Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
The Baratza Encore is widely recommended by coffee professionals as the go-to home grinder for its precision, reliability, and long-lasting build. Engineered with 40mm commercial-grade conical burrs, this grinder offers exceptional grind quality for a wide range of brewing methods. Its user-friendly design, coupled with Baratza’s commitment to serviceability and support, ensures that users enjoy a superior coffee grinding experience while extending the product’s lifespan.
Product Highlights & Features:
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Award-Winning Design: Recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association.
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40 Grind Settings: Offers flexibility from fine espresso to coarse French press.
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Commercial-Grade 40mm Conical Burrs: Made of hardened alloy steel, ensuring precision and longevity.
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User-Friendly Interface: Includes a front-mounted pulse button and simple ON/OFF switch.
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Powerful 70W DC Motor: Ensures slow, cool grinding preserving coffee flavor.
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Compact Size: Small footprint ideal for home use.
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Durability: Engineered with quality parts designed for easy maintenance and longevity.
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1-Year Warranty: Backed by Baratza’s world-class customer service.
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Eco-Conscious Design: Made to be serviceable and repairable, reducing waste.
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Available Colors: Black or White.
Technical Specifications:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Brand | MIBRU / Baratza |
| Model | ENCORE |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Plastic with Hardened Steel Burrs |
| Burr Size | 40mm Conical Burrs |
| Grinding Settings | 40 grind settings |
| Recommended Use | Espresso, Aeropress, V60, Chemex, French Press, Automatic Brewers |
| Power | 70 watts |
| Voltage | 120V |
| Capacity | 5 ounces of beans |
| Weight | 5.58 lbs |
| Dimensions | 5.91″ L x 5.12″ W x 13.39″ H |
| Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty |
| Country of Burr Manufacture | Liechtenstein |
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
✅ Excellent grind consistency for multiple brew methods
✅ Simple and intuitive operation
✅ Compact and space-saving design
✅ Durable commercial-grade burrs
✅ Eco-friendly design built for maintenance and repairs
✅ Great value as an entry-level grinder
✅ Reliable customer support and serviceability
✅ Produces minimal heat preserving coffee flavors
Cons:
❌ Made largely of plastic – may feel less premium
❌ Not ideal for fine espresso-level grinding without modification
❌ Generates static leading to slight mess from coffee grounds
❌ Slightly noisy during operation
❌ No digital timer or dosing controls
❌ Manual grinding time control – no auto-stop feature
Final Verdict:
The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder stands out as the ultimate entry-level grinder for home users who seek precision, reliability, and durability without breaking the bank. Its 40 grind settings cater to most brewing styles, making it versatile for daily use. While it lacks advanced features like automatic dosing or a timer, its simple design and exceptional grind quality make it a favorite among coffee enthusiasts.
Perfect for those entering the specialty coffee world or seasoned drinkers seeking a solid, dependable grinder, the Encore is a worthwhile investment that balances performance, price, and long-term value.
Dan the Little Dude –
It Grinds Fine!
Here in Portland, there is a bit of coffee snobbery about and I willingly claim that I am part of the crowd. I have a Breville Cafe Roma espresso machine and while it has always delivered good coffee every morning for the past several years, it never held a candle to the espresso I get around the corner from my favorite coffee shop, where the texture and the notes are deep and rich. I even bought the beans that they use, fresh from the local roaster, and it always paled in comparison. Why? I asked them, couldn’t I get something so tasty as they make? Certainly, they use better equipment and have the expertise that I can never lay claim to. But is there something that would help me get more flavor? What kind of grinder do you use? they asked. I have used a blade grinder for the past 20 years. I knew that burr grinders were supposed to give a better grind but left it as something bigger snobs than me used and I never wanted to spend for one. But my local barista insisted and I started looking into it. My price point was in the $100-150 range and finally settled on the Baratza Encore. I started shopping locally and found one at a very reputable shop here. I asked about it and they said that it wasn’t made for grinding espresso and that I should move up to the $300 model. No way. I wasn’t spending that much. I was disheartened. I spoke with my baristas and they uniformly disagreed with the reputable shop. I did a bit more research and pulled the trigger on the Encore. I opened the box, plugged it in, dialed it to 4 (2-6;as suggested by the manufacturer), poured in the beans and turned it on. Moments later, I had fine espresso powder in the tray below. I put it in the espresso machine. It was a little too fine, as the coffee kind of sputtered through. But the results in taste were astounding. My Cafe Roma has never made a better cup of espresso! Every note was there. I never knew what I was missing until this cup. Divine! I dialed the grind back a bit and put the ground espresso beans in the machine. Even Better! Now I know what I should have known a long time ago. Now I have a grinder that makes all the difference-a burr grinder. A burr grinder that is an excellent value for a good price and yes, it grinds for espresso!
7 people found this helpful
Yoga Sponge –
Iffy choice for us; output grind is very good
We’ve had this for several months, so it’s time for a fair review. We had to replace our old entry-level burr grinder and after reading reviews on coffee sites, decided to try this one. We also read the reviews here. Many were very helpful. Still and all, this one falls short compared to our entry level one (it was already nine years old!) because of a few things. The other one was not awkwardly weighted and therefore easier to manipulate. The older one didn’t take NO for an answer when it came to grinding any type of bean in its burrs. Why did we give it up other than age? We thought this fancy machine would do a better job.Don’t get me wrong, it does a very nice job. But it’s fussy is so many ways, and VERY heavy and not well-balanced, so you’ve got to be on your toes at all times. In our kitchen, multiple things are going on so we both miss the easy-to-handle old timer — which was also super easy to clean. This bigger and more awkward one is NOT easy to clean, IMO. And I am a real stickler for cleaning coffee tools. Would I do it again? Probably not. This is the first time, ever, that a less expensive, slightly smaller coffee tool would have been the better choice for us. Everyone’s needs are different and I understand that, but I do have some regret over not simply buying a new version of our other burr grinder. Still and all, I am going to stick with my four-star rating; I do NOT feel it merits a five-star no matter what, not for the price tag and how ungainly and awkward it is, along with it’s increased level of complexity when cleaning. Four stars because the core function, the grinding, is very good — with ONE exception. It is fussy about the beans, doing better with oilier beans, not so well with lighter drier beans, and small beans. We bought the bellows that others have suggested, and even at the end of a grind, using the bellows to attempt to force the last few beans to grind, they simply dance around in the grinding area while you wait, patiently or not. And man, is this bugger NOISY. The old one was noisy, we thought… now we know better. YMMV.
3 people found this helpful
Faramarz Mohammadian –
Great device
Great product, it Grinds really well, the output is a unified coffee grounds which made a big difference in taste. I make pour on coffee every day and it doesn’t clog anymore due to uneven coffee grounds, hence the coffee is ready much faster I just have to play around with the machines grounding level and how to pour the hot water to get the optimum output.It really isn’t messy in my opinion, I have worked in coffee shops grinding coffee beans all day and even the really expensive ones make some mess remember coffee beans are ground into very small pieces so there you have it! Just have a damped towel handy by your side and it really doesn’t make much mess.Noise level is acceptable in my opinion, is it loud? Yes enough to wake up the baby, but you have to look at the function of this device “it grinds coffee beans” but grounding coffee beans for a couple of 20 oz cups isn’t all that much for me.I marked the overall rating a 4-star that’s because it had some light scratches here and there when I took it out of the box, it kinda annoyed me but it wasn’t enough to return it r think it was already returned by someone. It was way to clean to make that assumption with the exception of the light scratches.
Kailou –
Worthy upgrade! Very consistent grinder
Baratza Encore reviewMaybe you’re like me and have been considering a grinder upgrade for a while, but think that the $150 price tag on this entry level Barraza is even too much for a grinder. Maybe you had another grinder that you think is good enough, like I thought with my Cuisinart. Well, I’m glad I finally pulled the trigger and bought this. It’s fantastic!In comparison to any other grinder that I’ve owned this by far, I mean BY FAR, produces a very consistent and accurate grind with very few fines.I haven’t had it for long enough to determine if this has translated to a better cup of coffee. So far I have only been using it with my drip machine, a Breville, and the coffee has brewed very consistently. By comparison, my last grinder, a Cuisinart, did just OK. I felt like I was chasing the right grind and ratio on an almost daily basis. With this grinder, I am still trying to find the right grind level but I’m really close after just a couple tries.For what it’s worth, most recommendations will suggest a grind type based on your brewing method. While that is a good start, I do highly recommend, considering your filter type as well.As a sidenote, I had been checking Baratza’s refurb page for about half a year now waiting for an Encore to show up. When it finally did I jumped on it. Just as I was about to check out, I noticed that they charge for shipping. So ultimately it was about the same cost to buy it new here and have no shipping cost with Prime.This is a preliminary review, but so far I’m very pleased. I haven’t had it for very long and I’ve only used it in a drip machine so far. I have yet to try it with an espresso grind or with my aero press, or French press.
Luke L.Luke L. –
I finally bought it after years of grinding by hand
I love fresh-ground coffee and have been using pour over brewers for a number of years. We would use pre-ground grocery store coffee for fast morning drip machine brews and save the good stuff for other occasions.All of that changed when we accidentally got a two pound bag of whole bean coffee instead of the pre-ground version for the morning. We thought we could grind it by hand, but boy were we wrong.After two pounds of grinding with my Hario hand grinder, my left wrist has carpal tunnel, but my right forearm is ripped. Quite the combo. However, we knew that grinding by hand wasn’t sustainable any longer and our small grinder was just about to scream. We’ve talked about splurging for a grinder and I’ve seen this Baratza Encore mentioned over and over in forums, we finally decided it was time.First thing that stood out to me was the packaging. It was packed very nicely in the box, but the cardboard was folded in a way that made it easy to removed. Felt like it was designed for an actual human and assumed it was a good sign. I was right!Assembly is easy, the manual is simple and straightforward. Can’t ask for much more than that. The grinder feels very solid and well made once it is all put together.The design of the grinder is really nice and modern. My hope was that it would be visually appealing enough for my better half to want to leave it on the counter full time. After a couple of days, it’s still sitting out in plain site. It fits directly under our cabinets and in my opinion looks really nice. With as much as we plan to use it, putting it away after every use just doesn’t seem right.When I set it down on the countertop, I discovered an issue. Whoever assembled my grinder at the factory forgot one of the rubber feet on the bottom. I fired off an email to Baratza and an actual person responded in, no joke, five minutes. They apologized and shipped out the part immediately. I am grateful for that level of service!One of the complaints I heard about the machine was the noise level, so I was expecting it to sound like a blender. Honestly, I don’t think it is that bad and I don’t think it would wake up my family if I were to run it. It isn’t quiet, but not loud enough that I would think twice about buying it.It’s really easy to select the grind level and Baratza included a guide with good starting points for each type of brewer in the manual. There are enough setting notches that you could customize your own grind sizes. I printed out labels for each brewer type and the grind settings on the back, just so I don’t forget them.It was a relief watching 30+ grams of coffee beans go into the hopper and get sucked down into the burrs and ground in less that a minute. The speed is reasonable, although anything beyond hand grinding would feel fast.The biggest thing I noticed was the consistency. I don’t have experience with high-end coffee grinders, but to my novice eyes the grounds appeared to be very consistent and similar in size. I’m sure there would be some outliers if I dug through it all, but in my unscientific approach, it all looked good as I dumped it into the V60 filter.All in all, it’s a great grinder and according to the other reviews I should enjoy it for many years to come. Hope this helps!
28 people found this helpful
Christian –
Stop your search! This is the grinder you need.
When I tell you that you need a coffee grinder in your life. I mean it. Then again, I’m sure you wouldn’t be reading these reviews if you haven’t already come to that conclusion. This coffee grinder is incredible. Not just decent, not just alright. Incredible! It is the perfect size, it grinds perfectly, and the different grind settings make it perfect for any type of brew and also allows you to have more control over your cup of coffee. This is the grinder you need. The problem with other grinders on the market are that they do not have a good grind consistency. Grind consistency is extremely important, and it is not something you should pass up. This grinder is very consistent and it’s well worth paying a little extra for. I absolutely love the clean design and the noise is not too loud at all. Yeah, you’re going to have some noise. You have all these grinders inside turning whole bean into little crumbs. With that in mind, you’ll actually appreciate the noise level and realize that it’s actually not too bad.I have no dislikes about this product. I honestly think that every coffee drinking person should have one of these in their house, and I highly recommend you own one yourself. If you don’t believe me, buy one anyway and try it out because you will not be disappointed.TIP: When you’re done grinding you beans, some grounds get stuck in the top and when you take out the little box your coffee grounds are in, the extra grounds tend to spill out. What a waste right? No, not really. EASY FIX! Before you take the box out, just give you grinder a little tap on the sides or on the top. This will get out all the grounds that are stuck so you can use them. Hardly an inconvenience for me, and I don’t think it will be for you.
Jason –
Quiet grinder, uniform grinds
I bought this grinder to improve the quality of my cold brew. On the whole, I really like this grinder and it was a worthwhile upgrade.Things I love:Quiet – This machine is still pulverizing coffee beans, which is inherently a loud process. That said, it’s much less aggressive than my previous machine. It’s a quieter, consistent motor sound and the beans don’t sound as much like gravel going through.Consistency – The grind is incredibly consistent with very little dust. This is huge in terms of not blocking up my filters when I drain my coffee.Things I don’t love:Assembly – There’s a rubber gasket that connects the grinder collar to the hopper that was difficult to install and was a bit fiddly.Static – Grinding causes static, and the little flakes created during grinding will stick to everything due to static – including the bin that catches the grinds. Unfortunately, when you replace the bin the little flakes explode everywhere, making my kitchen a bit like a coffee filled snow globe. This doesn’t happen all the time (the static can depend on humidity, the roast level on the beans, etc.), but it can make quite a mess. In my experience, all grinders create static, and there are some things you can do to lessen it, but I would have preferred a slightly different shaped bin.
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
A good entry level electronic burr grinder
After six months with the Encore it is time to do a review.Pros:-Good entry level grinder with relatively few fines-Grinds more than fine enough for my Aeropress and has enough course adjustment for the French Press with decent grind size consistency.-Very quick motor can take down 40g(the amount I use most often for my chemex/fenchpress) of coffee in less than 20 seconds-Easy to use and dial in, nice big rotating on/off switch on the side-Beats a hand grinder any dayCons:-It’s messy. All fresh coffee beans have a certain amount of chaff within the bean. The encore does a great job of separating thischaff from the ground beans. However afterwards it usually shoots the chaff all over the counter once you take out the grinds hopper. The bean hopper and burrs are also not directly over the grinds hopper so both chaff and grinds will get stuck in the shoot which if you are not careful about cleaning can lead to old grinds in your coffee. Expect to clean up after every use.-It’s LOUD! I brought the grinder over to my parents house while I was staying there for a time and they complained that the grinder woke them up every morning. They have a very large house. I thought they were just being bitchy until I brought the grinder back to my apartment. My neighbor started coming over for coffee in the morning after the grinder would wake him up in his apartment above mine. Do not expect a quiet grind.-If you grind a lot of coffee (100+grams) keep an eye on the grinds hopper as it has a tendency to work its way out of the grinder-Still an entry level grinder, do not expect to be able to dial in proper espresso shots with the EncoreSummary: It’s a good grinder for all of your drip/pour over/press coffee needs but its messy and noisy
23 people found this helpful
Spike –
Tremendous Value in a Well Built Coffee Grinder
What’s the ambitious coffee drinker on a budget to do? Many experts think that the grinder is of equal importance to the brewing method when it comes to the final results in coffee making. Until recently it was impossible to find even a remotely acceptable grinder for under $200. Only a few manually operated hand grinders could produce a decent espresso grind. But these had serious limits when it came to grinding coarser grades of coffee. Even for espresso, many find the idea of hand grinding for 20 minutes off-putting. Enter the Encore: at less than $130 it’s the new value leader in competent coffee grinders.I’ve only had the Baratza Encore briefly, but I am mightily impressed. It is heavily constructed, all seams and tolerances are appropriately tight, and it gives a general impression of solid craftsmanship. The company is vocal about the fact that it is designed in the United States, it’s grinding blades are constructed in Liechtenstein and it is finally assembled in Taiwan. As someone who pays attention to the issue of Chinese imports, I was comfortable with this purchase.Now to the end result – I principally brew using a French press. This requires an evenly coarse grind. The Encore performs this task easily. On most roasts a setting of about 30 seems to work well. I have a few dark roast Sumatra beans that seem quite oily. These seem work better at 25. In either case the machine provides an evenly coarse grind with very little dust or fine particles that might tend to clog the French press.I’ve also ground some espresso. I drew several espressos using the non-pressurised portafilter in my Saeco with excellent results. Using my favourite Italian roast I had full-bodied espresso with a nice crema. Using the pressurised portafilter the results were also excellent. What this means is that I was getting a consistent fine grind with little in the way of off-size or dust particles to clog the filter. A few reviewers have suggested that this grinder might not be up to the task of non-pressurised espresso. My experience is still very preliminary, but so far I think they’re wrong. If my results change over time I’ll post. Finally, the upstairs coffee machine is a BUNN HT Phase. It’s a very easy, reliable cup of joe and works best with a slightly coarse grind medium roast. We’ve been using a Nicaraguan organic with this machine lately with very good results. The new grinder make short work of a half pounds of beans to be kept next to this coffeemaker.On static electricity: some people have written as if static electricity is a major issue with this grinder. This has not been my experience. Any coffee grinder generates static electricity leading to clinging/flying grains of ground coffee. My experience so far with the Encore has been that this is a minimal problem. I do tap the back of the grinder lightly after it finishes grinding to help any coffee still in the grinding path to fall into the storage cup. This seems to minimise spills. Other than that, occasionally wiping down the exterior with a damp cloth has kept any “loose coffee” problems in check. The sleek construction leaves few cracks or crevices for errant coffee to take up residence.I hope you can tell that I’m very happy with this machine. It works well. It’s very inexpensive given its features, and it’s made by a reputable company. It’s also handsome, if somewhat starkly modern in design. While it’s certainly possible to spend more and probably to enjoy more elaborate controls and features, the Encore does the job, and does it well.
8 people found this helpful
R. Dean Phelps –
3.5 Stars. (Edit: 4.5 stars)
Edit: This grinder is now a month under 5 years old, and has performed flawlessly every day, grinding 5 or more shots. Please disregard my concerns about longevity. It’s not the most beautiful, though not terrible either. But *functionally* it’s a workhorse, and one I highly recommend to anyone who seeks perfectly ground coffee!Original review: I rounded up a little to give this four stars rather than three and a half. What’s not to love? Measure for measure, 100% of 15g beans returned as very consistently and nicely ground, cool-to-the-touch coffee using the starter recommended setting of “10” for espresso. Dramatically improved flavor versus my Kitchenaid blade grinder. But I cannot give it 4 full stars or more because the build quality leaves much to be desired.For starters, the user guide states that prior to the first use, you’re supposed to run a full cup of coffee beans through the machine, and discard them, presumably to clean off any oils or coatings on the burr assembly to prevent corrosion while it’s on the shelf. A full cup of my favorite beans runs about $5 to $6. Then there’s the thought of tossing that much coffee into the wastebasket – Not happening in this household! I used rice instead as I have done in the past to clean burr grinders, which seems to have worked just as well, though I did have to run about a tablespoon of beans through afterward to clear the last of the rice powder out of the burr assembly. After this, no off flavors were noticed in the first cup.Next, there is a rubber “gasket” that basically guides the beans form the hopper into the burrs that is very flimsy and does not seem as if it will hold up over time. The same gasket also fits quite poorly and requires a lot of adjustment to get fully seated after stretching it around the lip of the burr assembly. The hopper is placed atop this gasket then twisted clockwise for a sort of compression fit. The gasket does its job well enough now, but it is my fear that will change within a few weeks when the rubber is compressed.Next up is the brush that comes with the unit. It is a stiff wire cone-shaped bottle brush basically – probably a 5-cent part when bought in bulk – that is far more flimsy and less useful than I would have expected given the price of this unit. For a few cents more, the manufacturer could have included another soft-bristle brush that could be used to sweep coffee grounds out of the plastic grounds bin and around the slot base where the bin fits to catch the grounds as they come out of the burr assembly.My biggest issue though is the fact that the switch knob on the side does not sit centered at all in the well on the side of the grinder. I would say it is between 3/16 and 1/4 inch offset, which makes the knob itself sit at an angle on the outer shell of the unit, and makes it quite evident that the plastic of the housing where the switch the knob controls is mounted is very flimsy (when you rotate the knob you can feel it tipping to one side).The listing also says the unit is “stainless steel”, which is absolutely incorrect. It is plastic through and through (with the exception of the burr assembly) and looks very, very cheap, not at all like something that costs $139.00.I know it sounds like a big rant fest, but there is some good to the grinder. 100% of coffee in = coffee out (by weight using a digital scale calibrated in 0.1g increments). Using a digital infrared thermometer, the ground coffee was only 1 degree Fahrenheit warmer than the beans that went in after a solid twenty seconds of grinding for espresso. My Kitchenaid blade grinder adds 20-30 degrees when grinding for espresso, just for a comparison point. The unit is also far quieter than my blade grinder, and puts out a VERY consistent grind that delivered a fantastic double-shot that was good to the last drop without any powder at all left in the bottom of my cup. My Kitchenaid requires that I leave about a half teaspoonful of the drawn espresso in the cup unless I want to feel the powdery granules of overground coffee on my tongue, and if I grind it less so as not to end up with powder in the bottom of the cup, the grind is FAR too coarse to impart much crema or flavor. My standard is and has been 15g for a double shot for a 50/50 Americano, but I will be adjusting that down, probably to around 12g for the flavor I prefer which will save me on coffee. With this grinder, 15g is just a bit too strong for a 50/50 even though I prefer a strong flavor, so I will be using 20% less coffee for the same amount of flavor to which I am accustomed. Side-by-side shots, one using the Encore, the other using my Kitchenaid, show a considerable increase in crema with coffee ground in the Encore (maybe as much as 30% more), and the flavor difference is nothing short of stunning, also in favor of the Encore grinder.In short, the performance of the Baratza Encore is incredible as far as grind consistency and quality. I will update this review in a month or two so I can provide some feedback on the longevity of the unit. I would have been happier with better build quality, materials and visual appeal, and that is the ONLY reason I didn’t give this grinder 5 solid stars. I would likely recommend this grinder to a friend, but I would also recommend having some cabinet space to keep the grinder in as it is not what you want on your countertop on display, especially sitting next to a mid- to high-end brew station, coffeemaker or espresso machine.
53 people found this helpful
RiffRoadDog –
Does As Expected
Reasonably priced electric burr grinder that you can take apart easily to clean. It is a little fiddly to get everything aligned and seated, though. And I worry that I might tear that little silicone gasket, though I see they’ve redesgned it a bit.It’s kind of messy, which is to be expected somewhat due to static and all that. Always more coffee to drop after you think you got it all. I use a natural fiber brush. I can’t imagine having a good grinder that I cannot clean well, though.Looks to be durable enough as long as you take care when removing the burr and putting it back together.My only real complaint is that the plastic lid is so loose it rattles and falls off when grinding. That should be fixed.Before this I used a hand crank Kalita model. Nice to have a little more capacity and control over the grind. And, you know, power.
Ed D. –
Great grinder with some nitpicks
UPDATE March 8, 2025:The grinder has been wonderful to use over the past year. I am changing my review to five stars.In addition to the star bump, there are three important updates, plus a comment:1) I upgraded the burr from the original “M3” burr to an M2 burr I ordered directly from Baratza (now Breville). I think it was worth the money.2) Lighter roasts do make for a slightly messier cleanup than darker roasts. My original review noted not having experienced much of that.3) Pay attention to your grinding. If it suddenly seems inconsistent, inspect the ring burr holder to make sure all three outer tabs are intact. These are plastic parts designed to break under load to protect the more important internal components. I highly recommend ordering spare holders. I have had two break in the past year, reasons unknown. It sucks to have your grinder down waiting for replacement parts to arrive.Finally, this grinder is not going to give you better coffee if there are problems besides the grinder you’re replacing. For me, I discovered the house water had been a secret roadblock to making good coffee at home. Once I realized how bad it was (cheap TDS meter purchased here on Amazon), I switched to using distilled water remineralized with Third Wave Water (also sold here on Amazon).ORIGINAL REVIEW:This is a “5-stars, but” review that makes me drop the rating to 4 stars. I’d give it 4 1/2 stars. Compared to the blade grinder I was using, though, it’s worth 10 stars.I ordered the Encore in March 2024, shipped from and sold by Amazon.com. I wanted to be sure of the sender, even if it might have saved a few dollars ordering from a different vendor.The first thing you have to do is to do some minor assembly, and you would think that should be easy to do. There is a fluted rubber gasket that would not stay seated on the ring burr, though, and I ended up tearing it even before making a single pot of coffee. I did some googling and found out that there’s a new version of the gasket that is supposed to be with newer Encores, so I’m not sure why mine had the old one. Regardless, I could have tried to obtain a replacement gasket either from Baratza or here, but I ended up ordering some aftermarket gaskets from Aieve (sold here on Amazon) that are a perfect match to Baratza’s new gasket. If you get an Encore and it comes with the new gasket, congrats on not having to deal with that headache.After getting it assembled, I followed another online recommendation to run a small batch of beans through the grinder as sort of a break-in. That worked fine.Since then, the grinder has performed admirably. It has been used nearly every day on a variety of dark and medium roasts. It hasn’t been especially staticky or messy. An occasional brushing of the chute and burrs is all I’ve needed to clean it out. I’ve been careful to keep the grounds below the line on the hopper, so I’ve avoided clogging it. I did buy some Urnex Grindz tablets, and I’ll be using them soon to give the internals a more thorough cleaning.As for the coffee itself, I’m not an expert, but it seems fairly consistent in grinds for drip and French press. Any failures on making a less-than-tasty batch of coffee are almost certainly my fault, not the grinder’s.Besides the finicky original gasket, the only complaint I have would be the noise. There are remedies for that, most notably upgrading the conical burr to the one found in the Virtuoso+ or Encore ESP, but I’m not ready to do that yet.Depending on who you ask, the lack of a timer on the Encore is either a curse or a blessing. I’m happy with it. I don’t store the coffee in the hopper. I weigh each batch of beans before pouring them in the hopper, so I just turn the grinder on and let it empty the hopper. You can tell by the noise level when the grinder is done, it’s significantly quieter. The resulting grounds have been the same weight as what I put in the hopper, so I know the grinder isn’t leaving large quantities of coffee behind.There are tons of videos on YouTube regarding the Encore. I recommend checking those out.
4 people found this helpful
Chicken Little –
This Is a Great Machine
I had to wait more than a year to try out my new Baratza, (because I had shipped it to a US address and then could not visit the US to pick it up because of the border closure).But now that I have got it home and am using it daily, I want to say what a pleasure it is to operate. It sounds like a heavy machine with a throaty growl. The grind is consistent and fine as I like it.I was surprised there was no setting for number of cups, and so there is no automatic stop. It just stays on until you turn it off…or it goes crazy when it runs out of beans. You have to stick around to turn it off. Since I like my coffee strong, I would expect to select a higher number of cups than I’m actually making, but there is no measurement system on the hopper or any timer at all.I’ve stuck a piece of tape on the hopper, so I can approximate the quantity of beans I need to grind for my usual morning shot. But it is a slight inconvenience that it doesn’t turn itself off.But what matters most to me is the fineness and consistency of the grind, and for that Baratza is an excellent machine. I hope it lasts.
Quincy C.Quincy C. –
Nice consistent grind, but messy
I’m glad I got a burr grinder, and the Encore does a nice job of giving me a consistent grind. I used to use a Krups spice grinder and man that thing would give me entire beans and finely ground beans in one batch. I make my coffee either through pour-over or drip, so I aim for a sea salt-like coarseness. My photo shows the Encore’s grind set a level 20.Size-wise, the Encore isn’t too big. That was one of my concerns before I got it, but it doesn’t take up much space on my coffee station top. I put a 16 oz. bag of coffee next to the Encore for a size comparison.The negatives of the Encore are how messy it is and the noise level. This thing loves to spit out fragments of beans after every grind. You will have to clean up after it each time (see my photos). It’s not a really noisy machine, but it’s not too quiet either. In the end it’s not a nuisance, but I wish it was quieter.I also wish the Encore had more metal exterior components, but that’s the Baratza Virtuoso. Overall though I’m happy with the Encore, and I really like the consistent grind I get from it.
