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For years, the advice to new home baristas was blunt: entry-level grinders can't make espresso, so budget for something much more expensive. The Baratza Encore ESP is Baratza's answer. It takes the most recommended starter burr grinder in the US and rebuilds the adjustment so the fine end is usable for espresso.
The short version: the Baratza Encore ESP is a very good first espresso grinder for entry-level and mid-range machines, and it still grinds well for drip and French press. It won't match flat-burr or stepless grinders on precision, and you'll eventually outgrow it if you move to a premium machine. Below, we look at what it does well, where it falls short and which alternatives make more sense for some buyers.
Quick verdict
- Buy it if you have (or are buying) an entry-level espresso machine and want one grinder for espresso plus drip.
- Skip it if you drink very light roasts, own a high-end 58mm machine, or never make espresso (the original Encore is cheaper).
- Biggest strengths: finer steps for espresso, still covers filter, Baratza parts and repair support.
- Biggest limits: plastic body, less precise than stepless grinders, not built for premium setups.
Encore ESP vs alternatives
| Grinder | Best for | Burrs | Adjustment | Espresso? | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baratza Encore ESP | Budget espresso + filter | 40mm conical steel | 40 settings, dual range | Yes | Check price |
| Breville Smart Grinder Pro | Timed dosing, Breville owners | Stainless conical | 60 settings, 0.2 s timer | Yes | Check price |
| Fellow Opus 2 | Every method, stepless | 48mm conical | Stepless | Yes | Check price |
| KINGrinder K6 | Manual espresso | Stainless steel | External, 16 µm per click | Yes | Check price |
| Baratza Encore | Filter only | 40mm conical steel | 40 settings | No | Check price |
Baratza Encore ESP specs and design
From the outside, the Encore ESP looks almost identical to the classic Encore: a compact black body, a bean hopper on top, an on/off switch on the side and a pulse button on the front. The changes are inside and underneath.
Here's what Baratza's listing and retailer pages describe:
- Burrs: 40mm conical steel burrs.
- Settings: 40 settings across a dual-range adjustment. The fine half of the dial moves in smaller steps for espresso; the coarse half moves in larger steps for drip, pour-over and French press.
- Dosing: a dosing cup sized for portafilters, so you can grind into the cup and pour into your basket.
- Cleaning: a quick-release upper burr that lifts out for brushing.
- Support: Baratza sells parts and publishes repair guides, as it does for its other grinders.
What the Encore ESP does well
Espresso steps that actually work
The original Encore's steps were too big at the fine end: one click could swing a shot from gushing to choking. The ESP's dual-range system shrinks those steps in the espresso range, which is what makes dialing in practical. On entry-level machines with 54mm or 58mm non-pressurized baskets, owners report it can reach a balanced shot with medium and medium-dark roasts.
It still does filter
Unlike dedicated espresso grinders, the Encore ESP keeps a usable coarse range. If you make espresso in the morning and a pot of drip on weekends, one grinder covers both. You will re-dial when switching, so keep a note of your two settings.
Repairability
This is Baratza's long-standing advantage. Burrs, gearboxes and other parts are sold separately, so a worn part doesn't send the grinder to the landfill. Few grinders at this price tier offer that.
Simple to live with
There's no app, no screen and nothing to calibrate. Weigh your beans, grind into the dosing cup, pour into the portafilter. It's quick to learn and easy to share with a partner who doesn't want a hobby.
Where the Encore ESP falls short
Precision has a ceiling
Stepped adjustment, even with small steps, can't match stepless grinders for fine-tuning. With very light roasts, owners sometimes find the ideal point falls between two settings. If you drink light roasts as espresso every day, a stepless grinder like the Fellow Opus 2 or a flat-burr espresso grinder suits you better.
Built to a budget
The body is plastic, and it's louder and slower than premium grinders. That's expected at this price tier, but it's worth knowing.
You'll outgrow it on high-end machines
On a dual-boiler or a well-equipped 58mm machine, the grinder becomes the bottleneck. Our espresso grinder guide covers the step-up options.
Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder
by Baratza
How to dial in the Encore ESP
- Start in the espresso range of the dial, around the middle of the fine half, as a first guess.
- Use a fixed recipe: a common starting point is 18 g in and about 36 g out (1:2) in roughly 25–30 seconds.
- Pull, time and taste. Too fast and sour: go one setting finer. Too slow and bitter: go one setting coarser.
- Change one thing at a time. Keep dose and yield fixed while you move the grind.
Our how to dial in espresso guide has an interactive helper that suggests the next adjustment from your dose, yield and time, and the espresso grind size chart shows the filter ranges for when you switch back.
The best Encore ESP alternatives
Breville Smart Grinder Pro: Best Timed-Dosing Alternative
Who it's for: Breville machine owners who want to grind straight into the portafilter by time.
Breville gives it stainless steel conical burrs, 60 settings and grind time adjustable in 0.2-second steps. It includes cradles for 50–54mm and 58mm portafilters and an 18 oz hopper (per the Amazon listing). Compared with the Encore ESP, you get hands-free timed doses and more settings; you give up Baratza's repair ecosystem. See our Breville Smart Grinder Pro review.
Pros
- Timed dosing into the portafilter
- 60 settings
- Large hopper
Cons
- Mostly plastic
- Fewer repair parts than Baratza
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
by Breville
Fellow Opus 2: Best Stepless Alternative
Who it's for: people who want stepless espresso adjustment and a grinder for every method.
