5 best exceptional coffee grinders for espresso

Have you just returned from a holiday in Italy and turned into a coffee aficionado – or has your partner acquired the characteristics of a true coffee snob? Owning the best espresso grinder allows you to enjoy the taste and benefits of freshly ground coffee in the comfort of your own kitchen. Especially if you love to drink espresso, you will definitely want to get quality coffee in that little morning dose.

In order to choose the highest quality coffee grinders, you need to get equipment with features that set it apart from the rest. In this guide, we have spent hours researching the features of a high quality coffee grinder. We’ve looked at different features and customer reviews to find the best coffee grinders and put them together in a buying guide.

In this article, we have outlined the various important features you need to know before choosing a coffee grinder and bringing it into your home. Especially if you are willing to invest money, you definitely want to make sure that you are getting high quality. From the type of grinder to the number of settings, hopper and container capacity, and warranty, we’ll cover everything you need to know. Take a look at our buying guide, our side-by-side comparison table and our detailed reviews of each product.

The 5 best espresso grinders

1

Baratza Seven 270

The Baratza Sette 270 is our editor’s choice for the best coffee grinder for espressos. Not only does the brand name set it apart, but a long list of quality features also make it a solid buy.

Since convenience is such an integral part of our society, the convertible appliance stand allows you to grind directly into the portafilter. You can choose between this, the provided grounds tray or most common brewing devices (V60, Clever, Able Kone, etc.).

You can also choose which method to use for the espresso you make, with fully rotating arms that can accommodate portable filters from 49 to 58mm.

The Baratza Sette 270 also features a grounds container made from anti-static plastic with a moulded pouring spout, making pouring simple enough to feel like a professional barista.

This coffee grinder also has 30 levels of grind adjustment so you can choose how to brew your coffee, from espresso grinding to manual brewing. You can also choose the automatic method with 9 different settings.

Perfect for your home, small office and coffee bar, you can also enjoy its ease of maintenance, with the conical burr easily removable without tools. You also don’t need to put in too much ground coffee as the Baratza Sette 270 maximises freshness and minimises the amount of ground coffee.

electric conical grinder

5.5 oz

270

10 oz.

Limited to 1 year

40mm steel cutters, weighted shredding function, 5 grams per second shredding, anti-static plastic hopper

Bunn G3 HD

If you run a barista stand or are looking to make a profit from your espresso, the Bunn G3 HD may be a good solution for you. Rated as our best commercial espresso grinder, the Bunn G3 HD is designed as a high-volume grinding system that works with sufficient turbo action for speed and efficiency, perfect for profit.

If you’re juggling multiple tasks at once, you need a coffee grinder that has your back. With the Bunn G3 HD, you don’t have to worry about the motor, as it shuts down when you change bags.

With a four-year warranty on its grinding wheels and a three-year warranty on all electrical parts, the Bunn G3 HD is a quality model. With its high power and heavy-duty precision grinders for finer grinding, you’ll get a great tasting cup of espresso, every time. The grinder, designed as a single hopper, can hold up to 3 pounds of regular, decaffeinated or specialty coffee beans, which means you can produce a lot of coffee without having to refill it, making it perfect for a small business.

You can also choose from a wide range of grinds.

The Bunn G3 HD is also fairly simple to maintain and clean, with a handy cleaning lever ensuring that you can thoroughly clean the coffee from its grinding chamber.

electric grinder

3 lbs

8

3 years on electronics, 2 years on parts, 1 year on labour.

turbo shredding, 1 lb of shredding per 30 seconds, set of turkish burrs included

ROK coffee grinder

The ROK coffee grinder is ranked as our best manual espresso grinder on our guide today. From its features like the double-bearing drive shaft to its non-slip base, this is a high-quality coffee grinder, no matter if you use it for personal or professional use.

The ROK coffee grinder not only provides a coarse grind, but also a fine grind to your liking. This means that it is versatile enough for different brewing styles. By working directly with fresh coffee beans, you will get the quality taste you are looking for in your morning coffee. Although you have to wind the high-precision mechanism by hand, you can still enjoy the process by feeling the beans being cut with precision.

With traditional engineering and modern precision, this affordable choice has the quality of more expensive electric grinders.

Featuring durable die-cast aluminum construction and engineering-grade components for ergonomic operation and long-lasting performance, the ROK Coffee Grinder is new to the scene, but it’s not done making waves in the world of coffee lovers.

