How to Choose the best conical burr grinder Burr Coffee Grinder

A coffee grinder is an essential tool for any home coffee maker's arsenal. Which one should you buy?

Burr grinders grind beans between two rotating, serrated surfaces instead of slicing with blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. What features should you look for in a burr mill?

1. Conical Burrs

A conical burr mill is equipped with sharp teeth that are angled and the ring of a circular burr that is placed within the other. This shape allows it to grind more efficiently, as the burrs revolve around a single central point. The conical teeth cut the beans more evenly and generate less heat, which is desirable because excessive heat can result in bitter notes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs are susceptible to warping and become dull quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee that is not evenly ground. They are also more brittle, meaning that small stones and other debris could cause damage to the burrs over time. In addition, flat burrs generate more noise and require more frequent cleaning and maintenance.

A lot of burr grinders available on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs or no burrs whatsoever. These "false" burr grinders have large, flattened teeth. They are often coupled with weak motors which produce inconsistent grounds. They aren't true burr grinders, and, despite what some people believe they don't have the same quality of grind as actual burr grinders.

Although some experts disagree with this, others believe that the type of burrs used in the grinder can have an impact on the final taste of the coffee. These theories are largely anecdotal but they hold an unshakeable hold on the minds of coffee lovers. For instance, some people believe that conical burrs bring out the individual flavors of exotic beans, while flat burrs are able to soften and enhance dark roasts.

This may or may not be true however it is something to consider if you wish for your grinder to have a significant impact on the quality of your coffee. The only way to determine for sure is to test a grinder out with the beans you'll be using it with. The overall layout of the grinder and its operating features will have more of an influence on the final cup than the type or burrs. This is why it's important to assess a grinder on other factors such as the reputation of the brand and customer reviews.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore burr grinder is one that a lot of coffee enthusiasts swear by. A number of reviewers have praised it as a "time-tested choice" that offers great value for money and is well suited for drip, pour-over, French press, and cold coffee.

The grinder utilizes burrs that rotate instead of blades to grind the beans, resulting in more uniformly sized grounds as compared to a blender or burr grinders, according to the company. The burrs also produce less heat and preserve the flavor and aroma of beans.

In contrast, blade grinders can create excessive heat and unevenly sized grounds, which can impact the taste of the finished cup. Burr grinders also tend to be quieter than blade grinders, though this can differ based on the model and brand.

Some burr grinders utilize flat burrs instead of conical burrs. These are two discs with cutting edges that face each other. We don't recommend these for espresso because they are more difficult to calibrate and are generally less expensive than a high-end, flat-burr burr grinder such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 or the Baratza Virtuoso+.

Some of the grinders we tested let you select the amount of time the machine will grind. This could be helpful for those who are making espresso. Certain grinders, such as our top pick Baratza Sette 270, have a built-in timer that is precise to just one-tenth of one second. This feature isn't necessary for most brewing techniques and most burr grinders under $200 have the most expensive version of a windup clock.

The most affordable models in our lineup--such as the Porlex II and the Capresso Infinity--use manual burrs. This means you have to crank them yourself by hand to grind your coffee. This requires more effort but is a great choice if you are seeking an easy small, affordable alternative that doesn't require electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is another affordable option that uses a burr grinder. It's louder than the other models we've tested, but still tolerable for those who don't mind some noise. The quieter a grinder will generally be, the more expensive it will be. This is due to the upgraded materials and sophisticated soundproofing technologies.

3. Simple to Use

A burr niche grinder is an instrument that every expert recommends for those who are just getting started with home coffee brewing. These grinders create a much smaller, more consistent grind than you get from your standard blade grinder and help you produce beverages that are more balanced in flavor, body, and acidity. They also tend to achieve this more effectively. However, as you may expect, top burr grinders can cost upward of $200, and many are difficult to use.

We spoke with experts and got their suggestions for the most user-friendly electric burr grinders on the market. They recommend the OXO conical burr grinder for a lot of people, including those who don't want spend a fortune. It has multiple settings that allow it to manage a variety of brewing methods from pour-over, French press, and drip coffee. And it did well in our tests.

It's also quieter than other electronic grinders that we tested and doesn't generate as much heat. This is important since excessive heat can destroy the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder's main drawback is that it's best at grinding on the coarse end of its range, which can be a problem with espresso. If you're looking to make espressos, a burr mill with more advanced features like the Baratza Encore may be a better choice.

Manual burr grinders, which are powered by cranking, are more easy to use and are perfect for those who consume only one or two cups of coffee per day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel or only need to make one cup of pour-over coffee.

Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Test Kitchen's director, loves the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It comes with 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and will make a fantastic coffee using any method, except for espresso (the flat-steel burrs don't grind precisely enough). It's easy to operate for anyone who doesn't mind a little messes and flyaway chaff, and it's relatively quiet.

4. Cost

A quality burr mill can cost you around a hundred bucks, but is well 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 produce a small amount of fines (the tiny bits of coffee ground that are smaller than the officially designated grind size you choose) However, this won't be noticeable to the majority of people who drink coffee and it's a low cost to pay for delicious consistent coffee grounds.

Flat burrs, that are two discs that have cutting teeth facing each other, are less common in home units but are preferred by hardcore coffee geeks for their ability to produce an even grind size which is ideal for espresso and French press. They can be expensive and you might have to buy new burrs each time you change the type of brew or the level of roast.

According to our experts, the Baratza has the best conical burr grinder price and capabilities for burr mills. It's less than $200 and is more affordable than many other models that have similar capabilities. It has a 64-mm flat burr set which is perfect for all brewing methods and easy to upgrade to other sets similar to those from SSP.

The OXO is a similar model that is affordable with a good performance in our tests. The burrs in this model aren't as precise as the ones in more expensive models however its user interface and the variety of settings work well for both French press and drip. The OXO is a great starter model for most people. True coffee grinders enthusiasts may want a more sophisticated model however, the OXO will work well for the majority of people.

We also tested a few manual burr grinders for those who prefer grinding their beans by hand. They are ideal for traveling and for people who only need to make one or two cups of coffee at each time. These models use the same grinding mechanism of electric burr grinders but operate using a hand crank instead of motors. They are also usually quieter than electric units.