Wirecutter Coffee Grinder — Coffee Grinder

Wirecutter's top coffee grinder pick has been the Baratza Encore for years, and their upgrade pick is the Baratza Virtuoso+. These are solid recommendations that I mostly agree with, though their testing methodology misses some things that matter to real coffee drinkers. If you're here because you read the Wirecutter review and want a second opinion, the short answer is: the Encore is a great starter grinder for drip and pour-over, but there are better options at every price point if you're willing to look beyond Wirecutter's usual suspects.

I've used the Baratza Encore, the Virtuoso+, and several grinders that Wirecutter either dismissed or didn't test. Their reviews are thorough on build quality and ease of use, but they tend to under-weight grind consistency and over-weight brand familiarity. Let me break down what they get right, what they miss, and what I'd actually recommend.

What Wirecutter Recommends and Why

The Budget Pick: Baratza Encore

Wirecutter recommends the Baratza Encore ($170) as their top pick for most people. Their reasoning: it has 40 grind settings, it's easy to use, Baratza has excellent customer support and parts availability, and the grind quality is good enough for drip, pour-over, and French press.

I agree with all of that. The Encore is the safest recommendation for someone buying their first burr grinder. It does everything adequately, nothing brilliantly. The 40 settings give you plenty of range for filter brewing, the motor is reliable, and if something breaks in year three, you can order a replacement part from Baratza's website and install it yourself in ten minutes.

The Upgrade Pick: Baratza Virtuoso+

Their upgrade recommendation is the Virtuoso+ ($250), which uses the same body as the Encore but with upgraded burrs (M2 conical burrs vs. The Encore's standard set) and a digital timer display. Wirecutter says the Virtuoso+ produces a more uniform grind and is worth the extra $80 if you care about cup quality.

This is where I start to diverge. The Virtuoso+ is better than the Encore, but $250 puts you in range of grinders that outperform both. The Fellow Ode (with SSP burrs) and the Eureka Mignon Filtro both offer superior grind quality at similar or slightly higher prices.

Where Wirecutter's Testing Falls Short

They Focus on Drip Coffee

Wirecutter evaluates grinders primarily for auto-drip and pour-over. That's fair since most Americans brew drip coffee. But they don't test espresso performance in depth, and their French press and AeroPress testing is minimal. If you brew anything other than drip or V60, their rankings might not apply to you.

They Undervalue Hand Grinders

Wirecutter mentions hand grinders but treats them as a niche category rather than a legitimate alternative. A $70 Timemore C2 produces better grind consistency than the Baratza Encore for pour-over. A $150 1Zpresso JX-Pro handles espresso better than any electric grinder under $300. If you're brewing for one person and don't mind 45 seconds of hand cranking, manual grinders offer more quality per dollar than anything Wirecutter recommends.

Limited Brand Coverage

Wirecutter tends to recommend brands with strong U.S. Distribution and customer support. That's practical advice, but it means they overlook excellent grinders from Eureka, Mahlkonig, 1Zpresso, and Comandante that outperform their picks at comparable prices.

For a broader view of what's available, see the Wirecutter best coffee grinder alternatives and the best coffee grinder Wirecutter comparison.

My Alternative Recommendations by Budget

Under $100: Timemore Chestnut C2 ($70)

A manual hand grinder with stainless steel conical burrs. Grinds better than the Baratza Encore for pour-over, French press, and AeroPress. The tradeoff is manual effort. If you brew one cup at a time, this is the best value in coffee grinding, and Wirecutter barely mentions it.

$100-$200: Baratza Encore ($170)

I agree with Wirecutter here. For an electric grinder under $200, the Encore is the right pick. Good range, good support, good enough grind quality. Nothing else electric competes at this price.

$200-$300: Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 ($300)

The Fellow Ode is designed specifically for filter coffee and does it better than the Virtuoso+. The flat burrs produce a cleaner, more clarified cup. The single-dose workflow is cleaner (no hopper full of stale beans). The design is beautiful and the noise level is low. If you don't need espresso capability, the Ode is the better $300 grinder.

$300-$500: Eureka Mignon Specialita ($400)

If espresso is your thing, the Specialita is the grinder I'd buy over anything Wirecutter recommends. Stepless adjustment, low retention, quiet operation, and grind consistency that produces excellent shots. Wirecutter doesn't test it because Eureka doesn't have the same U.S. Marketing presence as Baratza.

Should You Trust Wirecutter for Coffee Grinder Advice?

Wirecutter's recommendations are safe. They won't steer you into a bad purchase. The Encore genuinely is a good grinder, and their reviews are more thorough than 90% of what you'll find online.

But "safe" doesn't mean "optimal." Wirecutter optimizes for the broadest possible audience, which means they favor brands with U.S. Support, machines that are simple to use, and products available at major retailers. If you're willing to buy from specialty retailers, consider hand grinders, or spend 15 minutes learning a grinder's adjustment system, you can do better than their picks at every price point.

When to Follow Wirecutter

Follow their advice if you want a no-research purchase. If you just want someone to tell you what to buy and you don't want to think about burr geometry or particle distribution, get the Encore. It's a good grinder that will make your coffee better. Done.

When to Look Beyond Wirecutter

Look elsewhere if you brew espresso, if you want the best grind quality per dollar, if you're open to hand grinders, or if you're spending over $200. At those points, Wirecutter's conservative recommendations leave meaningful performance on the table.

FAQ

Is the Baratza Encore really the best coffee grinder?

It's the best starter electric coffee grinder under $200 for filter brewing. It's not the best grinder overall. Manual grinders at half the price produce better grind consistency, and electric grinders at $300+ are in a different performance tier. The Encore is the best "first electric grinder" recommendation, which is a narrower claim than Wirecutter sometimes implies.

Wirecutter's espresso grinder pick has been the Baratza Sette 270 ($400). It's a good grinder, but the Eureka Mignon Notte ($250) and Specialita ($400) both outperform it for espresso at the same or lower prices. The Sette 270 also has a reputation for durability issues that Wirecutter acknowledges but doesn't weigh heavily enough in my opinion.

Should I buy the Virtuoso+ or the Fellow Ode?

If you brew only filter coffee (pour-over, drip), the Fellow Ode produces a cleaner cup with better clarity. If you want more versatility (including AeroPress and French press), the Virtuoso+ has a wider grind range. The Ode is the better filter grinder. The Virtuoso+ is the more flexible grinder.

Why does Wirecutter keep recommending Baratza?

Baratza has excellent U.S. Customer support, wide retail availability, a full parts catalog for repairs, and a long track record. These are legitimate advantages that matter for a mainstream recommendation. But they don't mean Baratza makes the best-performing grinder at every price point, which is the impression some readers take away from Wirecutter reviews.

The Practical Advice

Read the Wirecutter review for context, then verify their recommendation against your specific needs. If you brew drip coffee and want an easy purchase, the Baratza Encore is genuinely good. If you brew espresso, want the best grind per dollar, or are willing to explore hand grinders, look beyond their picks. The best coffee grinder for you depends on your brew method, budget, and how much effort you're willing to put into the process, and Wirecutter can only answer one version of that question.