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Best Coffee Grinder of 2024: Expert Tested & Reviewed

Updated February 2024
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Baratza
Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
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Best coffee grinder overall
Bottom Line

A workhorse of a machine favored by baristas and enthusiasts for its consistent quality performance.

Pros

Impressively uniform grind with every use. Simple controls feature a single pulse button on the front. Offers 40 different grind settings. Highly durable and easily repairable to last many years.

Cons

Can’t produce a truly fine grind for espresso. Lacks timer and scale.

Best Bang for the Buck
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind
Cuisinart
DBM-8 Supreme Grind
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Best grinder for your buck
Bottom Line

The functionality and versatility of this flat burr grinder impressed us at its affordable price point.

Pros

A solid step up from single-serve and instant coffee. Performed well during testing, especially at coarser grinds. Convenient one-touch controls. It’s easy to clean the catcher and burrs.

Cons

Couldn’t achieve the finest espresso grinds during testing.

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
OXO
Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
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Best for its large capacity
Bottom Line

While not the top model we tested, its reliability, consistency and capacity offer excellent value for its price.

Pros

Grinds various sizes, from very coarse to espresso fine. Settings were easy to dial and customize as needed. Quieter than expected. The hopper kept beans fresh for two weeks. Easy to clean.

Cons

The mechanical settings seemed a little low-tech for the money.

Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder
Breville
Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder
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Best smart coffee grinder
Bottom Line

With a bright digital display and a wealth of settings, this grinder is among the smartest we’ve seen.

Pros

Offers more than 60 grind sizes. Push-button controls and digital LED readout allow for exact control over results. Capable of producing a fine grind for espresso. Hopper can be removed without emptying.

Cons

Controls can be difficult to learn. Grind tends to be fine, even at coarse settings.

Fellow  Opus
Fellow
Opus
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Quietest grinder
Bottom Line

This sleek, attractive and online-famous burr grinder was the quietest we tested and produced excellent results.

Pros

Produced a visibly uniform grind during testing. We liked its numerous settings for subtle changes in quality. Auto-stop settings were reliable and accurate. User-friendly, especially the magnetic cup.

Cons

Doesn’t come with a cleaning brush. Filling the portafilter was finicky.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Models
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Consumers
Consulted
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Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for Which coffee grinder is best?

Grinding your own beans is one of the biggest improvements you can make to your daily cup of homemade coffee. There’s nothing like coffee brewed from freshly ground beans you’ve chosen and ground yourself right before brewing. The best coffee grinders are easy to use, versatile in their capabilities and consistently dependable in results.

The BestReviews Testing Lab ran a variety of the best coffee grinders on the market through a battery of real-world situations to see how they stacked up. We also interviewed Caroline Bell, founder of the NYC staple Cafe Grumpy; Heather Calatrello, the owner and head coffee roaster at ShedLight Coffee Roasters; and Tom Saxon, the cofounder of Batch Coffee to get their perspectives on what makes a great coffee grinder: 

After hours of research and testing, we picked the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder as the overall best coffee grinder you can buy, appreciating its dependability, simplicity, longevity and consistently excellent results.

Our top picks

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder on white background
The Baratza Encore is popular among coffee experts for its consistent grind.

Best overall

Product Specifications: Type: Conical burr grinder | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 40 | Dimensions: 6.3" L x 4.7" W x 13.8" H

Seattle-based Baratza specializes in coffee grinders widely embraced by roasters, cafe owners and baristas. The Baratza Encore is priced as the company’s entry-level model, but its excellent and dependable performance has put it at the top of many lists of the best coffee grinders, including ours.

The Baratza Encore stands just over 13 inches tall and takes up a fifth of a square foot of counter space. It’s somewhat utilitarian in design with a mostly plastic body in white or black. Its hopper can hold 10.6 ounces, or 300 grams, of beans, and its catcher bin holds 4.2 ounces, or 120 grams, of ground coffee.

Coffee experts and enthusiasts love the Encore for its consistent grind regardless of size, from coarse to fine. They also love its single push-button control and 40 grind settings, controlled simply by rotating its hopper. The Encore has been known to last as many as five or 10 years, which is outstanding longevity for any product. While not the best grinder for ultrafine espresso, its performance, dependability and simplicity convince us that the Baratza Encore is the best all-around coffee grinder.

Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill

Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill on kitchen counter
The testing team was impressed by the level of quality the affordable Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill provided.

