Best Coffee Grinders for Pour Over Coffee 2021 (My Top Picks)
Do you relish the flavor and aroma of pour over coffee? Coffee enthusiasts turn to this brewing method because of its quality and convenience. Excellent pour over coffee depends on flavorful coffee beans with a consistent grind.
If you like brewing pour over coffee, you’ll want to find the best coffee grinder for pour over. A couple of years ago, I was spending the weekend with a friend.
She had been brewing coffee in her French press for years. But, on this particular morning, things were different.
She used a strange funnel-like contraption that she positioned over her coffee mug.
Then, as if in slow motion, she poured hot water over ground coffee in the funnel, and delicious coffee dripped into her mug.
This was my introduction to pour over coffee, and I became fascinated by the process. If you haven’t experienced pour over coffee, you might want to give it a try.
Be sure to start with fresh and flavorful coffee beans. Grind your beans in a burr grinder immediately before brewing your coffee.
A Quick Glance at our Favorite Picks
Recommended Top 5 Best Coffee Grinder for Pour Over Reviews
Finding the best pour over coffee grinder can be challenging. You want to grind fresh beans in a way that will transfer maximum flavor and richness to your brewed coffee.
Many grinders are available. Where do you begin your search? This review of 5 best grinders will give you the information you need to get started.
1. Porlex Mini Stainless-Steel Coffee Grinder
Do you appreciate excellent quality equipment and enjoy hands-on engagement in your coffee brewing experience? If you do, then you will love the Porlex mini manual burr grinder.
Small and lightweight, this grinder delivers a consistent grind in a wide range of grind sizes. It’s made of long-lasting materials.
Because it doesn’t require electricity or batteries, the Porlex is handy for travel or your next outdoor adventure. Ceramic, conical burrs deliver a uniform and consistent grind.
This means that the particles of ground coffee are uniform in size and consistent with the texture that you select on a spectrum from ultra-fine to coarse.
Stainless-Steel Construction
The Porlex mini manual grinder is constructed of stainless steel. You can depend on its long-lasting quality.
Throw it into your backpack for hiking or camping, and you don’t need to worry about breaking it.
In addition to providing sturdy service for years, the stainless-steel construction also eliminates static.
This means that you will not be bothered with fine, clinging coffee dust to clean up after grinding.
Ceramic, Conical Burrs
Coffee lovers prefer ceramic as a burr material because it does not conduct heat. If heat is transmitted during the grinding process, it removes some of the oils and flavor from the coffee beans.
The conical burr design is also preferred. It uses gravity to feed ground coffee downward from the grinding chamber into the ground coffee receptacle.
Design: Ergonomic and Convenient
This manual grinder features a 47 mm diameter. That’s only 1.85 inches. Even a person with small hands can grasp the body of the Porlex mini to crank the handle and grind coffee beans.
A silicone band around the middle of the unit makes it ergonomically comfortable to grip and stabilize the unit while grinding.
The crank handle detaches and stores in a pocket of the silicone band for easy portability. You’ll never lose the handle because it stays with the unit.
Dimensions and Capacity
You can load up to 20 grams of coffee beans into the hopper of the Porlex mini. That’s 1.33 tablespoons. It takes about 1 minute to grind 20 grams to a fine texture. Less time is needed for a coarse grind.
The grinder is 1.8 inches in diameter and 6 inches tall. It weighs 8 ounces. With its diminutive size, this is the perfect grinder to take on trips or to keep at your work desk.
ALSO READ: Best Coffee Beans for Pour Over Coffee
Highlighted Key Features
- Manual operation
- High-quality, stainless-steel construction
- Ceramic, conical burrs
- Ergonomic design
- Silicone grip
- Detachable handle stores in silicone band
- Made in Osaka, Japan
- Sturdy, good quality construction
- Long-lasting materials
- Conical burr design
- Ceramic burr material
- Does not require electricity
- Does not require batteries
- Small and lightweight
- Convenient for travel
- Detachable crank handle
- Ergonomic design
- Small hopper capacity compared to larger units
- You must physically crank the handle to grind the coffee beans
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: Are the inner parts made of stainless steel, as well as the outer surface?
Answer: Yes. The burrs are ceramic. Other inner parts are stainless steel. The only exception is a plastic nut for adjusting grind size. The nut is positioned so that it does not rub against anything.
2. Question: Does the inner burr shift its position so that it is not centered?
Answer: No. The quality of construction is excellent. The burrs do not shift. They remain aligned.
