Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Forty grind steps and a parts-and-repair program, so a worn burr or gear does not mean a new grinder.
- 40 settings
- Parts sold
- Pulse button
Coffee gear
Baratza Encore vs OXO Brew: which burr grinder should you buy?
Short version: buy the Baratza Encore if you want a grinder you can keep running for a decade; buy the OXO Brew if you want the lower price and a set-and-walk-away timer. Neither is an espresso grinder.
The Baratza Encore and the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder are the two burr grinders most people shortlist for drip, pour-over and French press. They use the same size of burr (40 mm conical), so the choice comes down to three things: how finely you can adjust, whether you can fix it, and whether you want a timer.
Based on Specialty Coffee Association · Baratza · OXO
Which one should you buy?
OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
The same burr size for less money, plus a one-touch timer that repeats your dose every morning.
- 15 settings + micro
- Timer
- 12 oz hopper
We don't list prices because they change daily; Amazon shows the current price and stock when you click. We earn a commission on purchases, which never decides a pick. How we choose.
The short answer: Choose the Baratza Encore for 40 grind steps and sold-separately replacement parts. Choose the OXO Brew to spend less and get a one-touch timer. If espresso is in your future, skip both and look at the Fellow Opus or Encore ESP.
This is a focused guide. For the full category with every pick, read the best coffee grinder.
Baratza Encore vs OXO Brew: spec by spec
Swipe the table sideways to see both →
| Spec | Best for longevityBaratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder | Best for the priceOXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder |
|---|---|---|
| Burrs | 40 mm conical steel | 40 mm conical stainless |
| Grind settings | 40 steps | 15 main settings plus micro-adjustments |
| Controls | On/off switch + front pulse button | Dial + one-touch timer |
| Timer | No | Yes |
| Repair support | Burrs, gears and parts sold; repair guides | Limited parts support |
| Espresso | No (Encore ESP is the espresso version) | No |
| Best for | Keep-it-10-years buyers | Daily drip on a budget |
| Price & stock | Check price | Check price |
Why pick Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder?
The Encore wins on adjustability. Forty steps from fine to coarse means the jump between neighboring settings is small, which matters when you are dialing in pour-over: one click finer can fix a sour cup without overshooting into bitter.
Its bigger long-term advantage is repair. Baratza sells replacement burrs, gearboxes and smaller parts, and publishes repair guides, so the most common failures in a home grinder are a parts order rather than a landfill trip. Over five to ten years that tends to erase the price gap with the OXO.
What you give up: there is no timer. You either hold the front pulse button or switch it on and watch the bin, so dosing is by eye or by weighing beans first, which is what most careful brewers do anyway.
Great if you
- Brew pour-over and want small adjustment steps
- Plan to keep a grinder for many years
- Weigh your beans before grinding anyway
Skip it if you
- Want a timer to walk away from
- Need to spend as little as possible
- Want to grind for espresso
Key specs
- Burrs
- 40 mm conical, steel
- Grind settings
- 40
- Controls
- On/off switch and pulse button
- Repair
- Replacement parts and guides from Baratza
- Model
- ZCG485BLK
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee GrinderOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon Why pick OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder?
The OXO Brew is the easier grinder to live with on a weekday. Set the timer once, press the button, and it grinds the same amount every time while you do something else. For a single drip brewer that is genuinely useful.
It has 15 main settings with micro-adjustments in between. That is plenty for drip and French press, and workable for pour-over, but the steps are coarser than the Encore’s, so fine-tuning a pour-over recipe takes more trial and error.
The tradeoff is long-term support. OXO does not run a parts program like Baratza’s, so if the motor or burr carrier fails out of warranty, replacement is the likely outcome.
Great if you
- Brew one drip pot most mornings
- Like a repeatable timed dose
- Want a burr grinder at the lowest price of the two
Skip it if you
- Fine-tune pour-over recipes closely
- Want parts and repair support
- Want espresso
Key specs
- Burrs
- 40 mm conical, stainless steel
- Settings
- 15 plus micro-adjustments
- Hopper
- 12 oz
- Controls
- One-touch timer
- Colors
- Silver, matte black
OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee GrinderOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon How to choose between the Encore and the OXO
On paper these grinders are close: both are 40 mm conical burr grinders aimed at filter coffee, and either is a large step up from a blade grinder. Three questions decide it.
How fussy is your brewing?
Pour-over rewards small steps between settings. If you change grind to chase a better cup, the Encore’s 40 steps are easier to work with than 15 settings plus micro-steps.
Do you want to walk away?
The OXO’s timer gives you a repeatable dose without watching. With the Encore you hold the pulse button or weigh beans first.
How long will you keep it?
Grinders wear. Baratza sells burrs and parts and publishes repair guides; OXO offers less. If you keep appliances for a decade, that matters more than the sticker price.
Neither is for espresso
Espresso needs much finer, finer-stepped grinding. Baratza’s Encore ESP or the Fellow Opus from our main guide cover that.
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee GrinderOpens Amazon; the live price and stock are shown there.
Check price on Amazon Baratza Encore vs OXO Brew: common questions
Do the Baratza Encore and OXO Brew grind equally well?
For drip and French press most people will not taste a big difference: both use 40 mm conical burrs. The Encore’s smaller steps make it easier to fine-tune pour-over.
Can either grinder make espresso?
Not well for most machines. Both are designed for filter coffee. Baratza makes the Encore ESP for espresso, and the Fellow Opus covers espresso to cold brew.
Which is quieter?
Neither manufacturer publishes comparable noise figures, so we don’t rank them on noise. Both are motor-driven burr grinders and are louder than a manual grinder.
Can I replace the burrs?
Baratza sells replacement burrs and parts for the Encore. Check OXO’s support page for what is available for the Brew; parts support is more limited.
Which is better for French press?
Both reach a coarse French press grind. Pick on the other factors: price and timer (OXO) or adjustability and repair (Encore).
How we compared them
We compared the two grinders using Baratza’s and OXO’s own specifications and support pages: burr size and material, number of settings, controls, hopper and parts availability. We weighed those against what matters for filter brewing according to the Specialty Coffee Association’s guidance on grind and extraction.
We have not hands-on tested these products; we compare published specifications, independent measurements and manufacturer documentation, and we update this page when models change. Read the full methodology.
What sources did we use?
- Baratza: Encore product and support pages (accessed October 23, 2026)
- OXO: Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder (accessed October 23, 2026)
- Specialty Coffee Association (accessed October 23, 2026)