Looking to enjoy a perfect cup of French Press every morning? Then this article is for you! Besides a good French Press, you need a reliable grinder to produce the right grind size. Today, we’re helping you find the best coffee grinder for French Press with reviews of the top 6 products on the market and a detailed buying guide.
In a Hurry? Here’s Our Top Picks…
1. Breville Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder BCG820
First up, we have a premium option from the highly regarded brand Breville. These folks are known for putting out reliable, high-quality coffee-oriented gadgets, and their Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Grinder serves as proof.
It’s a conical burr grinder, so excels in the consistency department, producing ground evenly every time you fire it up. It features a whopping 60 grind levels, allowing you to enjoy everything between coarse French press grind and fine espresso grind.
The included burrs are made out of stainless steel, built in a way that minimizes grinding heat to keep the volatile components of your coffee intact.
The Smart Grinder Pro is also equipped with a built-in digital timer that offers adjustments in 0.2-second increments, offering you extra precision throughout the entire operation. As for its capacity, the hopper can hold around 16 ounces of coffee beans. It has a locking system for convenient detachment, transfer, and storage.
What’s more, when you grind using the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, the grounds will fall directly into your choice of an airtight container or a portafilter. In fact, the package comes with a handy grind containing (with a lid and sealing cap) as well as 2 sizes of portafilter cradles.
What We Like
- Remarkable 60 grind levels
- Digital timer with 0.2 increments
- Easy to read LCD display
- Accurate dosing
- Includes an airtight container and 2 portafilter cradle sizes
What We Don’t Like
- When plugged in but not running, it may make a humming noise
- Expensive price tag compared to other candidates
2. SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder
We could’ve easily included only burr-style grinders in today’s list, but since blade grinders make for a beginner-friendly option that also works for budget-conscious coffee drinkers, we decided to go ahead and add one. Luckily, we were pleasantly surprised when we came across the SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder.
This unit allows you to enjoy the experience of an electric grinder without having to pay the usually hefty cost of one. We love how practical and affordable this grinder is, not to mention the fact that it actually delivers when it comes to performance.
Granted, it’s not on the same level as a burr grinder, but it can get the job done well enough for French press coffee. The featured blades are made out of solid stainless steel, so they’re powerful and quick with pretty consistent results.
As for the grinding cup, it’s made from food-grade stainless steel with a capacity of 2.5 ounces of coffee beans — not as large as burr units, but average for blade-style grinders.
A huge plus here is that the operation is very simple and straightforward. All you need to do is press down on the lid. This action will trigger the 200-watt motor so the grinding starts.
The longer you keep applying pressure on the lid, the finer the produced ground, which means that controlling the grind size depends on your timing. The coarse grind for the French press method should take you around 6 seconds.
The SHARDOR Electric Coffee Grinder comes with a 2-in-1 coffee spoon and brush. It’s also backed up by a 2-year warranty.
What We Like
- Excellent choice for beginners
- Good grind results
- Very easy to use
- Affordable price for an electric unit
- Comes with a 2-in-1 spoon and brush
- 2-year warranty
What We Don’t Like
- Doesn’t grind as consistently as a burr grinder
3. JavaPresse Manual Burr Coffee Grinder
If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly burr grinder, then considering a manual model would be a good idea. One of our favorites in this category is from JavaPresse.
Besides being quite powerful and easy on your wallet, this Manual Burr Coffee Grinder is so high-quality that it has tens of thousands of coffee enthusiasts raving about its performance.
The first thing that caught our attention is the impressive precision this unit offers in terms of grinding your preferred coarseness. The integrated size selector with 18 levels allows you impressive control for the size of the resulting coffee grounds.
As such, you get to enjoy all types of coffee including espresso and drip coffee — not just French press. The grinding is courtesy of sturdy conical burrs, made out of durable ceramic and designed to offer up to 5 times more longevity compared to stainless steel blades.
To use the JavaPresse manual grinder, all you need to do is turn the hand crank. This mechanism supports a quieter operation, producing 90% less noise than electric models.
You won’t need to use any cables or power outlets to get your French press grounds. Additionally, the hand crank is also removable for extra portability and storage convenience.
