Baratza's Encore line is, well, legendary at this point. For many, the original Encore was their gateway to grinding whole bean coffee, as it has always been a relatively affordable, simple to use, and high performing grinder for slow brew methods. More recently, Baratza released the ESP.

We'd describe both of these models as "no frills." While they're really well made and easy to use, they don't have too many fancy extra features. With the new ESP Pro, Baratza has changed the game with features you won't want to miss. 

Upgrades Galore

Perhaps the biggest change with the Encore ESP Pro is its stepless grind adjust. This adjustment gives it a near infinite number of grind settings that can provide precision for espresso and consistency for slow brew. Typically these adjustments are quite challenging to use at first, as you can't just start at a specific number. The Encore ESP makes this a bit easier with its digital display, giving you some values to calibrate on. 

This grinder also offers lots of little nice to haves, like lighting in the grounds bin area, the espresso portafilter compatible grounds cup (as well as the larger bin), and anti-static tech that really does help with clingy grounds and retention. It is worth noting that we saw a little bit of mess when using the portafilter cup. 

The other fantastic game changer of a feature with this grinder is its auto stop single dosing feature. This feature allows you to grind all the way through your beans in one button press, then the grinder stops automatically when it runs out of beans. To get the most out of this feature you'll want to dose your beans ahead of time, if you're not familiar with the technique. Using single dose grinding in conjunction with the digital display makes it possible to use different coffees with different brew methods and espresso settings more easily. While we're encouraged by these possibilities it's worth noting that we'll want to give this grinder some time in the wild to see if the digital display is precise enough to make swapping back and forth from espresso to pour over or drip ranges really work.

The Basics Remain Solid

While all of the new features on the ESP Pro are great, this is also just an excellent grinder from a build quality and performance perspective. The metal casing feels solid and keeps the grinder from moving around during use, the programmable dosing options work well, and the upgraded ESP burrs produce consistent, high quality grounds.

Early results with this grinder are quit positive for espresso, drip, press, pour over, and just about any other brew method you can dream up! Let us know in the comments if you're picking this one up, and check out the video below to see it in action.