Baratza Encore Grinder

I was very surprised at how fine this grinder can grind! Its perfect for my Nuova Simonelli "elli mattic" vintage esspresso machine. The hopper came cracked but Seattle Coffee Gear helped me get a brand new one free of shipping and free of charge, and they did it with a great attitude! I will deff consider buying baratza from seattle coffee gear again.

(Posted on 6/11/13)

I have a Saeco Syntia superauto, and since both regular and decaf are used on a daily basis, I needed a decent grinder for the decaf that goes into the bypass doser. I found that the fine grind settings work very well for this purpose, it is quiet and quick and does not take up much space on the counter. SCG is my store of choice. Shipping takes a few days cross country but everything is well packed - including bottles of syrup.

(Posted on 6/9/13)

This is my first burr grinder, purchased to hopefully be an inexpensive match up with my Saeco Aroma and unpressurized portafilter upgrade..

I recalibrated the Baratza and have started experimenting with two "off the shelf" beans (Starbucks Espresso Roast and one of the Whole Foods locally roasted medium roast espressos) to get a feel for what I'm doing before making the leap into better fresher beans. Not surprisingly, I've had mixed results that I believe are primarily due to the quality of the beans.

For both beans, I need to grind at either #8 with a 20 lb tamp or #9 with a 35 lb tamp. The flavor of the Starbucks shots are slightly better than what you pay for at one of their stores and almost identical at those two settings, but the flavor of the Whole Foods shots shows more subtleties using the finer grind. Regardless of grind, there is only a thin layer of crema and so the shots are good but not great.

As soon as I finish running down the stock of beans that I currently have, I'll be purchasing the Lavazza Crema E Aroma and provide an update (other websites indicate that this bean works well with this set up).

The jury is still out, but early indications are that Baratza Encore is going to be just right for me.

(Posted on 6/8/13)

After shopping locally at Bed, Bath Beyond, Executive Chef and Starbucks I decided to shop online and found Seattle Coffee Gear.
The YouTube video of the owner demo'ing the baratza and showing that it can do a decent espresso grind is what sold me.
Keep up the good work with the videos!

silent b
Honolulu, Hi

(Posted on 5/29/13)

This is a fabulous grinder for the money. It's my first burr grinder and I can already taste the difference. My only complaint is that it comes calibrated for a coarser grind and I had to take it apart to recalibrate it for a finer espresso grind. It seems to me that people would be buying this for brewing espresso and it only seems right that they should calibrate this appropriately out of the box. Thanks to Seattle Coffee Gear for the video on how to do this. I only hope it didn't invalidate my warranty.

(Posted on 5/5/13)

I happily retired my capresso blade grinder and made the Baratza my new workhorse for grinding coffee beans. The blade grinder is now used to grind spices. After experimenting with the right grind for my clever coffee dripper, I finally found the setting I like which gave me a cup that has good body and great coffee flavor. For my 12oz coffee dripper, I use #30 setting, 22 grams bean, 12 oz water, brewtime of 4 minutes. No more bitter coffee.

(Posted on 5/4/13)

I bought the baratza after lots of research, it seemed to be the best entry level grinder for the price out there.

It's a bit heavier than I expected but is very quiet when grinding. I've seen grinders under $100 in action and they don't compare and I think are a waste of money.

Shipping was very quick and nothing was damaged. I highly recommend scg and baratza.

(Posted on 4/29/13)

For the price point this is an excellent grinder.

(Posted on 4/12/13)

Replaced my Delonghi blade burr grinder that i had for 7 years. that grinder was extremely loud, static-y, inconsistent and durable. it almost always produced an off-center, bitter and sour espresso grind and a medium grind that would sometimes clog the paper filter for our drip machine.

This one, however is very very good. a setting of 5 produces a grind that will make my Breville IKON come nearly to a screeching halt. so 6 is perfect. it also produces a shot that isn't sour or bitter like our old grinder. it now tastes better than almost 90% of the espresso stands out here. ( i live in everett, wa). the problem is, though, that it came to us DOA. Baratza's website is what saved this grinder from an RMA. their instructions made me feel like i finally had some control over fixing my equipment instead of having to send my stuff to an authorized repair facility. well done Baratza!

(Posted on 4/8/13)

I received my Encore earlier today and after some baseline testing for espresso (8), siphon (20) and french press (35) I am very pleased with the grind and consistency no matter what brew method I grind for. My only issues so far is it could be easier to see the grind setting in dim light and it grinds a little slower than I am used to (not necessarily a bad thing).

