Espresso grinders can be tough to shop for. With so many options out there it can be difficult to determine whether you’re really getting value or just paying extra for bells and whistles that you don’t need. If you’re shopping for a new espresso grinder and trying not to break the bank, we have a list for you!

Eureka Mignon Notte

Eureka’s Mignon lineup has a lot of range. This longstanding staple of Eureka’s catalog goes from the Mignong Notte, all the way up to much more premium models loaded with features. For the Notte, Eureka has kept it simple (and affordable). This grinder features the signature stepless grind adjust of the Mignon lineup. A stepless adjustment provides essentially infinite grind settings, which can be daunting at first. That said, it’s worth learning how to use stepless adjustments for espresso grinding, as it allows for exacting precision and perfect grounds for your shots. The Mignon Notte doesn’t come with any fancy programming, just a manual grind controlled by a button. The hopper is relatively small, holding around 300 grams of coffee, and this isn’t the best choice for single dosing, or adjusting back and forth from espresso to slow brew. With those caveats out of the way, this grinder’s 50mm flat steel burrs provide consistent grounds, and the solid construction here means that the Mignon Notte is built to last. An excellent entry-level espresso grinder for anyone who wants to get started with a tricky but very consistent and quality first step.

Eureka Mignon Silenzio 55

For a bit more than the Mignon Notte you can step up to the Mignon Silenzio 55. This grinder is Eureka’s newest Silenzio model. That name is inspired by, you guessed it, the silent running of the grinder. The sound insulation here is really the killer feature of this offering, giving you the ability to grind your morning espresso shot without waking up the house. The other nice to have upgrade over the Notte is an analog timed dosing option, giving you a little bit more programmability. Finally, the 55mm stainless steel burrs really do make a difference in grind time, reducing your time to shot from the Notte. This is a great choice if you like the sound of the Notte, but not the sound of the Notte, and if you want something with a bit more programming and speed.

Baratza Encore ESP Pro

The Encore ESP Pro is a really impressive new grinder. It works great for slow brew and espresso brew methods even with its stepless adjustment. Thanks to Baratza’s innovative digital readout you can actually see what your stepless setting is at, and it will change its adjustments per tick while in the espresso range to provide greater accuracy for that more finicky brew method. It also comes with a single dosing hopper and performs great this way, further opening up flexibility to switch beans around from shot to shot (or pot). The only real tradeoff here is that the ESP Pro’s 40 mm conical burrs perform a bit less impressively than Eureka’s flat steel burrs found in its mignon line. Grind times will be a bit longer, and you won’t see quite the level of consistency that you’ll see with those Eureka grinders. With that said, we’re really impressed by the Encore ESP Pro, and we think it’s a perfect pick for households that one to use a single grinder for espresso and slow brewing. 

Honorable Mention - LELIT Fred

LELIT’s Fred is a nifty little grinder. Its metal casing and stepless adjustment puts it on a similar level as the Eureka Mignon line, and its unique hopper design is great for bean flow into the grind chamber. The main thing that sets this grinder apart from the Mignons is its look, which pairs great with a LELIT espresso machine or another more traditional Italian machine. We think this is one to look at if you want to get started with a high quality grinder and are happy to trade a bit of ergonomics for some great aesthetics.

See (and hear) these grinders in action in our video version of this list below!