One of the first steps to mastering your espresso brew is getting the fine espresso grind right.
And what better way to do it than getting your own espresso grinder that’s specifically designed for the job.
In this article, I will introduce the top 11 coffee grinding devices to make freshly ground coffee for brewing espresso.
Use this as a general guide to find the best espresso grinder partner for your espresso coffee machine.
- What Kind Of Coffee Grinder Do You Need To Grind Coffee Beans For Espresso?
- Best Espresso Coffee Grinders – Our Comparison
- Breville BCG820BSS Smart Grinder Pro
- OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Rancilio Rocky Espresso Coffee Grinder
- Baratza Forte AP (All-Purpose) Ceramic Flat Burr Commercial Coffee Grinder
- Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
- Eureka Mignon Silenzio Espresso Grinder
- Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill
- Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
- Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- Fellow Ode Brew Grinder
- To Wrap Up
- FAQs
What Kind Of Coffee Grinder Do You Need To Grind Coffee Beans For Espresso?
First, let’s go through my summarized list of factors you should keep in mind when picking out the best espresso grinder.
Grinding Mechanism
If you’ve been in the coffee scene for long enough, you must have heard of the 2 popular types of coffee grinders called blade grinders and burr grinders.
A blade grinder works essentially like a food blender that simply chops up the coffee beans into inconsistent smaller pieces.
It really doesn’t have anything going for it except for the cheap price and extreme ease of use.
I wouldn’t even recommend this as a normal grinder, so definitely look at the burr grinders section for better quality.
So, if you’re still wondering whether you need a burr grinder for espresso, the answer is yes.
A burr grinder is capable of producing a consistently uniform grind size for an even extraction.
You also have complete control over the grind settings, going from a coarser grind to a fine grind for the espresso brewing method.
Moreover, the high-quality burrs are also a lot sharper and more durable, a good investment for espresso grinding in the long run.
Grind Consistency
Burr grinders also come in 2 different shapes, flat burr and conical burr. Each shape gives the grinders a different advantage when it comes to grinding consistency.
Since size uniformity is highly favored when grinding coffee beans to optimize flavor extraction, naturally, a flat burr grinder that’s constructed to excel in producing single-sized ground coffee should win the crown.
Well, for most brewing methods such as French Press and drip coffee, yes, that’s true.
But, the espresso machine calls for a different grind size that’s not as uniform as you might think.
Rather than utilizing single-sized ground coffee beans, dual-sized grounds with larger and smaller particles are better for brewing coffee that’s quick and balanced on the espresso machine.
The conical burr grinder is also a lot more affordable due to its more forgiving grind size, has less ground retention, and suffers from less heat build-up and noise.
That doesn’t mean you can’t make it work with the flat burr and its amazingly uniform grinds, however.
You can either go for a very fine grind or pull the espresso shot for a bit longer to get that quality coffee you crave.
Grind Settings
When it comes to an espresso grinder, what matters is it’s capable of producing a fine grind.
If you also intend to utilize the grinder for other brewing methods, such as a coarse grind for Cold Brew coffee and French Press coffee, a medium grind for drip coffee, and finer grinds for Turkish coffee, make sure to check the number of grind settings on the coffee grinders and see how extensive it goes.
Some coffee grinders have as many as 60 different grind settings to accommodate your needs.
Grinds Dispensation
Some grinders come with portafilter holder brackets so that the ground beans can be directly dispensed into your portafilter, immediately ready for brewing.
Some other grinders may distribute all of the grounds into a container. These are usually intended for drip machines that make more than one serving at a time.
But some grinders that are designed to serve multiple brewing methods can accommodate both set-ups so that you can switch whenever needed.
Some grinders in the market also have a convenient dosing function that can dispense the correct dosage to be brewed.
It’s great for the household and commercial coffee shops that need to brew a high volume of drinks, especially espresso.
So depending on your coffee needs, keep an eye for this feature as well.
Best Espresso Coffee Grinders – Our Comparison
Here comes the main section where I’ll be reviewing the 11 best coffee grinders for espresso in the market.
| Coffee grinders | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best overall  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Most user-friendly grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best coffee-shop-quality grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Most grinding settings  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best conical burr  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best high-end grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best affordable grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best gear reduction grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best entry-level grinder  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Best grinder with timed grinding  |
| CHECK PRICE | |
Most interesting looking  |
| CHECK PRICE |
Breville BCG820BSS Smart Grinder Pro
Breville is a global brand popular for kitchen appliances, including coffee gear. I’ve featured Breville’s products multiple times in my other articles.
And today, one of its outstanding Smart Grinder Pro also made it to this top list.