Featuring 48mm hardened steel burrs and a high quality double bearing drive shaft, the ROK coffee grinder can still operate with the affordability of acetal plastic gears.

manual conical burr

2.25 inches

hardened steel

Limited to 1 year

48mm cutters, double bearing drive shaft, non-slip base, aluminium frame

Breville BCG820BSSXL The smart chopper

Although it only comes with a one-year limited warranty, the Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder is a game-changing high-tech model for all coffee grinders.

If you like not only convenience but also state-of-the-art machines, the Smart Grinder belongs in your kitchen. With a variety of features that set it apart from other coffee grinders, you’ll be truly amazed at the convenience and ease of use of the Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder.

With a refreshingly innovative use of IQ technology, this coffee grinder uses up to 60 unique settings to program your perfect cup of coffee. From “cups” for French press or filter to “shots” for espresso, you can play with its settings until you get the taste you want.

Using traditional methods of grinding directly into a portafilter or sealed container, the Breville BCG820BSSXL brings tradition into the last century.

The ease of use of the entire machine and its settings is no reason to be nervous either: the espresso machine has a clear and concise LCD display that shows the grind setting, grind time and the number of cups or mugs you have selected, making it perfectly simple to use.

You can also benefit from its digital time accuracy feature, which makes setting and programming in 0.2 second increments much easier.

electric conical cutter

18 oz

60

Limited to 1 year

LCD display, digital timer, grinding container with lid included, cleaning brush included, stainless steel frame and burrs, 165W power

DeLonghi KG521M

And because we believe that just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality, we present our budget choice, the DeLonghi KG521M.

With features that rival any high-end coffee grinder, the DeLonghi KG521M has a variety of different specifications that help it grind a great tasting cup of espresso.

From its easy-to-use functions and settings, displayed on an LCD screen, to its 18 different settings, the DeLonghi KG521M is an easily challenged coffee grinder, suitable for professional or personal use.

From the result of a rich, freshly ground flavor, you won’t even be able to tell that the coffee designed by the DeLonghi KG521M is our budget choice. Designed with a Dedica stainless steel conical burr, the possibilities for different coffees are endless.

You can enjoy your French press cup or even a single espresso directly in the portafilter. Whether you need to produce 14 cups for your customers or store them in the included storage container, this is the ideal choice for a home or café situation.

Powered by 150W of power and equipped with a number of features such as the storage container and cleaning brush, you’re sure to appreciate this coffee lover’s find.

Type

electric conical grinder

12.3 oz

18

Limited to 1 year

LCD display, 150W, cleaning brush included, stainless steel cutters, portafilter adapter.

The finest of the fine – why do you need a special espresso grinder?

An espresso grinder may seem like a fancy and unnecessary addition to your kitchen. However, whether for personal or professional use, having an espresso grinder specifically tailored to that little taste of coffee can make a huge difference.

Grinding your coffee beans just before brewing your espresso can have a big impact on the taste, especially if you’re looking for freshness and consistency from one espresso to the next.

Price tag

Before you buy or choose a coffee grinder, you need to make sure that the price fits your budget. If you’re not working with a budget, of course, that leaves some options open. However, you may find that setting a price limit can actually help you narrow down your choices.

If you’re looking for a quality coffee grinder at an affordable price, the DeLonghi KG521M is our budget choice.

Features to consider when buying the best espresso grinder

Even if you’ve set your sights on a particular coffee grinder, you may want to check and compare the features from one product to another.

To help you make the best choice when it comes to coffee grinders, here are some details to consider:

Blades or burrs?

Making a decision about the foundation or structure of the coffee grinder can be as simple as choosing between one thing and another.

For coffee grinders, you have to choose between blades and burrs.

To help you weigh up the decision, here are the pros and cons:

As far as blades are concerned, they are generally much cheaper than burrs. However, they are not exactly the spitting image of control when it comes to dictating the coarseness or fineness of the grind of coffee beans.

If you need a customisable grinder, a burr like the ROK coffee grinder is your best bet.

Hand or electric grinder?

Another decision you may have to make is between a hand grinder and an electric grinder.

In order to make this informed decision, you need to consider and think about your reasons for getting an espresso grinder.

You want to be able to decide whether or not you are ready: to work for your coffee, to spend on your machine, and to be able to diversify your drinks. Knowing the answers to these questions can help you make a more informed decision about the type of coffee grinder you need for your home or coffee shop.

You should know that using a manual grinder is not only tedious, but also time consuming. If you are looking for convenience, this may not be the best decision.