40 people found this helpful
0b57 –
the standard
Value.These last a long time, so the price is sort of relative. for the amount of time spent researching and buying new grinders and getting used to them, this one is probably the cheapest in the long run.Grind quality.These days, the grind quality of this grinder is overstated. It does a good job reliably, and that is about all you can ask for a home grinder. Burrs last about 8years of daily use. but those last two years are probably less than ideal, as the new burrs refresh the grinder noticeably. The conical burrs are not as uniform as flat burrs, but i tend to enjoy conical burrs anyways. I expected this to grind more uniform than it does. you can clearly see a spectrum of grind sizes, so this is not for control freaks, or people that want the sweetest cleanest cup. There is a reliable character to the grind settings, so you get a much more casual reliability to this machine.It is likely one of the best grind qualities under $200 (2022). That said, there is a lot more competition out there, and the Capresso Infinity probably has the same grind quality, and is a hint more quiet, at just under $99. Also, I’ve had cheaper burr grinders like Krups and Cuisine art, and they don’t match the consistency of grinds day in and day out. That said, they still make good coffee. but replacing a $60 coffee grinder every 5years (even if they don’t break, their burrs go bad) vs getting a Baratza Encore… and the grind quality of the Encore is better than most cheaper grinders, so it is ironic that the better grind ends up costing the same price after several years.Additional thoughts:It feels like a real appliance, like your fridge or microwave may be around for a decade, and so will this. It is nice to be able to buy something once, and keep it a long time because it does a good job and is reliable. Then just replace parts, which feels good not wasting so much.The look of this thing is neutral, and it eventually disappears into the background.Cons:- the hype. They say a lot of things, but this is far from perfect, other than being perfect in compromises. It strikes the right balance of all the needs of grinding coffee at home.- doesn’t do espresso well- was overpriced during the pandemic, but seems they have come back down.Final thoughts:A ton of good coffee grinders have entered the market, and that means this Encore is no longer as premium feeling as it was a decade ago. But it is nice to know there is still this no brainer option out there. So many things in today’s life we have to constantly learn and research before we can decide, and well, with the Encore, it is still a simply good recommendation that most people can’t go wrong with. Because it is good, it isn’t wasteful, and over time it is actually budget friendly. Not to mention you’ll drink more coffee at home because of it, instead of coffee shops.
8 people found this helpful
Inspector Jon –
4 years then new motor
Edited after manufacturer’s refund. See end of review. The grinder works great. I use it every day but only for one or two cups of coffee. I was somewhat disappointed when the motor had to be replaced after four years of use. The manufacturer has a flat rate repair policy for out of warranty products. Send it back and for around $70 (2021) they will fix anything but the conical grinding part. Repair was timely and easy but I would have expected the motor to last a decade or more. I have not had a motor fail on any other quality kitchen or work tools after only 4 years.The actual repair was a bit less than $50. The rest was shipping I paid. After I wrote the review above Baratza refunded me the repair cost. No explanation, I just received a notice that the repair cost was being refunded. I guess they read these reviews. So for my cost of shipping it back to them they fixed a 4 year old product.
2 people found this helpful
Blossom –
Works well, but whoops, no timer
Nice accurate grind but it does not have a timer, which means that I have to guess run time. I would not have bought this had I realized this.
One person found this helpful
Alexis –
Great quality!!
Waited for this to go on sale as I was a bit hesitant about spending so much on a coffee grinder, but it has been SO worth it. I’m a beginner when it comes to fancier coffee and this has made the transition so much easier and more fun. Being able to use different grind sizes for different types of brewing methods is so useful. It feels and looks high quality and can hold quite a bit of beans (though I don’t recommend using it as storage for coffee beans or overfilling because it can get a bit clogged). It’s not too noisy, it’s a coffee grinder so of course it’s kind of loud but I have a fourth month old baby and it doesn’t wake them up when using it in the room next to them. Great grinder overall.
Ed D. –
Great grinder with some nitpicks
UPDATE March 8, 2025:The grinder has been wonderful to use over the past year. I am changing my review to five stars.In addition to the star bump, there are three important updates, plus a comment:1) I upgraded the burr from the original “M3” burr to an M2 burr I ordered directly from Baratza (now Breville). I think it was worth the money.2) Lighter roasts do make for a slightly messier cleanup than darker roasts. My original review noted not having experienced much of that.3) Pay attention to your grinding. If it suddenly seems inconsistent, inspect the ring burr holder to make sure all three outer tabs are intact. These are plastic parts designed to break under load to protect the more important internal components. I highly recommend ordering spare holders. I have had two break in the past year, reasons unknown. It sucks to have your grinder down waiting for replacement parts to arrive.Finally, this grinder is not going to give you better coffee if there are problems besides the grinder you’re replacing. For me, I discovered the house water had been a secret roadblock to making good coffee at home. Once I realized how bad it was (cheap TDS meter purchased here on Amazon), I switched to using distilled water remineralized with Third Wave Water (also sold here on Amazon).ORIGINAL REVIEW:This is a “5-stars, but” review that makes me drop the rating to 4 stars. I’d give it 4 1/2 stars. Compared to the blade grinder I was using, though, it’s worth 10 stars.I ordered the Encore in March 2024, shipped from and sold by Amazon.com. I wanted to be sure of the sender, even if it might have saved a few dollars ordering from a different vendor.The first thing you have to do is to do some minor assembly, and you would think that should be easy to do. There is a fluted rubber gasket that would not stay seated on the ring burr, though, and I ended up tearing it even before making a single pot of coffee. I did some googling and found out that there’s a new version of the gasket that is supposed to be with newer Encores, so I’m not sure why mine had the old one. Regardless, I could have tried to obtain a replacement gasket either from Baratza or here, but I ended up ordering some aftermarket gaskets from Aieve (sold here on Amazon) that are a perfect match to Baratza’s new gasket. If you get an Encore and it comes with the new gasket, congrats on not having to deal with that headache.After getting it assembled, I followed another online recommendation to run a small batch of beans through the grinder as sort of a break-in. That worked fine.Since then, the grinder has performed admirably. It has been used nearly every day on a variety of dark and medium roasts. It hasn’t been especially staticky or messy. An occasional brushing of the chute and burrs is all I’ve needed to clean it out. I’ve been careful to keep the grounds below the line on the hopper, so I’ve avoided clogging it. I did buy some Urnex Grindz tablets, and I’ll be using them soon to give the internals a more thorough cleaning.As for the coffee itself, I’m not an expert, but it seems fairly consistent in grinds for drip and French press. Any failures on making a less-than-tasty batch of coffee are almost certainly my fault, not the grinder’s.Besides the finicky original gasket, the only complaint I have would be the noise. There are remedies for that, most notably upgrading the conical burr to the one found in the Virtuoso+ or Encore ESP, but I’m not ready to do that yet.Depending on who you ask, the lack of a timer on the Encore is either a curse or a blessing. I’m happy with it. I don’t store the coffee in the hopper. I weigh each batch of beans before pouring them in the hopper, so I just turn the grinder on and let it empty the hopper. You can tell by the noise level when the grinder is done, it’s significantly quieter. The resulting grounds have been the same weight as what I put in the hopper, so I know the grinder isn’t leaving large quantities of coffee behind.There are tons of videos on YouTube regarding the Encore. I recommend checking those out.
4 people found this helpful
happy camper –
best at home burr grinder
I owned The original Baratza Virtuoso what many coffee lovers refer to as the modern classic. It was a no-frills and simple grinder made for home use. Brand new it could easily stands against expensive commercial or professional coffee gear with its quality build and features. Sadly after 15 years of daily use something internal broke and would no longer spin the ring burr. The product design does no allow you to open the unit and view internal workings ie the motor. Time to buy a new one. One thing missed is on the original version the on/off was like a kitchen timer, turn the dial and it would count down/move till it reached the off position. I was torn to pay the extra money and re-buy the Virtuoso + or take a chance on the Encore. For the extra money I viewed the difference between the 2 machines thinking the digital timer/display and the led lights as something that would not last another 15 years, so went with the Encore. The Encore is slightly narrower then the original Virtuoso, the Encore still feels as solid as the original. Bonus the burr ring, silicone gasket, grounds bin, bean hopper and hopper lid are the same size as the original so now I have a spare, but if the Encore performs as well as the original I wont need them. Bottom line if you cant decide the Encore is great and save yourself some money for some fantastic beans
P. Albee –
The conical burr grinder of my dreams!!
OMG I love this coffee grinder so much. I previously owned 2 conical grinders, a Mr. Coffee and a Cuisinart. What can I say, I’m frugal, thrifty, well OK, cheap. I figured for a basically simple gadget, an inexpensive grinder should do fine. I’m not such a coffee snob that I can taste the difference between coffee made with one grinder or another. Consistency of grind isn’t important, I thought.I’m here to tell you: the money you “saved” on cheap grinders will be so much better spent on the Baratza Encore instead. The Mr. Coffee grinder cost what, $40 bucks? It didn’t last long, not even a year. Enough said. The Cuisinart cost $100 and it ran, but was a pain in the ass to use. First, the ground coffee always generated a ton of static electricity. Why? I don’t know, I’m not a mechanical engineer. It wasn’t a problem when it was new, but the static built up within a day and never stopped. The solution to that problem is to stick your hand in the receptacle and stir with your fingers to discharge the static. The next problem an electrical connection between the receptacle bottom and the motor stopped working. I Mickey-Moused the wires so they’d connect, but always had to push and hold the receptacle under the chute to catch the ground coffee. If I didn’t, the vibration of the motor caused the receptacle to jiggle away and deposit coffee grounds all over the counter. I put up with it for a couple or three years longer.I finally had some extra cash and went for this lovely Baratza. Wow, just wow. I’ve used it for a month and there’s still no static buildup in the receptacle. It’s very easy to use. Works exactly as expected, grinds the coffee perfectly. The $50 difference between the Baratza and the Cuisinart is money well spent. You won’t regret it, I promise. If you’re looking for a conical burr grinder, this is the one!
2 people found this helpful
Valerie Valerie –
Is repairable!
I’ve had this for just over two years. I use it daily. I noticed a lot of folks complaining about it starting to grind unevenly or plastic tabs breaking off. Their website is pretty clear on how to troubleshoot! I noticed it was having the same problem and I went to their website. I ordered the replacement part and it’s back to grinding properly. As for those mentioning static electricity issues, perhaps you need better quality beans. I used to use Eight O’Clock 90% of the time, and there would be static. When I buy the ones made local in the state, well, do you see any static in my peppermint bark grinds in the bin? Set at 20 for my Cuisinart 14C drip. I use 35 for cold brew. The older and drier beans seem more static prone.
One person found this helpful
Asking for a friend… –
Are all coffee grinders a static producing mess making disaster? Quiet? Are you kidding? LOL!
I’ve owned this machine for 1 year. To be fair this is the only coffee grinder I’ve ever owned so maybe they are all this way but when I grind coffee it produces so much static electricity the grounds hang up in the plastic catch cup and won’t all pour out, and up in the grinding mechanism in the machine. That makes a huge mess because the static charge repels the grounds away from each other all over the place as you try to pour it into the filter! I’ve even seen grounds “jump” out of the coffee filter while pouring it as they repel each other. When you remove the grounds catch cup from the machine, the grounds hanging up in the machine shower down on the surface below and make a mess, and that’s even after shaking the machine to avoid that. Ugh… Are they all like this? The only fix I have found is to let the grounds sit at least 5 minutes to dissipate the charge before trying to do anything with it. That does not fix the problem but it helps a lot. You’d think the EXPERTS that have been making these machines for decades would have figured this crap out by now and started using conductive plastics everywhere to ground out the charge. I guess that would make too much sense. Face palm… And QUIET? Are you kidding me? If this is one of the quiet ones thank God I didn’t buy a cheaper unit. Grinding hard little beans is always going to be somewhat of a noisy process I suppose but calling this machine quiet is misleading at best. Everyone in the house is going to hear it and probably be woken up by it. Period. There are no quiet rock crushers. Despite the complaints it works fine as a coffee bean grinder and I guess I don’t have any specific regrets about this purchase. Someone in the house lost the rubber seal at the bottom of the funnel in the first week or so we owned it and I was able to get fast support from the manufacturer and get replacements, so at least they support the product!
3 people found this helpful
Oscar DJR –
Should have read the manual first…
Excited to get this grinder a few months ago but not excited when it stopped working after just a few grinds. Turns out I was the problem for not reading the manual which says DO NOT FILL THE BIN PAST THE HALFWAY MARK! I did indeed fill up the bin and it backed up into the exit chute which caused the plastic pin wheel to disintegrate. Luckily Baratza has a pretty decent website with lots of instructions on how to fix this problem and for just a few bucks I was able to get a replacement wheel and in just a little over an hour fixed the grinder and for the past couple of months it has been working great and fingers crossed it will continue to do so.+ Great even grind for drip/french press/cappuccino/etc.+ Noise is fine – it is a grinder they make some noise+ Self reparable with cheap parts available on-line- Engineering raises question marks – ie: why is the pinwheel plastic and not metal? They obviously know that getting the chute blocked is a problem so why not engineer around it?Bottom line – Good grinder IF you follow the instructions – Hoping it lasts a long time even if I have to repair it again – At least I can with this grinder vs throwing it in the waste
2 people found this helpful
Bill Clark –
Excellent espresso grinder for the price
I’ve finally found a good $200-or-less grinder for espresso. Having tried the
Breville BCG800XL Smart Grinder
— which produced an excellent grind, but jammed after a few uses — and the
KitchenAid Pro Line Series Burr Coffee Mill, Onyx Black
— which was unable to produce a fine enough grind for espresso — this device seems to have what it takes.There are some limitations:1. The grinder is SLOW. The noise level is moderate, suggesting a relatively slow rotation speed, which is good. But it takes 30 seconds or so to produce enough ground coffee to fill a double-espresso filter basket.2. There is no timer or other mechanism to “set” the grind amount.3. The removable plastic receptacle that catches the grind is semi-opaque — in the morning light of my kitchen I cannot see how much grind has accumulated.I’d love to have the UI of the Breville (which lets you set the grind, set the amount, then press “Go”) with the reliability of this grinder. But I can live with it: I’m learning to set a timer (about 90 seconds for my usual morning jolt.) These issues keep me from giving the item 5 stars, but I still consider it excellent value for the money.
36 people found this helpful
Carol Grinage –
Great value
So easy to use. Not too noisy considering what it’s doing. I’m not an expert but using the guides they gave for what grind to use for type of coffee maker I was able to get a fine grind and make a perfect espresso with my $500 Breville. It’s also a plus that it doesn’t take up a lot of space. I only drink one cup a day so I think this grinder will last a long time.
Robert –
BARATZA Encore is Excellent Easy to Use Burr Grinder
BARATZA Encore Burr Grinder Provides Uniform Coffee Grounds for French Press, Pour-Over, and Automatic Drip Coffee. Even compared it to my higher end (over 10 times more costly) burr grinder (specifically at settings for espresso) and the BARATZA Encore did a pretty good job. I weigh out amount of coffee beans desired and find if follow the Grind Adjustment Scale, the “Suggested Settings” are very close to my desired Grind for different methods and beans. I have not had to use (or explored) settings below 8 or above 28. Some people complain the coffee bean grounds can “fly” out of the Grounds Bin. But I find that only happens with certain brand or type of beans and even then it’s only a few grinds or flakes, no problem. It feels very well built and it is slightly louder than some other grinders (but is not any louder than my higher end burr grinder) and I’ll choose ability to grind as desired vs being slightly louder any day. One minor comment, during the INITIAL SETUP, I followed the directions explicitly but the hopper felt like it would not “press down” therefore could not turn it. Obviously did not force it, just tried again twice and it then seated down and turned perfectly.
Dan R. Drilon –
Best grinder in its price range
I have used this grinder for a few months now. I have used a wide variety of different roasts and different beans. It grinds them all pretty good. I have been using dark beans (dry to very oily variety) and have not had any jamming issues with it. Also its grind range is really broad. Has no problem clogging the espresso machine with a grind too fine and can definitely leave a rocky coarse grind if you want. The grind turns kind of inconsistent after you get past 30 on the dialer.(1 being the finest).Biggest Issue that I have with this machine, and its probably not the machines fault, more of the price range and target audience it was designed for, is the “resolution of the grind” The distance between 10 and 11 seems like a mile when trying to get the grind correct. 10 would jam the machine and 11 would run my shot in the 15 second range… Way too fast. Only solution was to kind of guesstimate tamp pressure to get a perfect inbetween pressure that would give me the 25 second target extraction.Cleaning isnt hard. Pull outer burrs and clean the inner burr with the supplied stainless toilet brush looking device. Also comes with some tablets for fully cleaning. Have not used a tablet yet and its been a month. Also since im lazy its been maybe a week or 2 since I have actually gone in there to clean out the burrs with the brush.. Still grinding strong though.
Richard –
Great grinder
Bought mine in 2018 and it stills works great.
Stephen RosenbergStephen Rosenberg –
Heavy base & design detail resolves everything wrong with cheaper models.
We had a cheaper auto burr grinder we immediately hated. The top cover vibrated off during use, the grounds made a huge mess every time, and extra superfluous parts made cleaning annoying.My brother-in-law is a coffeephile and recommended this model, he’s been happy with it for years. We decided to go for it and invest in this Baratza Encore. We’re happy to pay more for quality, lasting things. After a few uses, I can tell you that this model has actually exceeded my high expectations. The base is weighted so it’s not vibrating all over your counter and overall feels sturdy and well-made. The top bean hopper has plenty of room and the cover piece has a lip so it can’t come off with side to side motion. It’s also much quieter (obviously expect some noise) because it’s not vibrating all over your countertop.My favorite feature though is the grounds container. It’s a simple design without an unnecessary plastic cover piece (contributed to mess in cheaper model we had) that fits in snugly into the base. I was delighted to see the engineers even included a sort of tab on the bottom of the slot for the container, which applies vertical pressure when inserted (see pic). I guess grounds can collect there, but I don’t really care. If it bothers me I’ll use the supplied wire brush or a toothpick or hold upside down. Long story short your grounds container isn’t coming out during operation nor are grounds flying all over the place and that’s what really matters.I can honestly recommend this as one of those products that is well made with clear pride that is well worth the investment. I’ll try and remember to update this review in 6 months but for now I couldn’t recommend it more. It’s so refreshing to actually find something quality these days at a reasonable price, hence taking the time on a Saturday morning to write this effusive review.
justin grimm –
EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SUPPORT!
After scouring reviews and a recomendation from a local roaster, my wife purchased this grinder for me as a gift. It’s reasonably priced, grinds consistent and doesn’t leave a huge mess on the counter. Late one Saturday morning as I was grinding some beans it just quit! Insert sad face here. Fortunately I had enough grounds for a pot but, what would the week ahead be like without my favorite cup of joe? I emailed the customer support address, not really expecting a response, but to get the ball rolling. They responded within the hour. After multiple emails and links to trouble shooting guids I determined this was outside my experience level. Obviously disappointed considering the grinder was only about a year and a half old I was left with a choice. Either I send the grinder in and wait for them to repair it under their flat rate repair program or buy a new grinder. After reading reviews and considering different price points I found myself leaning towards purchasing the same grinder again. I like the grinder and it works well. Next day free shipping from Amazon helped finalize the decision. Even though I felt like the grinder should have lasted longer I wanted to have my beans ground by Monday. Once the new grinder arrived I decided to package the old grinder in the new box with a $45 check to have it repaired. I received my old grinder back in a week with a voided check packaged at the top of the box. The invoice said they had replaced the motor at no charge. The 1 year warranty had expired so I assumed that there was a mix up considering I had packaged the old grinder in the new box. I emailed the customer support folks again and told them there must have been a mistake. It was a new box and an old grinder. I didn’t expect anything for free. Their response, no mix up, the motor should have lasted longer, the repair was free. Mind blown! They stood behind the product even though the warranty had expired. Not only would I recommend the product, they have a customer for life. In this day and age it’s refreshing to have a company stand behind their product. Buy the grinder.
1,429 people found this helpful
A m a Z O n F r e a K –
So far so good
First off: I have read many reviews stating that this device creates static electricity, grinds all over the counter, not grinding well, and more.Recommendation: Read the directions to the tee. Take your time to set the device up.Overall:We received the package, well packed!When following directions, be sure to set it up exactly as noted.The rubber flange and the plastic holder is the most important, they need to line up. Follow the directions again, or you will have problems as noted in other reviews. You CANNOT just snap things together as easy as one would like. Make sure to set the grinding level. For us, it was 28 for drip coffee.I use a high grade coffee, organic, with oily beans. Do NOT use “Run-of-the-mill” coffee beans or you may run into grinding problems, especially with dryer beans.As for the comment about static electricity and the beans coming out on the counter. We have NOT run into that. I presume this was due to poor placement of the rubber gasket or beans that are not quality.In closing:This has been the best grinder we have used in awhile based on all the other choices we have made in the past. I would recommend purchasing however you need to be patient setting it up and putting the pieces together.Have fun drinking prime coffee!
One person found this helpful
EK18 –
Superb
Top rated for years by NYTimes Wirecutter. Deserves the accolades. Highly recommended
GoodneighborGoodneighbor –
Great grinder but 4 boxes?
This grinder is great! It’s much quieter and less messy than my previous grinder and does a good job of grinding consistently. I initially thought there was a missing knob on the side when I opened it and looked through the packaging materials but couldn’t find it. I was nearly ready to look at return options or contacting the manufacturer for a replacement knob but when I removed the ground coffee canister I found the knob and a small brush for cleaning the machine in there. This was shipped in 4 separate boxes which resulted in a completely undamaged unit seemed excessive. It reminded me of Russian nesting dolls.
Rognvaldr –
Unbeatable engineering of unbelievably even grind, and a motor that purrs like a jaguar.
I’m a coffee snob. No mainline, green goblin, black tar, or snarky barista coffee for me. Single origin, roasted to perfection, nectar of the gods coffee from my Porsche designed drip machine pumping out black gold juiced hot with 1,500 watts of power into a pot thick enough to crush walnuts.No brag. Just fact.I confabbed with the gods of java who run a string of coffee huts in the shadow a certain Space Needle and land of Seahawks.BARATZA! A great bean must have a great grind. They are deliciously correct. (I never doubted it.)These purveyors of the brown bean search, discover, roast, and freight beans for my family and I’s morning bliss in the form of whole beans for grinding. Now, another elevation by using the Baratza to grind said beans. WOW!You can do your own research as to why this machine is far, far the best.My note to my coffee purveyors: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed both your single origin and blend coffees every morning for years and always believed there are none better. Until I did the homework, followed your advice, and used the Baratza finding what a difference a well engineered grinder makes in taste..I can’t express enough gratitude for your advice ultimately elevating my wife, my daughter, and I into the stratosphere of divine coffee bliss grinding with a Baratza. In the past, in my search for a better grinder, the grind and ultimately coffee taste differences among the big name grinders were insignificant. The consistency of grind from the Baratza, the satisfying low growl of the motor somewhat akin to a jaguar, and the taste is far, far superior to each and every one of those I tried. My search for the perfect grinder is done. Thank you!I believe my coffee purveyor just roasted my next batch of beans. I can’t wait for them to arrive! Seems the family and I are drinking more coffee, I unexpectedly ran out.
2 people found this helpful
Mrs. K –
Solid coffee grinder
The coffee grinder does exactly what it’s supposed to do and does it well. The reason I dropped a star is because the coarseness setting can be a little tricky and the instructions do not do a great job of explaining. I do wish that this one had a way to set how much coffee you wanted to grind. We had to figure it out through trial and error and essentially timing it on our own. No auto off.
Troy Folmer –
Such a steal, just buy it.
amazing grinder. I use french press exclusively and the adjustability on the coarse side is insane – you can set it to basically split beans in half if you feel like it. Sound is very quiet compared to those in the 60 dollar class and doesn’t sound like a vacuum. I pour in my beans as single servings so after all beans are ground I will rock the machine gently back and forth on its feet while letting the burs continue to spin to get any extra grounds out of the chamber. Average loss from grinding is 1 gram when using 36 gram batches. Cleanup is very simple at the functional level (have not bothered with a deep clean), just take the hopper out, hold the machine over the trash, and use the included brush to flush out the canal. Grind consistency is very good, with few fines making it through at french press grind sizes. 10/10 would recommend, and I honestly doubt that spending 2 to 3 times as much on a “better” grinder would be worth it to you unless you have a really refined palate or have some commercial need.
One person found this helpful
Kevin Godsey –
Quiet and FAST
I’ve had coffee grinders that were louder than lawnmowers and took almost an hour to grind a whole pound of beans because it got so hot that it had to cool down before finishing. This one can grind a pound of coffee in less than 20 minutes. Although not entirely silent, the Encore makes far less noise than my Cuisinart. Worth the price.
One person found this helpful
Wily Bill –
Nice, even grind … and different taste!
This is a very preliminary review. The Baratza Encore arrived yesterday so I’ve only made coffee once. First, my Encore order was processed quickly and accurately and shipped promptly. It arrived in pristine condition, probably due to the 4 layers of thick cardboard packaging! Not much risk of damage there! Preliminary cleaning and subsequent assembly were simple with just a bit of a hang up due to a slight misalignment of the grind adjustment ring which, as the instructions comment, must be fully counterclockwise. After running a quick grind test, the first brew. The Encore is a bit noisy, but certainly no worse than my previous burr grinder. The grind is clean and uniform. I used Baratza’s recommended 20 setting for Chemex and brewed according to my usual morning ritual – same coffee, same Chemex, same filter, same coffee amount, same water. And the coffee tastes … different! I was not really expecting “different” and it took me by surprise. And by “different” I don’t mean to imply better or worse just yet. I’ll try the same process tomorrow and then,perhaps, try varying the Encore grind setting and coffee amount in the future. I’ll try to remember to update this post if anything remarkable (or maybe even just interesting) results. My bottom line – I certainly recommend the Baratza Encore. It is well made and, I believe, will be easy to clean and, given Baratza’s promise to have repair parts available, should perform well into the future.
One person found this helpful
mysterymeat –
Purchased 2013.
9 years ago we purchased this grinder. A lot of things have happened since, however, the grinder has been fantastic throughout. We purchased this grinder for what it is – an entry-level grinder – because we were entry-level coffee aficionados. In the beginning, we had a small drip machine and an inexpensive entry-level single shot espresso machine with which we were learning.Fast forward 9 years. It has been a great grinder for everything except the finest of grind shots, which are needed for consistent espresso shots. We now grind coffee several times a day every single day and *only for espresso. We purchased a prosumer espresso machine a few years ago and have been using it for that machine until now. For every day high quality espresso shots we found we needed a more consistent fine grind across a wider range and no stepping. For everything else this grinder is fantastic and inexpensive.No problems with the unit for the past 9 years. No repairs. Nothing. Only negative I can say about it is the noise. It is a bit noisy. At this stage in our coffee journey we purchased a prosumer grinder and will keep the Baratza as a backup. Great grinder for the price, but it’s time to move on.
3 people found this helpful
Frederick B. –
Great Grinder
I gave this coffee grinder 4 stars because I have only owned it for a week. If I remember to re-review it in two years I’ll update the review.First, I have owned many, many other coffee grinders. They were all noisy and failed within a year or two. After owning that many that failed I began to see a trend. I am very adept at electronics and mechanics so I always take them apart when they fail. The consistent problem is the timer relay. The motor was fine, but the electronic circuit boards always fail.I chose this model and brand because I believed by reading the description that this model had a simple on-off switch. Plus, it is a true conical grinder. I was correct. Upon receiving I can tell you this unit uses a simple detent on-off switch. This is a simple, sturdy and effective way to start and stop the grinder. Provided everything else is of the same quality this unit should last for years and years. And yes, just like the one reviewer said the switch can be turned and turned in the same direction. That’s because it’s a simple detent switch. That negative review helped me decide to buy this model.The unit grids well to about any size grind you want.The catch bin is directly underneath the grinding cone so no whirling mess.The catch bin doesn’t create static.It’s fairly quiet.Yes the assembly takes some skill in reference to getting the rubber cone gasket in place correctly, but you just need to be patient. I held the rubber gasket under hot water to soften it up and that made Instalation easier. Just be sure you dry it off before placing it in the machine.Overall I am very pleased. I would recommend this product.
