Best Coffee Grinder

While many elements influence taste, such as the coffee maker you use and the temperature at which the brew is poured, the freshness of the beans is one of the most essential. Coffee beans lose flavor after being ground and exposed to air. Grinding your own beans before each brew ensures the freshest flavor and allows you to easily control the grind size, which is a key selling point whether you choose fine grinds for espresso machines, medium grinds for drip coffee makers, or coarse grinds for those who prefer a French press or cold brew.

What type of coffee grinder is best?

• Blade grinders function similarly to food processors, but with blunted edges. To chop the coffee beans, the blade spins.
• Burr grinders, like pepper mills, grind coffee beans by passing them through two metal or plastic grinding surfaces (burrs). Depending on how many settings the grinder has, the grind size may be precisely adjusted, and the results are highly even, contributing to a fuller, more balanced taste. They're bigger, noisier, and frequently more expensive than blade grinders.
• Manual grinders are a compact and inexpensive choice, but finding the right setting is not always straightforward, and grinding takes much longer than we'd want. They, too, ground beans between two burrs, much like a pepper mill. Manual grinders only hold a tiny amount of beans and take numerous turns of the handle to grind. In comparison to blade and burr grinders, hand grinders are nearly silent.

Best coffee grinder

Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

USD 59.95 (#1 Best Seller in Burr Coffee Grinders on Amazon)

The Cuisinart Surpreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill has 18 grind sizes that are notably different from one another. The finest grind is ideal for espresso, the medium for drip and pour over, and the coarsest for cold brew and French press. The grounds container has a small hole through which grounds can effortlessly and mess-free transfer into a coffee filter. Furthermore, you can replace the container securely in the base with one hand. The grinder comes with a two-in-one coffee scoop and cleaning brush. The majority of the pieces are removable and dishwasher-safe, and it stores easily; it's rectangular and compact, with a place to wrap the cord below.

• Coffee bean capacity: 1/2 pound
• Grind settings: 18
• Cup settings: 4 to 18 cups

Customer review:

Debbie T: “I ordered this for my 92-year-old mother. She bought one at Target but was unhappy with it because it was too small so she returned it. She likes the freshly ground coffee but when she's in the store she can't get the bag open to grind up the beans without tearing the bag up and making it impossible to reseal. She is reluctant to ask for help, so wanted a machine where she could grind her own beans at home. She lives alone, still drives shops and is very independent. I ordered this for her and had it delivered to her house. She called me today to tell me how much she loves it."

Samiam: “Very nice affordable burr grinder. Probably not for the hyper coffee snob, but very nice. Coffee falls in line with one of many things people are very particular about. Cuisinart is a decent brand. The amount of grinds is pretty good. The only complaint and this is common with most cheaper burr grinders, the fine to course consistency is not consistent. I would advise find the grind setting and stick with that. Tends to lean on the fine grind. I got this to replace a cheap black and decker grinder. Very happy with this affordable modest upgrade. Again not for the ultra snob who takes their coffee overly seriously, but gets the job done to make quality at home coffee.”

Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Electric Coffee Grinder

USD 15.99 (list price USD 19.99)

Blade grinders are often less expensive than burr grinders, but Hamilton Beach's Fresh Grind Electric Coffee blade grinder stands out in terms of performance as well. It is capable of quickly and uniformly grinding up to 9 tablespoons of coffee beans. It's also simple to use by pushing a single button. The translucent cover lets you see inside to monitor how your beans are grinding, and the grinding container is removable, making it simple to pour into a coffee filter.

• Coffee bean capacity: According to the manufacturer's instructions, the capacity for coffee beans is 9 tablespoons.

• Grind settings: Not relevant to blade grinders (only applicable to burr grinders); grind size can be varied by the number of pulses or the length of time it is processed.

• No cup settings, but you can select how many tablespoons of coffee beans you grind at a time.

Customer review:

Dawn: "I love using this because the bowl comes out for dumping and cleaning. Such a great idea! I haven't had any problems using it or cleaning it, however I haven't (and won't) put it in the dishwasher. Just understand that you have to pull the bottom down to unwind the cord. But overall a great kitchen gadget and I'm glad I bought it.”

 Buckeye719: “I was looking for a quiet grinder that didn't wake the whole house. This product delivers a nice grind at pretty quiet noise levels compared to my older grinder. The power cord is pretty short, and you have to manually wrap it around the bottom when you are finished, but the price point and quiet operation left me a satisfied customer.”

