How to replace grinder burrs

1. Rule out everything else first

Clean the grinder and try fresh beans before you blame the burrs. A Baratza technician says worn burrs show up as slower grinding or more fines. But bean density, roast and the age of the beans also change the grind, so those signs alone don't prove anything. Start with how to clean a burr grinder.

His practical test is blunt: the surest way to know is to fit new burrs and see if the problem goes away.

2. Buy the exact part for your model

Order burrs listed for your grinder and its exact version. Don't assume a sibling model's parts fit. Baratza lists its threaded M2 conical burr for the Encore and Virtuoso+, and the Encore ESP isn't on that list. Its ring burr and holder page goes further, sending Encore ESP owners to separate ESP parts. Fellow sells its Ode Gen 2 Brew Burrs for the Gen 2 specifically.

Baratza sells the Encore's outer burr already fitted in its holder, so that half of the swap is a drop-in part.

3. Get the manufacturer's guide and tools

Download your maker's replacement guide and lay out the tools it lists before you start. Baratza's cone burr guide covers the Encore and Virtuoso family. It rates the job moderate and about 20 minutes. You'll need flat-head, Phillips and T10 screwdrivers, an 11/32-inch or 9 mm box wrench, and vise grips or pliers. The steps also remove a 13 mm gear nut, so have a wrench that fits it. Fellow's Ode Gen 2 guide lists small and large Phillips screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers, the cleaning brush, medium-grit sandpaper, and an air duster or small vacuum.

4. Unplug it and take it apart

Unplug the grinder, empty it, and take it apart as far as the guide says. On an Encore, the ring burr just lifts out. The cone burr is another matter. You remove the case, lift out the gearbox and motor, and push the driveshaft out of the gear. Keep the shims from each side separate, because the guide warns they're easy to mix up.

On an Ode Gen 2, set the dial to 11 first. Then remove the faceplate, the four dial screws and the auger. Each burr is held by three screws. Fellow suggests holding the screws with pliers so they don't drop.

5. Fit the new burrs without forcing them

Seat the new burrs exactly as the guide shows, and don't over-tighten. Baratza's Encore cone burr is reverse-threaded. Thread the new one on by hand and don't use a wrench, because it tightens itself in use. For the Ode, Fellow says to hold each burr parallel to its seat and line up all the holes. Start the screws loosely, center the burr, then tighten them fully.

Brush out the chamber while it's open.

6. Reassemble and recalibrate

Put the grinder back together, then set the zero point before you grind any coffee. Fellow says the Ode must be calibrated after new burrs go in. Remove the dial cover's four small screws and take the front dial off, then run the grinder and turn the dial counterclockwise one click at a time until the burrs just touch. Then go one click back clockwise, or five clicks for SSP burrs. Fellow says touching the burrs briefly during calibration won't damage them.

Burrs that sit unevenly grind unevenly, so take care with seating. See burr alignment.

7. Expect settings to shift during break-in

Grind normally and re-dial your recipes over the first couple of weeks. Baratza says its grinders need no special seasoning with sacrificial coffee. It does say settings will need to go a bit finer as the burrs settle, usually within one to two weeks or 10 to 20 grinds. Fellow says the Ode's touch point drifts slightly coarser as burrs season. Your old settings are a starting point, not a fixed number.

How long do grinder burrs last?

It depends on the burr and how you use it. The Baratza technician's figures are about 500 pounds of coffee for steel burrs and 750 for ceramic. Treat those as rough figures. They are one maker's numbers, for its own burrs. Comandante says its Nitro Blade burr is hard enough to last a lifetime. Comandante supplies spare parts through its dealers or directly, and asks C40 owners not to undo the three mounting screws around the burr.

If you'd rather replace the grinder than the burrs, the grinder finder can help you pick one.