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Baratza Encore

Buying guide · Electric · Conical burrs

Baratza Encore

Buy it if you want a simple, repairable first burr grinder for pour-over, drip, AeroPress or French press; choose the Encore ESP if you want real espresso.

Best for
Pour-over, AeroPress, Drip, French press, Moka pot
List price
About $149
Check price — Amazon →Settings chart →

BrewMark hasn't tested this grinder in person. This guide compiles the maker's specs and published reviews, listed under Sources. As an Amazon Associate, BrewMark earns from qualifying purchases.

In brief

The Encore is Baratza's entry-level electric grinder. It has 40 mm conical steel burrs and 40 steps from fine to coarse. Baratza calls it "the top barista-recommended grinder to elevate your filter brew journey."

It is the default first burr grinder for good reason. Seattle Coffee Gear calls it "the perfect first step" for someone new to specialty coffee. Coffee Chronicler says it suits pour-over, French press, AeroPress and stovetop brewing.

The trade-off is espresso and fine control. Its 40 steps are spaced for filter, so it cannot dial in a real espresso shot. Baratza sells the Encore ESP for that.

What it does well

  • Grind quality well above blade grinders and cheap disk-burr models, per Coffee Chronicler
  • Few fines for an entry-level grinder, per Coffee Chronicler
  • Simple controls: an on/off switch and a pulse button, per Seattle Coffee Gear
  • Designed to be repaired, which Coffee Chronicler calls rare among appliances
  • Quiet gearbox with a thermal cutoff, per Seattle Coffee Gear

Where it falls short

  • No real espresso: Seattle Coffee Gear suggests a pressurized portafilter only
  • Only 40 steps, and fine adjustment is hard at the fine end, per Seattle Coffee Gear
  • Static makes a mess when you remove the bin, per Coffee Chronicler
  • No timer: Seattle Coffee Gear lists only a switch and pulse button; dosing by weight needs Baratza's Esatto add-on or a scale

Specs

Type
Electric, Conical burrs
Burrs
40 mm conical, hardened steel (M3, per Prima Coffee)
Adjustment
40 steps, about 250–1,200 microns
Motor
DC with gear reduction; 450 rpm per Prima and Whole Latte Love, 550 per Coffee Chronicler
Capacity
8 oz hopper, 5 oz grounds bin
Weight
7 lb
Size
4.72 × 6.3 × 13.7 in
Warranty
1 year limited, serviced by Baratza

Where to start on the dial

Pour-over 19AeroPress 14Drip 24French press 31Moka pot 10

Every method on the settings chart →
On this page · 5 sections
  1. What it does well
  2. Where it falls short
  3. Who should buy it, and who shouldn't
  4. How it compares
  5. Owning it

What it does well

Grind quality is a clear step up. Coffee Chronicler says it is "way better" than blade grinders or cheap disk-burr models. It also says the Encore makes some fines, but "not much compared to other entry-level grinders."

It is simple and quiet. Seattle Coffee Gear praises the plain controls and the low-speed gearbox, which Baratza upgraded in 2012. A thermal cutoff protects the motor.

It is built to be fixed. Coffee Chronicler notes that Baratza designs its grinders to be repaired, calling that "pretty rare among appliance manufacturers."

Where it falls short

Espresso is the clear limit. Coffee Chronicler says the Encore "isn't suitable for espresso" and lacks the fine adjustment to dial in shots. Seattle Coffee Gear only recommends it with a pressurized portafilter.

Whole Latte Love is more generous. It calls the Encore an "entry level espresso grinder" for single boiler or pressurized portafilter machines. That is still a long way from dialing in a standard basket.

Day to day, there are small irritations. Coffee Chronicler says static makes a mess when removing the bin, and that larger beans can be left behind in the hopper. Seattle Coffee Gear lists only a switch and a pulse button, so there is no timer to repeat a dose.

Who should buy it, and who shouldn't

Buy it if you are moving up from a blade grinder or pre-ground coffee and brew filter. It suits a kitchen that uses more than one method, since the steps are easy to count back to. Our upgrade from a blade grinder guide covers the switch.

Skip it if you want espresso from a standard basket. Skip it too if you want a single-dose workflow or the cleanest possible pour-over. Flat-burr brew grinders aim at that.

How it compares

Encore vs Encore ESP is the most important comparison. The ESP shares the body but is recalibrated for espresso, so the numbers do not transfer. Encore vs Virtuoso+ is the standard upgrade, with the same collar and better burrs.

Against other electrics, see Encore vs Breville Smart Grinder Pro and Encore vs Fellow Opus. Each page sets the two dials side by side.

The Fellow Opus is now discontinued, so that one is mainly a used-market comparison. Encore vs Fellow Ode Gen 2 sets conical burrs against flat at the same end of the market.

If you might go manual, Encore vs Timemore C3 compares the two grinders most people start with. The grind converter translates Encore settings to any of them.

Owning it

Baratza includes a wire cleaning brush in the box, per Prima Coffee. Our guide to cleaning a Baratza Encore walks through it step by step.

Baratza sells parts on its own site, and Coffee Chronicler suggests the Virtuoso's M2 burr as an upgrade. If you swap burrs, follow how to replace grinder burrs. Then calibrate so the settings chart still lines up.

Whole Latte Love lists a one-year limited warranty, serviced by Baratza. It also lists an optional portafilter holder and an Esatto scale add-on for grinding by weight.

Also worth a look

Sources

  1. Baratza: Encore
  2. Prima Coffee: Baratza Encore
  3. Whole Latte Love: Baratza Encore conical burr grinder
  4. Seattle Coffee Gear: Baratza grinder comparison guide
  5. Seattle Coffee Gear: Crew Review, Baratza Encore grinder
  6. Coffee Chronicler: Baratza Encore review

By Jeff Gluck · Checked 2026-10-21