Straight to the point
I’ve owned the Baratza Encore coffee grinder for over eight years. It’s one of the best entry-level burr grinders for folks looking to improve their coffee game.
Someone recently asked me for tips on how to improve their at-home pour-over technique. Being a coffee nerd and pour-over enthusiast, I gave them a lot of suggestions. However, I began by emphasizing the importance of using some essential pour-over gear. It turned out they didn’t own a burr grinder! I immediately recommended getting one, as that will take any pour-over cup to the next level. And it just so happens I have a favorite: The Baratza Encore is the coffee grinder I recommend as the best entry-level burr grinder, and it’s a Serious Eats favorite, too. After all, coffee equipment should be reliable and foolproof, especially since it’s often the first thing you use in the morning.
What Type of Coffee Grinder Is the Baratza Encore?
Burrs, rather than blades, give coffee beans a consistent grind.
Serious Eats
The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder. Why does that matter? There are two common ways to turn coffee beans into grounds. The first is by using a blade grinder, sometimes known as a spice grinder. The second is by using a burr grinder. But only one of these results in a stellar cup of coffee.
The difference is consistency. Blade grinders are cheaper and smaller than burr grinders. They work by quickly slicing the beans apart with a blade. The result is an uneven grind, with parts of the beans being pulverized into dust and others left in large chunks. An uneven grind will result in uneven extraction, with the smaller coffee particles over-extracting and clogging the filter, and the larger grounds under-extracting and producing unwanted flavors.
Burr grinders are made with two adjustable nesting burrs. The closer the burrs are to each other, the finer the grind. The further they are, the coarser the grind. With a burr grinder, you get a consistent grind that will extract evenly and produce a better-tasting cup of coffee, regardless of the method you use to brew it.
Credit: Amazon
Why I Love the Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
Burr grinders can be expensive, but the Baratza Encore is a reasonably priced entry-level option, and one that is consistently recommended by baristas. I like it because it’s intuitive to use. To start, place coffee beans into the hopper. (You can store them in the hopper, but I prefer to store my beans in the airtight Fellow Atmos and measure out the amount I need each time.) Twist the Baratza’s hopper left or right to adjust the grind. Turn it on by flipping the switch on the side, and turn it off when all the beans have been ground. The coffee grounds will fall into the removable catch bin.
Cleaning the Baratza Encore is also easy. You can use a cleaning tablet or take it apart for a deeper clean. And as the parts wear out, replacements are available; Baratza is known for continuing to stock parts for all of its machines, even if they have been discontinued. So there’s never any worry that a broken hopper lid or worn-out burr ring will mean replacing the entire machine.
FAQ
Can the Baratza Encore grind espresso?
The Baratza Encore has 40 different grind settings, going from coarse to fine, and it can technically grind fine enough for espresso. But because the machine is designed to have a large range of coarseness, including cold brew, French press, and espresso, it can’t achieve the microadjustments needed for ultra-fine grinds. This means if you are trying to dial in a specific grind for your espresso, you might only get in the ballpark but not quite there for the optimum cup. A better choice is an espresso grinder—we recommend a few Baratza models.
How often should the Baratza Encore be cleaned?
That depends on how often you make coffee and what sort of beans you use. If you use the grinder daily, you should clean it using a cleaning tablet every four to six weeks. But more frequent use (such as several times a day) or grinding darker roast beans (which tend to be more oily) requires more frequent cleaning. A more thorough cleaning, which involves taking apart the grinder, should be done every three to four months. We have more detailed information on how to clean a coffee grinder in this article.
Why shouldn’t you use pre-ground coffee?
The minute coffee beans are roasted, they start to oxidize and age, losing flavor. Whole beans oxidize more slowly and are often packaged with a one-way valve, which helps to preserve flavor. But ground beans lose flavor more quickly because they have more surface area in contact with the air. Once the bag has been opened, flavor begins to degrade, resulting in stale and less flavorful coffee.
Why We’re the Experts
- Irvin Lin is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food writer, photographer, and ceramicist. He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by the New York Times as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016. He’s also an IACP-award-winning photographer and is currently on the James Beard Book Awards Subcommittee. Irvin runs a blog called Eat the Love, where he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010.
- He’s tested and reviewed hundreds of kitchen items, including stand mixers and digital thermometers.
- He drinks multiple cups of coffee a day, which makes him very productive.
