Dear Wirecutter: Should I Upgrade My Grinder or Coffee Maker First?
Q: If I can only afford to upgrade a just-ok drip coffee maker or a just-ok burr grinder, which will make more of a difference?
This grinder trounces competitors in its price range on grind-size consistency, which makes brewing great-tasting coffee easier.
A: Short answer: Get the grinder. Matt Buchanan, now the features editor at Eater, explains the primacy of the grinder in version 1.0 of our coffee-gear review from fall 2012:
Whether you brew with an Aeropress, French Press, Chemex or Clever, you’re going to spend more money on a grinder than the actual brewing gear. And that’s okay, because it’s the most important piece of coffee gear you’ll own. That’s because it all starts with the grinder. Well, yes, it technically starts with the coffee. But assuming you have good, fresh-roasted, whole-bean coffee, the grinder is the first potential failure point.
Making good coffee is ultimately about extraction. You want even extraction. The first step to an extraction is an even grind — and you want the particles to be as close to the same size as possible.
Unfortunately, good grinds are hard to find at (what most people would consider to be) affordable prices. As we discovered during our most recent round of grinder testing, sub-$100 electric burr grinders don’t perform noticeably better than $20 blade grinders. Decent electric burr grinders start at $100, but around $200 is where you really start to get great consistency. Jumping from your mediocre burr grinder to any of our current picks should produce an immediately noticeable improvement in your coffee routine. Personally, I think the top pick is worth the premium, because it’s noticeably quieter (it’s still loud, just not as loud) and it performs better at drip-coffee settings.
The Wirecutter’s editors answer reader questions all the time (much more than once a week). Send an email to notes@thewirecutter.com, or talk to us on Twitter and Facebook. Published questions are edited for space and clarity.
Further reading
Making Espresso at Home Is Kind of a Nightmare—But If You Insist, Here’s How to Do It Well
by Brian Lam
Making home espresso is hard to do right. But if you really want café-quality drinks, here’s what you need to know.
The Best Keurig Machine (But We Really Don’t Recommend It)
by Sabrina Imbler
Keurig machines brew expensive coffee that we didn't find particularly strong or tasty. And they often break within warranty, all while taking a toll on the environment.
5 Cheap(ish) Things to Upgrade Your Coffee Experience
by Joanne Chen
In addition to a grinder and good beans, a good storage container, a scale, a dripper, and two other things can make a big difference.
The Best Coffee Makers
by Wirecutter Staff
We think the easiest way to make good coffee is with the Bonavita Enthusiast 8-Cup Coffee Brewer. We also have picks for a budget option, an espresso machine, and more.