(Posted on 3/13/13)

I bought this grinder to go along with my Bonavita coffee maker.

In many ways I am content with the grinder... except one: it has trouble grinding darkly roasted oily beans. This is a drag.

I use different roasts and like to change things up, but every time I get a darker roast, the beans seem to skip above the burrs and not feed into them.

On the Baratza website they show you how to adjust the motor to run slower and this helps somewhat. Unfortunately I still find myself slowly putting dark roasts in (not filling up the hopper because it will clog) and poking down into the beans with a chopstick to keep things moving.

Once the beans are ground everything is great for my needs: drip coffee or french press, the grinder is easy to adjust.

If I had known about the dark bean problem, I would have opted for the next level up.

You get what you pay for and this is a decent affordable machine with one annoying weak point... I live with it... this time.

(Posted on 2/25/13)

I bought this to go with a Gaggia New Baby, but had trouble getting the grind correct for a good shot. Found the video for calibrating and now get shots that are great. The machine gets me a consistent grind that is plenty fine enough. It is a little noisy, but that is to be expected. For the price, this unit works just fine for espresso.

(Posted on 2/21/13)

Have been using it for a week and love this grinder. I was surprised at the difference in the quality of the brewed coffee that a good grinder such as this makes. In terms of the value and quality for this price, this can't be beat!

(Posted on 2/18/13)

I asked SCG if this would a good but relatively inexpensive grinder for the Via Venezia I had bought from them for my vacation house. They recommended it for this machine. I've had it for a week and it works very well. Started with the setting on 8, but it was a bit too slow, so moved to 9 and it is perfect. Wish it had a timer but for the price can't complain. Definitely recommend if you are using the Via Venezia.

(Posted on 1/28/13)

This is our second Baratza. The first lasted 10 years and we had no issues. This new one, while supposedly an "upgrade", is about twice as loud, and unfortunately, a real mess to use. The static is so bad using the plastic grind cup that we stopped using it. We have to hold the paper filter under the grind chute instead. This eliminates 85% of the mess, but there is still a mess to clean up afterwards from static charged grounds flying around. The hassle factor of not being able to use the cup is the reason for my low rating; that and the NOISE. Man this thing is so loud that we don't grind coffee until the kids are up for fear of waking them! Overall a great machine with a couple of horrible flaws that didn't exist on the previous version. It may go on craigslist soon.

(Posted on 1/16/13)

I am more than pleased with the level of performance that this grinder has put out. Sure it has plastic housing, but that is not important when the quality of the guts inside exceeds all other burr grinders in its price range and class. I have not re-calibrated this grinder since I got it, so it is still factory calibrated. On factory calibration, I have the grinder set on setting #6 and this produces consistent grind, very fine espresso grind. I have not tried it, but I would bet that if I set this grinder on its finest setting it would choke my espresso machine. You will not find a better machine in this price range. The next machine that produces consistent espresso grind costs around 220 dollars. If you can get past the fact that it does not look overly pretty on your counter top and realize that the quality of the parts(guts) inside the machine, which actually grinds your coffee beans, are high quality, then you will have no problem discarding the idea of purchasing another burr grinder in this price range. Do not waste your money on any other machine in this price range and class.

(Posted on 12/26/12)

I upgraded from the $50 burr grinder and was shocked by the difference. I knew that it was going to be better, but I wasn't prepared for what a difference it would make. The evenness of the grounds is pretty stellar. (Using a medium-fine grind for aeropress). I was also surprised by how much quieter it is than my prior. It's still loud, but more of a low rumble than a loud whine. My only wish for this would be to have a timer on it, but it wasn't worth the additional price for the next model. All in all couldn't be happier!

(Posted on 12/24/12)

The Baratza Encore (not Encorn ;)) is my first real grinder - certainly a step up from the previous blade type.
The grinder is great.
I was however a bit concerned as I was hoping to do unpressurized espresso (my next purchase) and as I browsed forums and other internet reviews, folks said that it couldn't quite get fine enough.
Well when I tried it out of the box - kinda true.
I then found a calibration Youtube video and when I followed the easy to do calibration I did learn that my grinder was calibrated to the coarsest setting from the factory.
I then recalibrated it to the finer position and that made a big difference.
**Note to this: There are different calibration position you can get to within the 3 provided positions and after a couple of resets, I actually ground beans to almost a powder - fine enough that I actually made a decent Turkish coffee.
Bottom line: the Encore although doesn't have the fine tuning capabilities or the advanced burr set of the higher price models, will still get you a fine consistent grind for just about any type of coffee that you want to enjoy.