The Opus 2's listing describes 48mm burrs, stepless adjustment, an espresso-to-cold-brew range, anti-static design and auto stop. Stepless adjustment solves the Encore ESP's "between two settings" problem. It sits in a higher price tier.
Pros
- Stepless adjustment
- Anti-static, auto stop
- Covers every method
Cons
- Higher price tier
- Shorter long-term track record
Fellow Opus 2 Conical Burr Grinder
by Fellow
KINGrinder K6: Best Manual Alternative
Who it's for: one- or two-shot-a-day drinkers who don't mind grinding by hand.
The K6's listing describes an all-aluminum body, stainless steel burrs and external adjustment at 16 microns per click, 60 clicks per rotation. For espresso precision per dollar, a good hand grinder is hard to beat; the trade-off is a minute or so of cranking per dose.
Pros
- Fine, external adjustment
- Metal build
- Quiet and portable
Cons
- Hand grinding every shot
- Not practical for several drinks in a row
KINGrinder K6 Manual Coffee Grinder
by KINGrinder
Baratza Encore: Best If You Never Make Espresso
Who it's for: drip, pour-over and French press drinkers.
The classic Encore shares the 40mm conical steel burrs and 40 settings but not the fine-step espresso range. If you'll never pull a shot, it does everything you need in a lower price tier.
Pros
- Excellent for drip and French press
- Baratza repair support
- Lower price tier
Cons
- Can't make espresso
Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
by Baratza
Is the Encore ESP right for you?
What machine do you have?
The Encore ESP is a natural match for machines like the Breville Bambino, Bambino Plus and Gaggia Classic E24, all featured in our best espresso machines under $500 guide. Premium machines deserve a premium grinder.
What roasts do you drink?
Medium and darker roasts are forgiving, and the Encore ESP handles them well. Very light roasts need finer control, where stepless and flat-burr grinders shine.
How many drinks a day?
For a few drinks a day, it's quick and easy. For a busy household making many milk drinks, a grinder with timed dosing straight into the portafilter can save steps.
Encore ESP vs the original Encore: what changed
The two grinders share a body shape, 40mm conical steel burrs and the familiar 40-setting dial, so it's easy to confuse them on a store page. The differences matter:
- Adjustment: the original Encore spaces all 40 settings evenly, which makes each step at the fine end too large for espresso. The ESP splits the dial into a fine-step espresso half and a coarser-step filter half.
- Dosing: the ESP comes with a dosing cup sized for portafilters; the original grinds into a bin designed for filter batches.
- Purpose: the original Encore is a filter grinder. The ESP is an espresso-capable grinder that still does filter.
If you see "Encore" without "ESP" in a listing title, it's the filter-only model. For filter-only use, it's the better value; for espresso, it's the wrong tool.
Who should skip the Encore ESP
- Light-roast espresso fans. The ideal grind for very light roasts often falls between two steps.
- Owners of premium 58mm or dual-boiler machines. The grinder will limit what those machines can do.
- Busy milk-drink households. Without a timer or portafilter cradle, you weigh or eyeball each dose; a timed grinder saves steps.
- People who want quiet. It's a budget motor in a plastic body; dedicated espresso grinders like the Eureka Mignon Specialita are designed for low noise.
Cleaning the Encore ESP
Coffee oils build up on burrs and go stale, so clean it every few weeks if you grind daily. Unplug it, empty the hopper, lift out the upper burr and brush the burrs and chamber. Grinder cleaning tablets help between deep cleans. Our how to clean a coffee grinder guide covers the full routine, including the classic Encore.
How we reviewed it
We based this review on Baratza's product information and listings, retailer specifications, and long-running owner and community feedback on dialing in espresso with the Encore ESP. We compared it with grinders in the same and adjacent price tiers. We did not test the grinder ourselves.
FAQ
Is the Baratza Encore ESP good for espresso?
Yes, for entry-level and mid-range home espresso. Its fine range uses smaller steps than the original Encore, so you can dial in shots on machines like the Breville Bambino or Gaggia Classic. It is less precise than stepless or flat-burr espresso grinders, so very light roasts and high-end machines will expose its limits.
What is the difference between the Encore and the Encore ESP?
Both use 40mm conical steel burrs and 40 settings. The Encore ESP adds a dual-range adjustment with smaller steps in the fine half of the dial for espresso, plus a dosing cup for portafilters. The original Encore is built for drip, pour-over and French press and cannot grind properly for espresso.
Can the Baratza Encore ESP grind for pour-over and French press?
Yes. The coarse half of the dial uses larger steps that cover drip, pour-over and French press. Switching between espresso and filter means re-dialing each time, so if you brew both every day, write down your settings.
How do you clean a Baratza Encore ESP?
Unplug it, empty the hopper and run the grinder briefly to clear beans. Remove the hopper and lift out the upper burr using its handle, then brush the burrs and the grind chamber. Grinder cleaning tablets can help between deep cleans. Follow Baratza's manual for your model.
Which espresso machines pair well with the Encore ESP?
Entry-level and mid-range machines with 54mm or 58mm portafilters, like the Breville Bambino, Bambino Plus and Gaggia Classic E24. For premium dual-boiler machines, a higher-end grinder will get more out of the machine.
Verdict
The Baratza Encore ESP is the best budget electric grinder for people starting out with espresso: it dials in properly on entry-level machines, still grinds for filter and can be repaired for years. Choose the Breville Smart Grinder Pro for timed dosing, the Fellow Opus 2 for stepless control, or the classic Encore if you never make espresso.