What We Like
- 18 grind size levels
- Durable burrs
- Offers a work-out for your arms
- Low noise
- Detachable hand crank
- Awesome customer service
What We Don’t Like
- Grinding may be time-consuming
4. Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
Next up, we have the Infinity Conical Burr Grinder by Capresso. Thanks to its precise and consistent results, this unit has scored thousands of positive reviews from all sorts of coffee drinkers.
It’s equipped with commercial-grade burrs, made out of stainless steel to deliver an even grind every time you need your fix. The featured grind sizes range is pretty nice, divided into 4 main categories: extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse. So in total, you get to choose from 16 different settings.
This means that not only can you brew French press, but also a wide selection of coffee beverages such as Turkish and espresso. Not to mention, this unit houses a gear reduction motor that reduces heat and friction to make sure all the coffee flavors and aromas are present in your grounds.
The Capresso Infinity Grinder is shipped with a bean container that can hold just under 9 ounces of coffee. As for the grinding container, it has a maximum capacity of 4.4 ounces.
Additionally, this electric grinder has a built-in timer that you can set for any duration between 5 seconds and 1 minute. You can get it in black or stainless steel colors, and the package includes a measuring scoop and a cleaning brush.
What We Like
- Wide range of grind sizes
- Reduced heat and friction
- Even grind results
- Minimal noise
- Comes with a measuring scoop and cleaning brush
What We Don’t Like
- May waste some coffee
- Requires regular cleaning to avoid clogging
5. Khaw-Fee HG1B Manual Coffee Grinder
Back to the manual scene, we have another highly-rated and super reliable unit from Khaw-Fee. The HG1B Coffee Grinder offers a very quiet operation, complete with an easy-to-use, smooth hand crank.
We particularly like the look of this unit, featuring a stylish stainless steel and glass design. The see-through grinding cup allows you to examine the grounds while you’re making them, which gives you the chance to adjust their size on the fly.
As a result, we consider the HG1B to one of the most precise manual coffee grinders on the market. Not to mention, it’s supposed to last you many years as long as you’re careful with it.
We say that because even though the construction is tough, glass is still glass. So, if you’re prone to clumsiness in the kitchen, you may accidentally cut the service life of this unit short.
That being said, we love how compact this grinder is. It’s small enough to fit on the counter of any kitchen and light enough to support impressive portability.
If you’re looking to enjoy French press coffee at the office or when you’re away for the holidays, the Khaw-Fee Manual Coffee Grinder is ideal for the job. What’s more, it’s equipped with a rubber top to make sure your coffee beans stay inside the hopper as you grind, as well as a removable silicone base for hassle-free cleaning.
What We Like
- See-through manual design
- Very precise results
- Stylish look
- Narrow footprint
- Highly portable
- Easy to clean
What We Don’t Like
- The glass grinding container is prone to breakage
6. Ariete – DeLonghi Electric Coffee Grinder
Last but not least, we’re looking at a premium-quality grinder that can be a perfect choice for anyone looking to make coffee in an almost professional way. A lot of features will support our statement, but first, let’s see who’s the manufacturer.
This unit is part of the DeLonghi family, which is a world-renowned brand known for its experience and reliability in building coffee-related appliances and gadgets. As such, it’s hardly a surprise that this electric grinder has received great feedback from thousands of coffee devotees.
This machine features conical burrs that are powerful enough to yield everything from coarse to ultra-fine grind. You can choose from 15 different grind levels, so French press won’t be an issue to achieve.
The included hopper has a maximum capacity of 13.33 ounces of coffee beans, while the grinding container can store up to 6.5 ounces of ground coffee. Not only do you get a handy space to preserve your fresh coffee, but you can also detach the hopper with the loaded beans to store it separately.