Kristin L. –
Great for pour overs and espressos
All of the other grinders I have tried were either way too expensive, or not quite adjustable. This one is definitely affordable, and you can really find tune the coffee grounds. The coffee grounds are really consistent, and cleaning between sessions is a breeze. Best bang for your buck!
Vide8 –
Professional grade burr grinder is amazing! All the reviews were right!
Order arrived to me in 24 hrs, instructions are basic, along with reviews by WholeLatteLove, Seattle Coffeeworks, I was able to assemble, grind, tweak settings and pulled a neat shot with excellent crema. The grinder had a defect, I was connected directly with the manufacturer who sent a replacement grinder within 24 hours! Customer service has been outstanding! This is a superb starter grinder up from my spice mill. The even grind is an amazing step into dialing a setting perfectly with much more flavor notes through my Gaggia. The learning curve is not too bad after the first few grinds and cleaning up the parts of leftover coffee. It is worth the little extra time brushing it out and my espresso actually yields more with much better results. I definitely recommend this for its slower grinding motor, keeping my Lavazza ideal! I expect to enjoy this for years to come including the replaceable burrs and all else. I can’t believe I waited so long.Update: I noticed a “loose something” sound early in 2022, recorded and sent a description with it to Tech Support. They confirmed it was the grinding gear. So I took the advice, ordered the nylon gear for $8.00 and watched the YouTube video on how to disassemble the housing and parts to get to the suspect gear. There it was with a missing tooth! It took quite a few views but I replaced the gear and put it all back together myself! Thanks to Baratza’s excellent team support for a DIY grinder, I am back to excellent grinds, all fixed within one week! This is perfect for me as the options were sending the unit in to them (about &100.00), or buy a much more expensive grinder. If I can do it, so can you! It’s all it was advertised when I bought it and I pull a fairly fine espresso shot. Very satisfying to be able to fix. Hope this helps you decide.
2 people found this helpful
Larry A. Mitchel –
So far – I LOVE it!
Everything is relative, right? Our old Capresso grinder was delivering grinds that were all over the board, even though I had the selector pegged at “1”! So I took off the top burr and discovered why: The burrs were shot, shot I tell you!After significant research, and not a little back-‘n-forth, I picked the Baratza Encore. Seemed like the best coffee grinder for the lowest price.I am not disappointed! So far I have only used it for drip (our stalwart Krups Type FMF5, using Melitta-style #4 filters). I’ve settled on Grind Index 15 for this purpose, but your mileage may vary. The grinds really do come out uniform, impressively so (remember, all is relative).I’m not used to a geared grinder, so it seemed loud at first. But my sleep-in wife swears she can’t hear it. When the beans are done, and I turn the switch to “Off” the power-train takes 1-2 seconds to come to rest.At the same time I switched grinders I have upped my coffee-making game: I am now grinding beans “just-in-time.” So that means I’ve gone from measuring by scoops to weighing beans pre-grind, and grinding until the batch is done. A little gram scale (American Weigh Scales Black Blade Digital Pocket Scale, BL-1KG-BLK 1000 by 0.1 G) does the job. And no, I’m using it on the side to weigh “herb” buds!Having read about messes with this device, I also bought a small black melanine tray (not easy to find!). See “Lustroware K-200 MB Melamine Serving Tray, Small, Black.” It’s just a little shorter than ideal, so I have notched the back lip to accommodate the heavy power cord of the grinder – which comes out of the device right at counter level. The notch allows me to slide the grinder all the way back in the tray.So far I have not experienced the static build ups that some reviewers have mentioned – and which the old Capresso had in spades! It’s all relative, folks!! But the tray will contain most spills.Haven’t tried the grinder for french press yet. I’ll start with Grind Index 30 (since reviewers recommend everything from 26 to 40!!). I’ll keep you posted.
DonDon –
Hefty little beast of a grinder!
So I have has this coffee bean grinder for almost a year now and here are my thoughts and experiences with it.1) Despite being made mostly of plastic, this grinder is pretty hefty for its size. Nice quality build that should hold up many years for home application.2) Consistent grinds on coffee beans. Great tasting coffee begins with a fresh grind.3) Simple and functional. There are many different grind settings for coffee and expresso, though I have never tried any expresso grinds. No fancy auto features here, not that you would need one.4) This grinder will get messy over time, the coffee holder bin tend to slide out a bit on some grinds. No matter how clean you try, you will still end up with coffee dust/particles over your counter. I found a solution to this by putting it on a silicone tray(used for sponges) and it fit perfectly as you can see from the pictures. Brand is Good to Good, sold on Amazon if you are interested. So it collects the coffee dust when you open and close the bin.5) Haven’t really cleaned this grinder yet, comes with a brush.Overall, I’m happy with this grinder albeit the coffee dust problem, which is a problem with all these types of grinders. I definitely recommend and would buy this grinder again.
One person found this helpful
Mary Ann –
Best cup of coffee ever!
I had an old Cuisinart Conical Burr Grinder that worked for many years. It began running but not producing many grounds and they over-ground so I figured it was time to invest in a new one. This Baratza Encore kept popping up everywhere I looked for an ideal grinder for drip coffee ( have a top rated brewer – a Mochamaster). The thing I love is it looks great and my morning coffee was better than any I’ve had brewed at home. The thing I don’t like, or maybe have to get used to, is that the machine does not go off on its own once the beans are ground. I was a bit spoiled as my previous one allowed you to set the amount of cups you wanted to grind for and shut off when the task was complete. Now I measure the grams each day, put it in the hopper and turn it on. But as I get caught up doing something else, the grinder just keeps running long after completion. The quality of the grind is worth retraining my brain and routine but I do wish it had an auto-shutoff.
One person found this helpful
Greg –
Happy camper
So far, smooth sailing. Consistent grind quick and easy.
B. Cnu –
Super consistent and even grind
I purchased the Encore to replace a deceased Cuisinart burr grinder, primarily for making V60 pour overs. The Encore produces an incredibly even grind, and holds the chosen setting well (fine-coarse is determined by twisting the hopper). In both of these regards it is a 10/10 compared to the Cuisinart at maybe 7/10. The other noticeable improvement over the Cuisinart is that the grinds container has almost no static cling.The Encore does have a bit of a whine while grinding, is not the speediest, and the hopper cover doesn’t snap on (gravity hold only), but if you care about dialing in your extraction perfectly this is a winning piece of machinery. FWIW my local “craft” coffee shop told me that they used to use three of these for prepping pour overs before eventually upgrading to a bigger and faster unit.The only better thing about the Cuisinart was that you could select the amount of grind so that measuring beans was not required every morning. I use a scale to measure beans, but one could easily find a scoop or other quick measuring device for your chosen regular amount. After adding beans to the hopper the grind starts with a twist of the side knob/switch. It’s either on or off (no timer/volume selection). There is also a button on the front that can be pressed to grind, but it has to be held down.Overall this is a fantastic grinder and I would buy it again, although it seems sturdy and is simple with few breakable parts, so is unlikely to need replacement any time soon. Unlike many consumer grade grinders the burr is replaceable, another point in favor.
One person found this helpful
Anon –
It seems to work great
After looking around and trying to decide between this and the Oxo Conical Brew ginder, we went with this one due to the availability of replacement parts. While I do like the stainless steel look of the Oxo better, reparability takes priority.The unit feels weighty and, while it is mostly plastic, it seems solidly built. Setup was fairly easy, though the rubber ring/seal between the burrs and the bean hopper is kind of finicky. Wish it sat down on the lip a bit more. We’ll see if this become a problem in the future.The noise level is fine. It’s a grinder, it will never be silent. It is much quieter than our bladed grinder. The pitch is not high, it’s just a grinder and sounds like it. I don’t seem to have any issues with static or grinds getting all over the place as a lot of people have posted about. Not sure what they’re doing differently.I put it at 18 for my drip coffee maker as advised by the instructions and it “just works” I’ve played around a little with the settings a little finer, a little courser. My coffee maker doesn’t seem to mind either way. It is definitely far finer and more consistent than my bladed grinder can even come close to. I do not get as nearly many grinds in my carafe since the beans are evenly ground. I also haven’t had a overflow due to clogging. We’ve only ran about 3lbs of beans through it so far, but no issues and haven’t had to clean it yet.I will say, I wasn’t really expecting much difference in coffee taste, but this grinding beans just seems to taste better than pre-ground, or even when using the blade grinder on beans. I guess that could be hoping to taste the $140 but honestly my wife commented on it as well and she doesn’t know how much it cost.I wish there was a stainless steel option, especially at this price, but really this unit, while fairly basic, seems to work great for drip coffee, cold brew, or French press. I can’t speak to espresso, we’re just not that fancy around here. We’ll see how it holds up.
Joe Hoffmann –
Consistent and quick
If you want your coffee uniformly ground for drip or immersion methods, and you don’t want to spend minutes at a time with a hand grinder, this is the best entry level grinder.You won’t have to replace the whole thing with another unit after a short period of time. It’s a powerful and reliable grinder. It’s far from the tidiest, most attractive, or quietest, but it’s reasonably quick, works predictably well, and is easy to dose into and out of.Not a ton of features (an auto-off in particular would be a huge upgrade), but that just means fewer points of failure.I wish it was shorter. I wish it was quieter. I wish it had less cheap 90s appliance plastic, and it didn’t look like an iomega zip drive… But it’s easily the best grinder at its price and the lowest price I’d be willing to pay before I KNOW what I’m getting would be garbage within the year.If you know you want an electric burr grinder, but you’re split between this and a cheaper model, buy this. You’ll pay twice as much if you just end up replacing that cheaper one in a year.(also, pro-tip, go buy the grinder from a local coffee shop. Most of them that sell beans also sell grinders, and this is one of the ones good coffee shops carry. They’ll usually have it for the same price, but you can also get freshly roasted beans at the same time, and lots of places offer to service or repair any grinder they sell. Useful if you’re not too handy)
One person found this helpful
Simon Meyer –
Nice upgrade from using a spice grinder
Since I was using a $10 spice grinder before, this was a huge improvement. I’m far from a coffee enthusiast, so I can’t compare it to high-end results, but this works perfectly for me. I wanted to have the ability to make a nice quality cup of coffee at home instead of having to go to my favorite local coffee shop. I already had a few methods of making decent coffee, I just needed a better way to grind the beans.If you’re in a similar situation, I recommend this grinder wholeheartedly. Use good quality unflavored whole beans, the fresher the better. This grinder creates nice, even grinds at different sizes that work well for my French press, V60, and moka pot. The grinder comes with a booklet of recommended grind sizes for different coffee preparation methods. I weigh the beans before grinding all of them at once – I don’t use the hopper to store the beans. For cleaning, I use the included brush for the output area and rinse off the plastic parts occasionally with water, making sure no water gets on the metal burrs to avoid rust.When I previosly upgraded from using pre-ground beans in a coffee machine to using whole beans grinded by a spice grinder in a French press, that was a massive upgrade. Now, using this grinder, I got another major upgrade. Love it!
Rob W. –
Super consistent grind
Let’s start with the good: – Super consistent grind size. I haven’t used a sifter but looking at my previous conical burr grinder, I can visually tell these are more consistent in size.- Easy to adjust the grind size- Very easy to remove the hopper and the fixed burr, makes cleaner pretty easy.- Very sturdy feeling and heavy base.- Baratza sells replacement parts for everything and has guides on how to replace parts so it could theoretically last forever with repairs.The not so good:- It’s a pretty noisy grinder, which I knew coming in but was hoping it would be a little quieter.- Grinds fairly slow- A bit of pop-corning at the end of the grind which slows things down.- I wish the on/off switch was entirely on the front, I have my grinder nestled on my coffee cart and it awkward to reach in to turn it on. The button on the front really isn’t necessary.Overall I’m very satisfied and knew it was an entry level grinder so the cons are to be expected. It is a step up from my Cuisinart.
2 people found this helpful
Joel Cleare –
Great brand
Purchased January 2020 and still going strong. I ‘ upgraded ‘ the burr to the M2. I did it just because and not because it needed it. I took this grinder to work and purchased a Virtuoso+ for home. I only make filter type coffee. The Virtuoso has a narrower grind window so it’s not great for or recommended for espresso. Get a tiny spritz bottle and spray 1 per 18 grams of coffee before grinding. This will greatly reduce the mess and delay cleaning the machine. I’ve only cleaned the machine once with an air compressor which took 30 seconds.
Alexander M Hanna –
Jaw-dropping Customer Service
My 6 yr old grinder had some broken parts. I tried to fix it but messed up and broke it more. Baratza Support sent me free replacement parts with DIY instructions, within an hour on a holiday. I will be a Lifetime Baratza Customer.
Ruth Fitch –
Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
Use it every morning! Love it, easy to use!!
Chris B –
Replaced a beloved Starbucks burr grinder that gave out after several years.
Works a tad differently than the previous one we owned but my husband has taken to it right away.
catpeg –
There’s no timer
Great grinder, would have given 5 stars if it had a timer dial.
James –
Grinds very well but is very finicky to maintain
I had this grinder for about 2 months when it clogged to the point that it wouldn’t grind anymore. I’d tried cleaning it numerous times by removing the burr assembly, but it would not come out. Once it was clogged, I did the best I could by picking the packed grounds out with a knife. Unfortunately I broke a tab on the assembly, and it wouldn’t work anymore. Amazon was absolutely worthless because I’d had it for more than 30 days, but Baratza was fantastic; they sent me a response within 24 hours of my email asking for help. A few weeks later I had a new grinder. Amazon gets a review of 1 star, and Baratza gets 5.
One person found this helpful
George Evans –
Perhaps the best home grinder on the market.
You can pay $600 for a commercial-grade grinder, but for around $200, you can get the Encore, upgrade it yourself with easy-to-do mods and you have a grinder that will absolutely do espresso better than any Starbucks ever could hope to and do pour-overs and courser grind brews that your local coffee shop would be envious of (and I’ve seen the Encore in 3 smaller mom and pop coffee shops that make pretty darn good coffee). Don’t know how it would stand up to commercial use since the case and the paddle wheels/gears and stuff are plastic, but on the flip side, pretty much everything in this grinder can be replaced by you if you have even a little DIY ability. I re-calibrated the grinder profile from course to fine and I replaced the M3 standard conical burr with the M2 burr from the next-level-up model the Virtuoso. This gives you a faster grind time (the only drawback to the standard model) and a broader range of consistent grinding (the motor in the Encore is the same as upper level models, it’s just that it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles…but with the upgraded burr, it grinds just as well). And yes, that’s correct, the M2 is actually the next step up from the M3…which can be confusing. Go get you some while they last (and while you can still find the burr upgrade on EBay since they’re almost always on backorder on the Baratza store site).
One person found this helpful
Julie –
I’d give it five stars if it were less loud
I love this except for the noise it makes. It’s so loud. The newer version is much quieter (my daughter has that one) and it comes in a pretty white color. Still, it does exactly what it’s supposed to and does it well.
Chicken Little –
This Is a Great Machine
I had to wait more than a year to try out my new Baratza, (because I had shipped it to a US address and then could not visit the US to pick it up because of the border closure).But now that I have got it home and am using it daily, I want to say what a pleasure it is to operate. It sounds like a heavy machine with a throaty growl. The grind is consistent and fine as I like it.I was surprised there was no setting for number of cups, and so there is no automatic stop. It just stays on until you turn it off…or it goes crazy when it runs out of beans. You have to stick around to turn it off. Since I like my coffee strong, I would expect to select a higher number of cups than I’m actually making, but there is no measurement system on the hopper or any timer at all.I’ve stuck a piece of tape on the hopper, so I can approximate the quantity of beans I need to grind for my usual morning shot. But it is a slight inconvenience that it doesn’t turn itself off.But what matters most to me is the fineness and consistency of the grind, and for that Baratza is an excellent machine. I hope it lasts.
Cookie –
Baratza Encore coffee grinder
This is a new purchase based on a review by America’s Test Kitchen. Very nice grinder, easy to clean, and fits my small space kitchen. Reasonable priced!
M.M –
Stellar Construction & Design. Amazing After Market Support.
I love this grinder. Really makes a huge difference in the final coffee product. The machine is easy to use and seems incredibly high quality.Upon set up, a friend of mine accidentally dropped the ring bur grinder. In doing so, a plastic tab broke off. Not having any idea how this unit works, I immediately decided to reach out and ask the company what the best course of action would be. My experience tells me, once you break a part, it’s off to the land fill with the whole unit. I was devastated.To my great amazement, though, the company sells practically every single part in the unit individually. This is incredibly unusual for a company to provide such an extensive catalog of parts for their products. Such a provision is a far cry from the “planned obsolescence” of so many other products. Such support reminds me of the old days when companies actually cared about their customers and designed their products to survive the test of time by being upgradeable and repairable.My friend bought me a replacement part. It shipped within 12 hours.So far the unit runs fine even with the broken tab. The coffee grounds seem even and much different in shape and texture from my old blade grinder. There is virtually no grounds lost inside of the unit. What you put into it is what you get out of it by mass.You can’t go wrong supporting a company like this. I’m utterly stunned by their aftermarket support, and exquisite production quality.
One person found this helpful
Paddy MeBoy –
Grinds are incredibly consistent!
Upgraded from another $70 Amazon unit. The smalls made coffee sour from over extraction. This unit produces amazingly consistent grinds. I ran some ground at around 20 setting through a sieve and there was very little dust. Coffee tastes much better through our Moccamaster.My complaint is with the design of the hopper. It is tricky to attach to the unit. The lid is loose. The worst part is the silicone gasket between the hopper and grinder. It’s flimsy and doesn’t attach securely. The cheap grinder has a mire effective and simpler design in this area. Copying their design wouldn’t affect grinding at all.
DM –
It will wake you up.
It’s much louder than I anticipated, enough so that in our home (1200sq ft) we don’t grind beans if one of us is sleeping. While it has a nice lid on the hopper, I’m not convinced it’s airtight and the bin for ground beans definitely isn’t.
PCM –
A-MAZ-ING precision & consistency
One of the reasons I bought this was to refill Nespresso capsules, which means I had to nail grind size to exquisite precision. So I carefully measured grind size distribution in the original capsules using a micro-perforated Kruve sieve system, and then proceeded to copy this distribution with my grinder. The surprising result?Baratza’s grind size distribution is much tighter than the Nespresso original!!! I was baffled!!!I found myself having to mix different grind sizes (e.g. a little bit if 12, 13 and 14 in different ratios, depending on capsule and roast) to emulate the less precise Nespresso originals. The Baratza was TOO good!In the end, I settled for a single grind size for simplicity’s sake (10ish for dark, 12~13ish for light, give or take) with equivalent results. But the conclusion is clear: this is a fantastically well crafted beast.A summary of other things:PROS – simple, robust, precise, compact footprint (tho a bit tall), easy to clean (I just vacuum it)CONS – noisy, and be careful to never allow too much buildup because this will slow down bean flow and over-grind significantly
2 people found this helpful
Susan Thompson –
EDITED – Clogs up constantly with wrong coffee
EDIT: I’m changing from a 1 star to a 4 star. One star down just because the chute is clumsy to access and clean, though I’m not sure how they might improve that. Otherwise a fantastic grinder. I initially became frustrated because the chute was clogging shut constantly and cleaning and clearing the chute is messy and difficult to access. I had to use dental tools. However, I contacted customer support and they were very helpful. Of all of the variables suggested that may cause excess clogging, only one appears to be the culprit…the coffee itself…Starbucks French Roast. It’s roasted to the point where there are just too many oils on the surface and the plug it forms sets hard as a rock, even with French Press grind. Frankly, it doesn’t taste great either; kinda burnt and harsh. I only bought it because it was at Costco. I am now ordering online from San Francisco Coffee Company and it’s a completely different experience. The chute does not clog, the coffee I’m making tastes great.I love how many grind sizes are available to select, and it does a great job…very efficient. I use a 32 oz French Press and I grind about 45 to 50 grams per batch set on 30 (coarse for FP). Perfect.Original review below, I now blame Starbucks and their overzealous roasting process. More is not better. I would recommend this grinder now that it is able to operate properly.*I’ve only had this for about 6 weeks and it’s done. It stops grinding due to the chute and gears getting clogged, especially if I use dark roast, which has a lot of oils on the bean surface. I went to the website and downloaded the instructions to unclog. It was messy and not fun, but the first two times it started working again. But not the third time. All of this in only 6 weeks. The motor comes on, but the beans are not grinding. Sad. No coffee today.*
6 people found this helpful
Monica P –
This is THE entry level grinder for people serious about their coffee
Unless you’re ready to shell out $500-$1000+ for a more top-of-the-line grinder (that you really need to be a coffee snob to appreciate the difference), this is the one to get, especially if you’re new to espresso and/or starting to care about the quality of your coffee. For good crema, you need a consistent fine grind, and you won’t find a better grinder that can deliver that at this price. Baratza makes a really great range of products, some better for espresso and some better for drip. The Encore is a great all-purpose grinder, and Baratza’s customer service is unmatched.Out of the box, my first grinder actually had issues, as it was grinding way too coarse with lots of flaky stuff and inconsistent grinds. I contacted their customer service and they sent me a new one, which they even adjusted just for espresso (you can do this yourself actually and they have instructions for it on their website). They were super friendly and accommodating, and the new grinder I got is the same one I’ve now been using for several years with not a single issue. They are even great about helping you outside of their warranty, and they build their products with longevity and repairs in mind. Replacing a part is super simple as you can talk to them to figure out what part you need and order it from their website, where there are instructions on how to install it. So far mine has just been working though so I’ve yet to test out repairs. What I really appreciate is not just repairing machines but upgrading them. Their parts are not just easy to find but very fairly priced.I use mine for both espresso and coffee and switch between settings often. A lot of other grinders have issues switching between espresso and drip, so I’m glad this one does a good job at it. I think the Encore is best at espresso grinds personally, but that may be because of how mine was tuned, but it does a good job at drip too. I even use it to grind egg shells into powder every spring (for calcium when planting tomatoes) and I only ever clean it to get rid of the egg shell dust. I’m sure I could take care of it better, but this thing just works, day in and day out, consistently every time. And I get good crema from the Encore and that’s what I really care about.
Thoughtful Consumer –
Makes the Best Coffee I Have Ever Had
Best Coffee in 67 years. Costco dark French Roast coffee is pretty darn good, especially for the price. This coffee grinder shocked us both. Never in my wildest imagination did I have a clue that the shape of the grounds mattered for taste. You can hardly believe it. It has totally ruined me for purchased coffee, outside of our home.That said, I have a few bones to pick:It has a tinted receptical for the grounds. It is critical to not overfill it or it will jam the burrs. I had to buy a flashlight for the kitchen, to see when to manually shut off the grinder…. and babysit it too.The hopper lid falls off if I blink at it.Not easy to clean if the burrs get jammed.Dear Baratza,REALLY? You have SUCH a FABULOUS grinder. The price is close to obscene. And then you put this grinder out on the market with these kinds of kindergarten flaws?Well, you have totally won me over with your burrs and the fabulous coffee, but you sure gave me a sore spot on the rest.
C Thorn –
Blended to perfection ☕️
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The Baratza is a solid coffee grinder for home brewers who want consistency without the fuss ☕⚙️. With so many grind settings, it handles everything from espresso to French press with ease 🔄👌. It’s not the fastest grinder out there, but it’s reliable and built to last ⏳💪. If you want a no-nonsense burr grinder with great customer support, this one’s a winner ✅🙌.
Vincent Vega –
Great coffee grinder but with some faults
The Baratza Encore is easily the best (and the most expensive) coffee grinder that I have purchased in decades of grinding coffee. The Baritza has the best grind settings adjustability, it grinds quickly, and surprisingly, it’s relatively quiet compared to some of the noisy burr and conical grinders I’ve owned in the past.The machine is sturdy and very well made. It’s a high quality product that is thankfully made in democratic Taiwan, as opposed to Communist China. The plastic storage container for the unground beans is thick and sturdy as is the slide-out container where the grinds are deposited. The motor of the grinder is encased in a heavy cast metal body. Nearly everything about this grinder speaks of good design and good manufacturing controls.But there are a few small faults that can be very aggravating.This grinder is a complete PITA to clean and it requires cleaning often. I typically find that my Baritza grinder needs to be cleaned every 6 to 9 lbs of coffee which for my family is every 3 months. Your mileage may vary depending on the type and brand of coffee you grind as well as your consumption amount. The San Francisco Bay French Roast that I use is probably a bit more oily than most.However, cleaning the Baritza Encore is a total nightmare. Brushing out the grind chamber and the ejection chute can be difficult. The small cone brush (value 5 cents) provided by Baritza is completely useless. It is the wrong shape and size; it does not fit the nocks and crannies where the grinds are trapped. I have found using a small circular 1/4″ dia. hard bristle brush from a car interior detailing kit, a pick tool with a 90 degree bent tip, flexible fuzzy nylon smoking pipe cleaners, and a small handheld flashlight works the best.But even with the correct tools, a thorough cleaning takes as much as 20 to 45 min depending if whole coffee beans that are lodged in the ejector port. A silicone cup seal and the top grinding wheel which is attached with a wing nut must be removed for a deep cleaning.The container that captures the finished grinds is dark smoked plastic making it difficult to see the ground coffee fill to the top as the machine is operating. Not a big deal, but a see through container would make the task of grinding beans much easier.But the bottom line here is the Baritza is a quality bean grinder that will likely last through years and many grind sessions. There are other choices in the same price range of the Baritza Encore, but the none of them will grind as well as the Encore.If you’re willing to learn the maintenance routine needed to own this grinder, then you should buy it. It’s well worth the money and should last for years, considering it’s one of the few grinders with replacement parts available on the Baritza website.
16 people found this helpful
Aztex –
Died at 14 Months! Still 5 Star! Read On…..
Stopped working at 14 Months!!!!!!So wait you’re asking, died at 14 months ,out of warranty, and you give it 5 stars!? That should be NO STARS! And normally I’d agree and was starting to ding it as such but then did the troubleshooting on Baratza.com and found lots of troubleshooting videos and found pretty cheap parts and called and spoke with a rep and was sent a free motor to fix!What year is this? C’mon I know of NO other company that will guide you through repairs and sell you parts at reasonable price. Heck an easy to replace circuit board is $9! Baratza is not trying to rip you off if you have issues! Call and speak with them if you get a bad one.While working on it I was impressed with the construction and overall quality. The repair videos are the best I’ve seen. Also if you don’t feel up to the task $45 gets it repaired at any time! Most people wont tear it apart and see the inner quality but I can assure you this is quite nicely built!Couple that with the fact there is no other options at this price point if you want a burr grinder that’s maybe better you spend at least $300 and guess what? Those are not perfect!In the 14 months I’ve had it it worked flawlessly providing the same grind day after day. Simple to use easy to adjust.And the bottom line is it is a country mile better than the spinning blade grinders! Coffee tastes better!So there ya go! If you have any issues remember this is NOT a throwaway as pretty much all the others are. Worst case is after a year you pay $45 to get rebuilt.Yea I’m old school and appliances used to last decades. Mom still has a working Waring blender from the 1940’s! But we’re pretty far gone from that unless you spend $1000 and even then….
One person found this helpful
Kevin Durbin –
Simply Works Well! Easy to Clean! Grind Settings Very Precise!
I purchased this because I don’t need digital displays, timers, and whatever other gimmicks they add onto these devices. This thing WORKS! And it works well; I found the assembly and disassembly for cleaning is quite easy, making cleanup almost enjoyable. This is slightly noisier than my other grinders, but until they make a completely silent motor, I’ll just make do with it. The noise level actually isn’t that bad, considering what it’s doing, breaking dried beans into grounds.EDIT: I’ve owned this grinder now for over 3 years; every time I use it for a batch of beans, I clean it and knock out all the accumulated coffee powder/residue as best I can. The grind settings have mostly been pretty accurate, but a couple of days ago, I set it to a #10 (Fairly fine grind) and was surprised when I saw a super coarse grind in the plastic holder. I found a site that sells replacement parts, so I might try replacing the removable burr piece with the plastic. I’ve had no issues with the motor, like I did with another branded burr grinder, but kind of disappointed the grind settings seem to have failed.
