There’s nothing worse than a stale cup of coffee. Cut the Folgers habit and up your java game with your own fresh coffee grinder. Your taste buds will thank you.
Coffee beans grow stale with exposure to air, and that only gets worse with pre-ground coffee. If you’re tired of drinking flavorless, thin, and bland coffee, it’s time to switch to the fresh stuff. Coffee grinders break down whole beans to release the aromatic oils that make coffee taste good, smell delicious, and give our system the caffeine boost it needs. With freshly ground beans, you can experience the full flavors of your favorite roasts without having to spend beaucoup bucks at the coffee shop. Pour yourself a cup and check out our list of the best coffee grinders available now. You can thank us later.
The Best Coffee Grinder
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder (BEST CHOICE)
The Baratza Encore is our premium pick for a reason. This electronic grinder comes with 40 adjustable grind settings so that you can brew the perfect espresso or French press. The conical hopper feeds into ultra-strong 40-millimeter steel burrs, which provide a more even grind with same-size coffee particles. Once ground, the fresh coffee drops into a removable drawer that can hold up to eight ounces of coffee grounds. The Baratza Encore features two ways to grind: an on-off switch on the side of the machine allows for a continuous grind, while a button on the front provides a pulsated grind for small amounts. The Baratza Encore is available in black or white and comes with a one-year warranty on all parts.
For more amazing products for coffee connoisseurs, check out our guide to the best pour-over coffee makers.
Cuisinart Supreme Automatic Coffee Grinder
Looking for a group-sized (or all-nighter worthy) coffee grinder? You found it. The Cuisinart Supreme Automatic Coffee Grinder holds and grinds enough coffee beans for 32 cups. You read that correctly. Eighteen different grind settings allow you to grind ultra-fine or extra-coarse for different brewing methods. All you need to do is decide how many cups you want to grind, set your grind preference, and press the power button. Burr grinders make this a powerful and effective grinder, while the sleek design adds style points to any kitchen. This grinder comes with the removable grounds chamber with lid, a scoop, and a cleaning brush, and features clever cord storage and a heavy-duty motor.
You may also be interested in some of these amazing pod coffee makers from our list. Check them out.
Breville Pro Smart Coffee Grinder
For the precisionist coffee lover, we bring you the Breville Pro Smart Coffee Grinder. This automatic grinder is perfect for at-home baristas, especially with the two espresso portafilter cradles: a smaller 54-millimeter cradle, and a larger 58-millimeter option. Choose your number of shots, amount of grounds, and grind size, and voila – the perfect cup of coffee is ready in seconds. If you want fresh grounds for your standard drip coffee maker, don’t worry. You can also set your bowl filter directly in the grinder for easy java creation. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is easy to clean with removable parts, simple to adjust with an electronic interface, and quick to use with the push of a button. This grinder offers 60 precision grind settings and can hold up to 18 ounces of beans.
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Electric Coffee Grinder
Maybe you’re looking for options without being overwhelmed by barista-level adjustments. The Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Electric Coffee Grinder brings you just that. Choose from three grind settings and five amount options for a great cup of coffee without the hassle of decimal-point measurements. As a blade grinder, Mr. Coffee may not give you the most precise grounds, but it will certainly do the job when that alarm clock goes off too early on Monday morning. The sweeping arms even help to clean remaining grounds off of the walls, reducing both mess and waste. A removable hopper makes cleaning easy, while a flip-up lid helps you pour ground coffee easier, and keeps the leftovers sealed until your next brew. As the name suggests, this coffee grinder can produce enough grounds for up to 12 cups of coffee at a time, which will help you push through to a deadline, or sip your morning Joe with loved ones. Should anything happen to your java lifeline, Mr. Coffee offers a one-year limited warranty.
