Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Yes a moka pot is acceptable, but the hot ticket is a used entry level pump espresso machine and some kind of used grinder. Bottomless options are a plus. Most of your money should go to the grinder. You will not make amazing espresso, but you will make espresso that is ok. You will could do it by spending $199 maybe, if you find some good deals.

Edit: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PqljFbKCN4XAW

Spend the other $50 on a crappy used espresso machine and you will at least have some fun.

This is a little more expensive than the other recommendations, but the Baratza Encore is the go-to entry burr grinder. It's pretty highly recommended on a lot of coffee sites and /r/coffee.

A lot. She has a coffee subscription that she custom orders her coffee from and we stop by new coffee shops for her to try all the time. From my quick research this is the one everyone recommends.

This is the grinder https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

It's steel, not ceramic, but was the cheapest one in the category.

At the time we read it was the cheapest decent grinder.

I definitely won't be trying again. We're happy with freshly ground at the shop.

Try saving up for one of these. It might just be the cheapest entry level grinder that actually works. I used one for years and had no problem grinding fine enough for espresso.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B007F183LK&pd_rd_w=cJIvM&pf_rd_p=45a72588-80f7-4414-9851-786f6c16d42b&pd_rd_wg=M9YXE&pf_rd_r=M3575CYNK953AZEJM5AF&pd_rd_r=d398d0f5-61e6-4572-a79e-904f6c6c36c0&smid=A606ET06D9SVW&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFYMVdUTVVCTzVEUVEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyNDc4NThBQUpSNTAwVlZRVkEmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDYyMzkzMjFXV0VRRFJMUzg2VDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

You talking about this one? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rhqfFbYMYXKGK

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_FMG4FbEEQ4NFK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_Zyz2FbCVFXVYF

(Used to be cheaper - not sure why it's $160 now)

I think the Chemex is the ultimate cup of coffee. Some people disagree and seem to prefer the V60 but it's splitting hairs. Either way you gotta get the Encore Coffee Grinder as well.

Between the Chemex and this https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK Coffee has become an addicting morning routine.

that's great to hear man - not only are you purchasing excellent coffee, you are supporting a charitable cause as well.

Hmm - i was recommended to check the Baratza Encore by another person here, and that's definitely in my budget. I could go up to maybe, $200, but I'm really looking for the peak performance/price grinder. Does that sound like a reasonable price range?

Really appreciate the help man, I'm trying to get more into coffee

Look into the Baratza Encore. I have one and love it. It's one of the most recommended on /r/coffee.

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

You need to determine how involved you want to be in the brewing process and how much money you want to spend.

The biggest thing in coffee is your grinder. You are going to want a burr grinder. The general entry level electric burr grinder is the Baratza Encore. This will run you some money but it will be versatile enough for MOST of home brewing.

If you decide that buying a grinder is not for you and you’d prefer preground coffee, then the best recommendation is the Aeropress. This is probably the easiest way to make ~good~ coffee especially with preground.

You mentioned a French press, which is a great tool. If you want to buy one I recommend getting a grinder because preground coffee is too fine and will most likely make a bitter brew. However you may be able to make it work following the Hoffmann Method.

Mentioned in here is the Hario V60, which is a cone pour over. While it is a great brewing device, it is difficult for beginners and you NEED a grinder and a gooseneck kettle. Pour over coffee is great for nuance and light, flavorful coffees. They also require the most involvement. If pour over sounds good to you, I recommend the Kalita Wave. This is a flat-bottom pour over device that is more forgiving. If you start doing pour over, don’t be discouraged if you try a few bad cups before you get it, it is inevitable until you get a feel for grind size and technique.

If none of the manual brewing methods sound good to you, get an automatic machine. I don’t know your budget but a bit of advice is you buy cheap you buy twice. Getting a cheap coffee machine now seems like a good idea but you will never quite get a good brew and you may end up upgrading later. For most people this is a tool you will use DAILY, so make it a quality one. Things like the Breville Precision Brewer and Moccamaster are rather expensive, but you get what you pay for. If you have any other question shoot me a PM or comment I’d love to help!

