The 5 Best Espresso Grinders for Beginners, Experts, and Everyone in Between

Pulling the perfect shot of espresso may seem complicated, but there are really only a few variables that have an impact on the recipe. And once you get those figured out—or “dialed in,” as the pros say—consistency and control are key. That’s where espresso grinders come in. A good espresso grinder offers a plentitude of coarseness levels, so you can get serious and specific about your grounds. After all, grind size is measured by timing your shots, and an espresso that takes 24 seconds to pull may taste wildly different than one that takes 28. (Or vice versa!) In other words, to make the best espresso, you not only need a great espresso machine, but also the best espresso grinder, too.

Espresso grinders, like our favorite coffee grinders, use burrs (not blades) that result in uniform grounds. But most standard coffee grinders can’t get fine enough for espresso. Espresso grinders’ burrs are specifically calibrated for precision and micro adjustments, so you can make invisible-to-the-eye changes as you dial in your shots. After testing 10 of the best espresso grinders available to home espresso drinkers, we came away with a ton of knowledge about what makes a great grinder—and five incredible machines that’ll satisfy novices, experts, and everyone in between.

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Espresso Grinder

The best espresso grinders offer precise microadjustments for the grind coarseness. Generally, the higher the number of grind settings, the better the grinder. Espresso grinders should have low retention rates, meaning they dispense all, or almost all, of the coffee beans into your dosing cup or portafilter. They should be consistent, dosing the same amount each time when pulling back-to-back shots. 

Our Favorite Espresso Grinders

The Best Espresso Grinder

Baratza Sette 270 Conical Burr Grinder

$400 at Amazon View on Seattlecoffeegear.com

What we liked: This is a fantastic, fairly priced espresso grinder that intermediates and novices will both be pleased with. It also works for brewed coffee, as it offers coarser grinds in addition to the ultra-fine options. It comes with three pre-programmed timed settings (10, 20, and 30 seconds), but those can be overridden with your preferred times. The macro and micro grinders offer endless adjustments, and we were able to achieve extremely precise adjustments with barely any fiddling. In other words, it’s simple to use but produces an impressive range of grind settings that aren’t typically found in dual coffee-espresso grinders. With very little effort, the Sette 270 helped us nail perfect shot after shot.

What we didn’t like: As is the case with all dual-use grinders, there weren’t enough espresso-focused grind settings to sate the appetite of serious espresso drinkers. We struggled to achieve our ideal 38-gram shot in a reasonable time frame unless the micro settings were on the lowest levels. It’s loud, and yes, we know that espresso machines are loud by nature.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7 pounds
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Dimensions: 5.12 x 9.45 x 14.96 inches
• Hopper capacity: 10.6 ounces
• Number of grind settings: 270
• Burr style: 40 millimeters conical
• Dose settings: 3 programmable timer settings
• Wattage: 200
• Warranty: 1 year limited
  

The Best Entry Level Espresso Grinder

Baratza ZCG495 Encore ESP Coffee Grinder

$200 at Amazon View on Williams Sonoma

$200

$160 at Sur La Table

What we liked: We recommend the Baratza Encore ESP to people just getting into espresso—and we have for years. It offers 40 grind settings, which is enough to experiment with but not so many as to overwhelm the user before they’re ready for higher levels of customization. It took us a respectable five tries before we achieved a well-balanced shot at level 14, and we were duly impressed with how consistent the next four shots were, with each one weighing between 38.2 and 38.9 grams. The dosing cup works well with portafilters and reduces mess. (To use it, grind into the cup, situate the portafilter on top of the cup, then invert them.) Although we’re talking espresso, we’ll note that this grinder is also a great choice for pour-over. 

