Would the baratza encore be an upgrade from my 10 plus year old Breville sgp? I brew moccamaster and chemex. I can’t afford more than the encore price point and hand grinders aren’t a good option for us.
Encore is a decent grinder and pairs fine with the moccamaster. I found it produces quite a bit of fines but the brews were decent, and I always seemed to somehow break the burr carrier (plastic ring that is easily replaceable). When it died after 7 years I replaced it with the Fellow Ode Gen 2 which was night and day difference in brew consistency and taste. Although the cheapest new ode gen 2 I can find is €279 in Germany. That’s a good price for what it’s worth.
I’ll chime in again given other comments. You have given a price point of around $150 and stated no manual grinders. That severely limits choices.
The Encore is still a solid contender. It would be an upgrade to your current grinder. The burrs on your 10 year old Breville are a bit dull by now.
The Shardor someone mentioned is a solid choice. The reputation for longevity an repairability is not there, but given its use of 64mm flat burrs it opens flavor profiles the Encore can’t. It’s no Ode 2 but probably yields better cups than the encore. YouTube is your friend.
The Fellow Opus is another contender, and at $200 not too much more than an Encore ($150).
Sadly, you’ve missed the best pricing of the year. Set price alerts on Amazon… there may be sales between now and New Year. Fellow (Opus) runs discounts so you could subscribe to their email list. If you could stretch your budget to the Ode 2 it’s an exceptional pourover grinder.
Is the opus as reliable as the encore and ode 2? That’s a price I could handle. Longevity is important. The Breville has been reliable and the burrs have been replaced a few years ago too.
I know only one person that owns an Opus. Flawless for him. The YouTube reviews I watched on the Opus were favorable. Fellow may offer parts.
If you replaced the burrs on your Breville, an Encore would be a sidestep and not much of an upgrade, except for the reliability of a new machine. Encore may possibly a slight upgrade. For cup quality start saving for that Ode 2. They run $320 on sale, and are night and day different than what you are drinking now. The Shardor uses 64mm flats but the stock burrs are no where as good as the Ode. Adding a great burr set puts the price in Ode territory.
If you’re looking for next level cups you’ll have to up your budget…
Thanks! I got a scale that automatically chimes when the ratio is reached for our chemex too. Excited to pitch the nespresso and have way better pour over! 😍
Personally, I did notice a bump in grind consistency when I switched to the Encore, especially for pourover and drip. It’s not a “night and day” switch but definitely an upgrade in my experience. If you’re mostly doing Moccamaster and Chemex, I think you’ll be happy with it at that price point!
I don 't think it's nearly enough to bother with. It was my first decent grinder and it's certainly better than cheap stuff but I feel like it's really overrated here. I don't recommend it, honestly.
I disliked the Encore as a grinder for pourovers. I found it produced too many fines and the grind size distribution lead to uneven extractions. Dialing in a bean could be anywhere between 14 and 22. It's not that it can't produce good cups - it can, but it took a lot of work I'd rather not do. I upgraded to a Fellow Ode 2 and enjoy that much more for pourover. It's easier to dial in, faster, smaller, and quieter. It's also more than double the price of the Encore so that's something to consider.
That said, the Encore still works and it produces good cups for other non-pourover methods. Its also really easy to clean and maintain and you'll never have an issue with getting affordable parts.
For reference my pourover brewer is just a V60 or B75. A Moccamaster is probably quite forgiving with an Encore or even the grinder you currently have.
I said I wasn’t going to but I did. Is a regular kitchen scale adequate? Or should I invest in something else? Hario scale? Any small scale recommendations that are cheap. Lol
I used a cheap Bagtail scale for a bit before upgrading to a Black Mirror 2. I think it's okay to skimp on a scale temporarily so long as it gives you a reliable reading
I found the maestri house s3. Looks great for my husband to brew Chemex with the chime when the ratio is reached! And I had a gift card to use with it! Yay. I’m nervous and excited for my new gear! Lol
I've been doing nothing but looking on Reddit for grinders the last 2 weeks. The Baratza Encore has terrible ratings from all the reviews I've been able to find.
Edit: If you don't believe me, you can just search this subreddit.
I have an Encore. It works. The coffee doesn’t suck when I grind with it. It’s quieter and better than the old Cuisinart I used to have.
In the future I would probably spend that money on a really good hand grinder instead of an Encore. But I’ve got it now, so I use it. I didn’t know hand grinders could actually be fast and efficient since I’d only used a crappy Hario one before. Ah well.