(Posted on 12/11/12)

The Baratza Encore is my first "real" quality burr grinder. It is a huge step up from my previous low-quality burr grinder. In a sense I wish I had bought the Encore first before wasting time and money on a cheaper grinder, but then I guess I would not have known how big the difference is when you make the jump to a quality grinder with good consistency like the Encore. I use it mostly in the 8-20 grind setting range, since I don't do much French press anymore. Around setting 8-10 for my de-pressurized Delonghi EC155 espresso machine, and around 20 for pour-over and aeropress.

At first I was a little worried that I might have buyer's remorse since it was a big jump in price for me, but now that I've had it for a little while I can really see the quality difference that I am paying for with this grinder, and it is worth it.

(Posted on 12/10/12)

I was kind of nervous about buying my first real grinder. After a few months I can confidently say that this thing is performing exactly as expected. Very easy to clean. Even got a couple comments from visitors on how nice it looks.

(Posted on 10/24/12)

I made my decision to buy this grinder based on Seattle Coffee Gear's recommendation.
It works fantastic with an Aeropress, and I assume that it works well with other machines as they have stated.
I run the grind on "6" right out of the box, leaving room for it to be a lot more fine if you like.
Absolutely no headaches!!

(Posted on 10/10/12)

When you get tired of the uneven grind you get from your little blade grinder, step up to the next level and invest in a burr grinder for great tasting coffee. The Baratza Encore is easy to use, grinds beans to a uniform size and has plenty of settings for whatever brewing method you choose. The price is reasonable for the quality of this grinder. I highly recommend this machine.

(Posted on 10/8/12)

I bought this to replace my entry level Cuisinart burr grinder. I wanted a more consistent grind and low static. I definitely got it! I read many reviews on it and decided to buy it. Because of the design there will be coffee that can fall down after the container is removed. I tap the machine before removing the container and only a minimal amount of grinds fall out. I take the whole machine and brush the "leftovers" into the sink. Cleanup is easy. I just rinse the container out and dry it. Let it air dry for a short time before putting it back in the grinder.I find the grind to be consistent and compliments my fresh home roasted beans as well as my Bunn trifecta MB. Don't own an espresso machine so I haven't tried that grind setting.

(Posted on 9/17/12)

Given the price, this is an excellent grinder. Yes, there are more expensive grinders that do a better espresso, but this is close and much less expensive. Note I did not say cheap. This does as well as some more expensive machines though it may not satisfy someone who wants extremely fine grinds. From 0 to 40, I run mine at 5 and get a great tasting espresso.

(Posted on 9/5/12)

Checked reviews and looked at all machines up to $400. I only do espresso grind. For $129 shipped this machine rocks. I honestly feel that this machine is all that 95% of coffee consumers will need. Excellent quality, quiet, powerful, perfect size, 40 grind settings and Baratza USA warranty and service. SCG also was super responsive and Faaast shipping. It is a no-brainer.

(Posted on 8/1/12)

I owned a previous model of this grinder for 10 years before it let go. They are very durable, quality made grinders. This one has added a rubber ring inside the hopper to keep chafe and ground coffee from getting in the nooks and crannies around the burrs, which eventually leads to no good. So this is a plus. I was surprised that this grinder is louder than my last, as I was hoping for the opposite. Maybe not much louder, but a slightly higher pitch that is kind of annoying. The old one was lower pitched and grrrrrr sounding, where this one is more of a reeeee sound at a higher pitch. Make sense? Also, my only other gripe is the static electricity! Jeez what a mess when all the grounds do not come out of the machine due to static, and then they don't all come out of the cup either when you pour it into the filter basket. Oh well, it will probably get better over time. Great grinder, would buy again for sure.

(Posted on 7/15/12)

We were using a $90 burr grinder before we bought the Saeco Aroma. The grinder could not grind fine enough for the Aroma even on its finest setting. SCG recommended the Encore as sufficient given the Aroma uses a pressurized portafilter. We are using the Encore on the 2nd finest setting (out of 40). Not much more room for a finer grind! The Encore is quiet and the grind appears uniform. We are not (yet) espresso nerds so the system we have is good enough for the time being. I would like to taste espresso from a higher quality machine and grinder to compare.

