Baratza Encore vs. Oxo Conical Burr Grinder

★★★★★ My first Baratza. This was a step-down purchase for me. For the past 10 or more years I have owned a Rancilio Rocky grinder which costs about 3x more than the Baratza Encore. And in hindsight, it was a stupidly expensive purchase as I never made Expresso or specialty coffees. I just wanted one of the best grinders and at the time I had the financial means to splurge.Now that I am retired, I am a lot more conservative with my spending. That expensive Rancilio grinder finally died and it was time to look for a replacement. The idea here was to find the best bang-for-the-buckgrinder at a price point of under $200. I spent days doing research and found that Barista Encore was constantly rated as the best in class for what I wanted to spend. I placed my order on Amazon and then spent time watching setup videos on YouTube.I had a bit of a rough start. When I unpacked my brand-new Encore I was shocked to find that the gasket included looked nothing like the one I had seen in countless videos and setup guides. Even the included instruction book showed a completely different gasket than the one I received. I panicked. I thought that Baratza made a manufacturing mistake. I placed a phone call to customer service and found that their phones were shut down due to overwhelming demand. So, I fired off an email thinking it would be days before I got a response. Within 15 minutes, a customer service representative emailed me back saying that the company had recently updated their gasket for this model and was unable to include new documentation for it in recent shipments.So, let me just stop here and say that I was extremely impressed by the customer service response. When they were overwhelmed on the phones, they at least had someone watching email inquiries and making certain responses went out within minutes of being contacted.So, let me start with the gasket. For me, after watching all the setup videos, it was the one aspect of putting this Encore together that I was concerned about. The old gasket was cumbersome to align. It was a very smart thing for Barasta to upgrade the gasket. Now, it's considerably smaller, and you can simply plop it into the burr grinder without any difficulty. There are new videos online explaining how to do it, but I can save you time by saying you need to insert the thick end of the gasket into the grinder before installing the hopper.So, to address the most common questions...1. Is it noisy? Yeah, somewhat, but I'm used to it. It's less noisy than the industrial Rancilio Rocky it replaced. And, I can't fathom any coffee grinder that is not going to make a considerable amount of noise.2. Does it leave grinds everywhere? Yes, it does leave traces of grinds in the holder and along the lip of the ground coffee bin. Is it a big deal? No. It's the nature of these grinders. I have a small handheld vacuum to deal with it. A cheap coffee brush is another way to take care of the cleanup. It's minor, to say the least.There is a great accessory you can buy on Amazon for under $14 that will eliminate trace grounds. Look for AIEVE Upgrade Single Dose Hopper. It's a must-buy accessory for your Encore.3. Is it difficult to clean? Not that I can see. The burr grinder is very easy to remove. There is an included brush for cleaning. Every few months I am going to throw in some cleaning tabs and grind it through. I also don't recommend using this grinder for flavored or shiny beans. They tend to leave a lot of gunky residues. If I want flavored coffee, I buy it already ground.4. Is the power cord too thick? I only bring this question up as it's one of those things I read complaints about in review after review. No, it's not. It's the same as my Rancilio Rocky which is considerably thicker than what you would find on a toaster or electric can opener, which is to be expected.5. Is the build quality cheap? While there is a lot more plastic here than I would want to see, from the online videos I have watched, experts believe that the Encore is made of solid materials and built to last for many years. In fact, if you go through a pound of coffee a week, and clean as recommended, the estimated life of this device is 10 years before you need to start replacing anything.From the research I have done, apparently what makes Barasta grinders so popular is that all their parts are serviceable. They are supposed to be very easy to clean and maintain. The company has a library of diagrams that help you navigate their machines.My first grind and cup of coffee were memorable.With some research, I found the perfect grind setting for my Technivorm Moccamaster. That coffee maker requires a more coarse grind so I set my Encore at "20" and poured my beans into the hopper. It is suggested to have the hopper running when you pour your beans in so you are not grinding from a dead stop (which is not good for the blade). I found the resulting grind to be very uniform in appearance.The coffee the grind produced was spectacular. I think I had been using the wrong setting on the Rancilio Rocky for years, grinding my beans slightly more finely (which you want to do with drip coffee makers). This more coarse grind setting produced a more flavorful cup of coffee. I was delighted.The Encore is for most enthusiasts who aren't looking for Expresso grinds. It's the best entry-level conical grinder for anyone that doesn't want something cheap or wants to spend a fortune on a device like this. And to say "entry-level" isn't even fair. There are coffee shops that use these grinders, from what I understand. This brand has been a staple in the coffee community for decades. It has a reputation for being the best in its class.So, I promise to keep using this every day and if it doesn't live up to my expectations, I will update this review regularly and keep everyone aware. For the moment, I am delighted to own this product. If my first cup of coffee is any indication of where things are going, I think we are going to make beautiful java together.

