The Best Coffee Grinders of 2024

Buying the best coffee grinder for your needs is very important – grinding your beans properly is the foundation of any good brew. We’ve tested over 50 different manual and electric grinders to help you pick. If you’re looking for a quick suggestion, we’d recommend the JavaPresse for a manual grinder and the Baratza Encore for an electric grinder. Read on for more options and a comprehensive buying guide!

Table Of Contents

Why Buy A Coffee Grinder?

If you truly love coffee, you prefer the aroma and taste of freshly ground coffee beans to those of pre-ground, preserved roasts. All coffee enthusiasts know that freshness is the most important factor when brewing high quality coffee – true freshness is something that you just can’t get in a pre-ground option.

While going to your local coffee shop and relying on a professional barista is a good option for making sure your daily cup is as fresh as can be, it can also be rather expensive and time consuming. Luckily, this is where coffee grinders come into play, manual or automatic.

If you wish to capture the unique, cultured aroma and flavor of your beans of choice, a home coffee grinder is an extremely easy, affordable investment that will have you wondering why you ever drank pre-ground coffee in the first place. Freshly ground coffee will bring out the best in your brew, whether it ends up being drip coffee, Turkish coffee, pour over coffee, or even coffee made with an Aeropress.

This guide gives you all the necessary information you need when it comes to selecting the perfect product for your grinding needs, as well as a curated list of products we’ve tested and can recommend.

The Best Electric Coffee Grinders

Top 5 Electric Coffee Grinders Reviewed

We’ve found these 5 electric grinders to be top of the pack in terms of cost, performance, longevity, and build quality:

1. KRUPS GX332850 Silent Vortex Electric Grinder

Quick Specs

Mechanism Blade Grinder
Precision One setting, time-controlled fineness
Capacity 3 Oz
Dimensions 4.33 x 4.2 x 8.46 inches

Pros

  • Easy to use with its one-button control layout.
  • Incredibly quiet.
  • The Silent Vortex technology ensures that all contents inside are ground evenly.
  • This coffee grinder is quite affordable while maintaining decent functionalities and features.

Cons

  • The lid locks in place once you remove the container which is somewhat difficult to open afterwards.

Our Review

The KRUPS Silent Vortex Grinder is an affordable yet highly reliable coffee bean grinder that comes with some excellent features. This is a 3-in-1 grinder that you can use not only for preparing coffee but also for grinding dry herbs and spices. This KRUPS grinder uses a special technology called the Vortex Spin technology. What this particular grinder tech does it helps push coffee beans or spices into the grinder rather pushing them to the sides. True to its name, the Vortex Spin acts as a mini-tornado that sucks in all contents of the grinder inwards to ensure complete and equal grinding.

The KRUPS Silent Vortex Grinder is also designed with a focus on convenience. The unit features a removable stainless-steel bowl that makes pouring processed content into a jar or a coffee filter. Additionally, the grinder bowl also comes with its lid that makes storage quick and easy. As the name implies, this grinder is incredibly quiet. So, if you are not a fan of the typical grinding noise when preparing your coffee in the early morning, you should check this particular KRUPS grinder out.

Verdict

Overall, the KRUPS Silent Vortex is a user-friendly grinder that can help beginners create the perfect coffee texture to satiate their cravings. The one-button control and convenient design and functionalities make this a highly recommended grinder for entry-level use, but it is also flexible enough for those wanting to experiment with their coffee. The KRUPS Silent Vortex Grinder is not without its faults, but at its low-price tag and excellent grinding capabilities – it more than makes up for its shortcomings.

 

2. Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Quick Specs

Mechanism Burr Grinder
Precision 40 Grind Settings
Capacity 8 Oz
Dimensions 9 x 2.5 x 2.4 inches

Pros

  • Grinds whole coffee beans exceptionally well and fast.
  • 40 grind settings make this an incredibly versatile coffee grinder suitable for both beginners and experts.
  • User-friendly and straightforward to use.

Cons

  • Relatively loud.
  • Basic functionalities with not much extra features.

Our Review

The Baratza Encore is considered as an entry-level coffee grinder. However, this grinder packs features and functionalities that even veteran coffee makers will surely appreciate. While opting for the more high-end and expensive units are the norm for experts, not everyone can afford the luxury of buying these top-tier and price coffee grinder models. Fortunately, with the steady advancement of technology, even the low to mid-range coffee grinders can keep up with the top-ranking units in the market.

