5 Laws That Anyone Working In Best Conical Burr Grinder Should Be Aware Of
Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Grinding your own coffee beans is a great method to enhance your morning coffee. There are many different grinders on the market.
This OXO grinder uses conical burrs that create an excellent grind for drip, French press and espresso. Hardcore coffee geeks may want more precision from this grinder, however it's a great option for beginners.
OXO Brew
If you're planning to make your own coffee at home, you already know that it requires a good grinder to produce the best flavor. However, a high-quality burr grinder can run upwards of $200, which may be a bit expensive for someone who isn't certain if they'll use it regularly or not. That's why the OXO Brew is a great alternative for anyone looking to enjoy freshly ground coffee without spending hundreds of dollars.
The design of the OXO Brew isn't flashy, but it's stylish. Its stainless steel body features an enduring water tank in the back and a thermal carafe at the front. The carafe and tanks are designed in that the structure is able to fit into smaller kitchens. The controls are recessed beneath the carafe, which reduces the amount of clutter. There is also a light that lets you know when it is heating or making.
Oxo consistently brewed well in our tests. Its water temperature remained within a precise range--197.4 F to 205 F--for the entire test according to thermocouples in the grounds basket and the water tank. The brewing time was close to the time that the Specialty Coffee Association recommends for the best drip.
The OXO Brew also comes with a single-serve feature that allows you to brew coffee directly into your cup. This feature isn't available on other high-end models. It's a great benefit for those who want to make individual servings of their coffee but don't like the hassle of brewing the entire carafe.
The only downside to the OXO is that there is no clock or an automatic start time. This could be a problem if you are on a tight schedule. The water tank can be difficult to get out of because it has a lid which needs to be slid to get to the reservoir. It comes with an inbuilt descaler, which assists in preventing mineral deposits from accumulating within the machine.
Baratza Encore ESP
If you're a lover of coffee and are looking for the best burr grinder the Baratza Encore is the best choice. This version of the classic Encore has been re-engineered with upgrades that make it compatible with a broader range of brewing methods and offer greater flexibility than ever before. It is designed for home-brewed beginner baristas, as well as anyone looking to keep their options for brewing open with a single grinder. It features step-up grind adjustments and easy controls for beginners, along with labeled and notched settings to ensure consistency. Its M2 burrs ensure uniform grinding, and the hopper is easy to clean with its quick release feature.
The ESP makes use of a DC motor that has high torque and gear reduction, much like the original Encore. However, it runs at lower speeds in order to lower static charge and heat. It's also more quiet than the classic Encore, and it has an upgraded metal plate that improves stability and burr consistency. It's outfitted with 40 mm conical M2 burrs that are identical to those of the more expensive Virtuoso Plus, which helps it attain a better distribution of the size of the grind and more consistently shot.
Each step of the ESP's grind adjustment is 9 microns, which provides high resolution when dialing in espresso and more precise grinding for pour over. The new dosing cups fit both 58mm and 54mm portafilters. This makes it easier to use for manual dosing. The grinder can be combined with the traditional grounds bin if you prefer a hopper-based workflow.
One drawback of the ESP is its inconsistent performance in back-to-back consistency tests, though it is still superior to many other grinders in this price range. The stepped settings can be inconsistent as well making it difficult to locate the ideal setting for your brewing method. The ESP is a brewer that can be used in a variety of ways that can be used to make a variety of brewing methods.
The Encore ESP costs a little less than other models, but its versatility is worth it. It can grind for espresso or filter brews and also use the included shims to optimize its performance when pour over brewing.
Baratza DF64
The Baratza DF64 is a good grinder that is compatible with espresso and pour over brewing. The burrs can be upgraded to improve performance, and the hopper is large enough for a variety of sizes of grind. The DF64 is also easy to use and maintain, with a minimal number of moving parts. stainless coffee grinder is a great option for anyone who wants a high-quality, affordable grinder.
The DF64 Gen 2 is a huge improvement over the previous version and will be difficult to be beat by any other grinder in the same price range. The new model is more attractive to the eye. It is a flat-rounded base that can stand up to 20 grams of beans at a time and a single dose cradle. It also has a rubber hose that forces air through the grinder to push out any extra grinds.
One of the major problems with the original DF64 was popcorning, which is when coffee beans bounce upward out of the burrs instead of grinding down. This is a common problem with hopper-based grinders that can affect the consistency of your grind. The new DF64 has a much-improved anti-popcorning system that eliminates this problem.
Other issues with the DF64 included a poor quality build, a loose design that caused gaps around the edges of the hopper, a heavyweight, a mandatory use of bellows, regular alignment challenges, a plastic adjust collar that mis-threaded easily, vinyl wrap instead of powder coating, and the all-but-mandatory need for two aftermarket upgrades (anti-popcorning, declumper). The DF64 Gen 2 addresses these issues and many more.
The DF64 has a powerful 250W motor that spins the burrs at about 1,400 RPM. This is a little faster than the Encore ESP, but it’s still slower than other popular burr grinders like the Mahlkönig EK43. The DF64 is also less noisy than the Encore ESP, making it easier to work with in a busy cafe environment.
The DF64 has an easy-to-read, step-by-step adjustment system that allows you to fine-tune your grind size for different brewing methods. It also comes with a wide selection of burrs, which makes it possible to experiment and find the perfect grind for your particular coffee bean. The DF64 also has a convenient dosing system, which allows you to direct the ground coffee directly into your portafilter or mug.
Fellow Ode
A popular maker of home coffee equipment, Fellow makes some seriously aesthetically appealing gear. Their kettles, French presses, and other home coffee brewing machines have an elegant and modern matte finish that suits any kitchen aesthetic. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that their grinders look equally as good. The Ode is a sleek and compact grinder with a number of easy-to-use features designed for precise, single-dose brewing.
The Ode is unique among coffee grinders because it uses flat burrs, rather than conical ones. Usually, you only see flat burrs on professional or commercial grinders due to their ability to reduce grind time and heat generation and improve grind particle consistency. The 64mm flat burrs in the Ode also give it a much smoother grind than you would find in a typical home appliance grinder. And they are designed with single-dosing in mind, meaning that the grinder shuts off as soon as the hopper is empty. This helps to prevent over-grinding, which can rob your brews of flavor and aroma.
The hopper itself holds 100 grams, which is enough for one large pour-over or two small cups of espresso. The Ode has a variety of other neat features, including a built-in scale and a cool grind size chart that is mapped out on the underside of the lid. This shows the brewing methods that each setting is most suitable for, with pour-over and cold brews on the fine end of the range, and French press on the coarse end.
Another great feature of the Ode is that it has a quiet, almost purr-like sound during operation and is very fast. The grinder has a high-force spring that knocks excess ground beans and chaff into the catch, which helps to reduce grind retention and make clean-up a breeze. It’s also very easy to disassemble and is compatible with coffee tablet cleaners.
Despite some minor hiccups in the initial launch, the Ode is still a top contender for those looking for an excellent and aesthetically pleasing conical burr grinder. Fortunately, the company is committed to improving the product and recently released the Gen 2 version, which addresses some of the issues with the original. However, for those who want a better-suited grinder for espresso, the Baratza DF64 is an excellent alternative that is both visually and functionally superior to the Fellow Ode.