★★★★★ Finally, a does-it-all grinder for a reasonable price. *** Final Update***I have now been using this grinder for close to 2 years. I have also purchased a Vario-W in order to grind by weight as I thought that would help with my consistency while making espresso; however, I will be honest, I now use the Vario for Drip and Press and use the Encore exclusively for espresso. I'm sure the Vario would work just as well (probably better) but I have found the right setting, tamp pressure, etc that makes the coffee I like using the Encore, so why mess with a good thing? I mention that for the benifit of those thinking this might not be a good espresso grinder. While I am aware that there are other pro-sumer models available, this one has been great. It does not have a large range of usable settings for espresso, but with varying tamp pressure, you should be able to get what you are looking for. A quick story about Baratza's customer support: a few months ago I noticed that my grind was suddenly too course and my shots were flowing way to fast. Since the grinder was well outside of its one-year warrany, I took it apart and found that the insides had been severely damaged. I had just moved form Washington State to Alabama and I am sure the damage was due to the poor packing and handling my goods received from our movers. (A story for another day). Anyway, as I mentioned somewhere below in one of my earlier reviews, Baratza sells pieces to replace your grinder should you need them. I needed a new ring assembly that holds the actual grinder teeth in place (consisting of several pieces) and even a new internal housing to remount the motor as some of the mounts had been broken (probably from the movers throwing my things). I was surprised to see everyting I needed was actually available to the consumer on their website - no annoying calls to convince someone to sell me those pieces. While I was at it, I decided I would also replace some other pieces that I figured wouldn't hurt - all in all I was looking at around $30 to rebuild my grinder like new. I was pretty excited about the prices. I emailed Baratza and told them my story and asked if they had any guides or schematics to help me in the rebuild. Within a day, I recieved a reply from Baratza and they told me I shouldn't have such an extensive failure with my unit in such a short time of owning it and they told me they had canceled my order and were shipping me a NEW grinder - and to please return the broken one in the box along with a prepaid shipping label they provided!!! I wrote back and explained that my grinder was no longer under warranty and the damages were due to mishandling: not a manufacturing defect - I thought someone had misunderstood me. They wrote back and said they were sorry my grinder was broken by the movers and they were happy to replace it! I couldn't believe it - they sent me another grinder with no payment from me and simply trusted me to return the broken one. When I got the new grinder I noticed the grind settings were different from the earlier one - I had read they tuend it up for better espresso performance and they did - before I was unable to "choke" my Quickmill Silvano - now if I use a setting below 6, it chokes up. I find settings 6-8 work the best for espresso, 18-24 for drip/pour-over and 30-35 for French Press. Of course, that is all highly subjective and your mileage may vary, but if you are new to the Encore, perhaps that will give you a "ballpark" to work with. Anyway, since that day about 5 months ago, I've continued using my Encore and am very pleased with it. I highly recommend it for its performance, simplicity (sometimes simple is better) and the customer support the Baratza team provided.*** 1 Year Update***I have been using this grinder multiple times per day for a year now and so far I have NO problems to report. It still grinds just as well as it did on day one, the burrs are still sharp and I still love this grinder. I have no doubt I made the right purchase and I am glad I didn't opt for the "fancy" lcd models with the automated grind features; to me all those extra bells & whistles = more that could break. If I were to upgrade, it would be for a unit in another "class"; perhaps the Vario, but that is several $100 more and I don't see any reason to do so at this time. I will add that there is a 1 star review on this site that complains about larger beans not feeding through the hopper. Initially, I thought it sounded silly; however, not long ago, I roasted a batch of beans much darker than usual (VERY VERY dark roast), resulting in the beans being about 1 1/2 times their usual size. While grinding, I noticed that about 4 beans got lodged between the hopper and burrs. I tapped the side of the unit a few times and the final beans fed through the hopper. I had this happen two or three times. So, I suppose if you habitually use a bean that is much larger than your typical coffee bean, you might have an issue. Just search through the 1 star reviews for more details (at the time of this update, there was only one 1 star review).Summary: fantastic grinder for an excellent price makes this a best buy in my book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a serious coffee drinker.