The French press is one of the most classic methods of brewing coffee. When brewed perfectly, it can produce a great cup of coffee.
Coffee beans are a crucial aspect of coffee brewing. The other is the choice of a grinder.
Although easy enough, brewing the perfect French coffee is not an easy task. There are a few things that could go wrong.
Grind size is one of the factors that you must get right. That is where we come in!
We’re here to tell you all the key factors you will consider when selecting the best coffee grinder for french press coffee.
In this article, we have also reviewed 5 of the best grinders for French press coffee. All of these are excellent coffee grinders for the french press.
Best Coffee Grinders For French Press – Reviews & Recommendations for 2021
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Featured Specs
| Product Dimensions | 4.7 x 6.3 x 13.8 inches |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 6.83 pounds |
| Material | Black Plastic |
| Type | Electric coffee grinder with Conical Burr |
Benefits
Baratza Encore is a wonderful choice as an entry-level grinder for brewing coffee at home. There may be a better electronic coffee grinder.
Still, suppose you don’t drink coffee regularly or are a non-professional coffee enthusiast looking to get your first conical burr grinder for your kitchen. In that case, there is no better option than Baratza Encore.
It is easy to grind fresh coffee in absolutely no time at all with the Encore. It comes with no frills such as a scale, timer, dose controller, etc.
But it comes with all the basics intact and straightforward controls to brew the best cup of coffee at home.
Since no learning curve is involved, anyone looking to dip their feet into the world of coffee brewing can go with Baratza.
The motor operates quietly without causing any disruption. It is durable and long-lasting, as you would expect from a Baratza coffee grinder.
Encore is also known for its excellent customer support should anything go wrong with your machine.
Drawbacks
It is slightly noisier than manual grinders. Since it does not come with many added features, some people may find it a little expensive.
And finally, when the grinder is coated with oil, it can be difficult to remove, which can be a hassle during cleaning. Unclogging ground coffee can be quite the task.
Additional Features
This coffee grinding machine has a conical burr grinder that creates a consistent grind. In all, there are 40 grind settings to grind virtually anything from French Press to espresso.
Its versatility to jump between different brewing styles is an added plus. It is suitable for a fine grind, medium-coarse grind, and medium grind.
This simple, sleek-looking machine uses 40-millimeter conical burrs with 40 different grind settings. These will produce grounds ranging from 200 to 1200 microns.
It is available in white and black colors. The conical burrs are stainless steel, which lends strength and durability to the unit. The build quality is top-notch.
It comes with a convenient and easy-to-operate front-mounted pulse button and a simple ON/OFF switch to grind fresh coffee almost instantly!
All of this makes it our recommended product for the best coffee grinder for the french press.
Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
Ensure that you never place the removable grinder component upside down, no matter how groggy you are in the morning. It can get stuck, and you will be virtually impossible to remove.
Featured Specs
| Product Dimensions | 14.6 x 9.6 x 7.8 inches |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 4 pounds |
| Material | Stainless Steel Grinder |
| Type | Electric coffee grinder with Conical Burr |
Benefits
It is a nice-looking machine available in black or stainless steel finish. Weighing 4 pounds and measuring 14.6 x 9.6 x 7.8 inches, it sits compactly on your kitchen counter without occupying too much space.
Enjoy the coffee the way you like. You can customize how fine you want to grind, from ultra-fine Turkish to the coarser French press, and everything in between.
The unit is easy to clean and maintain. The grinding is slow, but there is minimal heat transfer during grinding.
Moreover, it operates noiselessly. The slow grinding function offered by the gear reduction motor preserves the lovely scent and flavor of your coffee. The upper burr is removable, and so cleaning is made easy.
It comes with a safety lock to ensure that the grinder does not operate without the bean container in place.
Drawbacks
You only have 16 fineness settings. It tends to make a mess while grinding or removing the container. Some residual grinds may stick behind.
Additional Features
The bean hopper holds 8.8 ounces of coffee beans, while the removable ground coffee container holds 4 ounces of beans.
Commercial-grade conical steel burrs with advanced cutting design produce incredible results.
The multiple gear motor is responsible for the slowest grinding action of fewer than 450 revolutions per minute, resulting in the highest precision grinding.
The slow grinding that happens as a result of the gear reduction motor creates less friction. The result? Lowest noise conical burr grinder and reduced heat transfer during grinding.
The coffee grinder allows you to enjoy the finest Turkish coffee. It handles coarser settings just as well – a feature that is particularly important for the French press!
In all, there are 16 settings. There are four settings each for extra fine, fine, regular and coarse.
The finer settings of Turkish coffee is something rarely found in rivals. So is the level of coarser settings.
