The best coffee grinders

A proper burr grinder, which crushes beans to an even size rather than chopping them, with one dial for how many cups and another for how fine.

• Burr grinder
• 120g bean hopper
• Cup selector and separate grind dial
• Removable grounds container
• See-through hopper and lid

What owners say: Owners find it easy to use and good value for home use, though some say it won’t go fine enough for espresso.

Heads up: Opinions on noise and long-term reliability are mixed, and it isn’t the one for fine espresso.

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A closer look: Best for filter, cafetière and moka pot rather than an espresso machine. Set the number of cups and it grinds just that much. Keep only a few days’ beans in the hopper and brush out the grounds container now and then, so stale coffee doesn’t build up.

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A hand grinder with ceramic burrs that shave the beans rather than smash them, made entirely of plastic so it survives a rucksack.

• Ceramic conical burrs
• Adjustable grind
• About 24g of beans per fill
• All plastic, 300g
• Comes apart for cleaning

What owners say: Owners rate the quality and value highly, one saying it beats pricier electric burr grinders, though some get an uneven grind.

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A closer look: It holds enough for one or two cups, so it suits a morning pour-over or a camping trip rather than a big cafetière. Adjust the grind in small steps and brew a cup before changing it again. With no motor, it won’t wake the house on an early start.

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Krups started out in Solingen in 1846 making scales. Its compact blade grinder takes 75g in one go and handles spices and nuts as well as beans.

• Blade grinder, 200W
• 75g, up to 15 cups
• Grinds spices and nuts too
• Safety switch in the lid
• One-button operation

What owners say: Owners find it quick, about 15 seconds a batch, easy to use and good value, though a few say theirs failed early.

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A closer look: Blade grinders chop rather than crush, so the grind is less even than a burr grinder’s: fine for a cafetière or drip machine, not ideal for espresso. Pulse in short bursts, giving it a shake in between, for a more even result. If you grind spices too, a second one kept just for coffee saves curry-flavoured mornings.

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A stainless-steel burr grinder with 17 settings, from fine for espresso to coarse for a cafetière, and an airtight 225g hopper.

• Burr grinder, 17 settings
• 225g airtight bean hopper
• Cup selector for 2–12 cups
• Stops by itself
• Removable upper burr for cleaning

What owners say: Owners like the range of settings for both espresso and filter, though reliability gets mixed reports and some say it grew louder over time.

Heads up: Several owners say theirs failed within a year.

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A closer look: Lift out the upper burr every few weeks and brush away old grounds; the design makes that easy. The airtight hopper means you can leave a few days’ beans in it. A good match if you switch between espresso and filter.

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A small blade grinder with a clear lid for watching the grind and cord storage in the base, tidy enough to live on the worktop.

• Blade grinder, 60g
• Stainless-steel blade
• One-touch pulse
• Clear lid
• Cord storage in the base

What owners say: Owners like its compact size and looks and find it easy to use, though a few found theirs failed early or the grind a little coarse.

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A closer look: Short pulses give a coarser grind for a cafetière; hold the button for finer. 60g makes about eight small cups. The cord wraps into the base, so it stores neatly in a cupboard.

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