‎Baratza ‎ENCORE Electric Grinder - Review 🏆

The Baratza Encore is an entry-level electric coffee grinder that is designed for home use. It sits at the lower end of Baratza's range of coffee grinders and is aimed at beginner enthusiasts who want to grind coffee at home and experiment with brewing methods like pour over, drip, and French press.

The Encore features 40 individual grind settings to allow users to fine-tune the grind size for optimal coffee extraction. It uses a DC motor and conical burrs to produce grinds suitable for a wide range of brew methods. The simplicity of use coupled with the consistent grind performance makes the Encore a popular choice for home baristas on a budget.

This review will take a closer look at the key features and performance of the Baratza Encore to help assess if it's a worthwhile investment for making great tasting coffee at home. The pros and cons of the grinder will be weighed against competitors to determine if it provides good value for money in the entry-level electric grinder market.

Design and Build Quality

The Baratza Encore is a compact yet sturdy coffee grinder made of high-quality materials. The outer housing is constructed from durable ABS plastic with a matte finish that resists fingerprints. Despite its plastic body, the Encore feels very solid and stable on the countertop thanks to its weight of 7 lbs.

The burrs are 40mm stainless steel conical burrs that are precisely machined in Europe. They are durable enough for daily use and can grind from fine espresso to coarse French Press with precision. The gearbox, motor, and burr shaft are made from hardened steel and aluminum to ensure longevity.

Aesthetically, the Encore has an understated and minimalist design available in black, red, and white color options. The simple interface features an LED-lit on/off switch and a front-mounted pulse button. Overall, the materials and build quality of the Encore make it feel like a premium appliance built to last.

In comparison, the ‎GROSCHE ‎GR 458 offers a unique blend of style and functionality. With a sleek design and user-friendly controls, it's designed to meet the needs of coffee aficionados. This electric grinder comes equipped with stainless steel blades that ensure a consistent grind size, making it suitable for various brewing methods. Its compact form factor and lightweight build make it a perfect choice for both home and travel use. Featuring a powerful motor and easy cleanup, the GROSCHE GR 458 is an excellent addition to any kitchen.

Grind Settings

The Baratza Encore offers 40 different grind settings to choose from, allowing you to grind coffee beans for various brew methods. The grind size ranges from ultrafine for espresso to very coarse for French press.

Adjusting the grind setting is easy - simply rotate the hopper to align the notch with the desired number. The grind settings are clearly marked from 0 (finest) to 40 (coarsest) in increments of 5. The notch provides tactile feedback so you can feel when the setting is changed.

The wide range of settings and easy adjustability make it simple to dial in the perfect grind size for your preferred brew method. You can go from an espresso to drip to French press grind in seconds. The stepless adjustability also allows you to fine-tune between the marked settings.

Overall, the Baratza Encore excels in giving coffee enthusiasts flexibility and control over grind size. With minimal effort, you can grind coffee optimally for any brewing device.

In addition to the Baratza Encore, another popular option is the Moongiantgo ‎MG-QY-16, which also offers a variety of grind settings. This electric grinder is designed for convenience and efficiency, making it perfect for those who want a quick and consistent grind. With features like a powerful motor and user-friendly controls, the Moongiantgo grinder ensures that you get the ideal grind for any brewing method, whether it's espresso, pour-over, or French press.

Grinding Performance

The Encore delivers excellent grinding performance for home use. Its powerful DC motor provides fast grinding speeds while keeping noise to a minimum.

You'll be able to grind enough coffee for 12 cups in around 10-15 seconds. The grind is very consistent, with minimal fines or boulders. This consistency allows you to dial in the optimal grind size for your preferred brew method.

The Encore runs quietly compared to many other electric grinders. Baratza has designed the burrs and motor housing to dampen noise and vibration. While you can still hear it grinding, it's much quieter than a blade grinder. This makes early morning coffee grinding less disruptive if you have housemates or family members nearby.

Overall, the Encore hits the sweet spot of fast grinding, consistent grinds, and low noise. It delivers everything you need for great tasting coffee at home. The fast grind speed lets you get your morning coffee brewed quickly, while the consistent grinds allow you to fully optimize your brewing.

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The Baratza Encore is designed to be very user-friendly. The controls are simple and intuitive, with a pulse button for manual grinding and a timer dial that allows you to set grind times from 5 to 60 seconds. Even first-time users will find the Encore easy to operate.

