Baratza · Conical burrEncore ESP
The Encore ESP is Baratza's espresso-oriented reimagining of their classic Encore, fitting 40mm M2 conical burrs and a dual-resolution stepped collar into a sub-$200 package that handles both espresso and filter from one grinder.
The short version
A capable entry point for anyone who wants a single grinder that dials in espresso without demanding a second machine for filter work.
Accept that the plastic body is lightweight, static management requires effort, and retention of 2–3g makes true single-dosing impractical without workflow adjustments.
Why people buy it
- Dual-resolution collar gives genuine espresso resolution at ~20 microns per click across the first 20 steps, a real improvement over the original Encore's 90-micron increments throughout
- 40mm M2 conical steel burrs manufactured in Europe, quick-release with no tools for cleaning — parts stocked and sold directly by Baratza for multi-year repairability
Why they don’t
- Plastic housing flexes and sounds hollow — does not feel premium next to similarly priced competitors like the Fellow Opus
The full tally
- Dual-resolution collar gives genuine espresso resolution at ~20 microns per click across the first 20 steps, a real improvement over the original Encore's 90-micron increments throughout
- 40mm M2 conical steel burrs manufactured in Europe, quick-release with no tools for cleaning — parts stocked and sold directly by Baratza for multi-year repairability
- Dosing cup fits both 54mm and 58mm portafilters out of the box; included shims allow finer settings for light roasts without buying extra accessories
- Compact footprint (13 × 15 × 34 cm) and light weight keep it from dominating the counter
- Plastic housing flexes and sounds hollow — does not feel premium next to similarly priced competitors like the Fellow Opus
- 2–3g retention makes single-dosing messy without RDT or grind-through workflow; static cling is real in dry environments
- Stepped (not stepless) adjustment means fine espresso tuning is limited to 20 discrete micro-steps; coarser adjustment resolution than the newer Encore ESP Pro
What the community knows
Years of owner threads, distilled — strongly recommended.
The former budget-espresso default — the 2025 crown moved to the DF54 on specs, but the ESP's case never changed: Baratza support ("parts in ten years"), one grinder for every method, zero drama.
Beginner fit
kind to first-timers
Value
price-to-performance the community respects
Ecosystem
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
All 8 community measures
price-to-performance the community respects
shows up every morning, year after year
parts and repairs — you are never stranded
mods, guides, and community know-how around it
kind to first-timers
years before you outgrow or replace it
how far the cup can go, per dollar
Worth knowing before you buy — Most owners wish they'd invested the difference into a burr upgrade grinder sooner — the ESP teaches espresso basics but its conical burr plateau becomes visible around 4-6 months in.
Known weak points — Conical burr wear at extended espresso use; motor strain under heavy daily loads; dosing cup retention clips brittle with age
The measurements
Scored 0–5 on the same rubric as everything on file — the words matter more than the numbers.
The measurements
0–5, one rubric- Espresso
- entry3
- Versatility
- narrow3
- Built to last
- fair3
Position in the market
Every dot is a rival, measured the same way. The gold one is this.
- Lower half for espresso suitability
- a higher ceiling than 34 of the 154 grinders we’ve measured
- A value pick at this level
- 89% of grinders this capable cost more
- Lower half for build
- sturdier than 12% of the field, by the community’s own record
Every dot is a grinder measured on the same rubric. See the whole market
Living with it
The part spec sheets skip: counter space, upkeep, and what owners learn later.
The honest note — Owners typically outgrow the Encore ESP when they move to a pressure-profiling or flow-control machine and need stepless adjustment and lower retention. Common upgrades: Baratza Vario+, Niche Zero, DF54/DF64, or Fellow Opus Grind (flat-burr). The ESP Pro is the natural in-family step-up with stepless adjustment and anti-static technology.