2. Capresso 560.01 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
Are you looking for commercial, coffeehouse quality in a home burr grinder? The Capresso 560.01 might be your grinder of choice.
Commercial-grade, conical, solid steel burrs provide years of service. The ample hopper size allows you to grind up to 8.8 ounces of coffee beans at one time.
You can choose from a wide range of grind sizes. The see-through design of both the hopper and the ground coffee receptacle makes this unit attractive and convenient to use.
You can see exactly what’s going on as you grind beans for your daily brew.
Easy, Automatic Operation
You can make your morning routine super-easy with this grinder. Fill the hopper with beans.
Turn the grind size selector to one of 16 choices, selecting the one that meets your brewing needs.
Set the timer to grind from 5 to 60 seconds. The machine turns off automatically when the bean hopper is empty.
Excellent Quality Burr Construction
Conical-shaped burrs allow the ground coffee to descend from the grinding chamber into the see-through receptacle below.
The function of gravity makes this burr design preferable. Less coffee dust is left behind than in flat burr grinders.
Additionally, the Capresso 560.01 features superior quality in its burr material. Solid steel burrs are made in matched pairs to within 0.1 mm (1/250 of one inch) precision.
Then, these pairs of burrs are hand-fitted in Switzerland to ensure the highest degree of precision as the angles and shapes of the matched burrs grind against each other.
This results in the maximum richness and flavor of the ground coffee.
16 Grind Choices
Select your grind size from four categories: extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse. Within each category, you can fine-tune your selection to one of four choices.
This makes a total of 16 possible grind selections available on the Capresso 560.01. With so many choices, you’ll be able to grind beans perfectly for any coffee brewing application.
Dimensions and Capacity
The Capresso will not take up lots of space on your counter. It’s 7.75 inches wide and 5 inches long. It stands 10.5 inches high.
The bean hopper will hold 8.8 ounces of beans. The ground coffee chamber will hold up to 4 ounces of ground coffee.
The gear-reduction motor facilitates grinding at a slower speed to reduce noise, heat, and static build-up.
Highlighted Key Features
- Slow motor speed reduces heat and static
- Slow motor speed means less noise
- Automatic operation and shut-off
- 16 grind size settings
- Conical, steel burrs
- Swiss assembly
- High-quality materials
- Precision construction
- Long-lasting quality
- Ease of operation
- 16 choices of grind size
- Safety lock
- See-through design
- Less noise
- Less heat and static
- Residual ground coffee in the grinding chamber and chute
- Even with reduced static, coffee dust clinging to the machine is still a problem
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: Is this grinder suitable for a great espresso?
Answer: Yes. It will grind fine enough for espresso. It even grinds fine enough for Turkish coffee.
2. Question: Is this grinder too big to grind beans for a single cup of coffee?
Answer: You can grind beans for one cup or for a full pot of coffee.
3. Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
This entry-level home grinder has been around for 7 years, and Baratza customers continue to praise its reliability.
Baratza backs up their products and facilitates repair and replacement, maintaining their home grinders as if they were commercial machines.
With an impressive array of 40 grind size choices, this grinder allows you to be as picky as you want about the texture of your ground coffee.
Automatic operation means that the machine does the work for you.
European-Made, Steel Burrs
Baratza uses high-quality materials to ensure dependable service. The 40 mm, conical burrs are made of high-carbon steel, engineered in Lichenstein.
This machine will grind approximately 1 gram of coffee beans per second. That translates to 4 tablespoons of ground coffee per minute.
40 Choices of Grind Sizes
This machine offers an impressive array of grind size choices. Think about all the different ways you might brew coffee: espresso, Chemex, Aeropress, drip, cold brew, pour over, and more.
With 40 choices of grind size on the Baratza grinder, you are sure to find exactly the right grind for every brewing method.
Simply turn the dial at the base of the hopper to the one you want. The selections are numbered from 1 to 40.
Easy Operation
The Baratza Encore features a straightforward operation. There’s no guesswork involved. Simply press the on/off toggle switch on the side of the machine.
If you prefer, you can press the intermittent pulse button on the front of the machine to activate a quick burst of grinding action on demand.
Dimensions and Capacity
If you’re like me, you have limited space in your kitchen. I’m always looking for appliances that will not take up too much precious real estate on my countertop.
