Best Budget Espresso Grinder Showdown // OPUS vs ENCORE ESP Review

[@redchen3682]

I appreciate your recognition to new coffee enthusiasts by not assuming everyone understands all the technical terms about coffee and Espresso. Keep it up.

[@KyleRowsell]

Happy to help!

[@coffeenerdaaron]

Very much agreed, Kyle does a great job keeping it understandable and simple yet giving enough detail. I try to do the same in my videos 😊

[@mercurimike3027]

Silver Button!!! Congrats!! Thanks for the videos, just got a Gaggia EVO Pro Classic and now looking into a grinder and the opus has the price and look I like.

[@a13jo]

What do you got?

[@stavroskonstantinidis277]

I really was looking for a review for the Opus thats authentic and not bought by company... for the Varia VS3, too. thanks man!

[@gayosso0709]

SILVER BUTTON !!! Congrats Kyle love your super in depth reviews and will take them to heart!

[@tmurph2309]

Congrats on the silver button! After much anticipation for this review, you once again knock it out of the park with your product reviews/comparisons. Really appreciate the content! Side note my September Coffee delivery arrives today and I’m so stoked 🤘🏼

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks Taylor! Enjoy!

[@jeremyromand]

Well that settled it for me. The big piece for me is Baratza has really great service and parts. I have the encore but looking to play with espresso. So the ESP really makes sense to me. Thanks for the Video!!

[@rejected02]

Silver Button! Well deserved, congratulations. Thanks for all that you do. It has made my journey into coffee/espresso way easier. And thanks for this video.

[@KyleRowsell]

Honestly, thank you! Impossible without you as an audience

[@DrewCommins]

Congrats on the silver button! I just got the Opus and yeah, dialing in espresso is tricky. Out of the box, at the finest setting, I was getting a 15 sec. shot but going a couple of ticks finer in the inner dial made it much better. As far as noise, it's much louder than an Ode so I can just imagine the cacophony a Baratza would make. It would probably wake the house.

[@KyleRowsell]

Haha the Baratza is very loud. It’s a very common reality with their products but their results are great.

[@Pembalap]

Thanks for the review. I bought 3 Baratza Encore many years ago for my office. It is a kind of difficult to clean thoroughly, the curve of the way for coffe to go to the collection box is a kind of S-shape, which is difficult to open and clean. The Opus seems a lot easier. And it is more pleasant to use easy to clean & maintain grinder.

[@sirlimpsalot7767]

100k and never slowing down, always a great page to learn and grow for all levels

[@KyleRowsell]

Appreciate it!

[@dahveed284]

Nice review! I'm a filter drinker that wanted to replace my ancient Bodum grinder/coffee ground spreader. I ordered the Opus last week and it comes tomorrow. Someday I might get back into espresso, so I wanted a grinder that would allow me to do that while still grinding my daily brew.

[@ToddParker]

I have the lagom mini, getting Argos lever when Ross ships. Moonshine burr? Very excited to experience this setup! I believe Baratza has changed the game with their threaded burr adjustment mechanic in this new Baratza Encore grinder. I have Baratza Preciso in the office after my lagom mini upgrade for home and the micro/macro adjustment dual ring is now obsolete with magnified frustration.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks for watching Todd! Yes this was the moonshine indeed!

[@nachoote260]

If I were just starting, I would 100% be getting one of these, probably the Encore.

[@JJShankles]

Congrats on the Silver button! It is such an amazing award, and an amazing achievement

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@marcusannegarn8497]

This sort of content is so extremely useful. The effort doesn't go unnoticed! It's also just entertaining in its own right. These sorts of comparison videos are gold dust.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you! A lot… and I mean, a lot of time goes into it. This was finished at 3am. It’s appreciated!

[@timmilligan7110]

I enjoy most Fellow products. My Ode with SSP burrs has been a great pour over grinder so far. The Opus doesn't strike me as aesthetically pleasing as Fellow's other products (looks big and bulky.) The Baratza looks like a standard kitchen appliance while the Varia looks higher end. Thanks for the review! I have a lot of friends that ask which lower end grinder I'd recommend and that is always a hard one due to compromises that may affect some people more than others.

[@wakeawaken430]

0:38 I am excited too my friend , i was waiting a comparison between vs3 and Opus, now i am going to press play again 👍👍👍

[@KyleRowsell]

I hope you enjoyed it!

[@bernym3663]

congrat on the silver button!! love the content and appreciate the reviews

[@thenameiwantedwastaken]

I’m surprised that of all the people I’ve seen review the Opus, I’m surprised no one has compared it to the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, which I think it would be a direct competitor to in spec, ability and price

[@LanceHedrick]

LETS GO!