6 people found this helpful
Rick –
One year owner review
We’ve owned our Encore for a year now.Pros: grind settings course to fine are excellent, cleans easy, strong motor.Cons: it is pretty noisy- hard to hold a conversation while the grinder is running. Heavy- It weighs more than a food blender. We store our machine in the pantry and set it out for only for grinding coffee. Unless you are strong it’s a two-handed lift.Would I recommend this grinder yes. My purchase intention was to buy a grinder that would last. This seems to be well built
John G. Varga Jr. –
Excellent quality, excellent grind, not that loud, a little confusing to use at first
Build quality is excellent, the box is quite large but the grinder itself is actually not too big, its a bit tall but nicely narrow, doesnt take up too much space.In reviews they mention it being loud, but I actually don’t think it’s that loud at all. Sure its not quiet, but its much quieter than the crappy electric blade grinder I had before this one.Putting is together is quite easy, and the parts are easy to clean. Large areas and not any weird crevices. I will say that there is a rubber gasket that’s used to seal the bottom of the hopper. It’s actually nice that this piece is so easily removable as it ensures you get a good deal. It’s a little finicky to put on, but normally you don’t need to take the hopper off except to rarely clean it, so not a major problem.Starting it was a little confusing, though. It’s very particular how you put the thing together, the hopper has a small silver line on the bottom, and this has to be in a specific position to be able to get it on, which is just not super obvious at first (the instructions mention this, but it took me a minute to figure out). Once you get the top on, however, you can’t just turn the switch on. Once you turn the power switch on, you then have to push the hopper down a little and TWIST it, it makes a bit of a ratcheting sound, once you turn it enough, it’ll turn on. Along the rim where the hopper meets the grinding burr, there are numbered notches. To turn it on and select the grind size, you have to turn it to ratchet it to the position you want. Once you have the grind size you like, you can just leave it and use the ON/OFF switch, and it’s very easy to use, but it took me several minutes to figure out what was going on (including thinking “oh man is it dead? do i have to return it?!”) This detail was NOT mentioned in the instructions, at least from what I saw. I read over it a few times and followed every step, maybe it just wasn’t clear.But, now that I’ve figured it out, I am super happy i bought this. Very consistent grind! If you’re a fan of coffee, drop the cash and invest in an excellent grinder!
D. Szpunar –
Very nice, happy with everything except static buildup
This thing works well, and since I’m using it with a Technivorm Moccamaster Cup One, the grind is great (around 17 on mine tastes great). I’ve been told it doesn’t quite get fine enough for espresso, but it’s bigger brother model also doesn’t quite do it (from what I’m told) so I was satisfied that for my Cup One and Aeropress needs, the Encore was good enough and the extra hundred dollars wasn’t worth the upgrade to a unit that also wasn’t quite espresso quality.So, if I ever spend money for an espresso machine, I may upgrade the grinder as well. In the meantime, I’m very happy with this grinder which I use to grind one cup (17oz) of beans per day of light to medium roast for my Cup One. I do find that the gounds tend to stick inside the bin due to static electricity build-up on a regular basis. Not a lot, but it’s a bit of work to truly empty the bin. If it were made of a material more static-resistant, I’d be happier, but it’s not a huge issue and overall I’m very happy with it, especially for the price. Beats the hand-grinder I was using previously–very portable and good grind, but lots of wasted time every morning before coffee!
One person found this helpful
Cody Torgerud –
Solid
The grinder is wonderful and produces a consistent grind. Only down side to it is the copious amount of static it creates.
Everard Meade –
Reliable, precise grind for excellent coffee. Easy to use and clean. 6 years and still perfect.
This is a solid, reliable, easy to use and clean coffee grinder with precise grinds for every coffee type. I have had one for 6 years that is still in perfect condition. I just bought another for a second home, after wearing out a Gourmia burr grinder in less than a year (junk, by comparison). When choosing a burr grinder, it has been worth it to me to get a good one. Some have instructions that say not to run them for more than one minute – sorry, that’s not enough for a pot of coffee! One remarkable and unadvertised feature of the Baratza Encore burr grinder is that the grounds don’t stick to the ground coffee container – you don’t need a brush – they all just come out. In many other grinders, the electrostatic charge on the grounds makes them stick. In others, like the blade grinders, the fine particles stick. Less mess is good.There are no special controls other than on or off. You can set the exact grind you want, from very course to very fine, but you measure the beans before you grind, put them in, turn it on, and turn it off when they’re done. I use a kitchen scale, but a measuring cup could work, too.Finally, the Baratza Encore isn’t cheap at $139. I found two advertized for much less from two companies in China, but their websites didn’t appear to accept my credit card and neither responded to my emails. Then the credit card company stopped two charges from Malasia for about 50% more than the advertised price (still a bargain). These may just be sloppy execution of web marketing, but I gave up and bought on Amazon and had good coffee again in 2 days.I am done with the variable results and mess with a blade grinder. I am done with cheap burr grinders that overheat after a few muntes, and with undersized grinders that sound like they aren’t going to get pastbthe first ten beans, then break after 6 months. The Encore is great.
3 people found this helpful
JohnnyTea –
Replaced Maestro Plus with the Encore
I bought the Baratza Encore because my old Baratza Maestro Plus just died. The Encore is virtually the same grinder (with upgrades they say). After the first three days of use this grinder looks like it’s going to be just as great as the old Maestro plus that I’ve used for about a decade.The only minus is that the motor has more of a whining sound than the old one and is a bit louder.The grind looks just as good and I like the replacement of the timer dial with the on/off switch. The info says the gearbox and the burrs are better. Could be. All I can tell for sure is that it works just the same as the old Maestro Plus & I’ve loved that grinder.In light of a number of comments about breakdowns in the first few months, I bought the four-year warranty. That seemed a small price for peace of mind. But, actually, I expect not to have to use it. The old Maestro never had a problem and I used it several times daily for ten years. I did replace the top burr a couple of years ago, but that’s to be expected.If you’re wondering if a more expensive burr grinder like this one is worth it (compared to the burr grinders for a third or half the price), the gear reduction feature alone is worth it. There is like zero static cling with the grounds. When you pour them out, the bin is empty, no grounds clinging to anything. Ten years is about a buck a month – to me, that’s worth it.
P. Forrester –
Fantastic Old Fashioned Service Oriented Company! Love Them!
I have bought a Baratza coffee grinder (3 Encores) and a several earlier versions for myself and 7 children when they got married. The grinders are great but the service is just wonderful. If something is wrong you can send your grinder in and they will fix it if you are not inclined to being mechanical. But I am so inclined and I have taken my grinders apart and fixed problems, cleaned out clogs, cleaned up burrs after grinding chocolate (oops! thats a no no) They have a youtube video to walk you through anything that isn’t working and if you can’t find what you need they will send you a link to the video you need. My current grinder was a 2017 refurbished. After taking it apart and cleaning the chocolate covered burr and putting it back together. For some reason, after getting it back together, it ground coffee beautifully but the on/off switch didn’t work so I contacted them about how I might fix it. They sent me a new on/off switch for free. Now I just have to find the video…Love Baratza Love their Grinders Love their service!!!
The Fam –
Happy with this purchase
For a grinder it’s remarkably quiet. It’s fairly uniform. It takes up very little counter space. Static is not an issue.
Mitch –
It does a very consistent grind with every bean.
Before purchasing the Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder I had used a blade type chopper or grinder for the past few years. But after discovering that there was much more to experience in different coffee flavors by grinding your own beans for brewing my many year old coffee maker then failed. I replaced it with a closer to top of the line coffee brewer and it did make a surprising difference in the flavor of a good cup of coffee. I started learning more and more about grinders and types, blade verses grinding burr type. The blade seemed to always leave a few beans that did not get chopped at all. Some of the coffee would be dust while the rest would range from slightly chopped bean to chunks of all sizes. I read a article about how to make the best coffee and it told all about the burr grinders and this brand was rated tops for the cost and good performance and consistency of the grind. I had always wondered if all of the things you can do for the great cup of coffee are fact or bull. Well I’m here to say the burr grinder does make a difference in taste experience. It can be extremely mild or extremely bitter as you choose it to be. Very course for mild. Very fine for bitter. And you can control your desired flavor by the number setting you feel is right for you. I have found number20- 22 to be the best to my taste. Every one is probably different. Every bean is ground.No powder, no missed beans. The grind appears to have a crystal to a flake shape. I’m impressed with the grind it produces.And above all it did make a delightful difference in the flavor of my coffee! I was skeptical about if it would make that much of a difference and it proved to be all fact. To get a good consistency on the grind each and every time is one of the main requirements for a good brew. Some assembly is required. Just follow the directions provided.After you get the burr installed you will be in the know as to exactly how to take it apart for a cleaning. Another great feature about this grinder is that you can order replacement burrs and parts for it. Not just a use it and throw it away item. For a while some of the ground up coffee seems to cling to the cup that the grounds go into but a small 1″ wide brush will take care of getting it all in the filter and as time goes on it actually will stop clinging to the cup. I really didn’t consider that a problem myself but then I had a small brush. All and all I’m very happy with the purchase and am really enjoying the coffee I make every morning. I hope you found this helpful.
One person found this helpful
mdo_01 –
So far, so great
I have been thinking about a conical burr grinder for months. Read lot’s of reviews of different products and finally settled on this one. (Price was a biggie!) I was using a blade grinder for years, grinding 3-4 days worth of beans at a time. This is my first burr grinder and I have to say it’s AWESOME by comparison. The noise is less than my blade grinder. The ease of use is much better mostly because I can throw all the beans I intend to grind in the bin, whereas in my old one I had to fill/dump 2 or 3 times. Mess is no worse, and maybe better. I have not had it long enough to need to clean it, but I don’t think it will be a problem. And I had to clean my blade grinder too, so it does not scare me at all. Fit’s under my cabinets, so it’s great there. You are supposed to grind a quarter pound of beans then discard to initiate the machine. It came with a little bag of coffee that I used. I tried the finest grind, the coarsest and medium grind. All came out beautifully accurate and even. MUCH more evenly than my blade grinder which is why I got it in the first place. I am just beginning to experiment with the exact size of grind for my drip maker and coffee press. Some comments I read complained about not having a timer and it doesnt, but I am used to that from my other grinder and didn’t expect to set and forget anyway. Maybe more important to someone grinding lot’s more at a time. The only CON I want to mention is the bin has little plastic tabs that you line up to click it onto the machine…they look a little flimsy and maybe easy to break. So, I have to be careful is all.Bottom line…I can’t really compare this to other conical burr grinders as this is my first, but I don’t see a thing wrong with this. Compared to what I was used to with my blade grinder….5 stars!UPDATE…I have had this grinder for weeks now…I still like it very much. Honestly, I have to say I can’t tell much difference in the taste of the coffee compared to my blade grinder. This one is just more fun to use. There is one thing that is a “con” but this may be just my unit…the on/off switch…not the push button, but the switch that rotates on the side….it seems like there is a short in the switch…i have to jiggle it a bit but it always works.UPDATE UPDATE…One thing I have grown to love is using my digital scale to weigh a precise amount of coffee beans…grind them and then dump straight into my coffee maker. I used to grind, then dump into a container and then use a flat scoop, or rounded scoop to obtain the exact amount of coffee desired. Now, if I want slightly stronger coffee, I add an extra gram or two on the scale…and POOF!Over 4 years now….Still use it every day. Still works great. My only complaint is the power switch. It’s still requires a little jiggle to stay on, like there is a short in the switch. Once I do find the happy place on the switch, it stays on, so not really a problem. I have only cleaned it maybe 4-5 times. Doesn’t seem to affect things. Drinking delicious coffee that I ground with it this morning. MMMMM.
34 people found this helpful
RalphBP –
To set the record straight for those negative reviews
This is a good grinder and works well. The grind quality is superb. There are a few reviews for this product that claim it stops working and clogs. Here’s what I found. First off I grind my coffee at the 18 mark, which is good for my coffee maker. I have not tried a very fine grind so my experience does not pertain to that. The issue with this grinder is that you must make sure you don’t go past the line on the container that the coffee goes into. If you do the ground coffee will back up into the grinder mechanism and it will stop working. This happened to me on my first grinder. I could not get it to work again. Totally my fault.The instructions are clear and tell you not to go past the line. My first grinder was replaced over a month ago and the new one works perfectly and I use it every day.Bottom line, follow the instructions and you should have no problems with this grinder and find it works very well. I may come back in a year to let you know how it works in the long term.I hope this helps. It’s hard when a product gets many good reviews and then there’s the naysayers. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
47 people found this helpful
Jake –
1 month review
So far I’ve owned this a month and it’s fantastic. I’ll start this off by saying, most of the negative reviews you’ll see are from people that use the grinder incorrectly, have skewed expectations, or complain about coffee tasting bad when they’re mainly drinking coffee flavored sweet milk with the amount of cream and sugar they add, and consider Starbucks French Roast or Deathwish as quality coffee because it’s “strong”. I’m working on opening my own coffee shop, so I’ve made learning about coffee and how to brew it right a hobby of mine and buy actual high quality coffee. This grinder is great for that! It’s quality enough to get a professional level grind and a gourmet cup of coffee any time of day multiple times a day. It’s quiet enough to run in the morning to start your day, it’s consistent in grind size, and it’s easy to keep clean and take care of. Plus with everything being replaceable, it’ll last a lifetime. It’s ground everything from super oily dark Brazilian beans, to extremely hard Gesha my old grinder struggled with, and everything in between. Some people were annoyed with the lack of an “auto dosing” function or too small a hopper/grounds catcher, but honestly if you’re using this grinder like it’s meant to be used, you should be measuring beans before adding them to the hopper anyways, so that goes back to the using it wrong comment I made. Smaller notes, the pulse function is nice for getting those last few beans that keep hopping out of the burrs at first, the catcher and hopper have zero static cling even without water, and it leaves very little chaff outside the hopper, so I rarely have to deep clean it. All in all, fantastic grinder when used like it’s meant to be, and I’d recommend it over the flashy “prosumer” models aimed at people who leave beans in their hoppers all the time, since those are more geared to them anyway. This is a grinder for someone who appreciates good coffee, knows how to make it, and doesn’t buy into big corporate marketing hype and shiny bells and whistles for what quality actually is. Its a no nonsense, no frills, simple, reliable, and high quality grinder. Nothing more, nothing less!
16 people found this helpful
Kevin Godsey –
Quiet and FAST
I’ve had coffee grinders that were louder than lawnmowers and took almost an hour to grind a whole pound of beans because it got so hot that it had to cool down before finishing. This one can grind a pound of coffee in less than 20 minutes. Although not entirely silent, the Encore makes far less noise than my Cuisinart. Worth the price.
One person found this helpful
J P –
Plastic paddle wheel is flimsy – can’t recommend this product
*** revising my review! Baratza went above and beyond to replace with a slightly different model with redesigned gasket that won’t rip. A few weeks later, it’s working beautifully. Great coffee grinder, responsive and friendly support. Would buy from this company again. 5 star customer service, 3 star for hassle = 4 stars. *[original review] We’ve owned this for only 5 months and had our first jam this morning- the plastic “paddles” had all snapped and were turned sideways.Baratza has ample online instructions for how to replace this part – which is to be expected since it’s so flimsy. But having to buy a part and disassemble the item every few months is not the experience I expect at this price point.This was a splurge for me – I thought I was investing in a quality appliance that I’d enjoy for years. It’s hard to imagine how this design was approved – it’s obvious that tiny plastic tabs can’t stand up against even a minor jam in the ground coffee. I’m beyond disappointed, and can not recommend this product.
4 people found this helpful
Brian Thomas –
Perfect for Keurig or pour over
Course grind isn’t all that great or espresso grinds but I’m talking professionally. For literally most people, it will be absolutely perfect and way better than what they got. Everything in between is perfection for the price… It grinds slow and has good torque. This is what you want in a grinder. The slower the better. The sound is sound, I don’t think you’re going to get music to your ears, but it’s not that bad. It’s simple controls. You could turn a switch or you can press a button. The uniformity is pretty good for Keurig for the reusable and for pour over or drip. This is the best grinder I have ever owned. Everything underneath isn’t really worth it once you had something like this. This would definitely be my go-to grinder forever unless you want to pay double to triple for absolute high-end machines. Which, you wouldn’t even be here reading this if you were one of those people… So save your money or do whatever you got to do and you get this bad boy because it’s waiting for you !! The only thing that sucks about grinders is having to clean them. This one’s fairly easy. Just run rice through it also will give it a really quick cleaning and then grind a few beans through it to get the rice out and you will be all good. So don’t hesitate, you are making a good decision. I am one of the best decision makers ever, literally ever cuz you can’t overthink more than a man with ADHD lol this will get you that great cup of coffee… No, amazing cup of whatever you like…
5 people found this helpful
Jen B –
After 2 years of testing, can highly recommend!
I’ve used this grinder daily for more than two years and can highly recommend it. It produces a uniform grind (which is the whole point!), is very easy to operate, and has never clogged up. I’ve used settings from fine to course depending on the brew technique I’m using – I do not generally use an extra fine grind so can’t speak to that. At this price it’s not realistic to expect the features of a fancier grinder – such as a timer or automatic measuring – and I think reviews that ding for that are unreasonable. I don’t store coffee in the hopper – I keep my beans in an airtight container and just pour in the amount that I want to grind. This machine has delivered on everything I was looking for, namely (1) produces a uniform grind, (2) has a small footprint, (3) easy to operate, (4) easy to clean, and (5) operates reliably. After each grind I gently bump the machine on the counter to shake out extra grounds, and use a coffee grinder cleaning brush (can be purchased for about $6 on Amazon) to brush out any loose grounds visible in the chute and receptacle area. About once a month (or two!) I run some Grindz though the machine, and/or remove the hopper and grinder wheel (which is quite easy to do and Baratza has useful videos on their website), give them a good brush (a small stiff brush is provided with the machine) and rinse, and then put it back together after completely dry – with this very basic maintenance I’ve never had an issue with the machine operation and my coffee tastes great. It is kind of noisy but since I operate it for about a minute per day, I’m ok with that. So if your goal is to find an excellent burr coffee grinder with a small footprint for a reasonable(ish) price, this nifty machine should fit the bill.
7 people found this helpful
TR –
4 years of service, grinding a pound of coffee twice a month – couldn’t be happier with this thing!
Headline is the story here. Terrific coffee grinder and I have been meaning to comment on it for awhile now. Very impressed and would recommend to anybody!
Ruth Fitch –
Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
Use it every morning! Love it, easy to use!!
WU.WU. –
Just about perfect.
Let’s do some coffee math:* A 12oz bag of high-quality, freshly-roasted single origin coffee (Ethiopia, Burundi, Colombia, Rwanda) from a top roaster goes for about $18.00. So,* 12oz ~ 340 grams* 25g coffee per 370g water = 14.8 ratio (if you like it a tad on the stronger side)* 340g yields 13.6 cups at this ratio* this averages $1.32 per cup, for high quality coffee (similar cup in NYC coffee shops go for $3.50, upwards of $5.00 if pour over)* 2 cups a day @ 1.32, everyday = $963.6* compare with Dunkin: 2 cups a day @ 2.09 = $1525.7* savings of $0.77 per cup or $1.54/day (total savings of $562.10)* Baratza Encore = $139* 181 cups @ savings of $0.77 per cup = $139.37,which means the grinder would have paid for itself in about 91 days if you drink/make two cups a day on average. I have this one at home, but we also have it at work where make 12 cups a day, which means it’s done paid for itself in 3 weeks.Also, I made some assumptions here to simplify the math (200 filters go for $5, add 3 cents to each cup) but I’m not off by much.So, why should you get it? Aside from great quality coffee beans, a good consistent grind makes all the difference in the quality of the brew.I know it’s hard to justify spending so much on a grinder (though my rudimentary math just did) but if you are buying good coffee then you owe it to yourself (and most importantly, to the coffee gods) to extract as much flavor and nuance from your cup as possibleAs you can see from the pictures, the grind is even at the recommended setting for pour-over (15), and the cleanup is minimal. I have seen other reviewers complain about the grind spilling all over after removing the container but I haven’t run into said issue. Perhaps they didn’t seal it well.I’ve it for a while now and so far it has not let me down. The only con I can find is that it is LOUD. So if you live in a tiny apartment, your neighbor might hear you. But it’s ok. Just make him/her a cup and enjoy.
7 people found this helpful
lunger –
Great Support / value
If you’re looking for a mid range burr grinder this is it! Solid construction/ functions. Super simple to service. Can you buy something that makes less noise – maybe? One with more tech – why?I want to give their support team 6 stars! I had a older unit with a flaky motor…they help me debug the issue and got me a replacement super fast. Thank you!
shakin_jakeshakin_jake –
Fantastic grinder
I needed a grinder for my vac-pot coffee. I mainly drink espresso but, the heating element shorted out on my espresso machine so until I replace that heating element, I’m making vac-pot coffee instead so I needed a dedicated grinder for that job. As you see in the photo I included, the Baratza Encore is sitting next to my Mazzer Super Jolly which is used strictly for espresso. Having been pulling espresso shots since 2008, and using a flat burr grinder all those years I understood the importance of having a quality grinder for certain types of coffee. Although the Mazzer easily grinds well for vac-pot coffee, I’d rather have a dedicated grinder strictly for vac-pot hence the purchase of the Baratza Encore. On that note the conical burr in the Encore grinds perfect grinds for my vac/pot, and I’m using the #12 setting for the grind size, as was recommended via several sources. If anyone that uses a 5 cup Yama vac-pot and is interested in the amount of beans I use, I started out weighing 32 grams but I like my coffee stronger so I’ve settled on 38 grams for a stronger cup. That said I probably could have used a lower number setting other than 12 to achieve a stronger cup but I liked the #12 setting & decided to increase the amount of beans rather than making the grind size smaller besides, everything I’ve read which discusses the amount of time it takes for the coffee to drain from the top vessel to the bottom vessel, the #12 setting achieved what is considered the correct amount of time to drain downAll in all I’m quite content with the Baratza Encore grinder. On the negative side it does make quite a bit of racket while it’s grinding beans but that doesn’t bother me in the least. My concern is the performance and the Encore is more than adequate for grinding coffee beans for vac-pot coffee AKA siphon brewingI’ve only been using the Encore for grinding coffee beans for 6 weeks or so so I can’t speak to the ease of cleaning this grinder other than to say I’ve watched several you tube videos on how to correctly clean the grinder and it looks fairly simple, and I believe the manufacturer’s recommendation of cleaning/servicing every 3 months should be adaquate especially considering I don’t bring my coffee beans when roasting into 2nd crack which would require more frequent cleaning intervals if I used this grinder for espresso. Coffee beans roasted for espresso needs to hit 2nd crack for complete extraction. Since I don’t roast that dark, no need to clean the Encore more often than every 3 months but, for those that use this grinder solely for espresso, will need to disassemble and clean more often, due to the oily nature of coffee beans roasted longer
KarenNotaKarenKarenNotaKaren –
MAKES A MESS, GRINDS COFFEE WELL, NO TIMER
I got this coffee grinder to replace an oxo that was failing after several years. I chose this model because it got good reviews and has spare parts available. It grinds coffee at least as well as the OXO, maybe even better. It has two problems that make me want to replace it early. It makes a mess of fine coffee grounds on the counter every time it is used. The mess happens because fine grounds stick to the cheap plastic grounds container. The other problem is that there is no timer, you have to manually time or weigh the coffee each time you grind. A timer makes it easy because all I have to do is hit a button and the machine does the work. I would not buy this product again. Better to look for a grinder that has a metal container, doesn’t make a mess, and has a timer for ease of use.
2 people found this helpful
steve northup –
A great machine at a fair price
This machine does a fine job, and bears a reasonable price.
Ben Gold –
Fantastic grinder
Ok, so I made some stupid mistakes the first time I used this thing, please don’t be an idiot like me. Mistake number 1 (and most obvious), don’t take out the hopper with beans still inside, unless you want to clean up spilled beans everywhere. Mistake number 2, definitely be sure to not grind past that silver line on the grinds bin, or at least not too much past it. You’ll wind up clogging the machine from the inside, not that unclogging it is terribly difficult (plenty of vids to show you how on youtube), buy its not fun either. I mostly use this for coldbrew and French press and it works amazingly. Very happy with this purchase overall.
3 people found this helpful
Jeffrey A. Quatman –
Happy with the upgrade.
So far, so good. Replaced a Cuisinart burr grinder that was a workhorse, but didn’t deliver the most consistent grind. I’ve only made a handful of pots of coffee so far, but the grind in this has been very consistent in the flavor of the coffee reflects that. I also like the design in that we don’t get coffee all over the counter.
Jeremy and Secret Stevens –
Espresso, pour over, French press.
Finally found a good grinder for espresso. I know from trial and error that this is the best grinder you cN buy, staying under hundreds of dollars. It’s not loud either. I have bought grinders that suck, and it was so hard to clean those without using water so that I could send them back. I was upset with myself that I had jumped into an espresso machine without first researching bur grinders. This cost more than my de’longhi espresso machine. Now as for the espresso itself, crap. I have tried several beans and experimented with every possible tamping pressure, grind size, extraction time…waters the right temperature. Because this grinder truly does grind powder fine to steak salt course, I was able to try all these beans with a pour over as well. Turns out, some beans make great coffee but are not meant for espresso. I can taste the same flavors in the coffee that gagged me in the espresso, but they taste fine for the coffee. I don’t know if I’ll ever pour the perfect espresso, but I’ll be using this grinder for my beans permanently. I will never buy ground coffee again.
Charlie Kaiser –
Really good grinder with a couple of minor annoyances
This grinder does an excellent job of grinding coffee. I make French press coffee, so finding a grinder that will do good coarse grinding is imperative. I really wanted to like the Breville grinder, but too many review mentioned that it doesn’t do coarse all that well.So anyway, the grind is excellent. We even took it with us in our RV for a month long trip.I also really like that all the wear parts are user-replaceable. That was a big factor for me.The annoyances… One, it’s loud. Wish it was quieter. Two, the ground coffee container tends to drift out just a bit when grinding so I end up with some grounds sitting in the housing area where the bin slides in. There’s a spring-loaded button in the case that is supposed to hold the bin in place, but it isn’t as solid as my old grinder was.Overall this is a really good product and I’m glad I bought it.
3 people found this helpful
SJG –
A better cup of coffee!
I had resisted a burr grinder, but when my last grinder gave out, I caved. I wish I’d done it sooner! This grinder is easy to use and to clean and makes delicious coffee. You can notice the difference.
David S – Cincy –
Nice grinder but difficult to attach bean hopper
Having the adjustable grind selector is a great improvement over the crude blade grinder I started with and the burr grinder delivers a consistent grind without the risk of overgrinding I had when preparing espresso withthe old grinder. The bean hopper is difficult to attach to the grinder base. Raised guides on opposing sides of the hopper must fit into slots on the base; however, it’s difficult to gauge the depth with which to insert the hopper in order to lock it into place on the base. I keep practicing but haven’t been able to master it yet. If you get the guide from one side in its slot but not the other you risk a jam which is difficult to clear (as least there is a video from Baratza on how to resolve jams but no hints on how to master the correct seating of the hopper).
One person found this helpful
Buford Howell –
Superb Grinder
Improved grind now gives me great coffee creama
GoodneighborGoodneighbor –
Great grinder but 4 boxes?
This grinder is great! It’s much quieter and less messy than my previous grinder and does a good job of grinding consistently. I initially thought there was a missing knob on the side when I opened it and looked through the packaging materials but couldn’t find it. I was nearly ready to look at return options or contacting the manufacturer for a replacement knob but when I removed the ground coffee canister I found the knob and a small brush for cleaning the machine in there. This was shipped in 4 separate boxes which resulted in a completely undamaged unit seemed excessive. It reminded me of Russian nesting dolls.
