Grinder suggestions

[Phoenix]

I've decided to change from preground coffee to full beans and after quick look online I found a huge selection of grinders and was wondering if I could get some suggestions.

 

[janry]

What is your brewing method?

Do you make espresso at home?

 

[Phoenix]

I use a drip filter coffee maker currently.

 

[cestrin]

The Baratza Encore or Capresso Infinity were the best options I found for value & quality. Note that you can't get to espresso grind levels but you won't need that.

 

[Phoenix]

Yeah I want to upgrade from a drip filter but my partners not a coffee lover and won't let me spend over £150 on a espresso machine.

 

[Surfer]

Baratza Encore is the go to in that low price range over the Infinity and Bodums etc, better burr set, better stepped adjusting, better consistancy and fines control, little/no retention, and Baratza service is second to none if you end up with any issues. I had an Infinity, Encore is better in every way for coarse use. What drip machine do you use?

 

[janry]

Yeah I want to upgrade from a drip filter but my partners not a coffee lover and won't let me spend over £150 on a espresso machine.

Hmmm! Based upon that comment I wonder if a grinder insufficient for espresso would be a waste of money for you. If you desire an espresso machine, you are probably going to get one sooner or later. The question then is, will you get one and need to upgrade your grinder. You should think more about this and perhaps it would be wise to go ahead and get a good grinder for coarse and espresso grinds.

 

[peterjschmidt]

Hmmm! Based upon that comment I wonder if a grinder insufficient for espresso would be a waste of money for you. If you desire an espresso machine, you are probably going to get one sooner or later. The question then is, will you get one and need to upgrade your grinder. You should think more about this and perhaps it would be wise to go ahead and get a good grinder for coarse and espresso grinds.

But if £150 is the ceiling for even an espresso machine, that makes an espresso-capable grinder too expensive too. IOW, you can't get a good grinder for espresso at that price point.

Go with an Encore, you'll be glad you did. Baratza has a refurb on their site for $99.

 

[janry]

But if £150 is the ceiling for even an espresso machine, that makes an espresso-capable grinder too expensive too. IOW, you can't get a good grinder for espresso at that price point.
.

But we don't know his/her budget for the grinder. What if the partner would be OK at this time spending 100 for the grinder and 100 for the espresso machine (low, I know) but that could mean a total budget of 200 which would be close to a decent espresso grinder. And maybe, we could wait a bit longer and have a bigger budget.

 

[Phoenix]

My funds are currently limited so a good grinder is my priority as better ground beans make better coffee even in a cheaper machine.

 

[Surfer]

My funds are currently limited so a good grinder is my priority as better ground beans make better coffee even in a cheaper machine.

Add fresh roasted beans to that point of view as well, don't use anything store bought with a use be/best by date, either order fresh online or find a local roaster or coffee shop that carriers fresh beans.

 

[Phoenix]

Already looking for a local roaster found a few that are relatively close and one that delivers

 

[Surfer]

Good grinder (encore) and fresh beans can make a huge difference even on a cheap drip machine. I have a Hario Mini Slim for travel and last time out in Cali for a wedding I grabbed beans from a local roaster and the condo we rented only had a normal Mr Coffee, people were raving about the coffee lol. I knew it would be better if I was using say a Bonavita Drip, but just goes to show what a difference a good grinder and fresh beans can make.

 

[Robertlee]

I found a great bur grinder, top feed at Best Buy for less than $60. It allows me to grind how much I want at the coarseness/fineness I want. Look for a machine that is not a blade grinder. Those only work well on spices and dried herbs. It must have a conical reservoir on top with a catch-basket below and in front of the grinder. If you pay over $70 you are paying too much for home use.

 

[Surfer]

I found a great bur grinder, top feed at Best Buy for less than $60. It allows me to grind how much I want at the coarseness/fineness I want. Look for a machine that is not a blade grinder. Those only work well on spices and dried herbs. It must have a conical reservoir on top with a catch-basket below and in front of the grinder. If you pay over $70 you are paying too much for home use.

Depends, those burr grinders under 70 are not even really burr grinders for the most part, majority of them are bean mashers, just look at the sets, most look nothing like a normal conical burr set even though their marketed as conicals and some even have ribs/bumps on them mashing the beans, the cheap grinders have poor fines control and consistency. I had an Infinity Capresso and it's not as good as a Baratza Encore especially if you like press where fines control is a huge importance. And forget comparing it to a Baratza Virtuoso with the Preciso burrs. Paying over 70 is not too much, I guarantee if you tasted the same beans from that $60 grinder against a Virtuoso or even Encore on the same drip machine you wouldn't touch the cheap grinder again. If you want to save money and don't mind a hand grinder, a Hario Mini or Skerton will outperform any electric grinder under 100