There's already one full review in the reply to this post with someone who owns one. It says the same thing. The Baratza Encore ESP is an overhyped machine that is not very good. Who cares what reviews say, redditors on this sub and others have written it in stone. It clogs and has retention issues. It's not a very good machine.
I'd you still don't believe me just type "Encore ESP Reddit" into Google. Tap the button to see everything and go through them yourself.
It's expensive for a conical grinder too without replacement burrs. It's otherwise generally fine with no motor replacements, so I'm sure it's QC is good.
The ESP is a different grinder. I’m not recommending the ESP, which is $50 more than the Encore. I gifted them to my brother and son in law and in both cases had them returned to Amazon for a swap to an Encore. Not sure if there were user error issues, but both of them love the Encore.
This redditor used an Encore for seven years with zero clogs. Retention was not an issue with a couple taps to the side of the machine. At $150 it is inexpensive for a quality conical grinder, and replacement burrs are cheap and readily available. I’ve gifted a total of four to friends and family, and everyone loves them. That’s written in stone.
Glad you like it. In my country the regular Encore is $200 USD. For another $50 you can just get a DF54 shipped. The encore is fine I'm sure. If you're someone like me and OP looking for an entry level after all the research YouTube videos, reddit reviews, you can understand why we'd just skip both encores completely.
I'm going to reiterate the main points of the ESP here:
It's $200 or $250 USD on Amazon where I live. That means it's semi-expensive.
There are no replacement burrs
YouTube videos give it a mid rating.
Quality is good and it's generally a good machine
There are a multitude of bad Reddit reviews
You can just get a K6 or go with something similar or only slightly higher with replacement burrs.
Brigade me if you want. I'm in the market for a grinder and I've been pouring over reddit reviews and YouTube videos constantly to figure out what to buy. I've given my best advice based on the current research I've been doing. Sorry if you don't like my opinion. Have a great day....
You’re the only one talking about the ESP. And by the way, there is an Etzinger M2 burr upgrade for the ESP, in addition to stock burrs available from Baratza. Cheap.
And yes… a DF54 would be another great option. Plenty of bad reviews for them here as well…
I have not. For straight up coffee maker coffee it's more than acceptable, but then, anything would be ok. Just buy powder.
For pourover, I'm probably just going to go with a Kingrinder K6. The most resonable flat burr grinder is the DF54 and people are saying the K6 makes a better pourover. The Ode gen 2 gets favorable Reddit reviews but that's another $150 where I live. Here's a simple breakdown of my past 2 weeks scouring reddit.
For pourover:
Encore ESP,
No. Also problems with retention.
DF54:
This has brew burrs which would make a better pourover. If you live outside the US getting one right now from a non-shady site is impossible. Price is good
Ode gen 2:
Great for pourover, but more expensive. I just can't spend that much money. Also has brew burrs. Probably the best on this list.
Kingrinder K6:
Not expensive, but manual grinder. Gets excellent reviews on Reddit. Highly praised for pourover. Makes a better pourover than the DF54 people say.
I'm still looking and scouring, but this just seems like the Reddit consensus....Buy what suits you best.
Varia vs3:
Reddit says the motor will die on you soon after the warranty expires. There's multiple threads about it. Otherwise the burr options are great and it makes amazing pourover and espresso. While it's still working I guess.
Tbf, I find a lot of negative reviews for popular grinders come down to user error. People claim it jams but they're ignoring the explicit instructions to run the grinder when adjusting grind setting and not to use oily or flavored beans. Do those things + weekly cleaning and it'll be rocksolid.
The Baratza Encore is a very capable choice. Used mine 7 years and gave it to my son in law. If that is your budget limit it will serve you very well.
My first grinder when I got into the hobby 5 years ago and still going strong for my daily v60 and weekend chemex.
The Encore is not an upgrade from the Breville SGP. If your Breville SGP is still doing the job, stay with it.
My issue is the consistency. I’ve head the encore is better.
It’s not significantly better—to use a car analogy, you would be trading a Honda Accord for a Toyota Camry. If you want an upgrade from your Breville SGP, but can’t spend more than $200, I recommend either the Shardor 64 flat burr grinder for $169 on Amazon or the MOKKOM 64 flat burr grinder for $179 on Amazon, assuming you are in the US.
