Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Prior reviews have stated that this is one of the cheapest conical burr grinders -- it is not. Far from it, actually, it is one of the more expensive grinders (that is suitable for grinding beans for drip/french press/all non-espresso needs). We've got Krups, DeLonghi, Capresso, Breville, Saeco...all these lower-priced ones. So why did I choose this one? In my opinion, Baratza grinders & the Capresso Infinity grinder are the only cheaper conical burr grinders worth messing with. The price of the heavier weight, metal body Capresso jumped up from $80 to $100. So I decided to buck up a little more cash for this unit. I'm glad I did! I've only spent a day with the Encore, and I am already very pleased with its grind quality! Its output is very consistent, and there is little to no static build-up in the grounds chamber (even less than the Capresso Infinity!). I am VERY impressed. A quick look at video reviews shows that it can even grind to espresso-fine with surprisingly good results. Although it can grind espresso, I feel that espresso-inclined people should look into getting at least a Baratza Virtuoso or a Rancilio Rocky instead of this Encore. But hey, if you're strapped for cash...apparently this machine will do the trick. The only reason I rated this product 4 stars is a rather petty one - they neglected to put a ground on this unit. Seriously? That is unacceptable. The Capresso Infinity has a ground on their units. It gives the plug-in a more secure connection, the unit some (basic) surge protection, and costs very little to put on the units. But for whatever reason, they decided to not put one on. This isn't the 1960s....ground wiring has been around for literally half a century. When purchasing an AC powered unit of any substantial value, a ground wire is to be expected, if not required. Thanks to Baratza, I am forced to plug this thing into a surge protector strip to ensure its safety.

• How did the color on site compare with the actual product? Exact match
• Please tell us about the quality of the product. It does one thing, and does it well: grind coffee beans
• How accurate was the on site description of the product? Perfect
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Yes

I never had a coffee grinder before. I red multiple reviews and guides and in my conclusion this was the model to buy. Even though I cannot give you comparison to other products I can tell you that this one is easy to use and it does an excellent job.

• How did the color on site compare with the actual product? exact
• Please tell us about the quality of the product. I have this for a couple of weeks with daily use. Espresso and regular coffee.
• How accurate was the on site description of the product? very accurate
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Yes

This grinder is one of the lowest priced conical burr grinders around. It operates relatively clean, in that there's hardly any ground coffee outside of the container after grinding. IT doesn't have a timer, but that's not a needed feature for me. There are two switches; a momentaryt button on the front, and a knob switch that you can turn and leave the grinder running until there's enough coffee ground. I grind enough to 4 cups in 20 seconds with a relatively fine grind for a paper filter, and close to the same for espresso. This unit has had positive reviews elsewhere on the web, so I felt safe deciding to purchase it. It's a bit noisy, but it is a solid, heavy unit. It sits on my counter and doesn't budge. Adding coffee beans is very easy and clean. I'm very happy with this purchase.

• How did the color on site compare with the actual product? exact
• Please tell us about the quality of the product. Very good quality. Reliable consistent operation.
• How accurate was the on site description of the product? Spot on as far as I can tell.
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Yes

This grinder arrived quickly and in perfect condition. All parts were included, as well as the manual. Works very well. Make sure you use the brush and clean it thoroughly to prevent jamming on the beans.

• How did the color on site compare with the actual product? Color of product was exactly the same as it was on the site.
• Please tell us about the quality of the product. Quality is great.
• How accurate was the on site description of the product? Description was completely accurate.
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Yes