In this guide we present you with the best four coffee grinders, including the top-rated OXO Brew Burr Coffee Grinder! It is best in terms of affordability and helps you achieve the cup of coffee that a coffee-lover desires before a hectic day.
In this article, we have reviewed the best buy coffee grinders for your ease and convenience.
Best Buy Coffee Grinder: Quick List
Top Recommended: OXO Brew Burr Coffee Grinder
Best Budget: Hamilton Beach Electric Coffee Grinder
Best Premium: Breville Smart Grinder Pro
Best Runner-Up: Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder
OXO Brew Burr Coffee Grinder
OXO’s Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is the top recommended best buy coffee grinder for the grind consistency it produces. The coffee it grinds, be it for an espresso or drip coffee is perfectly ground each time. There are 15 grind settings, along with a 30-second timer.
This grinder features a hopper made with a UV-resistant tint along with an airtight lid. This helps the coffee remain fresh and flavorful. Its capacity is more than what you usually get at the market, holding about 0.75 pounds of beans.
Another great thing about this coffee grinder is that it operates with a touch of a button. The grind container is made with static-fighting properties and the base is made of stainless steel, but the unit only weighs 6.58 pounds.
The lid has a hole on top, which allows you to dispense the ground coffee in the filter with ease and convenience. The lid is also excellent for the grinding process itself and prevents the coffee from shooting off in all directions.
Another good thing about the OXO Coffee Grinder is that the design is simple and classic making it a sleek addition to your kitchen counter. Operating it is a breeze, so you can have that perfect cup of coffee early in the morning, whether it is a fine or coarse grind that you’re after.
Pros:
- A programmable 30-second timer
- 75-pound coffee bean capacity
- 15 grind settings to choose from
- Durable stainless-steel container
- One-touch start button
Cons:
- Occasionally jams during the grinding process
- Does not work well for oily coffee beans
Hamilton Beach Electric Coffee Grinder
The Hamilton Beach is a great electric coffee bean grinder for beginners and is recommended as the best budget option on this list.
A blade coffee grinder – which is usually more affordable than a burr grinder – this Hamilton Beach machine is also known for its performance. It can grind about 9 tablespoons of beans uniformly and in a short amount of time. The single press button also makes it very easy to operate.
It features a transparent lid that allows you to see the grinding in action. Moreover, the grinding container can be removed, so transferring the coffee to a coffee filter is simple.
The container of the Hamilton Beach grinder has 6, 10, and 12 cup markings so that you can measure according to the amount of coffee you wish to brew. This means you prepare fresh coffee as you want it.
Another unique feature is its cord storage which is found at the bottom of the appliance. As a result, the wire will no longer be a source of hindrance while you’re working in the kitchen.
There is a coffee bean capacity of 9 tablespoons, and because it is a blade grinder, there are no multiple grind or cup options. If you want a finer grind, then grind your beans for a longer time. It’s as simple as it gets.
Pros:
- Cord storage system at the bottom of the base
- Container features 6, 10, 12 cup markings
- 9 tablespoons coffee bean capacity
- Single press button
- Affordable
Cons:
- Cord size only 5 inches
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
Breville’s smart grinder is the premium pick because of its sophisticated design and technology. Incidentally, it is also the most expensive machine on the list as it offers 60 grind settings known to produce even quality coffee grounds.
The digital screen on the unit is where you select the grind size, the amount you want, and the grind time. The finest grind setting can produce a very powdery texture, and the grounds won’t clump together. The course setting produces grounds that look like the kind you would find in a store.
There is a plastic container where the grounds go, and it also features markings depending on the type of coffee you want, such as French press, drip, or espresso. There is also a cover on top of the lid, which helps you restrict flow for when you don’t want to use the ground coffee.
Another feature of this great coffee grinder is that it can be attached to portafilters. This way, you can grind the coffee while the filter is attached to the coffee machine.
It has a capacity of 1 pound and cup settings for 1-8 espresso shots and 1-12 coffee cups.
Pros:
- Can be attached to the portafilter
- 1 pound coffee bean capacity
- Stainless steel conical burrs
- Digital screen and buttons
- Multiple cup settings
- 60 grind settings
Cons:
- Expensive
Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder
The Baratza Encore coffee grinder, while slightly more expensive than other coffee grinders, is still priced reasonably. A straightforward and easy-to-use appliance that can make your mornings a joy to wake up to. It also takes up less space on the counter compared to other coffee grinders allowing you to keep your kitchen tidy for those who appreciate a clean kitchen.