Encore is a decent grinder and pairs fine with the moccamaster. I found it produces quite a bit of fines but the brews were decent, and I always seemed to somehow break the burr carrier (plastic ring that is easily replaceable). When it died after 7 years I replaced it with the Fellow Ode Gen 2 which was night and day difference in brew consistency and taste. Although the cheapest new ode gen 2 I can find is €279 in Germany. That’s a good price for what it’s worth.
I’ll chime in again given other comments. You have given a price point of around $150 and stated no manual grinders. That severely limits choices.
The Encore is still a solid contender. It would be an upgrade to your current grinder. The burrs on your 10 year old Breville are a bit dull by now.
The Shardor someone mentioned is a solid choice. The reputation for longevity an repairability is not there, but given its use of 64mm flat burrs it opens flavor profiles the Encore can’t. It’s no Ode 2 but probably yields better cups than the encore. YouTube is your friend.
The Fellow Opus is another contender, and at $200 not too much more than an Encore ($150).
Sadly, you’ve missed the best pricing of the year. Set price alerts on Amazon… there may be sales between now and New Year. Fellow (Opus) runs discounts so you could subscribe to their email list. If you could stretch your budget to the Ode 2 it’s an exceptional pourover grinder.
Is the opus as reliable as the encore and ode 2? That’s a price I could handle. Longevity is important. The Breville has been reliable and the burrs have been replaced a few years ago too.
I know only one person that owns an Opus. Flawless for him. The YouTube reviews I watched on the Opus were favorable. Fellow may offer parts.
If you replaced the burrs on your Breville, an Encore would be a sidestep and not much of an upgrade, except for the reliability of a new machine. Encore may possibly a slight upgrade. For cup quality start saving for that Ode 2. They run $320 on sale, and are night and day different than what you are drinking now. The Shardor uses 64mm flats but the stock burrs are no where as good as the Ode. Adding a great burr set puts the price in Ode territory.
If you’re looking for next level cups you’ll have to up your budget…
I got the ode. 😬
You’ll never regret that! Let us know how you enjoy the cups!!
Thanks! I got a scale that automatically chimes when the ratio is reached for our chemex too. Excited to pitch the nespresso and have way better pour over! 😍
Never knew that was a thing!! Fabulous!
Super affordable it’s the maestri house s3
Buy once, cry once! Congrats--the Ode is an excellent filter coffee grinder! 😊
It was my first grinder when I first started my journey, and I think it’s definitely good enough, especially if it’s within your budget!
I use mine regularly and like it. I’ve had it almost three years and everything works fine. It grinds coffee that tastes good when I brew it.
If I were to buy a grinder again with what I know now, I would get a good hand grinder instead. $150 can get a really good hand grinder.
Personally, I did notice a bump in grind consistency when I switched to the Encore, especially for pourover and drip. It’s not a “night and day” switch but definitely an upgrade in my experience. If you’re mostly doing Moccamaster and Chemex, I think you’ll be happy with it at that price point!
I don 't think it's nearly enough to bother with. It was my first decent grinder and it's certainly better than cheap stuff but I feel like it's really overrated here. I don't recommend it, honestly.
I disliked the Encore as a grinder for pourovers. I found it produced too many fines and the grind size distribution lead to uneven extractions. Dialing in a bean could be anywhere between 14 and 22. It's not that it can't produce good cups - it can, but it took a lot of work I'd rather not do. I upgraded to a Fellow Ode 2 and enjoy that much more for pourover. It's easier to dial in, faster, smaller, and quieter. It's also more than double the price of the Encore so that's something to consider.
That said, the Encore still works and it produces good cups for other non-pourover methods. Its also really easy to clean and maintain and you'll never have an issue with getting affordable parts.
For reference my pourover brewer is just a V60 or B75. A Moccamaster is probably quite forgiving with an Encore or even the grinder you currently have.
Which grinder do you go with? We use chemex a lot too.
Fellow Ode 2. It's a nearly perfect entry level grinder
I said I wasn’t going to but I did. Is a regular kitchen scale adequate? Or should I invest in something else? Hario scale? Any small scale recommendations that are cheap. Lol
I used a cheap Bagtail scale for a bit before upgrading to a Black Mirror 2. I think it's okay to skimp on a scale temporarily so long as it gives you a reliable reading
I found the maestri house s3. Looks great for my husband to brew Chemex with the chime when the ratio is reached! And I had a gift card to use with it! Yay. I’m nervous and excited for my new gear! Lol
The Maestri House S3 is an excellent scale! I have one, and it’s great! 😀
I've been doing nothing but looking on Reddit for grinders the last 2 weeks. The Baratza Encore has terrible ratings from all the reviews I've been able to find.