Nexus6 –
Great support. Works if you follow instructions
My first unit stopped grinding after a month. Customer support was fast and attentive, sending pictures of how to clear the chute. After going through it all it still wasn’t working. They immediately replaced it and it’s been working great until I clogged it by running it past the max fill. This causes a backup in the chute that has to be cleared with the provided wire brush.PROS- consistent grind over blade grinder for pour over / aero press / cold brew- great customer serviceCONS- Narrow chute can be a pain to clear if it’s clogged but it’s not a deal breaker- to avoid clogging you have to see the level, but the bucket is a darkened plastic with black grounds. It would be better to have a clear bucket or contrasting color behind the bucket for clarityThis is my first burr grinder so can’t compare to others but it’s a big visible difference over a blade grinder. I researched it and found this as the best entry level grinder for pour over, aero press, cold brew. If your doing serious espresso this may not be fine enough + consistent enough from what I’ve heard but at that precision, grinders are double the price.Overall happy with it and would buy it again
Donna –
Coffee grinder
Great burr grinder for the price
Garrett –
At the risk of snobbery…
I already knew what I was getting on this unit so its features are only a plus for me. I don’t grind for espresso and there are doubtlessly other (more expensive) grinders better suited for this task. I am a manual brew fanatic, and this grinder is perfect for the range of fine, medium, and medium-coarse grinds. Easy to operate, relatively easy to clean (see Seattle Coffee Gear’s cleaning instruction videos). I haven’t needed to re-calibrate the burr elevation from the factory settings.Coming from a Hario Skerton manual grinder, it is light years ahead in convenience. Already paid for itself in time and energy saved from cranking out servings. I agree with other posters on the static issue; I gently smack the sides of the grinder before taking out the hopper to avoid a shower of post-grind coffee chaff. Clogging is a non-issue unless you grind cheap, oil soaked beans from Walmart/Costco.I don’t mean to sound like a snob, but if you really care about getting better flavor from your coffee, you really should buy better beans for your nice equipment. You wouldn’t put AARCO gas in a luxury car, so don’t put cheap beans though a +$100 grinder. Plus, there’s almost no benefit to precision grinding cheap coffee in terms of flavor. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, and you can’t make good coffee with stagnant beans that have been on the shelf for months. If you can’t taste the difference, don’t waste your money on better brewing equipment. There is NO substitute for quality, fresh roasted coffee beans, and these tools merely add to the ease and consistency of producing coffee at home which matches or is superior to coffee from your local cafes.Edit: two years later, no issues with the grinder after heavy use, probably 50+ lbs/year. Same as the day I bought it. I periodically clean out the coarse and fine bits that get stuck in the hopper receptacle and blade area. What more do you want from a grinder?
1,156 people found this helpful
Another –
EDIT: Up to 4 star with great customer service. ORIGINAL: Continually breaking
EDIT: The folks at Baratza eded up fixing and shipping for free (to and from). Looks brand new now and works perfectly. Hopefully it continues. ORIGINAL: Within a year, the burr holder broke. I replaced it (the company sent one for free) and it broke again. After replace the burr holder three times, I’m sure I have a lemon. I never abused the grinder, never ground overly hard or home made beans, never changed the grind size while it wasn’t running. Now the it stops grinding at the correct size, I found a piece of broken plastic in there, and the burr holder is actually stuck. So I have to send it in on my own dime to get it fixed. They are repairing for free, but this should have been replaced for free…. bummer to have to write a bad review. My sister has one and it has never had problems for 5 years or so. Mine is a lemon…
2 people found this helpful
Robert –
BARATZA Encore is Excellent Easy to Use Burr Grinder
BARATZA Encore Burr Grinder Provides Uniform Coffee Grounds for French Press, Pour-Over, and Automatic Drip Coffee. Even compared it to my higher end (over 10 times more costly) burr grinder (specifically at settings for espresso) and the BARATZA Encore did a pretty good job. I weigh out amount of coffee beans desired and find if follow the Grind Adjustment Scale, the “Suggested Settings” are very close to my desired Grind for different methods and beans. I have not had to use (or explored) settings below 8 or above 28. Some people complain the coffee bean grounds can “fly” out of the Grounds Bin. But I find that only happens with certain brand or type of beans and even then it’s only a few grinds or flakes, no problem. It feels very well built and it is slightly louder than some other grinders (but is not any louder than my higher end burr grinder) and I’ll choose ability to grind as desired vs being slightly louder any day. One minor comment, during the INITIAL SETUP, I followed the directions explicitly but the hopper felt like it would not “press down” therefore could not turn it. Obviously did not force it, just tried again twice and it then seated down and turned perfectly.
CJ –
Not too noisy and good grind
I have purchased about 6 coffee grinders over the years and I think 3 were the burr grinder by Cuisinart. I make 2-3 pots of coffee per day and we really use our grinders. I wanted something a little quieter and higher quality than the Cuisinart, so decided to give this one a try. The grind setting is very easy, the container is less messy and it is much quieter than the Cuisinart. The reduced noise level make the extra expense worth it. The con on this one is that you need to stay by the machine to manually turn it off and If your kitchen isn’t very well lit it might be difficult to tell when you are hitting the max fill line.
happy camper –
best at home burr grinder
I owned The original Baratza Virtuoso what many coffee lovers refer to as the modern classic. It was a no-frills and simple grinder made for home use. Brand new it could easily stands against expensive commercial or professional coffee gear with its quality build and features. Sadly after 15 years of daily use something internal broke and would no longer spin the ring burr. The product design does no allow you to open the unit and view internal workings ie the motor. Time to buy a new one. One thing missed is on the original version the on/off was like a kitchen timer, turn the dial and it would count down/move till it reached the off position. I was torn to pay the extra money and re-buy the Virtuoso + or take a chance on the Encore. For the extra money I viewed the difference between the 2 machines thinking the digital timer/display and the led lights as something that would not last another 15 years, so went with the Encore. The Encore is slightly narrower then the original Virtuoso, the Encore still feels as solid as the original. Bonus the burr ring, silicone gasket, grounds bin, bean hopper and hopper lid are the same size as the original so now I have a spare, but if the Encore performs as well as the original I wont need them. Bottom line if you cant decide the Encore is great and save yourself some money for some fantastic beans
Mr. Rod C. Finlayson –
customer service excellent- clean it
after 9 months of near daily( never cleaned it)use the paddles broke after a family member tried to grind a lot of somewhat sticky beans at a low (fine) setting.. These paddles that push the grinds into the collector are not tough enough. But Baratza sent a replacement part at no charge. thanks to the helpful videos, timely email advice and my own tools (small screwdrivers and Allen wrenches) i was able to repair it. It would be better if the paddle was more durable and the chute was easier to clean.I will keep it clean – I think it will last.
santiago –
Excelente
Excelente
Scott Stephan –
Nice mill for a reasonable price
I bought this replace an older Cuisinart coffee mill that died on me. I chose this as a mid priced option to grind my beans for drip brewing. As burr grinders go this one seems pretty quiet in comparison to the mill that it replaced (it makes about half the racket, but then again it cost three times as much as the old one). I can’t speak to the consistency in grind for espresso, but it does a great job grinding medium size grounds for drip brewing. You can purchase replacement parts for this machine which was part of my decision to purchase this model, so theoretically I can repair or replace what is broken on it, rather than just tossing it in the garbage. I’ll likely update this review after using this for six months or so.
James L. –
Execllent Coffee Grinder!
I’ve been grinding beans for 15 years. Started out with a blade-type coffee/spice grinder. I moved on quickly to a couple of flat blade burr grinders (like the $40 Krupps) and used them for years. They were a pain in the a$$. I was just lazy and complacent, I guess.I finally bit the bullet and moved up to a conical burr grinder with this Baratza Encore. This thing is unbeatable in this price range. My nephew who owns several coffee shops told me that when his Capresso that he uses at his house breaks, his getting this Baratza Encore.The biggest joy: Virtually no static! The static with the old hi-revving burr grinders was unbearable. When I would remove the cup, the grinds would literally fly out. With this Baratza, just give the thing a couple of bumps with the heal of your hand to get all of the grinds out of the throat before you remove the cup. When you remove the cup, there’s no dust, no grinds falling out anywhere, and NO STATIC. As Biden would say, “No Joke”.Secondly, the uniformity of grind is superb. No extreme variations in size and no dust or powder (aka, “fines”). Just beautifully uniform grounds. I’ve only used it between the number 15 and 18 settings for pour-overs and an automatic drip coffee maker–the two settings recommended by Baratza.Next, I gave it 3 stars for noise level. While it generates a fair amount of noise, show me a coffee grinder that’s whisper-quiet. They make noise, get used to it.It has a DC motor which has more constant torque and rpm than AC motors and it utilizes a gear reduction. The manufacturer’s specs states that it operates at a cool, comfortable 550 rpm. I’m sure my old flat blade burr grinders were screaming at 1000 rpm or faster–probably contributing to the “fines” and the extreme static.I cleaned it once after a week and it really wasn’t dirty–no accumulated dust or funk. Amazing! Worth noting is that if you grind extremely dark-roasted beans, they’re oily and could lead to more frequent cleaning being necessary.Another huge plus: It’s almost completely re-buildable. Baratza sells almost part for it, and at reasonable prices. If a major part would wear out or break, you can replace it for a fraction of the cost of a new grinder. If/when the grinder blades get dull, the replacement blades from their more expensive model work in the Encore.I read quite a few negative reviews ranging from complaints on the quality of the plastic hopper and grounds cup; the top of the hopper coming off during grinding; the noise; and difficulty in cleaning. All unfounded, in my opinion. Baloney!For the price I paid for it through Amazon–$119–it’s the best $119 I’ve spent. Why did I wait so long?Before submitting any silly questions to me on this Baratza Encore grinder, visit Baratza’s site, then read a few online reviews.No, I don’t work for Baratza, nor am I a paid reviewer. I just think this grinder is awesome.JCL,Covington, LA
31 people found this helpful
Redbeard’s GarageRedbeard’s Garage –
Almost perfect
The almost perfect coffee grinder.It grinds very nicely from very coarse to fine. It doesn’t grind as fine as espresso need but pretty close.The good: it grinds evenly and quickly. It has many grid settings to make the perfect cup of coffee. It’s easy to disassemble to clean.The bad: My big complaint is cleaning and grounds not fully dumping from the bean hopper to the grounds catcher.Each time I grind, there are grounds that get hung in the machine and don’t drop into the grounds catcher. I have to knock it around and tap on it a lot to try and dislodge all the grounds. Even after all that not all the coffee comes out.As you can see from the picture there is a lot of coffee that gets dropped and has to be cleaned up.Next is cleaning. It IS easy to disassemble to clean but I was expecting it to not hold parts of beans so much. The rubber gasket under the bean hopper doesn’t work so well and partly ground beans end up between it and the hopper.I DO like this grinder a lot and DO recommend it. It has a few down sides but it makes up in consistency of the grind and hopper capacity.
2 people found this helpful
svgtom –
Good Grinder But Maybe Not So Much For Espresso
First off, I don’t understand the reviews where people claim that grinds fly all over the place. Some of the reviews make it sound like grinds are spewing out of the machine while it grinds. I understand how there can be some static issues but there are ways to avoid that. Specifically, put a few drops of water in the hopper along with the beans before you grind.My guess is that the majority of people who have issues with this machine are grinding a large amount of beans at a fine level. I’ve had it for about two months. I only grind about four and half tablespoons of beans per day at a medium level. It is somewhat noisy but not ear piercing. There is some retention of grinds in the machine but giving it a couple of good thumps on the side seems to get most of what’s left into the bin. Almost every grinder has retention of varying degrees. The machine is easy to operate and to adjust, and the grind size is consistent.I wish it was a little easier to clean though. I would suggest cleaning about once a week. To clean it thoroughly, you need to remove the rubber gasket and top burr. I usually end up shaking it upside down and thumping it a few times to get out all the loose stuff. Anything remaining then needs to be cleaned with a brush. I suggest that you invest in a separate brush rather than the one that is included which is too big and stiff. Once cleaned, you then need to put back on the top burr and gasket. Getting the rubber gasket on correctly can take a few tries and I imagine might be difficult for people with hand issues (arthritis, etc.)Now, as I mentioned, I always use a medium setting because I only drink drip coffee. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see how fine it could grind so I tried it with about two tablespoons of beans at level three. I was really surprised at how fine it was as it was almost powder like. However, there was a significant amount of more retention at the lower setting even though I used less than half the beans I usually do. I guess the finer the grind, the harder it is to get it all into the bin based on the design of the machine. I could see how people who grind a considerable amount of beans for espresso would have issues with it clogging.
Michael Peppler –
Some flaws but perfect for me
This works 100% perfect for me, it’s a great price that grinds coffee quickly.Cleaning:I think that cleaning it is easy for me because I don’t use oily beans and using the included brush works fine for me if I turn the unit over and whack it a few times to get the grinds out. I purchased some of the cleaning beans but I don’t think those are really needed. You must be careful when putting the parts back together because the burr part with the red must be closest to the front of the machine.Use:I don’t store my beans in the hopper but I do have to perform a ritual every time I grind beans. The ritual is to get all the stuck grinds out of the machine. I grind beans and then I open the lid and close it a few times that usually gets all the grinds out. I still use my old technique of pulling the bin out while lifting it up and usually no grinds on the machine.The hopper did come broken twice and the second time I just kept it. The notch at the base of the hopper that selects the grind is cracked and if I’m careful I don’t think I’ll break it. I should have sent it back again but I wanted to use it and I’m lazy. I believe they sell replacement parts on their site so that’s a plus when it does break.I had a hand grinder before this and I can’t imagine going back now, this makes grinding coffee so easy and there are a lot of settings. I really enjoy how easy it is to switch between them. Good at home grinder.
One person found this helpful
M. Quick –
It works great but can be a little messy
I usually grind a cup or two worth of beans at a time, and have it set to 18 for a medium grind. The grounds come out pretty uniform and right where i want it. Most of all, it’s consistent. It’s quick, and for a grinder fairly decent on noise level. I expected it to be louder honestly.The only down fall is somehow the grounds can get thrown outside of the bin, and floor where the bin sits is not solid, there’s a path for the grounds to fall out the bottom of the grounder and onto the counter. It’s not a lot at all, but it does make a little bit of a mess. We have dark counters so it’s hard to see them and often i don’t realize it until i put my hand in it, or wipe them on the floor accidentally.Otherwise I really like how easy it is to use, and sure beats a manual grinder.UPDATE: after poking around on the internet it seems my review of the coffee grounds getting everywhere is somewhat normal with almost all powered grinders. Static charge builds up and causes the grounds to cling to the discharge chute. a lot of people recommend just a couple drops of water in the hopper before you grind helps reduce the static charge and prevent the grounds from getting everywhere. i’m changing my review back to 5 stars!
JSH –
It’s not meant to be disposable
Baratza is an interesting company. Burr type coffee grinders are mechanically intensive devices. They require regular attention. Some companies don’t expect much from their customers and when the grinder has a problem, they have a process for returning it for repair or just throwing it away to buy another. Baratza supports a mechanically inclined customer with detailed instructions and reasonably priced parts to make the repair themselves. As a backup, you can send it in and they will fix it. You pay shipping to them and $45 for this model and they will furnish parts (except for burr cones which cost extra) and they pay shipping back to you. They encourage you to not throw the grinder away. Somebody would enjoy using it.My experience is that after using the grinder for about 20 times, I relaxed the recommendations to stay with it while it was running. It filled the lower ground coffee bin and with no place for the ground coffee to go it clogged up the chute. The burr grinders get warm. If coffee keeps moving through there’s no problem. If it gets clogged the ground coffee bakes into a hard mass. Baratza has excellent descriptions with cut away pictures of this problem and how to fix it. They suggest to use the handle end of the brush to loosen the clog. My experience was that it was not a sufficient tool to break up the hard packed baked coffee. I used a metal dental pick. Very tedious repair. Finally got the trough under the grinders open to find the nylon paddles that push the coffee to the chute were bent and two of the four broken. Maybe from trying to spin in the cement like hard packed coffee in the trough or maybe because of my pick. Anyway, once the trough is clear, you can get to the top of the chute that leads to the lower bin. After some more tedious picking, the clog falls into the lower bin. So my grinder is grinding again, but due to the damaged paddles, the coffee doesn’t move through the trough very well and gets hard packed easily. I have to clean it out with the pick each time. So I went back to the Baratza Support website and found instructions on how to change out the nylon trough and the paddles. The part is $2.50. I’ve ordered it.So if that description of what may be required to happily own one of these sounds like a nightmare to you, you may not be a match to Baratza. If you don’t mind getting to know this grinder inside and out and learn how to keep it going for many useful years then you will appreciate the Baratza philosophy. It’s kinda like a beloved British sports car in that if you own one you will need to learn how to fix it. Except that with Baratza, they have encouraging support and readily available parts. It could be the beginning of a love affair… or not.
14 people found this helpful
Amazon Kunde –
A mechanical equivalent of a descent 10$ manual grinder
I switched from a cheapo manual burr grinder and this is what I am going to compare it to. I Grind coffee for pour-over and aeropress, I tend to stick to lightly roasted coffee.What both do good:- they grind coffeeAdvantages of the Encore:- it is mechanical and you can use your hands for something else while it grinds- it grinds consistently, it is easier to repeat the same grind just by setting to the grinder to the same grind setting- the button in front is very handyDisadvantages:- finer grinds become muddy and nasty very very fast. People typically attribute it to the large number of finer particles produced by the grinder. All the coffee ground on settings 10 and lower always taste terrible to me from this grinder. It was not the case for finer grinds on a manual grinder.- it is loud. Your roommates might not appreciate hearing this noise first thing in the morning- metal burrs make retained stale coffee stink. It has been 2 months so far, and every single morning I have to run and dispose of 3-4 grams of fresh coffee just to get rid of the metallic/oily coffee bits. I always leave the hopper empty, I always press the button in front a few times after grinding to reduce the amount of retained coffee, and might even knock on it a bit. Yet, every time you leave it alone for over 12 hours, first bits falling out of it smell nasty and taste nasty in the cup. And I only use light-to-meduim roasts, that tend not to be oily and don’t pick up smells as easily as darker roasts.- speaking of retention. It got a lot. First time I used it I measured: there are 3 grams of coffee left inside the burrs at every point of time. Which makes a bad combo with the previous point of oily tasting retained coffee.- the hopper. If you take the hopper off any coffee left inside will fall out. And then it will fall INTO the grinder, because there are gaps large enough between the hopper mount and the housing. There are coffee beans inside my grinder now and will have to disassemble Encore to take them out. These beans inside the grinder are actually the only reason I did not return it back Amazon while I could.Meh-points:- it is not at all an espresso grinder, in case you didn’t know already- I only ever use grind settings 10-16 our of the full range of 0-40. Anything below 10 is nasty, anything above 16 looks very uneven: lots of really fine particles sprinkled around chunks of coffee, very weird. It was not the case with the manual cheapo grinder.- when you throw 15g into the hopper, you get 14.7-15.3 grams out in the busket. Or even 15.8 if you press the front button a couple times after the grind but not before the grind.So, this device is not terrible by any means, but I can’t call it good either. It is an adequate replacement for a mediocre manual burr grinder. There are many many options out there that are worse than that. So, I can recommend it in this price range for those looking for a cheapo mechanical grinder, but don’t set your expectations too high. And maybe get a closer look at good manual grinders, at least I started eyeing one immediately after I discovered how limited Encore is.
6 people found this helpful
Texas Gal –
Perfection
Freshly ground coffee is sublime and the Baratza delivers a very consistent and precise grind every time. I brew one cup at a time using the Kalita pour over filter. It is the three small holes in the bottom that sets it apart and gives a robust brew. I grind for one cup at a time using a scale to precisely measure the beans. I also use the scale to exactly measure the water needed. I now possess a grinder, electric kettle, Kalita pour over and scale. And of course I use bottled spring water. I cannot believe I have made this investment in my morning cup of coffee. But I am older now and have earned and deserve this luxury And I have reached coffee nirvana. A perfect cup every time. The only way to start your day. Pure bliss.
Tom Dunne –
You should get this grinder
I normally do not write reviews, but I truely love this grinder. I previously had a 50 dollar Cuisinart grinder; it spewed fines everywhere, was obnoxiously loud, had poor build quality, and ultimately made my coffee taste worse. For a reasonable price, the Baratza grinder perfects the bare essentials of an electric coffee grinder and has greatly improved the taste of my pour-over coffee.Another thing; if your grinder breaks for some reason, Baratza sells repair parts so that you can fix it yourself, which criminally few companies do, as they usually just want you to buy your way out of a broken machine.If you can spring the extra 100 dollars, there’s no question that this grinder is leagues better than any other cheap 50-70 dollar burr grinder on Amazon.
Paul –
Most consistent grinder I’ve ever used
I’ve owned some sub-$100 burr grinder units before. One died after about 1 1/2 years and the replacement wasn’t good for how I use it (I like to grind a small number of beans fresh each day.) So, I waited for the holiday sale and picked up this beast based on reviews here, there and everywhere. This unit fits the bill. It was mostly easy to assemble. The hopper gasket is a real finicky part to install. They have developed a new version, but you have to buy that as a part. Baratza, if you are listening, please just include that and scrap the old one.After it’s all together, it works great. I don’t do espresso, so I cannot comment on the fineness grind and whether a different model would be better. I especially like that it has 2 switches to turn it on – one for constant on and the other for burst. The burst is great when most all of the beans are ground as those laggards may bounce around. If you use the burst button, they will fall into the grinder and then you won’t have any left.The one thing I don’t like, and this is a common issue amongst most grinders, is that the receiving container builds up a static and some grounds end up stuck on the edge. You will also get a few on the counter. However, this is a small price to pay. The final word comes from my wife. She asked what I did with the coffee as she said it is so much smoother than the previous grinder. That sealed it for me. This model is definitely a keeper.
2 people found this helpful
juls –
It’s great!
I am reviewing after 6 months. It works great we use Dark or French roast so the beans are oily. I clean it once a month and have not add any issues with it at all. I highly recommend this grinder It by far works the best. We grind every three days and are coffee drinkers! I am on my third grinder and after reading tons of reviews I decided to purchase the Encore. After one month of solid use it works great. That said a few comments about grinders. If your looking for a quiet one they don’t make one. If your looking for one that doesn’t make a mess they don’t make one. If you love freshly ground coffee then pick one with solid reviews and take the noise and mess with a grain of salt. This one had several reviews that gave great hints and tips, plus replacement parts that are reasonably priced unlike others. You pay good money for one of these machines and you should be able to replace parts. I just cleaned it and it was easy. DO NOT turn upside down to bang pieces out. Take hopper, gasket, and upper burr out brush and wipe off, finish brushing lower burr and pieces will drop down. Put back together and plug in, hit the pulse button a couple of times and all the pieces will drop into cup, discard. I will re-review again so you that are trying to decide will have good information. Enjoy!
2 people found this helpful
The Dawg –
A decent grinder, but disappointing (With Comparison to Capresso Grinder)
I bought this for my girlfriend for Christmas. The grinder performs as described. However, some aspects are a bit disappointing. By way of comparison, I own a Capresso grinder, and I think in most aspects it is a better purchase, and if I had it to do over again, I would have bought it instead of the Baratza…Pros: There is a lot of adjustability in grind size, and the hopper has a large capacity. The grind size is consistent. The “Pulse” button is useful for precise dosing (particularly espresso shots). There are more grind settings than the Capresso.Cons: This may be the noisiest grinder I have ever used. It is not just loud, it is annoying. Almost a squeaking/shrieking noise. Not as pleasant as the lower rumble of the Capresso. Simple on/off switch, the Capresso has a timer, and for my drip brew maker, I can imply turn the timer dial to a set number and get a very consistent amount, without having to stand by the grinder to turn it off.Overall, both the Baratza and the Capresso are going to give you a consistent and precisely ground coffee in terms of the fineness/coarseness of the grind. Again I give points to the Capresso for the noise level and the convenient (for me, at least) timer. I wish the Capresso had the pulse button that the Baratza has, but you can do a very similar dose by slightly turning the timer until it just activates. Both grinders have a oddly shaped grounds bin. Both are designed to meet the contours of the device, but again, I give props to the Capresso that is big enough to get your hand in and clean. The Baratza is a bit too small. Both grinders make a little mess with loose grinds, but overall both are better than cheaper grinders I have had.The Capresso is notably shorter and more compact than the Baratza. The Baratza has a little more hopper capacity, but not a substantial amount.My take. I would save money and go with the Capresso unless you need a bit more control in grind size and amount. The Baratza is a little more precise in both aspects, but just marginally. I feel the Capresso can do pretty much anything the Baratza does. It is also quieter and offers some better functionality.Having owned the Capresso for 2 years, my only complaint is that the hopper could be larger to accommodate a full 12oz bag of beans and be a little more air tight. It is also a little difficult to clean, but not impossible.
18 people found this helpful
kathryn dounelis –
LOVE IT
Update: it is now November 14, 2019 … 8 months after my first review and the Baratza Encore continues to work beautifully!!! Never clogged again and have had no problems!! GREAT MACHINEI purchased this specifically to use to get a coarse grind for cold brew coffee. It worked great the first three or four times I used it and then seemed to be clogged. I was extremely disappointed and called customer service to see what could be done. I got a helpful rep who proceeded to try and help me inflight the shoot and even pointed me to a video that outlined the procedure to use. I was extremely frustrated as this was not easy to do and was ready to send it back but he stuck with me and kept trying to guide me through using a paper clip to get through the clog. Finally it worked!! I said I would give it another chance but if it happened again it was going to be returned. He gave me done hints to avoid it happening and I have since been using it regularly with no problem!! Take the time to check out the videos on unclogging it and make sure that you grind everything that is in the hopper… do not leave unground beans in the hopper as that means that there are grounds in the outgoing shoot that can dry and clog the very small opening. Run it until you hear the grinder noise change to an empty grind sound.
32 people found this helpful
Slippers –
Does what it’s supposed to,………………I think.
This is the first coffee grinder I have owned. I have owned this grinder since November, 2012 and use it daily so I have seven months of use under my belt. Do I like it? Yes, I suppose. It does grind the beans. To my satisfaction? I guess. I guess I expected a coffee grinder to at LEAST be able to do what I can buy in a bag of ground coffee, and I anticipated superior flavor by freshly grinding my beans each day. Did I achieve what I thought I would get? No. Firstly, even on the finest grind setting, I cannot get “expresso” fine powder-like grind. I am using superior quality beans which I am buying from a roaster and I’m buying in small batches to insure their freshness. The finished product always has some pulpey, pencil like pieces in the grind. It’s noisey but expected it to be so. It IS a coffee grinder, after all. It’s fast and nice and heavy so there’s no chance of it tipping over. It is a bit “messy”. I make sure that the removable plastic container is inserted securely BEFORE I start grinding yet somehow, there are ALWAYS grinds, UNDER the plastic container when I remove it from the grinder. Also, all of the ground beans don’t fall down into the container from the hopper. You have to bang the unit to shake them loose before you remove the container that catches the ground coffee. And somehow, ground coffee manages to get UNDER the grinder, on the countertop. I always have a cleanup after using which requires a brush to get into the crevices and underside of the grinder before putting it away. My final comment as a first time coffee grinder owner is that this sure is a whole lot more work than I anticipated it would be.