***Update***I've been using this grinder daily for almost 4 months, grinding enough for about 12 cups each day (maybe more on weekends). I usually use it early morning, afternoon and evening. I grind mainly for drip and espresso, occasionally for French press or pour-over. I still have no complaints with this grinder: I believe I made the right choice between this and fancier LCD options. I've ground for a 12 cup pot on numerous occasions when company comes over, and it never overheats or bogs or slows down- I don't think it notices if you're grinding for 1 cup or 12! Everything is solid and the burrs are still sharp as ever. Once a month I disassemble it to give it a good cleaning. It doesn't seem to retain much grinds in the chamber. My only gripe is the static build up after grinding can make a mess when you pull out the grind chamber: there are enough grinds clinging to the exit chute to scatter on the counter if you're not careful (to be fair, this is a common problem plaguing all burr grinders). But really I don't even notice that anymore, after a couple weeks you develop your own routine on how to deal with it and it ceases being an issue. I tend to grind, prep the coffee pot/filter to give the static time to discharge, then I give it a solid knock or two on the side and front before taking out the chute (thankfully this is a VERY solid grinder). It might sound tedious, but I actually had to sit here and think about it because it's simply second nature now and I don't even notice doing it. The only time I notice the problem is when someone else uses the grinder who isn't aware of the "technique".Another great feature is that baratza sells every piece imaginable should you ever have a problem in the future: right down to a new motor or exterior knobs! All the pieces seemed priced appropriately. So while this may not be important to some, I like knowing that should the need arise, my equipment is completely serviceable. So I guess when the day comes that I need new burrs, I won't be shopping for another grinder, but paying a small sum for a new set of burrs. I didn't find that option on many of the other units I shopped around for. Ultimately, I still completely recommend this grinder and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants quality, affordability and versatility all rolled into a single package!***Original Review***I've been looking for a grinder that I could use with my current espresso machine (pressurized portafilter), drip coffee pot, and french press and would also allow me to grow into a more expensive espresso machine (i.e. the Rancilio Silvia or Quickmill Silvano). I was looking at the Rocky grinder, the Baratza Vario and Virtuoso Preciso, the Breville Smart Grinder, et al. Then I came along the Encore which I believe is new for 2012. I read several "professional" reviews and even saw some video reviews where the Encore was able to "choke" the Silvia at around grind setting "6". If you aren't aware, the Maestro and Maestro Plus (which the Encore replaces) weren't able to grind fine enough to choke the Silvia straight from the factory. Although this grinder isn't "stepless" (you have a larger variance from one "click" to the next when adjusting the grind setting, you still get 40 settings which are plenty for any home grinder. With a little tamping technique, this grinder will work fine for any espresso machine - not my opinion - the "pros" opinion. I am currently using it with my pressurized espresso machine, my drip pot and the occasional pour over and french press. It works great for them all! While it doesn't perform as well (or so I've read) as the Preciso or other high-end grinders, the fact that you can even begin to compare them speaks volumes for Baratza. I believe that currently there is NO other grinder on the market that can stand next to this one in terms of quality & versatility within the price range. Maybe the Breville Smart Grinder, but it still costs 50% more, I don't like the LCD display and I've heard (no practical experience) from several sources that Breville customer service is not quite up to par. If any of you out there care, the Baratza Maestro and Maestro Plus were already popular grinders and Baratza completely over-hauled it and produced the Encore - it offers WAY more at the same price. I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm selling the Baratza name, but this is the first of their products I've owned - I'm just impressed they did this with the Encore. So often a company produces a 2nd iteration of a product with lesser features or cheaper quality parts. Check it out for yourself, the innards are improved for better durability along with the burrs for a more consistent and fine grind! WOW...who does that?!Oh, and the first time I used it my wife was in the other room (separated by an open doorway) and she was shocked to find I had used it without her hearing it! Maybe when I close the door and begin my 5am grinding I won't wake the kids!The only con (which I've heard is not an uncommon problem with this type of grinder) is that when I remove the grind container and IF I accidentally knock the grinder, leftover grinds can fall from the chute onto the counter. I have a Dustbuster within arms reach of the grinder so it's no big deal, but if I didn't, it might aggravate me.I'm so glad I bought this and not one of the other many many brands I researched for months. I completely recommend it.

