The 10 Best Burr Coffee Grinders of 2021
Photo: JavaPresse
Every coffee aficionado will agree that to get a truly nice cup of coffee, you need to use freshly ground coffee beans. While every coffee brand will advertise their coffee as the freshest you can get anywhere, to truly get fresh coffee for your java you need the best burr coffee grinder.
Burr grinders grind the beans faster and more efficiently than the blade types, and they will also produce more consistent coffee grounds which further makes your cup of java even more amazing.
However, burr grinders are not all made equally, and besides the obvious brand differences, they will also differ in the mode of operation where you have manual and electric modes and also on the type as there are flat and conical burr grinders.
Here we help you understand these popular coffee grinders better by explaining what you need to look out for in one and also by reviewing 10 top-rated burr coffee grinder models to help you narrow down your options.
10 Best Burr Coffee Grinders – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. JavaPresse Manual Burr Grinder (Best Manual) | ||
 | 2. Krups GX5000 (Best under $50) | ||
 | 3. Oxo 8717000 (Best Conical) | ||
 | 4. Breville BCG820BSSXL (More Grind Options) | ||
 | 5. Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD (A Perfect Grinder in Every Way) | ||
 | 6. Capresso 560.01 (Versatile Commercial-Grade) | ||
 | 7. Baratza Encore (Award-Winning Entry Level) | ||
 | 8. Chefman Electric Burr Grinder (Small but Powerful) | ||
 | 9. Cuisinart DBM-8 (Elegant & Inexpensive) | ||
 | 10. Bodum 10903-01US-3 (Everything You Want in a Grinder) |
PRODUCT |
|---|
1. JavaPresse Manual Burr Grinder (Best Manual) |
2. Krups GX5000 (Best under $50) |
3. Oxo 8717000 (Best Conical) |
4. Breville BCG820BSSXL (More Grind Options) |
5. Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD (A Perfect Grinder in Every Way) |
6. Capresso 560.01 (Versatile Commercial-Grade) |
7. Baratza Encore (Award-Winning Entry Level) |
8. Chefman Electric Burr Grinder (Small but Powerful) |
9. Cuisinart DBM-8 (Elegant & Inexpensive) |
10. Bodum 10903-01US-3 (Everything You Want in a Grinder) |
1. JavaPresse Manual Burr Grinder – Best Manual Burr Grinder
Photo: JavaPresse
- Grind Setting: 18
- Capacity: 1.4 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Stainless steel
Anyone looking for a simple and easy to use manual burr grinder will love this model by JavaPresse because besides being super convenient, it is also the cheapest option on our burr coffee grinder review.
The burr coffee grinder offers 18 easily adjustable grind settings to allow you to choose your preferred grind consistency depending on your brewing style. It has a removable hand crank which besides being easy to use provides quieter operation.
JavaPresse also uses some unique ceramic burrs which besides grinding efficiently will last longer than most others in its class, and it should be easy to monitor the grinding process thanks to the nice built-in window.
Like many other manual burr grinders, the coffee grounds you get will hardly ever be 100% consistent, but things should improve as you get used to it.
More detailed: Click here
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2. Krups GX5000 – Best Burr Coffee Grinder under $50
Photo: Krups
- Grind Setting: 45
- Capacity: 8 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Plastic
You can hardly ever go wrong with any burr grinder that uses the flat burrs like the Krups GX5000 as it ensures you will always get finer and more consistent coffee grounds.
This top-quality coffee grinder uses a unique mill system that has been built to prevent overheating and ensure the beans maintain maximum aromas.
Besides allowing you to choose between 45 different ground settings, it comes with simple quantity selection to ensure you only make enough ground for the coffee you want to make to prevent wastage.
You have more control over the grinding process thanks to the auto-stop which also makes this a safer coffee grinder.
While this burr coffee grinder seems to be a little messy, it is nothing much that you cannot clean up after use. The louder noise should not be a big concern as it only takes some getting used to, and the fast grinding also means you will probably not even notice it.
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3. Oxo 8717000 – Best Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Photo: Oxo
- Grind Setting: 15
- Capacity: 12 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Stainless steel
With some highly durable conical burrs and a convenient one-touch start timer, the Oxo 871000 will make grinding coffee beans faster and more convenient.
But besides being one of the best conical burr coffee grinders out there, its larger 12-ounce hopper capacity also allows you to grind more beans at a go while the precise grind selector ensures you can easily choose your preferred grind size.
Overall, this is also a well-built burr coffee grinder with stainless steel housing and a simple control knob for easier operation.
Because the ground container does not seem to lock well in place, it can sometimes come out of its place when grinding due to vibration. However, this does not in any way affect the grinder's performance, and it is just a little inconvenient and hence not a deal-breaker.
More detailed: Click here
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4. Breville BCG820BSSXL – Well Built and with More Grind Options
Photo: Breville
- Grind Setting: 60
- Capacity: 18 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Stainless steel
Breville BCG820BSSXL is one of the best electric burr coffee grinders you can get out there thanks to some fine quality conical burrs that grind fast and provide consistent coffee grounds.