Best bang for the buck


Product Specifications: Type: Flat burr grinder | Material: Plastic | Grind Settings: 18 | Dimensions: 10.75" L x 7.13" W x 6" H

Our pick for the coffee grinder that delivers the best bang for your buck is the Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill, which offers flat burr grinding and convenient features at nearly half the price of the competition. We tested the Cuisinart Supreme Grind and were satisfied with its results given its appealing price.

The Cuisinart Supreme Grind uses flat ceramic burrs to grind coffee. Its hopper stores 8 ounces of beans at a time and can be removed for transport and filling, which isn’t true for all grinder hoppers. Its catcher holds enough ground coffee for up to 32 cups

It did well in our tests, producing fragrant coarse and medium-coarse coffee for pour-over, drip and French press. Espresso-style fine grind isn’t the Supreme Grind’s forte, and it feels somewhat plastic-y in build. However, its versatility and results at its price point impressed us, and we appreciated its ease of cleaning. We think the Cuisinart Supreme Grind would make an excellent grinder for coffee drinkers who want to upgrade from single-serve pods.

OXO Conical Burr Grinder

OXO Conical Burr Grinder on white background
The testing team liked how easy the OXO Conical Burr Grinder was to use and clean.

Best for its large capacity


Product Specifications: Type: Conical burr grinder | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 15 | Dimensions: 6.8” W x 11.8” D x 14.8” H 

OXO has been a go-to name in kitchenware for years, and its conical burr grinder lives up to the brand’s reputation. While not the top performer in our tests, we think the OXO Conical Burr Grinder is a worthwhile coffee grinder for anyone interested in improving their daily cup.

The OXO has a 12-ounce hopper big enough to hold a whole supermarket bag of beans and keep them fresh for more than a week. It takes up a good chunk of counter space, but its bin has a trap door and anti-static properties to minimize mess, which we verified in our testing. As for results, it outperformed other grinders in its price range, with consistent grind sizes from very coarse to espresso-fine.

The OXO grinder was easy to clean and simple to use with straightforward settings for 15 main grind sizes and plenty of finer settings in between. All in all, we found the OXO Conical Burr Grinder a worthwhile investment and an impressive performer for its  mid-tier price.

Breville Smart Grinder Pro

Breville Smart Grinder Pro
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro’s hopper locks for storage and can hold 18 ounces of beans.

Best smart coffee grinder


Product Specifications: Type: Conical burr grinder | Material: Stainless steel | Grind Settings: 60 | Dimensions: 8.5" L x 6" W x 15.5" H

For a step up in capabilities and control, we recommend taking a look at the Breville Smart Grinder Pro. This handsome machine boasts a bright display, sleek controls and the ability to grind beans to espresso-level fineness. Its stainless steel conical burrs reduce heat to protect the oils in the beans.

Sitting on the line between home and professional appliances, the Smart Grinder Pro stands over 15 inches tall and takes up considerable counter space. Its hopper can hold 18 ounces of beans and locks for storage and transport. Grind size is controlled by a large, smooth side dial with up to 60 grind settings. Front panel buttons activate programmed routines, switch between cup and shot sizes and between start, pause and cancel functions. A bright blue screen lets you know exactly what settings you’ve dialed in.

The Smart Grinder Pro comes with two differently sized cradles for filling espresso portafilters, and it is relatively easy to disassemble for cleaning. While its coarse setting may be a little finer than ideal for cold brew or drip coffee, its fine-grind settings make it a capable starter machine for grinding espresso.

Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder

Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder on countertop
The testing team appreciated the wide range of settings offered by the attractive Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder.

Quietest grinder


Product Specifications: Type: Conical burr | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 41 | Dimensions: 5.1" L x 8.3" W x 10.6" H

Possibly the sleekest and quietest grinder we tested, the Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder was barely louder than an electric wine bottle opener and wouldn’t look out of place in a designer kitchen showcase. 

The Fellow Opus is shorter and svelter than other conical burr grinders we examined with a hopper that holds 110 grams, or less than 4 ounces, of beans. It offers 41 grind settings in its main ring control and even more precise micro-settings in its inner ring. Its catch bin offers easy pouring and pairs directly with an espresso portafilter for clean transfers.

The Opus consistently produced a uniform grind at all the settings we tested, and we appreciated the effect of its inner ring on the quality of our espresso pulls. The Opus boasts anti-static features to minimize mess, but we wished it came with a cleaning brush at this price range.