These features, along with the large capacity, easy maintenance, heat reduction, and low noise, make this one of the best burr coffee grinders for the french press.
The conical steel burrs are made in Switzerland and can be removed from the machine for easy cleaning.
To further help with cleaning and maintenance, the Capresso Infinity comes with its cleaning brush and cleaning solution.
You also have the option to set the timer 5 to 60 seconds.
Secura Electric Burr Coffee Grinder
Featured Specs
| Product Dimensions | 6 x 4 x 8.75 inches |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 2.83 pounds |
| Material | inflaming retarding material |
| Type | Electric Coffee grinder with steel burr |
Benefits
There are 17 grind size selections to choose from. The coffee grinder is suited for all coffee makers.
It can cope with coarse to excellent grind levels. It is an electric grinder that can produce high-quality coffee grounds ranging anywhere from 2 to 12 cups.
The uniform grinding, thanks to the conical burrs, preserves the natural aroma and taste.
Measuring 6 x 4 x 8.75 inches and weighing 2.84 pounds, it occupies very little space on your kitchen counter. The 2-year warranty is a sweet deal as well.
Drawbacks
It may not produce as fine grounds as you require for espresso or Turkish coffee. Some users also faced some quality issues with time.
Additional Features
17 grind size selections allow you to grind the superfine espresso, coarser french press, and everything in between.
Designed with the highest performance in mind, the burr grinder ensures uniform grinding. It helps to keep the authentic flavors of aromas of the coffee intact.
It is easy to operate this grinder. It comes with an easy-to-operate ON/OFF switch that allows you to prepare coffee whenever you want to.
Also, it comes with an automatic shut-off featured for added safety. In case you forget to switch it off, it will switch off on its own.
What makes this machine one of the best burr coffee grinders for the french press is that it comes with some minor but convenient features to make things easier for you.
It comes with a see-through lid that allows you to see the remaining coffee beans easily. Its capacity is 3.53 ounces.
Furthermore, located on the bottom of the grinder are non-sliding tabs. It will keep your unit securely in place on your kitchen or dining table countertop.
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton
Featured Specs
| Product Dimensions | 16 x 11 x 13 inches |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 1.25 pounds |
| Color | Coffee |
| Type | Manual Coffee grinder with Ceramic Conical Burrs |
If you have been looking for a great manual coffee grinder for the french press, you may settle for this one. It will look great on your kitchen countertop.
But this machine is not about the looks alone. It is as functional as it looks stunning.
Benefits
It is one of the most affordable options on this list of the best coffee grinders for french press coffee.
Made with reinforced durable ceramic blades, it is a sturdy option for an easy and convenient way to enjoy freshly ground coffee.
The ceramic burrs produce very little heat during the grinding process. It will help to keep the essential oils of the coffee beans intact.
The grinder comes apart easily, and so cleaning is easy too.
Drawbacks
The one downfall with this coffee grinder is that your arms and wrists will undergo some strain from the cranking during grinding. The grind is hard to adjust as well.
When you use it to grind using it to grind coarse coffee for french press, you may end up with inconsistent size grains.
Additional Features
The high-quality conical ceramic burr grinder delivers an accurate and consistent grind every time. Moreover, it can grind the beans to the texture you desire.
The Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill has an ergonomically designed crank handle that is detachable. This helps to make this coffee grinder easily portable and be stored compactly.
The grinder is designed with a non-slip rubber base to keep the grinder stable as you grind the coffee beans.
You can choose from several different types of grinds. It delivers good enough french press grinding.
It is equipped with an air-tight lid that will keep your coffee grounds fresh and aromatic.
Khaw-Fee HG1B Manual Coffee Grinder
Featured Specs
| Product Dimensions | 9.25 x 4.69 x 4.65 inches |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 10 ounces |
| Color | Black |
| Type | Manual Coffee Grinder with Conical Ceramic Burr |
Benefits
You do not require any electricity or a battery to operate it, so you can enjoy a fresh cup of ground coffee, anywhere, anytime.
Want to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee to keep you awake as you work late whilst your loved ones are asleep?
The noiseless operation of the Khaw-Fee HG1B Manual Coffee Grinder is much quieter than electrical coffee grinders.
Whether you enjoy French Press, Expresso, Turkish, or regular drip coffee, this manual coffee grinder allows you to choose the coffee beans’ fineness.
This coffee grinder is easy to use, clean, and maintain. The construction and build-quality are incredible. Made of stainless steel and glass, it looks attractive and sleek.
Drawbacks
The knob on the handle is not all that tight, so the handle tends to fall off. Plus, the bottom jar is made of glass, and so it may break if you are not careful.
