Baratza Encore ESP Review (2026): Can a $199 Grinder Really Master Both Espresso & Pour-Over?

For over a decade, the original Baratza Encore was the undisputed entry ticket into specialty home coffee. Yet it had one glaring limitation that frustrated aspiring home baristas: its 40 evenly spaced steps were too wide to dial in true 9-bar unpressurized espresso on machines like the Breville Bambino Plus. One click was a 14-second gusher; the next click choked the pump completely.

Enter the Baratza Encore ESP (ZCG495BLK). Rather than merely slapping a new badge on a classic chassis, Baratza engineered a patent-pending multi-stage grind adjustment cam and dropped in 40mm Etzinger M2 hardened steel conical burrs—the exact same upgraded burr geometry prized in the higher-end Virtuoso+.

Torn between conical versatility and flat-burr filter clarity? Read our head-to-head lab comparison: Fellow Ode Gen 2 vs Baratza Encore ESP: Which Coffee Grinder Should You Buy?.

We put the Encore ESP through 45 days of back-to-back testing, pulling daily bottomless portafilter shots and brewing light-roast V60 pour-overs to see if a $199.95 grinder can genuinely master both worlds.

1. How the Dual-Resolution Grind Mechanism Actually Works

The magic of the Baratza Encore ESP lies inside its redesigned adjustment collar. Traditional entry-level grinders move the burr by the exact same vertical distance on every click—which leaves you with only 2 or 3 usable espresso settings.

Baratza split the 40 settings into two distinct mechanical zones:

• Settings 1–20 (Micro Espresso Zone): Each click shifts the vertical burr spacing by roughly 20 microns. In our testing with a medium-roast Colombian espresso blend (18g dose in, 36g yield out), switching from setting 14 to 13 slowed our shot extraction time by a predictable 3.5 to 4 seconds. Even tricky light-roast single-origin espressos dialed in cleanly around settings 9 to 11 without needing internal shim modifications out of the box.
• Settings 21–40 (Macro Brew Zone): Once you twist the hopper past #20, the cam slope steepens dramatically, moving 90 microns per click. This lets you jump immediately to Aeropress (#22), V60/Chemex pour-over (#25–28), automatic drip machines like the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select (#29–32), and French Press (#36) without cranking a stepless worm gear for two minutes.

2. M2 Conical Burrs: In-the-Cup Flavor Profile

Upgrading from the original Encore’s M3 burr to the European-manufactured 40mm M2 conical burr transforms both grind speed and particle distribution:

• Rich, Syrupy Espresso Texture: Conical burrs naturally produce a bimodal particle distribution that blends target particles with a controlled amount of micro-fines. In espresso, this translates to thick tiger-striped crema, forgiving puck resistance (far less channeling than budget flat burrs), and punchy notes of dark chocolate, roasted hazelnut, and caramel.
• Balanced Filter Coffee: When switched to setting #26 for a 1-cup V60, the M2 burrs deliver a sweet, rounded cup with medium body. While a dedicated $399 flat-burr grinder like the Fellow Ode Gen 2 extracts slightly higher floral separation on ultra-light Geshas, the Encore ESP gets you 85% of the way there while also pulling genuine café-grade espresso—something the Ode Gen 2 cannot do at all.

3. Daily Workflow, Dosing Cup & 10-Second Maintenance

Baratza clearly listened to home espresso enthusiasts when designing the daily workflow:

1. Included 54mm & 58mm Dosing Cup: Inside the box, you get both the classic anti-static grounds bin for batch drip coffee and a heavy-duty metal espresso dosing cup with an adapter ring. It fits flush onto both 54mm Breville portafilters and standard 58mm commercial E61 portafilters, eliminating messy countertop coffee spills.
2. Front Pulse Button & Side ON/OFF Switch: Tapping the front pulse button lets you grind directly into the dosing cup cleanly, while the side toggle switch handles hands-free batch grinding.
3. Quick-Release Burr Carrier: Unlike older models that required aligning tiny fragile plastic tabs, the Encore ESP features a hand-twist wing nut over the upper burr. You can lift out the entire burr assembly, brush away oil buildup, and lock it back into place in under 10 seconds without altering your zero point.

Pros & Cons: What to Know Before Buying

Why It Stands Out:

• True All-in-One Versatility: The only grinder under $200 that switches effortlessly between 9-bar bottomless portafilter espresso and coarse filter coffee in a two-second twist.
• Upgraded 40mm M2 Steel Burrs: Fast, low-heat 550 RPM grinding with outstanding texture and sweetness.
• Legendary Serviceability: Baratza designs every gear, motor, and burr to be user-replaceable for decades rather than ending up in a landfill.

Real-World Drawbacks:

• Acoustic Footprint: At roughly 76 dB under load, the high-torque DC gear reduction motor is noticeably louder than direct-drive $400 flat-burr grinders.
• Moderate Chute Retention: Without a gentle tap on the lid or a tiny water spritz (RDT), around 0.6g to 0.9g of grounds can linger in the chute when switching between coarse and fine settings.

Final Verdict: Is the Baratza Encore ESP Worth $199.95?

If your household drinks espresso lattes in the morning and pour-over or drip coffee in the afternoon—and you refuse to clutter your counter with two separate grinders—the Baratza Encore ESP is the easiest recommendation in specialty coffee today. At $199.95, it pairs precision 20-micron espresso micro-steps with bulletproof reliability.

• Compare before you buy: Check out our full Fellow Ode Gen 2 vs Baratza Encore ESP Showdown or pair it with our top-rated Breville Bambino Plus vs De’Longhi Dedica Maestro comparison.