Best Coffee Grinders for Pour Over

One problem when you’re shopping for a coffee grinder is that there are so many types out there. If you’re not a trained barista, it can be tricky to figure out which one is the best for your needs—or even what the differences are between them.

Some grinders are targeted at specific styles of brewing, while others are multi-purpose. The main differences come down to the level of automation, the method of grinding, and the range of grind sizes they offer.

For pour-over brewing, the best option is a conical burr grinder. Most professionals prefer ceramic burrs because they don’t generate as much heat, but steel burrs can also work well.

Beyond that, a lot of the choice of which grinder to get comes down to personal preference. Let’s take a quick look through the different styles out there so you can better determine which one is right for you.

Blade Grinders

Blade grinders have a chamber with spinning blades inside, similar to the design of a blender or food processor. When you turn it on, the blades spin and chop through whatever is inside.

The problem with this for coffee is that you can’t precisely control the grind level. Running the blades longer generally makes the coffee particles smaller, but these particles won’t be a uniform size (we’ll get into why this is important a bit later).

That said, blade grinders do have their advantages. They’re faster and more compact than burr grinders, and are more versatile, too, since they can also be used to grind spices. This makes them a good choice for those who rarely grind their own beans, or those more interested in speed and convenience than maximizing flavor.

Flat Burr Grinders

Inside a flat burr grinder, you’ll find two ridged plates. These are the burrs, and when the grinder turns on the beans are crushed between them. Adjusting the grind level changes the distance between the burrs, and thereby alters the size of the grinds produced.

Flat burrs are more consistent with finer grinds, like those used for espresso or Turkish coffee. Because of this, they’re most often seen used as dedicated espresso grinders in coffee shops.

Within the broad category of flat burr grinders, you’ll find a few variations, including:

• Dosing grinders. These grinders collect the ground coffee into a chamber with a lever. When you pull the lever, a specific amount of coffee is dispensed, usually right into the portafilter of an espresso machine. This allows you to better regulate how much coffee you’re using and is a popular design for high-volume cafes since it eliminates the need to weigh each portafilter before brewing.
  
  
• Non-dosing grinders. In a non-dosing grinder, the ground coffee flows down a chute straight into your receptacle. It’s up to the barista to control the dose of the coffee, either by eyeballing it or using a scale. Non-dosing grinders offer more flexibility to change the amount of coffee you use with each brew, but can make it harder to control the coffee-to-water ratio.
  
  
• Stepped grinders. These grinders have pre-set settings, or “steps”. When you turn the adjustment, the grinder clicks in to the next step. The advantage of stepped grinders is they won’t change once they’re locked in, so it’s easier to keep your settings consistent from brew to brew.
  
  
• Stepless grinders. Stepless grinders don’t have pre-set spots to hold the burrs in place. This allows for an infinite number of adjustment levels and micro-adjustments, giving the barista full control over the size of the grind. Conversely, they’re more difficult to dial in and more prone to accidental changes during use.

You may see some of these terms used for conical burr grinders, as well, but they’re features most often associated with flat burr grinders.

Conical Burr Grinders

Conical burr grinders are the style most professionals prefer for manual brewing methods. These models still have 2 burrs, but they’re shaped differently than the flat burrs above. A ridged, cone-shaped burr fits into a convex burr, with the distance between them determining the grind size.

Conical burr grinders give the most precision over grind size and consistency at medium to coarse grind levels. By default, you can assume a conical burr grinder uses stepped adjustment since stepless conical burr grinders are exceptionally rare.

There are a few different styles you’ll see within this broad category as well, however, including:

• Steel burr grinders. Steel burrs cost less to produce than ceramic burrs and are the most common material in both home and commercial grinders. The disadvantage is they can heat up from prolonged use, which can affect the taste of your coffee. This tends to be more of an issue in high-volume coffee shops than during home use.
  
  
• Ceramic burr grinders. Ceramic burrs retain their edge better than steel, so they’ll last longer before needing to be replaced. They also stay cooler even during extended use, better maintaining the aroma and flavor of the coffee.
  
  
• Coffee mills. Also called “manual grinders”, coffee mills are hand-powered rather than electronic. After you choose your grind setting, just turn the crank to spin the gears. You’ll see mills that use both steel and ceramic burrs. Coffee mills are more labor-intensive but they’re also quieter, more compact, and don’t require electricity.
  
  
• High-speed grinders. Grinders with a high-speed motor offer good consistency and control over the grind size, as well as a relatively quick grind. Since they pass the grinds through quickly, there’s less time for the heat of the burrs to affect the coffee. The downside is these motors tend to be the loudest when they’re operating, and they can still generate too much heat for some beans.
  
  
• Gear reduction grinders. These models use a high-speed motor with gears, similar to what you’ll see on a bike. These reduce the speed of the burrs without as much wear and tear on the motor. These models have a longer average lifespan than high-speed motors, and are also slightly quieter and generate less heat.
  
  
• Low-speed grinders. The slower motor in low-speed grinders reduces the amount of static and friction formed between the burrs. They’re also quieter and less likely to clog, though they do grind more slowly than high-speed motors.
  
  
• Direct drive grinders. These high-end grinders can be pricey, but they’re one of the best options for both home and commercial use. A low-speed motor connects directly to the burrs, keeping everything spinning at the same speed. They’re the quietest of electric burr grinders, with the lowest heat and static generation.