If you want to continue with single cup, Technivorm has the Cup One. You’ll need a grinder though but should leave room in the budget for a decent grinder. This is a great single cup machine.

Technivorm Cup One Coffee Brewer, 10 oz, Polished Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014I5OWCO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_j1FeFbZ975FH5

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F183LK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_q2FeFb6M6X164

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007F183LK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is excellent if you can spare $40, if not then https://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY/ or https://www.amazon.com/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW/?th=1 although for the bodum I don't see any in stock. Out of those I've used the bodum and it was excellent, and my dad has been using the capresso and he loves it.

Whenever I see those quick coffee alternatives all I can think of is the waste. There's something great about making your own cup of coffee and the taste is so much better. I've gone down many coffee rabbit holes. The best tasting coffee I get usually comes from my Aeropress. But so much of a solid cup relies on freshly ground beans, so I also recommend the Baratza grinder. Get some decent beans and this combo will produce some of the best coffee you can get.

If you want a machine to brew your coffee for you, I suggest a good auto drip brewer. Percolators are generally inferior to good drip machines. The Breville Precision Brewer is very good and gives you control over every variable. Technivorm machines are simpler, coffee + water = good. Bonavita machines are cheaper, but get the job done, and quite well, especially with a few hacks. If you live in Europe, Wilfa makes very good machines. Here is a link to a bunch of drip brewers to compare. https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/coffee-makers/drip-brewers?dir=asc&order=price Most things here are good, just avoid glass carafes, or only brew a few cup at a time and empty the carafe. If you don’t have a grinder at home, I would recommend the Baratza Encore, available here: https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=baratza+encore&qid=1582905952&sprefix=baratza&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A302OQK4GZWXCC&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFVMU8yOUdFWkxMQUsmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1MjkwMjQxTklUOEpUNDIyUjJOJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2MjQ4MzIxUUNUQVFMUTlRV1dMJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

OMG . . . . AEROPRESS (and never look back!). Affordable. Easy. And the best coffee I've ever made (seriously). Baratza Encore grinder + Aeropress + Hot water = an awesome cup.

+1 for lentil flour. In India, it’s known as besan (flour from yellow lentils). We use besan to make missi roti, which is great for tacos. Besan is gluten free and contains more protein than wheat flour (21g protein per cup, vs 13g in wheat flour).

In India, besan is cheap and readily available, but in Europe and the US I’ve noticed that besan is usually only available at health food stores, at ridiculous prices. (Unless you’re lucky to live near an Asian market).

But it’s very easy to make yourself in a food processor, you don’t need a grain mill. I don’t have a food processor, so I use my burr coffee grinder, which works just fine.

Here are the instructions, they couldn’t be simpler: https://pipingpotcurry.com/making-chickpea-flour-besan/

Almost any burr grinder will be a step up from a blade grinder. Under $50 you’re limited to some very basic ones but I definitely recommend a manual one because you’d be getting better consistency and higher quality than an electric burr grinder under $50. Of course at the expense of sacrificing automation.

Here are a few recommendations. You can also head over to r/coffee where this question has come up before and you might get a bigger diversity of recommendations.

Hario Skerton Pro ($50) Probably the closest I’d recommend within your budget. Huge step up from a blade grinder, but in the little leagues for a burr grinder.

TIMEMORE Chestnut C Manual Grinder For around $15 more you can get this grinder which is a huge step up from the Hario. This is the sweet spot out of my recommendations, though slightly above your budget.

Baratza Encore If you‘re looking for a good electric burr grinder I can’t recommend anything under $50. Baratza Encore is an excellent entry-level electric burr grinder and you can sometimes find them refurbished for around $100 (or around $140-$150 new). They also have excellent customer service and you can buy their parts as your grinder ages which means it can last you a very long time.

Edit: Grammar/spelling

I always tell people this... if you find it worth the investment to have fresh coffee on hand, make this investment:

https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

I have had my Encore for at least 5 years and it still works. Just do some maintenance on it and switch out the burrs when you find that your coffee isn't grinding uniformly.