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
This one is for the purists. Manual grinders give you precise control over the quality and quantity of your grind, without the noise, cords, or bigger footprint of electric grinders. The JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder features an industry-leading conical burr mill made from a patented ceramic that (after acing three professional-grade inspections) lasts five times longer than stainless steel blade grinders. The adjustable grind allows you to choose from 18 settings to control the coarseness or fineness of your beans. It all comes down to the hand crank, which powers the burrs and deposits fresh coffee grounds into the detachable hopper. All of this, without the noise, hassle, or breakdowns of electric coffee grinders. With such a compact design and ease of use, this manual grinder is the best traveling option – you can even bring it camping, along with your travel coffee mug! As a bonus, JavaPresse includes a code for a free bag of whole bean coffee. That’s $22 you don’t have to spend.
OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
This option is a family-sized grinder with premium features. For easy access cleaning, you can quickly remove the large hopper, which holds nearly a pound of coffee. The tinted hopper blocks UV rays, which can break down coffee oils and destroy the flavor of your beans. Choose from 15 grind size settings or micro-adjust to your personal preferences. The stainless steel, 40-millimeter conical burrs provide consistent grounds for a rich, full-flavored cup of coffee, every time. A one-touch button keeps your previous settings; push a button, and your coffee grounds are ready to go. You can grind up to 12 cups-worth in one cycle, which should get the whole family ready every AM.
Here are some of the quality Keurig coffee makers you may be interested in. Check them out.
SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder
We all want the easiest, fastest, and most effective coffee grinder available. For those who want the utmost simplicity in an electric coffee grinder, the SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder is the ultimate choice. There are no buttons to press, no dials to adjust – all you do is add the beans to the hopper and press the lid down. Since this grinder uses blades, you control the grind size with how long you grind your beans. Shorter amounts of time provide coarser beans, while longer grind times produce finer grounds. The SHARDOR Electric Grinder includes the grinding machine, a two-blade stainless steel cup, a combination spoon and brush, and a two-year warranty, just in case. The stainless steel cups can be removed and cleaned via dishwasher for convenience. The high-powered motor spins the steel blades at up to 24,000 RPMs, giving you better ground coffee faster. This grinder is also versatile: use it to grind spices, nuts, or grains after your morning coffee from a favorite coffee mug.
Kaffe KF2020 Electric Coffee Grinder
This budget-friendly Kaffe Electric Coffee Grinder could be your best starter coffee grinder option. While this coffee grinder can only hold three ounces of beans at a time, that’s plenty of grounds for one or two cups of Joe! The Kaffe Electric Grinder uses an easy on-off switch for self-timed grind options, which is easy to monitor through the transparent lid. Should anything go amiss, Kaffe’s extended two-year warranty covers any defects or damages, with a money-back guarantee! This electric grinder operates quietly; no need to worry about waking up the neighbors first thing in the morning.
For a quick cup of coffee for yourself, be sure to invest in a single serve coffee maker from our list.
Bodum Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder
This premium choice won’t disappoint. Bodum’s Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder consistently crushes beans between stainless steel conical burrs, which both preserves the intrinsic coffee flavor and aroma without having to sharpen the burrs. This process releases more surface area and coffee oils, which gives you the best coffee possible. The twelve grind settings allow for the best cup no matter your brewing process; simply twist the hopper up top to the grind setting you prefer. The pre-set timers will grind exactly the amount of coffee you need to these precise measurements, cutting both waste and energy.
Bodum uses a static-free, dishwasher-safe borosilicate glass container to catch your ground beans without finer grounds clinging to the sides. At the same time, a sleek rubber grip ensures a firm grip when transporting the grounds to your coffee brewer. What we love about this premium option is not only the compact size that still delivers group-sized coffee grounds but also the “grind guide” hopper lid. Suggestions for grind size and amount of grounds line up with how many cups you plan to brew and how you plan to brew them. That’s coffee made simple.
If you are more a tea person, be sure to check out some of these amazing tea makers from our list.
