The difference between great coffee and mediocre coffee often comes down to one critical piece of equipment: your grinder. Pre-ground coffee loses 60% of its aroma within 15 minutes of grinding, which is why serious coffee lovers invest in a quality burr grinder.
After testing 15+ grinders over the past 3 years and grinding thousands of pounds of beans, here are our top recommendations for every budget.
Quick Picks
- Best Overall: Baratza Encore ($150)
- Best Value: Capresso Infinity ($100)
- Best Premium: OXO Brew Conical Burr ($200)
- Best Budget: JavaPresse Manual Grinder ($25)
Our Top Picks Reviewed
1. Baratza Encore – Best Overall Coffee Grinder
Price: $140-160 | Burr Type: 40mm Conical | Settings: 40
The Baratza Encore is the gold standard for home coffee grinders. It’s consistently ranked #1 by coffee experts for good reason: commercial-grade burrs, consistent grind, and excellent build quality that lasts for years.
What Makes It Great:
- 40 grind settings cover everything from espresso to French press
- Commercial-grade 40mm conical burrs (same as $300+ grinders)
- Replacement parts readily available from Baratza
- Simple, no-frills design that works reliably
- Quiet operation compared to blade grinders
Perfect For: Anyone serious about coffee who wants one grinder that does everything well
Pros: Consistent grind, repairable, great customer service, versatile
Cons: Not the prettiest design, can produce some static
2. Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder – Best Value
Price: $90-110 | Burr Type: Conical | Settings: 16
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If you want burr grinder quality without the Baratza price tag, the Capresso Infinity is your best bet. It delivers 85% of the Encore’s performance at 60% of the price.
What We Like:
- 16 grind settings (4 fineness levels × 4 cup selections)
- Commercial-grade conical burrs
- Slower grinding speed = less heat = better flavor
- 8.8 oz bean hopper
- Safety lock system
Perfect For: Budget-conscious coffee lovers who want consistent grinds
Pros: Great value, quiet, consistent, attractive design
Cons: Fewer grind settings than Encore, harder to clean
3. OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder – Best Premium Option
Price: $190-220 | Burr Type: Stainless Steel Conical | Settings: 38 + micro-adjustments
The OXO Brew is what happens when a premium kitchenware brand makes a coffee grinder. Beautiful design, smart features, and the most user-friendly interface we’ve tested.
Standout Features:
- One-touch automatic grinding with smart dosing
- 38 settings plus micro-adjustments between each
- Stainless steel conical burrs
- Built-in scale measures coffee as it grinds
- Hands-free operation with portafilter holder
- Sleek stainless steel design
Perfect For: Coffee enthusiasts who want the best and don’t mind paying for quality
Pros: Beautiful, quiet, precise, integrated scale
Cons: Expensive, larger footprint, overkill for casual drinkers
4. JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder – Best Budget
Price: $20-30 | Burr Type: Ceramic Conical | Settings: 18
Not ready to spend $100+? This manual grinder delivers surprisingly good results for the price. Perfect for camping, travel, or testing if you care about fresh-ground coffee.
Pros: Ultra-portable, no electricity needed, affordable, quiet
Cons: Slow (2-3 minutes of cranking), tiring for large batches, inconsistent at coarse settings
Burr vs Blade Grinders: Why It Matters
Blade Grinders ($15-30): Chop beans unevenly, create heat, produce bitter coffee. Great for spices, terrible for coffee.
Burr Grinders ($90-300): Crush beans uniformly between two burrs, precise grind size, consistent extraction. This is what you want.
The difference? Blade grinders give you some powder, some chunks, and everything in between. Burr grinders give you uniformly-sized particles that extract evenly.
Grind Size Guide
- Extra Fine: Turkish coffee
- Fine: Espresso (8-10 on Baratza)
- Medium-Fine: Pour over, AeroPress (15-18 on Baratza)
- Medium: Drip coffee makers (20-25 on Baratza)
- Coarse: French press, cold brew (30-35 on Baratza)
By Brewing Method
For Espresso
Minimum: Baratza Encore ($150) – Can do espresso but not ideal
Better: Baratza Sette 270 ($400) – Designed for espresso
Best Budget Espresso: 1Zpresso JX-Pro manual grinder ($160)
For Pour Over / Drip / French Press
Best All-Around: Baratza Encore – Perfect for these methods
Best Value: Capresso Infinity – Great performance, lower price
For Travel / Camping
Manual grinders are your only option. Look for models with ceramic burrs and adjustable settings.
Comparison Chart
| Model | Price | Settings | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baratza Encore | $150 | 40 | All methods |
| Capresso Infinity | $100 | 16 | Drip, Pour Over |
| OXO Brew | $200 | 38+ | Enthusiasts |
| JavaPresse Manual | $25 | 18 | Travel, Budget |
FAQs
Is a $150 grinder really worth it?
Yes. If you’re already spending $15/lb on quality beans, a blade grinder wastes that investment. A good burr grinder will last 10+ years and dramatically improve your coffee quality.
Can cheap grinders do espresso?
No. Espresso requires extremely fine and consistent grinds. Budget grinders under $100 can’t achieve this consistency. Minimum for espresso: Baratza Encore ($150), but dedicated espresso grinders ($300+) are better.
How often should I clean my grinder?
Clean the burrs every 4-6 weeks with Grindz tablets or rice. Deep clean (disassemble and brush) every 3-6 months depending on use.
Conical vs flat burr grinders?
For home use, conical burrs are better: quieter, less heat, longer-lasting. Flat burrs excel at espresso but cost 2-3x more.
Final Recommendation
For 90% of home coffee brewers, the Baratza Encore is the right choice. At $150, it’s not the cheapest, but it delivers consistent results for every brewing method and will last a decade with minimal maintenance.
If you’re on a tighter budget, the Capresso Infinity is an excellent alternative at $100 – you sacrifice some grind settings but still get quality burr grinding.
And if you’re serious about coffee and want the best, the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder with integrated scale is worth every penny of its $200 price tag.
Ready to brew better coffee? Check out our coffee brewing guides to pair with your new grinder!