Didn't intend to make you feel bad about it, just trying to understand your position. I'm sorry if it came off that way. I happen to be into coffee a bit, and completely understand not wanting to spend that much on a single cup. With that said, I work from home for a living and have made the routine of making my coffee an institutional habit for having a great day.

I happen to buy my beans from Three Ships, among a few other local and non-local roasters. They have their house blend, as well as a bunch of single origins that can be drank black in various methods of preparation and rotate throughout the year. Depending on your desire to explore great coffee, your preferred daily routine, and budget, you have a lot of options!

If you want to explore home better drip to start with, I'd recommend a few points for consideration. I know you didn't ask for this info, but it may be useful if you're unfamiliar.

• The most important thing about preparing good coffee is that the bean is fresh! You want to find a bag of un-ground beans with a roast date stamped or written on the bag. You'll quickly find that many of the grocery store bags do not have this, hint: it's because it's mass produced and likely pretty stale. Wegman's and Harris Teeter are a great starting point, they carry some local and non-local roasts. Fresh Market has some GREAT options (Intelligentsia is where I started my coffee journey, look for the red bags!). You'll want to make sure they're within minimum of 30-45 days for best results. This is an arguable date for coffee snobs, but start here IMO.
• The next important thing is the grind the beans as close to preparation as possible. You'll want a burr grinder for consistency, I recommend this (super budget) or this (still budget but high quality, great customer service).
• Armed with a fresh bag of beans and a burr grinder, and a drip machine, you'll be capable of coffee that in time will blow your mind and not your budget. There's enough experimenting here to keep you busy. There are 1,000s of coffee roasters around the nation that can quickly and affordably ship coffee to you. Stay clear of flavored coffee (artificial flavors added) if possible, part of the fun is exploring beans from different regions with crazy different taste profiles!

If you want to branch out in prep styles for coffee, I recommend V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave, French Press, Moka Pot; in that order. The first 3 are classic pour overs, which will require some inexpensive equipment (goose neck kettle, scale--all affordable on Amazon) and technique practice. French press and Moka pot get you into thicker/hardier coffee mouthfeel and some folks love them or hate them. YouTube any of those to see if you'll enjoy that method of prep, it can take precision but I believe it to be fun to explore.

Finally, to answer the question you really asked in retrospect, I prefer ordering my coffee beans from Three Ships, Onyx Coffee, Counter Culture, Intelligentsia, Methodical Coffee, and George Howell. I've had plenty of others but those are my favorite!

Feel free to DM me with questions, the coffee world is a vast but fun world :)

AeroPress ground with an Encore grinder, and the Bonavita Kettle for heating water. Coffee from I Have a Bean

I would get A Toddy, which makes cold brew concentrate. A lot of nice coffee shops use one (usually a larger version) for their iced coffee/cold brew. You can then tailor it to your tastes just like Starbucks does with water, milk, cream, syrups, etc.

I'd also recommend a decent grinder, which will help you get a better tasting and more consistent coffee because you should be using a coarser grind than pre-ground coffee comes in. A Baratza Encore is a great budget option.

I make cold brew with a Toddy during the warmer months, and it's great. You can get really great results with "craft" coffee from a small roaster but it's also forgiving enough that "bad" grocery store whole bean coffee can work, especially if you're adding milk and syrup.

A kitchen scale will help you follow your recipe for making your cold brew. I don't know much about syrups, but I think you can get Starbucks syrups around $5 a bottle.

$40 - Toddy https://www.amazon.com/Toddy-THM-Cold-Brew-System/dp/B0006H0JVW

$115-140 Grinder (refurbs are a little cheaper) https://www.baratza.com/shop/refurb https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

If you add in a bag of coffee and syrup, it'll pay it self off rative to around two months of Starbucks. After that, even if you buy expensive coffee from a local roaster, it's around $1 for a 16oz serving, which is what I drink my cold brew as.

I was looking at grinders like these. Still not worth it afterward?

