If you're only going to upgrade one piece of coffee kit, make it your grinder. A good grinder does more for your cup than a new machine, a fancy kettle or a set of scales. The reason is that coffee starts to lose its aroma within minutes of grinding. Uneven grinds are the other problem: the fine bits over-extract and the big bits under-extract, so you get bitter and sour in the same mouthful.
Every grinder on this list uses burrs rather than blades. Blade grinders chop the beans randomly and can't give you an even grind, whatever you spend. Burr grinders crush the beans between two surfaces set a fixed distance apart, so the particles come out much more even in size.
We've grouped the list by how you brew and roughly how much you want to spend.
Hand grinders
1. Timemore Chestnut C3 (under £100)
This is the best way to get into proper grinding without spending much. It's solid, easy to use and grinds evenly enough for pour-over, AeroPress and cafetière. It will grind for espresso, but slowly and without much fine adjustment. For a first grinder, it's hard to fault.
2. 1Zpresso J-Ultra (mid-range)
This is a hand grinder built for espresso. It has very fine, precise adjustment, which is exactly what you need for dialling in shots. If you've got a good espresso machine and a small kitchen or budget, it's a great alternative to an electric espresso grinder.
3. Comandante C40 (premium)
Many baristas carry a Comandante in their bag, and for good reason. It's beautifully made and produces an exceptionally even grind for filter coffee. It's also built to last for decades. You're paying for quality you can taste in the cup.
Electric grinders for filter
4. Baratza Encore ESP (entry-level)
The original Encore has been a starter recommendation for years. The ESP version adds a much finer range, so it can handle entry-level espresso as well as filter. It's simple and dependable, and Baratza sells spare parts, so you can repair it instead of throwing it away.
5. Wilfa Uniform (mid-range)
Wilfa is a Norwegian brand that takes filter coffee seriously. The Uniform uses flat burrs and grinds very consistently, which makes it great for batch brewers, pour-over and cafetières. It's quiet, well built and doesn't take up much room on the counter.
6. Fellow Ode Gen 2 (mid-range)
This is a flat-burr grinder made for filter coffee, and it's built to grind a single dose at a time. You weigh out your beans, grind them and very little gets left behind in the machine. It looks good and grinds well, but it isn't designed for espresso, so only buy it if you mainly brew filter.
Electric grinders for espresso (or both)
7. Sage Smart Grinder Pro (mid-range)
This is often people's first all-rounder. It has a hopper, a timer and plenty of grind settings, so it can manage anything from espresso to cafetière. It isn't the most precise grinder here, but it's easy to use and very good value if you switch between brew methods.
8. Fellow Opus (mid-range)
Fellow's all-rounder uses conical burrs and covers everything from espresso to cold brew. It's a step up from most entry-level machines and a good choice if you want one grinder for everything.
9. Eureka Mignon Specialita (upper mid-range)
This is a proper espresso grinder, and you'll see Eureka grinders in plenty of cafés. It's quiet and fast, with stepless adjustment so you can make tiny changes to your shot. If espresso is your main drink, this is a big upgrade.
10. Niche Zero (premium)
The Niche changed home grinding when it came out, and it's still one of the most recommended grinders around. It grinds one dose at a time, keeps almost no old coffee inside, and moves between espresso and filter easily. It isn't cheap, but many people who buy one never need another grinder.
How to choose
- Mostly filter? Choose a filter-focused grinder like the Wilfa Uniform or Fellow Ode. You'll get a better cup than you would from an all-rounder at the same price.
- Mostly espresso? Put money into fine adjustment. The Eureka, Niche or a J-Ultra hand grinder will make dialling in much easier.
- A bit of both? Go for an all-rounder like the Sage, Opus or Niche.
- Short on space or budget? Get a good hand grinder. You'll get better grind quality for your money than from a cheap electric grinder.
Whichever you pick, buy whole beans and grind just before you brew. If you're not sure where to start with grind size, message our roasters on BrewBuddy. Cheers.