Enter the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder which is a perfect blend of excellent performance, robust build, and reasonable price. The Baratza Encore can accomplish the basics at a fraction of the price of high-end coffee grinders which makes it a highly recommended option for home use. This coffee grinder excels with its intuitive controls and is easy-to-use. It is also quite versatile with its broad grind settings and compatibility for both cold brew and French press.

If there is a downside to the Baratza Encore, it is that we found it rather loud when grinding coffee beans. Well, that is to be expected from a grinder that is constructed primarily with hard plastic material.

Verdict

The Baratza Encore is quite an impressive piece of coffee grinder. What’s more surprising is that it is priced considerably less than what we initially thought. This is an entry-level coffee grinder and requires almost zero practice to operate properly even for first-timers. It is also decently sized and won’t take up much footprint on your kitchen counter. This is a versatile coffee grinder that is not overly complicated to operate which will undoubtedly satisfy all your coffee craving no matter your skill level in coffee making.

 

3. Capresso 560.04 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder

Quick Specs

Mechanism Burr Grinder
Precision 16 Grind Settings
Capacity 8.8 Oz
Dimensions 5 x 7.75 x 10.5 inches

Pros

  • This is relatively quieter in comparison to most coffee grinders within the same price range.
  • The reduced gear motion allows for more precise grinding which helps seal in the aroma and flavor of the coffee bean.

Cons

  • We experienced certain cases wherein the coffee ground sizes where inconsistent.
  • Susceptible to coffee residue so regular cleaning is a must after each use.

Our Review

This is a commercial-grade coffee grinder that does not come with a commercial-grade price tag. The Capresso 560.04 Infinity Conical Burr is quite affordable, all things considered. This is another versatile coffee grinder that is quite reliable as well. It uses burr grinders and allows for up to 16 different grinding settings. As for the coarse setting, it comes with four levels and allows the user to choose the level of fineness.

The conical burrs are made from stainless steel which ensures the quality of coffee grounds. What is interesting here is that the burr is designed to have a significantly reduced gear motion. What this means is that the Infinity Conical Burr manages to reduce heat build-up and noise so there is little risk of overheating coffee beans during the grinding process.

Operating the Capresso Infinity is quite simple as well with the use of its single switch control layout. Since this grinder has up to 16 different settings, users can experiment with a wide variety of coffee textures such as for French press which is suitable for the coarse grind setting. Also, this coffee grinder has a built-in timer to ensure precision during grinding.

Verdict

The Capresso Infinity is another solid entry with its robust performance and construction. This is quite durable and reliable with outstanding reliability in regards to its grinding capability. While it is somewhat rough around the edges, if you are looking for an affordable coffee grinder that offers prime control with its grinding, check out what the Capresso Infinity has to offer.

 

4. Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr

Quick Specs

Mechanism Burr Grinder
Precision 18 Grind Settings
Capacity 8 Oz
Dimensions 10.75 x 7.13 x 6 inches

Pros

  • The polished stainless-steel look will fit in nicely with both classic and modern kitchens.
  • 6 settings for each type of coffee grinding type.
  • Easy to use with its automated functionality.
  • Detachable parts make cleaning quite easy.

Cons

  • It is relatively loud to the point that it might be distracting for some.
  • The automatic feature has a habit of producing inconsistent results. Not a recommended feature to use for experienced coffee makers.

Our Review

For its price, the Cuisinart DBM-8 appears like it makes the most out of every single penny. It also has that traditional coffee grinder aesthetic so it will fit right in with the classic kitchen interior design. What’s more, you have a product from the popular Cuisinart brand, so you also have the confidence of having a top-notch kitchen appliance manufacturer. As a bonus, the Cuisinart DBM-8 is also not as expensive as you would expect based on initial appearance.

The Cuisinart DBM-8 offers up to 18 grind settings and can easily produce 4 to 18 cups simultaneously. The broad grind setting available here makes it ideal for even the pickiest of coffee enthusiasts. You are almost guaranteed to achieve peak coffee flavor with added know-how in preparing this particular morning beverage.