This is a durable stainless steel conical burr grinder optimally designed for grinding espresso beans as well as other brewing techniques.
You get to pick from its large selection of 60 different and precise grind settings to grind fine coffee dust for espresso and extra coarse size for Cold Brew.
This Breville coffee grinder also has a Precision Electronic Timer that enables users to fine-tune the grind time in 0.2 second increments to achieve the grind size that they desire.
The bean hopper can load up to 18 oz (510 g) of coffee beans, which is probably a lot more than your daily coffee intake. So it’s suitable for households and offices with more than one coffee drinker.
There is a sealable grinds container that can catch all of the grounds.
It’s also removable so that the grinder can dispense the grinds directly into your portafilter and filter basket.
Pros
- Conical burr optimal for espresso grinding
- A very wide range of ground settings
- Adjustable grinding time in small increments
- Convenient grounds dispenser that can accommodate portafilters, containers, filter baskets, and paper filters
- Durable stainless steel material
Cons
- Inconvenient one-button number of shots/cups feature making you go through the whole settings to get to the one you want
- Not the best when it comes to other types of brew aside from espresso
OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
This is another stainless steel conical burr grinder that’s optimized for making espresso grinds.
However, this OXO conical burr grinder provides you with a more limited range of only 38 grind settings.
But the convenience and ease of use that it offers are undeniable. This is evident with the one-touch start button and the timer that saves your previous setting to make your next grinding round ready to go immediately.
The bean hopper can comfortably hold up to 12 oz (340 g) of beans for large batch grinding, so you’re not limited to just the espresso brew method.
And all of the coffee grounds are distributed into the grounds container afterward which can hold up to 110 g (4 oz) of coffee for 12 cups of the best coffee.
Sadly, it doesn’t have portafilter holders to make espresso grinding more convenient, so this machine is more for you if you play around with other methods in your daily coffee consumption as well.
Pros
- Conical burr optimal for espresso grinding
- A moderate number of settings with micro-adjustment
- Convenient one-touch start timer that memorizes the last setting
- Durable stainless steel material
Cons
- Possible static issue
- Can be loud
- Not the best with oily beans
Rancilio Rocky Espresso Coffee Grinder
Another candidate on the list of the best coffee grinders for espresso has to be the Rancilio Rocky, which was designed specifically for this purpose.
This powerful machine is considered to be a commercial entry-level grinder thanks to its much bigger set of burrs that reaches 50 mm in size.
The bigger the burrs, the more powerful the motor. In this case, its 166-watt direct-drive motor enables the Rancilio Rocky espresso grinder to get the job done faster, quieter, and much more efficiently.
Although its hopper size is a little bit more limited with a capacity of only around 10 oz (295 g), it should be able to meet your espresso needs just fine.
The coffee-shop-quality grinder also allows the user to adjust the grind settings in small increments to make sure that the size is just right.
Pros
- Commercial-grade burr
- Direct-drive motor powers a quieter and faster grinding session
- User-friendly operation
- Can work well with oily beans
- Well-built
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Jamming may happen
Baratza Forte AP (All-Purpose) Ceramic Flat Burr Commercial Coffee Grinder
Baratza is another big name in the coffee scene. This brand is especially well-known for its grinders which have actually won the Specialty Coffee Association Award. So rest assured that these are certified by coffee experts in the field.
The Baratza Forte AP grinder is also powered by a strong and dynamic motor as its set of flat burrs is 54 mm long, enough to rank it as a commercial grinder.
What’s more, these aren’t regular stainless steel burrs either, but they’re made of ceramic instead.
Although they are more prone to chipping from foreign objects, ceramic burrs are longer-lasting than stainless steel by a long mile. You practically don’t need to sharpen them throughout the grinder’s lifetime.
Ceramic is also less thermal conductive and quieter, making them popular as home grinders.
Although the flat burr is less optimized for grinding espresso beans, as I’ve explained above, the robust Baratza Forte AP should counter that easily with its vast range of 260 different grind settings for any brewing method that you have in mind.
It also comes with a built-in digital timer to precisely dose the number of coffee grounds you want timely and neatly.
It’s also one of the best coffee flat burrs out there that are equipped with programmable buttons for users to save up to 3 presets for easy one-touch grinding routines.
There are also convenient holder brackets to assist you with grinding the beans directly into the portafilter. Not to mention the neat and small footprint, allowing it to easily fit anywhere.
Pros
- Specialty Coffee Association Award winner
- Can grind by weight or time
- Up to 3 savable presets to save time with one-touch grinding
- Extremely wide range of settings for all purposes
- Ceramic flat burr for better sharpness and improved uniformity
- Small footprint
Cons
- Very expensive
- Possible static issue
Baratza Sette 30 Conical Burr Grinder
If you’re dead set on getting one of the conical burrs and impressed with the Baratza grinders, look no further.
