Baratza Encore ESP – Espresso & Filter Coffee Grinder

Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder

The Baratza Encore ESP is an electric burr grinder designed to handle both espresso and everyday filter brewing from a single machine.

Its most important feature is not simply that it has 40 grind settings. Baratza uses a dual-range adjustment system that provides smaller, higher-resolution changes through the espresso range while retaining broader adjustment for filter coffee, French press and cold brew.

That makes the Encore ESP particularly interesting for home coffee drinkers who want a grinder they can use across several brewing methods, including a traditional espresso machine.

Why Consider the Baratza Encore ESP?

Espresso places particularly high demands on a grinder. Small changes in grind size can noticeably alter how quickly water passes through the coffee, so a grinder needs sufficiently fine adjustment to make useful changes when dialling in a shot.

The Encore ESP addresses this with two adjustment ranges within the same 40-setting control. Settings 1–20 provide the higher-resolution adjustment intended for espresso, while settings 21–40 cover coarser brewing methods including filter coffee, French press and cold brew.

The result is a grinder that can accompany someone from pour-over or AeroPress brewing into home espresso without automatically requiring a second grinder.

Key Specifications

• Burrs: 40mm M2 conical steel burrs
• Grind settings: 40 stepped settings
• Espresso range: Settings 1–20
• Filter and coarse range: Settings 21–40
• Bean hopper: 300g
• Ground coffee bin: 120g
• Dosing: Manual
• Operation: Pulse button or hands-free on/off control
• Burr mount: Quick-release
• Burr speed: 550 RPM with no load
• Grinding speed: Approximately 1.3–2.2g per second depending on setting
• Power: 220–240V AC, 50/60Hz, 70W
• Dimensions: Approximately 13 × 15 × 34cm (W × D × H)
• Manufacturer warranty: 2 years for the UK model

Dual-Range Grind Adjustment

The Encore ESP's adjustment system is what separates it from a conventional general-purpose grinder with evenly spaced settings.

Across settings 1–20, the mechanism makes relatively small changes to burr position. This provides the finer adjustment useful when dialling in espresso.

Settings 21–40 use broader changes, allowing the grinder to move efficiently through brewing methods such as pour-over, filter coffee, French press and cold brew.

It remains a stepped grinder rather than a stepless specialist espresso grinder, but the espresso-specific portion of its adjustment range gives it substantially more useful control than simply adding an espresso label to a general-purpose grinder.

40mm M2 Steel Conical Burrs

Grinding is handled by Baratza's 40mm M2 conical steel burr set.

The grinder operates at 550 RPM with no load, while Baratza specifies a grinding speed of approximately 1.3g per second at setting 10 and 2.2g per second at setting 30.

More important for day-to-day ownership is the quick-release burr system, which makes accessing the burr for routine cleaning and maintenance more straightforward.

Designed for Espresso Workflow

Baratza supplies the Encore ESP with a dosing cup designed to make transferring freshly ground coffee into a portafilter easier.

The dosing cup is suitable for 54mm portafilters and a 58mm adapter is included. That makes the grinder relevant to a wide range of domestic espresso setups without limiting it to one machine manufacturer.

This is particularly useful alongside a separate-grinder espresso machine such as the Sage Bambino Plus or Gaggia Classic, where grinder quality and adjustment form an important part of controlling the extraction.

Manual Dosing

The Encore ESP does not contain an integrated scale or programmable electronic dosing system.

Grinding can be started with the pulse button or run hands-free using the on/off control. For a repeatable espresso workflow, weighing the beans before grinding or weighing the resulting dose with a separate coffee scale remains the more useful approach.

This is an important distinction from grinders such as the Melitta Calibra, which incorporates weight-based dosing directly into the grinder.

300g Bean Hopper

The standard hopper holds up to 300g of coffee beans, while the grounds bin has a capacity of approximately 120g.

There is no requirement to keep the hopper full. Anyone frequently changing coffee or weighing individual doses can simply add the required quantity before grinding.

Baratza also makes the Encore ESP compatible with its optional Single Dose Hopper for users who prefer that workflow.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The quick-release burr is one of the Encore ESP's useful ownership features. It allows the burr to be removed without turning routine cleaning into a complicated dismantling process.

Coffee grounds and oils naturally accumulate inside a grinder, so periodic cleaning according to Baratza's instructions is worthwhile.

Baratza also provides manufacturer support, documentation and replacement parts for its grinders, which is useful when considering equipment intended for regular long-term use.

Who Is the Baratza Encore ESP For?

The Encore ESP is particularly worth considering if you:

• want to grind for a traditional espresso machine;
• also brew filter coffee, V60, AeroPress or French press;
• want finer adjustment through the espresso grind range;
• want one grinder capable of supporting several brewing methods;
• use a separate-grinder espresso machine such as a Bambino Plus or Gaggia Classic;
• prefer weighing your own coffee rather than relying on automatic dosing; or
• want a grinder with accessible manufacturer support and replaceable components.

Who Should Look Elsewhere?

Someone who only wants an inexpensive grinder for cafetière, AeroPress or occasional filter coffee probably does not need to spend this much. A simpler grinder can perform those jobs without paying for the Encore ESP's espresso-focused adjustment system.

The Encore ESP may also be less suitable for someone who specifically wants integrated weighing, programmable timed dosing or a fully stepless adjustment mechanism.

Dedicated espresso enthusiasts wanting extremely fine control over every adjustment may eventually prefer a more specialised stepless grinder, but that is a different buying requirement from the versatile role the Encore ESP is designed to fill.

Baratza Encore ESP vs Melitta Calibra

These two grinders solve different problems.

The Melitta Calibra combines broad grind adjustment with an integrated digital scale, making weight-based dosing one of its most useful features.

The Encore ESP does not weigh the coffee. Instead, its main advantage is the higher-resolution adjustment provided across its dedicated espresso range.

For someone concentrating mainly on filter and general home brewing who values integrated dosing, the Calibra may provide everything required. For someone adding a traditional espresso machine to the setup, the Encore ESP becomes the more interesting option.

A Logical Partner for a Separate Espresso Machine

Buying a machine without an integrated grinder gives you the freedom to choose the grinder separately, but it also means the grinder becomes an important part of the overall setup.

The Encore ESP fills that role without becoming exclusively an espresso grinder. Someone can use it for their morning V60 or AeroPress and then move into the finer adjustment range when making espresso.

That versatility is the strongest reason to consider it.

Conclusion

The Baratza Encore ESP occupies a useful middle ground between general-purpose home grinders and more specialised espresso equipment.

Its 40mm M2 steel conical burrs, dual-range adjustment system and dedicated high-resolution espresso settings make it genuinely relevant to home espresso, while the coarser half of the range retains the versatility required for filter coffee and immersion brewing.

It does not provide integrated weighing or sophisticated electronic dosing. Instead, its appeal is straightforward grind control across a wide range of brewing methods.

For someone buying a separate-grinder espresso machine while still wanting to brew filter coffee, the Encore ESP makes a particularly logical step up from a basic home coffee grinder.

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