Here’s the thing: you can have the best quality coffee beans in your cupboard for French press coffee. But without the right grind consistency, you might as well throw the bag out the window.

French press coffee is easy enough to brew, but without the proper grind size, it can turn into the worst coffee experience in your kitchen.

In order to avoid the grind size crisis, I’ve prepared a guide on how to choose the best french press coffee grinder.

Let’s review the features and discuss everything you need to know, to make that awesome brew day after day!

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What is the best French press coffee grinder?

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• BEST OVERALL: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
• BEST MANUAL COFFEE GRINDER: Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Pro
• BEST FOR TRAVEL: JavaPresse French Press Grinder
• BEST BUDGET PICK: Cuisinart DBM-8 Burr Mill [/su_box]

Best Manual Coffee Grinder for French Press

Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton Pro – Best Overall

Hario Skerton Pro is at the higher manual coffee grinder price range. It’s a perfect addition to any coffee station; any experienced amateur barista would be thrilled to add it to their home coffee kit.

Hario Ceramic Burr Grinder is a compact gadget that’s portable and precise. Adjust the grind settings by turning the notch and choose your grind from fine to coarse. The grinder is suitable for all grind sizes; from Moka pot to French press.

What’s really handy with this grinder is that it can handle larger batches with its glass jar capacity of 100grams for about 8 cups of coffee. Ceramic burrs don’t warm up the beans during grinding, which means you’ll get a richer tasting cup of coffee every time.

This portable grinder is compact yet easy to use and clean. It’s stable enough when grinding and it produces consistent results, though it’s not best for fine grinds (espresso).

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• Several grind options
• Larger hopper (100 g bean capacity)
• Ceramic conical burrs
• Ergonomically designed handle
• Removable handle
• Portable and compact
• Easy to clean
• Not the best for finer grinds[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Not the best for finer grinds[/su_column][/su_row]

If you want a consistent French press grind in larger batches, Hario Skerton is an excellent value for money with its design, quality, and durability.

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder – Best For Budget

Javapresse continues to be one of the most popular on Amazon and for a few good reasons. Not only does this grinder let you choose from over 18 grind settings, it’s also very compact, and very portable.

If you’re looking to brew on the road, this is the grinder to pick. Javarpresse works smoothly; the mechanism is very silent and the ceramic burrs produce consistent results. What’s more, they last a lot longer than the stainless steel blades!

Javapresse is suitable for small batches on the road for those who demand complete control over the coarseness of their grind.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• More than 18 click settings
• Works with Aeropress
• Conical burr
• Minimal effort to grind
• Travel-friendly
• Great for French press coffee
• Great customer service [/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Not great for large batches[/su_column][/su_row]

Java Press coffee grinder is a sturdy gadget that’s perfect for camping trips, Sunday pick-me-up, and everything else in between. It’s silent, easy to use, and can grind up to 20g of beans consistently, according to your needs.

Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder– Best For Warranty

Stainless steel design and ceramic conical burr mean that Khaw-Fee grinder isn’t built as cheaply as some of its other cheaper alternatives.

Khaw-Fee gadget is portable, easy-to-use, small, and perfect to help you brew French press wherever you are.

This grinder comes with a wide variety of grind settings and a lifetime warranty. If you don’t like the grinder, return it for a full refund. No questions asked.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• Easy to use and clean
• Conical ceramic burr grinder
• Removable silicone base
• Portable and flexible
• Adjustable grind settings
• Lifetime warranty[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Only for smaller batches[/su_column][/su_row]

While grinding a whole cup of coffee beans is a bit time-consuming, this coffee grinder gives a consistent grind every single time. The process of grinding is slow and best for smaller batches but your beans won’t heat up and your grinds are always consistent.

Best Automatic burr grinder for French press

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder – Best Overall

If you’re looking for a quality automatic burr grinder that produces consistent results and is built to last, look no further. Baratza Encore may be slightly pricier than other competitors on the list, but it’s an excellent value for money. numerous online reviews concur.

Baratza is great for beginners and advanced coffee snobs. What’s more, it’s also an award-winning grinder by Specialty Coffee Association. Baratza is more than a home coffee grinder; you’ll find it on the top 10 lists of many coffee amateurs, experts, and baristas.