Other notable features include a small hole underneath the container that allows coffee grounds to pass through the filter while avoiding a mess at the same time. This simple feature helps streamline the process for faster coffee grinding results. The container is also designed so that removing and attaching it back to the grinder will require minimal effort and difficulty.

Verdict

The Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind will do just fine for entry-level coffee drinkers, but for pickier coffee enthusiasts, it might fall short of expectations. While the automatic feature does make grinding coffee beans simpler, it will usually result in uneven ground. This coffee grinder from Cuisinart is well-rounded enough to satisfy casual coffee drinkers but for coffee fiends, they’ll want to look at higher-end Cuisinart models.

 

5. SHARDOR Coffee & Spice Electric Grinder

Quick Specs

Mechanism Blade Grinder
Precision Manual, Time-based
Capacity 2.5 Oz
Dimensions 3.7 x 3.7 x 8 inches

Pros

  • Simple and easy to use.
  • Relatively powerful motor, especially considering the size of the SHARDOR electric grinder.
  • Well-made and uses high-quality materials.

Cons

  • This is grinder is loud.
  • Assessing the coffee ground is a little bit difficult.

Our Review

The SHARDOR Coffee & Spice Electric Grinder is a compact grinder that can help you prepare either your favorite morning beverage or spices for your meal. It comes with two detachable bowls with one utilizing a 2-blade grinder while the other features 4-blades. The dual blade grinder is used for dry grinding while the four-bladed one is best suited for wet grinding such as spices like garlic and onion.

The advantage of having two different bowls (dry and wet grinders) means that you avoid flavor mixing. This is something you would want to avoid if you are grinding coffee beans and want to ensure its rich flavor.  This compact grinder also packs a 200W motor so it is deceptively powerful for its size.

Verdict

If you are looking for a highly affordable but reliable coffee grinder then you are in luck with the SHARDOR Electric Grinder. It is also quite compact and will easily fit into your kitchen drawer so storage is a non-issue.

The Best Manual Coffee Grinders

Top 5 Manual Coffee Grinders Reviewed

Now that we’ve gone over what you should look for when buying a manual coffee grinder, here are a few products we’ve personally tested and can confidently recommend. This list is based on our own testing as well as overall customer feedback:

1. JavaPresse Coffee Company Manual Grinder

javapress model

Quick Specs

Mechanism Ceramic burrs
Precision 18+ Grinder settings
Extras Removable hand crank
Dimensions 1.8 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches

Pros

  • Affordable price tag.
  • Compact and stainless-steel design deliver durability as well as portability.
  • Features durable ceramic burrs for better consistency.

Cons

  • Compact design means you can’t grind large amounts of coffee beans at once.
  • The hand crank can sometimes slip from your hand during grinding.

The Java Presse Coffee Company Manual Grinder is a lightweight, compact conical burr grinder that features 15 plus speed settings for complete control – you get complete control over the level of coarseness you want for your coffee. This model is compact and can easily fit inside a standard handbag. It can also be disassembled for even more space-saving capability.

 

2. Mueller Austria Ultra-Grind Manual Coffee Grinder

mueller model

Quick Specs

Mechanism Ceramic burrs
Precision 18+ Grinder settings
Extras Removable hand crank
Dimensions 9 x 2.5 x 2.4 inches

Pros

  • High level of consistency for a manual grinder.
  • Compact design makes it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
  • Quiet and efficient.

Cons

  • Several complaints saying the lid is a bit loose.

Another compact manual coffee grinder, the Mueller Austria is currently one of the highest rated models on the market. It features 18-speed settings for better control over the consistency of the grinding process.

The hand crank mechanism can be detached making this one of the quietest grinders to date – a good feature to have if you’re trying to grind coffee in an office during work. This coffee grinder also utilizes a ceramic burr mechanism that’s been tested to last 5x longer than steel would. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee which is a nice inclusion if you’re still on the fence about this product.

 

3. Shanik Premium Quality Stainless Steel Manual Coffee Grinder

shanik model

Quick Specs

Mechanism Ceramic burrs
Precision Adjustable grind control
Extras Ultra-portable
Dimensions 5.9 x 5.9 x 5.9 inches

Pros

  • Easy to use.
  • The sturdy and compact design makes it a good choice for outdoor lovers.

Cons

  • Specifically designed for portability – may look slightly out of place in your kitchen.

