The secret to brewing the best-tasting cup of coffee lies in using the freshest coffee beans and grinding them properly. You can ensure that experience by using a burr coffee grinder to grind coffee beans evenly and to the specifications of your brewing method. Though burr grinders have a reputation for being pricey, the best burr grinder under 100 dollars is out there and could be a good fit for you.
Blade or burr coffee grinder?
The goal is to find the best coffee grinder, so it might be necessary to consider whether you are better off with a blade coffee grinder or a burr coffee grinder.
If you use a French press or want a basic cup of coffee from a drip coffee maker, a blade grinder would probably do well enough. Blade grinders are inexpensive, so it would be hard not to wind up with a coffee grinder under 100 dollars if you went that route.
However, consistently ground coffee is a must for most coffee brewing methods. This is where a burr coffee grinder comes into the picture.
Blade grinders have fixed rotating blades at the bottom, often mixing finely ground coffee and a few coarsely ground bits. Unfortunately, ground coffee beans do not keep well for future use. As they react with oxygen, the taste deteriorates, the aroma almost vanishes, and you’re left with lifeless ground coffee that won’t do justice to your taste buds.
With burr grinders, you can adjust the grind size for different coffee brewing methods such as pour-over, Moka Pot, and French press. Whatever grind setting you select, your burr grinder will grind the coffee beans into even pieces, resulting in a more consistent grind. It makes a massive difference in the taste.
Some burr grinders that made this list use flat burrs. Flat burrs can achieve a more consistent grind than conical burrs, but they may be harder to clean. They can also heat up as they grind, which is not great for coffee.
A conical burr coffee grinder may have either ceramic or steel burrs. Ceramic burrs can break, especially if a little rock gets into your bean hopper, but they are resistant to smells getting stuck to them. Steel burrs, like flat burrs, also tend to get hot.
Whatever the technical details of your burr grinder turn out to be, there’s no way you can go back to using a blade grinder after you have tasted the better consistency of your coffee grind a burr grinder has to offer. Fortunately, you can find the best burr grinder for under 100 dollars.
Manual or electric?
Once you have decided to buy a burr grinder, your next decision is whether you want a manual or electric coffee grinder. As you may have guessed, the primary difference between a manual and an electric grinder is convenience.
Especially if you need a large amount of coffee for a gathering, grinding all that by hand could get tiring. Electric grinders tend to hold more coffee beans and ground coffee than manual grinders.
However, the larger electric burr grinders have the potential to become yet another appliance taking up scarce space on your kitchen counter. If you regularly need coffee to serve a bigger group of people than just yourself and one or two others, an electric coffee grinder may make more sense, but don’t overestimate your needs, either.
Meanwhile, a manual burr grinder may seem like a primitive way to grind coffee today. However, the results are consistent, reliable, and perfect for home coffee brewers who enjoy the flavor and aroma of freshly ground coffee. Also, a manual coffee grinder is often used for the very fine grind of Turkish coffee.
Whether you choose a manual coffee grinder or an electric burr grinder, there is a burr grinder for under 100 dollars available for you.
A list of our top picks for 2022
These picks for the best burr grinders for 2022 include electric and manual ones. There is a range of sizes in both categories, so the amount of ground coffee you wish to produce may be an essential factor in your decision. For one circumstance, the best coffee grinder might not be the best for all situations, so stay aware of how you best enjoy a cup of coffee as you read further.
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick  | Cuisinart Supreme Grind |
| Check Price |
 | Bodum Bistro |
| Check Price |
Travelers' Choice  | Porlex Tall |
| Check Price |
Personal Favorite  | Capresso Infinity |
| Check Price |
 | OXO Brew |
| Check Price |
 | Hario Skerton Pro |
| Check Price |
Top 6 best burr grinders under $100
Coffee connoisseurs know that pre-ground coffee, as convenient as it may be, does not offer the complexity in taste, aroma, or freshness of freshly ground coffee beans. A blade grinder can be a good enough first coffee grinder. However, if you want to take your coffee experience to the next level, investing in a burr grinder is one of the best purchases you can make to enhance your morning coffee ritual.
The price of burr grinders ranges from very cheap to super expensive, depending on many factors, including motor power, capacity, design, material, size, capacity, and controls. This guide to the top burr coffee grinders under 100 dollars should make it easier for coffee lovers like you to land on the best coffee grinder that fits your requirements and budget precisely.
1. Cuisinart Supreme Grind
Cuisinart is known for kitchen appliances, and the Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill is a solid addition to its lineup. This electric burr coffee grinder has an 18 steps grind selector from ultra-fine to coarse, and the bean hopper holds eight ounces of beans.
The good and bad of this grinder is that it is an appliance. It is not the aesthetic token that many coffee lovers prefer their coffee gadgets to be. Instead, it is made to perform like the blenders that Cuisinart is known for — and, like a blender, it might get loud.
However, this machine can provide predictable, customizable quality. If you are making coffee for a big group of people, you might not want to do all that grinding by hand. This electric grinder is good to consider if you know you will often need to prepare several cups of coffee at a time.
- Perfect for grinding large amounts of coffee.
- Powerful motor.
- 18-grind settings.
- Easy to clean.
- Large in size.
- It might be too big for one person.
- It can get loud.
2. Bodum Bistro
Bodum brand is known for its French presses. If you are already a fan of this brand, you might also be interested in the Bodum Bistro Burr coffee grinder.
While many electric burr coffee grinders have a problem with static, the ground coffee container on the Bodum Bistro grinder is made of static-free borosilicate glass to address this challenge specifically. This makes it less likely for ground coffee to jump out of the chamber and make a mess.