What we didn’t like: Because the Encore ESP’s 40 settings cover all different methods of brewing coffee, you simply can’t get the hyper-customization that espresso experts look for. The shots were slightly drier than those pulled using the Baratza Sette and Baratza Encore Pro.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7 pounds
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Dimensions: 4.7 x 13.7 x 6.3 inches
• Hopper capacity: 8 ounces
• Number of grind settings: 40
• Burr style: 40 millimeters conical
• Dose settings: On/off switch, grind on-demand button
• Wattage: 70
• Warranty: 1 year limited
  

Another Great Espresso Grinder for Beginners

Lelit Fred Tempo Burr Grinder

View on Williams Sonoma View on Lelit.com

What we liked: This handsome grinder offers a simple, streamlined experience that won’t overwhelm new-to-espresso users. One simple adjustment knob allows you to “plug and play” immediately out of the box and start dialing in. Once we found our perfect coarseness setting, we were able to pull smooth, sweet shots that had very little weight variance. (They were all within the 38-gram range.) The best way to describe the Lelit Fred is as Lelit William’s younger, less worldly sibling: It runs with similarly impressive consistency but has fewer features. It’s even a little smaller than the William. 

What we didn’t like: The burrs don’t move immediately when you adjust the dial. You’ll need to make your change, then wait a few seconds for your new coarseness to register. It’s on the louder side of the grinders we tested. The Fred struggled with retention, holding onto more grounds than it ought to after each round—that results in a less consistent shot.

Key Specs

• Weight: 6.7 pounds
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.75 x 13.5
• Hopper capacity: 8.8 ounces
• Number of grind settings: 10
• Burr style: 38 millimeters conical
• Dose settings: Timed, from 2 to 20 seconds
• Wattage: 150
• Warranty: 1 year
  

The Best Intermediate Espresso Grinder

Lelit William Espresso Grinder

View on Williams Sonoma View on Seattlecoffeegear.com View on Lelit.com

What we liked: The Lelit William is just about as good as you can get without spending stratospheric amounts of money on an espresso grinder. Like the Lelit Fred, William offers a timer-based dose that’s triggered when a portafilter is situated on the fork. The option to set two different timers comes in handy when dosing. If you tap the dosing button once, it’ll dispense enough for a single shot. Tap it twice, and you get a double shot. Making micro adjustments while dialing in is pretty simply done by pressing buttons underneath a digital screen that also acts as the timer. The pulse button on the top of the grinder is a cool feature, improving the William’s retention rate. Push it once and it dispenses a little extra coffee—handy if your auto-dispense didn’t dose enough or if you want to clear out old grounds before starting your next shot. 

What we didn’t like: The large hopper isn’t removable, which makes single-dosing out of the question. The portafilter fork is only compatible with dual-spout portafilters. The one we used didn’t have spouts, and we had to hold it underneath the grinder, which was messy.

Key Specs

• Weight: 14.7 pounds
• Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 15.25 x 9 inches
• Hopper Capacity: 16 ounces
• Number of grind settings: 10, with stepless adjustments
• Burr style: 64 millimeters flat
• Dose settings: Grind on-demand button; timed, from 2 to 20 seconds
• Wattage: Not listed
• Warranty: 1 year
  

Editor’s Pick

Baratza Encore ESP Pro Coffee Grinder

$300 at Amazon View on Williams Sonoma $300 at Sur La Table

What we liked: A new offering from Baratza, the Encore ESP Pro combines all of our favorite features of the Encore ESP and Sette 270, and looks good doing it. Like the Encore ESP and Sette 270, it’s a solid espresso and coffee grinder hybrid. It has a sleek, minimalist design and packs a ton of upgrades into its small footprint. The batch hopper can be replaced with a single-dose hopper; a welcome change for espresso drinkers who don’t need their grinder to hold upward of 10 ounces of beans. The Pro has two dosing modes, and both work well. The Single Dose Mode had excellent retention, stopping the grinder after everything in the hopper had been ground. The Timer Mode was accurate within a few tenths of a gram every time we tested it. A bright LED light illuminates the dosing area when in use, and it’s surprisingly helpful.

