Grinding your own coffee beans is one of the easiest ways to improve your morning cup… or any cup of coffee, for that matter, whether day or evening. It ensures your coffee will be fresh and consistent, plus the smell of freshly ground coffee is a wonderful way to anticipate that first sip.
Remember, coffee beans are grown. They are actually seeds, and like all things grown, you’ll want to enjoy them at their peak freshness. Be sure to check the roast date because this may impact the taste and quality of your coffee. Then, once you grind your coffee beans, they continue to come into contact with oxygen, which weakens the aroma and flavor. The quicker that your ground coffee becomes a drink—typically within 30 minutes—the more flavor you’re able to savor.
While you may want to try different syrups or types of milk in your coffee, you also don’t want weaken your brew. The most direct way to adjust the strength of your coffee is to change how you’re grinding your beans, which is why you should consider investing in a coffee grinder. It’s just as important to brewing a decent cup of coffee as choosing the right beans for your palate.
Also important to know, water moves faster through coarser grounds. With finer grounds, the water stays in contact longer, meaning more flavor can be extracted from the beans. Consistently sized grinds will also lead to a more consistent cup of coffee that lets you experience the subtle flavor notes and make an espresso drink that rivals what you get from your favorite coffee shop.
Definitely a functional appliance to have in your kitchen, a grinder is more than just a gadget—it can be a life-changing product that revives or renews your love of coffee.
The Best Coffee Grinders
- Best Overall: OXO Conical Burr Grinder
- Best Budget: Krups One-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder
- Best Manual: 1ZPresso J Manual Coffee Grinder
- Best Coffee Grinder for Beginners: Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder
- Best Digital Coffee Grinder: Breville Smart Grinder Pro
The Expert
I’m a cookbook author and food writer who reviews kitchen appliances for national publications. I’ve tested coffee grinders, coffee makers, and coffee scales to find out what makes the best morning cup. I’ve experimented with different grind sizes for making big pots of coffee for brunch, espresso-based drinks and cocktails, and big batches of cold brew in the spring and summer months.
What to Consider in a Coffee Grinder
Coffee grinders can be a little high maintenance. They won’t be your quietest kitchen appliance and they require regular cleaning to avoid unwanted flavors in your coffee. Look at how easy or difficult it is to set up or break down the pieces of a machine, because that determines how long it will take to clean your grinder.
More Brew-tiful Options: Best Milk Frothers • Best Coffee Brands • Best Latte Machines
While many coffee grinders have a slim profile, consider the dimensions if you’re planning to store it on the counter or coffee bar to make sure it fits your space.
How We Selected Coffee Grinders
I've experienced the joy of a precise grinder and the frustration of uneven grinds. As a food writer and product tester, I've come to appreciate the consistency of a well-designed burr grinder when I'm making dozens of pour-overs or shots of espresso. I took a close look at the mechanics of different grinders to understand more about how beans are ground, and which designs might be more difficult to take apart and clean.
I tested the Fellow Opus Conical Grinder to determine how the number of settings can change the grind size and tweak the flavor profile of coffee. By researching current models and putting a grinder through the paces, it helped me understand the benefits and drawbacks of each grinder.
In comparing the different models included here, I delved into two key differentiators—the size of the bean hopper and the number of grind settings. The bean hopper is a matter of convenience—a larger hopper needs to be refilled less often—and a way to help achieve consistent grind results. The bigger the range of grind settings, the more ways to get a coffee closer to your ideal cup. I was conscious of brands, as there are models from Baratza and Capresso beloved by baristas and coffee writers (like me) because they come from companies that specialize in making appliances for coffee drinkers.
It's a smart idea to consider dimensions to understand if a grinder will tuck under an upper cabinet, but you can still load it with beans or fit it inside of a drawer. I also factored in the price of a grinder, trying to stay under $200, because you'll also need some money for the right coffee scale, brewer, or espresso machine.
Our Full Coffee Grinder Reviews
OXO Conical Burr Grinder
Pros
- Large hopper
- Compact size
Cons
- Bottom burr is fixed in place
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 6.8 x 11.8 x 14.8 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 12 oz |
| Grinder Settings | 38 |
The Oxo Brew Conical Burr Grinder is your Goldilocks coffee grinder—not too big, not too small—just right. The compact stainless steel and black grinder features enough settings (38) to produce fine and coarse grounds, has a generous bean hopper, and is priced on the lower end of machines with similar options.
Thanks to a built-in timer, you can also reuse your last setting and grind with a single push of a button. That’s handy if you make the same cup of coffee every morning. The bottom burr is fixed in place, which adds a bit of effort and time when cleaning.
Krups One-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder
Pros
- One-touch grinding
- Grinds coffee and spices
Cons
- Inconsistent ground size
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 4.0 x 4.0 x 9.1 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 3 oz |
| Grind Settings | N/A |
The Krups One-Touch Coffee and Spice Grinder is the way for you to discover if freshly ground coffee makes a difference in your morning. It’s lightweight and simple to use. Add beans to the top of the machine and then hold the grinder button until the beans are chopped up by the blade at the bottom of the hopper.
