Baratza - Encore ESP (ZCG495)

I made the jump from a basic blade grinder to the [Baratza Encore ESP](https://www.reviewni.com/product/B0BW272XCV), and wow, what a difference! If you’re just getting into espresso (like me), this upgrade is a game-changer. My old grinder gave me wildly inconsistent grind sizes, which made dialing in espresso with my Breville Bambino Plus a nightmare. The Encore ESP, with its conical burrs, fixes that -- it pumps out fine, consistent grinds every time. My espresso shots have never been more tame: way less bitterness, way less weird sourness, and no more crazy channeling. Just reliable extractions that taste the same every time. It's also super beginner-friendly, with simple controls and a smooth cleaning process (though the first time I tried to get the lower burr out, the lock-screw fought me hard, factory must’ve gorilla-tightened it). A quick tip: if you’re cleaning, watch some YouTube breakdowns and be careful with those little washers and felts. I grabbed some spare parts from the Baratza site just in case.

Encore Esp is a workhorse. It just works without a fuss.

Encore esp is pretty awesome for the price.

I am pretty sure the esp has the M burr which is touted as an upgrade. That said, you can swap in the M burr and it used to be priced around 45 usd if you could find it.

1. Manual grinders are not that bad if you're grinding for 1 cup. But not timemore c2. Get something long lasting like kingrinder k6, 1zpresso, etc. 2. In addition to being electric, electric grinders bring a level of consistency in brewing process. Hand grinder output can change based on how fast you're rotating, what angle you're holding the grinder at, etc. But if you must get an electric, dont cheap out. Cheap grinders will not grind fine and consistent enough to be respectable. The bare minimum is bartaza encore esp or the best budget being df54.

Start with the Encore. It's more than good enough for batch filter coffee. I used an Ode 2 for years and I can't say I was ever too impressed with it.

Price/value I'd go for a Baratza Encore ESP. I bought that one and a Bambino Plus last year and it has served me well. Got it for 100 quid new on Black Friday and puts out nice coffee. To get something better you have to go at least double.

Yeah definitely need a good grinder. The Baratza Encore ESP Pro just came out and is an upgrade to the Baratza Encore ESP. The original is about $100 cheaper but is missing some of the newer features that make single dosing easier and a step less grind setting. Hand grinders are also a great option and as far as quality to price it is the best option. I use a 1Zpresso K-Ultra. A great option for drip/filter and espresso coffee.

Baratza ESP gang where we at 😭

Nice! In that case I would go for the Breville and probably a Baratza Encore ESP for the grinder, should be $500 total

As the cheapest option I would recommend a manual grinder. Kingrinder would be the cheapest decent starting point, I have the P2 and it is good for espresso. As for electric grinders, I would probably look at second hand Baatza Encore ESP. if you find it on deals, maybe it's even close to your budget as new.