Have you just come back from Italian vacation and recently turned into a coffee aficionado—or has your spouse actually acquired the characteristics of a real café snob? Owning the best coffee grinder for espresso can get you the taste and benefits of using freshly ground coffee in the comfort of your own kitchen. Especially if you’re into drinking espressos, you’ll definitely want to get quality coffee in that small, morning shot.
To be able to choose the highest quality of coffee grinders, you want to come prepared with the equipment that is backed by features that set it apart from the rest. In this guide, we’ve done hours of research looking up what makes for a high-quality coffee grinder. We’ve poured over various features and real customer reviews to find you the best coffee grinders and bring them to one buying guide.
Through this article, we’ve set out the various important features that you need to be aware of before choosing a coffee grinder and bringing it into your home. Especially if you’re willing to invest the money, you definitely want to make sure you’re getting high quality. From the the grinder type to the number of settings, hopper and container capacity to the warranty, we’ve laid out everything you need to know. Please have a look through our buying guide, side-by-side comparison table, and in-detail reviews of each product.
More features: steel 40 mm burrs, grind-by-weight feature, 5 grams per second grinding, anti-static plastic hopper
The Baratza Sette 270 is our Editor’s Choice for the best coffee grinder for espressos. Not only does the brand name set it apart—it’s a long list of quality features also makes it a solid buy.
Since we’re all about convenience in this society, the convertible device holder actually lets you grind directly into the portafilter. You can choose between that, the supplied grounds bin, or most of the popular brewing devices (V60, Clever, Able Kone, etc.).
You can also choose which method to use for the particular espresso you’re making, with fully-rotational arms that can accommodate porta-filters from sizes 49mm to 58mm.
The Baratza Sette 270 also comes with a grounds bin designed with anti-static plastic that has a molded spout, making pouring simple enough that you feel like a professional barista.
This coffee grinder also comes with a grind adjustment of 30 steps so you can choose how to make your coffee, from grinding an espresso out to manual brew. You can also choose the automatic method with 9 different settings.
Perfect for your home, small office, and brew bar, you can also enjoy the easy-maintenance feature of it—with the cone burr being easily removable with no tools required. You also don’t have to put too much ground coffee since the Baratza Sette 270 maximizes freshness and minimizes the amount of ground coffee.
More features: turbo grinding, 1 lbs grinding per 30 seconds, Turkish burr set included
If you’re running a barista stand or are looking to turn a profit with your espresso, the Bunn G3 HD can be a great fit for you. Rated as our Best Commercial Coffee Grinder for Espresso, the Bunn G3 HD is designed as a high-volume grinding system that is run by turbo action sufficient enough for speed and efficiency, perfect for profit.
If you’re juggling various tasks at once, you’ll need a coffee grinder that has got your back. With the Bunn G3 HD, you don’t have to worry about the motor, since it stops as you’re switching the bag.
Backed by a four-year warranty on its grinding burrs and a three-year one on all its electric parts, the Bunn G3 HD is a great design built for quality. With its high power and its heavy-duty precision burrs for finer grinds, you’ll get a tasteful cup of espresso, every single time. The grinder, designed as a single hopper, can hold up to 3 lbs of regular, decaf or specialty coffee beans, which means you can produce a lot of coffee without having to fill it up again, making it perfect for a small business.
You can also have the choice of selection between a wide range of grinds.
The Bunn G3 HD is also quite simple to maintain and clean, with a convenient cleaning lever that makes sure you get a complete clean out of coffee from its grind chamber.
More features: 48 mm burrs, double bearing drive shaft, non-slip base, aluminum frame
The ROK Coffee Grinder is rated as our Best Manual Coffee Grinder for Espresso on our guide today. From its features like the double-bearing driveshaft to its non-slip base, this is a high-quality coffee grinder, no matter if you’re using it for personal or professional use.
The ROK Coffee Grinder can not only get you a coarse grind, but you can also even fine-grind it to your liking. This means that it’s quite versatile for the various styles of brew. Working directly with fresh coffee beans, you’ll get the quality taste you‘ve been looking for in your morning brew. Although you have to wind the high-precision mechanism by hand, you can still enjoy the process by feeling the beans being precisely cut.
With traditional engineering tuned with modern precision, this affordable choice has the quality of more expensive electric grinders.
Boasting durable die-cast aluminum construction with engineering-grade components for ergonomic operation and long-lasting performance, the ROK Coffee Grinder is new on the scene but still taking the coffee-aficionado world by storm.
Set with 48mm hardened steel burrs and a high-quality, double bearing drive shaft, the ROK Coffee Grinder still can run with the affordability of Acetal plastic gears.