This is a durable and versatile machine that’s easily one of the best coffee grinders for the French press. With an 8oz hopper, you can be sure to get enough coffee for the whole family, quickly and effectively every morning. Encore creates static, but no more than other burr grinders.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• 40 grind settings
• Consistent grind
• Steel burrs
• User-friendly
• Durable
• Supports different brewing styles
• 1-year warranty
• Good customer service[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Noisy[/su_column][/su_row]

Honestly, Baratza is a somewhat loud grinder, but most electric machines are. This is a solid entry-level grinder that will last a long time with regular maintenance. Weigh your beans, choose your grind, and Baratza will do the rest.

Breville Smart Grinder Pro – Best For Serious Home Baristas

Breville is a no-BS grinder that’s serious about its job and its price. It is the most expensive model on the list, but it comes with some stellar features.

The conical burrs are designed to minimize heat on beans when grinding. That way, it helps to preserve the natural oils in the beans, enabling you to extract maximum flavor with each cup.

You can choose from 60 different grind settings, but what most positive reviews rave about is the fact that this machine allows you to customize just about everything before you push that start button: grind size, number of cups, grind amount.

It’s a user-friendly machine for experienced home baristas with a hopper that holds up to 1 pound of beans. From a beginner’s point of view, the number of settings on the LED screen can be a bit overwhelming though.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• 60 grind settings
• Highly customizable
• Stainless steel conical burrs
• Large hopper
• Automatic dosing system[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Quite noisy
• The dosing function isn’t precise enough
• Pricey[/su_column][/su_row]

Breville Smart Grinder is designed for those who’re serious about their brew. If you’re a beginner or someone who’s a coffee aficionado a few times a week, this one probably isn’t your best option.

Cuisineart DBM-8 Burr Mill– Best For Budget

Cuisinart DBM-8 is a bestseller automatic burr mill. It boasts thousands of stellar reviews and it’s the most automatic budget-friendly option on the list.

This grinder is straightforward and easy to use. It’s not designed for hardcore coffee snobs, it’ll do a fine job for an average coffee user. After all, Cuisinart can produce a respectable grind for pour-over, drip, filter, and French press coffee.

What’s more, it makes consistent grind sizes and it will last a long time with regular maintenance and cleaning. Overall, this is an excellent value for money.

[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]PROS

• Automatic shutoff
• Removable grind chamber
• BPA free
• Removable grind chamber
• 8oz bean hopper
• 18-month warranty[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]CONS
• Noisy grinder
• Creates static[/su_column][/su_row]

For the budget, DBM-8 is a well-built grinder that works effectively for a number of grind settings. It’s easy to use, it produces a consistent grind.

Best Grind Size for French Press

The best grind for French press is medium to coarse grind.

The first reason is that finely ground coffee escapes the mesh filter, which means you end up with coffee grounds in your cup.

The second reason is that ground coffee sits in hot water. And brewing with different methods means you leave the coffee in contact with water for a specific amount of time for a perfect extraction.

With the French press, because of how it’s brewed, using finely ground coffee would result in over-extraction. That means the brew would just not be good. By brewing your coffee with a medium to coarse grind, you can extract the full flavor of the coffee with a maximum water-to-coffee surface.

Manual or Electric Grinder?

Here’s the thing: electric grinders are faster, louder, and can grind those beans for you without any hassle. If you have a good quality electric mill, it’ll grind the coffee in no time. Add coffee beans and wait for a few seconds for the perfect and fresh grind. Unlike many manual grinders, these normally aren’t travel-friendly.

On the other hand, manual grinders require the physical effort of your hands. They’re the most traditional and some of them make a great addition to any coffee aficionado collection. You load the mill with beans and grind them by moving the handle. They’re more affordable than the electric options but sometimes a bit difficult to operate.

Blade Grinder vs Burr Grinder: What’s Better?

If you’re wondering Which is better burr or blade coffee grinders, then the straightforward answer is a burr grinder.

Here’s the thing; coffee grounds should all be of the same size. Different grounds cause coffee to extract flavors differently. Small pieces can quickly become over-extracted while bigger pieces of grounds are under-extracted. In any case, you get a brew with poor taste.

