Baratza Encore Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

Product Information

While I concede that the physical labor of grinding some coffee beans is light when compared to, say, building the Egyptian pyramids, I’d rather not have to do that, especially first thing every morning. These tablets are made of grain composites and can leave some dusty residue, which may not fully dissipate on the first one or two grinds after use. This sounds complicated at first, but it is not very hard to master, especially if you’re the only one using it every day.

ounces (50 grams) more than the C2’s, which isn’t ideal if you also intended to use this as a portable grinder. The C2 is made of a thick, sturdy aluminum alloy metal, rather than the glass or plastic of many other low-cost manual machines, and it includes a one-year warranty. The electronic speed controller is adjustable from 405 to 495 RPM in the event that specific user conditions require modification of the speed. Still other grinders have seemingly fancier methods of measuring preset dosage amounts; these allow you to choose how many cups you’re grinding for or program your own presets.You can also choose a traditional barrel grinder or one with a removable cup that lets you wash the blade and the grinds cup. OXO sells a replacement top burr, but unlike Baratza, does not sell any other parts for repairing your machine. She also told us, “The Encore isn’t quite as fast as the Virtuoso+ that the Wirecutter staff uses in our office kitchen, but having the means to make delicious coffee at home is the most important thing for me, and the Encore definitely delivers that! Its simple features and consistent grind will help you get a good start in the world of specialty coffee without hurting your wallet more than necessary. You wipe the particles away with the barely damp side then use the dry side to fully remove the moisture.

It’s been doing it for so long that lots of informational writing about coffee cites its grinder settings. Additionally, the new and improved gearbox can prevent jams from stopping quickly enough without causing damage to internal parts, making for quite the resilient grinder. Baratza offers great warranty and out-of-warranty service, even for refurbished versions, and these grinders are an industry standard for a reason. We love the Baratza Encore’s straightforward controls, which make your daily brew experience simple. With simple turn-of-the hopper adjustments and the included dosing cup, the Encore™ ESP simplifies your espresso workflow.So what you end up with is 20 very fine adjustments for espresso and 20 much bigger adjustments for manual brew methods. We rated electric burr grinders first and foremost on the quality and consistency of their grind, the number-one thing a good grinder must do well. If your machine does break after the warranty’s up, and MacGyver isn’t your middle name, you can still send the Encore to the company for repairs, which amounts to cleaning, recalibration, testing, and replacing all worn or broken parts except for burrs (though if you want a new burr, you can request it and pay extra).

One point I need to make in this Baratza Encore review is that this isn’t really the grinder for that, according to every source I consulted. Though some experts may tell them they’re wrong, we believe that if someone likes the coffee they make with a blade grinder, they don’t need to change things. The Virtuoso+ has a slightly broader grind-size range, can grind a little finer, and has fewer small particles at most grind sizes.

Lauded by coffee experts as THE go-to entry level grinder for home brewing, the Encore has 40 individual grind settings, from fine to coarse (250 to 1200 microns). If it really bothers you, you can always sift it out from the grinds, but this really isn’t necessary. The Encore also fell in the medium range for noise: It wasn’t significantly quieter or louder than most other grinders we’ve tested, but it did have a more pleasant sound, as opposed to a high whine or an ugly chug.

We found this didn’t completely eliminate static or mess, though in our long term testing, the OXO was noticeably tidier than the Baratza Encore. Regularly cleaning your grinder—not just brushing away coffee but taking out the top burr and gently brushing both sides—can help prevent clogs and maintain the machine’s overall performance. Although even the most consistent burr grinder will produce at least some particles that are smaller and larger than you’d like, we found that the Encore performed incredibly well at grinding evenly.Featuring 40 individual grind settings, from fine to coarse, the Encore can please any palate with its gamut of accurate and repeatable grind settings. We also paid attention to ancillary issues such as whether the machines were especially large (could they fit under upper cabinets? Basic: There aren’t any “convenience” features such as dose controls or timers, which isn’t a surprise since the Encore is the most basic model from Baratza. Your grinder’s definition of an ideal Chemex or French press grind may not match up with your own, and even grinders from the same maker vary slightly. The OXO Brew’s grinds canister is also a huge improvement over the one on OXO’s more expensive grinder with an integrated scale, which we quickly disqualified for spraying coffee all over the counter.