What we didn’t like: Although Baratza boasts that the Pro uses “new ion generating technology” to reduce static and improve retention, it still held onto a small amount of grounds after using the Single Dose Mode. You can’t use a portafilter with the Single Dose Mode, but the dosing cup method is relatively neat.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7 pounds
• Materials: Anodized cast zinc, ABS plastic
• Dimensions: 5.11 x 5.9 x 13.38 inches
• Hopper capacity: 10.5 ounces, 1.5 ounces with single dose hopper
• Number of grind settings: 60, with stepless adjustments
• Burr style: 40 millimeter conical
• Dose settings: Single dose or customizable timed dose
• Wattage: 70
• Warranty: 1 year

The Tests

• Grind Performance Test: We used each grinder to dial in an espresso blend and a single-origin coffee. We adjusted the grind as many times as it took to pull a shot with a 1:2 ratio of coffee to water in 27 to 30 seconds. We tasted each shot once it was pulled and made adjustments to improve the flavor. We observed whether it was easy to precisely adjust the grind and how many tries it took to pull a great-tasting shot within our target metrics. 
• Consistency Tests: Once we’d found our ideal grind setting, we used the grinder to dose and pull five shots back-to-back. We noted the exact dose, down to the tenth of a gram, and the exact output. Here, we were most concerned with how much variation showed from shot to shot. (Ideally, very little.)
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: Once we’d narrowed down the best espresso grinders, we used each one for two weeks, noting how simple they were to operate and clean. We also noted if it was easy to adjust the grind or customize programmable settings. We looked for wear and tear and took stock of whether a machine was generally pleasant to use or not.

What We Learned

What’s the Difference Between Espresso Grinders and Coffee Grinders?

Espresso grinders are able to grind coffee much finer than coffee grinders. Just as important, espresso grinders offer the ability for micro-adjustments, sometimes even invisible to the human eye. While grind size certainly matters in brewing coffee, it’s crucial for quality espresso. Most of the espresso grinders we tested, like the Baratza Encore ESP, are designed for home use and look like their brewed coffee counterparts. We tested one commercial-adjacent espresso grinder, the La Marzocco Mazzer Lux D, which has a large hopper and a continuously adjustable grind collar. It also has a prong that allows users to grind directly into their portafilter, although that feature is increasingly common in home espresso machines, including a few of our winners.

The difference between these two styles? Hybrid coffee-espresso grinders have an additional mechanism for adjustments, like an internal collar, that can dip below a normal drip coffee range to a fine espresso range. Espresso-only grinders, like the Mazzer Lux D, are calibrated to only grind in that super-fine range.

It’s really difficult (impossible?) to pull a good-tasting espresso shot with a coffee-only grinder, although many of the hybrid models we tested are quite good, like the Baratza Encore ESP Pro, and we’ve included them as winners in this review. If you’re passionate about brewed coffee and espresso, we recommend getting a coffee grinder and an espresso grinder, like the Lelit William.

Superior Grind Adjustments Resulted in Better Flow Rate Control

As you dial in your ideal espresso shot, you’re changing how quickly the hot water flows through the coffee grounds. Finer grounds result in tight espresso pucks and a slower flow. Grind the beans a little coarser, and the puck loosens and water flows more quickly. Espresso grinders allow you to make these changes on a truly micro level, and experts can taste the difference of a few tenths of a second. The best espresso grinders can make small enough adjustments, and espresso-only grinders will do this better than hybrid models. Now, for most espresso drinkers, two-tenths of a second won’t make or break your morning routine. But a five-second difference in an espresso shot is equivalent to a two-minute difference in a pour-over brew time. That’s a whole different flavor profile! Grinders with continuous, stepless adjustments had, on average, one to two seconds of time difference between levels. Hybrid grinders with dual adjustment collars, like the Encore ESP, resulted in four- to five-second jumps.