The full spec sheet
- Class
- Entry espresso-capable
- Burrs
- conical
- Drive
- Electric
- Clarity lean
- Syrup & body
- Espresso suitability
- 3/5
- Brew versatility
- 3/5
- Retention
- ~2.5 g
- Single dosing
- Yes
- Hopper
- 300 g
- Workflow demand
- 2/5
- Maintenance
- 2/5
- Noise
- 3/5
- Build longevity
- 3/5
- Dimensions
- 13 × 15 × 34 cm
Before it arrives
What completes this grinder — the faded pieces can wait.
Coffee scale with timer — Espresso is a ratio. A 0.1g scale with a built-in timer is the single biggest consistency upgrade for any manual machine.
- Coffee scale with timer — Espresso is a ratio. A 0.1g scale with a built-in timer is the single biggest consistency upgrade for any manual machine.
- Dosing cup — Pairs with single-dose grinding — grind into the cup, swirl, and transfer to the portafilter cleanly.
- Grinder cleaning kit — Brushes and grinder tablets keep retention and stale grounds in check.
Feed it right
Week one is dial-in — and stale beans will lose it.
Coffee more than a few weeks past roast won’t extract predictably, and a new grinder gets blamed for it. These burrs pull syrup — naturals and classic medium roasts play straight into their character.
Pick your coffee — any of these dials in beautifully here:
Highland Elixir - Papua New Guinean Sigri PlantationSCA 86Medium-dark · Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands · WashedBright Citrus · Caramel SweetnessSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$22.43 · roasted to order
Lavabloom - Indonesian Sumatra MandhelingMedium-dark · Mount Leuser, Sumatra · Wet Hulled (Giling Basah)Dark Earth · Bittersweet ChocolateSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$19.02 · roasted to order
Wild Ember - Ethiopian Buno Dambi UddoSCA 92Medium roast · Odo Shakiso, Guji Zone, Oromia · NaturalBlueberry · MarmaladeSyrup and body, matched to these burrs.CA$26.83 · roasted to orderWhole bean, dated, ready for your burrs the week it lands.
Roasted to order, daily, in Ajax, Ontario · ships Canada-wide. We’re the roastery behind this database — measuring the machines is how we make sure the coffee gets a fair shot.
On film
How it runs on camera, from around the community.
Common questions
Can the Encore ESP grind fine enough for espresso without shims?
Yes for most espresso setups. Settings 1–20 are calibrated for espresso at ~20 microns per click. Shims (included) allow access to even finer settings for light roasts or very tight shot parameters.
Does the Encore ESP support true single dosing?
It can be used single-dose style — you weigh beans and grind directly into the dosing cup — but retention of roughly 2–3g means the first few grams of a new dose will be stale grounds from the previous grind. Using RDT (a light water spritz on beans) and a grind-through workflow is the common workaround.
What is the difference between the Encore ESP and the Encore ESP Pro?
The original ESP uses a stepped collar with 40 discrete settings and a plastic-dominant body. The ESP Pro (released 2025) adds fully stepless adjustment, a digital grind-setting display with espresso-range indicator, auto-stop single-dose mode, timed grinding mode, integrated anti-static ionization, and an anodized cast-zinc body. The Pro also offers approximately 200% more resolution in the espresso range according to Baratza.
What portafilter basket sizes does the dosing cup fit?
The included dosing cup fits 54mm portafilters natively, and a 58mm adapter ring is included, covering most home espresso machines.
Worth comparing
Turin / MiiCoffee
DF54
A 54mm flat-burr single-dose electric grinder that brings near-zero retention, stepless adjustment, and a plasma ionizer to a price bracket that previously offered only conical burrs — distributed under multiple private labels including Turin, MiiCoffee, and others.
US$229–249
Baratza
Encore
The Encore is the archetypal entry-level burr grinder — cheap, repairable, and genuinely wide-ranging for filter brewing. Espresso dialing is its known soft spot; the stepped adjustment gives 90-micron jumps at fine settings, which is more guesswork than craft.
US$119–175 · CA$195–200
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