★★★★★ Este molino vale MUCHÍSIMO la pena si te gusta de verdad el café, muele lo suficientemente fino para cafeteras espresso y lo suficientemente grueso para otras como cold brew y prensa francesa. Es muy preciso y no deja sedimentos del corte. Al principio me negaba a comprarlo, pase por comprar antes el molino de cuchillas y luego uno de muelas de cerámica, con los que no me fue mal, pero existe una gigantesca diferencia de calidad. NO TE ARREPENTIRAS DE COMPRARLO, si tienes duda, no las tengas, es una inversión magnífica.

★★★★★ El producto viene bien protegido por parte de Baratza. Ha cumplido sus expectativas en cafés filtrados y de inmersión. El molido es completamente homogéneo. Es de buen tamaño y antiderrapante. Respecto al ruido, la verdad que no es tan molesto como algunos rewiews comentan. Falta checar lo de la limpieza que se le debe hacer cada cierto tiempo, pues sí retiene algo de café en cada molienda. Hasta ahorita, muy buen producto!!!

★★★★★ Jag ger produkten 5/5 stjärnor men 4,5 kanske är mer korrekt. Det enda negativa är att den är lite ”svår”/krånglig att rengöra gällande att ta isär alla delar och sen få dem på plats. Men det i sig är ju inget stort problem. Den ger exakt vad den ska, bra malning till Filter/French Press. Det maler dock inte helt perfekt för Espresso. Då rekommenderar jag Baratza Encore Esp (Esp = Espresso). Den ska funka för Espresso + Filter/F.P. Jag är helnöjd med denna kvarnen. Mitt syfte var att köpa en kvar som maler bra för French Press/Filter (då jag redan har en kvarn för Espressomalning) vilket denna gör med bravur.

★☆☆☆☆ Our old grinder (non-Baratza) broke down after about seven years of use. Ordered this grinder since we had heard a lot about the brand. Setting up was not that much of a big deal. What followed next was a very unpleasant surprise. We process and roast of our coffees and use a grinder for cupping. Tried grinding a fresh lot of medium roast. To begin with the far end of the coarse grind ended up being way too coarse even for French Press. So, to begin with, there appears to be a lot of grind settings but about 5-10 steps on the coarse side is unusable.Had to dial down the coarseness and went ahead with the grind. On pouring out the ground coffee, we found two small white plastic pieces with the coffee. Taking off the hopper, we found that out of the four small plastic stubs at the bottom, two had broken off.

★★★★★ The Baratza Encore is a bit of an iconic product in an interesting price point: it's basically an entry level price for a 'good/great burr grinder', but for a lot of folk the fact it's likely to run you ~$200CAD likely means that they're expecting performance far beyond what it's actually rated for. This is a compact little unit that grinds are a (fairly slow) speed and is pretty loud while it does it, but it's results are incredibly consistent and easily adjustable. The biggest problem you're likely to have is that there is absolutely no automatic controls: it will grind as long as you push the button down, and stop the second you release it.This means if you want accurate amounts of coffee, I would highly encourage you to not store the beans in the hopper, but instead of measure out the weight you want to grind and then toss them into the hopper after measuring. You can measure the post grind result, but it just seems far more finnicky (though if you're super concerned about accuracy, measuring post grind result as well is likely best practice). It can produce a fine grind if you want a pseudo-espresso like experience via a Moka Pot or Aeropress (around grind setting 11), or it can produce a coarse grind for your french press (24-27), but it's absolutely not going to grind out the best espresso level fineness. It's simply not a machine meant for that.Things to note:When adjusting the grind level, you want to either have clean gears, or be running it as you adjust the burr setting lest it binds to the burrs. This is touched on in the manual, but want to re-emphasize for folks that may not have read it.The Baratza Virtuoso+ is the upgrade from here for about ~$100 more. What it offers is grind timer controls and an upgrade burr set: BUT, you can absolutely just order the upgraded burr set from Baratza (or other suppliers) and change out the burrs yourself. So if you decide that you want to upgrade, there's an easy (and far more affordable way) than ordering a new model. Similarly if you need to replace any parts in the Encore, it's super easy to service - both to get the replacements from Baratza, and to do the swaps yourself. Remember, burrs don't last forever, and the manufacturer recommends replacing after 500-1,000lb of coffee. That's a lot of coffee for a home, but I do want to draw attention to the importance of cleaning and maintenance. Baratza offers super easy to follow along video guides: check them out.