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder 

USD 135 (list price USD 169.95)

The Baratza Encore is a coffee grinder with an automated conical burr. The Encore grinder from Baratza comes with 40mm stainless steel conical burrs and a 550 RPM motor. Although it is slower than some other grinders, the slower speed assures low heat and superior grind consistency. It has 40 grind settings ranging from 250 to 1200 microns, making it ideal for manual brewing methods and the best grinder for French press brewing. It can also grind for espresso, although it doesn't provide much flexibility at this price point.

The Baratza Encore's main advantages are its great grind consistency, longevity, and value for money. The Baraza Encore is simple to use, however it lacks a timed function and hence does not allow for hands-free grinding.

Hopper capacity: 8 ounces; Grind settings: 40
Grind speed: 0.8 – 1 g/s
Burrs: 40 mm stainless steel conical burrs
Timer: Pulse and timed grinding

Customer review:

Readaholic: “Hello. I've been using this grinder for two years, grinding darker coffee beans (so on the oily side) 3 to 5 times a day. It's worked flawlessly. I use it for French press, Aeropress (mostly) and drip. I use a grind setting of 20 for all three, and that seems to work. I don't use it for espresso so can't comment on how it would be for that. It's on the noisy side, but all burr grinders are on the noisy side. It's easy to clean. I would definitely buy again, and I recommend the Encore without reservation.”

Amy E Fairchild: "Love it! Super easy to use and it's quieter than I expected. My whole family drinks coffee and we all agree it tastes better! We had a cheap grinder before and it's no comparison. Very happy with the purchase."

Bodum Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder

USD 99.95 (list price USD 143)

The airtight plastic lid is etched with a chart that suggests how long to grind the beans based on the type of coffee you're making as well as the amount. Simply turn the 7.75-ounce hopper to select one of 12 grind settings; the hopper is angled, which allows beans to flow into the grinder. The Bodum Burr Coffee Grinder was able to make even grounds on the fine, medium and coarse settings, all of which were noticeably different in size, perfect for espresso, drip coffee and French press and cold brew.

The Bodum Grinder has a timer that grinds for up to 20 seconds in increments of five. Its glass container has a lid that prevents grounds from flying everywhere. The lid stays in place when shaking grounds into a filter, but is also easy to remove if you choose to use a coffee scoop. The grounds container has a rubber grip around it to make it easier to handle, and it slides in and out of the holder easily.

• Coffee bean capacity: 7.75 ounces
• Grind settings: 12
• Cup settings: Grinds up to 20 seconds at a time

Customer review:

Susu :"This is our favorite grinder! We had one wear out and replaced it with a cheaper brand/version. Definitely not the same. This one has the best ability to make the perfect grind for a French press. It's worth the extra money. It's a little loud, but not as loud as lower priced equipment. We clean ours outside with spray condensed air. Makes it easy to keep clean. If you grind a lot of beans, you won be disappointed with this product!! Cheers, drink up the java!!"

 Sam Muzaffer: “I've had it for about 10 days and love it. The grind size dial is great and the timer lets me get the right amount of fresh coffee. Some have complained about the noise but that's expected and, in my opinion, adds to the experience.”

Breville Smart Grinder 

USD 199.45

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is elegantly crafted for the most discriminating espresso and coffee drinkers. It has 60 grind settings and produces some of the most consistent results we've seen. If you don't use all of the ground coffee at once, the container has a cover for the opening in the lid. The finest setting creates powdery grinds that don't clump together, while the coarsest mimics store-bought ground coffee. The grinder has a large, digital screen on which you can easily pick the grind size, cup amount, and grind time, which can be adjusted in 0.2-second increments. The grounds are deposited immediately into a plastic container labeled for espresso, drip, and French press coffee.

• Coffee bean capacity: 1 pound
• Grind settings: 60
• Cup settings: 1 to 8 espresso shots, 1 to 12 coffee cups

Customer review:

hiflyer: "I enjoyed using my Moka pot with canned espresso coffee for years. Then I decided to move my game up. I watched hundreds of videos and came to the conclusion that I would not purchase a cheap grinder and I didn't want to spend the money for one in the price range of what is considered barely a barista level grinder so I purchased a high priced hand grinder. It took me a couple of months to figure out...all that work just wasn't worth the ever changing result and so I bought a Breville Smart Grinder. What a revelation. I couldn't be happier. At first I still weighed the beans then the pour etc. etc. but I soon learned the grind was exactly what Breville suggested and I could easily eyeball the time. I have mine set for 16 seconds but changing it up or down is a snap with the right button. I use a bottomless porta filter and after a very short learning curve I always get a nice clean pour that tastes good!
I love mine. You'll love yours!"

jeff: “A little pricey but the LOVE IT. They burned through several grinders until I got them this one. You get what you pay for.”

