Baratza Encore ESP vs Breville Smart Grinder Pro

Our top pickBaratza Encore ESPBest for a Dedicated Espresso RangeSee why ↓

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More picks

1. Breville Smart Grinder ProBest for Programmable Timed Dosing

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Short answer: Pick the Encore ESP if most of what you brew is espresso and you want a dedicated fine-adjustment range plus a dosing cup. Pick the Smart Grinder Pro if you want programmable timed dosing, a portafilter cradle and a large 1 lb hopper. Neither dial count tells you which grinds finer in practice.

These two sit in the same part of the market and get compared constantly, but they are built around different assumptions. Baratza splits its dial into two ranges. Breville gives you a digital panel, timers and more numbered steps. We did not grind coffee on either. Figures come from each maker’s manual and page, and any measurement below is credited to the person who took it. Method: How We Review.

Safety note: unplug a grinder before reaching near the burrs, including when clearing a jam. Breville’s manual warns against running its grinder for longer than 2 minutes at a time, asks for at least 2 minutes of cooling after each use, and 10 to 15 minutes after long operation. Baratza warns not to wash the burrs with water, because they rust. Check each brand at cpsc.gov/Recalls before buying.

Only the Lines That Differ

Do not read 40 and 60 as a resolution comparison. Neither maker publishes step size, and settings on different grinders are not equal steps. The useful comparison is how each dial is divided, not how long it is.

What the Numbers Mean in Practice

The Encore ESP’s dial is split on purpose. Its manual says settings 1 to 20 change the grind by small amounts for espresso, and 21 to 40 make larger jumps for filter. Coffee Chronicler’s July 2024 review reports about 18.8 microns per click in that espresso range. If you switch between espresso and filter, this layout saves a lot of clicking.

The Smart Grinder Pro’s dial is longer and more uniform in appearance. Breville’s manual tells you to use the finer settings 1 to 30 for espresso and suggests starting at setting 12. Digital timing adjusts the dose in 0.2 second increments, which helps you repeat a dose without a scale.

Footprint. The Smart Grinder Pro’s listed 8.5 x 6.3 in works out to about 54 square inches, and it stands 15.3 in tall. Baratza’s U.S. page does not give dimensions, so measure against the listing before assuming the ESP fits under a cabinet.

Measurements by someone else. Coffee Chronicler’s Asser Christensen reports about 1.1 g of retention and about 92 decibels from his Encore ESP. Those are his numbers from one unit. We could not find comparable published measurements for the Smart Grinder Pro in a source we could open, so this is not a head-to-head.

The Two Grinders

1. Baratza Encore ESP: Best for a Dedicated Espresso Range

• Burrs: 40 mm M2 cone burr (per Coffee Chronicler)
• Settings: 40; 1 to 20 for espresso, 21 to 40 for filter (per the manual)
• Dosing: dosing cup with 58 mm adapter ring, works with 54 mm when the ring is removed
• Hopper, dimensions, power: not listed in the sources we opened
• Warranty: 1-year limited, U.S. and Canada (per the manual)

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The label comes straight from the manual: half the dial is given over to small espresso adjustments, and the other half to larger filter jumps. That makes moving between a shot and a pour-over a short trip around the dial.

Coffee Chronicler describes it as suited to “entry-level espresso making rather than high-end, precise dialing in,” and says the mostly plastic build “feels a bit cheap.” The same review reports a rattly, hollow sound. Baratza’s U.S. page lists few specs, so confirm size and hopper capacity on the listing.

Pros

• Dedicated espresso range of 20 small steps
• 54 and 58 mm dosing cup included
• 1-year U.S. warranty stated in the manual

Cons

• Plastic build, per Coffee Chronicler
• 92 dB measured by Coffee Chronicler
• Physical size and hopper capacity not published in sources we opened

Good fit if

• You pull espresso most days and brew filter sometimes
• You prefer weighing a dose into a cup

Skip if

• You want timed dosing into the portafilter
• You want a large hopper to leave beans in

Verdict: A sensible fit for espresso-first buyers who like the split dial.

2. Breville Smart Grinder Pro: Best for Programmable Timed Dosing

• Burrs: stainless steel conical (per Breville; diameter not listed)
• Settings: 60 from espresso to French press (per Breville)
• Espresso range: 1 to 30 (per the manual)
• Dosing: programmable, 0.2 second increments, cups or shots
• Cradles: 50 to 54 mm and 58 mm
• Hopper: 1 lb (per the manual)
• Power: 120 V, 60 Hz, 165 W (per the manual)
• Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.3 x 15.3 in
• Warranty: length not stated on Breville’s product page

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The label rests on the 0.2 second timing control and the included cradles for both common portafilter size groups, which let you grind directly into the basket and repeat it. At 165 W it draws about 1.4 amps, not a factor for most kitchens.

Do plan around the duty limit. Breville’s manual says not to operate the grinder longer than 2 minutes at a time, so a run of drinks for several people needs breaks. An adjustable upper burr extends its range if a coffee needs it, and the manual suggests changing only one step at a time.

Pros

• Digital timing in 0.2 second steps
• Portafilter cradles for 50 to 54 mm and 58 mm
• Published electrical rating and 1 lb hopper

Cons

• Manual warns against runs beyond 2 minutes
• Burr diameter not published on Breville’s page
• Warranty term not on the product page

Good fit if

• You want to repeat a timed dose without a scale
• You often use a 58 mm or 54 mm portafilter

Skip if

• You mostly grind for many cups in a row
• You prefer a simple mechanical dial

Verdict: The more programmable choice, with a real duty limit to respect.

Who Should Not Buy Either

• Buyers who brew only drip or French press. Our best budget coffee grinders guide covers filter-first burr grinders.
• People who want a grinder with a published step size or a stated retention figure from the maker. Neither of these provides that.
• Anyone who wants a grinder that takes unattended high-volume use. Breville’s manual sets a duty limit, and we could not confirm one for the ESP.

Own a machine with a built-in grinder already, such as the one in our Breville Barista Express review? A dedicated grinder is a second purchase worth thinking through. More grinder guides are in our Coffee Grinders section.

More guides in this section: Coffee Grinder Comparisons and Reviews.

Where the Numbers Come From

Baratza Encore ESP operations manual; Breville BCG820 page and U.S. instruction book; Coffee Chronicler (Asser Christensen, July 26, 2024). Articles are drafted with AI tools, key specifications are checked against their sources, and the site owner is responsible for what is published.

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