The Baratza Encore features a small footprint, so it would be a winner for me. Its footprint is only 4.7 x 6.3 inches, and the grinder stands 13.8 inches tall.
An ample, see-through hopper holds 10 ounces of beans. This is more than most home grinders.
Highlighted Key Features
- High-carbon steel burrs
- Conical burr design
- 40 grind size settings
- High power motor
- Small footprint
- European engineering
- Long-lasting materials
- Repairs and replacement parts available
- Conical, steel burrs
- More grind choices than most grinders
- Precision grind size selection
- Easy operation
- Grinds quickly
- Large size hopper
- Space-saving dimensions
- You can’t set it to grind a certain amount of beans for a specified number of cups
- Coffee chaff remains in the chute. Be sure to brush it out after each use.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: Where is this grinder made?
Answer: It’s designed in Seattle and built-in Taiwan. The burrs are made in Lichtenstein.
2. Question: Where can I order replacement parts?
Answer: You can order parts from the support page at baratza.com.
4. Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder
Are you looking for a burr grinder with a high IQ? Do you want a machine with lots of convenient and precise features?
Then, you should check out the Breville; it’s a smart machine that performs precision functions for you.
It allows you to set the grind size, grind time, and the desired number of shots or cups that you’re grinding beans for.
An LCD display clearly shows your selections. You can control the grind time in increments as refined as 0.2 seconds. So, you’ll get the perfect dose of ground coffee every time.
Programmable, Smart Grinder
With the Breville, you can program the precise dosage that you want. That is, you can tell the machine exactly how much ground coffee you require at one time.
Program the grinder for “cups” when you’re grinding for French press or drip coffee. Program it for “shots” when you want to brew espresso.
Choose your Ground Coffee Receptacle
If you’re a home barista, the Breville grinder allows you to grind directly into a portafilter for your espresso machine.
It also allows you to choose a gold-tone filter basket or paper filter as a ground coffee receptacle.
Or, you might choose the plastic container with the airtight lid to store your ground coffee until later.
60 Grind Settings
This machine offers an impressive range of grind settings from ultra-fine to extra coarse. You can set your grind size even more precisely by adjusting the upper burr to achieve either a finer or coarser texture.
Different grind sizes require different grind times. The Breville allows you to get the exact size and amount of ground coffee that you need every time you grind.
Stainless-Steel, Conical Burrs
High-quality, stainless-steel burrs ensure a consistent, uniform grind. The conical burrs in the Breville feature clear markings that allow you to align and lock the burrs in place every time.
Easily remove the burrs to clean them with the included brush. This cleans out any residual coffee dust. Then, re-insert the burrs and click them into the locked position.
Dimensions, Capacity, and Power
The footprint of this machine is 8.5 x 6.25 inches. It stands 15.25 inches tall, and it weighs 6.4 pounds.
The extra-large bean hopper will hold 18 ounces of coffee beans. In addition to its ample capacity, the bean hopper features a locking system for easy removal and storage. Voltage = 110-120 volts. Power = 165 watts.
Highlighted Key Features
- Programmable, smart technology
- Stainless-steel, conical burrs
- Precise dosage regulating
- Precise grind time setting
- 60 grind size choices
- 18-ounce capacity hopper
- Choice of ground coffee receptacles, including portafilter
- Smart technology
- Easy to program
- LCD display
- Extra-wide range of grind sizes
- Precision timing
- Quality materials
- Easy to clean
- Easy to adjust and re-assemble burrs
- Extra-large hopper
- Quiet operation
- Works well for medium and fine grinding but not coarse enough for French press
- Sometimes, jamming of coffee beans or clumping of ground coffee
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: How do you clean this machine?
Answer: Remove the unlock-able bean hopper and upper burr. Brush out residual beans and ground coffee with the included brush. Easy to clean. The stainless-steel and plastic exterior can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
2. Question: Does it grind well for the French press? Does it grind fine enough for Turkish coffee?
Answer: ‘Yes’ to both questions. It grinds from ultra-fine to coarse.
5. Capresso 560.04 Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
Here’s an attractive electric grinder that features a gear reduction motor for quiet grinding, less heat, and less static.
The Capresso offers 16 grind size settings for a range of ground coffee textures. The conical, steel burrs are manufactured and fitted with exceptional precision to deliver consistent and uniform grind results every time.
The see-through hopper and ground coffee receptacle along with a brushed silver exterior make this machine attractive on your kitchen counter while adding to the easy and intuitive operation.