2 people found this helpful
G. Pitman –
Love this grinder
This burr grinder has top ratings for a reason & for me it’s perfect. I knew I wasn’t going to dump a bunch of beans in the hopper & use a pre-set measure of beans (my old one would be off by as much as 10% so I found them to be unreliable), I knew I wanted to add a specific pre-measured amount of beans and have all the beans to be ground (my old one would always send the last few beans flying around the hopper & couldn’t seem to grind them), & as all burr grinders seem to create static I wanted to put a single drop of water into the hopper to cut out the static (only advisable when you’re emptying the hopper and not when you have it full of beans for multiple days of coffee). This machine allows me to accomplish all of my needs and the taste of my coffee reflects that.The grind size for pour over is consistent every time. It grinds every bean I put in the hopper and never leaves any stragglers. Some people commented on the noise but it seems to be a standard volume for grinders (if you have people sleeping & you don’t want to wake them it might be a bit loud but so would any electric grinder). Others commented on the static, again, in my experience this is true of any plastic grinder and not specific to this brand which is why I didn’t want to fill the hopper to max capacity.Everyone’s needs are different but this has been a great buy for myself and every morning as I get my coffee ready I am reminded how much I appreciate this coffee grinder compared to my old krups grinder.
eko –
Simple grinder performs very well
Let me preface this review with the following: (1) this is my first conical burr grinder having owned cheap blade grinders previously, and (2) I am a complete newbie to the world of espresso so my evaluation on its abilities for espresso grind has no basis for comparison.I have used this grinder to grind beans for espresso, cold brew, and French press. I haven’t counted the precise number of settings but it has more than enough to satisfactorily perform for all. It definitely can grind finely enough for espresso and I have found that the finest setting is too fine, a setting of about 6 or 7 works best for my DeLonghi EC680 espresso machine. Several reviewers have complained about static. When grinding for espresso, I’ve had zero static issues, but I have experienced some minor mess with coarser grind settings. It seems the coarser the grind the greater the issue, but even at its worst it’s really a fairly minor annoyance as opposed to a deal breaker.The machine is very basic. One loads beans in the hopper and turns it on. The machine will merrily grind away without stopping regardless of whether there are any beans remaining in the hopper. So, one can’t turn it on and walk away or count on it to dole out a prescribed dose. But it’s not designed for that and it’s only $129. It has a separate pulse button which I’ve not occasion to use, but it’s there if one needs it.The inner burr can be removed for cleaning without requiring a tool which is nice.This grinder does a simple job very well and for a reasonable price, at least relative to most other conical mill grinders. I’ve had this but a short time, but I’ve been very pleased so far. I will update later after I’ve had it for a longer period of time.
Charles –
Major upgrade over old Mr. Coffee grinder
Working to up my coffee game dramatically, and getting a new grinder has proven to help that move forward significantly.I didn’t want to spend my whole coffee improvement project budget on the grinder, so I was looking to get something conical at a reasonable price. I grind on demand, so having a huge hopper wasn’t something I was going to spend money on, and I’m focused on pourover and cold brew, explicitly not espresso. Fow what I’m doing, I really like this grinder a LOT. I’m not sure it’s for everyone, and knowing what you want to accomplish is really important when you go into evaluating grinders.Two things about this grinder have caused minor frustration for me. When I go to replace it, they will become part of my criteria for sure — first, sound, second static. Every grinder has challenges around these areas, and all my comparison comes from my previous cheap unit, so it’s not a great comparison. I’ve watched a lot of videos of other grinders, and definitely think there are units that are better in these areas, but also cost significantly more.The unit is not quiet. It’s quieter a flat burr Mr. Coffee grinder, but it isn’t quiet. I don’t really mind the noise, as I think you can still carry a conversation over it without yelling. The grandkids disagree and call it “bery bery woud”. :-).The static produced in grinding is annoying. The use of a plastic catch basin likely doesn’t help this problem, but grinding anything is a static producing event in general, and it’s not as bad as I was anticipating. It would be an improvement if Baratza provided a nice brush similar to what comes with the Timemore Chestnut manual grinder — it is soft bristled and is perfect for sweeping out the cup and small bit of grounds that end up behind and under it. The other design element that would help this problem is putting a thumper on the unit similar to other grinders (like the Fellow Ode) to knock the small amount of grinds that remain in the chute into the hopper. I find that a little super fine spritz of water on the beans before I put them in the hopper keeps the static down nicely and helps get all the coffee through the system.My experience has been really good so far with the grind. While this won’t go fine enough to do proper espresso, the results for V60 pour over are great. I’ve done a lot of experiments adjusting the grind with my ratio to water and get good extraction results. There are certainly “fines” even in the coarser settings, but not so many that it creates a problem.I love the fact that there are a multitude of grind settings on this grinder. Each click of the bin provides a clear difference in the grind, and since I’m still trying to fine tune my recipe and technique, flexibility is a great plus.The bin holds a fairly significant amount of coffee, though I’m normally grinding 25g or less, it can easily hold much more. The most I’ve done is ~150g for a cold brew batch and the bin held the beans fine, though I did empty the bin about 3/4 of the way through.While I haven’t had to do anything with parts replacement, the fact that Baratza sells parts for this machine is a huge plus in my book and was part of what made me give them first shot at my enhanced coffee making endeavors. Being able to repair and upgrade the tools I buy is a great plus, and more vendors should embrace that way of thinking.I’m super happy with this pickup so far. There might be better functional options but for the price and functionality I don’t think I could do better. Highly recommend this unit.
14 people found this helpful
WaveofLight –
Very good entry level for “serious” enthusiast
I have been using the grinder daily for the past 10 months. I used to drink lattes every day on my way to work. Now that I work from home, I needed to up my home coffee game, so I decided to get a grinder for a french press that was gifted to me. I use my Baratza primarily for said french press, and occasionally I will grind some whole beans for my girlfriend’s drip machine. It grinds adequately for both.The grind size is not super consistent. But it makes a very good cup of coffee none the less. Make sure you use amazing beans. I get the freshest beans I can from a local roaster here in western Washington. As a side note, I have not tried the espresso setting which is basically the upper limits of how fine this machine can grind. Based on what I see for the french press setting, I would be suspect of the grind quality which is very important with espresso making.TLDR: If you can afford an espresso machine, you can probably also afford a better grinder. However if you’re making drip, pour over, or french press and you’re on a budget but want a “good” machine, then I think this one is great.
Amazon CustomerAmazon Customer –
Great grinder, so impressed!
We were a tough sell because our 20 year old Krups worked fine. But after researching about how the grind makes such a difference in your coffee we decided to try it out. Our coffee is SO much better with this grinder! Perfect grind every time with no guessing. So pleased!
D. S. Bierly –
Fantastic product, completely changed my daily coffee experience
Yes, this is expensive. Yes, I already had a “perfectly good” “regular” Krups grinder that I’ve been using for over a decade. I initially resisted the push from the coffee elite, thinking what more could I possibly need. Starting a few years ago I finally started looking into burr grinders, only to find a complete lack of clarity on what a good one might be, particularly in the face of the much higher cost. In the current state of Amazon reviews (riddled with flamers and fakers), all products start to look the same, 1000’s of glowing reviews (usually 10 words and fake) and dozens of “terrible, run away” reviews. How can you know what to buy anymore?!So, I am investing a few minutes to write a *real* review which you can tell is not fake, so that hopefully I help someone else down the road.* This is a fantastic product* It’s solid and crazy well made* It has really fine resolution on the grind setting, from fine espresso a to moka pots to drip to french press and finally to cold brewing. (I have all of these). Super easy, just turn the dial, measure and dump in the coffee, and turn it on.* It’s slower than the brute-force grinders, but you just start this first and then prepare the water, etc.* It is so nice to have 100% consistency every timeI thought I was brewing good coffee all these years, but with this burr grinder things have been taken up a notch, and there are no bad batches. Also, strangely enough, between this new grinder and my new Zojirushi EC-YTC100XB Coffee Maker (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B83DGMV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1), not only is the coffee amazing, but I’m using 25% less beans to do so!
Gregory S. Jones –
Great grinder – be careful first use!
Relatively quiet grinder, does an excellent job on any grind (I am using for drip bonavita. The packaging from company is excellent, no Amazon box needed. Be extra careful with wingnut during assembly, it was loose, so I turned clockwise as per usual and it fell into the black casing! I had a hard time retrieving but it finally fell out. This wingnut is a LEFT HAND thread, so tightening is COUNTER CLOCKWISE. The Baratza instructions say nothing about this but it does make sense given the grinding wheels go clockwise
3 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Works Well, Well Made
I have owned this grinder for 1.5 years and grind single-serving portions of coffee for a French press coffee maker. Roasted beans in the upper hopper are ground for one serving by counting to about ten (~12 seconds). The rotary switch stays on, so I don’t have to hold it while it grinds, but I have to be sure to turn it off! The grinds drop into a lower hopper. This is easily removed and emptied into the French press. The grinder is far from silent but it is much quieter and less energetic than my prior whirling-blade grinder. The grind seems uniform and may be easily adjusted by rotating a collar at the base of the hopper. It makes approximately 20 cups of coffee before the hopper must be refilled. The machine makes little mess and requires little cleaning. It is stout and well made. I am happy with my purchase
One person found this helpful
Amazon Stitcher –
Not really for Espresso grinding
I ordered this model by mistake, the Encore doesn’t have a fine enough grind setting for Espresso, so I returned it. That said, it did arrive timely and in great shape, and if I didn’t already own a grinder for filter coffee etc., I probably would have enjoyed owning this one.
Matt –
Great
Easy set up. Works well and love the ability to change the coarse-ness
JohnnyTea –
Replaced Maestro Plus with the Encore
I bought the Baratza Encore because my old Baratza Maestro Plus just died. The Encore is virtually the same grinder (with upgrades they say). After the first three days of use this grinder looks like it’s going to be just as great as the old Maestro plus that I’ve used for about a decade.The only minus is that the motor has more of a whining sound than the old one and is a bit louder.The grind looks just as good and I like the replacement of the timer dial with the on/off switch. The info says the gearbox and the burrs are better. Could be. All I can tell for sure is that it works just the same as the old Maestro Plus & I’ve loved that grinder.In light of a number of comments about breakdowns in the first few months, I bought the four-year warranty. That seemed a small price for peace of mind. But, actually, I expect not to have to use it. The old Maestro never had a problem and I used it several times daily for ten years. I did replace the top burr a couple of years ago, but that’s to be expected.If you’re wondering if a more expensive burr grinder like this one is worth it (compared to the burr grinders for a third or half the price), the gear reduction feature alone is worth it. There is like zero static cling with the grounds. When you pour them out, the bin is empty, no grounds clinging to anything. Ten years is about a buck a month – to me, that’s worth it.
Barb –
Step up from small spice grinder
I graduated to the Encore from a little electric spice grinder more than a year and a half ago (time flies). I have become very fond of this machine, which quickly and effortlessly grinds my coffee. The burr mechanism is great for getting consistent grinds, and it’s super to be able to set the grind size with a turn of the hopper. I took off a star for two negatives: 1) it is, for me, difficult to clean the mechanism with the little brush, and I spent quite a bit of time watching Baratza videos to get the idea. I ended up not using the brush but rather use the corn-based Grindz cleaner granules. So far so good. I also found out that one should avoid dark beans with an oily sheen, which will gum up the innards of the machine, and avoid stale beans for similar reasons. Therefore to use the Encore, it was prudent to start getting fresh beans from an online coffee roaster, which roasts my order a day or two before shipping. 2) I hate the smoky plastic bin that catches the ground coffee. Baratza makes a big deal of saying, do not let the coffee grounds go past the line in the bin or you will clog the channel! But smoky plastic is dark and the bin sits in a black-colored cubby hole, so you can’t see how far up the coffee mound is. By now I know from seeing where the bean level is in the hopper, but it makes no sense to me that they didn’t use clear plastic for the bin, or a white background. What, smoky is “attractive” design and clear is not? Tail wagging dog. It’s the same for both the black and white Encores.
David-and-Chaslin –
Good entry-level grinder that’s easy to use and produces results
After two months of ownership, I give this item 4 stars. It’s not the quietest grinder but it’s got plenty of power to grind through lots of coffee and the grind is nice and uniform. There’s a bit of a learning curve for certain coffee roasts. Oily roasts and fine grinds can stick to the chute going down into the basket and if not taken care of can eventually clog the machine. A pipe cleaner is all you need to punch though the debris and knock it loose. Drier roasts don’t stick as much, but you should still clean the machine every 1-2 weeks or so. Along with a pipe cleaner, I also recommend a rocket blower for removing loose debris deep inside the grinding chamber. The basket isn’t static free unfortunately, but it’s not terrible. I found that if I wait a minute or two after grinding it will dissipateMy only issue with this grinder is with the black rubber gasket at the base of the hopper. It can be a hassle to install the first time. But more importantly, if you clean the grinder regularly or change the grind size a lot the gasket will quickly wear out and rip, a poor design choice. You can reduce the wear on the gasket by making sure it’s not stretched out after you set the grind level – move the grind selection back and forth to relieve the stress on the gasket. Thankfully a replacement gasket is cheap and easily found on the Baratza parts website, but I think users of this grinder would have preferred a better design or a more robust gasket.
Paul T. MaackPaul T. Maack –
Decent, but probably overpriced.
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I’ve heard so many great things about burr grinders, and how wonderful they are and consistent the grinds… So I got one. I talked with some folks who knew stuff, and they recommended this one. I’ve tried it out, and I gotta say I’m not super impressed. It does OK, but it’s nothing super fantastic. I’m going to compare it to the other grinders I’ve used, and overall it’s a bit better than average, thus the 4-star rating (3 is average to me).Pros:- Decent sized hopper if you’re a monster who likes to just grind all your coffee at once. But then why not just get pre-ground? I don’t know, but if you want to grind a lot of coffee in one go this will do it for you.- The receptacle for the grounds is nicely shaped to afford pouring out into stuff like those reusable Keurig Cup things or similar.- The grinder is directly above the receptacle, so you don’t have a bunch of grounds hanging out in the machine getting stale, or requiring you to tilt and tap the machine to get them out. It may sound like a petty quibble with others, but this doesn’t require that extra effort, so I like it.- At finer grinds it’s relatively consistent. More on this later.Cons:- A bit more expensive than some of the other options out there.- The grind isn’t as consistent as I’d been led to believe. I purchased this mainly for french press, and at that grind setting I experienced roughly 30% of the grounds were MUCH finer than what is desirable for a french press.Other thoughts:- If you’re like me, and are doing french press AND have a Keurig (along with those reusable cups you can use in the Keurig machine) this is OK, but you’ll need something to sift out the fines. I haven’t found a great option yet, but I’m going to keep looking.- The price is roughly twice that of a similar machine I’m about to review (yes, I got another one to compare), so if you care you can go look at that one. This DOES perform better than the cheaper one at the same grind setting, but I’m not certain I’d say it performs “Double the cost” better. The design choices on this make it a clear winner though. I won’t say I’d RECOMMEND this one specifically, but I can say that you could definitely do worse.
43 people found this helpful
InTheTenRing –
Honest Review and Some Tips
I’ve used blade grinders and another brand’s burr grinder with mixed results. The cuisinart blade grinder was great but didn’t have any control over the grind. The cuisinart burr grinder left a lot of fine grinds that really were off putting and tasted bad. Looking for a better option I researched and found the Encore.The build quality and fact you can replace almost anything on it should it break is huge for me. The included cord is as thick as an extension cord and very stout. Very impressive unit.Grinds are excellent. I found that I like 24 for my pour over for a sweeter flavor. In the beginning I experimented and found this setting worked best but I was still getting some fine grounds and were at the bottom of my carafe. So based on that here are my tips.1. Use the hopper lid to weigh your coffee.2. Use the included brush to clean the grinder weekly.3. To eliminate fine grounds, after weighing the beans, wet your finger to the second knuckle. Dip your finger onto the beans the add them to the hopper. Grind immediately. This eliminates static electricity and has done wonders to remove any fine grounds.If you are doing pour over, consider prewetting your grounds and discarding the little coffee this made. If there are fine grounds they are in this bit and can be thrown out.4. Start the grinder before adding the beans. With the motor at speed there is less stress on the grinder when starting.Overall I’d part with the money and buy the Encore again over another grinder. Highly recommend even if using a cheap, department store drip coffee maker.
3 people found this helpful
PCM –
A-MAZ-ING precision & consistency
One of the reasons I bought this was to refill Nespresso capsules, which means I had to nail grind size to exquisite precision. So I carefully measured grind size distribution in the original capsules using a micro-perforated Kruve sieve system, and then proceeded to copy this distribution with my grinder. The surprising result?Baratza’s grind size distribution is much tighter than the Nespresso original!!! I was baffled!!!I found myself having to mix different grind sizes (e.g. a little bit if 12, 13 and 14 in different ratios, depending on capsule and roast) to emulate the less precise Nespresso originals. The Baratza was TOO good!In the end, I settled for a single grind size for simplicity’s sake (10ish for dark, 12~13ish for light, give or take) with equivalent results. But the conclusion is clear: this is a fantastically well crafted beast.A summary of other things:PROS – simple, robust, precise, compact footprint (tho a bit tall), easy to clean (I just vacuum it)CONS – noisy, and be careful to never allow too much buildup because this will slow down bean flow and over-grind significantly
2 people found this helpful
Joseph –
It’s a great grinder…recommended buy
I’m giving this grinder 4 stars because of the nit-picky issues.Pros:Well built overall. I think this will be durableLow static electricityQuiet as far as grinders goLots of grind settings!!Excellent evenness of grind. Very close to what bagged ground coffee looks likeNo electronics…no confusing menus, no hard to read displaysCompact sizeRepairable…something lost in this disposable ageCons:Bulky cordWorthless “transparency” of the ground coffee binLack of functionality of switches and buttonsThe burr on my 16-year-old Bodum grinder wore out (alas, no parts) so I replaced it with this. I watched multiple reviews on YouTube (especially “America’s Test Kitchen”) and this was the go-to conical burr grinder. The main consideration was the even grind, something I never had with my Bodum. Another factor is that this unit is completely repairable because that’s how the engineers designed it. Literally every component is available from Baratza. And they have how-tos for making repairs! It might be a bit quieter, but then it is a much different noise. Overall I do like it, but I do have a few nits to pick. The first is the lack of a timer. Every other analog conical burr grinder on the market has a timer. The only real purpose of a timer is to prevent the grinder from grinding coffee until the ground coffee bin is full and the ground coffee starts backing up into the burrs. Something that could easily happen with this grinder. With the Encore you have a push-and-hold button and an on/off knob. I have no idea what purpose the push button has. I really doubt there is anyone that would want to hold a button while they wait for 60 grams of coffee to grind for their morning pour-over pot. Even for a single espresso I don’t think you would want to hold the button down. It would make more sense to have an on/off rocker switch where the push button is and replace the on/off knob with a rotary timer. The way it is if you have a full hopper of beans and you turn the knob on to start grinding and you get distracted the grounds bin will overflow. Not good.Second, there is no way of telling how much ground coffee is in the bin. There is a white line on it but I believe it’s only purpose is for aesthetics. The plastic is dark and semi-transparent when pulled out of grinder but when it’s in the grinder it might as well be non-transparent. So you turn on the switch, start grinding coffee, and then have to guess how full the bin is. It wouldn’t be a problem for making a single espresso, but it is for grinding the amount one needs for pour-over or French press. My assumption is that they didn’t use clear plastic in order to protect the ground coffee from UV. Well I don’t think that a few minutes of UV exposure will significantly alter the flavor of your coffee and since the bin is not air tight I doubt that anyone would leave coffee in it rather than transferring it to an air tight container.Third: the cord. Really?! This is the kind of cord I would expect on a power drill or a circular saw. My toaster oven doesn’t have this heavy of a cord!Fourth, and I noticed this in every YouTube video, when you pull out the ground coffee bin coffee grounds dump out of the chute. You can tap the side of the machine, but coffee will still dump out the chute. The bin is sloped back-to-front so when you pull out the bin the rear lip of the bin drags across the bottom of the chute. But the coffee that the lip scrapes off does not go into the bid but dumps out on the footplate the bin sits on.Fifth, the silicone grommet between the hopper and the burrs. It’s a hokey fit and if you don’t get it perfect you will get badly ground coffee. You have to remove the grommet in order to get to remove the outer burr for cleaning. And then replace it after you finish cleaning.With all of the thought the engineers put into the design in terms of it being repairable it is mind boggling that they missed more obvious problems.Now that being said, I am happy with the unit. It produced far less…like 90% less, static electricity than my old Bodum; the eternal problem with at-home burr grinders. You grind your coffee, pull out the bin and coffee flies everywhere. The Baratza Encore is far far better. When you pull out the bin some grounds will be on the lip, but there aren’t grounds shooting out all over the place. So the engineers got that right! The unit is lighter than my old Bodum. And it’s smaller. I can now keep it on the counter.So…do I like the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder? Yes! Will I recommend it? Yes! This is a good basic grinder without electronics. Sorry, but a computer can’t grind the precise amount of coffee you need for brewing. Those features are a waste of money.
39 people found this helpful
Tyler Odette –
A Fine Grinder
Good all around coffee grinder. I’ve had this for a few months and almost only use the coarse settings for French press/cold brew, so I can not attest to the consistency of the finer settings, however coarse grounds are very consistent.Noise isn’t bad. I have no grinder to compare to, but it doesn’t strike me as particularly loud or quiet.The hopper is a fine size for my needs but I could see how it may be small for others. I could see it holding enough beans for 12 cups but the container for the grounds may fill up more than once if you grind that much.It’s a little messy. Each time you empty the container, some amount of grounds are guaranteed to fall onto the counter/inside the machine where the container sits. It’s easy to clean, so not a problem. It comes with a brush that’s really only good for cleaning where the grounds come out of and empty into the container.This doesn’t bother me, but the container has some static.If this grinder lasts me a long time, I’ll buy another if mine ever fails. I’ve read a few comments from buyers who have had theirs fail after a few months. I try to only have my grinder plugged in when in use as to limit whatever could cause that issue.I will update this review in the event that my grinder leaves this place earlier unexpectedly.
A RHEA –
Increase your grinder budget and forget an electric brewer
Manual brewing won’t work for everyone. We were quitting our ten year K-Cup addiction and finding a reliable brewer for a temp/time controlled pour-over type brew under $100. seemed impossible. I bought this grinder a month ago after returning a slightly cheaper one (actually, much cheaper from Costco). This one seems to get the grind correct (coarse is really coarse) although I’ve only gone as fine as medium so I can’t talk about espresso grind. The grind consistency seems quite good–not the same as a professional grinder but very good. I’ve never used the pulse button. I do like the forward motion of the on switch–go forward to turn on then continue to go forward to turn off. Or, if you prefer, simply turn back for off. This one is louder than the Capresso 565.05 I had and seems to make a bit more mess. Cleaning seems to be about the same for both. We vary our coffee very infrequently mostly using Starbucks French roast (from Costco for price so probably not the freshest) or SB Komodo Dragon. Since getting this grinder, I’ve moved from French press coffee (the reason the other one didn’t work for me–too much sludge in the coffee even on coarsest grind) to the Clever Dripper which uses a filter. The Capresso might have been fine if I’d started with the Clever Dripper; however, I’m very happy with this one. I think I’ve finally figured out the grind, water temp and brew time that works best for us. All elements are important in brewing hot coffee, but I feel the grind is the most important element so it’s worth the cost to get a great grind.
4 people found this helpful
Chris –
Upgraded from Bodum Burr Grinder…pretty pleased so far.
I’m a self proscribed coffee snob and needed to replace my 4 year old Bodum conical burr grinder, which had served me well but had some quirks about it that were a little challenging. I’ve been using the Baratza grinder for about a week and here’s a few observations/differences.Unboxing) They use some heavy-duty cardboard to pack this baby up. Putting it together was pretty easy…washing the components and installing them. I did find the little silicone/rubber washer that sits at the base of the hopper to be a little challenging, more because I was worried I was going to tear it in two. However other than the occasional brushing of the burr components, I don’t anticipate it will need to be adjusted much.1) The Baratza is quieter than the Bodum. Not saying much as they’re coffee grinders and they’re not going to be quiet, but the Baratza has a pleasant, higher pitched “whir” to it that sounds more like my food processor (though not as loud)2) The Baratza is a little slower to grind than the Bodum. Not a big deal to me, but it’s worth calling out. 20 seconds of grinding would typically be enough for me to get my 43g of ground coffee for my Chemex in the Bodum. In the Baratza the same amount is more like 30 seconds.3) I see more consistency in the size of grounds coming out of the Baratza than the Bodum. Perhaps it was because I think my Bodum was dying on me, but sifting through the granules, even on the coarser grinds, I find the consistency to be a big improvement.Overall I can live with getting 4 years out of a grinder I used daily and paid $75. The Baratza was a little more than twice that, and so long as I get a decent amount of longevity out of it, I think I am going to really enjoy it.
One person found this helpful
Theresa –
MAINTENANCE
The grinder does a really good job. It’s loud, but hardly alarmingly so.My one complaint is that the rubber gasket design is TERRIBLE. Periodically cleaning this thing is really important to keep it in working order, and reassembling it, when it only has three pieces you’re removing and restoring, is frustratingly involved. And the gasket, this little rubber piece that keeps coffee out of the grinder’s engine, is why.It does a good job, but if I could go back in time, I would probably just order vacuum packed ground coffee, and not have this annoyingly frustrating forty minutes every few months.
One person found this helpful
Joel Cleare –
Great brand
Purchased January 2020 and still going strong. I ‘ upgraded ‘ the burr to the M2. I did it just because and not because it needed it. I took this grinder to work and purchased a Virtuoso+ for home. I only make filter type coffee. The Virtuoso has a narrower grind window so it’s not great for or recommended for espresso. Get a tiny spritz bottle and spray 1 per 18 grams of coffee before grinding. This will greatly reduce the mess and delay cleaning the machine. I’ve only cleaned the machine once with an air compressor which took 30 seconds.
spiritofpencil –
Right to repair friendly
So far this grinder has been wonderful. It’s a basic burr grinder, without bells and whistles. I’ve been using it for a couple of months now without complaint. However, the other day I ground some beans and walked away for a moment, and of course something happened that kept me from getting right back to it. Probably a cat puked on the floor or something like that. Anyway, it filled the grind collection chamber too much and clogged the chute from the burrs. This happens, which is why it is recommended to not overfill the chamber or leave the grinder unattended.I am a resourceful dude, and I spent some time trying to unclog this puppy, finally figuring out how I could slightly bend the handle of the small brush that comes with the grinder and poke it up into the chute to clear out the impacted grounds. I felt super proud of myself and my success.Later that night, I actually went to the company’s website and found their support page. Lo and behold, they have a very robust troubleshooting section that included the exact technique I took about 40 minutes to figure out. Additionally, I discovered that they have a progressive right to repair stance that goes into the development of their products so that their products are manufactured with user repair in mind. They are opposed to the idea of planned obsolescence, where some companies force the user to replace an item vs. repairing and maintaining it. In addition to troubleshooting assistance, they have diagrams and they will provide replacement parts for repair. Their grinders have been designed to be easily opened with simple tools for home service.I am leaving this review at this point, as there are plenty of other reviews out there regarding the quality of this grinder and its results, but I believe that this right to repair focus makes them a company that is worth supporting. I have tons of respect for companies that build with quality vs. quantity in mind.
