Coffee Grinders to Make the Best Home Brewed Coffee

Do you love fresh, delicious coffee? If so, you need one of the best coffee grinders.

For some people, coffee gets them through the day. For others, coffee is a way of life. The people in the second group generally want more than standard instant brews or generic pre-ground coffee.

To get the perfect brew, you have to start with grinding the coffee beans yourself. An excellent coffee grinder will help you have the best-tasting coffee in the neighborhood.

See the top 5 best coffee grinders on the market. 

Editors' Choice: Baratza Virtuoso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

If you’re looking for a dependable coffee grinder that will fulfill all your coffee-making needs, try the Baratza Virtuoso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder.

This device has Italian conical burrs, and it’s a durable and robust machine. There are 40 grind level settings, which means you can get the precise grind for your cup of java.

But what makes this machine even better is that it’s quiet. You won’t be waking everyone at home while you make your morning coffee.

Baratza Virtuoso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Pros

• Lots of grind settings: There are 40 settings on this coffee grinder.
• Quiet machine: The machine isn’t too loud.
• Well-respected company: This grinder is part of a line of well-renowned coffee grinders.

Baratza Virtuoso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Cons

• High price: It costs more than $200.
• Messy bin: The grounds bin has a shape that is harder to remove from the machine neatly.
• Small hopper: This machine only holds eight ounces of coffee beans.

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Best Value: Quiseen One-Touch Electric Coffee Grinder

If you’re looking for a coffee grinder that is easy to use and budget-friendly, the Quiseen One-Touch electric coffee grinder is the right model for you.

It’s easy to operate and simple to clean.

Quiseen One-Touch Electric Coffee Grinder Pros

• Large size: You can grind enough coffee beans to serve up to seven people.
• Multipurpose grinder: You can use it to grind other things like spices.
• User-friendly design: You don’t need to put any settings. All you need to do is add beans to the container, close the lid, and let the blade do its thing

Quiseen One-Touch Electric Coffee Grinder Cons

• Lower quality: While this grinder has an affordable price point and you can get the job done, the lower-quality materials means that this machine won’t last forever.
• One setting option: You will need to be mindful of how the coffee grinds look opposed to one with a variety of grind settings.
• Patience required: Because there’s no timer, it might take a while to get the perfect grind.

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Best Automatic: OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

OXO is known for making quality and durable kitchen tools.

The brand’s conical burr coffee grinder is a reliable option if you’re in the market for an automatic grinder.

It has a variety of grind settings and an adjustable timer. It works with the touch of one button.

This grinder keeps the settings of your last coffee bean grind session so that you can grind your beans quickly.

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Pros

• Adjustable grind sizes: It’s easy to adjust the machine to the exact grind size you want.
• Last grind settings: It keeps the settings of your previous grind session so that you can do it again.
• Two conical burrs: These parts ensure that your grounds will all be the same size.

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Cons

• Large size: This machine will take some real estate on your kitchen counter.
• Maintenance required: If you use this device frequently, you’ll need to make sure all the gears and mechanics are working correctly.
• Power requirements: It can use a lot of electricity.

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Best Manual: Pressogrind Mechanical Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

If you need a coffee grinder that you can take with you on your next trip, then try the Pressogrind mechanical conical burr coffee grinder.

Unlike other grinders, this one has several settings that will get you that perfect coffee grind. It also is compact enough to pack and take with you anywhere. Home baristas love its simple settings.

If you’re an early riser, you can still make a cup of joe without having to wake anyone else up.

Pressogrind Mechanical Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Pros

• Grind settings: This model will let you make coarse or superfine grounds.
• Low volume: It isn’t a loud coffee grinder.
• Portable design: It’s small enough to take on any trip.

Pressogrind Mechanical Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Cons

• Effort required: You’ll need to grind the beans by hand.
• Slow grinding: Because you’re doing it manually, it’ll take more time to get a cup of coffee.
• Small design: It can’t produce large amounts of coffee grounds.

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Best for French Press: Breville The Smart Grinder Pro

While the other coffee grinders above are solid options, the Breville the Smart Grinder Pro takes things to another level. If you’re a big fan of French press coffee, this is the perfect grinder for your home.

Anyone big on their coffee will fully appreciate this coffee grinder. First, it holds a full pound of whole beans in the removable bean hopper. Then it lets you program grind times for each shot setting. It also offers a pause function if you need to even out the portafilter.

If your home has people who like different types of coffee, you won’t need to worry. The machine offers 60 grind settings!

Breville The Smart Grinder Pro Pros

• Grind settings: You can pick from 60 settings to create the perfect cup of coffee.
• LCD display: The digital display shows the exact grind setting, grind time, and the number of cups or shots you’ll get from the beans.
• Precise grinding: You can adjust grinding times at 0.2-second increments.

Breville The Smart Grinder Pro Cons

• Overheating machines: Once it starts running, it can get hot quickly.
• Rare replacement parts: It’s difficult to find replacement components from Breville.
• Stuck beans: You might run into it jamming after multiple uses.

