Best Burr Coffee Grinders for Coffee in 2023 — Buyer’s Guide, Reviews, and Comparisons
If you love good coffee, then you understand that every part of the brewing process affects how the resulting beverage tastes — including how beans are ground. Burr coffee grinders get your drink off on the right foot even you even start brewing. There’s a coffee grinder for just about everyone. Some may be better suited for specific coffee types, such as espresso while other models cover different grind levels, from super-fine to extra-coarse. There are grinders just one cup of joe and grinders that can grind enough coffee for 15 cups.
- Has a small footprint and stores easily
- 40 grind options, from very fine to coarse
- Thermal overload cutout prevents overheating
Burr Coffee Grinders Comparison Table
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall | Best Overall |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Baratza Encore Review | |
Most Powerful Grinder  | Most Powerful Grinder |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Breville Smart Grinder Pro Review | |
Best Lightweight Grinder  | Best Lightweight Grinder |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Capresso Infinity Review | |
Best Splurge  | Best Splurge |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Baratza Virtuoso+ Review | |
Best Budget Burr Grinder  | Best Budget Burr Grinder |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon OXO Brew Review | |
Best for Coarse Grinding  | Best for Coarse Grinding |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Bodum BISTRO Burr Grinder Review | |
Best Burr Grinder for a Full Pot  | Best Burr Grinder for a Full Pot |
Features
| Check Price At Amazon Cuisinart DBM-8 Review |
The Best Burr Coffee Grinders
Coffee is only as good as the beans used, no matter what brewing process or coffee maker you own. Sure, you can brew a decent beverage with pre-ground coffee, but the best-tasting java always comes from freshly ground beans.
Freshly ground coffee can take your brewing from meh to miraculous, and the best way to get there is a burr grinder. Burr grinders crush beans into grounds of similar shapes and sizes, which means your coffee tastes great all the way through.
Burr grinders are typically small enough to fit easily on your counter or be stored inside your cabinet when not in use. They do vary in weight, though, and some are considerably sturdier than others. Of course, some grinders also perform better than others, too.
Some burr grinders are more suited for certain coffee types, but there are some models which handle the full gamut of grinds, from very fine to very coarse. Price tags range from very affordable to high-end. You should consider many factors before making your decision including:
Type of grinder: blade or burr
The price tag
Hopper capacity
The number of grind settings
Your preferred coffee type
The Advantages of Burr Coffee Grinders
The obvious advantage of burr coffee grinders is that you get wonderfully fresh, aromatic ground coffee. But it doesn’t just stop there, there are several other advantages to using burr grinders over other types.
Electric burr grinders come in two varieties — conical or flat. Generally, conical is preferred by bean buffs, but there are plenty of fans who love flat burr coffee grinders. Regardless of type though, the major benefit of a burr grinder is that it makes uniform grounds of the same size and shape. This is important for ensuring consistent flavor throughout your coffee.
Burr coffee grinders also work by crushing beans, rather than slicing them. Since the entire bean is opened up and not just a slice, the result is a better taste and aroma.
Burr grinders are also considerably more durable than blade grinders, particularly when stainless steel burrs are used as these stay sharp and last years. Plus, burr grinders are easily adjustable so you can customize your grind for a variety of different brewing methods.
How To Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder
Now that you understand how useful burr grinders can be, it’s time to choose a great one. Not all grinders are created equal. There are seemingly endless options with these devices, including method of operation, size, and power.
Here are some points which should be considered before you select a grinder for purchase.
Your Budget
Burr coffee grinders can be relatively inexpensive, or they can be budget busters. The best ones fall somewhere in between. Since you also have to consider the cost of your coffee maker, it’s important to know your grinder budget before you start looking. After all, you don’t want to run the risk of falling in love with a model and then realizing it’s not within your price range.
How Do You Like Your Java?
The kind of coffee you drink plays a big role in what grinder you should purchase. Some grinders excel at coarsely grinding beans for a French press, while others can finely grind beans for espresso.