5 people found this helpful
J. Ard –
Finally, a does-it-all grinder for a reasonable price
*** Final Update***I have now been using this grinder for close to 2 years. I have also purchased a Vario-W in order to grind by weight as I thought that would help with my consistency while making espresso; however, I will be honest, I now use the Vario for Drip and Press and use the Encore exclusively for espresso. I’m sure the Vario would work just as well (probably better) but I have found the right setting, tamp pressure, etc that makes the coffee I like using the Encore, so why mess with a good thing? I mention that for the benifit of those thinking this might not be a good espresso grinder. While I am aware that there are other pro-sumer models available, this one has been great. It does not have a large range of usable settings for espresso, but with varying tamp pressure, you should be able to get what you are looking for. A quick story about Baratza’s customer support: a few months ago I noticed that my grind was suddenly too course and my shots were flowing way to fast. Since the grinder was well outside of its one-year warrany, I took it apart and found that the insides had been severely damaged. I had just moved form Washington State to Alabama and I am sure the damage was due to the poor packing and handling my goods received from our movers. (A story for another day). Anyway, as I mentioned somewhere below in one of my earlier reviews, Baratza sells pieces to replace your grinder should you need them. I needed a new ring assembly that holds the actual grinder teeth in place (consisting of several pieces) and even a new internal housing to remount the motor as some of the mounts had been broken (probably from the movers throwing my things). I was surprised to see everyting I needed was actually available to the consumer on their website – no annoying calls to convince someone to sell me those pieces. While I was at it, I decided I would also replace some other pieces that I figured wouldn’t hurt – all in all I was looking at around $30 to rebuild my grinder like new. I was pretty excited about the prices. I emailed Baratza and told them my story and asked if they had any guides or schematics to help me in the rebuild. Within a day, I recieved a reply from Baratza and they told me I shouldn’t have such an extensive failure with my unit in such a short time of owning it and they told me they had canceled my order and were shipping me a NEW grinder – and to please return the broken one in the box along with a prepaid shipping label they provided!!! I wrote back and explained that my grinder was no longer under warranty and the damages were due to mishandling: not a manufacturing defect – I thought someone had misunderstood me. They wrote back and said they were sorry my grinder was broken by the movers and they were happy to replace it! I couldn’t believe it – they sent me another grinder with no payment from me and simply trusted me to return the broken one. When I got the new grinder I noticed the grind settings were different from the earlier one – I had read they tuend it up for better espresso performance and they did – before I was unable to “choke” my Quickmill Silvano – now if I use a setting below 6, it chokes up. I find settings 6-8 work the best for espresso, 18-24 for drip/pour-over and 30-35 for French Press. Of course, that is all highly subjective and your mileage may vary, but if you are new to the Encore, perhaps that will give you a “ballpark” to work with. Anyway, since that day about 5 months ago, I’ve continued using my Encore and am very pleased with it. I highly recommend it for its performance, simplicity (sometimes simple is better) and the customer support the Baratza team provided.*** 1 Year Update***I have been using this grinder multiple times per day for a year now and so far I have NO problems to report. It still grinds just as well as it did on day one, the burrs are still sharp and I still love this grinder. I have no doubt I made the right purchase and I am glad I didn’t opt for the “fancy” lcd models with the automated grind features; to me all those extra bells & whistles = more that could break. If I were to upgrade, it would be for a unit in another “class”; perhaps the Vario, but that is several $100 more and I don’t see any reason to do so at this time. I will add that there is a 1 star review on this site that complains about larger beans not feeding through the hopper. Initially, I thought it sounded silly; however, not long ago, I roasted a batch of beans much darker than usual (VERY VERY dark roast), resulting in the beans being about 1 1/2 times their usual size. While grinding, I noticed that about 4 beans got lodged between the hopper and burrs. I tapped the side of the unit a few times and the final beans fed through the hopper. I had this happen two or three times. So, I suppose if you habitually use a bean that is much larger than your typical coffee bean, you might have an issue. Just search through the 1 star reviews for more details (at the time of this update, there was only one 1 star review).Summary: fantastic grinder for an excellent price makes this a best buy in my book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a serious coffee drinker.***Update***I’ve been using this grinder daily for almost 4 months, grinding enough for about 12 cups each day (maybe more on weekends). I usually use it early morning, afternoon and evening. I grind mainly for drip and espresso, occasionally for French press or pour-over. I still have no complaints with this grinder: I believe I made the right choice between this and fancier LCD options. I’ve ground for a 12 cup pot on numerous occasions when company comes over, and it never overheats or bogs or slows down- I don’t think it notices if you’re grinding for 1 cup or 12! Everything is solid and the burrs are still sharp as ever. Once a month I disassemble it to give it a good cleaning. It doesn’t seem to retain much grinds in the chamber. My only gripe is the static build up after grinding can make a mess when you pull out the grind chamber: there are enough grinds clinging to the exit chute to scatter on the counter if you’re not careful (to be fair, this is a common problem plaguing all burr grinders). But really I don’t even notice that anymore, after a couple weeks you develop your own routine on how to deal with it and it ceases being an issue. I tend to grind, prep the coffee pot/filter to give the static time to discharge, then I give it a solid knock or two on the side and front before taking out the chute (thankfully this is a VERY solid grinder). It might sound tedious, but I actually had to sit here and think about it because it’s simply second nature now and I don’t even notice doing it. The only time I notice the problem is when someone else uses the grinder who isn’t aware of the “technique”.Another great feature is that baratza sells every piece imaginable should you ever have a problem in the future: right down to a new motor or exterior knobs! All the pieces seemed priced appropriately. So while this may not be important to some, I like knowing that should the need arise, my equipment is completely serviceable. So I guess when the day comes that I need new burrs, I won’t be shopping for another grinder, but paying a small sum for a new set of burrs. I didn’t find that option on many of the other units I shopped around for. Ultimately, I still completely recommend this grinder and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants quality, affordability and versatility all rolled into a single package!***Original Review***I’ve been looking for a grinder that I could use with my current espresso machine (pressurized portafilter), drip coffee pot, and french press and would also allow me to grow into a more expensive espresso machine (i.e. the Rancilio Silvia or Quickmill Silvano). I was looking at the Rocky grinder, the Baratza Vario and Virtuoso Preciso, the Breville Smart Grinder, et al. Then I came along the Encore which I believe is new for 2012. I read several “professional” reviews and even saw some video reviews where the Encore was able to “choke” the Silvia at around grind setting “6”. If you aren’t aware, the Maestro and Maestro Plus (which the Encore replaces) weren’t able to grind fine enough to choke the Silvia straight from the factory. Although this grinder isn’t “stepless” (you have a larger variance from one “click” to the next when adjusting the grind setting, you still get 40 settings which are plenty for any home grinder. With a little tamping technique, this grinder will work fine for any espresso machine – not my opinion – the “pros” opinion. I am currently using it with my pressurized espresso machine, my drip pot and the occasional pour over and french press. It works great for them all! While it doesn’t perform as well (or so I’ve read) as the Preciso or other high-end grinders, the fact that you can even begin to compare them speaks volumes for Baratza. I believe that currently there is NO other grinder on the market that can stand next to this one in terms of quality & versatility within the price range. Maybe the Breville Smart Grinder, but it still costs 50% more, I don’t like the LCD display and I’ve heard (no practical experience) from several sources that Breville customer service is not quite up to par. If any of you out there care, the Baratza Maestro and Maestro Plus were already popular grinders and Baratza completely over-hauled it and produced the Encore – it offers WAY more at the same price. I’m sorry if this sounds like I’m selling the Baratza name, but this is the first of their products I’ve owned – I’m just impressed they did this with the Encore. So often a company produces a 2nd iteration of a product with lesser features or cheaper quality parts. Check it out for yourself, the innards are improved for better durability along with the burrs for a more consistent and fine grind! WOW…who does that?!Oh, and the first time I used it my wife was in the other room (separated by an open doorway) and she was shocked to find I had used it without her hearing it! Maybe when I close the door and begin my 5am grinding I won’t wake the kids!The only con (which I’ve heard is not an uncommon problem with this type of grinder) is that when I remove the grind container and IF I accidentally knock the grinder, leftover grinds can fall from the chute onto the counter. I have a Dustbuster within arms reach of the grinder so it’s no big deal, but if I didn’t, it might aggravate me.I’m so glad I bought this and not one of the other many many brands I researched for months. I completely recommend it.
863 people found this helpful
Opinionated Normal Person –
Will last decades
I had a Baratza Preciso I bought over a decade ago that was a workhorse through the start and end of a small mobile coffee business I ran for many years. I thought I would be branching out into espresso-based drinks so the Preciso seemed like the way to go for breadth of grind sizes. But wow was it finicky.If you are fine with a bit of fix it yourself when things break, Baratza is a great brand to stick with. I ended up having to replace several things over the years on the Preciso, but always able to find the parts and instructions from Baratza.The Encore improves many things I didn’t like about the Preciso, including overall ease of use. Instead of 2 sets of settings, there is just one main dial and the included booklet gives suggestions for which to use for various grind levels. The on/off switch on the side is that — on or off. The Preciso did have a sort of countdown switch so it would stop once it had reached the end of that count, but yes it wasn’t very efficient. I prefer the simplicity for how Encore does it.Yes, the Encore is loud, but it’s grinding our precious coffee beans that have grown over 5 years on a mountainside, then likely washed until silly clean and dried in the relentless sun. Let the grind noise ring out! It’s a precious few moments to remind us where the coffee came from and why we continue to love it.The Encore is a coffee grinder that I expect to last for a very long time. Baratza is a company that has been around for a long time. This is an investment that will elevate your coffee game and give a good return on investment (it’s expensive…)
2 people found this helpful
Kindle Customer –
Solid performer with a few minor issues.
I purchased this grinder to replace a different brand of grinder that had stopped functioning. I like this one quite a bit better.The design is relatively compact, despite the capacity. The vertical orientation puts the ground bean discharge chute directly over the ground coffee bin so the chute is fairly short and empties well. I use this mostly to grind coffee for a French press and this does an excellent job of producing a coarse grind with very little fine dust to produce “mud” in the cup. It also does not seem to produce much static electricity. grounds fall into the bin and do not fly around sticking to the bin, the grinder, the discharge chute, the counter, my hands, or anything else – very unlike my last grinder.Adjustments to the coarseness are easy to make. It switches on and off easily with a continuously rotating knob. Unlike the last grinder I owned, this is easy to take apart for cleaning and it is clearly marked so it cannot be accidentally put together the wrong way.The body is solid and sits on rubber feet. It does not vibrate much and is reasonably quiet. It has a competent, professional feel. While I have not had it long, it gives the feeling that it should last a long time.There are a couple of downsides. The switch does not have a timer or other auto-off function. You manually switch it on and then off. That provides good control, but means you have to pay attention to how long you are grinding to be sure you do not overfill the bin. The other downside is that the bin is nearly opaque. It is very difficult to tell how much coffee has gone into the bin without opening it. Fortunately it is easy to slide open, and since the discharge chute is to the front, it is possible to pull the bin out part way to look at the amount of ground coffee and not have coffee from the chute fall behind the bin.Overall it performs very well. I would give it 4.5 stars, because of the 2 minor issues stated. I would definitely recommend this to a friend and I would have no hesitation buying another one in the future.
2 people found this helpful
Lass –
Grinds well but beans hopper is awkward
Happy with how it grinds and its solid construction. Not overly noisy and it looks good, too. I’d give it 5 stars for the price if not for a minor annoyance. The soft rubber gasket between beans hopper and grinder blade seems like an afterthought fix to properly feed beans. It pops off whenever the beans hopper is removed and, while not difficult, it would ideally be a bit easier to reinstall.
One person found this helpful
rg –
Nice grinder, does a good job for the price.
Nice grinder, does a good job for the price. It does leave beind coffee grinds underneath the grind bin though so you will probably need to clean it everytime you use it if you like a neat counter top. The amount can vary from almost none to a noticable amount. I’ve had this grinder for several years, so can’t complain about the build quality.
Amazon Customer –
Good Grinder
I have put about 20 lbs of coffee beans through it so far. I like the range of grinds. The only thing missing is a timer.
isosaf –
Very nice grinder – still going over 7 years!
Update: I still love this grinder. It’s still grinding perfectly after 7 years of daily use. Besides regular cleaning, the only maintenance has been to replace the ring burr holder once. The manufacture’s site has them readily available for a few bucks. I teamed up with two friends who also own Baratza grinders bought two holders for each of us…to have a spare if needed down the road. Should anything more serious fail, Baratza sells user-replacable parts from motors to control boards, burrs, knobs, hoppers, etc. They even sell colored trim kits to dress it up a bit (I prefer all black). It feels good to buy quality products.I love this grinder. It’s been involved in my daily caffeine fix for nearly two years now. I had read that this is the best entry-level model for a true burr grinder, and I have to agree. I had considered several other models in the price range and I have no regrets choosing this one.One of the main reasons I chose Baratza in general is because of the support. If an internal part should fail, I can get a replacement part from Baratza. Few other brands offer parts…if they break, you toss it and buy a whole new unit.That said, it is sturdy and very well built. I cannot imagine ever having to buy parts. But then I’ve heard folks tell of rocks in the coffee beans. If a rock should damage the burrs, gears, whatever, I know I can fix it instead of tossing it in the landfill.
One person found this helpful
dcmason –
Top quality grinder
I own two of these because I split time between two different locations. It seems the trend in modern production and manufacturing is that products do not improve over time. It seems they do the opposite as manufacturers cut quality over time to keep costs down.I have to say this product defies that perception. If you compare the EXCELLENT grinder I purchased in 2017 to the one I purchased in 2023, you will find the 2023 grinder to be the superior product in a number of small, but significant ways. The 2023 model uses a different bin that is resistant to the static electricity build up that catches grounds and dust in annoying way that the 2017 model’s bin was known for. The 2023 model makes less of a mess. The 2023 model is quieter. And, it could be my imagination (hard to tell because the grinders are in separate hemispheres) but I think the 2023 produces a more consistent grind. Kudos to the manufacturer for making something better over time.Regardless, this is the best motorized grinder I’ve owned in over 13 years of grinding my own coffee: fast, easy, consistent, easy to clean, minimal mess. Totally worth it.
One person found this helpful
Jeff A –
I love this thing!
I was looking to replace my old burr coffee grinder and followed the product reviews. I landed on the Encore Grinder even though it was a bit more expensive. I bit the bullet and bought it and after a month on owning it, I’m very satisfied with my purchase. The grind is very consistant with its 40 settings makes it possible to find your particular grind. What impressed me the most was the lack of static electricity in its plastic bin. My previous burr grinder was such that I needed to leave it after the grind or risk a small explosion of coffee. Yes, it takes a little longer to grind and there is no auto shut-off, but I don’t mind standing there for a minute to smell the aroma. I opted for the baffle which helps to blow the remaining particles into the bin. I have yet to clean it, but I’m guessing it’s as easy as they say. If you’re like me, not someone who needs to spend top dollar on your daily grind, you would be happy with this device. The company offers parts and Customer Service, so win-win. Buy it!! You won’t be sorry. I’m not
One person found this helpful
Rognvaldr –
Unbeatable engineering of unbelievably even grind, and a motor that purrs like a jaguar.
I’m a coffee snob. No mainline, green goblin, black tar, or snarky barista coffee for me. Single origin, roasted to perfection, nectar of the gods coffee from my Porsche designed drip machine pumping out black gold juiced hot with 1,500 watts of power into a pot thick enough to crush walnuts.No brag. Just fact.I confabbed with the gods of java who run a string of coffee huts in the shadow a certain Space Needle and land of Seahawks.BARATZA! A great bean must have a great grind. They are deliciously correct. (I never doubted it.)These purveyors of the brown bean search, discover, roast, and freight beans for my family and I’s morning bliss in the form of whole beans for grinding. Now, another elevation by using the Baratza to grind said beans. WOW!You can do your own research as to why this machine is far, far the best.My note to my coffee purveyors: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed both your single origin and blend coffees every morning for years and always believed there are none better. Until I did the homework, followed your advice, and used the Baratza finding what a difference a well engineered grinder makes in taste..I can’t express enough gratitude for your advice ultimately elevating my wife, my daughter, and I into the stratosphere of divine coffee bliss grinding with a Baratza. In the past, in my search for a better grinder, the grind and ultimately coffee taste differences among the big name grinders were insignificant. The consistency of grind from the Baratza, the satisfying low growl of the motor somewhat akin to a jaguar, and the taste is far, far superior to each and every one of those I tried. My search for the perfect grinder is done. Thank you!I believe my coffee purveyor just roasted my next batch of beans. I can’t wait for them to arrive! Seems the family and I are drinking more coffee, I unexpectedly ran out.
2 people found this helpful
Melody L. OBrien –
The product itself hasn’t been used a lot.
This is a Christmas present so it hasn’t been used yet. Package came quickly and the box is in tact.
Mad Jasper –
Extraordinarily versatile
Although it looks like it could be a complicated machine it’s not. It’s so easy to use a child could do it. With 40 different grind settings you get a quality grind every time. Your grind is ready in no time. There is very little static and virtually no mess. As I previously said, with 40 buffet grind settings you can adjust the coarseness of your grind to taste.
MTJC –
Highly recommend this coffee grinder
Read whole review:Got this grinder and had a hick up right away with it. Ended up getting the grind burr ring stuck. Could not get it out. Ended up contacting Baratza directly. Awesome customer service! Emailed them and they got back to me same day and we started troubleshooting. In the end I took the whole grinder apart to get the burr ring out. Found out I had installed correctly but ended up turning it somehow and it jammed. The ring burr was goofed up but still worked once I installed it. Still, Baratza sent me a new ring burr free of charge and shipping which was very cool since it was my fault for the mess up. Now that everything is correct on, I have been grinding coffee everyday for a month. Been getting consistent grinds for my brewing style and am very happy with it. Lots of coffee grind selections so you can hone your grind to what you want. It is a tad noisy, but your grinding coffee beans which I don’t think you can do quietly. I have put lines with a sharpie on my hopper for the amounts of coffee I want for different brews. The one thing that is kind of annoying but doesn’t really bother me is that after grinding there is a bunch of chaff. I tap the sides of the grinder after grinding to knock it down from the burrs and then remove the hopper. There is still some left where the hopper inserts and so when I put hopper back in it pushes it out onto the counter. So I juts have to wipe that up. It is just something that all grinders deal with in some way. So don’t get hung up on that like some of the other reviews are. Highly recommend this grinder.
MB2021 –
Bought this over ten years ago
Bought over ten years ago. Probably from Amazon. I like the machine and have found it to be reliable. I clean it maybe every six months. In a morning daze I have even poured 16 oz. of water into the machine. After drying out it continues to work as expected. I wish I could get a finer grind. I do not make espresso at home but want a finer grind so I can get a stronger cup of coffee.
Evenstar40 –
Best entry level grinder
Best coffee grinder. Having tested others, such as the Cuisinart one, I can confidently say this one is the best entry grinder. While there may be others with more bells and whistles, this one is simple to operate and consistent in its grind. Yes, it makes noise, what did you expect? It’s grinding coffee!
JGS –
Solid performance
This is my first burr grinder. They are not cheap but I am very happy with the quality of the machine.I look forward to years of use.
David Lyman –
One of the best home sized burr coffee grinders.
I’ve had this coffee grinder for at least 12 years. I just replaced it since I took mine apart for cleaning and could not get the hopper re-seated. After buying a new one, I took the old one to a place that repairs vacumn cleaners and small appliances and they took it and it was fixed in less than 5 minutes, no charge. I gave it to my daughter. Still works beautifully. The burr grinder is best if one loves good coffee. Very well made.
Ronald EpsteinRonald Epstein –
My first Baratza!
This was a step-down purchase for me. For the past 10 or more years I have owned a Rancilio Rocky grinder which costs about 3x more than the Baratza Encore. And in hindsight, it was a stupidly expensive purchase as I never made Expresso or specialty coffees. I just wanted one of the best grinders and at the time I had the financial means to splurge.Now that I am retired, I am a lot more conservative with my spending. That expensive Rancilio grinder finally died and it was time to look for a replacement. The idea here was to find the best bang-for-the-buckgrinder at a price point of under $200. I spent days doing research and found that Barista Encore was constantly rated as the best in class for what I wanted to spend. I placed my order on Amazon and then spent time watching setup videos on YouTube.I had a bit of a rough start. When I unpacked my brand-new Encore I was shocked to find that the gasket included looked nothing like the one I had seen in countless videos and setup guides. Even the included instruction book showed a completely different gasket than the one I received. I panicked. I thought that Baratza made a manufacturing mistake. I placed a phone call to customer service and found that their phones were shut down due to overwhelming demand. So, I fired off an email thinking it would be days before I got a response. Within 15 minutes, a customer service representative emailed me back saying that the company had recently updated their gasket for this model and was unable to include new documentation for it in recent shipments.So, let me just stop here and say that I was extremely impressed by the customer service response. When they were overwhelmed on the phones, they at least had someone watching email inquiries and making certain responses went out within minutes of being contacted.So, let me start with the gasket. For me, after watching all the setup videos, it was the one aspect of putting this Encore together that I was concerned about. The old gasket was cumbersome to align. It was a very smart thing for Barasta to upgrade the gasket. Now, it’s considerably smaller, and you can simply plop it into the burr grinder without any difficulty. There are new videos online explaining how to do it, but I can save you time by saying you need to insert the thick end of the gasket into the grinder before installing the hopper.So, to address the most common questions…1. Is it noisy? Yeah, somewhat, but I’m used to it. It’s less noisy than the industrial Rancilio Rocky it replaced. And, I can’t fathom any coffee grinder that is not going to make a considerable amount of noise.2. Does it leave grinds everywhere? Yes, it does leave traces of grinds in the holder and along the lip of the ground coffee bin. Is it a big deal? No. It’s the nature of these grinders. I have a small handheld vacuum to deal with it. A cheap coffee brush is another way to take care of the cleanup. It’s minor, to say the least.There is a great accessory you can buy on Amazon for under $14 that will eliminate trace grounds. Look for AIEVE Upgrade Single Dose Hopper. It’s a must-buy accessory for your Encore.3. Is it difficult to clean? Not that I can see. The burr grinder is very easy to remove. There is an included brush for cleaning. Every few months I am going to throw in some cleaning tabs and grind it through. I also don’t recommend using this grinder for flavored or shiny beans. They tend to leave a lot of gunky residues. If I want flavored coffee, I buy it already ground.4. Is the power cord too thick? I only bring this question up as it’s one of those things I read complaints about in review after review. No, it’s not. It’s the same as my Rancilio Rocky which is considerably thicker than what you would find on a toaster or electric can opener, which is to be expected.5. Is the build quality cheap? While there is a lot more plastic here than I would want to see, from the online videos I have watched, experts believe that the Encore is made of solid materials and built to last for many years. In fact, if you go through a pound of coffee a week, and clean as recommended, the estimated life of this device is 10 years before you need to start replacing anything.From the research I have done, apparently what makes Barasta grinders so popular is that all their parts are serviceable. They are supposed to be very easy to clean and maintain. The company has a library of diagrams that help you navigate their machines.My first grind and cup of coffee were memorable.With some research, I found the perfect grind setting for my Technivorm Moccamaster. That coffee maker requires a more coarse grind so I set my Encore at “20” and poured my beans into the hopper. It is suggested to have the hopper running when you pour your beans in so you are not grinding from a dead stop (which is not good for the blade). I found the resulting grind to be very uniform in appearance.The coffee the grind produced was spectacular. I think I had been using the wrong setting on the Rancilio Rocky for years, grinding my beans slightly more finely (which you want to do with drip coffee makers). This more coarse grind setting produced a more flavorful cup of coffee. I was delighted.The Encore is for most enthusiasts who aren’t looking for Expresso grinds. It’s the best entry-level conical grinder for anyone that doesn’t want something cheap or wants to spend a fortune on a device like this. And to say “entry-level” isn’t even fair. There are coffee shops that use these grinders, from what I understand. This brand has been a staple in the coffee community for decades. It has a reputation for being the best in its class.So, I promise to keep using this every day and if it doesn’t live up to my expectations, I will update this review regularly and keep everyone aware. For the moment, I am delighted to own this product. If my first cup of coffee is any indication of where things are going, I think we are going to make beautiful java together.
418 people found this helpful
Mike –
Great customer service!
6 years later and this grinder is still working great. Recently I noticed the grind was not as fine and contacted customer service. They replied within an hour with detailed instructions on how to check the unit. Last time I cleaned the unit I put it together incorrectly. I had the burr holder and adjustment ring incorrectly aligned with the red tab of the burr holder. Info from customer service had the grind fixed with no new parts needed but they have them if you need to fix the machine, no need to buy a new grinder
One person found this helpful
George –
Taking this to the grave with me.
Hi, my name is …. and I am a coffee addict. I can’t image living without a bag of coffee, this grinder and the coffee maker. If the world is coming to an end you’ll see me packing this machine and my coffee maker in a suitcase then heading for the hills.
bah –
Love this grinder!
My morning coffee is much better now that I have this powerful grinder to prepare my fresh beans. It is compact enough to fit on my coffee bar with my kettle and scale. It is somewhat loud, but that’s to be expected with a powerful grinder. Previously I had a hand grinder that did the job but took much longer and was hard on the joints in my hands. This grinder saves me from that and prepares a highly adjustable grind size that helps me have a great cup of coffee. The drawer size is perfect for my needs and comes out for easy cleaning. The only drawback is that it’s fairly tricky to set up when you first unbox it. There is a silicone or rubber gasket that must be placed EXACTLY right for it to work, and that’s the hardest part. It took me several frustrated attempts before I got it on.
One person found this helpful
M. Wright –
It’s fine, but my next one will obviously have to cost more $$$
The Baratza Encore is an upgrade from the two OXO’s I went through (the replacement died faster than the original), but still has some real problems. I’m happy it can handle oily beans. The OXO could not. I’m happy after 9 months the grind is still strong and consistent. I haven’t had to pick it up and shake it while grinding once, whereas the OXO lifting and shaking was practically part of its operating instructions. I don’t expect it to last, based on other reviews here, but I plan on continuing to clean it regularly and will hope for the best.The Problems:1. Messy. The reservoir doesn’t fit all that well so it makes a mess as it collects the grounds. Even if I hold it in place during grinding, even if I clean it out before and after, coffee grounds by the teaspoon fall out on the counter.2. Manual. No timer of any sort, just an on and off switch or hold the grind button.3. Cheap in inexplicable places. The lid to the hopper doesn’t fit either. The vibrations from grinding pop it off all the time.So, it’s an improvement in this general price point, but if this isn’t your first burr grinder and you want a really good one, this ain’t it.
7 people found this helpful
Peter C –
Initial impression is very positive
I have only had this for a few days but my initial impression is very positive. Construction and materials seem good. Initial setup was straightforward and went well. Controls are minimal and work as intended. Packaging was excellent and the grinder was well protected from rough handling during shipping.I replaced my failed Bodum Bistro and the Encore does not have a timer whereas the Bistro does. I thought I might miss the timer and almost went with a different grinder that has one but it turns out it’s not a big deal. I just figured out how long it needs to run to get the correct amount for a French press worth of grounds, run it for that time, and turn it off. Depending on the size of your press it’s probably in the 5 to 10 second range and I really don’t have a problem standing there letting it grind for that little time. I guess you could grind more than needed and leave grounds in the hopper but I prefer to grind the amount needed and have fresh grounds every time I use my press.Baratza has parts available for the Encore in case something eventually wears out and has to be replaced. I like that because even though it’s not a super expensive appliance I would prefer to repair/maintain an item like this than just throw it out and replace it when something goes wrong. That’s what happened with my Bodum.The grind quality is superior to my Bodum Bistro. The main difference I saw immediately is less fines making their way through the sieve on my press. Between having a timer and having the kind of perfect, consistent grind I am seeing with the Encore I will take the grind quality. A timer just isn’t that big of a deal for me.Overall I’m very happy with the Encore but if something goes wrong I will update the review. If I get a reasonable amount of use out of it and it keeps performing as it has so far this is a five star grinder.
flcnplt –
The coffe lovers in my family like this.
Since I don’t drink coffee I can only speak to what I serve to family and guest. This unit does a wonderful job of grinding coffee, the only downside it is noiser than other units I have tried. When I use it I leave the kitchen while it grinds.
Capt Cbass –
Great value, entry-level burr grinder
Is this grinder for you? If you know a best practice is to grind the beans right before brewing, yes. If you know that blade grinders will just output an inconsistent mess of coffee grounds, yes, you MUST have a burr grinder.But why get a Baratza, instead of one of the sub-$100 offerings from, say, Mr. Coffee? “Those are burr grinders too” I thought. And while that’s true, it seems that any grinder that costs less than the Baratza Encore is not worth the money. They will still yield too many mixtures of small and large grounds, which makes for an inconsistent brew. The Encore is the most inexpensive grinder you can buy, and still get a consistent grind.If you’re reading this, you’ve probably done a bit of research on coffee grinders (as I did before buying this). You’re ready to take your home coffee brewing up a notch. At the same time, do you really need a $500 grinder? Of course you get what you pay for, but at this stage, you probably want to get started with something that delivers a consistent grind at a minimal cost. In my opinion, that’s what the Encore is.I primarily brew drip coffee (in a Technivorm), and occasionally I will do a French press. I’m not sure how well this will perform for an espresso grind (since I don’t yet own an espresso machine), but some video review at SCG show that it does the job.NOTE: When you first get this grinder, it may have a bit of oxidation on the burrs. I was told by Baratza this is normal (even sent them a photo), and if you run about a half pound of beans through, it should clear it up a bit. You need to run some beans through anyway when you first get a grinder, so not a big issue. Just don’t waste your really good beans on the initial run through!Overall, very satisfied with this product, and their customer support is great! So why not a perfect 5 stars? Maybe I’m a bit picky, but the bean hopper feels a bit flimsy to me, and the lid doesn’t feel very secure on the top- certainly not airtight. Of course, those 2 things do not affect the grind in any way, but I think the Mr. Coffee burr grinder actually had a more solid feeling bean hopper.If you want to step up your game by grinding before you brew, but don’t have hundreds to spend, give the Encore a try. You’ll enjoy it.
