Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder ZCG495BLK, Black

First, know this is a basic model espresso and coffee grinder that doesn't have any unnecessary features. It grinds beans well and is easy to adjust in a wide range of very fine to very coarse. It's made so that all the parts can be replaced to support years of use. But you'll need a good coffee scale and some patience to dial in good espresso. It's stylish enough to not look bad on the counter, but nothing fancy. The retention isn't too bad. There's a fair amount of spraying of grounds around the side from static, but you can easily mitigate this with a couple drops of water to reduce static. The hopper works fine for single dose espresso, though you may want to buy the single-dose specific attachment. It's loud but not horribly so. After a few weeks of use, I'm very pleased with the grinder.

I did a LOT of research before purchasing the Encore ESP grinder. I guess I am now officially down the coffee rabbit hole. So why did I end up with the Encore ESP? 1) Baratza reputation which is excellent throughout the coffee lover's community 2) Customer service. I couldn't find a negative comment regarding Baratza customer service. (See video for more info regarding my customer service experience) 3) Capabilities. Able to grind all the way from espresso to cold brew 4) Price. For someone just beginning to expand their coffee experience beyond buying pre- ground coffee I didn't want to spend too much up front. However, I wanted something durable and capable of grinding a wide range of quality ground sizes. 5) Longevity. I wanted the grinder to last! Everything I read about Baratza grinders was they last and last. And if they break, Baratza actually WANTS to help get the grinder fixed! Pro's: 1) Easy to use 2) Easy to clean. No tools needed. Easy to remove ring burr and clean inside. 3) Compact but easily capable of grinding anywhere from a single dose of grounds to a 12 cup coffee maker's load of grounds. 4) Wide range of grind sizes. And, based on reviews by people who know a lot more than I do about coffee grinding, grind sizes are very consistent. 5) Fresh ground coffee smell. Could be the best smell in the world. 6) Customer service, customer service, customer service! Con's: 1) I wish I could have afforded to buy the Barazta Forte BG. Well, maybe someday. Post purchase suggestions: 1) Watch my video! Make sure you check your quick release knob. If you have the old version contact Baratza and they will send you the new style for free. Why? The original quick release knob has a tendency to work its way loose during grinding. This may cause your grind sizes to be very inconsistent. 2) If you don't own a coffee scale yet, get one! Trust me, you really shouldn't be grinding coffee and not own a scale. You can but I'll bet you will want one. 3) Get yourself an Atomizer Sprayer. Spraying your beans before grinding will all but eliminate static. It takes very little water so don't go overboard. 4) Regret not buying the Encore ESP a long time ago. That's about it, I hope you found something helpful in this review. I truly believe you won't regret your purchase. There's nothing about this grinder that shouldn't last for years to come. And if by chance you need to replace the burrs or something else wears out, Baratza offers all of the parts on their online store. You can pretty much rrebuild this ground from the frame up. Most importantly, enjoy the smell of fresh ground coffee, better tasting coffee and the experience of grinding your own beans!

Overall, this is a great grinder for the $200 price point! It is awesome to see companies get closer to the budget range for well built espresso grinders. The 20 steps of small adjustments for espresso are great, and the ability to jump into coarse grinds for filter coffee is also nice to have. It definitely isn't amazing at any particular thing, but it does a good job across the board for those looking to get into grinding their own beans! The Good & Notable Upgrades Getting this grinder over the original is worth the $50. - Super easy adjustments - The first 20 steps are very small and are meant for dialing in espresso. Once you hit step 21, the thread changes and each step becomes larger which allows for a lot of options between 21-40. Twisting the bean hopper to change grind size is super great. - Single-dose cup - The included single dose cup as well as the full bin is a nice touch. - Easy cleaning - This version allows the entire burr set to be removed for cleaning, which is a major improvement over the original where the bottom burr could only be removed if you tore most of the grinder apart. This will definitely help with longevity. The Bad I've got two main complaints about this grinder: - Noise - True to the Baratza name, this grinder is very loud. Those who live with you will definitely know you're making coffee. - Retention - This grinder has a notable amount of retention on the first grind, I measured ~0.7g of the bean I was using. This isn't a huge issue on its own, but I've found it can end up causing grounds to fall out and make a mess. I've gotten used to rocking the unit back and forth a couple times which helps, but I still seem to end up with grounds on the bottom quite often. I've found that the 3rd party single dose hopper with the bellow (~$40) almost completely solves for this issue.