Slow Grinding Speed
The Capresso 560.04 Infinity boasts the slowest grinding speed in its class. What? Slower is better? Well, yes. It’s not that you will need to wait around endlessly for your coffee beans to grind.
An electric grinder is still much faster than a manual grinder. The point is that the gear reduction motor grinds slowly (< 450 rpm) to create less noise, decrease the build-up of static electricity, and reduce the build-up of heat.
These 3 factors contribute to a superior grind, yielding a richer and more flavorful ground coffee.
Precision, Conical, Steel Burrs
A computer-controlled manufacturing process creates burrs that are precise to within 0.1 mm (1/250 of one inch).
These high-quality, precision burrs are created as matching pairs. Then, the pairs of burrs are hand-assembled in Switzerland to ensure the most consistent and uniform grind for any coffee application.
Whether you’re grinding beans to an ultra-fine texture for Turkish coffee or to a coarse texture for cold brew, the superior-quality burrs of the Capresso produce the texture you want.
16 Grind Size Settings
Select an exact grind size for any brewing method. The Capresso features 4 categories designated as: extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse. Simply turn the convenient dial to the category you want.
Then, fine-tune your setting to one of four choices available within each category. The system provides a total of 16 precision choices for you.
Dimensions and Capacity
The Capresso 560.04 is not a large machine that will hog the precious space on your counter or coffee bar.
Its footprint measures only 5 x 7.75 inches, and the machine stands 10.5 inches tall. Despite its space-saving dimensions, the Capresso features a bean hopper that holds an ample 8.8 ounces of coffee beans.
The tight-fitting ground coffee chamber will hold up to 4 ounces of grounds coffee.
Highlighted Key Features
- Commercial-grade steel burrs
- Conical burr design
- Zinc die-cast housing
- 16 grind settings
- Gear reduction motor
- Timer can be set for 5-to-60 seconds grinding time
- High quality materials
- Sturdy construction
- Precision production and fitting of burrs
- Quiet operation
- Slow speed to reduce static build-up
- Slow speed to reduce heat build-up
- Wide range of grind size choices
- Removable upper burr for easy cleaning
- Included brush and measuring scoop
- Safety lock system
- See-through design
- Some residual grounds stay in the machine and must be brushed out.
- After extended use, the markings for grind size selection wear off.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Question: How long do you set the timer for?
Answer: It depends on the quantity of beans that you load into the hopper. The timer doesn’t affect the grind texture (fine or coarse).
2. Question: Does anybody have trouble removing the upper burr?
Answer: Check to see if the upper burr has been inserted upside down. If the burr is installed and aligned correctly, you will not have a problem removing it.
Frequently Asked Questions: Pour Over Coffee
Pour over coffee has gained popularity in recent years. If you’re getting into brewing with this method, you might have a few questions. Here are some issues to think about with answers that might help you.
What’s the Best Type of Grinder for Pour Over?
The best grinder for pour over coffee would be the best type for any coffee brewing method.
Most serious coffee lovers prefer burr grinders over blade grinders. Whether you choose a manually operated grinding mill or an electric grinder depends on your needs and preferences.
Manual grinders are usually cheaper than electric ones, but manual grinding takes more time and energy.
If you want a machine that offers more automatic features, you might choose an electric model.
Which Grind Size Is Best for Pour Over Coffee?
Coffee lovers who use the pour over brewing method start with a medium grind. Some describe it as the texture of sand. Some say it approximates the texture of sea salt.
To make pour over coffee, hot water must come in contact with ground coffee as it passes through the brewer.
Consider the amount of time the water comes in contact with the ground coffee. A fine grind means that there is less space around the coffee particles for the water to pass through.
This makes the process too slow. If your grind size is excessively coarse, however, there is too much space around the coffee particles.
So, the water flows through immediately and does not extract maximum flavor from the ground coffee. Therefore, the best grind size for pour over coffee is a medium texture.
What Is the Best Coffee Bean for Pour Over Coffee?
Pour over coffee brewing allows you to maintain control over the brewing process. Start with beans that suit your flavor preference.
Do you enjoy a dark roast that is more full-bodied? Or do you prefer a light roast containing more caffeine?
Because pour over brewing involves the unhurried, deliberate addition of water to ground coffee, it’s the perfect brewing method to bring out flavors.