Whether you like your coffee brewed in a French Press, AeroPress, Chemex, or using the pour-over brewing method, this grinder has your back. The only drawback of this appliance is that it does not feature a timer or measuring scale found in other coffee grinders. It does, however, have a range of 40 grind settings with a 40 mm conical alloy burrs, which are durable, long-lasting, and commercial grade.
Another great thing about it is that it is one of the few coffee-winning grinders of the Specialty Coffee Association.
Overall, it is the best coffee grinder for a beginner who is looking for a small footprint unit. The manufacturer also offers a 1-year warranty!
Pros:
- All-purpose entry-level coffee grinder
- 40 grinding settings
- Small but powerful
- Intuitive control
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Some jamming problems have been reported
- No markings for measuring the coffee
Which Type of Coffee Grinder Do You Need?
Coffee Grinders come in three types:
- Blade grinders
- Burr grinders
- Manual grinders
Blade Grinders
Blade grinders are almost the same as food processors but with blunt edges. The blade in the appliance spins and chops the fresh coffee beans. Usually, they are known to make more noise but quiet down as the beans grind down. They are often smaller in size compared to burr grinders and take some getting used to when trying to achieve the perfect grind.
Burr Grinders
Burr grinders work like pepper mills with metal or plastic attachments that crush the beans into smaller pieces. They allow you to control the grind size and texture of your coffee but are generally larger and noisier than blade grinders, along with being more expensive. Coffee ground in a burr grinder is usually more consistent and provides a more balanced in taste but this depends on the settings that the grinder offers.
Manual Grinders
As the name suggests, these grinders need you to grind the coffee manually. They are, therefore, the cheapest option of the three. They are also similar to pepper mills that come with a grinding mechanism. The beans are ground between two burrs.
This is usually a good fit for one person as they store a small amount of beans. The user must manually crank the handle to grind the beans until the desired grind size is achieved. The great part about these is that they are very quiet compared to the other options mentioned above.
Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for in a Coffee Grinder
As discussed above, there are different types of coffee grinders. Once you pick the type you want to own, the next step is to consider the following factors:
Settings
Burr grinders often come with a lot of settings for grinding, but generally, you only have three main settings, coarse, medium, and fine. This is where you have to use your knowledge and choose the setting that gives you the result for the type of coffee grounds you need, depending on the coffee type, i.e., drip, cold brew, espresso, French press.
You need to know that the settings are not a like between burr grinders and blade grinders. You must adjust the size of the coffee based on the time that you grind the coffee grounds.
Hopper Size
Burr grinders come with hoppers that are used to store the whole beans. So, if you are someone who doesn’t want to load up the coffee grinder every day, you should consider buying a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. A large hopper can hold about 1 pound of beans. Although some people discourage loading up the whole bag at once because the beans might lose their freshness in the hopper.
This is also why some hoppers are made of UV-resistant material. On average, hoppers can hold about 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of beans.
Size
Before buying a coffee grinder, a major consideration is to decide the size that fits your kitchen counter. If you have limited cabinet and shelf space, then you want a smaller coffee grinder. While coffee grinders aren’t very large, they still occupy space, so check measurements before buying and seeing how much available space you have.
Ease of use and maintenance
Some people invest time to keep everything clean and proper, while others don’t have the time for that and want low maintenance. When buying a coffee grinder, you should research how to clean and maintain it. In addition, the ease of use and cleaning of coffee grinders varies by appliance itself, so reading the reviews is very important.
Noise
If you are annoyed by the sounds of kitchen appliances, you should read the reviews for the amount of sound the coffee grinder produces. Conical burr grinders are usually quieter than flat ones. While burr grinders are usually better than blade grinders in this respect.
FAQs
Is it better to buy burr or blade grinders?
If you ask professionals who work in cafes and coffee houses which ones are better, the answer will most likely be burr grinders. They are designed in a way that the coffee is ground little by little. This way is much better because then the coffee grounds are more consistent which impacts the final brew.
Are burr coffee grinders expensive?
A burr coffee grinder is generally more expensive than a blade or manual coffee grinder, but it varies in terms of the brand and sophistication of the grinder. On average, they range from $40 to $100.
Is it worth investing in a coffee grinder?
They are worth it, especially if you value your coffee and want it to be rich in flavor. A grinder can enhance a coffee’s taste and help you achieve a barista-level coffee from home. It is an excellent long-term investment, especially for a coffee lover.
Conclusion
These are the best coffee grinders around according to our research so consider them for your coffee grinding needs. Before you leave, check out our reviews for the best coffee makers if you wish to build a full out a coffee station in your kitchen!