★★★★★ This is the one. I have had 4 different grinders, wore them out, tossed them out. This OXO grinder is a standout from the others. It is quiet, no more air raid siren. The grind is near perfect. I use a lot of coarse grind for French press and cold brewed. There is very little fine particulate which caused filter plugging and muddy flavors.Medium is perfect for wife's drip machine, and the fine setting is really fine, good for espresso drinks. My wife's pet peeve has been static electricity and the resultant mess present with most all other grinders. This machine uses a stainless-steel grounds container that mostly eliminates static fly-away. It is easy to disassemble and clean, which should keep it running for a long time. When they plug up, they don't grind well. I highly recommend this machine, it outperforms more expensive choices.

★★★★★ Really, really good. Disclaimer: this is our first conical burr grinder, coming from a dual blade unit, so we have nothing to compare it to in an apples-to-apples comparison.For our first REAL grinder, we couldn't be happier. It took us three pots to dial in our favorite blend (about a "9" setting for 12-14 seconds). It's SO nice just pushing a button and walking away! I've taken it apart to clean and it was super easy (with the right cleaning brushes - go to Lowe's or Home Depot and explore). I'm not sure why some folks are having trouble with the cup coming loose and getting coffee grounds all over. I place in it's position and gently give it a twist back and forth (left to right) just to ensure it's seated. You need to make sure you've got it securely seated as far back as possible - till it stops. Do that, give it a gentle twist each side and it should kind of seat itself in place (I won't say "lock" in place). We've had no spilled grounds at all. The top burr comes out very easily for cleaning and you can access the lower, permanently-fixed burr easily enough with a tiny machine brush (or toothbrush).TIP: Before taking apart to clean, leave the grounds cup in place and tap the unit a couple times or give it a couple wraps on the side. This will help dislodge any grounds that get caked inside the throat (the hole through which the grounds pass and fall into the grounds cup after being ground by the burrs). This will help prevent a mess of finely ground coffee residue.As far as the "noise": I'm not really sure what people expect out of a GRINDER. Grinders grind. They make noise. It befuddles me the unreasonable expectations some people have on some things. Yes, it makes noise, but it's "quieter" than my old two-blade grinder. Don't let it dissuade you from buying.The consistency of the grind and ease of use of this appliance has really improved our coffee experience. I'm sure it will do likewise for you - 4.8 stars out of 10,000+ reviews is saying something!THREE MONTH UPDATE: Our grinder is still performing flawlessly. We've had no issue with grounds leaking out, the cup not staying in place during the grinding process (wiggle it to make sure the flattened side is squarely in place!) or cleaning it. I honestly don't know why some folks are struggling with this grinder. If it dies in a couple years, yes, that kind of sucks. If it's bad while brand new, then you got a bad one. Bad ones happen in ANY mass production. Send it back and replace it! I stand by my original reviews - this is a good coffee grinder, there's no question about it. I'd rather spend the extra $$ than settle on fully plastic grinder just to save the money when you KNOW those units are "disposable". If you get a year or two year out of them you're doing good.

★★★★★ A very solid, easy to use grinder. So, this is going to be a comparison review; this grinder and my older Cuisinart burr grinder. I mostly make aeropress and French press using light to medium roast coffee. Grind consistency isn't as important here as it would be for espresso or pour over brewing. Set up was easy, I just had to wash the hopper and the catch cup per the instructions. I let them dry overnight and assembled the grinder which was incredibly easy. The first thing I'll note is I wish the catch cup snapped into place a bit easier. My old grinder I could do it one handed, here I have to use two hands. This may change over time as the grinder breaks in. The steel catch cup on this grinder is much nicer than the plastic bin on my old grinder and the bean hopper is thicker plastic as well. I wish this grinder just had an on/off switch instead of a timer, that way I'm not guessing how long I need to set the timer to grind for. I premeasure the amount of beans I put in the hopper and so I just need to clear the hopper not, say, a quarter pound of beans.Grinding! It's much quieter, faster, and efficient than my old Cuisinart burr grinder. The old one would take 20-30 seconds on medium grind to mostly clear the hopper. It liked to throw beans back out of the burr so it never completely cleared the hopper. This one though, 13g light roast beans, medium grind, completely cleared the hopper in less than 20 seconds and no horribly loud grinding noise. Consider me impressed.Grind consistency, very good from what I can tell. I don't have a magnifying glass but it's far better at uniform grind size than my old grinder which gave me "boulders and dust" for grinds. This looks very uniform, maybe a bit on the fine side with the grind, but again, I'm doing full immersion brewing so a little too fine or a little too big won't throw me off in the final product. Do I already love this grinder more than my old one, resoundingly yes. Do I love I got it on sale. You bet. Is it worth full price, yes as well.Bottom line, this was a great upgrade over my old grinder. Grinds are consistent, nicely fine, its fast, quieter than what I had, and feels sturdy. Could I have bought a much more expensive grinder, you bet. But for my preferred brewing methods and that I'm not trying to run a large amount of beans though it, this grinder is an excellent purchase and I look forward to using it for a long time to come

