Baratza · Grinders
Baratza Encore ESP
$200
Pricing coming soonThe Encore ESP is Baratza's answer to a specific, common problem: the beloved plain Encore made great drip but couldn't quite reach espresso, so people outgrew it the moment they bought a machine. The ESP re-gears the same friendly grinder to grind fine enough for a real shot, which makes it one of the few genuinely do-it-all first grinders — good espresso in the morning, pour-over on the weekend.
What you're not getting is the cup clarity of a big flat-burr grinder; the 40 mm conical burrs produce a rounder, more blended shot than a 64 mm flat set. What you are getting is a grinder that's easy to live with and, crucially, cheap to keep alive — Baratza's parts-and-repair support is the best in the category, and a worn part is a ten-dollar fix rather than a new purchase.
We assess it here from its specs, its lineage, and the broad consensus of owners rather than from our own counter. For a first espresso grinder on a budget that you won't have to replace in a year, it's the one we'd point most people toward.
Baratza took the grinder that taught a generation to make good drip and re-geared it to actually reach espresso, which makes the ESP a rare do-it-all first grinder. It won't out-clarity a flat-burr single-doser, but it's honest, easy to live with, and backed by a company that famously sells you a $10 replacement part instead of a new grinder.
Specs, in plain language
| Burr type | ConicalFlat burrs lean toward clarity; conical toward body and forgiveness. |
|---|---|
| Burr size | 40 mm |
| Grind adjustment | 40 steps |
| Single-dosing | NoGrinds one dose at a time with low retention — cleaner dialing in. |
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We haven't tested this one ourselves. The assessment above is drawn from specs and credible reviews, honestly framed. How we test.
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