That’s why it’s important to have a solid bringer that can produce a consistent grind. The more consistent your grounds are, the more flavor you’re able to extract when brewing coffee.

Blade grinders are said to chop at the coffee. They don’t produce results that are consistent with every grind.

On the other hand, burr grinders grind coffee between rotating metal or ceramic surfaces. The grind they produce is normally more consistent. These gadgets are also pricier than blade grinders but are overall a better value for money.

Conical vs Flat Burr Grinder

There are two types of burr grinders: flat and conical.

In the world of coffee, the debate between which one’s best is still going on. There’s no easy answer, but I’ll go out on a limb here, saying that there isn’t a whole lot of difference between these two.

Ceramic vs Steel Burr Grinder

Now that we agree that burr grinders are the best option out there, let’s discuss what type of these is best. There are two different options: ceramic and stainless steel.

Ceramic burr grinders produce less heat when grinding the beans, which means they impact the overall coffee flavorless. At the same time, they’re pricier and can crack. But these take time before they get blunt!

Stainless steel grinders are less expensive than ceramic burrs, though you can still pay a pretty price for these. Just like ceramic burrs, these also produce consistent results. While they may get blunt sooner, you don’t have a risk of them cracking.

FAQ

Do I need a coffee grinder for French press?

You don’t need a coffee grinder if you want to brew French press coffee. I mean, owning one will help you make superior coffee since you’ll grind the beans fresh.

On the other hand, you are welcome to use pre-ground coffee. after all, t’s not just about supermarket stale coffee nowadays anymore. There are plenty of coffee roasters that both roast your coffee before shipping and grind it to your preferred size, French press included!

What is the best manual coffee grinder for French press?

If I had to choose just one from the list, it would have to be Hario.

What is the best automatic coffee grinder for French press?

The top choice when it comes to automatic French press coffee grinders is Baratza Encore.

What is French press grind?

French press grind is an even medium to coarse grind. Start with a 2:1 water to coffee ratio when brewing and tweak it from there.

How do you make hot coffee in a French press?

Brewing coffee with a French press is easier than you think. After you have the correct and consistent grind, all you need is a French press brewer and hot water.

Can you use regular ground coffee in a French press?

No, you can’t. Using finer ground would result in over-extraction and sediment in your brew.

Best Coffee Grinder for French Press: A Recap

Using a solid bean grinder to make a fresh brew from scratch can elevate your coffee game and improve your cup of java. Owning a burr grinder can be incredibly rewarding; not only does it enable you to make great coffee at home, but it allows you to test different brewing options, and save money at the same time as you reduce the visits to the local coffee shop.

But not all grinders are created equal. In order for it to be effective, it has to provide consistent results for the French press with medium to coarse grind, which is the best grind for press pot.

In my personal life as a coffee aficionado, I tested and tried numerous coffee grinders for many different types of brew methods. Speaking about the French press coffee grind, there are two that I consider superior based on personal experience, Reddit, and many online reviews.

The best electronic coffee grinder for the French press is Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder. It is a solid and well-built machine that is straightforward to use and never fails to deliver a consistent grind. While it’s a bit shaky on finer grinds (such as espresso), it’ll give you the exact grind you need to brew a pot of French press coffee.

What’s more, Baratza is also great for beginners since it’s free of any confusing settings. It’s an award-winning grinder and it’s great that you can count on their customer service if anything goes wrong. Encore is just as noisy as most electronic grinders in this price range, but don’t let that put you off. It’ll grind beans effectively and quickly, just in time for your morning coffee.

If you’re looking for the best manual coffee grinder for French press and electronics aren’t your thing, I’ve discovered that Hario Skerton Manual Grinder is by far superior to many others. It’s affordable and budget-friendly; while it’s not the most travel-friendly gadget (because of its glass hoper), you can pack it into your backpack or your work bag and take it wherever you go.

Hario has several grind settings and it’s a great grinder that makes enough coffee for a couple of cups at a time. It’s much quieter than the automatic grinders, but it also requires some manual work, so prepare to get the muscles working. It’s a versatile little gadget that can provide a relatively consistent grind for French press, Aeropress, cold brew coffee, and pour-over.

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