KRUPS Silent Vortex Electric Grinder 

USD 32.17 (list price USD 43.99)

The Krups Silent Vortex Electric Grinder was the quietest of the grinders we tried, at least after the initial few clanky pulses. It wasn't totally silent, but the muted noise was good for the slumber of everybody in the house (not to mention neighbors, for those in thin-walled apartments). Not only was it low-key, but it also turned out consistently sized grounds rather rapidly. It's ideal for people who live in compact spaces, including studio apartments.

• Coffee bean capacity: 12 tablespoons
• Grind settings: Burr grinders are the only kind that work for this, and you can adjust the grind size by pulsing it or leaving it in the machine for a certain amount of time.
• Cup settings: None, however the strength can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of coffee beans ground at once.

Customer review:

Rpenn: "Number one thing is the quiet operation. I like to get up early and get all the coffee and tea going before anyone else gets up. If you are reading this, you know the noise level of a coffee grinder, a bit jarring for the morning. No complaints from anyone sleeping in with this Krups model.
The bowl is easily removed and can be cleaned. I have been using it to grind spices. I am not detecting any coffee smell in the spices or spice smell in the coffee.
Lastly, The grinder feels substantial. More like a Bentley than Toyota.
The only negative I can think of is it is slightly larger than a normal grinder, but that is a minor issue for this quality product. Cheers."

Matthew Boyd: “Idk what others expect from this thing but in my house it is amazing! It’s way quieter than any of the others I’ve had and it grinds well. I’ve used it almost every morning for months now and it’s very consistent. The “dust” produced depends on how you use it. If you’re filling it full and lifting the top off hap-hazardly then some may fall out. Otherwise it’s easy to keep clean and not make a mess, just like with any grinder.”

All of the products listed above, as well as many other coffee-related items, are available on Amazon. Continue reading our post on how to shop on Amazon.

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How to test coffee grinders?

• To choose which coffee grinders to recommend, experts reviewed the grinders based on how simple they were to set up and use, as well as how effectively they performed. To get the most accurate findings, the same sort of coffee bean was purchased on the same date.
• The best grinders could generate even grinds on the fine, medium, and coarse settings, grind beans into clearly varied sizes for each setting, and transition between settings to produce the right-sized grounds. Top performers were able to work quietly and easily, pouring grinds from the container onto a coffee filter with minimal spillage.

What to look for when buying a coffee grinder?

Once you've decided whether a burr, blade, or manual grinder is best for you, consider the following:

• Burr grinders have hoppers that can hold whole beans, but blade grinders do not. A huge hopper could hold a complete 1-pound bag of beans. Most hoppers can handle between 1/2 and 3/4 pound of beans.
• Settings: While it may appear that the more burr grinder settings, the better, most coffee grinder consumers require only a fine, medium, and coarse setting – the key is that each setting produces substantially different grounds for espresso, drip, and cold brew coffees. Remember that blade grinders do not have settings; you must alter the grind setting by processing for a longer or shorter period of time based on the desired output.

FAQs

1. Is the Cuisinart burr grinder good for espresso?

It's long-lasting, simple to use, and somewhat simple to clean, but I wouldn't use it to grind coffee for espresso. Even with the best grinding setting, it's a little coarse for espresso.

2. What is the difference between a coffee grinder and a burr grinder?

Burr grinders ground coffee with two spinning abrasive surfaces, whereas blade grinders employ a propeller-like blade, akin to a blender. While this may seem insignificant, it is critical to recognize that poorly ground beans will result in a poor cup of coffee.

3. How do I know if my burrs are worn out?
Now that you have something to look forward to in terms of flavor, let's look at four ways to detect if your burrs need to be replaced.
- The Burr Edges Have a Dull Feeling.
- You're Always Having To Grind Finer.
- The Grounds Are Becoming More Inconsistent.
- The ground is forming clumps.

4. How do you clean a Bodum coffee grinder?

After each use, always detach and clean the blade grinder. Never immerse the electric coffee grinder in water; instead, use a soft brush to clean the metal container and a wet cloth to wipe it clean.

5. Can the Breville Smart grinder grind espresso?

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro grinds coffee beans for a variety of beverages such as espresso, drip, French press, and cold brew. It uses a digital timer to measure its grounds with repeatable results. It includes a stylish stainless steel appearance, an LCD screen, and cradles for espresso portafilters.

6. Can you grind spices in Krups coffee grinder?

The powerful KRUPS Coffee Grinder, a multifunctional appliance that can also be used for chopping or grinding nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, rapidly and efficiently grinds fresh coffee. This electric coffee grinder, with its compact form and elegant appeal, is a simple and helpful addition to any kitchen.