These stainless steel burrs will grind without producing a lot of heat to preserve the nice flavors and aromas of the coffee.
Also, this top-quality coffee grinder has a larger 18-ounce capacity hopper that makes it great for those that want to grind large volumes of coffee and its 60 grind settings are more than what you get on all other models on our list which makes this a more versatile coffee grinder.
Better yet, this grinder allows you to grind directly into the portafilter and also comes with a precise electronic timer that makes it easy to adjust grind time.
Price is probably the main drawback that many coffee lovers will find in this grinder as it is the second priciest unit on our list. However, given its quality and features, you can be sure of getting value for every buck.
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5. Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD – A Perfect Grinder in Every Way
Photo: Rancilio
- Grind Setting: 55
- Capacity: 10.4 ounces
- Burr Size: 50 mm
- Material: Stainless steel
If you are looking for a burr coffee grinder that can handle heavy usage including in a commercial establishment, the Rancilio HSD-ROC-SD will be a perfect choice thanks to its high-performing commercial-grade burrs.
Despite being a highly powerful grinder, it grinds surprisingly quiet to ensure you never have to distract everyone in the house, and it is also built for convenience as it can grind directly into the portafilter.
Adjusting the grind size is simple and precise thanks to the simple control knob, and this is generally well-built and durable burr coffee grinder with a small footprint.
This Rancilio grinder is quite expensive, but the higher price tag is a good indication of its superior quality. Also, it seems to jam up often when grinding oily beans, but the jams are super easy to clear up and hence not a big concern.
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6. Capresso 560.01 – Versatile Commercial-Grade Grinder
Photo: Capresso
- Grind Setting: 16
- Capacity: 8.8 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: ABS plastic
Here is another great burr coffee grinder option for anyone looking for a commercial-grade unit that provides speed, precision, and convenience.
The Capresso burr grinder features some heavy-duty commercial grade burrs that besides being highly precise are also made to be long-lasting.
Although the 16 marked grind settings are not the highest on our list, they still offer a wide enough grinding range for making all kinds of coffee. With this grinder, you also get a convenient timer and safety lock for safer operation.
Because it grinds at slower speeds, you can expect it to grind efficiently without producing too much heat and also with minimal noise.
This Capresso grinder seems quite messy as it traps a lot of coffee which makes clean up a little hectic, but this should not be a big problem once you get the hang of it.
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7. Baratza Encore – Award-Winning Entry Level Coffee Grinder
Photo: Baratza
- Grind Setting: 40
- Capacity: 8 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Plastic
As an entry-level coffee grinder, the Baratza Encore is designed to be more user-friendly and easier to operate than most others on our list.
This small footprint appliance allows you to choose from up to 40 settings which makes it ideal for all kinds of brewing methods. And it also uses some highly durable steel burrs to ensure more efficient grinding.
Cleaning up this coffee grinder should be relatively easy given its simple design and the fact that it does not trap a lot of grounds when grinding.
Because this coffee grinder does not have a quantity selection feature, you can easily end up grinding way more coffee than you need and hence leading to wastage. But, this is an easy problem to solve by simply knowing how many beans you need for your coffee.
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8. Chefman Electric Burr Grinder – Small but Powerful
Photo: Chefman
- Grind Setting: 17
- Capacity: 8 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Plastic
A small but powerful burr grinder like this one by Chefman is just what you need to add to your kitchen as it not only grinds well but will also take up little counter space.
Also, this burr grinder uses a highly efficient burr mill system that grinds without overheating the beans to ensure you get some nice tasting coffee with all the rich flavors and aromas. Given its smaller price tag, it is one of the best cheap burr coffee grinders on our list.
This coffee grinder is easy to operate thanks to the one-touch design, and it also offers some easily customizable grind settings to ensure you always get the perfect grind size and a decently-sized 8-ounce hopper.
The clear bin for holding the ground coffee seems a little too fragile, but the important thing is that it does what it is meant to do properly, and so provided you take good care of it, the grinder should last long enough.
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9. Cuisinart DBM-8 – Elegant and Inexpensive
Photo: Cuisinart
- Grind Setting: 18
- Capacity: 8 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Stainless steel
A good burr coffee grinder does not have to be expensive because a highly affordable model from a top brand like the Cuisinart DBM-8 still does a fantastic job.
It is an easy grinder to operate that offers simple and convenient operation thanks to the one-touch bar, and this is a small and compact coffee grinder that takes up little space.
Also, the grinder will come with a removable grounds chamber that can hold enough coffee grounds for making up to 32 cups of coffee.
With this burr grinder, you get to choose from 18 grind settings and can specify the quantity of the ground coffee you want by simply choosing from 4 to 18 cups. Besides the convenience and efficient grinding, this grinder also has an elegant stainless steel finish.
Although this burr grinder is quite loud, this should not be the deal-breaker as you will hardly find anything quieter at its price range.
