The Best Coffee Grinders

If you are not a morning person, the obnoxiously loud sound of most electric grinders may be grating in the morning, so a manual grinder may be more up your alley. Though you will have to exert more energy to manually grind your coffee, consider that a pre-caffeine energy boost.

This ceramic burr grinder housed in a stainless steel body will provide an even grind every time, without the noise that comes with the electric grinders. Plus, it has over 18 click settings that allow you to have complete control over how coarse you want your coffee beans for your morning cup of joe.

Because it's a manual grinder, you don't need to worry about batteries or power cords, making this a great portable option for camping trips and other travel. JavaPresse's custom burr grinder blades are designed for durability and can last up to 5x longer than standard stainless steel blades.

Key Features

• 90 percent less noise than electric grinders
• Stainless steel body
• Portable for travel

The Hamilton Beach grinder is fairly quiet compared to other electric grinders on the market. Crafted with stainless steel blades and a removable grinding chamber for easy grounds transfer and cleaning, there is much to appreciate about this appliance.

This grinder can grind up to nine tablespoons of coffee beans at a time, which is enough for 12 cups of coffee.

The cord wraps up around the base for "hidden" storage as well, which is convenient for tight spaces and aesthetics.

Key Features

• Stainless steel blades
• Removable grinding chamber
• Hidden storage for cords

Here at CinemaBlend, coffee is a passion for many of our staff, and our team relies on the Baratza Encore for our coffee grinding needs in the office. Andrew Nagy, our Coffee Club President shared that "It's a GREAT grinder. It's mechanically very sound, and with semi-regular cleanings, it should last for a very long time."

Baratza's conical burr Encore is a great grinder for those with little to no familiarity with the process and can get you fresh grounds in no time at all. With 40 grind settings, you can use this grinder to discover all the ways you can brew coffee at home, from your standard automatic coffee maker and French Press to Aeropress and Chemex.

Though the grounds bin can be messy during use, it can be easily cleaned.

Key Features

• Even, consistent grind
• 40 grind settings
• Removable bin, hopper, and burrs for easy cleaning

If you are looking for a no-frills burr grinder option, this flat burr blade hybrid from Cuisinart is a great option.

While it is unlikely to get you as fine of a grind as you need for true espresso, this unit does a fine job improving on the straight blade grinding option while adding the hopper and collection bin features of higher end grinders. And if you prefer French Press coffee, we found that this grinder is great for a uniform coarse grind.

The removable grind chamber holds up to 32 cups of ground coffee, which is more than enough for making a pot of coffee at home or the office.

Key Features

• 18 grind settings
• Cord storage
• Removable grind chamber

There are many coffee grinders on the market offering unique options for the coffee connoisseur, the "Joe Schmoe," and everyone in between. Don't get left in the finely ground coffee dust of your peers, make sure you know what you are looking for so that you can adequately determine what option will be the best for your coffee bar. Here are a few key features to keep your eyes out for while comparison shopping.

Grinder Mechanism

There is a big difference in the grinding mechanisms used in various machines. Traditional blades do an adequate job of chopping the beans, but are less precise than other methods. Burr grinders traditionally come in two varieties: flat or conical. Conical burrs are the most efficient at ensuring an even and consistent grind every time. They are generally made from metal and the shape allows for a more consistent feeding process than flat burrs. Flat burrs are often made from a ceramic material that provide a good consistent grind.

Grind Ranges

Different drinks require a different fineness of grounds. Espresso requires an ultra fine grind whereas as French press calls for a more coarse grind. Since not all grinders are created equally, you will want to ensure that the machine you get will work with the drinks you plan to use it for. Certain grinders are just not adequate enough to get the fineness needed for espressos so don't spend money on a product that won't fit the bill.

Noise Tolerance

If you are noise adverse, especially early in the morning before your first cup, you will want to carefully choose a grinder that will not start your day off on the wrong foot. As one member of our team recently stated, "There is nothing worse than starting to grind and realizing it sounds like two tractors having a fight in the middle of your kitchen." Manual grinders can certainly help with this, but some electric grinders are far less noisy than others so do your homework.