Edit: If you don't believe me, you can just search this subreddit.
I certainly haven’t seen terrible reviews about it. It’s a perfectly capable entry level grinder for filter coffee
I have an Encore. It works. The coffee doesn’t suck when I grind with it. It’s quieter and better than the old Cuisinart I used to have.
In the future I would probably spend that money on a really good hand grinder instead of an Encore. But I’ve got it now, so I use it. I didn’t know hand grinders could actually be fast and efficient since I’d only used a crappy Hario one before. Ah well.
This subreddit is a micro niche of pourover drinkers to be sure. Examining reviews elsewhere reveals a different story.
Again, it’s definitely not the best for the job, but in the $150 category it’s capable.
There's already one full review in the reply to this post with someone who owns one. It says the same thing. The Baratza Encore ESP is an overhyped machine that is not very good. Who cares what reviews say, redditors on this sub and others have written it in stone. It clogs and has retention issues. It's not a very good machine.
I'd you still don't believe me just type "Encore ESP Reddit" into Google. Tap the button to see everything and go through them yourself.
It's expensive for a conical grinder too without replacement burrs. It's otherwise generally fine with no motor replacements, so I'm sure it's QC is good.
The ESP is a different grinder. I’m not recommending the ESP, which is $50 more than the Encore. I gifted them to my brother and son in law and in both cases had them returned to Amazon for a swap to an Encore. Not sure if there were user error issues, but both of them love the Encore.
This redditor used an Encore for seven years with zero clogs. Retention was not an issue with a couple taps to the side of the machine. At $150 it is inexpensive for a quality conical grinder, and replacement burrs are cheap and readily available. I’ve gifted a total of four to friends and family, and everyone loves them. That’s written in stone.
Glad you like it. In my country the regular Encore is $200 USD. For another $50 you can just get a DF54 shipped. The encore is fine I'm sure. If you're someone like me and OP looking for an entry level after all the research YouTube videos, reddit reviews, you can understand why we'd just skip both encores completely.
I'm going to reiterate the main points of the ESP here:
It's $200 or $250 USD on Amazon where I live. That means it's semi-expensive.
There are no replacement burrs
YouTube videos give it a mid rating.
Quality is good and it's generally a good machine
There are a multitude of bad Reddit reviews
You can just get a K6 or go with something similar or only slightly higher with replacement burrs.
Brigade me if you want. I'm in the market for a grinder and I've been pouring over reddit reviews and YouTube videos constantly to figure out what to buy. I've given my best advice based on the current research I've been doing. Sorry if you don't like my opinion. Have a great day....
You’re the only one talking about the ESP. And by the way, there is an Etzinger M2 burr upgrade for the ESP, in addition to stock burrs available from Baratza. Cheap.
And yes… a DF54 would be another great option. Plenty of bad reviews for them here as well…
You've created over four separate replies to the original post. It's not normal and extremely suspect. You're literally reply bombing this post.
Offering advice. Enjoy…
Terrible moderation. You probably straight up work for Baratza, there's no other explanation.
Have you found any good ones yet?
I have not. For straight up coffee maker coffee it's more than acceptable, but then, anything would be ok. Just buy powder.
For pourover, I'm probably just going to go with a Kingrinder K6. The most resonable flat burr grinder is the DF54 and people are saying the K6 makes a better pourover. The Ode gen 2 gets favorable Reddit reviews but that's another $150 where I live. Here's a simple breakdown of my past 2 weeks scouring reddit.
For pourover:
Encore ESP,
No. Also problems with retention.
DF54:
This has brew burrs which would make a better pourover. If you live outside the US getting one right now from a non-shady site is impossible. Price is good
Ode gen 2:
Great for pourover, but more expensive. I just can't spend that much money. Also has brew burrs. Probably the best on this list.
Kingrinder K6:
Not expensive, but manual grinder. Gets excellent reviews on Reddit. Highly praised for pourover. Makes a better pourover than the DF54 people say.
I'm still looking and scouring, but this just seems like the Reddit consensus....Buy what suits you best.
Varia vs3:
Reddit says the motor will die on you soon after the warranty expires. There's multiple threads about it. Otherwise the burr options are great and it makes amazing pourover and espresso. While it's still working I guess.
Tbf, I find a lot of negative reviews for popular grinders come down to user error. People claim it jams but they're ignoring the explicit instructions to run the grinder when adjusting grind setting and not to use oily or flavored beans. Do those things + weekly cleaning and it'll be rocksolid.