Cleaning the Encore is also a straightforward process. The grounds bin, hopper, and burr chamber are all removable for easy cleaning. The hopper lifts off, allowing you to brush out any old coffee grounds. The burrs can be removed with the included tool to clean underneath them. Baratza recommends using tablets or rice to run through the grinder to clean the burrs and chamber. Overall, keeping the Encore clean only takes a few minutes. The simplicity makes it one of the most user-friendly home coffee grinders available.

Capacity

The Baratza Encore has a decent capacity for home use. The hopper can hold about 8 oz (227g) of whole coffee beans. This is a good size that allows you to grind enough coffee for several cups without needing to refill it.

Each grind chamber holds approximately 0.65oz (18g) of coffee grounds. So in one use, you can grind enough coffee to make 2-3 cups. While the grind capacity per use is not huge, it's suitable for most home brewing needs. You won't be able to grind a large batch of coffee at once, but it's quick and easy to grind multiple smaller batches as needed.

The grounds bin can hold around 5oz (142g) of used coffee grounds. So after grinding enough for several cups of coffee, you'll need to empty the bin. But the bin is easy to remove and replace, making clean up fast.

Overall, the Baratza Encore has a hopper, grind chamber, and grounds bin size that is practical for home use. The capacities allow you to grind what you need for personal daily coffee consumption without excessive hassle or waste.

Accessories

The Baratza Encore comes with a few handy accessories included with your purchase. Inside the box, you'll find the coffee grinder unit, a grounds bin, a grounds holder, and a conical burr.

The grounds bin conveniently collects the ground coffee and has a capacity of 5 ounces or 142 grams. The bin can be removed for easy transfer of grounds to your brewing device.

The grounds holder is a useful accessory that fits neatly under the grounds bin. It allows you to grind directly into a portafilter, Aeropress, or other small container.

The 40mm conical burr is made of durable stainless steel and precisely grinds the beans. Conical burrs tend to minimize fines and boulders in the grind.

While the Encore comes well equipped, Baratza does offer some optional upgrades and replacements. You can purchase a replacement burr to keep your grind fresh over time. Baratza also sells various grind containers and a grind calibration kit for fine tuning performance.

Pros

• High quality burr grinder designed for even grinding. The conical burrs are made from stainless steel for durability and consistent grinding.

• Wide range of grind settings from fine espresso to coarse French press. The 40 settings allow you to dial in the perfect grind size.

• Powerful motor provides fast grinding while keeping noise levels relatively low. Can grind enough coffee for 12 cups in under a minute.

• The grind container holds up to 8oz of coffee, reducing the need to empty it frequently for large batches.

• Very easy to use controls and intuitive interface. Just select grind setting, add beans, and press start.

Cons

• The plastic body feels cheap and flimsy compared to metal alternatives. There are some concerns over the long-term durability.

• Only a 1 year warranty is included. Other brands offer longer warranties which provides more consumer protection.

• The grind settings are stepped, not stepless. This limits fine-tuning between grind sizes.

• The grounds catcher is quite small. When grinding larger batches, overflow can be an issue. Some grounds spill out.

• No portafilter holder is included. You need to grind into a separate receptacle then transfer grounds to the portafilter. This introduces more steps and cleanup.

• Static buildup can be a problem. Grounds cling to the chute and container. A grounds brush helps but isn't included.

• It's quite loud when grinding. Over 80 decibels according to some tests. Not ideal for early morning grinding if you have housemates.

Conclusion

The Baratza Encore is an excellent entry-level electric coffee grinder that offers very good performance for the price. It has a simple and intuitive design with 40 different grind settings to choose from, allowing you to grind coffee beans for various brew methods like espresso, drip, pour over, and French press.

The Encore produces uniform and consistent grinds thanks to its durable conical burrs and powerful DC motor. It grinds quickly and efficiently without overheating the beans. The grounds container can hold up to 5 oz of coffee.

Overall, the Baratza Encore strikes a great balance between price and performance. It's easy to use and maintain, with minimal static buildup. While it may lack some of the advanced features of more expensive grinders, the Encore delivers where it counts - consistently grinding coffee beans to your preferred size. Its quality construction also ensures the grinder will provide years of reliable service.

If you're looking for your first serious electric coffee grinder that can handle daily use and different brew methods, the Baratza Encore is highly recommended. It's a great value choice that outperforms other grinders in its price range.