(Posted on 7/6/12)

In the last year I've become OBSESSED with espresso shots but can't afford the champagne prices of machine, grinder, etc.; so, I've been doing a lot of research to try to acquire skill, machine, coffee bean, grind, tamp, temperature etc. and with the help of Seattle Coffee Gear videos on Youtube, I'm improving! Recently, after purchasing a Hario mini mill hand grinder, I've been getting those espresso shots with great crema and taste but it's exhausting grinding all the time and when friends come over and want espressos, the grinding becomes embarrassing. So after Gail's review, I purchased the Baratza Encore Grinder and combined with my Starbucks Barista SIN006 (unpressurized portafilter) and a good coffee bean, I am able to produce professional coffeehouse quality espresso....ahhhh, it's so nice to finally get it :)

(Posted on 6/25/12)

This is our first "real" grinder, having several other cheap burr grinders in the past. I'm amazed at how smooth this grinder sounds and how well it grinds. My wife and I make 2-3 espresso drinks per day and have loved grinding fresh beans for each drink. I debated whether or not to make this purchase when I bought our espresso machine, and have no regrets that I did. Worth every penny.

Pros:
Quiet, Easy To Use

Cons:

(Posted on 5/29/12)

This is my first burr grinder. It's great! Quiet, reasonably priced and very easy to use. Love it. I've used Krupps blade grinder for many years, so of course this is a vast improvement. Looks good on my counter next to my Saeco Aroma expresso maker. Doesn't take up too much space.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste, Simple to operate, Reasonably priced, Easy To Clean

Cons:
None

(Posted on 5/23/12)

After watching their youtube review, I decided to take a chance on my first real burr grinder. I have been using a friend's Baratza Maestro plus for over a year, so I was comfortable with the price and quality, as well as the usability. The Encore is just as good as, if not a little better than the Maestro Plus. Although the grind doesn't get quite as fine as Kat & Gail were able to in the video, it almost chokes out my Starbucks Barista with an upressurized portafilter and a nice hard tamp on the lowest setting. After trying out some different roasts, I may recalibrate the grinder to get a few clicks finer.

Amazing purchase overall, great packaging, fast shipping, will definitely be doing business with SCG for years to come.

Pros:
Quiet, Easy To Use, PRICE, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 5/15/12)

i make espresso 2 or 3 times a day i dont grind lot of coffee at one time instead i grind just enough for 2 espresso

Pros:
Easy To Use, Easy To Clean

Cons:

(Posted on 5/8/12)

Used for medium grind french press and fairly fine grind aero press. I haven't tried a very fine grind espresso.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Quiet, Anti static works well, Easy To Clean

Cons:

(Posted on 5/1/12)

I bought an Encore after almost settling on a Maestro Plus (its predecessor) as an entry-level grinder. The Encore supposedly has an upgraded gear box and new burrs (which actually look similar to the burrs from the much pricier Preciso).

I use it primarily for French press and Aeropress coffee, but this grinder also seems capable of grinding fine enough for espresso. Its grind range is fantastic for manual brew methods and French press--it really does go from espresso fine to very coarse. The grind is also surprisingly consistent across the range, and I get very little "fines" in my coarse grind for French press.

Note that because of this wide grind range, the 40 grind steps may not be enough for espresso drinkers who want to precisely dial in a grind.

The Encore is very easy to clean and doesn't look like it will easily clog. I do sometimes have a small amount of grounds stuck in the chute due to static, but a quick shake gets them out (and from what I have read, the Encore retains less grounds than other grinders in this price range). I believe the grounds bin is made of anti-static plastic, which means the grounds don't stick to its walls.

Overall, I think this is currently without a doubt the best grinder in this price range.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Good price value, Easy To Clean, Quiet, Good grind range

Cons:

(Posted on 4/15/12)

I've been looking to get the Virtuoso for some time now, and finally earmarked the money. When I got to the store and got to see this thing, I decided to give it a whirl. So far I'm impressed. The burrs appear to be the same at in the 586 (casual examination, not able to do a side by side.)

The grind is consistent, very easy to adjust, and perfect for my use every morning when I brew a pot of coffee in a Chemex pot. In fact the toggle switch over the timer was a big plus to me, since I weigh my coffee every morning before I grind it. This way the grinder isn't running while it's waiting for the timer, despite being out of grinds.

Only complaint is something that all electric grinders have and that's a bit of grind spray when you remove the grinds container. It's just a fact of life with these.

All told, I've very satisfied with this grinder, and do highly recommend it if you want a good burr grinder for drip coffee, without spending more money for the more attractive stainless steel older brother.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste

Cons:
Messy

(Posted on 4/10/12)