Choose a coffee bean that boasts the flavors you most enjoy. Experiment to see if you like coffee beans from Guatemala, Hawaii, Colombia, Mexico, or someplace else.
Enjoy your preferred flavors with pour over brewing.
How to Keep Pour Over Coffee Hot?
If you brew pour over coffee directly into a one-serving coffee mug, you will not have much of a problem with keeping it hot while you drink it.
If needed, you could use a cup sleeve or use a cup with a tight lid. You could preheat your cup with boiling water that you discard before brewing your pour over coffee.
It’s smart to use an insulated, thermal mug, especially for taking your coffee on-the-go. Cup warmers that plug into your car are handy, too.
If you’re brewing more than one cup of pour over coffee, you will probably use a carafe.
To maintain temperature, use an insulated, thermal carafe. Even better, preheat your insulated, thermal carafe with boiling water that you discard before dripping your pour over coffee into it.
Important Factors to Consider when Buying the Best Pour Over Coffee Grinder
As you search for the perfect grinder for pour over coffee, you’ll want to look for several standard features. Consider the features that will most precisely meet your coffee-brewing needs.
Manual or Electric
What is your typical coffee-grinding regimen? Do you grind only enough coffee beans for a single cup?
Or, do you grind enough beans to brew one or more pots of coffee each day? Keep in mind that a manual grinder will require more time and effort than an electric one.
An electric grinder is quick, convenient, and capable of delivering larger quantities of ground coffee.
On the other hand, you might want to purchase a manual grinder for camping, backpacking, or to toss in your purse or briefcase for travel or work.
Burr or Blade
Burr grinders are preferred by most coffee aficionados. In a blade grinder, a whirling blade slices and chops the coffee beans, creating heat from friction.
Conversely, burrs create a grinding and crushing action that does not produce so much heat. While friction-induced heat from blade grinding can extract oils, the ground coffee that results from burr grinding retains more of the original oils and rich flavor from the coffee beans.
The Material
As with any appliance, you want sturdy, long-lasting materials in a burr grinder. You will want a well-constructed machine to give you a dependable service.
The burrs are the most important working parts of any grinder. They are made from either ceramic or steel material.
The advantage of ceramic material is that it does not conduct heat. Adding heat to the grinding process robs some of the oils and flavor from the beans before they get to the brewing process.
Although steel does conduct heat, the advantage of steel material is that it is sturdier than ceramic.
Whereas ceramic burrs might crack or chip against tiny debris particles in the coffee beans, steel burrs will not crack or chip.
Number of Settings
Consider all the ways you brew coffee. If you’re someone who brews every type from Turkish coffee to French press, you’ll want a machine that allows you to choose a precise grind size every time you grind.
How picky are you about specific textures of ground coffee for specific coffee applications? If you find yourself wanting precise control over grind size, then go for a machine with a wider range of settings.
You might also want to consider that some electric grinders offer automatic timers with automatic shut-off systems, too.
For a super-easy grinding regimen, you can pre-set a grind size selection as well as the grinding time and let the machine do the work for you.
Bean Hopper Size
Do you grind enough beans for only one or two mugs of coffee every morning? If this is the extent of your grinding needs, then you won’t need a grinder with a large-capacity hopper.
On the other hand, if you grind enough beans for several people in your household to enjoy several cups each day, you’ll want a machine with a large-capacity hopper.
Of course, you can always grind more coffee than you need and store it for several days, but this defeats the purpose of grinding fresh beans for every brewing session.
The whole idea is to grind only the amount that you need immediately before you brew your coffee. That way, you’re getting the most flavor and aroma from your fresh beans.
Warranty
Before buying a grinder, be sure to read about the manufacturer’s warranty. To be confident in your purchase, look for a guarantee of repair or replacement within a designated period of time.
What does the warranty cover? Does it cover parts and labor? Are all parts of the machine covered, or only some parts?
How long does the warranty extend? One year? Two years? Who supports the warranty and how can you contact them? These are some of the questions you will want to answer from your research.
Final Verdict
Pour over coffee is easy and convenient to make and deliciously flavorful to drink. You’ll want to start with the freshest and richest ground coffee possible.
So, you’ll want the best pour over grinder for coffee that you can find.
Each of the grinders featured here offers good quality and satisfying results.
Choosing one really comes down to finding the one that most closely fits into your budget and personal coffee-brewing routine.
Based on your own personal needs, preferences, and budget, you’re sure to find a grinder that will deliver great results.
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