Baratza Virtuoso+

Baratza Virtuoso+ on countertop
The Baratza Virtuoso+ wowed the testing team with its professional-level results.

Best high-end coffee grinder


Product Specifications: Type: Conical burr grinder | Material: Stainless steel, metal and plastic | Grind Settings: 40 | Dimensions: 6.69" L x 6.69" W x 12.6" H

The bigger, higher-end sibling of our top pick, the Encore, is the Baratza Virtuoso+. It’s another strong contender in the company’s well-regarded line of coffee grinders. Of all the grinders we tested, it was the best performer, consistently achieving what we considered to be professional-quality grinds in the comfort of home.

The Baratza Virtuoso+ resembles the Encore in overall design, but it adds metal elements for strength and style and integrates a display timer readout and backlit ground catcher as well. The Virtuoso+ has a 230-gram (8-ounce) hopper but is compatible with Baratza’s 300-gram hopper as well.

In our testing, we loved the performance and quality of the Virtuoso+, especially its espresso-grinding capability. We were excited to test each of its 40 grind settings, appreciating its customizability and built-in timer. Its durability and build quality seemed exceptional to us, offering the same results on our 50th grind as our first. 

In many ways, we felt the Baratza Virtuoso+ was a flawless machine, edged out by the Encore only in price and simplicity. If you’re willing to invest a little more money and time in your coffee, we heartily recommend it.

JavaPresse Manual Burr Coffee Grinder

JavaPresse Manual Burr Coffee Grinder on white background
The bestselling JavaPresse Manual Burr Coffee Grinder is designed for portability.

Best Manual Grinder


Product Specifications: Type: Manual burr grinder | Material: Stainless steel and ceramic | Grind Settings: 18 | Dimensions: 1.8" L x 1.8" W x 7.5" H

If the size and noise of an electric coffee grinder don’t appeal to you, or if you’re happy to grind just enough for your daily cup, a manual coffee grinder like the Amazon-favorite JavaPresse Manual Burr Coffee Grinder may be for you.

The JavaPresse grinder has been a bestseller for years. Like many manual coffee grinders, it’s designed for portability rather than capacity and can hold only about 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of beans at a time. It offers 18 grind settings controlled by twisting the bottom, with each setting giving off a satisfying click. A window to see your beans in the chamber is a nice touch.

Built of stainless steel with ceramic burrs, the JavaPresse is quiet and portable, requiring nothing to operate but a little elbow grease. Buyers note that it can last several years.

MiiCoffee Single-Dosing Coffee Grinder

MiiCoffee Single-Dosing Coffee Grinder on white background
The MiiCoffee single-dosing coffee grinder is slimmer and more attractive than the average grinder.

Best Single-Dose Grinder


Product Specifications: Type: Flat burr grinder | Material: Aluminum and stainless steel | Grind Settings: Stepless | Dimensions: 7" L x 4.3" W x 13" H

For an upgrade over a manual coffee grinder that still produces just enough for a single dose, consider the MiiCoffee single-dosing coffee grinder. Although it’s on the expensive side, it has an aesthetically fashionable design and flat burrs that make it worth a long look.

The MiiCoffee is slimmer than other grinders with an aluminum build hiding specially coated flat burrs that can turn from 600 to 1,800 revolutions per minute (rpm). Its grind dial is stepless, allowing for minute variations in grind size. Instead of a hopper, it sports a bellow that holds 40 grams or 1.4 ounces of coffee, ideal for a single serving. The MiiCoffee also boasts a magnetic exit chute that aims to cut retention down to minimal levels.

Grinding a single serving of coffee when that’s all you need helps you keep your beans fresh and reduces waste. The MiiCoffee DF64V is a stylish solution for single-serve drinkers.

Eureka Mignon Notte Espresso Grinder

Eureka Mignon Notte Espresso Grinder on white background
The Eureka Mignon Notte is handmade in Florence, Italy.

Best for coffee aficionados


Product Specifications: Type: Flat burr grinder] | Material: Steel | Grind Settings: Infinite | Dimensions: 5" W x 5.5" D x 13.8" H

A showstopper of a machine that costs a little bit more than our other picks, the Eureka Mignon Notte is the kind of grinder that marks its owner as a true coffee enthusiast.