2 people found this helpful
Zabir KhanZabir Khan –
5 years of ownership and still going
I’am by no means a coffee expert. What I will say is I’ve owned this grinder for now (2/5/25) 5 years. I’ve traveled with it, I’ve used it French press and brew shots of espresso 2/3 of every month since purchase: and it ALWAYS works.
Peter A –
A timer is the only missing feature
Pros:- Low noise level compared to my previous conical burr grinder which this one replaced. I don’t feel like I have to worry about waking the baby when I use this- Plentiful grind settings from very fine to coarse. Note: I have not tried grinding for espresso though it claims to be able to do this. There are probably about 5-10 settings that would be in the “espresso” range and that may not be a fine enough adjustment to dial in your shots. I have used this for Aeropress and French Press brews and it works very well for that. I have a separate espresso machine with grinder so I did not purchase this for that purpose. That said, I was impressed to see that it could grind finer than I was expecting so perhaps it would work for espresso.- Low static, no mess, easy cleanup.Con:- Doesn’t have a timer or any kind of auto-shutoff feature – only turns “on” and “off” manually. This is the only thing that I wish I could add to this. You definitely need to use this with a scale and periodically stop and measure to see if you have ground enough. But assuming you’re someone who weighs your beans before/after grinding don’t let that stop you from considering this purchase.
ThomasH –
This grinder really rocks.
It is a deceptively simple no thrills device. But the I have to say regarding the burr : Baratza really made an excellent burr component which delivers great fine grinds, down to fine espresso powder like grinds. Compared to my now dead Krups, this burr really makes me feel that I do not need to grind espresso at the coffee store. My settings are: Drip coffee level 14, and Espresso level 8. Noise level is acceptable, and the motor does not spin up when the coffee beans have been ground. That was the issue which I had with the Krups models.The only issue which I hope Baratza would address is the visibility inside the grounds bin. I finally discovered that by looking side-wards against a bright background I can see how much is already in the bin.Note that this device comes with several lose components, which have to be put together. Welcome to a Lego-Project. The description is erratic at best, and it made me guess at several points what do they mean by ‘that’. Some components have now additional markings on them, not mentioned in the description and simplifying the assembly. The hardest step is (4) : placing of the gasket, which even contains a warning to be careful and not to tear it. Great… The last step is also somewhat difficult to follow, and even has a paragraph in bold: “If Step 5 does not work well: ..etc.” with a convoluted explanations about what to do with adjustment ring and adjustment ring tabs, and once that is done, to go back to step 3. Anyways, if you manage it, you will deserve the coffee, and a Baratza Bachelor Degree diploma.
One person found this helpful
4591Michael –
Better that an entry level grinder if you ask me!
UPDATE / July 2018 the motor stopped. Cleaned out and it eventually came back on for about ten grinds then stopped again, no sound, no grind. Could be electrical. My decision is if it’s worth repair cost plus shipping to repair and back. My guess is probably not, My guess is repair will be at least half the cost of a new unit. I have an older cheap-o grinder to get me through. I’ll probably go through trouble shooting for obvious defects and fix if I can. I use it once per day. *** So, I contacted customer service, received a fast response and a test to perform on unit, they came to the conclusion that the motor itself has gone bad prematurely and have shipped me a new motor to install, along with instructions on how to do it. They have a trouble shooting section on their web site and many quality videos on youtube. I’m really pleasantly surprised and delighted with their amazing support!I admit the grinder arrived today, October 2016, but I’ve ground 5 times so far. The instructions are not adequate to assemble. But there are videos on YouTube that explain and show how to place the burr, the rubber gasket and the hopper correctly. Solid device, heavy, steel burrs but the motor is strong so that it can grind slow to reduce heating of steel. With the catch bin removed there is a button to drop grind directly into the basket. I bought cheap beans at Walmart at $3.80 for one pound to clean burrs before using expensive beansMy concern was, does this do fine grind for espresso and I’m now certain is does that fine and more.The finest grind I swear can do Turkish coffee! I tried the finest setting for espresso but it was so fine the water couldn’t push through the grind! Tomorrow I will try a setting of 8 which two others suggested and use the pinch test before grinding a batch.I did run across an article which referred to Pinch Test for espresso grind, pinch grind between thumb and forefinger very tight, if the grinds comes apart after releasing pinch too coarse, if all grind sticks together then too fine, you want the center only to clump tight together and outer edges loose for best espresso grind.There are option’s, one option you can buy is a timer, and another is a stand to replace catch bin, which holds the filter basket to catch grind directly into. You can grind just what you need per cup and not have ground up beans sitting in the catch bin a few days. Fresh grind daily!I’ve read several complaints about static and the catch bin and a dusty mess, I saw no indication of that. I have a $50 grinder and yes it know what this looks like, and the Baratza Encore, no dust, very clean, almost no dust left in catch bin after dumping and nothing behind catch bin.To assemble, please go to YouTube to review video, […]If you do this correctly you will have ultra fine grind, if you don’t you’ll get half the range the machine is capable of, view video twice!I paid full price for my grinder, this is a completely neutral review.
7 people found this helpful
Misha –
More complicated to put together than my previous burr grinder, but daily use is quick and easy
I really did have to look carefully at the assembly diagram and read the instructions to get this put together proprtly, Once that was done it’s been making great coffee for my french press with little effort on my part Then I’ll try the finer grind needed for my aeropress. I hope the results with that will be more consistant with this one than with the old grinder
War2d2 –
Makes great coffee, and also a big mess
Makes wonderful coffee. So if your only concern is whether or not it’ll improve the quality of your morning cup of coffee, then you have nothing to worry about. It noticeably improved the flavor and quality.I wound up taking off a star because it makes an unholy mess of my counter every morning. The receptacle that catches the grinds is plastic, and as a result is loaded up with static electricity when it runs. So when you try to empty the grinds out the static makes them stick to the rim of the receptacle and they wind up all over the counter. Plus, no matter how much you shake the grinder before pulling out the receptacle there is still a bunch of grinds left in the chute, and they all dump out all over the counter as well when you pull it out. Cleanup is a huge pain as a result, and annoying enough to lose a star.But the coffee tastes great!
max groove –
Good balance between price and performance. Loud, messy but a big improvement to hand grind
My daily driver was Chemex with a Hario hand grinder for years. It grew cumbersome having to hand grind in batches to make three 12-16oz mugs of coffee. This grinder produces a significantly better and more consistent grind which noticeably improve my coffee. It also is very easy to adjust grind size which is useful if you get a new type of coffee and it comes out to thin or rich. Its pretty loud and messy (not sure if thats all grinders) which is annoying but I think the price to performance is solid
One person found this helpful
martina martinmartina martin –
Good grinder. A bit slow.
This is a good next level grinder. I would describe it as. Prosumer. Very consistent grind . A bit slow. The one feature that needs a fix is that there is no light in the area that allows you to see the volume of grinds in the cup. Tape in a piece of white paper behind it and you can see.
Alejandro R. –
Un buen Producto para la casa
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee GrinderIn the world of coffee enthusiasts, a great cup of joe starts with freshly ground beans. That’s where the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder comes in. This sleek and reliable grinder is a favorite among coffee aficionados for its exceptional performance and user-friendly features. In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into the details of the Baratza Encore and explore why it has become a go-to choice for coffee lovers seeking the perfect grind.Design and Build QualityThe Baratza Encore features a stylish design with its sleek black exterior. It’s a compact and well-built grinder that fits seamlessly into any kitchen countertop. The sturdy construction ensures durability, while the intuitive controls make it easy to use even for beginners. The hopper has a generous capacity of 8 ounces, allowing you to grind enough coffee for several cups in one go. Overall, the design and build quality of the Baratza Encore receive top marks.Precision Grinding for Superior FlavorWhen it comes to grinding coffee beans, precision is key. The Baratza Encore utilizes a conical burr system that delivers consistent and uniform grind size, resulting in a flavorful and balanced extraction. The 40mm hardened steel burrs are engineered to provide optimal grind performance, whether you prefer a fine espresso grind or a coarser setting for your French press. With 40 different grind settings, the Baratza Encore offers a level of versatility that caters to various brewing methods.User-Friendly FeaturesOne of the standout features of the Baratza Encore is its user-friendly interface. The front-mounted pulse button allows for easy grinding on-demand, while the simple on/off switch ensures hassle-free operation. The grinder also incorporates a convenient grind time dial, which lets you adjust the duration of the grind to suit your preferences. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or a casual brewer, the Baratza Encore makes the grinding process a breeze.Easy to Clean and MaintainCleaning a coffee grinder can be a daunting task, but not with the Baratza Encore. The removable burrs and hopper make it easy to access the grinding chamber and clean out any residual grounds. The grinder also comes with a cleaning brush to assist in removing trapped coffee particles. Regular maintenance is a breeze, and Baratza provides excellent customer support for any troubleshooting or replacement parts you may need.Operation and DurabilityNobody wants to wake up the whole household while grinding their morning coffee. The Baratza Encore operates quite quietly, allowing you to enjoy a peaceful brewing experience. The high-quality materials used in its construction ensure longevity and durability, making it a reliable companion for your coffee journey for years to come.ConclusionThe Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder (Black) is a top-tier choice for anyone serious about their coffee. With its precise grinding capabilities, user-friendly features, and durable build quality, it consistently delivers exceptional results. Whether you’re a passionate home barista or a casual coffee lover, the Baratza Encore will be a great option for you
2 people found this helpful
QuakerQuaker –
Disappointed by clogging but great customer support.
I’m updating my review.First impression was mixed. It was practically new when it stopped grinding properly. The beans just hopped around in the feeder.These two photos are a screen shot of the Baratza troubleshooting video, which encourages you to take the grinder apart and stick a spare allen wrench into the innards to clear clogs, and a page from the written troubleshooting guide suggesting tools around the house you might use. It’s notable that the manufacturer has posted written instructions as well as a 13-minute video about this clogging problem, and they literally recommend scrounging around your house for bent wires, paper clips, or a spare allen wrench to take the thing apart and poke and prod and shove things through the innards of the grinder to get it unjammed.I did have a clog, and after spending a half hour unjamming it and making quite a mess, it turned out that this wasn’t my only problem. I had a broken “paddlewheel.”Now for the GOOD: Baratza customer support is outstanding. According to Baratza: “Typically the paddlewheel stays intact for years, however if there is a severe clog, there will be considerable stress on the paddlewheel and it can break prematurely. Clogging is usually caused by overfilling the grounds bin, but can also occur by residual oils left behind by darker roasted coffees, or by grinding frozen coffee.” They shipped me a replacement unit.If that one fails, I’ll drop my rating, but for now I give it 4 stars for great customer support.
4 people found this helpful
sailor –
quit working 3 months after purchase; found the fix with some effort
it worked well. Then one day it wouldn’t grind. Support phone number is “not taking calls”. For $150 +tax, that’s a very expensive 3 month grinder. I thought it was now garbage. My husband wanted to fix it. The one-sheet “manual” had no maintenance or troubleshooting information, After taking some pieces apart and cleaning without success, my husband found a YouTube, apparently by someone in the company, on how to clear the “chute” down which the ground coffee goes. If that gets plugged (happens especially if you let the hopper fill too much) the beans won’t grind because there’s no where for them to go. So now our grinder seems to be working.What we don’t understand is why can’t this information be provided in the manual. Why make us go hunting on YouTube or worse, throwing the product out (oh, I see, more sales). Baratza, provide a more helpful brochure, even if you just direct people to videos that help us troubleshoot.
3 people found this helpful
Dude from Western WA –
Baratza has an all too rare stand-up business model that’s made me a customer and advocate for life.
Excellent grinder that omits all of the fluff and fancy extras that all of the other companies include in a badly designed low quality manner that inevitably fail immediately followed by the disposable product being trashed. Instead they made this grinder like that 1970 zenith tv, 50’s craftsman tools and GE refrigerator that are still working good as new for uncle Jimbo. Just buy it unless you want to and can afford serious money for a luxury or industrial option. Or if you need a dedicated espresso grinder because the encore does it well enough for me but knowledgeable people tell me that it blows away anything else in the price range but can’t do everything and only just gets there for espresso. IMPORTANT DETAILS: it will leave a dusting of grinds…. like anyone who’s ever worked with coffee knows is unavoidable. More important is they provide exhaustive support. Go to baratza.com and they’re videos detailing everything from cleaning to replacing every single part of the machine if necessary. They build them to be serviced and I looked at what replacement parts cost and they pretty much give them at cost. I couldn’t believe the non-gouged prices. I didn’t check shipping cost because I probably won’t actually need any parts for another ten years or so.
MTJC –
Highly recommend this coffee grinder
Read whole review:Got this grinder and had a hick up right away with it. Ended up getting the grind burr ring stuck. Could not get it out. Ended up contacting Baratza directly. Awesome customer service! Emailed them and they got back to me same day and we started troubleshooting. In the end I took the whole grinder apart to get the burr ring out. Found out I had installed correctly but ended up turning it somehow and it jammed. The ring burr was goofed up but still worked once I installed it. Still, Baratza sent me a new ring burr free of charge and shipping which was very cool since it was my fault for the mess up. Now that everything is correct on, I have been grinding coffee everyday for a month. Been getting consistent grinds for my brewing style and am very happy with it. Lots of coffee grind selections so you can hone your grind to what you want. It is a tad noisy, but your grinding coffee beans which I don’t think you can do quietly. I have put lines with a sharpie on my hopper for the amounts of coffee I want for different brews. The one thing that is kind of annoying but doesn’t really bother me is that after grinding there is a bunch of chaff. I tap the sides of the grinder after grinding to knock it down from the burrs and then remove the hopper. There is still some left where the hopper inserts and so when I put hopper back in it pushes it out onto the counter. So I juts have to wipe that up. It is just something that all grinders deal with in some way. So don’t get hung up on that like some of the other reviews are. Highly recommend this grinder.
Matt –
Can’t imagine better for the price
For the price, I don’t think it gets better. It’s a little noisy, it makes some dust, and the grind consistency is obviously not coffee house standard, but it contributes to a delicious cup of coffee at home. I use it every day, and it seems to shine with single origin beans.
Amazon Customer –
Excellent grind results for the price
Baratza makes a very affordable grinder and offers replacement parts at a very fair price and has a whole set of tutorial videos on YT for cleaning, clearing clogs, repairing, etc.It comes with a brush that you will be using all the time to clean it, maintain it, and even repair it. This brush is your best friend.The grind results of the Encore are quite good. It is good enough for everything from espresso to drip grinds. It maybe isn’t quite up to the task of grinding a lot of espresso because it’s relatively slow and doesn’t offer a lot of grind options for finer grinds.It can clog easily with find grinds, especially with a dark roast. but following the online videos will get you up and going in several minutes.If you’re looking for a faster machine with more grind settings, the ESP is also a good choice, and it is easier to clean than original Encore model.For those of you that still use an AeroPress. The Baratza Encore can do that perfect medium-fine grind size for AeroPress. Finer than you’d get from the pre-ground drip coffee, but coarser than you’d use for espresso. Once you find settings you like, make a note of the grind number on your phone and you’ll always be ready to run a cup of beans through it for that perfect brew!This thing blows away the cheap grinder I used to use (Cuisinart). For starters I burnt up the motor in the Cuisinart when it clogged and no repair was possible. It was a waste to just throw it away. With Baratza you’re getting a much sturdier appliance and you should be able to keep it running for many many years. You are more likely to give it away to your children when you replace it with a higher end grinder than have to give up on it.
3 people found this helpful
Troy Folmer –
Such a steal, just buy it.
amazing grinder. I use french press exclusively and the adjustability on the coarse side is insane – you can set it to basically split beans in half if you feel like it. Sound is very quiet compared to those in the 60 dollar class and doesn’t sound like a vacuum. I pour in my beans as single servings so after all beans are ground I will rock the machine gently back and forth on its feet while letting the burs continue to spin to get any extra grounds out of the chamber. Average loss from grinding is 1 gram when using 36 gram batches. Cleanup is very simple at the functional level (have not bothered with a deep clean), just take the hopper out, hold the machine over the trash, and use the included brush to flush out the canal. Grind consistency is very good, with few fines making it through at french press grind sizes. 10/10 would recommend, and I honestly doubt that spending 2 to 3 times as much on a “better” grinder would be worth it to you unless you have a really refined palate or have some commercial need.
One person found this helpful
bragi –
Meh
This coffee grinder works extremely well: it’s easy to use, grinds very consistently, doesn’t jam, isn’t that hard to clean, and makes really good coffee. It’s a great product and I absolutely do not regret my purchase. However, it doesn’t create a cup of coffee that’s very much better than what I got from my old $30 Krups blade grinder that I had been using for 15 years before I bought this. The Baratza grinds way more consistently than what a blade grinder can possibly manage, and I fully intend to keep using it, but if you’re on a tight budget and are willing to pay close attention while you’re grinding, you can get a great cup of coffee with a blade grinder for a lot less money.
Amazon Customer –
I own THREE of these.
This burr grinder has replaced my Rancilio Rocky, which is/was a heavy, durable, expensive piece of junk.I’m not a coffee snob, but I HAVE to have my espresso first thing. This is up to the task and a third of the price of the Rocky. Buy this one and it will buy you a few years to know exactly what you expect from a coffee grinder and how much it is worth to you. BTW, I did buy the first one 10 yrs ago and it was half the price of my most recent purchase. Still a bargain that has served me well.
Jeffrey S. Abelson –
Does what it’s built to do!
I love my coffee, but I’m not a coffee nut (it’s just a cuppa), but this grinder has elevated my morning coffee, that and a little knowledge of brewing (James Hoffman) and a good coffee maker (Breville Precision Brewer) and you’re getting a great cup of coffee.
Jenna Castellanos –
Great bang-for-the-buck coffee grinder. Great company
I like freshly ground coffee. I do not like grinding coffee beans. This machine won’t give you espresso or the cleanest cup, but it will give you a pretty good cup of filter coffee. This machine is a bit loud and it can get grounds everywhere. Give the machine a few taps when done grinding to knock grounds out. It’s due to static electricity buildup and not a flaw in the grinder.On to long-term ownership. It’s very easy to clean. It’s also easy to open for repairs or modifications. I also recently had an experience with Baratza’s customer service, and they are fantastic. My original grinder was severely damaged after a rock made its way into the burrs. Bratza replaced it free of charge outside of warranty even though I was ready and willing to pay for repairs (I know I can order parts, but I am unable to do the repairs myself). Thanks! I’m going to keep buying stuff from Baratza.
One person found this helpful
River –
Finally, a Grinder that Grinds
I started years and years ago with a blade grinder – various brands. A few months ago I purchased a hand burr grinder and it does a great job – if I feel like grinding. I didn’t always want to grind by hand so I purchased an inexpensive electric burr grinder that had very good reviews. It was a terrible grinder and would usually have me cursing while drinking my coffee. I use the pour over method and need a fine grind. That thing couldn’t do it. Then it just up and died after about 3 months.So, I determined that I needed to spend more money if I want good coffee. I chose this model based again on the good reviews. Let me tell you – I am one happy coffee drinker. My coffee is very important to me. I live in a small town in Arizona but have found a great coffee in Idaho Springs, CO so I order online. It is expensive but with this new grinder – it is so well worth it. Every little tiny grind is the same size as the next. It is extremely easy to use also! I just measure the beans I want for one cup, dump them in the hopper and push the button. I get a perfect grind every time. (I am enjoying a cup as I write)No more coffee grounds flying around the kitchen either. I cannot find one thing about this grinder that I don’t like. It is a bit noisy but not enough to be a problem. It is easy to clean and comes with excellent instructions. It is tall but still fits under my cabinets using a very small footprint.If you are on the fence – go for it! You will not be disappointed!
One person found this helpful
Angel –
Buen molino
Se nota que es un molino bien construido, muele fino como para expreso, el único problema fue que en la descripción del producto dice que funciona a 220 voltios y por eso lo compré, pero cuando llego el producto indicaba en sus especificaciones técnicas que funciona a 110 a 120 voltios; así que tuve que comprar adicionalmente un transformador de voltaje. Me comuniqué con el fabricante y me indicaron que solamente producen este molino para que funcione con ese voltaje. Tener en cuenta
One person found this helpful
joyce –
No More Chaff
I’ve had this for almost 3 years and experienced very few problems. I was irritated by the residual chaff until I found a “hack”. When I lightly mist the beans with water prior to grinding, no chaff!
MCYates –
so far, very good
have had it about two weeks. solid machine, seems well made, adjustable grinds as you would expect. all good!
Charlie Mopps –
Very quite, made the coffee taste better
I’ve autism and got this because it was quieter. It is… it still makes noise, but its more of a low rumble and tolerable. I was surprised to find that my coffee actually tastes better when ground with this. I thought that was hipster nonsense, but it really did make a difference. High quality appliance. Assembly was a bit more complicated than it needed to be.
Uniboob –
Great grinder for drip coffee. 5 years flawless service
I got this grinder back in 2020. I have used it everyday since, almost five years now, to grind coffee for a drip coffee maker. It has function flawlessly, I have no complaints. It may seem expensive at 150-200 dollars but you get something for your money.
Kenneth Leslie –
Updated review
I purchased this unit 8 months ago. For those 8 months it has worked great! I made sure to clean it once every 3-4 weeks, only grind coffee beans, and haven’t abused it in any way. It produced a quality grind that suited all my needs, mostly French Press and the occasional drip. Recently it stopped working. Literally just stopped working in the middle of its grind. After going to their website and using their trouble shooting guide I found that the motor has a bad pole. It is within the warranty period and I am currently talking with the company. I’m pretty realistic and understand that even when we buy a quality product there can, at times, be a defective unit. This is why companies offer warranties. To find these defective units and replace them with quality ones. So, depending on how this turns out I will make sure to update my review accordingly!UPDATE:After speaking with the company I now have a brand new replacement grinder. I e-mailed their support link and received a response within 20 minutes! I provided proof of purchase via an attached PDF and that was it. I had a brand new grinder 3 days later with no charge for shipping. The box included a pre-printed shipping return label which I put my old grinder in and shipped back, again, free of charge. Fast, easy, pleasant. Again, the reality is that this is exactly why a warranty exists. To suss out the units that slip through the cracks. 100% perfection just isn’t going to happen even though we strive for it. So if yours breaks don’t whine and cry like a child. Use the warranty! It’s free, easy, and that is why it’s there!!!The grinder works as stated and at this point I would still call it a quality unit. The grind is excellent between both coarse and fine. Want more coarse or more fine? Then re-calibrate it based on the companies guide that can be found on their website. If you want coarse one day and ultra fine the next then you either need an extremely high end grinder like you’d find in a coffee house or something like this for your coarse and a secondary grinder (this unit, a different unit, a hand-held unit, etc.) set up for fine grind unless you don’t mind the hassle of constantly recalibrating the burrs. If you know enough you know this is true for pretty much any grinder in the above average class like this one.This grinder is absolutely a work horse but still needs to be cleaned and cared for regularly. Want quality coffee and quality grind? Then buy quality equipment and treat it that way. Again. It does exactly as stated and it does it consistently . If the same unit, at the same quality, was given at a better price ($80-$90) I would rate it 5-stars. I don’t regret buying this grinder even once.
5 people found this helpful
Danny T –
Consistent grind. Good quality
This is my first ever conical grinder, and while I can’t tell the difference in my coffee between this and a “spice grinder”, I do like the fact that you can adjust different fineness of the grind. I have used this for french press (coarse), drip (medium), and espresso (with my Bialleti moka express – fine grind) and it works great for all three different levels.I wouldn’t say the container is airtight, but i have a different container for my coffee. It’s not an issue for me.The unit also feels substantial and high quality.Note that the unit is LOUD though.I bought it years ago when it was cheaper ($139). I guess inflation has taken its toll. Having said that, it has been 2 years and it’s still working great. I used to use it 2 -3 times a week, but since October, daily. It may seem expensive to spend $170 on a grinder, but it will last you years and is well worth the money, if you can afford it. I think when I bought it in 2020, it was one of the most recommended units, at a reasonable price.No regrets. If i had to buy one again today, I will buy this one.
2 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Grinder that lasts
I purchased this grinder 5 years ago. It’s perfect for espresso, drip, aeropress, french press etc. I’ve used it for all of these, and never been disappointed. It’s been very easy to find the perfect setting for different grinds. Although I don’t clean it as often as I should, it has never given me a bit of trouble. I’m just now looking to get a new hopper gasket. The original one still works fine, but from trying to move grind settings incorrectly (have grinder ON to turn it when beans are in the hopper) I’ve managed to wear it a bit where it sits in the unit, so getting a backup just in case. I easily found the part on the Baratza website. Also found a portaholder for when making espresso. I don’t expect this grinder to ever wear out on me, and I use it 2-4 times daily, but it’s nice to know the company has every part available if needed, for it to last a lifetime. A real pleasure to find a top notch quality product, built to last, and customer service to back it up.
Stephen Simpson –
Very good, but not life-changing
I think my biggest issue with this grinder is that numerous reviews out there led me to believe that this was going to be an amazing game-changing coffee grinder.It’s not.It’s quite good, very good, but it’s not perfect.You have to do some assembly yourself, which is annoying, and I’m not sure it’s all that much better than a Cuisinart model (Cuisinart Supreme) that’s about $50 cheaper. The shape of this grinder works a little less-well for me; it’s taller than the Cuisinart, so I can’t just put it under my cabinets and use it without moving it around. Also, I’ve noticed that the top piece (which controls the grind size) wants to “wander”, so it has to be reset after every few uses.The grind quality is good, though, and it’s the quietest powered grinder I’ve ever seen or used. I don’t regret buying it, but if I had it all to do over again, I’d probably just buy the Cuisinart Supreme again and save the money.
Marj T –
Excellent grinder
Came carefully packed. Substantial, handsome machine. Needed to grind coffee beans coarsely for French press. Excellent job!
Alexis –
Great quality!!
Waited for this to go on sale as I was a bit hesitant about spending so much on a coffee grinder, but it has been SO worth it. I’m a beginner when it comes to fancier coffee and this has made the transition so much easier and more fun. Being able to use different grind sizes for different types of brewing methods is so useful. It feels and looks high quality and can hold quite a bit of beans (though I don’t recommend using it as storage for coffee beans or overfilling because it can get a bit clogged). It’s not too noisy, it’s a coffee grinder so of course it’s kind of loud but I have a fourth month old baby and it doesn’t wake them up when using it in the room next to them. Great grinder overall.
kavaboy –
Nearly perfect
I fell in love with burr-ground coffee using a manual mill that is a real pain. Happily graduated to this Baratza. The only issue so far is the lack of a timer. I saw this mentioned in other reviews and thought it was a frivolous complaint until the first time I used it. You can put in the exact amount of coffee that you want to mill, but towards the end the beans begin jumping around and do not grind as well (and who wants to load coffee in the hopper for every use?). Probably why the manufacturer says not to do this in the instructions. You can just run the mill and scoop out what you need, but then you have ground coffee sitting for a day. I milled what I typically use, leveled it out in the container and marked the fill level with a small piece of white tape. Still, a minor amount of guess work involved since the ground coffee mounds in the center of the collection container. You can always grind just a bit less and finish with the pulse button. Otherwise, this is an awesome machine that burr-grinds coffee beautifully. Absolutely love it despite the design flaw.
3 people found this helpful
lifewithyuen –
Best!
Got this as a gift for my husband, and now he loves making me coffee even more! Easy to use and consistent grind size.
Texas Gal –
Perfection
Freshly ground coffee is sublime and the Baratza delivers a very consistent and precise grind every time. I brew one cup at a time using the Kalita pour over filter. It is the three small holes in the bottom that sets it apart and gives a robust brew. I grind for one cup at a time using a scale to precisely measure the beans. I also use the scale to exactly measure the water needed. I now possess a grinder, electric kettle, Kalita pour over and scale. And of course I use bottled spring water. I cannot believe I have made this investment in my morning cup of coffee. But I am older now and have earned and deserve this luxury And I have reached coffee nirvana. A perfect cup every time. The only way to start your day. Pure bliss.