More features: LCD screen, digital timer, grinds container with lid included, cleaning brush included, stainless steel frame and burrs, 165 W power
The Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder, although only backed by a 1-year limited warranty, still comes as a high-tech model that changes the game of coffee grinders everywhere.
If you like, not only convenience but also tech-savvy machines, the Smart Grinder belongs in your kitchen. With various features that set it apart from other coffee grinders out there, you’ll truly be amazed by the convenience and ease-of-operation of the Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder.
With a refreshing innovative use of IQ technology, this coffee grinder uses up to 60 unique settings to program your perfect cup of coffee. From ‘cups’ for French Press or Filter and ‘shots’ for Espresso, you can play around with its settings until you get your desired taste.
Using traditional methods of grinding directly into a portafilter or an air-tight container, the Breville BCG820BSSXL brings tradition into the latest century.
Maneuverability throughout the machine and its settings is also no reason to be nervous—the espresso maker features a clear and concise LCD screen that shows grind setting, grind time, and the number of shots or cups you have selected, which makes it perfectly simple to use.
You can also benefit from its Precision Digital Time feature, which makes it highly easy to adjust and program within 0.2-second increments.
More features: LCD screen, 150 W, cleaning brush included, stainless steel burrs, portafilter adapter
Especially since we think that just because you’re on a budget it shouldn’t mean that you should sacrifice quality, we’ve presented you with our budget pick, the DeLonghi KG521M.
With features to rival any high-priced coffee grinder, the DeLonghi KG521M has a variety of different specifications that help it grind out a great tasting cup of espresso.
From its easy-to-use features and settings displayed on an LCD screen to its 18 different settings, the DeLonghi KG521M is an easily contestable coffee grinder, fit for professional or personal use.
From the result of a freshly-ground, rich fragrance, you won’t even be able to tell that the coffee designed from the DeLonghi KG521M is our budget-pick. Designed with a Dedica Stainless Steel Conical Burr, the possibilities of different coffees are endless.
You can either enjoy your French press cup or even a single espresso directly into the portafilter. Whether you need to bang out 14 cups for your customers or keep them fresh in the included storage container, this choice is great for an at-home situation or a café.
Powered with 150 W and included a various number of features like the storage container and cleaning brush, you will definitely enjoy this coffee-aficionado find.
If you’re looking for a high-quality grinder to create a tasty espresso, whether for your home or for your local café business, you’ll need to inform yourself about the various features of each grinder.
To help you compare one grinder to another, please go through our buying guide, designed to help you through this process.
An espresso grinder may seem like a fancy, unnecessary addition to your kitchen. However, whether for personal or professional use, having an espresso grinder that is specifically tailored for that small taste of coffee can make a huge difference.
Grinding your coffee beans right before you brew your espresso can make a large impact on the taste—especially if you’re looking into freshness and consistency from espresso to espresso.
Before you buy or choose a coffee grinder, you should make sure that the price of it matches your budget. If you’re not working with a budget, of course, it leaves a few options open. However, you may come to find that setting a limit on a price can actually help you narrow down your choices.
If you’re looking for a quality coffee grinder set at an affordable price, the DeLonghi KG521M is our Budget Pick.
Although you may have your eyes set on a particular coffee grinder, you may want to check out and compare the features from product to product.
To help you make the best judgment call on a coffee grinder, here are a few feature details to consider:
Making a decision when it comes to the foundation or structure of the coffee grinder can be as simple as choosing between one thing and the other.
For coffee grinders, you should be choosing between being powered by blades or by burrs.
To help you weigh in the decision, here is the argument for and against:
For the blades, they are generally much cheaper than the burrs. However, they are not exactly a spitting image of control when it comes to dictating the coarseness or fineness of how you grind the coffee beans.
If you need to have a customizable grinder, a burr like that in the ROK Coffee Grinder will be your best bet.
Another decision you may have to make is choosing also between a hand grinder and an electric one.
To be able to make that educated of a decision, you need to consider and reflect on the purposes behind getting an espresso coffee grinder.
You want to be able to dictate whether or not you’re willing: to work for your coffee, to spend on your machine, and to be able to diversify your beverages. Knowing the answers to these questions can help you make a more educated decision about what type of coffee grinder you need for your home or café.
You should definitely know that using a hand grinder is not only tiresome, it also takes time. If you’re looking for convenience, this might not be the best decision.
However, hand grinders are normally more affordable than electric ones and more compact—which means that you can move it around the kitchen and place it in any corner.
The electric grinder is much better for a café situation since it’s great for more than one or two cups at once and if you’re looking for speed.
Hand grinders are great for a pour-over or a coarse-grind coffee beverage.
