Finding the perfect coffee grinder can transform your daily brew—discover the best options for every coffee lover in our comprehensive guide.
Grinding your own coffee beans is a simple yet effective way to elevate your coffee experience, whether you're enjoying a morning cup or an evening brew. Freshly ground coffee beans not only ensure a more flavorful and aromatic cup but also enhance the anticipation of that first sip.
Coffee beans, technically seeds, are harvested and should be enjoyed at their peak freshness. Always check the roast date to ensure quality and taste. Once ground, coffee beans are exposed to oxygen, which can diminish their aroma and flavor. To get the most out of your coffee, aim to brew it within 30 minutes of grinding.
Adjusting the strength of your coffee is as much about the grind as it is about adding syrups or milk. A coffee grinder is crucial for achieving the right grind size, which directly impacts the strength and flavor of your coffee. Investing in a quality grinder is just as essential as selecting the right beans.
Coarser grounds allow water to pass through more quickly, while finer grounds prolong water contact, extracting more flavor. Consistently sized grounds lead to a more uniform brew, letting you savor the complex flavor notes and create espresso that rivals your favorite café.
A coffee grinder is more than just a kitchen tool—it’s a game-changer that can reignite your passion for coffee and transform your daily ritual.
1. OXO Conical Burr Grinder
The Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder is your Goldilocks coffee grinder—not too big, not too small—just right. The compact stainless steel and black grinder features enough settings (38) to produce fine and coarse grounds, has a generous bean hopper, and is priced on the lower end of machines with similar options.
Thanks to a built-in timer, you can also reuse your last setting and grind with a single push of a button. That’s handy if you make the same cup of coffee every morning. The bottom burr is fixed in place, which adds a bit of effort and time when cleaning.
2. 1Zpresso J Manual Coffee Grinder
The 1ZPresso J Manual Coffee Grinder turns coffee into a ritual that starts with a precise grind that is literally in the power of your hands. There’s certainly some trial and error, but with 30 settings you can get the right grind dialed in whether you are in your kitchen or at a campsite.
The burr grinder can be disassembled completely and wiped clean with the included brush. The grinder requires two hands to use, one to hold and one to turn the knob, which might be difficult for those with limited grip strength or mobility.
3. Breville Smart Grinder Pro
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a coffee grinder for espresso enthusiasts who have the time and desire to really geek out—and who are particular and precise about preparing their brew. A bright LCD display keeps track of 60 settings and grind time that can be manually adjusted; there are also pre-programmed options.
While most grinders have a collection cup, this burr grinder lets you grind directly into a portafilter for espresso, a filter basket for batch brewing, or an airtight container for storing grounds. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro also has a two-year warranty—much appreciated for peace of mind with a grinder that sports a slightly higher price point.
4. Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
The Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder is intuitive to use and produces consistent coarse grounds for cold brew or a pot of coffee. Pick one of the 40 settings, turn the switch on, and then pulse your beans into grounds. The pulse button is in the front of the machine, above the hopper, so you can see how much you’ve made.
The grind hopper has a max fill line to keep you from spilling grounds. While it doesn’t include an option for measuring beans, you can use an inexpensive kitchen scale to weigh beans before adding them to the hopper.
This is a burr grinder you can service yourself. You can clean each piece individually and order replacement pieces from the manufacturer. The Baratza Encore is also available in black or white to complement your kitchen decor.
5. Krups One-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder
The Krups One-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder is the way for you to discover if freshly ground coffee makes a difference in your morning. It’s lightweight and simple to use. Add beans to the top of the machine and then hold the grinder button until the beans are chopped up by the blade at the bottom of the hopper.
It’s not as accurate as other models—you’ll have to decide what’s fine or coarse—but it’s a solid option if you’re brewing a pot of coffee or even need to grind up whole peppercorns or coriander. Be sure to clean it well between grinding spices and coffee beans, as residue of either can impact the flavor of what you grind up next.
6. Fellow Opus Conical Grinder
The Fellow Opus Conical Grinder stands out as a minimalist, modern machine in a sea of bulky grinders. I appreciated that it was small enough to stay out on my counter, but was also easy enough to store in and take out of the pantry. While testing, this model proved simple to clean with its nifty grind catcher that stayed in place thanks to a magnet in the bottom.
While it was precise out of the box, the burr grinder has an inner adjustment ring to make tiny changes to get your espresso exactly how you want it, and it increases the number of settings from 41 to 120. I didn’t try every setting, but I noticed that if you drink your coffee black, even a slight adjustment made a difference in how your coffee tastes.
The Opus delivers a solid, single cup of pour-over and a big batch of cold brew concentrate for a full week of iced coffees in the morning. It works in 30-second increments (one short tap for each), but I like that it can be stopped if you press the button while it’s running, which allows you to get exactly the amount of grounds you need for a cup. I also discovered while using the Opus that the grinder retains a small quantity of grounds. Tapping the top of the hopper lightly helps release them into the catch cup.
7. KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder
The KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder has a selection of 70 settings that runs from French Press (coarse) to Espresso (fine). A knob on the right hand side lets you tweak the amount in either shots, for espresso, or cups. It also has a portafilter holder if you’re making espresso drinks or a jar (included) for holding fresh grounds. At 15 high inches, the KitchenAid grinder stands taller than most, so double check if you’ve got clearance above, especially if you’re going to be adding beans often.
8. Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder
The Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder is a workhorse. You twist the hopper to the desired grind setting and then adjust the timer dial below to get started. Once it starts, it’s about as quiet as a grinder can be. This grinder excels at coarse or medium-fine grounds, so you will want to opt for a different model if you’re a regular espresso drinker (where you'll need the grinds to be very fine.)
Storing the Capresso Infinity Plus on the counter? The quality of your coffee beans could be impacted by sunlight because the hopper is see-through.
