As any coffee lover knows, the best way to get fresh and delicious coffee is by having quality beans. Of course, if you want to be able to respect your beans, you need to use the best coffee bean grinder for drip machines.
Drip machines are the simplest type of coffee maker: you pour hot water on coffee grounds and allow gravity and time to do the work for you. The hot water will move through the grounds, extract all the soluble oils, and drip down into your mug. Thus, the name: drip coffee maker!
Let’s dive into the best coffee bean grinder for drip coffee makers and how you can choose the perfect one for you.
The Different Grinds and How to Use Them
Before we go into how to find the best coffee bean grinder for making drip coffee, you need to know the different kinds of grinds and how you can use them in making a cup of coffee.
Here are the different grinds that you can make with a grinder and what type of brew they are best suited for:
- Coarse grounds – coarse grounds are the largest type of coffee grounds. They look like pieces of sea salt, and you can feel each individual particle between your fingers. Since this type of grounds has a small surface area, the water needs a longer contact time for proper extraction of the soluble oils. Coarse grounds are best used for French presses or for making cowboy coffee.
- Medium grounds – medium grounds look and feel like sand. This type of ground is the best grounds for drip coffee maker since the grounds have enough surface area for proper extraction of soluble oils through the combination of hot water and gravity. You won’t need to steep the grounds as long as for coarse grounds.
- Fine grounds – fine grounds have the appearance and consistency of powder. You won’t be able to feel the individual particles and this type of ground is best used for making espresso. Since the grounds have a large surface area but are usually compacted, you need pressure and heat to be able to extract the soluble oils.
If you’re in a pinch, you can use coarse grounds in a drip coffee maker, but the coffee tends to taste weak and under-extracted. However, you don’t be able to use fine grounds at all since you need to use an espresso machine to extract any flavor from your grounds.
Comparison Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baratza Encore | The Baratza Encore is a straightforward machine to use: simply choose your desired grind setting and let the machine go to work! It makes a wide range from grinds to satisfy all your coffee drinking needs. | ||
| Baratza Virtuoso+ | The Baratza Virtuoso+ is the next step up from the Encore. If you’re looking to upgrade your grinder or you want to invest in a high-quality grinder from the get-go, the Virtuoso+ has all the great features of the Encore plus a digital timer for precise grinding. | ||
| OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder | If you’re looking for a grinder that’s affordable but still reliable, the OXO BREW Conical Burr Grinder is the best option for you. At less than $100, you’ll still be able to enjoy a reliable grinder that can grind your coffee quickly and quietly at the push of a button. | ||
| Rancilio HSD-ROC-SS Rocky Espresso Coffee Grinder | If you love making espresso, the Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder has a patented dosing chamber so that you can get the perfect amount of beans to tamp down for a shot. | ||
| Breville Smart Grinder Pro | Do you love being able to control every aspect of your grind? The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is the answer to your prayers. With 60 different grind settings, you can make extra-coarse to extra-fine, and everything in between! |
A Detailed Review on the 5 Best Coffee Bean Grinders for Drip
Baratza Encore
The Baratza Encore is a straightforward machine to use: simply choose your desired grind setting and let the machine go to work! It makes a wide range from grinds to satisfy all your coffee drinking needs.
Value
It has a great price point for the performance of the machine.
Functionality
It is easy to use and makes consistent grounds even for fine and super fine settings.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
If you’re looking for an entry-level coffee grinder that will give you a great combination of reliable performance and consistent grounds, the Baratza Encore is the machine for you.
PROs
- Easy to use
- Wide range of grind settings
- Front-mounted start button
- Large bean hopper
CONs
- Bulky and takes up a lot of counter space
- Plastic parts feel cheap
- Poor customer support
Baratza Virtuoso+
The Baratza Virtuoso+ is the next step up from the Encore. If you’re looking to upgrade your grinder or you want to invest in a high-quality grinder from the get-go, the Virtuoso+ has all the great features of the Encore plus a digital timer for precise grinding.
Value
Although a bit pricey, the performance of the Virtuoso+ is superb! It’s quiet and easy to use and makes consistent grounds.
Functionality
The machine is quiet and grinds quickly, but the bean hopper is difficult to clean.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
Whether you want medium grounds for drip coffee or you want extra-fine grounds for Turkish coffee, the Virtuoso+ can handle all these different grinding jobs without any difficulty.
PROs
- Wide range of grind settings
- Large bean hopper
- Digital timer
CONs
- Pricey
- Bean hopper is difficult to clean
- Poor customer service
OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
If you’re looking for a grinder that’s affordable but still reliable, the OXO BREW Conical Burr Grinder is the best option for you. At less than $100, you’ll still be able to enjoy a reliable grinder that can grind your coffee quickly and quietly at the push of a button.
Value
It is very affordable, but no warranty from the maker.
Functionality
this machine is easy to use, although it only has 15 grind settings so you won’t be able to make a wide range of coffee brews.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
One of our favorite things about the OXO BREW is that the hopper is removable so you can easily refill or even change the beans if you want.
PROs
- Easy to use
- Affordable
- Large grounds container
CONs
- Limited grind settings
- Smaller settings are not consistent
Rancilio HSD-ROC-SS Rocky Espresso Coffee Grinder
If you love making espresso, the Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder has a patented dosing chamber so that you can get the perfect amount of beans to tamp down for a shot.
Value
Rancilio HSD-ROC-SS Rocky Espresso coffee grinder is easy to use but very pricey!
The Functionality
The grind settings dial is difficult to adjust for small changes in the grind size.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
The Rancilio Rocky Espresso Grinder is a powerful grinder that can handle fine grinds. For the espresso lovers, this is a machine that you must have in your home.
PROs
- Commercial grade burrs
- Dosing chamber allows exact measurement of grounds
- Elegant design
CONs
- Pricey
- Small bean hopper
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
Do you love being able to control every aspect of your grind? The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is the answer to your prayers. With 60 different grind settings, you can make extra-coarse to extra-fine, and everything in between!
Value
It has a great range of grind settings but pricey.
The Functionality
You really need to study how to use this machine to operate it correctly.
The Earl’s Overall Rating
If you’re looking for a grinder that can handle all the standard grind sizes and then some, the Smart Grinder Pro by Breville will give you ultimate control over your grinding options.
PROs
- Wide range of programmable features
- Commercial-grade burrs
- LED display
CONs
- Not recommended for dark roasts
- Difficult to use without consulting the manual
Wrap it Up!
There you have it, our choices for the best coffee bean grinder for drip coffee. By using a coffee bean grinder, you will be guaranteeing a fresh and delicious cup of coffee with the most flavor and aroma possible! If you want something budget-friendly, the OXO Brew Conical Burr grinder will do the trick. However, if you want a wide range of grinder sizes so that you can enjoy virtually every kind of coffee brew style, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro’s 60 different settings will surely fulfill all your needs. Learn more about coffee grinders.