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https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Conical-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK

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https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BCG820BSSXL-Grinder-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B00OXGXW8O

Ah, that's actually an RKIN desktop RO water filter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0076CQXAQ

Baratza Encore grinder https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007F183LK

Gevi pour-over style (MoccaMaster clone) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NJ6D32W

Baratza Encore is the go-to entry level model, and it's $130 USD. Not cheap by any stretch, but certainly not “many hundred dollars.” You can sometimes find them refurbished as well, but you have to keep checking that page until it shows up because they go quick.

Aside from that, there's also the OXO Brew grinder, which is $99 and works about as well. It even has a feature the Encore doesn't: a hopper you can remove without the beans spilling out the bottom.

The tradeoffs are that it only has 15 grind settings (versus the Encore's 40), none of which go quite fine enough for the best espresso grind, and it's probably harder to find replacement parts for, whereas Baratza is known for that sort of thing.

If you want espresso style drinks without spending hundreds of dollars, then forget the espresso machines entirely. The cheap ones will be poor build quality, use a lot of plastic, and make bad espresso.

Instead, get a 3 cup moka pot and a baratza encore

The encore can't grind fine enough for true espresso but is the best electric grinder at that price point (unless you're in Europe, then look up the wilfa svart) and should be serviceable for moka and other non espresso brew methods.

For your frothed milk, pick up a Bodum milk frother. You can also use any old French press, this one is just meant for frothing milk. You could also go for a frothing wand or some other method. But this gives the best value results imo.

Finally, watch this video on making lattes with a moka pot. https://youtu.be/rpyBYuu-wJI

For the past two years I've been enjoying this setup. It is quick and easy and I use it every day.

• Hario V60
• AWS Scale
• Fellow Stagg EKG
• Baratza Encore Grinder (I preordered the Fellow Ode)
• Fellow Carter Mug

I also love my Flair on the weekends for americanos.

I use filtered water. I apologize for my bad descriptions. I wouldn't say that it's acidic.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EYCI6W8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those are the beans that I am currently using.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RNP9W62/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is my coffee pot

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007F183LK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this is my grinder.

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Funny would probably be the best description? It just doesn't taste right. I usually drink my coffee with milk and sugar and it just tastes wrong recently. I can't get even really get through drinking a full cup.

You can make VERY VERY good coffee relatively cheap. I'm a giant ass coffee nerd and have about every contraption under the sun you can think of. Lately I've been brewing every morning with my siphon brewer. Looks those up it's like a science experiment lol.

Now - on to actual recommendations...

• Coffee - https://happymugcoffee.com/ - inexpensive for a bit higher grade/fresh coffee
• Gooseneck Kettle - Can pick up a normal one on Amazon for around $30-$40. If you want to up the game a bit, get an electric one for around $80. If you can't splurge, get a normal kettle for $15-$20.
• Grinder - This should be your most expensive purchase for really getting into coffee. It makes the most difference. The Encore is generally considered the best entry level electric burr grinder you can get. It'll run you about $140. You can pick up some REALLY nice manual grinders that will grind as good as a $500 electric for around the $150-$200 mark. Unfortunately much of anything under $100 in the grinder world is just a temporary solution until you can upgrade. You can get a refurbished Encore for $99 as well. If you have to get a super cheap one (sub $100) that's still better than buying pre-ground... so don't fret too much.
• Brewing Method - There are literally a billion. Pour over is probably the easiest to get into for super high quality results. Everybody will suggest a V60 as they are good, and super cheap (about $20-$25). I highly prefer the Kalita Wave though which runs closer to $35-$40. It's way friendlier to newcomers, yet you can brew a fantastic cup every time once you learn it. If you're going to want to do drip coffee then the Moccamaster is king (this is what I use as well) but there are cheaper options that are good. Anything off this list is super high quality. Some of them can be had for around $130. I'd honestly get yourself a pour over setup instead of getting a low quality drip brewer.
• Tips - Water temp should be around 205. Brew time should aim for around 2.5-3 minutes. Some say up to 3.5 minutes. Bloom your grinds before pouring. Use this coffee compass to help fine tune your brew. Purified water makes a difference over regular tap water.