Besides the grind size, the Ariete-DeLonghi electric grinder lets you choose the dosing according to how many coffee cups you’ll be brewing. What’s more, this unit is EPL certified and is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What We Like
- High-quality build
- Large hopper capacity
- 15 grind sizes
- Fast operation
- EPL certified
- 1-year warranty
What We Don’t Like
- May form some static
- If you use the fine setting, some powder may stay behind
How to Choose the Best Coffee Grinder for French Press
When trying to find the best coffee grinder for French Press, there are a few factors you need to consider if you want to make the most out of your purchase. Here are the most important ones:
Blade vs Burr Grinders
When shopping for a coffee grinder, you’ll come across 2 major types of grinding mechanisms: blade grinders and burr grinders.
If you’re a coffee fanatic, you’ve probably seen or heard people stressing how much better burr grinders are, and you probably agree. If you’re a newbie to the coffee grinding community, chances are you’re wondering what’s the difference.
Either way, we’re addressing the controversy to settle it once and for all. The best way to do that is to discuss how the two types work and explain their pros and cons.
Blade Grinders
As you can tell from the name, a blade grinder uses a blade to size down the coffee beans. This blade looks like a propeller, and it does an effective job when it comes to chopping whole beans into smaller pieces.
Author Note: The mechanism of the blade action involves slicing the beans and you get to control the grind size via timing. As such, the longer you run the grinder, the finer the resulting grounds.
Blade grinders are known to be more affordable than burr grinders. Their operation is also pretty straightforward to figure out.
For this reason, blade grinders are usually a great option for brewing beginners. However, coffee veterans wouldn’t come near these machines (well, unless burr grinders go extinct!).
There are a couple of reasons behind this strong dislike. First, blade grinders typically produce inconsistent and uneven coffee grounds varying in size. This is a no-no if you’re trying to make a quality cup of coffee.
Secondly, blade grinders cause coffee to pick up quite a lot of static. This leads to a messy operation.
Burr Grinders
On the other hand, blade grinders are equipped with burrs that crush, instead of slice, the coffee beans. Located at the bottom of the machine, these burrs are powered through a motor.
This type of coffee grinder results in a high-quality grind with superior precision and consistency, which is why they’re the standard choice for keen at-home brewers in addition to commercial outlets.
The downside to using burr grinders is their larger footprint, higher energy consumption, and more expensive price tags. If you can get past these points, you’ll still have to pick one from the 2 types of burrs: flat and conical.
- Flat burrs — the burrs here are in the form of as 2 identical, parallel rings with serrations on the sides where the rings face each other. When running, the rings pull the beans towards the center to come in contact with the burr teeth. To adjust the grind size, the rings move closer together or further apart.
- Conical burrs — the burrs here are in the form of 2 cone-like structures with ridges that combine efforts to crush the coffee beans with better precision compared to flat burrs. To adjust the grind size, you’ll need to set a certain degree which translates into a particular teeth layout. Conical burrs are a bit more costly than flat burrs, but they have a longer life expectancy.
Speed
The speed feature is more prominent when we talk about burr grinders, which can be either high-speed or low-speed machines.
Compared to blade grinders, high-speed burr grinders deliver better consistency and improved control over the grind size. But they’re somewhat the same when it comes to heat generation.
Top Tip: On the other hand, low-speed burr grinders produce little to no heat, minimal static formation, and a much less noisy operation with remarkable consistency.
Stepped vs Stepless
Stepped and stepless are terms that refer to the adjustment style of the grind size. They differ mainly in the allowed number of settings and the ability to “save” said settings once you’ve made your choice.
Stepped grinders support a “save” feature but their range of settings is less extensive compared to stepless grinders. Although to be fair, French Press only requires a coarse setting.
Hopper Capacity
Finally, don’t forget to check the capacity of the grinder’s bean hopper and ground container. This determines the amount of coffee you can store as well as the refill frequency you should expect.
Author Note: The larger the bean hopper and the grinding cup, the more coffee it can hold. However, this also means a bigger machine, which can be an issue for small kitchens.
Wrap Up
Choosing the best coffee grinder for French Press isn’t an easy task. This is why we included only the top-performing units on the market to make sure you end up with a great deal.
That being said, if you’re searching for a reliable coffee grinder to deliver a perfect cup of French Press every time, then we recommend the Breville Smart Grinder Pro as today’s winner.
In addition to being sturdy and precise, it’s also very customizable so you get to experiment with different styles and techniques of making coffee.