The grinder uses stainless steel conical burr mill for a consistent grind. The machine’s exterior is mostly plastic, but the colored plastic components make it easy to find the 12 grind settings and grind timer.
- Antistatic borosilicate glass container.
- Good size for individuals or couples.
- Non-slip silicone base for secure handling.
- Easy to operate.
- Lacking very coarse and very fine grind.
- Plastic gears are less resilient than steel.
- The motor may clog when using dark roast oily coffee beans.
3. Porlex Tall
The Porlex Tall is a manual burr grinder made in Japan. Its bean hopper holds about 30 grams of coffee beans, making about 2 cups. This capacity is much less than most electric burr grinders, but it can be just right for one person.
Due to its compact size and sturdiness, the Porlex Tall is a perfect manual coffee grinder for camping or traveling. Paired with a manual espresso maker, it will be an excellent companion on any backpacking or hiking trip. Its stainless steel body minimizes static and also maintains an attractive appearance.
The Porlex Tall has ceramic conical burrs and 12 grind settings. Ceramic has the advantage of not absorbing water or smells, but it can break more easily than steel.
- Does not take up a lot of space in your kitchen.
- Keeps the grind consistent.
- Static-free stainless steel body.
- Easily portable.
- Perfect for indoor and outdoor use.
- Ceramic burrs can break.
- Small capacity, even in relation to other manual grinders.
4. Capresso Infinity
The bean hopper can hold 8.8 ounces of coffee beans, while the container for ground coffee holds 4 ounces or a little over 100 grams. The range of 16 grind settings, including ultra-fine Turkish coffee, is divided into four categories: extra-fine, fine, regular, and coarse.
The Capresso Infinity has commercial-grade stainless steel burrs. The motor is specially made to reduce friction and heat to mitigate the problems steel burrs can cause with heating the beans. This motor also is designed to reduce noise.
Overall, the Capresso Infinity conical burr grinder really shines on little details like that. Additionally, it features a safety lock to ensure the grinder does not operate without the bean container.
- Slick & stylish design.
- Wide grinding range.
- Removable upper burr for easy cleaning.
- Large capacity container.
- Quieter than other electric grinders.
- The rotating knob can break.
- Some coffee remains inside the housing after the grind is completed.
- The coarse grind can be too fine for French Press or percolator.
5. OXO Brew
OXO has a reputation for making appliances simple, and their OXO Brew conical burr coffee grinder is no exception. Yet, in both appearance and function, this machine is refreshingly uncomplicated.
You simply load up to 12 ounces of coffee beans into the bean hopper, select your grind setting, set your grind time for up to 30 seconds, and press the button. The ground coffee container is then easy to remove, letting you access your fresh coffee for the next phase of your brewing process.
The grind setting is easy to adjust, with 15 options ranging from espresso fine to French Press coarse.
- Classy stainless steel design.
- One-touch start timer keeps your last setting.
- Can grind enough for 12 cups in one go.
- Dark, oily beans can clog the grounds chute.
- The beans may not feed evenly.
- Static cling.
6. Hario Skerton Pro
Hario coffee grinders have a quality that is hard to match. This Japanese brand offers a range of coffee-making equipment from V60 drip filters to barista coffee scales, especially coffee grinders like Bialetti is to Moka Pots.
The Hario Skerton Pro is a manual grinder with ceramic conical burrs and a plastic and glass exterior. A great advantage of the Hario Skerton coffee grinder (as opposed to Hario Mini or other manual grinders in the market) is its nonslip rubber base. It allows you to grind your coffee while holding the grinder on the kitchen bench or any other surface.
While the Classic and the Plus models of the Hario Skerton sometimes have trouble achieving consistency on coarser grind coffee, the Hario Skerton Pro benefits from a redesign that addresses this issue. However, if you prefer fine-grind coffee, the Hario Skerton Classic or Plus may be sufficient for your needs.
- Compact design.
- An anti-slip grip.
- Ceramic burrs don't heat up when grinding.
- Detachable handle for easy storage and travel.
- The glass vessel can break while transporting.
- Produces less consistent grind than electric grinders.
- No gauge markings to set the grind size.
What should I look for in a burr grinder?
As you prepare yourself to level up your coffee game by making an investment in a burr grinder, remember that the best coffee grinder for you is the one that meets your personal needs.
A significant advantage of burr grinders is that they usually have an adjustable grind setting. Make sure that the grinder you pick can produce coffee ground to the specifications of your preferred coffee brewing method. Most of the best burr grinders can do anything from espresso to French press, but if you like something extreme, make sure your grinder can handle that.
Electric burr grinders usually make changing the grind setting easy. Still, the process can be more complicated on a manual grinder, so avoid anything that seems beyond your own pre-coffee capabilities. For example, some may find manual grinding a refreshing way to wake up in the morning. Still, others with medical conditions involving their hands or arms might generally find a manual coffee grinder too tricky to operate.
The demands of manually grinding very fine coffee or manually grinding coffee for a large group of people could test just about anyone, so be realistic about what you hope to accomplish with a manual burr grinder. On the other hand, an electric coffee bean grinder is more likely to get your coffee ground in some circumstances, and you don’t need to feel like your coffee brewing process is somehow less authentic if you acknowledge that.
However, a manual coffee grinder may be right for you if you travel a lot. If you can’t be tied to your kitchen or have limited space in your kitchen, you can get burr grinder quality in the portable form if you can do your grinding by hand.
Finding the best burr grinder for under 100 dollars does not require settling for a blade grinder. A budget-friendly burr grinder can help you make a cup of coffee to your specifications and will do a better job than your mortar and pestle or other alternative grinding methods. So get ready to discover what a consistent, adjustable grind can do for you!
