Baratza Encore

A 40mm conical burr grinder that's been the default recommendation for years, suitable primarily for filter and immersion brewing from drip through French press. It can grind finely, but buyers focused on dialing in non-pressurized espresso should look at the Encore ESP instead; parts and support are easy to find years down the line.

See the full grinder comparison for all 8 grinders we cover.

Vigilant Score

7.9/10

Burr	Conical, 40mm
Typical MSRP	~$170

See Official Page

Buy This If

You want the safest, most widely-supported starting grinder with parts easy to find years later
You need one grinder to cover everything from espresso to French press, not a specialist
Budget is the top priority and you want best-in-class value at the entry price point

Consider Something Else If

You want espresso-optimized fineness, this leans toward filter/drip, not maximum espresso precision
You want single-dosing or minimal retention, this is a standard hopper-fed design

Show your work

Vigilant Score Breakdown

Criterion	Weight	Finding	Score
Grind consistency	35%	40mm conical, good for filter/drip, not optimized for espresso fineness	7.0
Retention & workflow	25%	Standard hopper-fed design, decent but not exceptional retention	7.5
Warranty & parts	20%	Strong US support network, widely stocked parts, established brand	8.5
Value in tier	20%	Best-in-class value at the entry price point	9.5

Full methodology and how this compares to the other 7 grinders we cover: full grinder comparison.

Sources and verification

Where This Information Comes From

Baratza Encore — official manufacturer page. Research-based comparison: built from published manufacturer specifications, documented warranty terms, and publicly available owner and professional feedback, not hands-on lab testing. See our editorial standards for what that means.