[@lastfour]

Congrats on the silver button! I was expecting this video from you, and you clarified that the Baratza is a better option for my needs. The adjustment system on the ESP is just clever! I'm not very good at math so the Opus is a no-no for me (I also don't like the plasticky feel). But both look like good options.

[@KyleRowsell]

Glad to help! To be clear, both are plastic. And really the math is only needed for precision on espresso

[@benjaminfranklin4760]

Barazza*

[@VoltsSanchez]

Congratulations on the silver button! Well deserved for a great channel :)

[@meatgeorge]

A mate of mine was actually asking my advise as he is wanting to get into brewing better coffee at home and I led him to this video letting him know he's living the best possible time as far as options go. He's more into filter coffee but wants to go into espresso later on and it seems like the ESP and Opus are tailor made for people that are at that point in their coffee journey. Seems so far people who are further along that have more expensive grinders see this is not for us, but excellent grinders for us to recommend to those starting out their journey towards becoming home baristas. Starting out myself with the original Encore it's easy to recommend, and Fellow having many products including the Ode it's easy to vouch for their quality.

[@sideast]

Silver Button ! was looking for a realistic review on the Opus

[@nateperry405]

Congrats on the plaque. I’ve throughly enjoyed your videos and look forward to what you’re going to do this year!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you so much!

[@JimboJason]

Congratulations on the Silver, and thanks for making excellent coffee related content!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks for watching!

[@Kaleidoscope2412]

Congrats on the silver play button. Had to watch this for your opinion after seeing what Lance had to say about both of these.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@jwanger142]

“I’d rather not talk about that” 😆 you rock Kyle. Congrats on the silver button.

[@KyleRowsell]

Haha. I mean.. I have a lot to say… but thanks for watching 😅

[@jwanger142]

@@KyleRowsell keep doing you man. I’ve been watching since your robot review, thanks for all the quality coffee content man.

[@KyleRowsell]

@@jwanger142 thank you!

[@What_If_We_Tried]

Kyle, thanks so much for this clear, concise, and easy to understand budget grinder review, because I am looking for a new grinder. I brew moka pot for myself, and V60 for my wife, but our Oster / Mr Coffee grinder has horrible static issues, needs to be cleaned often, and stalls from time to time. Was thinking of the Ode Gen 2 - nice form factor - but the new / much higher price is entering Eureka Mignon territory. Love the look, and metal construction of Varia VS3, but it's new, and would have to be direct shipped from China as it's not available where I live. So, because of your review, I plan to buy the Baratza Encore ESP, for now, until we decide whether or not we want an espresso machine. And if we do purchase one, I think the Encore ESP will be our permanent filter, French press, or Chemex grinder. * subscribed *

[@SaltySaltySalty.]

Silver button! Congrats, Kyle! Thrilled to see a video from you today. I'm looking for an electric replacement for Kinu M47 (4+ shots daily)

[@KyleRowsell]

Hope you found what you we're looking for!

[@paryzfilip]

Amazing silver button Kyle! Well deserved! I'm so happy for you!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks friend.

[@Johnnybananass-_]

Breville now owns Baratza. so keen to see how their acquired tech gets shared back to Breville grinders being mass produced at entry prices.,

[@LaurenF123]

Thanks for the great comparison! I am currently exclusively using a hand grinder for 2-3 espresso drinks every day. I'm glad there are multiple options in this price point, but I think I'll stick with my J-Max.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks for watching! And nice!

[@hisdesciples]

If you were to grind Ethiopian light roast what would your settings be for jmax?

[@julianb.1944]

Heyy man love the content! What’s the best grinder under 300 today? Should I get the encore or the varia or maybe the opus?

[@manhsplains]

I appreciate the deep comparison in espresso workflow, and why the encore is better there. I'm curious what the reasoning is for recommending opus if the majority of your grinding is filter? There was no taste comparison and or dialing in of filter or French press.

[@dylan-nguyen]

Congrats Kyle, I got the Normcore hand grinder based on your review a while back I never knew how much better my aeropress could taste Love the hand grinder reviews!

[@AlexCamerony]

I tried to guess the espresso cup comparison and it was close, just had the Opus and encore switched. Thought the Opus would have ended up second, maybe it really comes down to those adjustments or it's just the burr diff. Congrats on the silver button, great comparison 👍🏻

[@KyleRowsell]

It was also just one blind test. A different coffee could have had different results.