Container and hopper capacityWhen looking at the various coffee grinders on this guide, you’ll notice that they’ll differ from size to size. However, if you’re going to be implementing this coffee grinder to serve multiple people at once, you’re going to want to go with a grinder that has more capacity.
The Bunn G3 HD, for example, is the Best Commercial Coffee Grinder for Espresso on our guide because it has a hopper capacity of 3 lbs, which is more than enough for a couple of cups of coffee.
When it comes to settings—the more the better. Our Editor’s Choice, the Baratza Sette 270, boasts 270 different settings.
If you’re going to be investing in the various settings, you’ll definitely want to choose a coffee grinder that has a fine grind option to get a smooth taste. Especially if you have a restaurant area or are keen on serving guests, you’ll want to have as many options as possible to appeal to the masses.
Knowing the impact of the foundation of the grinder can make all the difference. The grinders on this guide are made from various materials—from ceramic to stainless steel.
Ceramic burrs tend to be generally more expensive than other options on the market—but that’s translated then to a much finer grind for a perfect espresso. Since they are of higher quality, they are also generally much more expensive.
Stainless steel burrs, on the other hand, are suited for other coffering brewing methods and are much more affordable.
Most of the grinders on the market are statistically measured not only by their speed but also if they can grind by weight, like the Baratza Sette 270.
These dimensions can dictate a lot about a coffee grinder—how versatile it is, how quick it is, and how fine or coarse it can grind up the coffee beans.
Familiarizing yourself with the types of coffees and how the grinding process affects each is important.
If you’re looking to make a smooth espresso on a late Sunday afternoon following dinner, you might not need to invest in a professional coffee grinder, like the Bunn G3 HD, which is rated as Best Commercial Coffee Grinder for Espresso.
Knowing your ultimate goal before you buy is just as important as setting the budget.
Not only do you need to consider on how easy it is to clean and maintain your coffee grinder, but you should also check the manufacturer or the seller about the availability of replacement parts and the customer service.
The static buildup should also make a difference—those you can locate normally while reading customer reviews.
The great thing about manual grinders? The noise level. Make sure to consider the possibility that electric grinders are going to be much noisier than other types.
If you’re living a house or apartment with a lot of people around you, you also want to be considerate.
Especially if you’re not a barista, having a simple push-button mechanism is going to make your life a lot easier. If you’re coffee illiterate, you might even consider investing in an easy-to-use, LCD display grinder, like the Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder. This can mean making an espresso is that much easier.
WarrantyFrom one year to three years, most of the coffee grinders on this guide are going to be limited in the warranty because of their various mechanical and non-mechanical parts. Make sure you’re well aware of the various warranties before you buy. Check in with the manufacturer if you’re not sure.
Now that you have the equipment, here are a couple of espresso recipes to try out:
The Americano: Drop a single shot of espresso and add six ounces of hot water.
The Espresso Breve: Drop a single shot of espresso, mix in a dollop of heated or steamed light cream. You can also use half & half.
The Espresso Con Panna: This Italian coffee is one or two shots of espresso with a dollop of whipped cream.
And if you want to experiment with alcohol-based cocktails, you shall watch the following video, this espresso recipe might surprise you:
Before you buy your newest coffee grinder out of the shop and get grinding, here are the answers to your most frequently-asked questions, answered:
However, taking maintenance seriously can help prevent the oily buildup in the machine, which will help it run smoothly. Especially if you run a café or a restaurant, this is critical.
To help you empty your grinder hopper, here is a video:
If you’ve decided to skip that cup of coffee this morning—or don’t have a coffee grinder just yet (hence why you’re here), you might not have had the patience to read through our review.
To help you fast-forward through the process, here are our top three choices:
To get the best of the best, the Baratza Sette 270 is our Editor’s Choice for the best coffee grinder for espressos on the market. Blowing all the other espresso grinders away with 270 settings, the Baratza Sette 270 is a great professional choice—fast and efficient.
The Bunn G3 HD is our Runner-Up choice and rated as the Best Commercial Coffee Grinder for Espresso. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty machine that fits the bill for your café and can crank out high-quality espressos, this 3 lb, 8-setting machine is perfect. The Bunn G3 HD features turbo grinding and the capability of 1 lb of coffee-grinding possible in just 30 seconds.
The DeLonghi KG521M is our Budget Pick since we think you shouldn’t sacrifice quality just because you’re asking for a lower price. Designed to feature up to 18 settings, this high-tech choice also has an easy-to-use LCD screen, is powered by 150 W, and comes with a cleaning brush, stainless steel burrs, and a portafilter adapter.
We hope this guide has helped you choose the best coffee grinder for espressos for you, your kitchen, and your coffee needs.
