Encore Coffee Grinder: Why Baratza's Best Seller Keeps Winning

The Baratza Encore is the single most recommended entry-level electric burr grinder in the coffee world, and it deserves that spot. For around $150, you get 40 grind settings, conical steel burrs, and a grinder that handles everything from coarse French press to medium-fine pour over with reliable consistency. If you're making filter coffee at home and want one grinder that just works, the Encore is where I tell most people to start.

That said, no grinder at this price is perfect. I've been using and recommending the Encore for years, and I want to give you a complete picture of what it does, what it doesn't do, and how the newer Encore ESP model changes the equation. Let me walk through the details so you can decide if it's right for you.

The Encore vs. Encore ESP: Which One to Buy

Baratza currently sells two versions of the Encore. The original Encore and the newer Encore ESP. The difference matters more than you might think.

The Original Encore

The classic Encore uses Baratza's M2 burr set, which is a 40mm conical steel design. It offers 40 grind settings accessed via a dial on the hopper. The settings range from very fine (setting 1) to very coarse (setting 40), covering drip, pour over, AeroPress, cold brew, and French press without any trouble.

At medium settings (around 15-20 on the dial), the Encore produces a grind distribution that's remarkably consistent for the price. You'll see a tight cluster of particle sizes with moderate fines. For a standard drip machine or a Chemex, this is more than good enough to produce a clean, balanced cup.

The original Encore retails for about $150 and has been available since 2013. It's been refined several times, but the core design hasn't changed dramatically.

The Encore ESP

Released in 2023, the Encore ESP swaps in Baratza's M3 burrs, which are designed to perform better at espresso-fine settings. The "ESP" stands for espresso, and the finer end of the grind range is genuinely improved.

The ESP costs about $20 more than the original. If you have any interest in espresso now or in the future, get the ESP. Even if you only make filter coffee today, the M3 burrs perform equally well at coarser settings while giving you room to grow. It's a no-brainer upgrade for a small price difference.

Grind Quality at Each Brew Method

Let me break down how the Encore actually performs across the brew methods people use most.

Drip Coffee (Settings 15-22)

This is the Encore's sweet spot. The grind consistency at medium settings is competitive with grinders that cost twice as much. You'll get a clean cup with good balance. If drip coffee is your primary brew method, you could use this grinder for ten years and never feel the need to upgrade.

Pour Over (Settings 12-18)

For V60, Kalita Wave, and other pour over methods, the Encore does well. The particle distribution is consistent enough that you can adjust your brew time reliably by changing the grind setting. Going from setting 15 to setting 14 produces a predictable change in draw-down time, which is exactly what you want when dialing in a pour over recipe.

French Press (Settings 28-35)

Coarse grinding is fine on the Encore but not exceptional. At the coarsest settings, you'll notice a wider spread of particle sizes, including some fines that slip through a French press filter and create sediment. This is common at this price point and not unique to the Encore. For a cleaner French press cup, grind slightly finer than you think you need and reduce steep time by 30-60 seconds.

Espresso (Settings 1-5, ESP Model Only)

The original Encore can technically grind fine enough for espresso, but the results aren't great. The grind distribution at the finest settings is too uneven for consistent shots. The Encore ESP improves this significantly. It won't match a $400 dedicated espresso grinder, but it can produce acceptable espresso in a pinch. It's a good starting point if espresso is occasional, not your daily routine.

Build Quality and Repairability

Here's where Baratza separates itself from every other grinder in this price range: repairability.

Baratza sells every replacement part for the Encore on their website. Motor, burrs, hopper, adjustment ring, gearbox, circuit board. If something breaks after the 1-year warranty expires, you don't need to replace the entire grinder. You order a $15 part and fix it yourself using the repair guides Baratza publishes on their YouTube channel.

I've replaced burrs and a gearbox on my Encore over the years. Each repair took less than 15 minutes with basic tools. This approach to repairability means an Encore can realistically last 10-15 years with occasional maintenance. Compare that to competitors where a broken part means the whole grinder goes in the trash.

The build itself is plastic-bodied, which keeps the weight at about 7 pounds. It doesn't feel premium in the way an all-metal grinder does. But the internal components, especially the burr assembly and motor mount, are well-engineered. The grinder stays stable during operation and doesn't walk across the counter.

If you're curious how the Encore stacks up against other popular models in different price tiers, our best coffee grinder roundup has side-by-side comparisons.

Common Complaints and How to Handle Them

The Encore isn't without its issues. Here are the most common complaints and what to do about them.

Static and Grounds Retention

Like every electric grinder, the Encore generates static that makes grounds cling to the bin and chute. The fix is simple: add a single drop of water to your beans before grinding (the Ross Droplet Technique, or RDT). This cuts static by 80-90% and has no negative effect on grind quality or the grinder itself.

Grounds retention, the coffee that stays trapped inside the grinder between uses, is about 1-2 grams on the Encore. For home use where you're grinding the same beans daily, this isn't a problem. If you switch beans frequently, give the grinder a quick purge by running it empty for 2-3 seconds.

Noise Level

The Encore is not quiet. At around 78-80 decibels, it's louder than a conversation and comparable to a garbage disposal. It only runs for 20-30 seconds per dose, but if you're making coffee at 5:30 AM and someone is sleeping nearby, you'll want to plan accordingly.

Grind Setting Drift

Some Encore units develop a tendency for the grind setting to drift, where the hopper slowly rotates during grinding, changing your setting. This affects a small percentage of units and is fixed by a tighter adjustment ring. Baratza's customer support will send a replacement ring for free if this happens to you.

FAQ

How often should I replace the burrs on a Baratza Encore?

Baratza recommends replacing the conical burrs every 500-700 pounds of coffee. At home use rates of about half a pound per week, that's roughly 20 years. Realistically, you'll notice grind degradation before that point. If your brew times start getting inconsistent or you're seeing more fines than usual, it's time for new burrs ($25-30 from Baratza's website).

Is the Baratza Encore worth it over a $30 blade grinder?

Absolutely. The difference in cup quality between a blade grinder and the Encore is the single biggest upgrade you can make for your home coffee. A blade grinder chops beans randomly, creating a mix of dust and boulders. The Encore produces a uniform grind that extracts evenly, which means better flavor, less bitterness, and more sweetness in every cup.

Can I grind spices in my Baratza Encore?

Don't do it. Spices will contaminate the burrs and flavor every cup of coffee you make afterward. Oily spices like cloves and nutmeg are especially persistent. The burrs are also designed for the hardness of coffee beans, and harder spices like peppercorns could damage them. Buy a separate $20 blade grinder for spices.

Should I upgrade from the Encore to the Virtuoso+?

The Virtuoso+ uses the same M2 burrs as the original Encore in a nicer housing with a digital timer. The grind quality improvement is minimal. If you want better grind quality, skip the Virtuoso+ and jump to the Baratza Vario or a completely different tier of grinder. The Virtuoso+ is mostly a cosmetic upgrade. You can compare options in our top coffee grinder guide.

The Bottom Line

Buy the Encore ESP over the original Encore for the $20 price difference. Use the Ross Droplet Technique to manage static from day one. Clean the burrs every 2-4 weeks by removing the upper burr and brushing out retained grounds. And don't try to make it an espresso grinder unless you have the ESP model and low expectations. The Encore is a filter coffee grinder first, and at that job, nothing under $300 beats it.