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Why Grind the Beans Yourself

When it comes to making coffee, there’s always one ongoing debate:

Should you get already ground coffee?

Or should you grind whole beans?

There are many reasons why people reach for the already ground coffee beans:

• You don’t have to work as hard. You can put in what you need into the filter to make the coffee without any previous steps.
• You don’t need to think twice about how long you need to grind the beans.
• You don’t need to consider how big the grounds should be.

But grinding your beans gives you a lot of reward for the little effort required.

Learn why grinding beans yourself is best for the true coffee lovers and coffee snobs out there.

Coffee Beans Last Longer

Once the coffee has lost its flavor, you can’t enjoy it as much.

If you grind only the amount of coffee that you need for your pot or mug, you won’t waste coffee that could go stale.

You’ll also save money because you won’t need to keep buying ground coffee or replacement coffee beans.

Coffee Is More Flavorful

The oils in the coffee beans are what gives you the different flavors in coffee.

These oils stay in the beans until you grind them. If you purchase already ground coffee, sometimes the oils dissipate. The lost oils will mean that the intense flavor you want will be less.

Contamination Is Less Likey

Pre-ground coffee beans aren’t hazardous to your health. However, the coffee could taste bad like if it’s not stored correctly.

If you have ground coffee, put it in an airtight container. You can also try putting it in the fridge because cold temperatures help neutralize smells.

However, if the coffee is not in an airtight container, you may still be messing with your coffee’s flavor.

Read about how to grind coffee beans like a pro.

Burr vs. Blade Coffee Grinder

When you buy a grinder, you need to know if you want a burr coffee grinder or a blade coffee grinder.

Keep reading to learn the difference.

Burr Coffee Grinder

You might not know what a burr coffee grinder is. But if you frequently visit coffee shops, you’ve seen these before.

Despite looking like an intense piece of hardware, a burr coffee grinder isn’t only for professional baristas.

They aren’t that difficult to operate. However, you will need to understand more about coffee and the beverages you can make to appreciate the capabilities of the burr coffee grinder.

Pros

• Precise adjustments: Unlike blade coffee grinders, you can change the grind setting tiny amounts to change the type of flavor you can pull from the beans.
• Strong machine: As long as you clean and maintain the appliance, it will last for years.
• Uniform grinds: Using a burr coffee grinder will ensure all your coffee grounds are the same size.

Cons

• Frequent maintenance: Because burr grinders have more parts, you will need to do more frequent maintenance and cleaning.
• High power: Because of how they grind coffee beans, these appliances use more energy than a blade grinder.
• Large size: These are not tiny. These grinders will take up some room in your kitchen.

Blade Coffee Grinder

If you’re looking for a coffee grinder that doesn’t have all the frills and complicated pieces, perhaps the blade grinder is the better option for you.

All you need to do is pour in the beans, lock in the lid, plug it in, and press a button to operate. It’s up to you on how long you want to grind the beans for or how big you want the grinds.

Pros

• Easy cleaning: All you need to do after each grind session is take a damp paper towel and wipe the inside clean after you’ve turned off and unplugged the device. Then, come back with a dry paper towel to remove any moisture.
• Quick grinding: As we’ve written above, you pour, grind then brew.
• Simple use: These machines aren’t complicated to use. You pour in the beans and press a button to grind your beans.

Cons

• No control: Because you can’t set grind settings or time it, these machines can produce uneven grounds.
• Uneven grinds: If you’re aiming for the ideal cup of coffee, you want an even grind on your beans. Unfortunately, you can’t get that with a blade grinder.

Manual vs. Electric Coffee Grinder

You will also need to figure out if you want to opt for a manual or electric coffee grinder.

This choice is more of a preference. Learn more about the types below.

Manual Coffee Grinder

If you’re only making coffee in small batches, maybe you’ll enjoy the process of hand-grinding your coffee beans.

Pros

• More control: You can see and feel in real time how the small the grounds are getting.
• Quieter grinding: Because the manual coffee grinder is using your hand for power, you can grind the beans slowly or quickly. You get more control over the noise when you’re trying to keep it quiet in the morning.
• Travel-friendly design: If you’re always on the road but want to make coffee, a manual coffee grinder is the best choice because it’s easy to pack in your bag.

Cons

• Different sizes: With a manual coffee grinder, you’re likely to get inconsistently sized grounds.
• More effort: If you want to put in the least amount of energy into this process, manual coffee grinders are not for you. If you’re making a lot of coffee in the morning, this might be more effort than it’s worth.

Electric Coffee Grinder

If you need need to make coffee for large groups or don’t want to put effort into grinding coffee beans, an electric coffee grinder is the best option for you.

Pros

• Convenient grinding: Aside from not having to put in any physical effort into the grinding, some electric grinders can save the settings you want so you have the same perfect grind every time.
• Grind settings: Electric coffee grinders can offer a variety of grind settings to fit your coffee-drinking needs and to adjust to specific times and grinds.
• Minimal effort: All you need to do is pour the beans, adjust the settings, and let it run.