Another manual coffee grinder designed with outdoor enthusiasts in mind, the Shanik offers a completely adjustable grinder that makes sure you can precisely determine the coarseness of your blend. It’s extremely easy to operate and with the silicon grip comes improved handling and comfort.

This model is also quite easy to disassemble and clean. The overall construction of the grinder is also quite impressive for its price and you can expect it to last for quite some time.

 

4. Triple Tree Manual Coffee Mill Grinder

triple tree model

Quick Specs

Mechanism Ceramic burrs
Precision Adjustable grind control
Extras Two glass jars
Dimensions 8.3 x 6.8 x 4.2 inches

Pros

  • Grinding coffee beans is extremely easy.
  • Can grind a decent amount of coffee beans at once.
  • Delivers consistent grind.

Cons

  • Takes a little longer to grind coffee beans.

The Triple Tree Manual Coffee Grinder offers the compact and lightweight design of other models on our list, but can accommodate a larger amount of coffee beans thanks to the unique hopper design it follows. Grinding is quite quick and easy thanks to the lengthened stainless-steel handle, which helps keep the grinding process smooth.

It features ceramic burrs which specifically don’t generate excess heat while grinding – this can help create better-tasting coffee. It also offers several speeds for grinding which allows you to choose how coarse or fine you want your blend to be.

 

5. Handground Precision Coffee Grinder

handground model

Quick Specs

Mechanism Ceramic burrs
Precision 15 Grinder settings
Extras Easy-clean
Dimensions 5.8 x 3.1 x 8.7 inches

Pros

  • Great consistency and easy to use.
  • Made from sturdy material.
  • Large coffee bean capacity.

Cons

  • Not designed for traveling.
  • Glass parts included so handle with care.

A surprise entry into this list is the Kickstarter-funded Handground Precision Coffee Grinder. It’s not manufactured by a large company but rather by an independent manufacturer – both the design and the funding were crowdsourced from coffee lovers around the world.

This coffee grinder can process around 100 grams of coffee beans at once which puts it past the capacity of other grinders on this list. It also offers 15 grind settings for complete control over the coarseness of  your blend.

Please note that this model is twice the size of your common coffee grinder due to its larger capacity. That’s not really an issue – it’s just not the best option for outdoor, portable use.

Burr vs Blade Coffee Grinder

Generally speaking, coffee grinders fall into two camps – “blade grinders,” and “burr grinders.” The names here refer to the mechanism responsible for the actual grinding. Burr grinders use ceramic cone-shaped grinding mechanisms called “burrs” that evenly grind through your coffee beans – picture a steam roller. Blade grinders are more like traditional blenders – they have 2 – 4+ metal blades that whir around and “chop” through your coffee beans.

Burr grinders almost always yield a more consistent blend, while blade grinders tend to be cheaper, easier to maintain, and more versatile in the kitchen. If you’re just buying a grinder for smooth, consistent coffee bean grinds, opt for a burr-style grinder if you can help it.

Manual vs Electric Coffee Grinder

Manual grinders are the most affordable option when it comes to grinding your coffee. They’re ideal for coffee enthusiasts interested in grinding their own beans, as well as those who want control over and an up-close look at the sort of grind they’re using to brew.

Manual grinders do work quite well, but it’s important to note that they fall behind electric coffee grinders in terms of speed, efficiency, and overall consistency. It’ll obviously take longer to grind your coffee by hand, and it’ll be much harder to achieve as fine of a blend as is possible with motorized grinder models.

Though, again, manual grinders do provide fresh coffee grounds at an exceedingly affordable price point. They might not offer quite the level of flavor and aroma of those automatic grinders you see in coffee shops, but they’re perfect for coffee lovers on a budget and for those who don’t have the room for an electric grinder in their kitchen.

Electric coffee grinders are much more “set it and forget it” – they just work. You load the beans in, and you get a quick batch of coffee grinds ground to your taste as far as consistency and grind size goes. Electric grinders also cost more and take up more space in your kitchen.

Buying Guide

There are literally thousands of coffee grinders available today. This makes it a little difficult to figure out which models offer the best results. To help you narrow down your choices, you should keep the following factors in mind when picking one out:

Consistency

When it comes to coffee grinders, your primary concern should be the consistency of your grind. Consistency can greatly affect the overall taste and aroma of your coffee – you want your blend to be as consistently-ground as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re after an ultra-fine blend or a coarser one, but you want to grind your beans uniformly throughout.