[@jkim177]

SILVERRR! Favorite review for opus and encore! Not in the market for them but still very interesting to listen. Loving your September Coffee (congrats!), absolutely amazing and my favorite coffee of the year so far.

[@KyleRowsell]

Ah that makes me smile! Thanks!

[@indeskys9714]

Where did you get it?

[@coffeenerdaaron]

Another fantastic video Kyle!!! Great details and I love the comparisons to the other grinders. I’m planning on doing some follow up videos to my Opus review with some comparisons to other grinders. Keep up the awesome work man!!! 🔥

[@KyleRowsell]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Tristan_the_ultimate]

Appreciate the effort, sir Kyle, for making really detailed and informative reviews, especially for budget grinders. Will you also be making a Turin SK40 review soon?

[@LouiePrimeau]

Silver button!!! I’ve just recently got a breville, and am looking into getting a buffet espresso grinder. I have been using my X pro for all my shots and am getting tired of cranking lol. I would be really interested in your thoughts on the Varia vs3s upgraded burr options. Really appreciate the content!

[@kuyalicious]

Thanks for this! Really informed a decision I'm making!

[@GeorgioSubs]

Watching this during black friday sales. Encore is full price and Opus is 20% off. Decision made haha. Thanks the review.

[@benfrafranco8210]

So, today - is the ENCORE ESP still your recommendation today, for making espressos? Is there another one you for 250 USD or less? Thank you so much!

[@kevinsutjr908]

Congrats Kyle, good job!! Cant wait to see what else you gonna bring in the future

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you!

[@sleepygummy7816]

Thanks to your videos, I've gained a lot of useful info about coffee. I also bought Wacaco Picopresso, which I love it. Currently, I use Timemore C2 grinder, but it takes ages for getting espresso powder. So, I'm having an eye for Varia VS3 (to replace my current grinder) due to its design and a wide grinding range. Would you recommend Varia VS3 for home use (up to 5 cups a day)? Or going for Lagom mini? in case, I don't wanna change grinder often.

[@MaxFromGermany]

Silver Button 🎉🎉🎉 Congratulation!!! Keep up the awesome work 👍👍👍

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you! Will do!

[@spektrograf]

Silver button! Congratulations, Kyle! 🎉🎊

[@andrewbourn1513]

Hi Kyle! First time watcher and really enjoyed your video. Question: Would the ESP or Opus be a better espresso grinder than the built in grinder on the Breville Barista Express? I am interested in buying a grinder that can do both filter and espresso but wasn't sure if I'd be gaining anything from what I already have. Congrats on the silver button and keep it up!

[@DerbyMods]

I work for a coffee shop that sells both and I get a 30% discount on all the things I buy. I’ve had an espresso machine for 2 years and still haven’t been able to settle on a grinder yet. This video will help me make my decision

[@SeanGordon-ym4yf]

Thanks for this great comparison Kyle!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@Itsmikevardy]

Congratulations on the silver button! And while I wait for the Cuisinart upstairs, that my wife uses to die a slow butt, hopefully soon death, I’ll stick with my original Encore for now. But now that I’m starting to explore espresso a bit more, it’ll be interesting to see what I go with next. I might just stick with Baratza on this one

[@TheBradleyd1146]

Hey Kyle, great video as always. If one was making milk based Espresso drinks, would the Turin SD40 still be a good option ?

[@CraftyEnelrad]

Silver button - Congrats

[@RobertFHarrison]

Silver Button! You've done a great job and definitely deserve it...keep it up!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you very much!

[@NocturneS711]

New subscriber here. Congrats on your silver button! I'm so glad I found this video because I'm craving for a new grinder to replace my cheap coffee/spice blender. Everything about the grinders is clear and the comparison is pretty neat. The conclusion is very helpful, which leads me to the Opus. Thank you and you totally deserve the silver button! :)

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks for watching! And welcome!

[@SoImPlayer2]

Great review! Will you be revering the timemore sculptor any time soon? Would love to see that head to head with the lagom mini, ode etc

[@KyleRowsell]

yes, very soon

[@martinmanzi1830]

Grande Kyle!! Nice comparison and good to see the old reviewed guys competing once again hahaha

[@KyleRowsell]

The old reviewed guys?

[@martinmanzi1830]

@@KyleRowsell haha with love, the SD and the lagom asking to compete and show what they got too

[@gmorel4]

How would you compare the Opus' filter coffee to the Ode's? I was planning on getting the Ode, and I know the Opus is significantly cheaper, but as someone who would be willing to pay the extra and is only really planning on making filter coffee, is the Ode worth the extra money? Thanks!

