The Best Coffee Grinders for Fresh, Flavorful Drinks Every Single Time

Katie Macdonald

Sun, January 31, 2021 at 1:03 PM UTC

14 min read

Nordstrom / Sur La Table

Best Overall

foodandwine - 170 Available at Amazon

Best Value

foodandwine - 105 Available at Williams Sonoma

Best Design

foodandwine - 299 Available at Nordstrom

Best Manual

foodandwine - 34 Available at Amazon

Best Large-Capacity

foodandwine - 200 Available at Sur la Table

Best Blade Grinder

foodandwine - 14 Available at Walmart

On This Page
- Our Top Picks
- Conclusion
- Factors to Consider
- Pro Panel Q+A
- Our Expertise

A cup of coffee is one of life's simple joys, and the best brews start with fresh, flavorful beans. That's where a coffee grinder comes in. While it's convenient to buy pre-ground coffee, whole beans retain flavor longer, and milling your favorite roasts through a grinder just before brewing guarantees the boldest, brightest cups. But not all grinders are created equally. The best ones feature settings that make it easier to achieve the right particle size for different brewing methods, from a straightforward French press to high-tech espresso machines—and most importantly, they produce those grinds consistently.

"The reason that's important is that the second hot water hits your coffee grounds, it begins extracting the coffee," says Casey Wojtalewicz, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Canyon Coffee. "If your grind sizes are all different sizes, you're going to have small, fine pieces extracting water way faster than large pieces." This uneven extraction can result in a muddy, bitter cup of coffee, Wojtalewicz explains, and in the case of espresso, it hinders a clean shot, since the pressurized water will pass through the coarse particles faster than the fine ones.

Through research, expert consultation, and personal experience, we've learned that electric burr grinders—like our top pick, the Baratza Encore—are best for consistency and control, since they uniformly crush beans rather than blend them. However, there are also good blade and manual models that will save you money and space. Ahead are the best coffee grinders to instantly upgrade your coffee game.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Best Value: Oxo Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Best Design: Fellow Ode Electric Brew Grinder
Best Manual: Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Mini-Slim Plus
Best Large-Capacity: Breville Smart Grinder Pro
Best Blade Grinder: Krups Fast-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder

Best Overall: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Pros: This pro pick is a workhorse that produces consistent coffee grounds at 40 different levels.

Cons: There are no bells and whistles like a timer or bean measurement.

"Burr grinders, being more expensive, are what I recommend for people who enjoy coffee at home and want to improve the quality," Wojtalewicz says.

Baratza Encore is a classic that's as beloved by coffee connoisseurs (it's Wojtalewicz's top recommendation) as it is by reviewers (sites like Wirecutter and CNET sing its praises). The top-notch burr grinder crushes beans quickly and evenly, isn't fussy to use or clean, and is versatile enough to produce grounds for a range of brewing styles.

Controlled by an on/off dial and manual pulse button, there's a beauty in the Encore's simplicity (especially if you're using it before your first cup of the day). It holds a sizable 8 ounces of whole beans, which its 40-millimeter commercial-grade conical burrs effortlessly and uniformly grind into 40 distinct consistencies, from fine to coarse. And measuring 13.3 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide by 6.3 inches deep, it doesn't take up much space on your countertop or in kitchen cabinets, like other grinders.

Type: Electric conical burr
Dimensions: 13.3 x 5.5 x 6.3 inches
Bean Hopper Capacity: 8 ounces (227 grams)
Grounds Bin Capacity: 5 ounces (142 grams)
Grind Settings: 40

Best Value: Oxo Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Pros: It's super user-friendly and easy to clean, especially for the price.

Cons: It doesn't grind quite as evenly as our top pick.

Oxo's top-notch coffee grinder offers incredible power and precision at a respectable price. Retailing at around $100, the durable appliance boasts long-lasting 40-millimeter conical burrs and a range of 15 grind sizes for cold brews, Aeropresses, espressos, and more, which are selected via a dial. And similar to Oxo's other well-designed products, the grinder has a user-friendly interface, like a one-touch timer that remembers the last setting you used.

"I've used this Oxo grinder at home almost every day for three years," says Senior Commerce Editor Megan Soll. "It's as consistent as the day we bought it. The variable grind sizes are great for switching between our usual drip coffee, the moka pot, and cold brew."

While coffee grounds are notoriously messy, we love that Oxo's durable machine is made to minimize debris. Its static-fighting stainless steel grounds container has a large enough opening to empty grounds into a coffee filter without spilling, and its UV light-blocking hopper detaches from the grinder for painless cleaning.

"I can attest that the container is a magnet for grounds," Soll says. "Our countertop is free of bean debris, despite how often we move it in and out of the cabinet."

