Best Coffee Grinder

Baratza’s Encore ESP makes competent coffee across several brewing methods without bringing workshop equipment into the kitchen. It handles the broad settings needed for a French press and the fine adjustments demanded by espresso, then returns to filter coffee with a clearly numbered collar. For most households, that range is more useful than perfection in one narrow discipline.

Inside, 40-millimeter conical steel burrs turn at low speed to limit heat and move beans consistently. The ESP adjustment divides its first twenty settings into small espresso steps, while the remaining twenty cover common filter methods more broadly. A dosing cup nests neatly beneath the chute and fits standard espresso baskets. The front pulse button and side switch keep operation immediate, with no screen or stored profiles.

It retains a small amount of coffee, produces some static, and lacks the hushed refinement of grinders costing several times more. The lightweight body can also move when the hopper is twisted one-handed. Yet the burrs are accessible for cleaning, parts can be replaced, and Baratza has built a strong repair culture around its machines. The grinder is understandable rather than sealed.

Grinding fresh coffee is the single equipment change most likely to improve an ordinary cup. The Encore ESP makes that improvement available without requiring a specialist counter for espresso and another for everything else. It is not the final grinder for obsessive experimentation, but it is the right first and often last grinder for a practical kitchen. Spend the remaining money on better beans.