[@KyleRowsell]

It depends on how you brew? Pour over? French press? A mixture of different methods? Give me more info!

[@gmorel4]

@@KyleRowsell Thanks for your reply! Mostly Pour over, Chemex to be precise. Possibly some V-60 from time to time.

[@KyleRowsell]

@@gmorel4 for chemex, both would do just fine. The chemex filter will mute almost nuance you may notice between the two. For v60 I’d go with the ode if you can but the opus will do VERY well.

[@arogalski]

I know you did a video on the old Baratza Encore vs the Breville Smart Grinder Pro. How would you compare this new version Baratza Encore ESP to the Breville?

[@VentoRacing1]

Hay it's been a while since I watched one of your videos. You have really improved.

[@BensBeanBrew]

Congratulations on the silver button, I bet it feels great

[@KyleRowsell]

Ha, it’s a milestone but honestly not much changes otherwise.

[@mikeLssd]

Great review! Congrats on the silver button. Would you recommend the ESP as a an upgrade to those with the built in grinder on the breville barista pro ? Thanks

[@KyleRowsell]

Not a massive upgrade. I’d save for a sette 270 for better adjustment or the lagom mini, for example.

[@brianc8148]

It seems like the Opus has its comprises as an espresso grinder. I am more interested to see how the Opus compares to the ODE and say hand grinders for P.O

[@sobrangitm]

one question: Fellow dropped the price of the Ode Gen 1 to $255 and right now you can get it refurbished for just $195. Curious how you would compare the Opus to the Ode Gen 1 (w/ just the Gen 1 burrs, not the Gen2 burrs)? Does the anti-static tech and wider range of grind adjustment (especially for filter coffee) put the Opus over the Ode Gen 1 despite its cheaper build? My use case is primarily V60 pour over and French press though; I don’t plan on getting into espresso, which is all the more reason why I’m not sure if the Opus is the better buy since you can now get the Ode Gen 1 on ReBrew for the same price. I’d really appreciate your help with this!! 🙏🏾☕️

[@igorristic2562]

And what did you find out? Ode gen 1 vs opus at the same pricepoint? I use mokapot. But hm maybe wanna back sometimes to espresso too with gaggia

[@sobrangitm]

@@igorristic2562 so I ended up just getting the Opus because of the anti-static tech and wider range of grind adjustment 😅 though I still want to eventually get the Ode Gen 2 when it goes on sale, as the Opus has a relatively high amount of retention and noticeably cheaper build quality. But if your use case is mainly moka and potentially espresso, then definitely go for the Opus over the Ode Gen 1 since it can go way more fine. Though outside of Fellow, it seems like more people actually prefer the Baratza Encore ESP over the Opus for those use cases 🙏🏾

[@lukemorison2355]

silver button! love your work Kyle!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks Luke!

[@glassjaw890]

Silver button! Congrats 👏🏻

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you!

[@brettsiegle9163]

SILVER BUTTON! Congrats 😊

[@kanotrt]

SILVER BUTTON! AWESOME - CONGRATS!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@rellify3]

I have an 1ZPresso JX-Pro that I use for mostly espresso with the occasional pour over. I like it a lot, but I get tired of hand grinding in the morning lol. Thinking about picking up an electric grinder, but I don't want to buy one that will be a significant downgrade to the cup I currently get. Do you think the quality of the ESP is comparable to the JX-Pro?

[@maxmeier532]

I mean, it would make sense to actually test the ESP with the single hopper attachment if you're gonna compare it to other single dose grinders. Dead spaces/retention can be an issue that may be a deal breaker for some.

[@charlesdepelteau6298]

Silver button! Congrats!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@yannickbougard8706]

Silver button! Congratulations. Question for espresso encore ESP vs Jmax? Considering manual grinding a non factor. Pure taste. Which is best?

[@KyleRowsell]

Similar. JMax will be easier to dial

[@leovomend8789]

basically i learned nothing, if i want equal amunts of filter or espresso without a preference im still in limbo, price points are indeed basically the same, surprisingly the encore did better for espresso than the opus which is not expected at all. still nice comprehensive review

[@davitdayou]

Hi Kyle. I am enjoying my Miicoffee C38 (same as SPTK-38 G) bought from Amazon 260$, and generally same as Lagom mini, and I think it’s the best choice in this category. I watched your video on it and got inspired… only questions is can this fit moonshine burrs for Lagom mini???

[@conormclaughlin5811]

Congrats on the Silver Button!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you!

[@imstigma]

huge congrats on the Silver Button!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks! And thanks for watching

[@adriangonzalezdpt]

Silver button! Congrats Kyle!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks! and thanks for watching!