The Mignon Notte is completely built by hand in Florence, Italy, with a compact steel body that boasts the sharp lines of designer style. Under its squared-off 12-ounce hopper is a pair of flat metal burrs with nearly infinite grind levels, right down to the finest espresso. It can be disassembled and repaired down to its gears, giving it outstanding longevity.

You’ll need to perfect your technique to make the most of a machine like the Mignon Notte, and a scale is a must for precise measurements, but true coffee lovers already expect that. A luxury appliance at an attainable price, the Eureka Mignon Notte is an investment in the art of coffee.

What makes a great coffee grinder, according to experts

We interviewed three coffee experts to get their perspectives on what makes a great coffee grinder: Caroline Bell, founder of the NYC staple Cafe Grumpy; Heather Calatrello, the owner and head coffee roaster at ShedLight Coffee Roasters; and Tom Saxon, the cofounder of Batch Coffee. All gave us helpful insights on what makes a truly great coffee grinder.

Grind size

A coffee grinder should be able to handle a variety of grind sizes. Different brewing methods require different grind sizes. French press, pour-over and automatic drip coffee makers work well with a coarse or medium-coarse grind, while espresso demands the finest grind you can get. “I look for a model that makes it easy to adjust the grind size,” says Bell, “so you can easily grind coarse for French press, then change to medium grind for a pour-over without wasting coffee.”

Kind of coffee grinder

There are two main kinds of coffee grinders: blade grinders and burr grinders.

Blade grinders

Blade grinders use a blunt spinning metal bar to crush and pulverize coffee beans. They’re also used as spice grinders, and you can generally find them at low prices. But they have significant drawbacks. “Many people opt for a blade grinder because they are affordable and seemingly simple to use with their one-touch operation,” notes Calatrello. “However, a blade grinder lacks grind adjustments, creates significant heat while grinding, and produces an inconsistent grind.”

Saxon agrees. “Blade grinders are essentially blenders, and you'll end up with all sorts of coffee grind sizes that will both over- and under-extract, leading to unbalanced, poor-tasting coffee.”

Burr grinders

Burr grinders, on the other hand, use grooved, toothed burrs to cut coffee beans into a uniform size. They’re a little slower and almost always more expensive, but coffee experts are united in their preference for burr grinders over blade grinders. “Burr grinders are more precise, resulting in a consistent grind size each time,” explains Calatrello. “They also allow the user to customize the grind size, which means they may be used to grind for various brewing methods.”

“There are no two ways about it,” insists Saxon. “It has to be a burr coffee grinder.”

Types of burr grinder

Burr grinders come in two types: conical and flat.

  • Conical burr grinders have one cone-shaped burr and one flat burr. One burr moves vertically as well as horizontally during grinding.
  • Flat burr grinders have two flat burrs that spin opposite each other during grinding. This results in an even more uniform grind than conical burr grinders, but flat burr grinders tend to cost more. “Flat burrs are often found in professional machines,” notes Calatrello.

The burrs in burr grinders may be made of ceramic or a metal, such as stainless steel. Stainless steel is generally considered a superior material over ceramic when it comes to the burrs in burr grinders.

Manual vs. electric

Coffee grinders come in manual and electric varieties. “Manual grinders require zero electricity, are easily portable, and create less heat when grinding,” explains Calatrello. "The downside of manual grinders is that they have a smaller capacity than electric grinders.” Manual grinders work best for one or two servings, and the effort and time it takes to crank the grinder may not be worth it for some. Some manual grinders may also be prone to breakage or wear.

Electric grinders, on the other hand, are kitchen appliances that range from small-blade models to imposing burr machines. “Electric grinders are convenient and fast,” says Calatrello, who also notes that they can be much noisier than manual grinders. “This may be a consideration for those residing in households with late sleepers.” 

Nevertheless, electric coffee grinders provide better performance, consistency and convenience than manual grinders.

Why is having your own coffee grinder so important?

Aside from grind size, which we’ve already discussed, a compelling reason to have your own coffee grinder is freshness. Even whole coffee beans go stale eventually. Air dries out the oils and leaches away the chemicals that give coffee its flavor in a process called oxidation.

The same thing happens with ground coffee, but because air can surround and affect each tiny particle, the oxidation is quicker and much more drastic.

Store-bought ground coffee is vacuum-packed in an attempt to slow oxidation. Some of these attempts are more successful than others. Grinding a whole package at once in your store’s machine or at your favorite cafe is better, but it will still lead to oxidation of the ground coffee while it’s in storage.