The Baratza Sette is marketed as an entry-level home grinder. With 30 grind settings and simple and intuitive navigation through the LED display, it’s definitely capable of meeting beginners’ needs.
You can easily go from French Press coarse to a finer size for espresso machines as well as other coffee makers.
The device is also loved for the cutting-edge straight-thru grinding mechanism that enables it to minimize grind retention.
You know how using pre-ground coffee can compromise the freshness of the brew. Lots of grind retention means more old grounds can fall into your new batch of coffee and spoil the overall quality.
What’s more, the portafilter holder brackets can be easily removed or reoriented to fit the grounds container in there for coffee recipes calling for a larger batch.
Pros
- Specialty Coffee Association Award winner
- User-friendly operation with an intuitive digital control panel, suitable as an entry-level machine
- Can be used for methods other than espresso brewing
- Adjustable digital timer for better accuracy
- A relatively wide range of settings
- Small footprint
Cons
- Slightly pricey
- Not very well-built to last for a long time
Eureka Mignon Silenzio Espresso Grinder
If you’re especially concerned about the sound of your favorite grinder disturbing the rest of the household or office, consider taking in this expensive but worth-it Eureka Mignon Silenzio Espresso Grinder.
The Silenzio features a set of powerful 50mm flat burrs with micro-metric grind adjustment for the user to precisely dial in the right grind size every single time.
To achieve the extreme quietness that’s often not the case with the high-speed stainless steel flat burrs, Silenzio is equipped with an anti-vibration technology and insulated case that can effectively cut down the grinding noise by approximately 20 dB.
The Silenzio also comes with Eureka’s inventive Anti-clumps and electrostatic system to optimize flow rate and ensure an even extraction where water comes into contact with all of the coffee.
And rather than splurging on a touchscreen display, this device takes the classic route by having the user navigate through its simple yet easy-to-use timed dosing dial and manual grinding toggle.
Though its 12 oz (340 g) bean hopper can bear any brew method, this grinder still pairs best with fine grinds for espresso and Turkish coffee and the popular medium-sized for occasional cups of Pour-Overs.
Pros
- Very interesting design
- Silencing technology for quieter grinding
- Stepless micrometric grind adjustment for better precision
- Can be used for methods other than espresso brewing
- ACE system to prevent clumps and improve dose consistency
- Flat steel burr for enhanced grounds uniformity
Cons
- Expensive
- Inconvenient and a bit hard to use dial settings that take time to get to the desired setting
Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill
This is another electric grinder that prioritizes convenience and ease of use for the user yet doesn’t sacrifice affordability.
Being a budget grinder, it’s understandable that its range of actions would be a bit more limited.
Rather than the insanely large number of settings you see on most grinders that are higher-end like some I’ve listed above, this best-seller burr grinder on Amazon only has 18 different settings.
But they’ll still meet whatever your demand is, as the 18 selections can still cover from the ultra-fine to the coarser size for brewing French Press and Cold Brew.
This Cuisinart simple yet elegant piece of art also comes with a 4 to 18-cup slide dial and a removable 32-cup grounds container to carry your batch of good coffee ready to be brewed.
The user can easily navigate through the one-touch power bar. The electric timer also helps save some of your electricity by automatically shutting off at the end of the grind cycle.
Compared to others, this grinder takes up a bit more counter space horizontally but less space vertically. So don’t worry about it hitting your cupboards.
Pros
- A moderate number of settings
- Convenient slide dial for picking the number of cups/shots
- Heavy-duty motor
- Easy to use one-touch power bar
- Auto-shutoff
- Very affordable
Cons
- Can be loud
- May not grind as finely as you desire
Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
This is another excellent grinder in the conical burrs crowd. Its stainless steel conical burrs are marketed to be commercial-grade.
With 16 different grinder settings, this grinder can cover all the popular grind sizes for popular recipes.
Segmented into 4 levels of grounds fineness – extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse, the settings give the user 4 smaller sizes in each category.
Different from low-speed grinders, high-speed ones tend to generate more heat build-up and noise.
But the manufacturer of Capresso Infinity improved this high-speed grinder by having it run on a gear reduction system to lower the speed of the burrs.
This gives the grinder the upper hand in terms of durability and noise and heat build-up production when coming face-to-face with other typical high-speed ones.
This affordable grinder is also designed to be fool-proof with its safety lock mechanism so that the grinder does not run on its own without a hopper in place.