Retention Rate Mattered for Consistent Shots

Retention rate refers to the amount left in the grinder at the end of a cycle. A high retention rate is unfavorable and means that not all of your beans made it into your dosing cup or portafilter. Low retention ensures that every last tenth of a gram you intended to brew does, indeed, get brewed. High retention is common in espresso and coffee grinders alike, and while it’s not an unforgivable sin, it does require scrupulous attention. The Baratza Encore ESP Pro, for example, left behind 0.2 to 0.4 grams of grounds each time. To get a precise shot, we needed to add more beans to the hopper than we intended to brew. A gentle but confident whack on the top of the machine also encourages reluctant grounds to drop down, but that’s not ideal for the longevity of your machine, and absolutely… no one… on our staff does that. (She types, looking around nervously.)

Single Dosing Worked Better Than Timed Dosing

All of the espresso grinders we tested were able to hold at least a few ounces of coffee in their hoppers. Keep your hopper full, and you can grind a shot’s worth of coffee with a timed dose button. That’s the theory, at least. In practice, we found that most machines’ timed doses weren’t accurate enough to brew great espresso. The Baratza Vario W+, for example, was consistently 0.7 grams over our programmed value of 18 grams, and it has an internal scale! A better way to grind is by single dosing. Weigh your espresso beans with a coffee scale, grind them using the on-demand option, then weigh the grounds. (Be sure to account for the weight of your portafilter or dosing cup.) All of the Baratza espresso grinders we recommend had good enough retention rates that we could confidently single-dose with them.

The Competition

• La Marzocco Mazzer Lux D: This large, luxe espresso grinder produced pro-level shots but requires a high level of knowledge and is just shy of $1,000. If you want a commercial-grade grinder to use at home, the Mazzer Lux D is worth a look.
• Breville Smart Grinder Pro: This grinder doesn’t have enough versatility to truly shine with espresso, although we think it’s a great option for brewed coffee.
• Baratza Vario W+: The Vario W+ features an impressive 220 grind settings, but most are suited for drip coffee. A micro-adjustment lever is required for espresso. The automatic grind programs were inaccurate by at least half a gram, too.
• Rancilio Stile: The touchscreen on this espresso machine wasn’t responsive enough; we had to jab at it. More importantly, the steps between settings were too big to truly fine-tune our shots.
• Fellow Opus Coffee Grinder: The Fellow Opus has internal and outer adjustment rings that are meant to transition between brewed coffee and espresso, but it was difficult to isolate the internal ring when making micro adjustments. Because the outer ring moved with it, we struggled to nail the setting we wanted.

FAQs

What’s the difference between all the Baratza espresso grinders?

The Baratza Sette 270 is our favorite espresso grinder. It has the highest number of grind settings (270) of the three Baratza espresso grinders we recommend. The Baratza Encore ESP Pro has 40 grind settings and is the best option for beginners. It’s also an all-around great budget pick. The Baratza Encore ESP Pro is a new offering from Baratza and bridges the gap between the two models. It has 60 settings. All three of these Baratza grinders are espresso-coffee grinder hybrids.

Should you grind espresso into a portafilter or a dosing cup?

A dosing cup is neater than using a portafilter. Using a dosing cup also makes it easier to evenly distribute the grounds in your portafilter. 

Are espresso grinders with built-in grinders any good?

We prefer standalone espresso machines, like the winners in our review. That said, we like the Breville Barista Express Impress and think it is the best espresso machine with a built-in grinder. It features intelligent dosing and assisted tamping that guide the user to a better shot.

Can’t you just grind espresso beans in a coffee grinder?

No! You can’t! Coffee grinders simply can’t grind as finely as espresso grinders. That matters because espresso needs very fine grounds to create adequate flow restriction from a highly pressurized water pump. Espresso can also be affected by the type of beans, their roast level, the ambient humidity, and the machine—so you really do need a grinder that can handle all those variables with nuance.

Why We’re the Experts

• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats. Previously, she worked as a restaurant cook and an editor at Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines.
• Rochelle has also written our drip coffee makers review.
• Jesse Raub, a former writer for Serious Eats, and Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm, Serious Eats’ associate editorial director, contributed to research for this review.
• We have reviewed hundreds of pieces of coffee gear, and regularly re-test our favorite products to provide long-term insights.