Manual grinders will be inherently less consistent than electric grinders, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing as long as you’re not expecting otherwise.

Price

What you need to do here is find that perfect balance between quality and cost. We always suggest you look at the higher end models if you want the absolute best quality coffee, but if you’re a little strapped for cash then there are also plenty of well-made models under $100.

If you’ll be using the coffee grinder daily, we highly recommend investing as much as you’re comfortable with – skimping on something like a coffee grinder almost always results in cheap parts that can break down just weeks after buying, and a lackluster final brew.

Capacity

Another important element to consider is the amount of coffee beans your grinder can process at once. Basically, you need to tally up how many people you want to serve with your grinder. If it’s just 1 to 3 people then you can settle for a personal, small-capacity model. If you’re planning to serve more than a few coffee drinkers, then pay close attention to the capacity of each grinder you research and make sure you end up buying one of the high-capacity options. Anywhere from 2 – 8 Oz is normal as far as bean capacity goes.

Speed

A common misconception here is that the faster you can grind, the better the grinder. That’s actually not always the case as grinders that work quickly often do so at the cost of a subpar consistency.

Also, while the speed your grinder works at depends largely on how much elbow grease or wattage you want to put into grinding your coffee, you should always be aware of the mechanical components of your grinder. If you choose a model with smaller gears, smaller blades, and/or a shorter grinding handle if it’s manual, you’ll never be able to grind quite as fast as you would with a larger model overall.

Size

This one’s pretty obvious, but make sure that your coffee grinder can fit within your kitchen. Manual grinders take up a pretty small footprint to begin with, but you want to make sure you choose the appropriate size nonetheless. Electric grinders take up more counter space and may be harder to move around after the fact.

Material

What are the grinder blades or burrs made of? You always find models that use stainless steel or ceramic grinding mechanisms. Ceramic grinders last longer but can also be more expensive to buy and to replace parts in if necessary. It’s also much more of a hassle to replace a chipped ceramic part than it is to replace a steel one. That being said, we do typically recommend you start off with a conical burr coffee grinder from the get go.

What is the best coffee grinder for french press coffee?

For french press coffee, you want a coarser grind. This means both blade and burr grinders will work just fine, so you’re mainly looking for the best intersection of quality and price point. If you’re going manual, we recommend the JavaPresse Conical Burr Mill used on a lower setting to ensure a coarser grind. On the electric side, we’d recommend the Cuisinart DBM-8.

What is the best coffee grinder for espresso?

For espresso, you want a much finer grind. This means you’ll be better off buying a model with a burr-style grinding mechanism. We recommend either the JavaPresse Conical Burr Mill, or the Triple Tree ceramic burr model  if you’re looking for a manual option. If you want an electric model try the Baratza Encore. The resulting grinds from these models should suit an espresso machine just fine.

What is the best coffee grinder for cold brew coffee?

Generally speaking, you want an extra-coarse grind for traditional cold brew coffee. Any model on this list will suffice, as long as you set the grind control as coarse as it can go. Any blade grinder would be a good option here as well.

What is the best burr coffee grinder?

Most legitimate manual models are burr-style grinders – this means you have plenty of options, and can focus largely on build quality, aesthetic, and price. We still recommend our top pick, the JavaPress Conical Burr Mill as far as manual models go. For an electric contender, check out the Capresso 560.04.

What is the best portable coffee grinder?

If you’re looking for a good option to take camping, or just traveling in general, we wholeheartedly recommend the lightweight Shanik Portable Burr Grinder. It’s modular, small, and comes with a bag specifically designed for traveling. Electric models don’t lend themselves to use outside the kitchen, but the KRUPS GX332850 is a small, efficient option here nonetheless.

Final Thoughts

The coffee grinder you choose dictates the overall quality of your coffee. Bad coffee grinders yield worse-tasting coffee, so please take an extra few minutes to research and don’t just buy the cheapest model you come across.

While finding the best grinder for your personal needs might take a bit of time and research, it’ll be worth it when you’re drinking the freshest, most perfectly-brewed cup of coffee you’ve ever made yourself!