However, hand mills are generally more affordable than electric mills and more compact, meaning you can move them around the kitchen and place them in any corner.

The electric grinder is much better suited to the coffee situation, as it allows you to get more than one or two cups at a time and if you are looking for speed.

Hand grinders are ideal for pour-over or coarse-ground coffee drinks.

Container and hopper capacity

Looking at the different coffee grinders in this guide, you will notice that they differ in size. However, if you’re going to use this coffee grinder to serve several people at once, you’ll want to opt for a larger capacity coffee grinder.

The Bunn G3 HD, for example, is the best commercial espresso grinder in our guide because it has a hopper capacity of 3 pounds, which is more than enough for two cups of coffee.

Look for the finest grind

When it comes to settings, the more the better. Our editor’s choice, the Baratza Sette 270, offers 270 different settings.

If you’re going to invest in the different settings, you’ll definitely want to choose a coffee grinder with a fine grind option to achieve a smooth taste. Especially if you have a restaurant or want to serve guests, you’ll want to have as many options as possible to attract the masses.

Materials

Knowing the impact of the grinder’s foundation can make all the difference. The grinders in this guide are made from a variety of materials, from ceramic to stainless steel.

Ceramic grinders tend to be generally more expensive than other options on the market, but this then translates into a much finer grind for a perfect espresso. As they are of a higher quality, they are also generally much more expensive.

Stainless steel burrs, on the other hand, are suitable for other brewing methods and are much more affordable.

Grinder dimensions

Most grinders on the market are statistically measured not only by their speed but also whether they can grind by weight, like the Baratza Sette 270.

These dimensions can be decisive for a coffee grinder: its versatility, its speed and the fineness or coarseness of its grinding of coffee beans.

It is important to become familiar with the types of coffee and how the grinding process affects each.

Consider professional?

If you’re looking to make a smooth espresso on a Sunday afternoon after dinner, you may not need to invest in a professional coffee grinder, such as the Bunn G3 HD, which is rated the best commercial espresso grinder.

Knowing your end goal before you buy is just as important as setting the budget.

Static and cleaning

As well as asking how easy it is to clean and maintain your coffee grinder, you should also check with the manufacturer or seller about the availability of spare parts and customer service.

Static build-up should also make a difference – which you can normally spot by reading customer reviews.

Noise level

The advantage of manual grinders? The noise level. Be sure to consider the possibility that electric grinders are much louder than other types.

If you live in a house or flat with a lot of people around you, you should also be considerate.

Friendliness

Especially if you are not a barista, a simple push-button mechanism will make your life much easier. If you’re coffee illiterate, you might even consider investing in an easy-to-use LCD coffee grinder, such as the Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder. This can mean that making espresso is that much easier.

Warranty

From one year to three years, most of the coffee grinders in this guide will have limited warranties due to their various mechanical and non-mechanical parts. Make sure you know the different warranties before you buy. Check with the manufacturer if you are unsure.

Great espresso recipes

Now that you have the equipment, here are some espresso recipes to try:

The Americano: Drop in a single shot of espresso and add six ounces of hot water.

Espresso Breve: Drop in a single shot of espresso, mix in a dollop of heated or steamed light cream. You can also use half the cream.

Espresso Con Panna: This Italian coffee consists of one or two shots of espresso with a dollop of whipped cream.

And if you want to experiment with alcohol-based cocktails, you must watch the following video, this espresso recipe might surprise you:

Our verdict

If you decided not to have coffee this morning, or if you don’t have a coffee grinder yet (hence why you’re here), you may not have had the patience to read our article.

To help you speed up the process, here are our top three choices:

To get the best of the best, the Baratza Sette 270 is our editors’ choice for the best espresso grinder on the market. With 270 settings, the Baratza Sette 270 is a great professional choice – fast and efficient.

The Bunn G3 HD is our second choice and is rated as the best commercial espresso grinder. If you’re looking for a sturdy, coffee-friendly machine that can produce high-quality espresso, this 3-pound, 8-setting machine is perfect. The Bunn G3 HD has a turbo grind function and can grind 1lb of coffee in just 30 seconds.

The DeLonghi KG521M is our budget choice because we don’t think you should sacrifice quality for a lower price. Designed to offer up to 18 settings, this high-tech choice also features an easy-to-use LCD display, 150W of power and comes with a cleaning brush, stainless steel burrs and a filter holder adapter.

We hope this guide has helped you choose the best espresso grinder for you, your kitchen and your coffee needs.