Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder
The Baratza Encore is the grinder I recommend to anyone serious about improving their home coffee but not ready to spend $300 or more. It sits in that sweet spot around $170 where you get real conical burrs, 40 grind settings, and enough consistency to make pour-over, French press, and drip coffee that actually tastes like what you get at a good cafe. I used one for three years before upgrading, and honestly, I still keep it around as a backup.
If you are looking at the Encore and wondering whether it lives up to the hype, I will break down exactly what it does well, where it falls short, and who should buy one. I will also share some tips I have picked up from daily use that you will not find in the manual.
What Makes the Encore Different from Cheaper Grinders
The biggest difference between the Encore and a $30 blade grinder is consistency. Blade grinders chop beans randomly, giving you a mix of powder and chunks in the same batch. The Encore uses 40mm conical steel burrs that crush beans between two interlocking pieces of steel. The result is a much more uniform particle size, which means more even extraction and better-tasting coffee.
I remember the first time I switched from a blade grinder to the Encore. My morning pour-over went from bitter and uneven to smooth and sweet, with no changes to my beans, water, or technique. The grinder was the only variable.
The 40 Grind Settings
Baratza gives you 40 click settings on the Encore, ranging from fine (around setting 5-8 for Aeropress) to coarse (28-35 for French press). Each click makes a noticeable difference, though I will be honest, the steps between clicks are not as precise as what you get on a $500 grinder. For drip and pour-over, that does not matter much. You will find your setting within a few tries and stick with it.
One thing worth knowing: the Encore is not designed for espresso. It can technically grind fine enough, but the adjustments between settings are too large for dialing in espresso shots. If espresso is your main goal, look at the best coffee grinders roundup for options better suited to that.
Build Quality and Daily Use
The Encore has a plastic body with a surprisingly solid feel. It weighs about 7 pounds, so it stays put on the counter without sliding around. The bean hopper holds roughly 8 ounces of whole beans, and the grounds bin underneath catches about 5 ounces.
I found the hopper easy to remove for switching beans, though you will want to run the grinder empty first to clear the old beans from the burr chamber. There is usually 1-2 grams of retained grounds in the chute, which is typical for this price range.
Noise Level
The Encore is not quiet. It is louder than a conversation but quieter than a blender. Grinding 30 grams of beans takes about 20-25 seconds, and the motor runs at a relatively slow 550 RPM. That slower speed reduces heat buildup, which is good for the beans, but it means you will hear it grinding for a while. I got used to it within a week, and my family stopped complaining after two.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Baratza designed the Encore to be user-serviceable. You can remove the upper burr in about 10 seconds by twisting it out, then brush away the coffee oils and fines with the included brush. I do this every two weeks or so. Every few months, I run grinder cleaning tablets through to dissolve built-up oils.
The motor and internal parts are also replaceable. Baratza sells replacement burrs for around $35, and the company has a reputation for stocking parts for years after a model releases. This repairability is a real advantage over cheaper grinders that you toss when something breaks.
Grind Consistency: The Numbers
I have tested the Encore against several grinders in the same price range, and it holds up well. At a medium-coarse setting (around 20) for pour-over, you get roughly 70-75% of particles within the target range. That is not as tight as the Baratza Virtuoso (which hits 80-85%), but it is miles ahead of any blade grinder.
Where the Encore struggles is at the finer settings. Below setting 8 or so, you start seeing more fines mixed in with the ground coffee. For Aeropress or Moka pot, this is manageable. For espresso, it becomes a problem.
How It Compares to Hand Grinders
A quality hand grinder in the $80-$120 range (like a 1Zpresso or Timemore C2) will actually produce more consistent grinds than the Encore, especially at finer settings. The trade-off is time and effort. Grinding 30 grams by hand takes 60-90 seconds of cranking, versus 20 seconds of pushing a button on the Encore. For my weekday mornings, the Encore wins on convenience every time. On weekends when I am less rushed, I sometimes pull out the hand grinder for fun.
Who Should Buy the Encore (and Who Should Not)
The Encore makes sense if you meet a few criteria. You drink drip, pour-over, French press, or Aeropress coffee. You want to grind fresh beans without manual effort. And you are willing to spend around $170 for a grinder that will last 5-10 years with basic maintenance.
Skip the Encore if:
- You primarily make espresso. You need finer adjustments than the Encore offers. Look at the Baratza Sette 270 or Eureka Mignon instead.
- You only make one cup a day and do not mind hand grinding. A 1Zpresso JX will give you better grind quality for less money.
- You are on a very tight budget. Check out the top coffee grinders list for options under $100 that still use burrs.
The Encore is perfect if:
- You are upgrading from pre-ground or a blade grinder for the first time
- You brew with multiple methods (switching between drip and French press throughout the week)
- You value convenience and want a "set it and forget it" grinder for your daily routine
Tips from Three Years of Daily Use
Here are a few things I learned that helped me get better results from the Encore.
Single-dose when possible. Rather than filling the hopper and leaving beans exposed to air, I weigh out my dose each morning and drop it in. This keeps the beans fresher and reduces retention since gravity pushes the grounds through more consistently.
Adjust coarser than you think. New Encore users tend to grind too fine. Start at setting 18-20 for pour-over and 28-30 for French press, then work down if your coffee tastes weak.
Blow out the chute. After grinding, give the rubber chute a quick puff of air or tap to dislodge any stuck grounds. This cuts down on stale grounds mixing into your next cup.
Recalibrate the ring burr. Over time, the inner ring burr can shift slightly. Baratza has a simple recalibration process in the manual that takes five minutes and can fix inconsistency issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Baratza Encore grind fine enough for espresso?
Technically yes, but practically no. It can reach espresso-fine particle sizes, but the steps between settings are too coarse to dial in properly. You will struggle to hit the 25-30 second extraction window that good espresso requires. If espresso is a priority, look at grinders with stepless or micro-adjustment systems.
How long do the burrs last?
Baratza rates the conical steel burrs for about 500-1,000 pounds of coffee. For a daily home user grinding 30-50 grams per day, that works out to roughly 5-8 years. Replacement burrs cost about $35.
Is the Encore ESP different from the original Encore?
Yes. The Encore ESP has a redesigned burr set that produces better results at finer settings. If you plan to use the grinder for Aeropress or Moka pot frequently, the ESP version is worth the extra $10-$15. For drip and French press, the original Encore performs equally well.
Is it worth upgrading to the Virtuoso?
The Virtuoso adds a timer, slightly better burrs, and a more consistent grind at finer settings. If you make pour-over daily and are particular about extraction, the Virtuoso is a worthwhile step up. If you mostly brew drip or French press, the Encore does the job and the extra $80 is hard to justify.
The Bottom Line
The Baratza Encore is the grinder that got me off pre-ground coffee and into freshly grinding every morning. It is not perfect, and it will not satisfy espresso enthusiasts, but for drip, pour-over, French press, and Aeropress, it delivers consistent results at a fair price. If you are buying your first real grinder and want something that just works, the Encore is where I would start.