Every true coffee fan grinds their own beans. In fact, what’s better than the smell of fresh ground coffee?
Not much if you ask me.
The trouble is, there are endless grinders on the market and plenty of choices to make about what sort you need for the best possible coffee experience. Sure, fresh-ground coffee is better than pre-ground, but only if it’s ground well!
So what should you look for?
First thing’s first: burr or blade? For an even grind, the rough, crushing surfaces of a burr grinder can’t be beaten.
There was a time a decade or two ago when people tended to have a ‘spices and coffee’ blade grinder… nowadays, that sounds like a wildly bad idea. The mad chopping of a blade in a cavernous plastic cup (essentially what a blade grinder amounts to) is basically a mad samurai chopping blindfolded. The beans are cut very unevenly!
So, stay ahead of the curve! Get yourself a burr grinder and show some respect for your coffee beans.
The grinders we’re assessing here are for daily use for everyone, from grinding newbies to seasoned pros. A small, hand-held grinder is super useful, especially if you travel a lot, but electric grinders are certainly quicker for day-to-day grinding needs. But then, some purists love to put in elbow grease.
What are The Best Coffee Grinders Nowadays
What sort of grinder is your idea of perfection? Check out the best burr coffee grinders of 2021 below:
- SCA award winner grinder
- 40 grind settings (coarser to finest grounds)
- 40 seconds digital timer
- LED-backlit ground bin
- Backed-up by 1-year warranty
- SCA award winner grinder
- Entry-level home grinder
- Smaller footprint
- 40 grind settings
- Easy to use
- Stainless steel conical burr grinders
- 60 precise grind settings
- Allows users to adjust grind time in 0.2 second increments
- Consistent dose every time
- Grinds directly into the portafilter
- Stainless steel conical burrs
- 12 adjustable grind settings
- Delivers perfect dose every time
- Dishwasher-Safe
- 50mm commercial-grade conical burrs
- Quiet operation motor
- 10-ounce hopper capacity
- Variable grinder adjustment control
- Delivers the perfect amount of grounds at the touch of a button
- User-friendly interface
- Removable 14-ounce bean hopper capacity
- Easy to maintain
- Ceramic conical burrs
- 20g beans capacity
- Portable
- Made in Japan
- Stainless steel body
After a brief overview, let’s discuss these top-rated burr coffee grinders in detail…
1. Baratza Virtuoso+
This high-quality grinder should work for all kitchen styles and sizes and all coffee tastes. It’s better, with 40 grind settings to choose from!
The price reflects that this is a higher-end machine, with a backlit timer display and a really solid, stylish metal design.
The Virtuoso+ has the expected 8oz capacity, with extremely effective conical burrs and a grind speed of 2g per second.
This isn’t the grinder for someone just getting into coffee (unless you’re made of money, I suppose), rather a step-up for those who know what they want from a grinder and are sure they will get plenty of use out of all its extra features.
Read more about Baratza Virtuoso+ in detail…
PROS
- 40 grind settings to choose from
- A fantastic, modern design
- 40-second timer, times to 10th of a second
CONS
- A hefty price tag
What’s the bottom line?
If you want a step-up from your entry-level grinder, then the Virtuoso+ is your grinder.
2. Baratza Encore
The less showy sibling of the Virtuoso, the Baratza Encore boasts many of the same features as the more expensive machine.
With 40 settings to choose from, you can achieve anything from an espresso to French-press-ready grind with very little effort.
Usefully for those of us who lack cavernous kitchens, the Encore is designed to have as small a footprint on your work surface as possible. So, that means space for more coffee accessories, right? Who says no one needs two aeropresses…
Read more about Baratza Encore in detail…
PROS
- Many of the features of more expensive sibling grinders
- Trusted manufacturers
- Award winning!
- Easy-to-use
CONS
- Can’t make too fine espresso powder
What’s the bottom line?
This small, stylish grinder is perfect for compact kitchens and savvy coffee lovers. The awards let you know it’s a really solid piece of kit, too!
3. Breville BCG820BSSXL
This is an affordable option for a really high-quality grinder.
Stainless steel burrs keep everything cool while grinding, protecting the oils in your beans.
The electronic display and incredibly accurate timer allow you to adjust grind time in .02 second increments. This means you can repeat perfection with a consistent dose time after time!
It may seem like a small thing, but one of this grinder’s most popular features is the ability to grind straight into a filter — either paper or metal — just like a tip-top barista.
PROS
- The timer on this machine is great
- Grind into a filter like a barista!
- Sixty grind settings mean you can get exactly the consistency you need for your coffee!
- Easy-to-use
CONS
- It’s a little larger than some competitors
What’s the bottom line?
If you want a professional feel to your at-home grind set up, then go for the Breville BCG820BSSXL.
4. Bodum Bistro
Another electric burr grinder that is really affordable, the Bodum Bistro, offers 12 grind settings and a one-push preset option to reduce waste and save precious minutes in the morning.
The Bistro is good value for money, and it looks good too. It’s available in an unusual variety of colors, including red, white, and copper, so it could be a real feature in any kitchen!
The drawback of this machine is that it can’t grind espresso-consistency coffee with much success.
If you’re a V60 coffee drinker, though, or rely on a French press, then this is a fantastic option especially if looks factor into your coffee decisions!
PROS
- This is a fantastically attractive bit of kit
- The stainless steel burrs are high quality
- It’s a cheap option for an electric burr grinder
CONS
- No espresso settings!
What’s the bottom line?
This is perfect for the more stylish kitchen — if you want your grinder to look good, not much can beat Bodum at this price point.
5. Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD
This is a really high-level grinder and its price reflects that.
The Rancilio features commercial-grade 40mm burrs for that perfect uniform grind and an amazing retention of aroma and essential oils.
The grinder dispenses straight into a portafilter. The grind is adjusted using simple variable control, and will grind for absolutely any style of coffee!
It might be an investment, but this grinder does the job better than any other we looked at for this comparison.
PROS
- Commercial level burrs
- Integrated timer to repeat grinds
- Cleaning equipment included
CONS
- The coarser settings aren’t as good as the finer ones
What’s the bottom line?
If you’re looking to level up and impress coffee-loving friends, then make a bet on the Rancilio.
6. KRUPS GX420851
Krups have been making coffee equipment since the 1800s, so that’s a really long time to perfect things! They also work with Nespresso, which is one of the biggest names in modern at-home coffee prep.
Cups options range from 2-12 so that brunch party is taken care of!
There are 12 grind options, which might sound a little basic, but this grinder is super affordable, especially considering that it’s a fully functional, good-looking coffee grinder with quality burrs that will respect your beans!
PROS
- Very affordable
- Lots of cups options
- Auto dose option to repeat your grind and dose
CONS
- Only 12 grind options
What’s the bottom line?
If you want a perfect balance of value and usability, then get yourself a KRUPS GX420851.
7. OXO BREW
With 15 settings (plus micro settings), the OXO Brew is easy to use. Superfluous settings can be a nuisance for newbies or even for old hands early in the morning.
A one-touch timer adds to ease of use, so you can recreate that perfect dose every time you need a coffee.
The burrs on the OXO are conical and 40mm. This ensures an even grind and a gentle extraction of flavors and oils.
The precision of this blender is really second to none (or at least none in its price range), and you could easily convince coffee-drinking friends that you had used a much more expensive grinder on their beans!
PROS
- This is a great mid-range option
- The burrs are great
- The categories for grind are really useful for beginners
CONS
- It doesn’t have as many settings as some competitors
What’s the bottom line?
Not sure exactly what you need, but want to get serious about grinding your own beans? Then go for the OXO Brew.
8. Porlex Mini
This Japanese-made hand-crank grinder is perfect for occasional coffee drinkers, old-schoolers, travelers, or those of us with a little less cash to spare.
Grinding for a single pour takes around a minute and can be managed while the kettle boils! Of course, if you’re hosting a large brunch, you might want something with a power source!
This is a great grinder for a single person or a traveler who still needs their coffee when on adventures!
There’s also the visual, shabby-chic charm of a hand crank grinder to consider, but then again, there’s also the option of having both!
PROS
- This is a very cheap option
- Super portable
- Teeny-tiny, and also good-looking!
CONS
- It might tire you out!
What’s the bottom line?
It might not be to everyone’s taste, but if portability and style are top of your must-have list, then this is the grinder for you.
Five Things You Need to Know Before Buying Coffee Grinder
Don’t worry, we won’t leave you hanging. If you’re here for a how-to on grabbing the most appropriate burr grinding set up, we gotcha.
Firstly, if you’re new to serious coffee making or are in need of a new home brewing set up, then think about a combined grind and brew machine before you look at a grinder on its own. Otherwise, the questions are simply:
1. Blades or Burrs?
Blades are what most people go for in a grinder when they start out. And blades are definitely cheaper. Unfortunately, they hit the beans in a really uneven way as everything bounces around, and they also heaty everything up, which damages the integrity of your beans and, therefore of your resulting cup.
Burrs, on the other hand, crush rather than chopping. That means the grind is way more even, and the temperature is kept down. The questions with burrs are around size, shape, and material. The jury is still out, basically, so see if you can try a few options and see what works for your coffee style and personal taste.
2. Grind Sizes
How many grind sizes will you use?
Are you a big experimenter, or do you like to stick to one brew method? If it’s the latter, then maybe fewer grind styles carried out well would be the best bet for you.
Personally, I’m a big espresso lover. This means I usually need a higher-end burr grinder because only the more advanced machines grind well for espresso. Joke’s on me because those are the most expensive! Still, I’d rather buy one burr grinder that works for me than cycling through bits of kit that don’t quite work.
3. Speed
It might seem odd, but higher-speed grinders are cheaper. They’re also louder, though, and create more coffee-damaging heat. Speed is represented by RPM when you’re looking at stats.
High-speed burr grinders are still better for your coffee than blades, but the best burr grinders are gear reduction or direct-drive low speed. A quick and noisy grinder is fine for a first-time option, so don’t be scared of them!
4. Storage Capacity
You don’t want to grind more coffee than you use regularly. If ground coffee sits around, it loses essential intensity of flavor and aroma and essentially dries out. If you let that happen, then why bother grinding your own?
Be realistic about how much you will usually need to grind! And be mindful about whether other or additional storage container sizes are possible as future extras.
5. Unit Size
This one is super simple. How much space do you have in your kitchen?
Always measure your countertop and compare it to the footprint of machines you might buy. You aren’t going to love an appliance that’s always getting in the way as you try to make coffee, butter toast, and pack your work stuff…
Take-Aways
It’s crystal clear that burr grinders are the way to go, and which one works for you will massively depend on your coffee drinking style, finances, and preferences.
Personally, I like the Bodum Bistro for looks, but the virtuoso+ is a much better choice for the serious coffee drinker especially if an espresso machine is involved! This is, essentially, a super personal choice.
You should know that it’s also possible to grind coffee beans without a grinder.
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