[@chianti95]

Many thanks for this review- it was very helpful! Have you tried adding the extra shims included with the ESP to further adjust the grind? I’m leaning towards the Baratza in part due to their stellar reputation for customer service, but I’m worried about the excessive noise. If I grind the night before, would that be too much of a flavor compromise (vs waking up the dead grinding coffee at 7 am)? I don’t have a fancy espresso machine (deLonghi) but I believe it’s capable of making decent shots if I upgrade my grinder. (the current one as well as my current handheld one both grind what appears to be espresso- level fine powder, but the shots still run too fast when using a non pressurized basket. I’m on the fence as to whether a grinder upgrade will fix this, or if the issue is more a consequence of the machine itself. I usually buy beans but maybe a good test would be letting them grinding for espresso at the coffee shop, just to test, vs grinding at home. (Probably would be best to buy small amounts of coffee, so as to not lose freshness during the experimental phase) So many questions …but the review really helped me narrow down my choices. I only wish you had run both machines so we could judge the noise level ( I know it’s loud - just don’t know if it’s tolerable) :) I’m torn between the ESP and the mii DF54 … which seems really interesting but hard to clean. Have you reviewed that one yet?

[@lancemoore3867]

Silver button! My man, congratulations 🎉

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks Lance! Appreciate you as always

[@michaelboyack5775]

Congratulations Kyle!!

[@ManWhoSellsFish]

That silver button needs some 👀. Congrats Kyle!

[@KyleRowsell]

On it

[@coreycannon4511]

TOTALLY!!

[@briantan3931]

Would love to see a comparison between the Encore ESP and the Turin SK40

[@rlsimmons900]

Congrats on silver button! Cool September hat too!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@rlsimmons900]

My September coffee is out for delivery today too!

[@KyleRowsell]

@@rlsimmons900 oh cmon! 👏👏👏

[@CalebJoaquin]

YAY! Congrats on that silver button my man!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!!

[@evfast]

An Encore with a set of M2's. My biases have been confirmed.😁

[@RichardPersaudPress]

Silver Button! (And another subscriber!)

[@KyleRowsell]

Welcome aboard!

[@balboy14]

Silver Button! Congratulations!

[@KyleRowsell]

Yes! Thank you!

[@tadda6282]

Silver button. Congratulations on the great work.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks 👍

[@DonKangolJones]

I still love my Sette 270, but (god forbid) I have to replace it and can’t afford another one, I like the Baratza ESP as a stand-in. There are just a few too many things about the Opus that I don’t like. I am glad to see the price of entry for espresso lower though. That’s good for everyone.

[@peter__p_a_n2563]

@Kyle Roswell, very informative video but for me the question would be if any of the two are a noticeable improvement over the grinder on the Barista express?

[@notme123123]

Congrats on the silver button! This was a great comparison video, thanks. On a related note, I’m still using a Rancilio Rocky, which I’ve had for about a decade. Where does that fit in the current grinder landscape?

[@KyleRowsell]

The Rocky is an interesting one. I think it's a bit outdated for it's price and offerings. I would no longer recommend it given the landscape of options we have today.

[@ramrammer5138]

Congrats on silvery button Kyle!!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@dawsen]

Silver Button! You deserve all the success!

[@KyleRowsell]

Thank you!

[@toto408]

Great review! Good to compare with what other KZbinrs have published 😊

[@KyleRowsell]

Sure! Thanks for watching

[@TheDusty0ne]

Good buying guide! Hope that it will help people in making their decision.

[@KyleRowsell]

Thanks!

[@BUZZ_TEA]

i really considering buying one of theese grinders hence the easy adjustments. if you are curious about how really bad and non-reproducable adjustments look like, then just take a look at the Bezzera bb5. it came in a bundle with my bezzera bz10 and some other equipment. but the grinder is a pain in the rear to setup.

[@codycantrell2780]

Love the content! Would have loved to see something like the J Max against these budget electric grinders. Maybe in the future

[@KyleRowsell]

The JMax is a hand grinder. I think if you are willing to hand grind your mind should already be made up. that is superior value.

[@codycantrell2780]

@@KyleRowsell I had just purchased a J Max for espresso use when these released, so I was curious how these new budget electric grinders compared to hand grinders at the same price point. If they truly don’t compete, I’ll stick to hand grinding! Thanks!

[@nicolasfortin4216]

silver button congrats 🎉 and on September also 👍👍👍

[@KyleRowsell]

Appreciate it!

[@angelbeck4713]

Thanks for what you do bud.