Cons

• Espresso isn’t standard: Higher-end electric coffee grinders are usually the models that can grind your beans for espresso or Turkish coffee. Lower-priced options might not have the ability.
• Higher price: More features can mean that some electric coffee grinders can cost you hundreds of dollars.
• Not portable: Between the need for electricity and the size, this is not the type of coffee grinder you can take on a short trip.

Coffee Grinder Buyer’s Guide

When purchasing a coffee grinder, you need to consider multiple factors.

Learn about coffee grinder features so that you know what you want.

Bean Hopper Size

Bean hoppers are the vessels where you store the whole beans in a coffee grinder. Bean hoppers are usually part of burr coffee grinders.

They range in size from holding a pound of whole coffee beans to five pounds if you’re using a commercial coffee grinder.

Cleaning and Maintenance

To ensure that your coffee grinder is always working efficiently, clean the grinder after every use.

Paper Towel

It’s particularly important to clean blade grinders. Because most blade grinders don’t come apart, you will need to wipe it clean with a paper towel.

Never forget to unplug the grinder before you clean it. 

Rice Cleaning

If you want to keep your coffee grinder under warranty, avoid using dry, raw rice.

Do a quick dry-cook of the rice before putting it through your burr coffee grinder. You can cook the rice on the stove or in a rice cooker.

Cleaning with rice removes bean dust and oils that pass through the grinder. The dry cooking will put less stress on your grinder’s motor.

Follow these steps:

1. Unplug the device.
2. Remove the hopper and grind chamber and wipe them down. If there’s still some oil, use some mild soap and warm water. Wash the soap off quickly and make no residue is left to ensure that your future grinds won’t get flavored by cleaning supplies.
3. Dry the hopper and grind chamber so that the burrs and motor don’t get wet and corrode.
4. Clean the burrs thoroughly. You can use a lint-free cloth, a small vacuum, or compressed air to get the bits out. If some nooks and crannies have some bits in them, try a toothpick or something thin to pick the specks out. If you do this step, pass some coffee grinds through afterward to make sure everything is working.

These steps will keep your coffee grinder in excellent condition,

Ease of Use

Some might think that the more straightforward blade grinders are easier to use. However many of the blade grinders don’t help you break down the coffee beans to the exact grind that they should be.

Burr coffee grinders usually have settings that make sure your grounds are uniform so that you have a better coffee experience.

Read Amazon reviews to see what users say about how easy it is to use the grinder you’re most interested in buying.

Durability

Coffee grinders last for however long you take care of them.

How long a grinder lasts depends on the model, the manufacturing, and how often you use yours.

Some consumers would say that coffee grinders don’t last longer than a year. However, with consistent cleaning and maintenance, some grinders can last for a long time.

Grind Consistency

If you’re looking for grind consistency, you should consider a burr coffee grinder.

Blade coffee grinders tend to produce inconsistent grinds. While that might be okay for filtered coffee, many would say that you’re not doing the coffee justice.

Choose a grinder based on your preferences in this category.

Grind Levels

How much do you need to grind coffee beans?

The answer depends on what kind of coffee maker you have and what your favorite beverages are.

While there are little in-between and nuanced grinds within the list below, here are the basics:

• Coarse: Coarse grinds are usually for cold brews and French press coffee. If you use a cafe solo brewer or a Chemex, you’ll need the grounds to be medium-coarse level.
• Medium: Medium grinds are best for drip coffeemakers while a little finer medium grinds are best for pour-over cones, vacuum pots, and siphon brewers.
• Fine: The fine grind is for espressos and a Moka pot or stovetop espresso maker.
• Turkish: If you’re into Turkish style coffee, you will need to make the grounds so fine that they’re like a powder.

Noise Levels

Anything going through a series of cutting and pulverizing will make noise.

Some coffee grinders are louder than others. Depending on the size of the grinder and the amount of beans you grind, the noise level will vary.

Number of Grind Settings

Both manual and electric grinders offer a variety of grind settings.

These settings help you get coffee beans down to the right smaller size for your coffee or espresso maker.

Below are a few standard grind settings that are available on many coffee grinders:

• Auto Grind: Auto grind can come in different variations. This setting will let the user press a button, and the machine will grind the beans perfect for the specific drink you want.
• Pulse: Pulse intermittently grinds your beans, which allows you to see the grind level better.
• Timed Grind: Because coffee grinders vary with grinding strengths, sometimes it makes more sense time the grind instead of using a particular grind level. You can choose from preset times or program your own.

Warranty

Like many other appliances, coffee grinders normally come with the company’s parts and labor warranties that last 12 months from the purchase date.

Higher-priced grinders and some retail locations will sometimes offer additional warranties that can last anywhere between one to three years.

Whether it’s the simple blade grinder or the more sophisticated burr coffee grinder, there is one out there that will help you make a delicious cup of coffee.

Use our top picks and our buying guide to help you make the right decision for your needs.