When choosing the right type of coffee grinder, there is more thought that should go into the decision of selecting a model than just price.
There is a reason why each grinder is a different price. Some are very cheap and some are more expensive, but these are for good reasons.
So, before you go out shopping for a grinder for your French press, let’s talk about some of the best grinders available depending on what your needs are.
Best Pick Overall
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder
The Encore coffee grinder made by Baratza deserves this spot at the top of the list. If you’re familiar with the Baratza brand, then you know that anything from Baratza is going to be good.
For those who aren’t quite as familiar with the brand and maybe are new to this coffee space, then you should know that this is one of the brand names to be familiar with. Baratza grinders are preferred by coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Don’t let this beast intimidate you though, the simplicity of the design makes it easy for anyone to use.
The on/off and pulse buttons are prominently located right in the middle of the grinder and is literally the only thing that you need to grind your own beans directly before brewing. This is going to be the key element in getting the best and freshest tasting cup of coffee.
This grinder is a little on the higher end as far as price goes, but this is a grinder that’s going to last you and with its 40 grind settings, you’re going to be able to get that perfect coarseness for your French press every time.
In all transparency, there is one slight downside to this grinder, but it’s honestly not a big deal if you ask me. The grinds have a tendency to stick to the sides of the grinder. This also happens with my personal grinder as well and it’s honestly not even a big deal. But if this is something that completely turns you off, at least you can be aware of it now.
This grinder also comes with a 1-year limited warranty, so if you have any issues, you can reach out to their amazing customer service representatives, and they’ll do everything they can to help you solve any issues you have with it.
Best Manual Grinder for French Press
Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Grinder
My in-laws have a manual coffee grinder still, and it’s not one that they’ve purchased in the last 10 years or even 20 years for that matter. This thing looks like the same grinder that our great-great-grandparents probably used back in the 1800s.
However, manual grinders are still a popular choice by man coffee enthusiasts and fortunately, the manual grinders today are much better than the old ones like my in-laws have.
One reason why some people still opt for manual grinders is for the sake of portability. Maybe you’re someone who is always on the go and a coffee snob as well. That’s where the Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Grinder comes in handy.
What makes this grinder such a great portable grinder is that it’s only 5 inches tall and weighs only 8 ounces.
The steel body of this grinder and the ceramic conical burrs give you a static-free grinding experience, so you don’t have to worry about the grinds sticking to the sides too much.
This grinder is a little more affordable than the Baratza Encore mentioned above, but again this is a manual grinder, so you’ll need to decide for yourself if a manual grinder fits your needs best. However, this grinder comes with a big 7-year warranty so you can be sure it’s going to last.
Best Budget Coffee Grinder
JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
If you like the idea of a manual grinder, but you don’t want to fork out the full price for something like the Porlex, then the JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder may be what you’re looking for.
At about half the price of the Porlex, the JavaPresse is still worthy of being among the top contenders of coffee grinders.
This grinder has 18 different settings for coarseness even though it is a manual grinder. This gives you the flexibility of grinding your grounds not only for your French press, but also for your other brewing methods as well.
The ceramic burrs on this grinder are designed to outlast stainless steel blades on other grinders. To top it all off, when you order this grinder from JavaPresse, you get a free bag of coffee beans. You’re going to buy coffee anyway, so if you look at it that way you could theoretically subtract the value of the coffee and realize that you’re actually getting the grinder even cheaper!
Other Top Picks:
OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder
The OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder is one of the best everyday household grinders that offer you 15 different settings for your grinding so you can brew your coffee however you’d like. On top of the 15 settings, there are also “micro” settings which let you fine tune your level of coarseness even more.
This grinder holds up to ¾ ounces of coffee beans so you can grind a large amount if you’d like to in order to brew for a large group or if you want to grind for yourself for a few days or more.
With coffee grinders, the main idea is to get the freshest coffee possible by grinding shortly before brewing. However, I know personally, I don’t want to grind my coffee every single day, especially when I know I have a busy day ahead of me. That’s when having a large grinder can come in handy.
Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
This thing is a beast! The Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder is everything you could hope for in a grinder and more.
This grinder is actually a commercial-grade grinder designed to handle more frequent usage as well as large amounts of grinding. The large capacity of this grinder holds 8.8 ounces of beans up top and 4 ounces of ground coffee down below. It’s very easy to clean and has very little static build-up despite not being stainless steel and ceramic burrs.
One more great thing about this grinder is that with 16 settings, you can literally get any kind of ground you want, whether it be for your French press, your percolator, or even if you’d like to make yourself some espresso. This machine can do it all.
I can honestly say that no matter which of these grinders you choose, you won’t be disappointed with the results. So, take your time and look through this list carefully and find what works best for you.
