5 Best Coffee Grinders for Espresso – Top Picks & Reviews

Using a high-quality espresso machine, you can easily pull a rich, intense shot from the comfort of your home. But to achieve the perfect espresso, you need one more tool: a grinder that consistently produces fine coffee grounds. So, what’s the best grinder for espresso?

To help you find the right model, we’ve tested and reviewed several espresso grinders. Below are our top five picks, complete with detailed reviews and buying tips. We believe it’s important to know all aspects of a product before purchasing, so let’s dive into our favorite espresso grinders!

The 5 Best Coffee Grinders for Espresso

1. Breville Coffee & Espresso Grinder – Best Overall

The Breville BCG820BKSXL is an excellent burr grinder for espresso that delivers consistent results every time. This model features a 16-ounce bean hopper that feeds beans into stainless steel conical burrs, ensuring a fine grind. With 60 grind settings, from ultra-coarse to extra-fine, you’ll have plenty of control over your coffee grounds.

It also includes a precision timer that remembers your last setting, making your morning routine easier. However, it lacks an off switch, so you’ll need to either wait for it to complete the cycle or unplug it. It’s a bit noisy, but overall, this grinder delivers excellent performance and is our top pick.

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2. Rancilio Rocky Espresso Coffee Grinder – Best Commercial Pick

The Rancilio Rocky Espresso is our top choice for a commercial-grade espresso grinder. It features a half-pound hopper and heavy-duty steel flat burrs for precise grinding. With 55 settings, including a slow-speed grind, this machine gives you excellent control over your espresso grind.

However, it’s heavy and can easily clog with oily beans. Additionally, the power switch placement makes it tricky to operate while handling the portafilter. Despite these minor annoyances, the Rancilio Rocky is a solid commercial option.

Pros:

• Commercial-grade steel flat burrs
• Slow-speed grind
• Large hopper
• 55 grind settings

Cons:

• Poorly placed power switch
• Heavy
• Clogs with oily beans

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3. OXO BREW Conical Burr Grinder – Best Value

For budget-conscious buyers, the OXO BREW Conical Burr Grinder is the best value grinder for espresso. It has 15 grind settings and a memory start timer that ensures consistent results every time. The hopper holds ¾ of a pound, and the durable stainless-steel burrs provide solid performance.

However, it struggles with fine espresso grinds, and the beans tend to get jammed, requiring manual shaking. It can also be messy, with coffee grounds flying everywhere, and the unit emits an annoying buzzing sound when plugged in but not in use.

Pros:

• Stainless steel conical burrs
• Memory start timer
• Large hopper
• 15 grind settings

Cons:

• Beans can jam
• Constant buzzing sound
• Not fine enough for espresso
• Messy

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4. AROMORY Manual Coffee Grinder – Best Hand Grinder

The AROMORY Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is our top choice for the best hand grinder for espresso. Portable and affordable, it’s perfect for travel. This grinder offers 15 grind settings and features a ceramic conical burr mill for consistency. It takes between 30 seconds to two minutes to grind enough for espresso.

While portable, it’s made from cheap materials and prone to breaking. The grind dial is difficult to read, and it doesn’t always produce consistent grounds. Still, if you want a hand grinder, this one is a good pick for occasional use.

Pros:

• Ceramic conical burrs
• Portable
• 15 grind settings

Cons:

• Made from cheap materials
• Hard-to-read grind dial
• Inconsistent grounds
• Requires manual effort

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5. Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Coffee & Espresso Grind Burr Mill

The Cuisinart DBM-8 is an affordable electric burr grinder with an eight-ounce bean hopper and 32-cup grind chamber. It offers 18 grind settings and an electric timer for consistent grinding.

However, the grind chamber creates excessive static, causing coffee grounds to stick to the sides. The bottom lip is flimsy and chips easily, and it’s quite loud. Additionally, the grind consistency is subpar, making it difficult to achieve the fine grounds necessary for espresso.

Pros:

• Electric grind timer
• Large bean hopper
• 18 grind settings

Cons:

• Static electricity in the grind chamber
• Flimsy construction
• Very loud
• Inconsistent grind size

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Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Coffee Grinders for Espresso

When searching for the best espresso grinder, there are a few key factors to consider:

1. Types of Grinders

Blade:

These grinders use spinning blades to chop the beans. They’re inexpensive but tend to produce inconsistent grinds, with some beans turning to powder while others remain in large chunks.

Burr:

Burr grinders crush beans between two burrs, delivering more consistent grinds. Burr grinders are divided into flat burr and conical burr models.

• Flat Burr:
  These grinders use centrifugal force to push beans through progressively finer teeth. They offer precise control but tend to produce more heat.
• Conical Burr:
  Conical burrs feature a stationary cylinder with a rotating cone inside. Beans move through the blades with the help of gravity, delivering a fine grind with minimal heat.

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2. Other Things to Consider:

• Material:
  Steel burrs heat up and cool down quickly, while ceramic burrs are more durable but slower to heat and cool.
• Grind Settings:
  Make sure the grinder you choose has enough settings to meet your needs, whether for espresso or other brewing methods.
• Hopper Size:
  Choose a hopper size that fits your brewing habits. Larger hoppers are great if you brew frequently or for guests.
• Grinding Speed:
  Slower grinders produce less heat and last longer. High-speed grinders may wear out faster due to excessive heat.

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Final Verdict

After reviewing various models, our top pick for the best overall espresso grinder is the Breville BCG820BKSXL Smart Conical Burr Grinder Pro. For a commercial-grade grinder, we recommend the Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder, and if you’re on a budget, the OXO BREW Conical Burr Grinder offers excellent value. Finally, for those who prefer a manual option, the AROMORY Manual Coffee Grinder is the best hand grinder for espresso.

We hope these reviews and buying tips help you find the perfect grinder for your espresso needs. Happy brewing!