And yes, there are some burr coffee grinders that have mastered multiple grind levels. So if you like espresso one morning, and moka coffee the next, there’s a suitable burr grinder for you, too.
Capacity
Consider how much you’ll be brewing at one time. A hopper, the container which holds the beans to be ground, can hold from 4-5 ounces to 3-4 pounds of beans. If you drink lots of coffee, it’s a good idea to invest in a grinder with a larger hopper, so you don’t have to frequently refill it.
You should also consider the grounds container’s capacity. Many only hold 3-4 ounces of grounds, so if you don’t mind emptying it often, that’s no problem. It could be an annoyance if you feel like you’re always emptying it.
Number of Grind Settings
Looping back to what kind of coffee you prefer, that plays into how many grind options you need. If you’re brewing your beverage only from coarsely ground or super-finely ground beans, a grinder that has fewer settings could meet your needs.
On the other hand, if your kitchen contains an espresso machine, a French press, a moka pot, a cold brewer, and more, it’s safe to say you’re a lover of the bean in all its forms. If your tastes run the full spectrum, you need a grinder with many settings, some grinders even offer 60 or more grind selections, while others have far fewer.
Best Burr Coffee Grinders for Coffee
You want to best coffee, so you need the best grinder for the task, and that’s where our full burr grinder coffee reviews come in. Read on for the full lowdown on our pick of the market.
Our Rating: 4.8/5
FEATURES:
- 40-mm stainless steel burrs
- No tools needed to remove burrs for cleaning
- Pulse button
The Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder is considered an entry-level burr grinder, but its quality is superior to other models in its class.
Stainless steel burrs grind evenly, plus it has 40 different grind options, so you’re covered from espresso to French press. It uses an automated burr calibration system, but that can also be manually calibrated. The hopper holds eight ounces of beans, and its grounds container can hold four ounces.
Its motor operates at 550 revolutions per minute (rpm), and this slower speed protects the device from overheating when grinding, along with keeping noise levels low. A thermal overload cutout is another safety feature that prevents the motor from getting too hot. If you’re just doing a quick grind, there’s a pulse button.
Baratza has a well-earned reputation, and its grinders remain a favorite among professional baristas. Although it’s unlikely you’ll encounter problems with this model, Baratza’s customer service is excellent.
Pros
- Safety features to avoid overheating
- Highly consistent grinds
- Grind settings from 250 to 1200 microns
- Can be manually calibrated
- Pulse feature
Cons
- More expensive than other entry-level grinders
- No bells and whistles
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Our Rating: 4.7/5
FEATURES:
- LCD display with grind selection, time, and the number of cups/shots selected
- The digital timer is adjustable to two-tenths of a second
- Two portafilter cradle sizes
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder remains a favorite for individual mugs of joe. With pre-programmed settings plus 60 grind options, it can grind beans for just about any type of java.
With its LCD display, you can view your selected grind, grinding time, and the number of shots or cups selected. There’s a digital timer that allows you to adjust the time to two-tenths of a second, for that perfect grind.
This grinder is heavy-duty and made from stainless steel, as are its conical burrs. The hopper can hold 18 ounces of beans, so it won’t have to be refilled constantly. There are two portafilters included, so you can choose how much ground coffee is used.
Using 165 watts, this grinder is the most powerful one we’ve tested. It’s certainly capable of delivering the most coarsely or finely ground beans.
Pros
- Pre-programmed settings
- 60 grind options
- Can grind directly into the portafilter, container, gold-tone filter basket, or paper filter
- Sleek, attractive design
- Does a good job with pour-over and espresso
- Two portafilter sizes
Cons
- No scale for easy measurements
- Can only be programmed for a number of cups or shots, not a full pot
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Our Rating: 4.7/5
FEATURES:
- Grinding time from 5 to 60 seconds
- Automatic shut-off when the bean hopper isn’t locked
- Commercial-grade stainless steel burrs
The Capresso Infinity Grinder uses commercial-grade stainless steel burrs to evenly grind coffee beans. This is another entry-level grinder that consistently performs well.