BLACK+DECKER Coffee Grinder
Here’s another great budget option from the industry leader Black + Decker Coffee Grinder. This blade grinder uses stainless steel blades and bowls to produce a durable grinder for your coffee, nuts, spices, and herbs. The included hopper lid locks onto the grinding bowl before allowing the blades to do their work, ensuring you won’t have a giant mess to clean before your first cup of java. Once the lid is locked, press down on the top button and smell the fresh Joe. Because of the simplicity of this design, the black + Decker coffee grinder is extremely easy to clean: use a toothbrush or paintbrush to get fine grounds from under the blades or wipe out the stainless steel grinder bowl with a damp paper towel between different roasts.
Here’s a pro tip: instead of transferring the entire machine with the fresh grounds to your brewing device, flip the whole grinder over, depositing the grounds into the transparent cover. Once you unlock the lid, the cover serves as a transferrable bowl, rather than dragging your plugged-in machine all over the kitchen.
Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind 4.5oz Electric Coffee Grinder
The cheapest option on our list is also one of our favorites. This blade grinder from Hamilton Beach uses its quiet but powerful motors to bring you the freshest grounds without waking your roommates. Stainless steel blades allow you to grind hundreds of pounds of coffee (or spices or grains) without issue. A removable grinding chamber makes transporting your freshly ground coffee much more manageable and can hold up to nine tablespoons – or twelve cups’ worth – of coffee beans. Ground too much by accident? You can leave them in the hopper for a fresh seal until your next cup. If you want to store your grinder, wrap the cord around the storage base and press the grinder down to lock the cords in place. The simplistic design is easy to use and clean, quiet, and compact. While it may not give you a barista-level grind size, this grinder will get the job done without breaking your hard-earned budget.
KRUPS Silent Vortex Electric Coffee Grinder
Our last option boasts one of the best records. Within 20 seconds, the KRUPS Silent Vortex Coffee Grinder can deliver fine enough grounds for a pour-over, while ten seconds delivers French press-worthy grounds. All of this without waking your sleeping newborn. The Vortex uses top-notch technology to pull the beans into its blades, rather than a flat blade striking only half of your coffee. It’s also effective at grinding dried herbs and spices, raising your cooking game to new levels. You can easily detach then clean the stainless steel grinding bowl by running it through the dishwasher. The bowl holds enough grounds to brew 12 cups of coffee, perfect for a brunch party. A one-touch button gives you complete control over your grind size – press the button longer for finer grounds, or keep it short for coarser brew methods like French presses. The lid seals in your beans, grains, spices, or herbs, so there’s no mess flying around your kitchen. Any leftover residue can be wiped away with a damp paper towel, making clean up a snap. The sleek black and orange design adds a chic look to your kitchen countertop, and will have your guests saying, “I’d love a cup of coffee!”
Coffee Grinder Buying Guide & FAQ
Features To Look For In Coffee Grinders
Particle Size – A key feature of coffee grinders is the uniformity of ground particles. Coffee flavors come from the roasted bean’s surface area, so the more surface area accessed (or, the finer the grind), the better. Lower quality grinders will have a broader range of particle sizes, which doesn’t allow for the best extraction. Higher quality grinders produce a smaller range of particle sizes, and the more uniformity, the better.
Different brewing methods call for different particle sizes. For reference, a pour-over coffee brewer uses finer grounds, so that water is trapped in more surface area and can extract the aromatic oils easily as the water filters down. French presses, however, utilize coarser grounds, as the water and coffee grounds will be in contact consistently within the French press container. Drip coffee machines generally use an in-between particle size, since they filter through similar to a pour-over, but stay in contact with water longer like a French press. Espresso machines will use the finest particles, as the grounds must get pressed into the portafilter disk for a compact, more powerful brewing experience.
Settings – These are key if you plan to use multiple methods of coffee brewing systems. An espresso machine requires a different particle size than a drip coffee machine; owning a coffee grinder with adjustable settings is necessary for changing brewing methods. Some coffee grinders use manual adjustments, while others use electronic dials. Look for a style that you would feel comfortable using every day.