A well built burr grinder with a wide range of settings from espresso (and finer) to french press and cold brew. The chute will occasionally spill some grounds when grinding oilier beans, but retention is minimal and it's very easy to clean from the top and bottom ends. Some small caveats: the first time I removed the hopper, the top seal came with it, and then came off on my counter... which led to a big mess when grinding when I re-inserted the hopper. Once that was replaced, all was good! Also, lining up the hopper to re-insert after removal is a bit finicky but nothing you can't get used to. Finally, I'm using an add-on "single-dose" hopper for ~ everything now since it's large enough for both truly single-dose (1 shot) use and making a 1L French Press, so the big hopper the grinder came with is mostly a counter decoration. The ground coffee is still a bit staticy, but that is a minor point as it generally ends up where it needs to (with the caveat of oily beans above). Overall I'd give this a solid 4.5/5.

great grinder, have it for a year so far and no issues. I use it for espresso and pour over. the range is really nice to have and the espresso grind setting is verry fine. I just wish the steps were a little bit closer together in the espresso side to really dial in. rather than that, nothing bad to say.

On off switch stopped working, started turning off and on on its own. Will update review once I hear back from seller

Muy buen molino. La construcción se siente sólida y elegante, tanto del molino como de los accesorios que incluye. En las cantidades de café que uso (<50 g, unas 3 veces por semana), muele muy bien el café, y el mismo queda homogéneo y tan fino/grueso como se espera. La cantidad de ajustes que tiene para la medida del molido son más que suficientes para prepara cafés con distintas notas de sabor, y poder adaptarse a los gustos personales de muchas personas. Además, la parte exterior es fácil de desarmar para poder limpiar las principales partes del mismo. Algunos inconvenientes menores del mismo, son: 1) Es un poco ruidoso. No tanto como algunas reseñas lo hacen ver (a mí ni me molesta), pero sí algo más que otros molinos “premium”. 2) Antes resaltaba que es fácil de desarmar la parte exterior para poder limpiarlo, sin embargo, no pasa lo mismo con las partes del interior. El problema es que una muy pequeña cantidad de restos o partículas de café molido pueden quedar atrapados en algunas partes del interior del molino, que no son tan fáciles de limpiar. Algunas personas utilizan un soplador de aire o una aspiradora para tratar de removerlas. Otra opción podría ser desarmar casi por completo el molino, para exponer y limpiar dichas partes con facilidad. Como la cantidad de restos es muy pequeña y son partículas finas, no creo que causen problemas, siempre y cuando las partes removibles y el exterior se limpien muy bien, y con cierta frecuencia según el uso. ***ACTUALIZACIÓN: después de más de un par de años de uso, el molino sigue funcionando sin problemas, y ni siquiera he tenido que limpiar esas partes del interior, por lo que parece que la filtración de partículas de café es menos problemático de lo que pensaba. 3) Desde el primer uso noté que la pestaña de ajuste del grueso del molido no se alineaba al 100% con las marcas grabadas en el molino. Podría ser un error de impresión de las marcas o de falta de calibración en el mecanismo de ajuste. De todos modos, puedo confirmar que esto no afecta la calidad del molido. Además, a veces llevando la pestaña de ajuste hasta el mínimo, parece que es suficiente para "recalibrar" la pestaña y que coincida con las marcas impresas en el molino. Como los considero inconvenientes menores, mantengo la calificación de 5 estrellas. Pero claro, si tienes el presupuesto y/o una exigencia por obtener un molido superior, hay otros molinos que seguro serían mejores opciones.

Salió buenísima. Muele con una consistencia muy pareja, es fácil de ajustar y el resultado se nota en la taza. Funciona perfecto para uso diario, no hace tanto ruido y se siente robusto. Después de varios meses de uso constante, sigue trabajando igual de bien. Muy buena compra para quien quiere mejorar su café en casa o hasta en negocio pequeño.

Thus far, this grinder is working perfectly. It's easy to use and makes a great addition to my espresso station