★★★★☆ Better than Expected. Takes Longer to Grind. Works great for a french press or drip coffee. After you set the desired grind time, it is a one touch operation. The max time setting is perfect for a full pot of coffee.The bean holder and top half of the grinder are easy to remove and clean.There is no mess with coffee grinds getting everywhere. The grind holder doesn't have static electricity holding on to the grinds and making a mess. It is a pleasure to use.The only negative would be the grind speed is slower than other grinders. If you want to grind an entire bag of coffee beans at one time, it would take longer than other grinders. The grind speed is not an issue when making one pot of coffee.

★★★★★ Have had this unit for over three years now and use it daily at least once (sometimes two or three times a day). By my rough calculation, we've ground well over 150 pounds of coffee during that time and this unit is still very much going strong!This grinder always provides coffee grinds that are consistent in size, with very few outliers that are a tad finer. From fine to coarse & light to dark (and everything in between), it works well with all types of roast and all types of beans. The anti static properties they claim are effective, with a light tap to the side of it, the grounds come out of the stainless receptacle cleanly.It's also easy to disassemble it to clean the burrs and hopper out. Simpler yet to adjust the grind (sometimes it's a tad at TOO easy - keep an eye on the dial to make sure that you haven't moved it by accident).I don't find the timer a useful feature personally - however I'm a stickler for accuracy, so I weigh every batch before and after it gets ground. A timer is FAR too general of a measurement for my liking. Different strokes for different folks I guess.All in all, my wife and I really like this grinder! If it were to break down tomorrow - we wouldn't hesitate to replace it with the exact same model.In a sleepy early morning daze a few weeks ago - my wife poured boiling water through the grinder by accident! She unplugged it immediately, and I proceeded to disassemble it and blow it out with compressed air. After leaving it apart for a day or two over the furnace vent for it to dry out completely, it went back together just fine and it seems none the worse for wear.I noticed when I had it apart that it was pretty well designed and built in my opinion. I am a technician by trade, so I notice that kind of stuff. The components seem to be of high quality as well. Highly recommended!

★★★★★ Excelente moledor de grano, tengo 3 meses usándolo diario y no eh tenido ningún problema. La graduación del molido del grano es muy bueno y rápido. No creo que se pueda conseguir algo mejor por este precio. Es un tanto ruidoso pero mucho menos que un moledor de aspas.

★☆☆☆☆ No AC power adapter supplied as claimed to enable its use in Europe. Ad states it comes with an adapter but no adapter was included. I am complaining to Amazon today as it is an Amazon.de (Europe) fulfilled item and am waiting on Amazon's response. i.e. will Amazon send the missing adapter out or just lamely just say to return it. I am after a good coffee grinder and this potentially was a good one... Amazon?

★★★★★ コンパクトサイズがgood

★★★★★ In my quest to get away from my plastic drip coffee maker I ended up going down a rabbit hole that I almost regretted. I purchased an electric stainless steel percolator but quickly found out that it wouldn't work with store bought fine ground coffee. I required a medium coarse grind and the internet was telling me I needed a second mortgage to get one.I tried a cheaper blade grinder which didn't work out and was considering a lower priced burr grinder with fewer options. Thankfully, I came across a video on YouTube with a review for this product and I'm so glad I trusted it. This grinder works really well and is reasonably priced. Yes there is a lot of plastic but everything that grinds the coffee is stainless steel.I've been using this for months and its doing just great. The grind is very consistent for my needs. It's easy to operate and clean. It has many grind settings with an adjustable wheel that allows for precise grind control. It isn't very noisy and even if it were, you're running it for a max of 30 seconds. The anti-static stainless steel bin works very well too.I'm very happy with this purchase and so glad my coffee quest is over. The coffee nut will tell you this isn't good enough and I say let them have their own world where coffee is currency.