Brewing coffee is not an easy job, and you have to practice for years to make a delicious and aromatic cup of coffee. To make it easier, you can invest in a precision coffee grinder.
The coffee grinders help pulverize the coffee beans, which makes sure the coffee grounds are broken down into consistent textures.
However, you have to invest in a high-quality grinder, which is why we are sharing OXO Conical Burr Coffee Grinder vs Baratza Encore comparison in this article!
OXO Conical Burr Coffee Grinder vs Baratza Encore
The Comparison Chart
| OXO Conical Coffee Grinder | Baratza Encore | |
| Weight | 5.6 pounds | 7 pounds |
| Cup capacity | 2.5 ounces | 5 ounces |
| Number of settings | 15 | 40 |
| Material | Stainless steel | Smoked plastic |
| Warranty | Two years of the limited warranty | One year |
OXO Conical Coffee Grinder
OXO is one of the most popular companies offering kitchen equipment and accessories that make kitchen jobs easier, and they have designed a burr coffee grinder as well.
The grinder has an aesthetic design without compromising functionality. It has a small and compact coffee grinder that measures 6.8 inches x 11.8 inches, so it won’t take up much space on the counter.
The coffee grinder is taller as it’s 14.8 inches in height but is low enough to be slid under the upper cabinets. It has a slender body as well as a substantial height that offers a grand appearance.
The coffee grinder has a silver finish and shiny appearance, which looks amazing. In addition, there is a bean hopper with a twelve-ounce capacity – it’s larger as compared to other grinders.
In addition, the bean hopper has a UV tint and an airtight design, which means the aroma won’t be degraded – you can store the coffee in it for over a week.
- Durability
This is one of the most affordable burr coffee grinders available on the market, but it’s needless to say that it’s not built to last forever.
There is a removable top burr in the machine, which promises convenient cleaning. It has extremely easy maintenance, which extends the grinder’s lifespan.
However, the bottom isn’t removable but it could be. There are stainless steel panels on the exterior, and the burrs and grounds catching bin have stainless steel construction as well.
The use of stainless steel helps avoid corrosion and rust, promising easier cleaning and maintenance. However, stainless steel burns aren’t very brittle, so they will last a long time.
- Usability
The coffee grinder has been integrated with a timer, so you can enter the amount of coffee rather than using an integrated scale. The scale is more accurate, but it’s prone to breakage.
The timer is exceptional because it can maintain the settings. So, if you don’t have to change the amount of coffee every day, you can just press one button and grind the coffee.
It has a slow grinding speed, which means the noise level will be as low as 88dB, but it can be a high pitch at times – the sound can be frustrating at times.
- Performance
The coffee grinder has been integrated with 40mm stainless steel conical burrs. The burrs are sharper as compared to ceramic burrs and are more durable. Also, it has higher thermal conduction.
The conical burr shape helps ensure exceptional concentricity and parallelism. They offer less retention, promising accurate coffee dosing.
In case you are concerned about the grinding consistency, the OXO coffee grinder can punch the coffee ground above its weight. There are fifteen grind settings, which seems limited as compared to other competitors.
The coffee grinder is a promising choice for filter coffee, coarse grind, cold brew, and press brew coffee, but you might not like it for making espresso.
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder
This is one of the most promising choices for beginners and has a timeless design. It has a smoked plastic construction for the body, but the black and sleek finish makes sure it looks amazing.
Honestly, you won’t have issues showing off this coffee grinder. It comes with a transparent hopper that can hold around eight ounces of coffee beans, while the cup has a five-ounce capacity.
Both cups and hopper are made from high-quality plastic. It can easily fit under the kitchen cabinets. It has 4.7 inches x 6.3 inches x 13.8 inches dimensions, which promises a lightweight and compact design.
The coffee grinder has been integrated with a high-torque and powerful DC motor as well as a gearbox that promises a speed of 550 RPM. In addition, the burrs are made from stainless steel.
The speed is slow, which reduces the chances of noise, static generation, and heat without compromising on the consistency of ground coffee.
- Durability
The majority of construction is done with high-quality plastic. There is a heavy metal ballast in the grinder that adds stabilization to the unit – this ballast can result in heavy weight.
In addition, the gears are made from 15% of glass-filled thermoplastic, promising long-lasting and sturdy gears. Also, you won’t have to worry about loud operational noises.
The company has exceptional customer support service, so you can easily purchase a replacement spare part.
- Usability
To be honest, it doesn’t have the nifty features like high-end coffee grinders – it’s not a negative but makes it suitable for beginners, and you can ground coffee according to the desired brewing style.
There is a two-way off/on switch as well as a pulse grinding button. You can also twist the hopper to adjust the size of the coffee grind – there are forty markings to adjust the size.
What we love about this coffee grinder is that you will have higher control over the grind. Also, it’s intuitive and will be easier to learn.
As far as cleaning is concerned, the top burr can be removed, so you can brush them. Moreover, you can rinse the grounds bin and hopper for easier cleaning but always dry the parts properly.
- Performance
There are forty-step adjustments for grind size, so you can make espresso grind as well as French Press grind. In addition, it can handle the coarse grind if you like to make a cold brew.
It promises consistent coffee grinds, even if you want to make the finest coffee grind. Also, there is a thermal overload cutout that offers motor protection caused by overheating.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that both these coffee grinders are beginner-friendly. You have to choose the Baratza Encore coffee grinder if you like espresso because the OXO coffee grinder doesn’t have this feature!