs mellow and enhance darker roasts. This may or not be the case. However, it's something to consider if your grinder will have significant impact on the quality of your espresso. The only way to be sure that for certain is to test the grinder using the beans you plan on using it with. The overall design of the grinder and its working features will have a greater effect on the final cup of coffee than the kind of burrs. This is why it's essential to assess a grinder on other factors such as the quality of the product and reviews from customers. 2. Convenience The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. It has been praised by numerous reviewers as a “time tested option” that offers great value for money, and is well-suited for French press, French drip, and cold brew. The grinder employs rotating burrs made of metal instead of blades to grind the beans, resulting in more uniformly sized grounds than a blender or another burr grinder, according to the company. Additionally the burrs create less heat when they grind which helps preserve the beans' aroma and flavor. Blade grinders however, can produce excessive heat and unbalanced-sized ground that can alter the flavor of your final cup. Burr grinders can also be quieter than blade grinders, but this may vary based on the model and brand. While the majority of the burr grinders we tested have conical burrs, some use flat burrs (two discs with cutting teeth that are facing each other). These grinders are not recommended for espresso, as they are difficult to calibrate. They're also less expensive and more difficult than high-end flat-burr grinders like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+. A few of the grinders we've tested permit you to set the length of time that the machine will grind for a certain period of time, which is useful when you're making espresso. small coffee grinder Coffeee —including our top choice the Baratza Sette 270 an inbuilt smart timer that can deliver split-second precision. However, this feature isn't essential for the majority of brewing methods, and most under-$200 burr grinders use what's an improved version of the windup timer. The cheapest models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, utilize manual burrs. This means that you have to turn them manually yourself to grind your coffee. This takes more effort, but is a great option in the event you're looking for a simple compact and affordable option without electrical power. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro uses a burr mill, and is also an affordable alternative. It's louder than other models that we have tested, but it's still acceptable if you don’t mind some sound. The more quiet a grinder will be, in general the more expensive it will be. This is due to the more advanced materials and advanced soundproofing technology. 3. Easy to Use If you're just beginning to explore the world of home coffee brewing There's one thing that every expert says is essential is a burr mill. These grinders provide a more consistent, finer grind than what you can get from a regular blade grinder. They also allow you to make drinks that are more balanced in body, flavor, and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. As you'd imagine, a top-quality burr mill can cost anywhere from $200 to $200 and is difficult to use. So, we spoke to experts and got their recommendations for the easiest-to-use electric burr grinders that are available on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder for a lot of people as well as those who don't want spend a lot of money. It has various settings that can be used to handle a variety of coffee brewing techniques such as pour-over, French press to drip coffee, and it performed well in our tests. It's also a bit quieter than the other grinders that we tested, and it doesn't create as much heat as some other grinders do. This is crucial because too much heat can damage the delicate aromas of your beans. The OXO grinder's biggest disadvantage is that it's only effective in grinding at the coarse end of the scale, which can be a problem with espresso. If you're looking to make espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features such as the Baratza Encore may be a better option. Manual burr grinders that are powered by cranking are easier to use and are ideal for those who drink just a cup or so of coffee every day. These grinders are great 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, which has 41 easily-adjustable settings and is capable of making an excellent drink using any method you want, except espresso (the flat steel burrs do not grind fine enough). It's easy to use for anyone who isn't afraid of a little messes and flyaway particles, and it's also relatively quiet. 4. Cost A quality burr mill will cost you around a hundred dollars, but is very worthwhile. 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 ground coffee that end up smaller than the officially designated grind size you select), but it won't be noticeable to most average drinkers, and it's a small price to pay for great-tasting, consistent coffee grounds. Flat burrs, which are two discs that have cutting teeth facing each other, are less common in home units, however they are favored by coffee enthusiasts due to their ability to produce a uniform size of grind that's perfect for espresso and French press. The downside is that they can be expensive to purchase, and you might require a new burr for each different kind of brew or roast level. The Baratza ESP offers the best mix of cost and capabilities for a burr mill, according to our experts. It's less than $200 and is far cheaper than other models that have 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 the ones from SSP. The OXO is a great, affordable option that has a good track record in our tests. The burrs on this model aren't as precise as the ones in more expensive models, but its user interface and a variety of settings are suitable for both French press and drip. While true coffee geeks would prefer a more sophisticated model however, the OXO is a great entry point for most people. For those who prefer to grind beans by hand We also tried a handful of manual burr grinders, which are great for use on the go and for those who are able to make one or two cups at one time. These models, which utilize the same grinding mechanism as electric burr grinders work with a crank instead of motors and are typically much quieter than electric units.