Coffee enthusiasts know that the best cups begin with the whir of a grinder. We could spend a few paragraphs convincing you that pre-ground beans are the antithesis of coffee at its very best, but if you haven’t already been convinced of that fact, you’re probably not going to be swayed by much of what we have to say in this article.
We believe that a great grinder has all the characteristics of a winning racehorse. Those who love this sport and are constantly looking up things like the latest Breeders’ Cup results may appreciate the metaphor. A good grinder starts fast right out of the gate and takes you to the finish line in no more than two minutes. Clear enough metaphor for you?
In this article, we highlight four thoroughbred, championship-level contenders – coffee grinder contenders, that is.
Eureka Mignon Specialita
Call this option a seasoned veteran. Certainly, it is the seasoned veteran to whom it will make its biggest appeal. A beginner in the world of coffee grinding, for example, is not going to be drawn in by its upper three-figure price tag. Still, if you’re willing to pay the bill, you’ll get a great product.
We’re talking 55-millimeter flat burrs that produce a consistent grind, stepless adjustment with micro settings, and it is built around low retention. Possibly our very favorite feature, however, is the nearly silent motor, which is a vastly underutilized element of modern coffee grinder design. Don’t these people know when we use this tool the most often?
At any rate, if you’re interested in something with professional-grade performance and a proven track record, this is the grinder you’re going to buy. It would be right at home in a Starbucks, and it would quickly become your favorite kitchen appliance.
Baratza Sette 270Wi
Well, here’s the immediate drawback to our second contender. You’ll have someone over for a cup of coffee, and they’ll say, “My goodness, this is absolutely delicious! What is that? Tell me, please, what kind of coffee grinder do you use?” And you’ll turn to them with a forlorn expression, sigh, and say, “Well, I can’t pronounce it.”
The name certainly doesn’t roll off the tongue, but this second-place contender is more affordable than our top pick and very precise – accurate to 0.1 grams, in fact, in operation.
It has 270 settings, which means that any rational person will never use all of them. It can be adjusted at both the macro and micro levels and is extremely efficient at both weighing and grinding coffee beans. Added bonus? It looks absolutely gorgeous on a kitchen counter and will really take the aesthetic of your coffee bar to the next level.
DF64 Gen 2
The cheapest entry on our list by a pretty considerable margin, this grinder – which, by the way, also does not have a name that rolls right off the tongue – features 64-millimeter flat burrs, which for those that don’t know, is a pretty high-value feature you might otherwise find more typically on grinders with a four-figure price tag.
It has a zero retention design, which means virtually no coffee grounds are left behind between uses, ensuring maximum freshness and minimal waste. And it can be upgraded for an additional fee with premium burr sets.
It’s a good – well, not exactly entry-level, but beginner high-end, let’s say – grinder for people who want something nearly commercial-grade at a consumer price.
Fellow Opus
Now the cheapest on our list, the Fellow Opus is versatile and well-rounded, and available at a price tag that would not be scandalizing on, say, a wedding gift registry. It features 40-millimeter conical burrs that are built with anti-static coating. It can be adjusted on both the macro and micro levels and has a magnetic catch cup available for single-dose brewing. It’s really affordable – at least in the broader context of high-end coffee grinders – and at the end of the day, it’s going to perform very comparably to the others on this list.
The Winner’s Circle
Here’s a little secret: all of the grinders on this list are really good. And yes, some of them do include really high-end specialty features. The truth, however, is that you can get a really solid experience with any of these grinders, particularly as an individual.
If you are a coffee shop that’s activating the grinder 70 times a day, that’s, of course, a different story. But for just making a couple of cups of coffee at a time, any one of these is more than up for the task. Choose something that suits your budget and get going.
