The 9 Best Coffee Grinders of 2024, Tested by Real People

Best Overall

Bodum Bistro Premium Burr Grinder

$70 at Amazon $120 at Ace Hardware

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

This machine was very simple to use. There are three main grinding settings — fine, medium, and coarse — and each has four intermediate options of their own for a total of 12 settings, so you’re sure to get the right texture to brew your perfect cup, whether from an espresso machine, a French press, or a drip coffee maker. We noted that the settings were quite intuitive (though there is an instruction manual), making the Bodum a good choice for beginners.

It’s also rather quiet for a coffee grinder, so you don’t have to worry about waking up the whole house when it’s time for coffee. We were impressed with its clean design, but its performance is how Bodum nabbed the top spot; during testing, it produced very consistent grounds each time. The machine is also easy to clean. It doesn’t come with a brush, but you don’t necessarily need one to keep it clean — just a damp paper towel will do.

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.1 x 12.5 inches | Settings: 12 | Capacity: 7.75 ounces

Best Basic

KRUPS Silent Vortex Electric Grinder

$41 at Amazon $39 at Walmart $36 at Wayfair

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  4/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

If you’re new to coffee grinders and are concerned that you’ll have to break the bank on an expensive burr machine, this one from Krups will have you thinking differently. We liked the sleek design of this, though it is a bit tall. There’s just one button to operate it, so it’s super easy to get started.

While it's not silent, it is quiet. We found that it produced an even grind without having to shake up the grinder to redistribute the beans, and it has a very consistent grind for the blade type — no need to agitate or manipulate beans mid-grind to ensure an even product. The result was a brew with a light and pleasant taste and a sweet finish. There aren’t many features on this budget-friendly coffee grinder, though the insert does lift out and has a lid to store the ground coffee.

Type: Blade | Dimensions: 4.33 x 4.02 x 8.46 inches | Settings: Manual | Capacity: Enough for 12 cups of coffee

Best for Beginners

OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

$80 at Amazon $80 at Target $100 at Williams-Sonoma

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  5/5

This machine is far from complicated; the settings were intuitive, and there was very little setup. The stainless steel chamber made easy work of pouring the grounds out for use. The settings are numbered, making them easy to follow, plus the brewing methods are clear. In fact, the only thing that at first seemed intimidating with this machine was the cleanup, but the directions were clear, and the small brush and a dry paper towel did the job.

Though the machine was impressive with its ability to grind the beans with consistency and create grounds to brew a cup with a rich caramel color, we did notice that you had to choose a higher setting than what was recommended in order to achieve those results. The dial is numbered precisely, so you can get just the grind you want. We liked the sleek design of the grinder, as the stainless steel keeps the grounds from sticking, while the tinted hopper preserves the beans between grinds. 

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 5.3 x 7.75 x 12.8 inches | Settings: 15 | Capacity: 12 ounces

Best for Coffee Enthusiasts

Breville Smart Grinder Pro

$200 at Amazon $200 at QVC $200 at Best Buy

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  3.5/5
• Design
  3.5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

Coffee connoisseurs who are ready to ramp up their at-home café experience would fare well with this model from Breville. For those who like their ground coffee just so, the settings were very precise — maybe a little too precise, as it took some time to dial in the exact settings. There’s a quick start guide to get you up and running and a coffee chart guide that simplifies the process.

The brewed coffee had a light aroma with nice floral notes on the front. We had found the grind adjustment knob difficult to turn at first, though the settings themselves were easy to see, thanks to a backlit display that shows grind time, size, and cups clearly. There were some coffee bean remnants that stuck around the blade, but it was easy to clean in general. Overall, the performance was consistent and a strong match to the control samples for each of the brews, so if you don’t mind a more complex machine, you’ll be happy with the Breville.

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 15.5 inches | Settings: 60 | Capacity: 18 ounces

Best Digital

Baratza Virtuoso+ Coffee Grinder

$250 at Amazon $250 at Curated.com $250 at Williams-Sonoma

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Performance
  5/5
• Value
  4.5/5

The Baratza Virtuoso+ is an impressive-looking coffee grinder, though it’s simple to set up thanks to a guide that offers clear instructions in more than 20 different languages. The backlit display makes it easy to see the timer countdown as well as the settings — there are 40 different ones, so you can grind a variety of coffee beans. We found the buttons were a bit sensitive and kept turning on the pulse mode by mistake, so there might be a bit of a learning curve with that.

This grinder performed very well and was consistent with the controls for the various brews. The blind taste test found the Virtuoso+-produced coffee had a nutty flavor with a mild aroma and a very pleasant taste with a slight hint of bitterness. The sleek design of the machine also makes it very easy to clean up.

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 6.69 x 6.69 x 12.6 inches | Settings: 40 | Capacity: 230 grams

Best for Drip Coffee

Baratza Encore

$150 at Amazon $150 at Sur La Table $150 at Crate & Barrel

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

The Baratza Encore has 40 settings to achieve the ideal grind for your desired coffee bean. It produced a flavorful coffee that had a clear appearance and a nice aroma. We did have a bit of difficulty with the setup of this grinder due to a missing gasket and parts that were difficult to align despite the instructions being rather clear. Though it’s easy to adjust the settings, it would have been even better if the grind preferences were indicated on the machine.

However, this machine is a nice size for storage in a cabinet or on a counter, and we like that it comes in either black or white. It was also easy to clean, thanks to the cone-shaped cleaning brush.

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 4.7 x 6.3 x 13.8 inches | Settings: 40 | Capacity: 5 ounces

Best Design

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder

$199 at Amazon $355 at Fellowproducts.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Performance
  4/5
• Value
  3/5

During testing, we found that this grinder was simple to use since the settings and markings on the machine are clear and intuitive. However, even with clear settings, it might take some trial and error to get the grind right; we initially ground the beans a bit too finely for our brewing needs. The coffee brewed was light in color and had a mild aroma.

This one took the top spot for design because of its clean, modern look. Visually, it would make a nice addition to any kitchen. The machine was simple to clean, thanks to the brush it comes with; just wipe the cup with a damp paper towel, and you’re set for next time.

Type: Burr | Dimensions: 9.4 x 4.2 x 9.5 inches | Settings: 11 | Capacity: 80 grams

Best Investment

Comandante Nitro Blade Grinder

$332 at Amazon View on Doubleshotcoffee.com View on Prima-coffee.com

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  4/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Performance
  4.5/5
• Value
  1/5

Despite the name, this manual grinder operates using burrs, not blades. We found that the long handle made for easier grinding and thought that this would be a step up from an electric grinder for the home coffee aficionado. While it’s easy to use, beginners might have a bit of a learning curve. There is a video to watch on how to use it, and it’s a must-watch for cleaning purposes. 

This grinder has a click-setting guide to adjust the level of coarseness. Don’t be intimidated, though; it encourages you to mess around to find your sweet spot, which we recommend anyway since the instruction manual isn’t that helpful. The wood and glass design is a departure from the stainless steel and black bodies that many other grinders have. While the design is simple and modern for every type of kitchen decor, the price certainly won’t fit every budget.

Type: Manual burr | Dimensions: 8 x 4 x 4 inches | Settings: Manual | Capacity: 40 grams