Type: Electric conical burr
Dimensions: 6.8 x 11.8 x 14.8 inches
Bean Hopper Capacity: 12 ounces (340 grams)
Grind Settings: 15

Best Design: Fellow Ode Electric Brew Grinder

Pros: It's sleek, stylish, and simple to use.

Cons: There's no timer, and it's on the expensive side.

Fellow's stylish electric pour-over kettle is lauded by coffee experts across the country for its thoughtful details, like a no-drip fluted spout and weighted handle that balances its body. So it's no surprise the company's new grinder is equally impressive—and equally beautiful. The Fellow Ode Electric Brew Grinder has 64-millimeter café-level flat burrs that produce a uniform grind, a large dial with 11 settings (and 31 levels total) for total control, and one simple button for easy operation.

Rather than pour beans into a bulky hopper, Fellow nixed the container in favor of a single-dose loading chamber, so every grind is fresh. You'll find no-mess features like a canister that magnetically aligns to the machine's opening and an ingenious built-in spring to knock grinds back into the holder. It also automatically shuts off after each batch is done.

Type: Electric flat burr
Dimensions: 9.4 x 4.2 x 9.5 inches
Grounds Bin Capacity: 2.8 ounces (80 grams)
Grind Settings: 31

Best Manual: Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Mini-Slim Plus

Pros: This hand grinder is quieter than electric versions, doesn't heat up the beans as much, and is more compact and affordable.

Cons: Manual grinders are a bit of an arm workout and are less ideal for those short on time.

If you're looking to save money or space, consider a manual burr grinder. "This adds a whole other element of the morning coffee ritual that I personally enjoy," says Wojtalewicz, who has used this Hario model for years. "It might take you a minute to hand-grind your coffee, but if you have the right mindset, that just becomes another valuable part of the ritual of mindfulness brewing at home provides."

This Japanese-designed tool features ceramic burrs, which produce less heat and stay sharper longer than steel, as well as a reinforced handle for easy turning. Simply adjust your grind setting with a couple of clicks and you're on your way to a bold brew. Made with a scratch-resistant casing, the 2-cup grinder is compact and light enough to carry while traveling. It's a great option if you're the only coffee drinker in your household or simply don't have the space to store a large grinder.

"One added bonus of hand grinders is that, because you're spinning those burrs slower than an electric-powered grinder, you're not heating up the coffee beans as much," Wojtalewicz explains. Grinding beans by hand is also much quieter than electric machines.

Type: Manual conical burr
Dimensions: 5.9 x 2.8 × 8.7 inches
Grounds Bin Capacity: .85 ounces (24 grams)
Grind Settings: Coarse-fine range

Best Large-Capacity: Breville Smart Grinder Pro

Pros: For those who are serious about their morning brew, this grinder offers the most settings and the largest capacity of any model on our list.

Cons: The many grind levels are more complicated than your standard machine, and it's pretty bulky.

For a high-end machine at home, check out Breville's Smart Grinder Pro. It uses stainless steel conical burrs and an automatic "Dosing IQ" program to grind and measure the perfect amount of coffee regardless of your brewing method. Powered by conical burrs, the device has a whopping 60 different settings that range from a coarse grind for French presses to a super fine consistency for espresso. Its easy-to-read LCD screen displays the grind setting, a timer, and the number of shots or cups you have selected; it also allows you to note and save your preferences. Plus, its precision timer adjusts and programs grind times in 0.2-second increments for absolute control.

No matter how many batches of coffee you want to make, this machine is up for the challenge. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro holds up to 1 pound of whole beans—the largest amount we've seen. And for espresso lovers, the appliance includes a portafilter attachment, meaning you can grind coffee directly into your espresso machine's filter without a mess.

Type: Electric conical burr
Dimensions: 8.3 x 11.5 x 19.4 inches
Bean Hopper Capacity: 18 ounces (510 grams)
Grind Settings: 60

Best Blade Grinder: Krups Fast-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder

Pros: It has a smaller footprint and is an affordable, foolproof option for beginners.

Cons: The propeller-like blades won't grind as consistently as the burr models on this list, and the single setting means there's no way to adjust for different brew methods.

Electric blade grinders operate somewhat like food processors and won't produce as uniform grinds as their burr blade counterparts. However, they are more compact and less expensive.

"Blade grinders are a great option if you're brand new to making coffee at home," Wojtalewicz tells us. "If you are using a blade grinder, I'd recommend a brew method like French press, where all the grounds are extracting together at once over a longer period of time."

The Krups Fast-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder is a top option that's easy to operate and very simply designed. Measuring just 3.9 x 4.1 x 8.25 inches, it's incredibly compact—great for those with limited kitchen space who need to tuck their appliances away when not in use. Still, the grinding chamber holds 3 ounces of beans for up to 12 cups of coffee, which is all most people need. Its tough stainless steel blades easily blitz through whole beans with the press of a button on the lid. There's only one setting, so you'll need to use your judgment to know when to stop grinding. As an added bonus, it doubles as a spice grinder for custom blends and fresh seasonings.