Additional Features
It is built with high-quality ceramic conical burr construction to ensure an accurate, reliable, and consistent grind every time. The build-in grind selector is adjustable, and you have the option to choose the grind coarseness.
High-Quality Ceramic Conical Burr construction ensures a precise and consistent grind every time. When you grind coffee beans, they tend to spill and create a mess on your kitchen countertop.
But the handy rubber top acts as a seal and prevents the beans from spilling out of the hopper.
Cleaning this manual grinder is not a hard chore. It comes apart easily, and further, the removable Silicone Base makes cleaning a lot easier.
Coffee Grinder For French Press FAQ
What type of coffee grind is best for the French press?
Freshly ground beans yield the best results. You can start with a 1:10 coffee to water ratio. That is, for 300 grams of water, you have to use 30 grams of coffee.
Is there any way to tell if the grind is fine or course? We’re happy to report that there is! To figure it out, press the filter down.
If you can push down the filter with virtually no resistance whatsoever, then the grounds are too coarse. On the other hand, if the grounds are too fine, you may face difficulty pressing them down.
Why is my French press coffee bitter?
After the brewing is done, if you leave your coffee in the French press for later use, you are setting yourself up for disappointment later.
You will come back to a drink that is over-extracted and bitter-tasting. The reason? Despite pushing down the plunger, it will keep brewing.
You will have to decant the coffee immediately after brewing. This way, it doesn’t become bitter or chalky. So, make the precise amount of coffee you are going to drink.
If you want more coffee later but don’t have the time to brew a new batch for your second time, brew the required quantity.
Pour yourself a cup and save some when you want it by immediately pouring the remaining coffee into a thermos or carafe. This way, your coffee will stay warm till you can get to it.
Is Starbucks ground coffee good for the French press?
If you love the taste of Starbucks coffee and want to be able to enjoy the fresh, rich flavors of Starbucks coffee at home, you can do so.
The dark roast is one of the best coffee roasts for the French press. Dark roasts impart a fuller, richer flavor to the coffee.
Moreover, it also gives you great complexity of taste, all through a simple French Press method.
Does French press coffee affect cholesterol?
A French press brews coffee by continuously passing water through the grounds. So, the concentration of coffee oils such as cafestol is higher.
It is cafestol that affects the body’s ability to metabolize cholesterol and regulate it. According to a study on coffee and cholesterol, coffee oils may decrease bile acids and neutral sterols. It may lead to increased cholesterol levels.
But this is only if you drink significantly high amounts of unfiltered French press coffee (around 4 to 8 cups) daily. Drinking in moderation should be okay, though.
Conclusion
Before you buy a coffee grinder for French press coffee, you will have to consider certain factors.
Firstly, you have to decide between blade or burr grinder. Uneven grounds can impart uneven favors in your coffee.
Even if the water is passed through the grounds continually, you will still have over-extracted (bitter-tasting) grounds and under-extracted (sour-flavored) grounds.
Blade grinders cost less, but since they chop at the coffee, they will produce different-sized grounds. But in Burr grinders, the coffee ground is rotated between rough, rotating metal or ceramic surfaces called burrs.
It results in even and consistent grounds of the same size. So, they are the better choice.
Then you will have to decide on the grind size, which will depend on the coffee you are brewing.
A French press requires a coarser grind as the grounds will be sitting in the water longer. Therefore, coarser grinds prevent over-extraction.
The ease of cleaning matters, because let’s admit it, you want to spend more time enjoying your coffee and the brewing process rather than spend time cleaning the machine!
If you prefer darker roasts, you will have to clean your grinder more frequently.
It is because more oil produced by dark roasting is brought to the surface of the beans. It will leave behind a residue in the grinder. The residue accumulated over time has to be cleaned.
Otherwise, it will affect the taste of further batches. Burr grinders need to come apart effortlessly so that there is access for cleaning.
The longer (and faster) a grinder spins, the more heat and static electricity they generate. The excess heat will affect the taste of your coffee because heat extracts oils from coffee beans prematurely.
Ever had your grounds jumped out of the grinder when you open it or stick to the lid or the chamber’s sides?
It is because of an invisible static electrical charge. Typically, high-speed grinders generate the most heat and static.
Also, grinders made predominantly with plastic are more prone to static than those made of metal.
The noise levels also matter. Low-speed grinders will make less noise, less heat, and less static. Manual grinders are more silent than electric grinders.
The size of your kitchen counter space will also determine what size of grinder you should go for. Finally, how much budget you are willing to spend plays a role in determining the coffee grinder.
Fond of French press coffee?
Then we hope that this guide will be useful to brew the perfect cup of French press coffee!
Happy (French press) coffee brewing!
Last Updated on March 29, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