More detailed: Click here
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10. Bodum 10903-01US-3 – Everything You Want in a Grinder
Photo: Bodum
- Grind Setting: 12
- Capacity: 7.75 ounces
- Burr Size: 40 mm
- Material: Plastic
This Bodum burr grinder gives you everything you want in a grinder in a small and more manageable package, and it is also an easy-to-use model.
It includes a pre-set timer and a push button that allows you to make just the quantity of coffee grounds you want to prevent wastage and keep your beans fresh.
There is also a friction clutch that will help protect the grinding mechanism from the small stones that are sometimes found in beans, and the grinder will grind the beans with less noise than most others.
When compared to other models on our burr coffee grinder review, the 12 grind settings are on the fewer side. However, they should still be enough as they will allow you to make ground for most common coffee types from espresso to French press.
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How to Buy the Best Burr Coffee Grinders
1. Manual or Electric Burr Grinder
The first factor you will need to consider is how the grinder will be powered, and here you need to choose between manual and electric models. Both burr grinder types can still grind efficiently, but given the different working mechanisms, they will be ideal for different kinds of users.
Manual Burr Grinder
Manual burr grinders are the cheaper of the two options, and they are the kind that will require you to rotate the crank by hand which in turn rotates the burrs to grind the coffee beans.
These are relatively cheaper burr grinders, but using them requires some extra elbow grease, and this is more so if you are trying to attain a fine grind size. But, they also offer the advantage of being compact and portable which makes them easy to carry around.
Electric Burr Grinder
The electric burr grinders are powered by a motor and are more user-friendly given that you will not need to use any elbow grease. All you need to do is add the beans and push a button and in a few seconds, your ground coffee will be ready.
However, the presence of an electric motor makes this grinder bulkier and also means it will be more expensive. But, with a good electric burr coffee grinder, you can easily get the finest grind size you want.
Buying Advice: If you are looking for a more affordable and compact burr grinder, go for the manual type but if you want something more user-friendly and easier to operate that also delivers a fine grind size consistently, electric grinders will be perfect.
2. Conical or Flat Burr Grinder
Besides choosing between electric and manual burr coffee grinders, you will also need to decide the burr types you prefer to have on your grinder. Here the two most common options are conical and flat burr grinders and each will have both merits and demerits.
Conical Burr Grinder
Conical burr grinders are the more affordable option of the two, and they will also provide quieter operation.
These burr grinders are the types that will feature 2 conical burrs that are positioned to suit the preferred grind size, and the beans are crushed between the burrs whereby one spins around while the other stays stationary.
Flat Burr Grinder
Flat burr grinders will deliver finer and more consistent coffee grounds than the conical burrs. And they will feature flat burrs that are parallel to each other instead of being cone-shaped. But, like the conical types, one stays stationary while the other rotates during grinding.
Buying Advice: The kind of beverage you intend to make often should guide you in choosing between the two as they both produce some nice coffee grounds. If you like making espressos, conical burrs are your best bet while the flat burrs will be ideal for regular coffee making. Also, flat burrs will be perfect for those looking for high consistency while conical ones are excellent for budget shoppers.
3. Grind Settings
The grind settings on your burr grinder also matter. But, contrary to what many assume, the best burr coffee grinder for you is not necessarily one that has the most settings.
Instead, you need to get a burr grinder that has enough and the typical settings for the kind of coffee you make often. It does not make sense to buy a grinder with hundreds of settings when you will hardly use more than 10.
Something with 10 to 40 grind settings is often good enough for a huge chunk of coffee lovers as it allows them to make coffee grounds for most of the popular brewing methods.
4. Capacity
Capacity is another crucial factor that you need to consider as it will determine how much coffee beans you can grind at a go. However, the right capacity for you will depend on how much coffee you make.
You can get burr coffee grinders with a capacity to hold only a few ounces of coffee beans and others that can hold and grind several pounds of coffee beans at a go.
Hence, here it is all up to your personal preference, but some extra capacity is always better as you might need to grind more beans than you normally do at some point.
5. Burr Size and Speed
Burr size and speed are other important things you need to consider when shopping, and the two go hand in hand.
Larger burrs are often favored for their more consistent grinding while high-speed ones will help crush the beans faster. However, high speeds can also generate more heat which can affect coffee tastes, but this is only so with smaller burrs.
Hence, if you prefer high-speed grinding, you should also make sure that the machine you choose has larger burrs. And for low-speed grinders, smaller burrs will work better.
Conclusion
A good burr coffee grinder is vital for making a good cup of Java because if you do not get the grind size and consistency right, you are likely to end up with coffee brewing problems like under and over-extraction.
The good news is that there are all kinds of fantastic burr grinder models out there, and you will only need to find that one that works well for you.
To find the best burr coffee grinder, you need to consider factors like power mode, type, grind settings and speed. With these factors in mind and our top 10 reviews above for recommendations, you should easily get a top-notch burr grinder that will help you make some nice brews.