Capacity – If you’re planning to make enough coffee for you and a partner, then any ordinary coffee grinder will do you well. However, if you’re looking for a travel-sized coffee grinder, then you shouldn’t look for a 20-ounce capacity hopper. (You should probably look for a compact manual grinder if that’s the case.) If you want a coffee grinder that stays on your kitchen counter and is always ready to brew a new cup, look for a grinder with a larger capacity – 10 ounces or more would be your best bet. Many grinders will come with a “brewed cups” capacity, so make sure to look for the difference between ounces and cups.
Speed – While burr grinders may move as quickly as 500 rotations per minute (RPM), while blade grinders can be as fast as 20,000 RPM. The quicker rotations may not equal faster grinding, especially if your hopper is full of beans. Low-speed grinders are usually cheaper and produce less heat. Conversely, high-speed grinders provide a more consistent grind with higher RPMs but are more expensive. It all depends on your budget, and if you prefer blade or burr grinders.
Ease of Use and Cleaning – Blade grinders will be much easier to clean, while burr grinders will be more difficult since there are more crevices to hide residue. In general, you should not use any liquids when cleaning your grinder; despite popular belief, vinegar is not a suitable cleaning agent for coffee grinders. Most coffee grinders will come with a cleaning brush to help reach those intricate crevices that can build up coffee residue. You can wipe out some grinding bowls with a damp paper towel. Check the manual before cleaning to find out what’s best for your machine.
Types Of Coffee Grinders
Manual Coffee Grinders – Manual grinders are great budget options that deliver consistent, high-quality results with little noise. They are generally small, durable, and easy to store, even with adjustable grind size settings. Their only downside is that they require a hand crank, which can get tiring for more than one serving of coffee.
- Electric Coffee Grinders – These are convenient coffee grinders, but can run on the expensive side. They can have up to 40 grind size settings and grind in a flash. However, they can be loud while grinding (sorry light sleepers) and, oh yeah, did we mention they can be expensive?
- Burr Coffee Grinders – Two burr pieces (multi-pronged star blades) funnel the beans down at an angle to cycle beans through at an even rate. Most burr grinders use conical hoppers to help angle the beans down in a more consistent manner.
- Blade Coffee Grinders – These are the cheapest options for electric grinders. Blade grinders whir around and smash the beans into pieces.
Coffee Grinder FAQ
How does a coffee grinder work?
Coffee beans hold aromatic oils that, when introduced to oxygen, begin to evaporate. The oils are what give coffee its incredible smell and fruity, floral, rich flavors. Because the oils are released more efficiently with more surface area (aka, when the coffee is ground), so too are the flavors.
Why should you grind your own coffee?
The coffee you buy in a grocery store has been sitting there for a while. If the coffee went through a grinder last week, that’s still a week of exposure to oxygen, breaking down the molecules in coffee beans and evaporating those aromatic oils. Pre-ground coffee can taste bitter and can seem runny and thin.
Freshly ground coffee releases the natural flavors – creamy nuttiness, citrus, cinnamon, brown sugar, berries, chocolate, you name it. These are the flavors you only taste with freshly ground coffee. Why do you think coffee shops always grind their espresso right before brewing? Grinding your coffee gives you the best possible cup of coffee, period.
How do I clean a coffee grinder?
There are two easy ways to clean a coffee grinder. For a quick clean, wipe out your grinder with a paper towel. For a deeper clean, grab a bristled cleaning brush and get scrubbing. For blade grinders, either of these will be quick, but burr grinders may require you to remove the burrs for deep cleaning. Check your manual for instructions on what can detach, what to use for cleaning, and how often to clean your coffee grinder.
What grind size should I use for my coffee?
For French presses and cold brews, you want a coarse, chunky grind. Pour-overs require a medium-coarse grind. A medium grind, the size of sea salt, is preferred for both drip coffee machines and siphon. Moka pots, which make espresso, require a table salt-fine grind, while Turkish coffee pots take an extra-fine grind like powdered sugar.
Can I grind coffee beans in my blender or food processor?
Yes, but watch out for uneven grind sizes. Like blade grinders, food processors and blenders will not be precise with the grind particle sizes. They work in a pinch, but we wouldn’t recommend them as your full-time grinder.