A coffee grinder is the best way to avoid the off-flavors of oxidation. By grinding beans just before brewing, you maximize their freshness and minimize their exposure to air.

Additional coffee grinder features

  • A hopper holds multiple servings or even a whole bag’s worth of beans, making storage and measurement easier. Some machines have hoppers that lock so you can remove them when still full. 
  • If you’re grinding beans for espresso, it helps to have a coffee grinder that can fill a portafilter directly or has some way to easily transfer the coffee to a portafilter.
  • Blade grinders and some burr grinders have a simple push-button control. In blade grinders, this often combines with a lid lock.
  • Some blade grinders have a retractable cord.
  • Not all grinders have dishwasher-safe components. The burrs in a burr grinder need regular cleaning, but they may not be suitable for dishwashers. A superior blade grinder with a removable, dishwasher-safe bowl stands apart from the competition.
  • A cleaning brush is a key tool for dusting off grounds and chaff from coffee grinders.
  • A built-in timer helps automate the grinding process and allows you some leeway in measuring your beans. (But a good kitchen scale is always a coffee fan’s best assistant.)

Coffee grinder prices

We've heard some experts say that if you spend $250 on a coffee machine, you should spend the same on the grinder. Generally speaking, when it comes to coffee grinders, you get what you pay for.

Inexpensive

Blade grinders from well-known brands like Hamilton Beach, KitchenAid, Proctor Silex and others cost under $50 and often under $35. They may provide a fresher cup of coffee but won’t really make your coffee live up to its potential. Burr grinders in this price range are often best avoided.

Mid-range

Lower-priced burr grinders can be found under $100, such as models from Bodum, Krups and Cuisinart. These grinders are a step up from blade grinders and can help you appreciate the flavors of your freshly ground coffee.

High-end

High-end burr grinders begin around $150 and can exceed $300. This is where you find machines aimed at coffee aficionados and enthusiasts who regularly purchase the best beans they can find and prepare them with many different brewing methods, including espresso.

How we tested

Finding the best coffee grinders involved an in-depth testing regimen that included specialized experiments as well as regular real-world usage over time. In our tests, we looked at many things including grind size and consistency, noise level, specialized features and overall ease of use.

Grind size and consistency

We ran each tested coffee grinder at as many of its grind settings as possible and then visually measured the results. We noted not only the overall size and fineness of the grind at each setting, but also how uniform the particles were given the desired grind size.

Noise level

Because noise level is one of the biggest drawbacks to electric grinders, we noted how loud each tested coffee grinder was during operation, comparing them to each other and other household kitchen appliances.

Specialized features

If a grinder had any touted features, we noted their effectiveness and usage. For example, we tested claims of anti-static features to cut down on grind retention and mess. We noted how easy or difficult it was to use a grinder with an espresso portafilter. If a grinder had a timer, we tested how accurate and useful it was for grinding beans. 

Ease of use

A coffee grinder should be relatively easy to use. In our testing, we appreciated grinders with simple, straightforward controls. We paid particular attention to the ease or difficulty of setting a grind type and what controls a grinder had for grind settings, such as a button, dial or rotating ring.

Durability and maintenance

Coffee grinders should last a long time. We studied how easy it was to clean and maintain the tested coffee grinders, including burr disassembly and cleaning brushes, and we then estimated longevity.

Design

While some coffee grinders look utilitarian, others aim to look as good as they perform or even better. We evaluated grinders on size, aesthetics, materials and build quality, noting which products were more practical than pretty (and vice versa).

Our expertise

Jmar Gambol began drinking coffee at a very young age, which may or may not be advisable, depending on who you ask. He seldom lets a day go by without a mug of pour-over coffee at home and a big cup of something espresso-based on the go. Coming from a region known for its strong local coffee beans, he’s well-versed in the superiority of freshly ground coffee over single-use coffee pods and instant coffee. He has used Chemex, automated drip, French press, AeroPress and old-fashioned percolators to brew coffee and has tested a number of coffee-related products for BestReviews.

Sources

  1. We tested six coffee grinders firsthand
  2. Interview with Caroline Bell, founder of the NYC staple Cafe Grumpy
  3. Interview with Heather Calatrello, owner and head roaster at ShedLight Coffee Roasters
  4. Interview with Tom Saxon, the cofounder of Batch Coffee