Baratza Encore Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

Product Information

The Encore’s maintenance and cleaning costs are pretty low compared to the burden of lower-quality grinders. For this reason, I don’t recommend cheap alternatives, although several affordable options are worth considering. Baratza Encore Alternatives The Virtuoso’s throughput rate is about twice as fast as the Encore’s. The Virtuoso+ grinds at 1.5–2.4 grams per second compared to the Encore at 0.8–1.1 grams per second. The difference is largely due to burr geometry as the models share the same motor. The Virtuoso’s M2 burr grinds much faster than the Encore’s M3 burr. Controls The Encore has a clear grounds bin with a horizontal line marking the optimal fill height. The Virtuoso+, which dispenses coffee much faster, has a lighted bin to help you monitor the amount. Both designs help prevent overfilling, which can push coffee into the unit and potentially damage the motor. Build quality

Most customers like the precision and consistency of the Oxo Conical Burr Grinder at such a low price. It tends to be considerably cheaper than the Baratza Encore, which is hard to find for the quality of this grinder. The Virtuoso+ has 40 degrees of grind adjustment and a range of 200–1200 microns. As with the Encore, you choose your setting by rotating the hopper. It has an upgraded M2 burr that produces a more uniform grind, especially at coarse and espresso settings. Like the Encore, this model is versatile enough for most home methods such as manual pour-over, automatic drip, AeroPress, and cold brew. The more consistent grind does justice to espresso, although you can’t fine-tune between settings. Buy the Virtuoso+ if you already use a burr grinder and want a wider adjustment range. If you treasure a well-crafted espresso, you will be happier with the Virtuoso+. I have been a coffee geek since I started home roasting more than a decade ago. Since then, coffee has taken me on countless adventures: From ancient coffee ceremonies in Ethiopia to the volcanos of Sumatra. The Baratza Encore takes less than 1 minute to assemble, making it perfect for beginners or anyone who wants an easy-to-use coffee grinder at home.

So if you’re looking for a great all-round home grinder to take your coffee-making experience to the next level, look no further – The Baratza Encore has everything you need. It’s common to find happy customers with these low-price grinders, but thousands of them end up complaining about the durability and quality of these grinders. Let’s drill down its main features so you can make the best of our Baratza Encore conical burr coffee grinder review. Looks Storability/Portability: Baratza designed the Encore to fit comfortably under most kitchen cabinets. With dimensions of 12 x 16 x 35 cm (WxDxH), and weighing 3.2 kilos, we can verify that it’s a compact, lightweight machine.

The Encore ESP is optimized for espresso from #1-20 and produces excellent filter grinds from #21-40. MOTOR Featuring 40 individual grind settings, from fine to coarse, the Encore can please any palate with its gamut of accurate and repeatable grind settings. The Encore has an accurate medium to coarse grind for the increasingly popular manual brew methods such as pour-over, Aeropress, Siphon and Chemex. The specially designed burrs give a precise grind with minimal fines for a flavorful, balanced extraction when making espresso. Compared to Baratza’s older Maestro models, the Encore device has an improved gearbox for quieter operation and a sturdier design.Build quality is essential for any coffee grinder, and the Baratza Encore is an entry-level model that doesn’t compromise this aspect. I’ve been grinding with a single-dose hopper with my Encore most of the time, improving my workflow. I weigh my coffee beans using it, and it’s easy to keep clean and tidy. Occasionally, I use the regular hopper when I want to share good coffee with my family and grind around 100 grams.

If you’re comparing the Baratza Encore and Virtuoso+, then you already know that delectable home coffee starts with a quality burr grinder and craft beans. Conical burr grinders are made for discriminating specialty coffee consumers. If you are upgrading from pre-ground coffee or a blade grinder, you will gain a quantum leap in flavor with either of these models. But how do they differ, and which will best suit your needs?If you’re a fan of manual brewing, want to play around with different grind sizes, but without sacrificing the consistency, The Baratza Encore will satisfy all your coffee grinding needs. It is even capable of grinding fine enough for espresso (only when pulled through a pressurized portafilter, though). Featuring 40 individual grind settings, from fine to coarse, the Encore can please any palate with its gamut of accurate and repeatable grind settings. The Encore has an accurate medium to coarse grind for the increasingly popular manual brew methods such as pour-over, Aeropress, Siphon and Chemex. The specially designed burrs give a precise grind with minimal fines for a flavorful, balanced extraction when making espresso. A Baratza Encore can deliver good results with entry-level espresso machines for espresso. Home espresso machines with pressurized portafilters are forgiving, and obtaining a good espresso is easier. I’ve pulled decent espresso shots with my Baratza Encore using espresso machines with pressurized baskets. Yet, when trying more advanced options, like prosumer espresso machines, the taste and body of the shots are underwhelming. If it really bothers you, you can always sift it out from the grinds, but this really isn’t necessary.

Also consider the Virtuoso+ if you want a timer for precise control over grind quantity or if you brew more than 10 cups per day.If you always buy fresh coffee beans from a local roaster, and have started to experiment with using different kinds of mineralized water for your brew, then you might belong to the demography that could benefit from an even better grinder.