With 16 grinding options, it can grind beans finely enough for Turkish coffee or coarsely enough for use in a French press. It offers 100 watts of power, but its gear reduction motor grinds slowly enough to reduce noise and static.
The bean hopper holds 8.8 ounces, while its grounds container holds up to 4 ounces. There’s an auto-off feature that recognizes when the hopper isn’t locked into position.
Its timer can be set from anywhere from 5 to 60 seconds, and if you just need a quick grind, there’s a pulse feature. This grinder is particularly well-suited for pour-over coffee, and its quality construction ensures it will be reliable.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Slow grind speed that lowers noise and dust
- The upper conical burr is removable for easy cleaning
- Does a good job with fine grinding
- Very intuitive to use
Cons
- No extra features
- More difficult to clean than other models
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
FEATURES:
- 40-mm conical burrs
- LED display
- Digital timer, adjustable to one-tenth of a second
While the Baratza Virtuoso Plus is the most expensive burr grinder on our list, we can’t say enough good things about it. With 40 grind options, it may have fewer grind options than others, but this model does an excellent job of grinding consistently and evenly. Even with espresso-grade coffee, which is where these grinders stumble sometimes.
It offers a 40-second digital timer, which can be adjusted to one-tenth of a second. Using 70 watts, the motor operates at 550 rpm, which is slow but steady enough to reduce noise and not strain the motor. A thermal overload cutout further protects the motor from overheating.
The grinder has an eight-ounce bean hopper. The grounds bin will hold five ounces and is backlit by LED lighting, so you’ll know when it’s done. Its base feels heavy but solid, which makes it incredibly stable, albeit a little weighty.
The smooth, modern design makes it a pleasure to look at and its quality construction means it’s not just another pretty device on your counter.
Pros
- 40 grind settings
- Grinds approximately two grams per second (g/s)
- Thermal overload cutout prevents overheating
- Very consistent grind size and shape
- Feels and looks like a professional grinder
Cons
- It’s more pricey than other options
- Noisier than some other models
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Our Rating: 4.6/5
FEATURES:
- Grinds quickly
- 15 grind settings
- Made from BPA-free plastic
The OXO Brew Coffee Grinder is another entry-level appliance featuring an uncomplicated and user-friendly design. It offers 15 grind settings and is surprisingly fast, in fact, this model appears faster than pricier grinders.
OXO’s Frew Conical model holds 12 ounces of beans in its hopper and almost 4 ounces in its grounds bin. As it’s constructed from BPA-free plastic, it’s than many other models. but the non-slip base stops it from sliding oround on your counter when its switched on, so there’s no worries about it staying in place.
The 150 watts offers more than enough power for grinding finely or coarsely, although it can be a bit inconsistent with the size and shape of coffee grounds, so if you’re a size purist, you may want to look elsewhere. Its one-touch timer remembers your last grind, so you can quickly and easily get started next time you need coffee.
It also gives you an option to grind into the grounds container, a portafilter, or directly into any container. Static is well-controlled with this model, so there’s no mess when you need to transfer beans or grounds.
Pros
- Stainless steel conical burrs
- Dial for selecting grind
- User-friendly design
- Hopper is airtight
Cons
- Grinds can get trapped in the chute and spill out
- Noisier than more expensive models
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Our Rating: 4.7/5
FEATURES:
- 12 grind settings
- Push-button control
- Borosilicate glass reduces static and dust
The Bodum BISTRO Burr Coffee Grinder packs a lot of punch into a small package. Lightweight and compact, it easily fits on your counter or in a cabinet, but has 160 watts of power to grind beans.
The borosilicate glass catcher reduces static while still being durable enough to go into a dishwasher. It features 12 different grind settings and excels at coarsely grinding, making this model a great complement to a French press coffee maker. Push-button control and its preset timer also make this process uncomplicated.