"I've used the Krups Fast-Touch for years, first as my primary grinder when I had a smaller budget and less counter space and now as my travel grinder since it's easy to pack alongside a French press," says Taysha Murtaugh, Editorial Director on the Commerce Team. "Though it certainly doesn't grind as evenly as a burr grinder, it's less intimidating for newbies and gets the job done."

Type: Electric blade
Dimensions: 3.9 x 4.1 x 8.25 inches
Grounds Bin Capacity: 75 grams
Grind Settings: 1

Conclusion

Experts agree that the best and easiest way to upgrade your morning brew is to invest in a burr coffee grinder like our top pick, the Baratza Encore (view at Amazon), or the more reasonably priced Oxo Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder (view at Williams Sonoma). Both options have various settings for optimal control and grind beans evenly, resulting in a clean, clear-tasting cup of coffee.

Factors to Consider

Types of Coffee Grinders

When choosing a coffee grinder, you'll need to decide whether you want a blade, burr, or manual model. Blade grinders are a bit like food processors, slicing beans into teeny-tiny bits. The longer you keep your grinder running, the finer your grounds. Popular with beginners, blade grinders won't achieve as consistent texture as burr blades, but they are smaller and inexpensive.

Though pricier, burr grinders offer greater consistency and control, resulting in fuller, more balanced flavors when brewed. They don't slice, but rather crush coffee beans into grounds, either through flat disks or conical burrs that nest inside each other. "To me, having a burr grinder is the single most important investment one can make in improving their home coffee game," Wojtalewicz says. "Whether it's electric or manual (hand-powered), burr grinders enable accurate setting of your coffee grind particle size and then produce that grind consistently by only enabling grounds to pass through when they've achieved the desired size."

Manual (or hand) grinders are the smallest option and tend to be much more affordable than their electric counterparts. Users grind beans through two burrs by cranking a handle, which, admittedly, takes time and effort. However, manual grinders produce even grounds, and they can even offer different settings for various sizes. Also, they're much quieter than both blade and burr grinders.

Flat vs. Conical Burrs

While burr grinders are universally preferred over blade grinders, there are different types of burrs. Flat burrs lay horizontally and parallel to each other, while conical burrs sit within each other. With both styles, coffee beans are crushed between the burrs; the spacing between the burrs adjusts to determine grind size. The jury is out on which is best; it comes down to preference.

Settings

Many coffee grinders feature settings for different grinds. "Depending on how many settings a burr grinder has, you can produce grounds fine enough for espresso machines or coarse enough for cold brews and French presses," Wojtalewicz explains.

For example, the Baratza Encore offers a scale of settings from 1 to 30, which allows coffee drinkers the opportunity to experiment with a range of grind settings to find a final flavor they like. These settings are often laid out on a display panel, with dials or buttons for easy adjustment. Some grinders also boast added features including timers and the ability to measure grounds or save preferences.

Size

Size is a major consideration when purchasing any appliance, and in the case of a coffee grinder, you'll want to consider both footprint (how much space it takes up on your counter or in your cupboard and if it's lightweight enough to move around) and capacity (how many beans it can hold in the hopper and how many grounds can fit in the canister).

Pro Panel Q+A

Q: How do you grind coffee for different makers—for example, a French press versus drip coffee?

A: "Basically, the longer the brew time, the coarser you want to grind," Wojtalewicz says. "I use the metaphor of pouring water through sand for fineness and boulders for coarseness. When you think about water going through sand, it fully saturates the sand in the process of moving through. In the case of boulders, water will pour straight through without stopping. On any particular brew method, the longer the time, the greater the extraction. Over-extraction typically results in a bitter flavor, whereas under-extraction results in sour. So if your cup is sour, grind finer. If it's bitter, grind coarser."

Here are the grind ranges Wojtalewicz recommends playing around with per method, using the Baratza Encore's available settings:

Espresso: 1-3
Aeropress: 9-12
Moka pot: 9-12
V60: 14-18
Auto drip: 16-20
Chemex: 18-22
French press: 24-28

Q: Can you grind coffee in a food processor or blender or do you recommend a dedicated coffee grinder?

A: Not if you want consistent grinds, says Wojtalewicz. "I'd actually try to order ground coffee or use the burr grinder at a grocery store before I'd do that."

Our Expertise

Katie Macdonald is a senior food writer who has covered everything from chefs' must-have classics to the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets for Food52, Allrecipes, Real Simple, and more. This piece was updated by Taysha Murtaugh, the Editorial Director heading up Food & Wine's commerce team. She has written and edited food and lifestyle content for nearly a decade—and as a bonus, worked for years as a barista. For this piece, our team consulted Casey Wojtalewicz, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Canyon Coffee, and tapped into their own experience before scouring the market and considering recommendations from competitor sites.

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