It’s not as accurate as other models—you’ll have to decide what’s fine or coarse—but it’s a solid option if you’re brewing a pot of coffee or even need to grind up whole peppercorns or coriander. Be sure to clean it well between grinding spices and coffee beans, as residue of either can impact the flavor of what you grind up next.
Pros
- Portable
- Simple cleaning
Cons
- Small bean capacity
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 7.3 x 2.2 x 6.7 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 1 oz |
| Grind Settings | 30 |
The 1ZPresso J Manual Coffee Grinder turns coffee into a ritual that starts with a precise grind that is literally in the power of your hands. There’s certainly some trial and error, but with 30 settings you can get the right grind dialed in whether you are in your kitchen or at a campsite.
The burr grinder can be disassembled completely and wiped clean with the included brush. The grinder requires two hands to use, one to hold and one to turn the knob, which might be difficult for those with limited grip strength or mobility.
Pros
- Easy to operate
- Pieces are replaceable
Cons
- No way to measure beans
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 5.9 x 5.1 x 13.4 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 10.5 oz |
| Grind Settings | 40 |
The Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder is intuitive to use and produces consistent coarse grounds for cold brew or a pot of coffee. Pick one of the 40 settings, turn the switch on, and then pulse your beans into grounds. The pulse button is in the front of the machine, above the hopper, so you can see how much you’ve made.
The grind hopper has a max fill line to keep you from spilling grounds. While it doesn’t include an option for measuring beans, you can use an inexpensive kitchen scale to weigh beans before adding them to the hopper.
This is a burr grinder you can service yourself. You can clean each piece individually and order replacement pieces from the manufacturer. The Baratza Encore is also available in black or white to complement your kitchen decor.
Pros
- Giant hopper
- Grinds directly into a portafilter or filter basket
Cons
- Learning curve
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 6.3 x 8.5 x 15.3 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 18 oz |
| Grind Settings | 60 |
The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a coffee grinder for espresso enthusiasts who have the time and desire to really geek out—and who are particular and precise about preparing their brew. A bright LCD display keeps track of 60 settings and grind time that can be manually adjusted; there are also pre-programmed options.
While most grinders have a collection cup, this burr grinder lets you grind directly into a portafilter for espresso, a filter basket for batch brewing, or an airtight container for storing grounds. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro also has a two-year warranty—much appreciated for peace of mind with a grinder that sports a slightly higher price point.
Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder
Pros
- Grounds container holds 4 ounces
- Good for pour over and cold brew
Cons
- Bean hopper is see-through
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 5 x 7.8 x 11.3 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 11 oz |
| Grind Settings | 16 |
The Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder is a workhorse. You twist the hopper to the desired grind setting and then adjust the timer dial below to get started. Once it starts, it’s about as quiet as a grinder can be. This grinder excels at coarse or medium-fine grounds, so you will want to opt for a different model if you’re a regular espresso drinker (where you'll need the grinds to be very fine.)
Storing the Capresso Infinity Plus on the counter? The quality of your coffee beans could be impacted by sunlight because the hopper is see-through.
Pros
- 70 different settings for a precise grind
- Portafilter holder for espresso
Cons
- Tall design makes it a tight squeeze under some cabinets.
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 8.3 x 5 x 15 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 10 oz |
| Grind Settings | 70 |
The KitchenAid Burr Coffee Grinder has a selection of 70 settings that runs from French Press (coarse) to Espresso (fine). A knob on the right hand side lets you tweak the amount in either shots, for espresso, or cups. It also has a portafilter holder if you’re making espresso drinks or a jar (included) for holding fresh grounds. At 15 high inches, the KitchenAid grinder stands taller than most, so double check if you’ve got clearance above, especially if you’re going to be adding beans often.
Fellow Opus Conical Grinder
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Magnetic grinds cup stays in place
Cons
- 30-second increments only on timer
Key Specs
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 8.3 x 5.1 x 10.6 in. |
|---|---|
| Bean Capacity | 3.9 oz |
| Grind Settings | 41 |
The Fellow Opus Conical Grinder stands out as a minimalist, modern machine in a sea of bulky grinders. I appreciated that it was small enough to stay out on my counter, but was also easy enough to store in and take out of the pantry. While testing, this model proved simple to clean with its nifty grind catcher that stayed in place thanks to a magnet in the bottom.
While it was precise out of the box, the burr grinder has an inner adjustment ring to make tiny changes to get your espresso exactly how you want it, and it increases the number of settings from 41 to 120. I didn’t try every setting, but I noticed that if you drink your coffee black, even a slight adjustment made a difference in how your coffee tastes.
The Opus delivers a solid, single cup of pour-over and a big batch of cold brew concentrate for a full week of iced coffees in the morning. It works in 30-second increments (one short tap for each), but I like that it can be stopped if you press the button while it’s running, which allows you to get exactly the amount of grounds you need for a cup. I also discovered while using the Opus that the grinder retains a small quantity of grounds. Tapping the top of the hopper lightly helps release them into the catch cup.
FAQs
Improve Your Daily Grind. Expert Jonathan Bender Has Tips Before You Brew.
Jonathan Bender is a food writer who lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He regularly tests kitchen appliances for national publications and recipes on his children. He's also the author of a pair of cookbooks: Stock, Broth & Bowland Cookies & Beer.