Because borosilicate glass reduces static, you won’t be dealing with much bean dust or oily residue, so cleanup will be a breeze. The hopper’s lid has a built-in measuring guide, so there’s no guessing about how many beans you’ve added.
While this model’s not as glamorous as other grinders, it’s a reliable workhorse. It’s somewhat noisy, but that higher rpm allows beans to be ground coarsely, without straining the motor.
Pros
- 160 watts of power
- Hopper has a built-in measuring guide
- Borosilicate glass catcher is dishwasher-safe
- Borosilicate glass reduces static
- A friction clutch will prevent damage from stones trapped in beans
Cons
- Grinds are not consistent
- Grind time is short to avoid overheating
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Our Rating: 4.6/5
FEATURES:
- 18 grind choices
- Heavy-duty motor
- Can grind for larger pots of coffee
With its heavy-duty motor, the Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill is one of a few burr grinders designed with larger coffee pots in mind. This device has a slide dial that allows you to choose anywhere from 4 to 18 cups and between 18 different grind options.
The hopper will hold 8 ounces of beans, while its grounds bin holds enough for 32 cups of java. It does use flat ceramic burrs with grinding, rather than stainless steel. Ceramic burrs don’t heat up as much as their stainless steel counterparts, so that’s less strain on the motor. Ceramic is also less expensive than stainless steel, which accounts for a lower price tag with this grinder.
It has 140 watts, which should be plenty of power to crush some beans. A separate one-touch power bar and automatic shutoff are safety features that ensure this device is only grinding when it’s supposed to be.
While many grinders are designed for use with single-serve coffee makers, this model can grind more than enough to brew a full pot of coffee. If you drink multiple cups, or you need enough for the entire family, this one’s for you.
Pros
- Can grind enough for full pots of java, rather than just individual servings
- Auto-shutoff when the grind cycle is finished
- Low price tag
- Flat burr coffee grinder
- Single-touch operation
Cons
- Inconsistent grind sizes
- Static builds up in the hopper and grounds bin
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Conclusion
Our Top Pick
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Coffee aficionados understand how important it a high-quality burr grinder is for the best possible mug of joe. You’ll never regret purchasing a grinder that will give you the freshest beans possible for your beverage.
A good burr grinder doesn’t have to be ultra-pricey, either. There are many respectable entry-level electric burr grinders for sale. Some just provide the basics, while others have dozens of grind settings, timers, and automatic calibration systems.
If you’re reading this, it’s safe to assume you have a pretty serious love of java already, but grinding your own beans right before brewing will create a whole new level of appreciation. With so many options, grinds, and price tags, there’s every reason to buy that great coffee grinder and improve your coffee game.
The Best Burr Grinders FAQs
Is a Burr Coffee Grinder Worth It?
Absolutely! To get a really exquisite cup of coffee, you need a grinder that grinds consistently, that is, the grinds are all the same size and shape. Burr grinders excel at that.
How Long Does a Burr Grinder Last?
When cared for properly, you can expect a quality burr grinder to last several years.
Why Is it Called a Burr Grinder?
Burr grinders have two abrasive surfaces called burrs that revolve around the coffee beans and crush them.
How Do You Clean a Burr Grinder?
Always unplug your grinder before cleaning. If your grinder has removable burrs, remove them and use a brush to dust them off. The removable hopper and grounds bin should be washed by hand with soapy water. The rest of the machine can be wiped clean. These burrs should never be cleaned with water, as that can damage them.
How Often Should I Clean My Coffee Grinder?
The hopper and grounds bin should be cleaned each time you empty them. The rest of the device should be cleaned every couple of months to remove any residue.
What Is the Difference Between a Burr Coffee Grinder and a Blade Coffee Grinder?
The main difference is the method of grinding. Blade grinders slice beans while burr grinders crush beans, which typically results in a more robust flavor and aroma.
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