The Baratza Encore has been the number-one recommendation in specialty coffee communities for over ten years. It's been reviewed by Wirecutter, recommended by baristas, and praised by James Hoffmann. That level of sustained consensus is unusual in a market where reviewers are constantly chasing the new thing. This review asks whether the Encore still deserves its reputation in 2025 — and gives you an honest answer about who should buy it and who should look elsewhere.
What You're Actually Buying
The Baratza Encore is a conical burr grinder with 40mm hardened steel burrs manufactured in Liechtenstein, a DC motor that runs at 450 RPM (slow enough to minimize heat and static), and 40 grind settings spanning fine espresso to coarse French press. The hopper holds 8oz of whole beans. The grounds bin holds enough for about 4–6 cups.
The key distinction between a burr grinder and a blade grinder is particle size consistency. Blade grinders chop randomly, producing a mix of fine dust and large chunks that extract at wildly different rates, making the resulting cup unpredictable regardless of your technique. Conical burr grinders crush beans between two interlocking cone-shaped burrs set at a precise distance, producing uniformly sized particles that extract evenly. The Encore's steel burrs are the same grade used in commercial grinders costing several times more.
Grind Quality: The Honest Assessment
For drip coffee, French press, Chemex, AeroPress, and pour over (V60, Kalita Wave), the Encore is excellent. Grind consistency at settings 15–28 is genuinely impressive for the price. You will taste the difference versus a blade grinder on the first cup — the clarity and balance improve immediately.
For espresso, the picture is more complicated. The Encore can grind fine enough for espresso at settings 5–10, but the consistency at those fine settings is not as good as grinders designed specifically for espresso (like the Baratza Sette or dedicated espresso grinders starting around $300–$400). If your primary brew method is espresso, the Encore is a workable starting point but not the ideal tool. If you primarily brew filter coffee and occasionally pull espresso shots, it handles both adequately.
Build Quality and Longevity
The Encore is built to be repaired, not replaced. Baratza sells replacement parts for every component on their website — burrs, motors, grounds bins, everything. This is deliberately unusual in the home appliance market and it's one of the reasons the grinder holds its value over time. Many Encore owners report 5–10 years of daily use without major issues. When something does break, a $15–$30 part fix is the norm rather than a $170 replacement.
The outer casing is plastic, which attracts some criticism on aesthetic grounds. Functionally it's fine — it doesn't affect grind quality and makes the grinder light enough to move easily. The hopper latches securely and doesn't wobble. The grounds bin fits snugly with no slop.
Workflow
Front-mounted pulse button for grinding on demand. On/off switch on the side. Grind setting adjusted by rotating the hopper (clockwise for finer, counterclockwise for coarser). There's no timer, no display, no app — it's a grinder. Weigh your beans before you put them in the hopper, run until the hopper is empty. The simple workflow is a feature, not a limitation.
One real limitation: static. The Encore generates more static than more expensive grinders, particularly at finer settings. Grounds cling to the bin and occasionally spray. The Ross Droplet Technique (adding a single drop of water to your beans before grinding) eliminates this almost entirely — it's a five-second step that most Encore owners adopt within the first month.
Who Should Buy the Encore
The Encore is the right grinder if you primarily brew filter coffee (pour over, drip, French press, AeroPress), you want burr grinder quality without spending $300+, you appreciate repairability over disposability, and you're new to specialty coffee and want a grinder that won't limit your development for several years. It's not the right grinder if espresso is your primary method and you want the best possible shot quality, or if you're bothered by plastic build and want something that looks premium on your countertop.
Verdict
The Baratza Encore still earns its recommendation in 2025. At ~$170, nothing in its price range matches its grind consistency for filter coffee, its build quality, or its repairability. The newer Encore ESP model adds improved espresso performance for about $30 more — worth considering if you split time between filter and espresso. For most home brewers, the standard Encore remains the benchmark entry-level choice it has been for a decade.