The Capresso Infinity is also one of the smaller grinders for smaller households and single coffee drinkers. The hopper can hold up to 8.8 oz (249 g) of beans at a time, while the container can carry up to 4 oz (113 g) of grinds.
Pros
- Commercial-grade burr
- Steel conical burr optimal for espresso grinding
- A moderate range of settings
- Gear-reduction motor for less noise and static build-up
- Durable housing
Cons
- May not be suitable for brewing methods that require coarser grinds such as French Press
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Yes, we thought we’ve had enough of Baratza products in one article too. But what can a rational consumer do when that one brand does so well you keep coming back to them?
This is actually Baratza’s best-selling grinder that’s ideal for beginner home baristas with a very small footprint so it can easily shimmy onto your kitchen counter.
Although the plastic outer appearance may not be some coffee lovers’ cup of Joe, its general design in either black and white makes it easy to match the rest of your kitchen nonetheless.
It’s especially well-loved for the user-friendliness. All the user has to do is press the pulse button in front to simply turn the grinder on and off.
Despite its humble appearance, this electric grinder is a lot more capable than you might think.
With 40 mm commercial-grade conical burrs and 40 different ground settings, you’re set for life at home with great coffee always.
Pros
- Specialty Coffee Association Award winner
- Best-selling entry-level grinder
- User-friendly ON/OFF switch and pulse button
- A wide range of settings
- Commercial-grade conical burr suitable for brewing espresso and others
Cons
- May jam
- Can be loud
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
You can think of the Baratza Virtuoso+ as an enhanced version of the good-old Encore I mentioned above.
Other than the similar appearance, the Virtuoso+ also has 40mm conical burrs, 40 settings, and an easy-to-navigate front-mounted dial to help you explore the different realms of the coffee world.
The grinder also comes with a 40-second digital timer that’s adjustable to the tenth of a second to help you get the grind size as accurate to your expectation as possible.
An interesting design on this grinder that may intrigue many is that the grounds bin is backlit by LED so you can keep track and note whether there is enough beans ground for your recipe yet.
A bigger price tag comes better coffee quality and convenience.
Pros
- Specialty Coffee Association Award winner
- Digital timer adjustable in small time increments
- A wide range of settings
- Commercial-grade conical burr suitable for brewing espresso and others
- Modern design
Cons
- May not grind as finely as you desire
- Can be noisy
Fellow Ode Brew Grinder
This eye-catching grinder has more to offer than its looks.
This coffee shop-quality grinder is designed with home brewing in mind. It’s powerful with high precision but quiet, small, and knows to automatically stop to fit the less hectic home environment.
What’s impressive about the Fellow Ode is its set of commercial-grade 64 mm flat burrs to deliver amazingly consistent and uniform grinds for your brew.
The user also gets to play around with 11 settings and 31 steps in between to adjust and find the perfect coffee fineness.
This aluminum grinder also has a grinds knocker to minimize grounds retention and makes your life easier as less cleaning is needed.
Pros
- Very interesting design
- Can grind for various brewing methods
- Professional-grade flat burrs for enhanced grinds uniformity and precision
- A wide range of settings
Cons
- Quite expensive
- May not grind as finely as you desire
- Possible jamming issue
To Wrap Up
If you’re looking for an overall well-performing best coffee grinder for espresso in the market, we suggest giving the Breville Smart Grinder Pro a try for its versatility in grinding consistency, adjustment, dispensation, and not-too-crazy-expensive price tag.
FAQs
Why Are Espresso Grinders So Expensive?
Generally, the better the output, the more expensive the device is going to be since the engineering, designing, materials, and manufacturing that go into making the product would obviously be more expensive.
That’s why:
- Burr grinders are more expensive than blade grinders;
- Ceramic burrs are more expensive than stainless steel;
- Flat burr grinders are more expensive than conical burrs
What’s more, when you ask for the grinder to work for more brew methods than one, more effort will be required to make more adjustments and settings to be put in place.
Not to mention all of the other innovative functions that make your life easier such as timed grinding.
Another thing is, grinding for espresso certainly calls for more precision and consistency in size as it’s less forgiving than methods using coarse grinds such as Cold Brewing and French Press.
The bottom line is, you’re paying for the quality you get.
But there are definitely affordable options in the market that can certainly work for your daily coffee consumption without making you splurge on what most would consider being a luxury.
Can You Use Any Grinder For Espresso?
Yes, technically, any coffee grinder can be used for making espresso grounds. When push comes to shove, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got.
But grinders that are designed specifically for the job usually are better at producing espresso grinds, since it’s their job.
Also, depending on your coffee habits, getting a grinder that’s capable of making grounds for multiple methods is a smarter move for those who don’t drink espresso the majority of the time.