Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder

The Baratza Encore is the most recommended entry-level burr grinder in the specialty coffee world, and that reputation is earned. It uses 40mm conical stainless steel burrs, offers 40 grind settings, and produces consistent grinds for drip, pour over, French press, and AeroPress at a price point around $170. It won't grind fine enough for true espresso, but for every other brew method, it's the standard by which budget burr grinders are measured.

I've owned a Baratza Encore for over two years, and I've also used grinders costing three times as much. The Encore doesn't match the grind quality of a $500 flat burr grinder, but for most home brewers making filter coffee, the difference in the cup is smaller than you'd expect. Here's everything you need to know about this grinder, including where it excels and where it falls short.

Design and Build Quality

The Encore has a compact footprint (about 4.7 x 6.3 x 13.8 inches) and weighs roughly 7 pounds. The body is a mix of plastic and rubber-coated surfaces. It doesn't feel premium, but it feels solid enough for daily use. The hopper holds about 8 ounces of beans, and the grounds bin at the bottom catches coffee in a removable container.

What's Smart About the Design

The pulse button on the front is genuinely useful. Hold it to grind, release to stop. This makes single-dosing easy without a timer. The grind adjustment is a simple numbered dial on the hopper (1 to 40), with each click producing a noticeable change in particle size. No confusion about stepless dials or micrometric adjustments. You pick a number, and it works.

The upper burr assembly pops out with a simple twist. This makes cleaning fast and gives you access to the grinding chamber without tools. Baratza designed this grinder to be user-serviceable, which is rare at this price point.

What's Not Great

The grounds bin doesn't seal tightly, so fine coffee particles can puff out the sides when the grinder is running. Static is an issue, especially in dry climates. Ground coffee clings to the walls of the bin and sometimes flies around when you remove it. A single drop of water on your beans before grinding (the RDT method) solves this almost completely.

The plastic construction means it won't survive being dropped, and the hopper feels fragile compared to glass or metal alternatives. After two years of daily use, my hopper has some scratches but no cracks.

Grind Quality Across Brew Methods

This is where the Encore earns its reputation. For filter coffee methods, the grind consistency is remarkably good for a $170 grinder.

Pour Over (Settings 15-22)

The Encore produces a clean, even grind for pour over at medium settings. I use it with a Hario V60 at setting 18 and get consistent drawdown times around 3:00 to 3:30. The particle distribution has some fines (all conical burr grinders produce fines), but not enough to cause muddy or over-extracted cups. For a Chemex, bump it up to 20 to 22.

French Press (Settings 25-32)

Coarse grinding is solid on the Encore. Setting 28 gives me a clean French press with a 4-minute steep. There are fewer fines at coarse settings compared to cheaper burr grinders, which means less sludge at the bottom of your cup.

Drip / Batch Brew (Settings 18-24)

For automatic drip machines, the Encore's medium settings produce excellent results. This is honestly the Encore's sweet spot. The grind is uniform enough for even extraction, and the timer-free pulse button makes it easy to dial in the exact dose.

AeroPress (Settings 10-15)

Medium-fine works well for AeroPress on the Encore. I use setting 12 for standard recipes and 10 for concentrated bypass brews.

Espresso (Settings 1-5)

Here's where the Encore struggles. It can grind fine, but it can't grind fine enough for proper espresso extraction on most machines. The finest settings produce something close to a pressurized portafilter grind, but if you're using a bottomless portafilter with a standard basket, you'll get fast, under-extracted shots. If espresso is your priority, look at the Baratza Encore ESP (a modified version with finer adjustment at the bottom of the range) or step up to a dedicated espresso grinder.

How It Compares to Other Grinders

Encore vs. Fellow Ode Gen 2

The Ode Gen 2 costs about $300 and uses 64mm flat burrs. It produces noticeably more uniform grinds at medium and coarse settings. If you mostly brew pour over and drip, the Ode is a meaningful upgrade. But it can't grind fine for AeroPress or Turkish, and it costs nearly twice as much. The Encore is the more versatile option.

Encore vs. Timemore C2 (Manual)

The Timemore C2 is a $65 hand grinder that produces grind quality surprisingly close to the Encore for pour over and AeroPress. The tradeoff is convenience. The C2 requires 30 to 45 seconds of hand-cranking per cup. If you make one cup a day and don't mind the exercise, the C2 is great. For multiple cups or lazy mornings, the Encore's electric motor is worth the extra money.

Encore vs. Baratza Virtuoso+

The Virtuoso+ is Baratza's step-up model at around $250. It uses the same 40mm conical burrs but adds a digital timer, a slightly more powerful motor, and a nicer-looking body. Grind quality is very similar. The timer is the main practical upgrade, making it easier to grind consistent doses. If budget allows, the Virtuoso+ is a nice quality-of-life improvement. If you're watching your wallet, the Encore performs nearly identically.

For a broader comparison, check our best coffee grinder roundup.

Maintenance and Longevity

Baratza built the Encore to be repairable, which is unusual for a sub-$200 appliance. Every part is available for purchase on Baratza's website, from the motor and burrs to the grind adjustment ring and hopper. If something breaks, you can fix it yourself for $10 to $30 instead of buying a new grinder.

The burrs last about 500 to 700 pounds of coffee, which translates to roughly 3 to 5 years of daily home use. Replacement burrs cost about $35 and take 5 minutes to install.

For regular maintenance, pop out the upper burr weekly and brush out retained grounds. Run Urnex Grindz tablets through monthly. The Encore's accessible design makes this easier than most grinders. See our guide on grinder maintenance for a detailed walkthrough.

Who Should Buy the Baratza Encore

The Encore is ideal if you brew filter coffee at home (pour over, drip, French press, or AeroPress) and want a reliable, no-fuss grinder that produces consistent results. It's not for espresso enthusiasts, single-dose purists, or anyone who wants ultra-precise particle distribution. For those users, the top coffee grinder picks in our roundup include better-suited options.

It's also great for coffee beginners who are upgrading from pre-ground or a blade grinder. The improvement in cup quality is immediate and significant. Going from pre-ground to the Encore is a bigger flavor upgrade than going from the Encore to a grinder costing twice as much.

FAQ

Is the Baratza Encore good for espresso?

Not really. It can't grind fine enough for proper unpressurized espresso extraction. The Baratza Encore ESP is a modified version with finer adjustment capability that works better for espresso, but even then, a dedicated espresso grinder like the Eureka Mignon Notte or Baratza Sette 270 is a better choice.

How loud is the Baratza Encore?

Moderately loud, around 70 to 75 decibels. It's louder than the Eureka Mignon line or Fellow Ode, but quieter than blade grinders. Grinding a single dose takes about 8 to 12 seconds, so the noise is brief.

Can I use the Baratza Encore for cold brew?

Yes. Use settings 30 to 35 for a coarse grind suitable for cold brew. The Encore handles coarse grinding well with minimal fines.

Is the Baratza Encore worth upgrading from?

If you're happy with filter coffee and the Encore produces cups you enjoy, there's no rush to upgrade. The next meaningful jump in grind quality comes at the $300 to $400 range (Fellow Ode Gen 2, Eureka Mignon Filtro). Upgrading to a Virtuoso+ doesn't change the grind quality enough to justify the cost if your Encore is working fine.

The Bottom Line

The Baratza Encore does one thing extremely well: it produces consistent, quality grinds for filter coffee at a price that's accessible to most home brewers. Buy it for pour over, drip, French press, or AeroPress. Skip it for espresso. Clean the burrs weekly, replace them every few years, and this grinder will be a reliable part of your morning routine for a long time.