Coffee consistency is important even for coffees made from coarser coffee particles. Misunderstandings might lead one to think that the coarser the grounds, the higher the tolerability for inconsistency, but this is not true. Coffee for pour-over, drip, and French press is ground after certain principles, but inconsistency is not part of the craft.
That said, we have carefully picked the best coffee grinders for French press that might, together with the knowledge on how to make French press coffee, show you the delicacy of this coffee’s strong taste.
#1 Baratza Encore
This entry-level electric grinder by Baratza is one of the most popular burr grinders among people who enjoy French press coffee and those who want to dip their toes in espresso waters for the first time. It’s affordable, beautifully consistent for medium-coarse grinds, and it won’t grind with the hopper off, which makes it safe to use.
The 40mm steel conical burr guarantees a fast grinding time and the 40 settings that go from coarse to fine make the Baratza Encore a versatile grinder. Easy to use, the grinder has a dial with double ON and OFF positions, so every wrong position choice is easily fixable.
The Encore can grind either into its labeled ground collector or directly into a portafilter.
Key Features:
- For pour-over, drip, and French press coffee
- Grinds directly into a portafilter
- 40 grind settings
- 40mm steel conical burr
- Dial with two ON and two OFF positions
Pros
Entry-level, but versatile
Acknowledged for its consistency
Easy to use and clean
Convenient dual ON and OFF positions
Generous option for grinding directly into a portafilter
Cons
Might leave coffee dust on the countertop after grinding
#2 KRUPS GVX212
The GVX212 by KRUPS is a seriously affordable coffee grinder. With a pro-safety design and a variety of features, this grinder gives a solid entry-level coffee experience to the user. From grind selection that is a choice between 17 settings to a cups selector for quantity control, the GVX212 gives beginners decent features to enjoy.
Like we said, the grinder functions in accordance with its pro-safety design— in other words, it won’t operate until the lid of the hopper is in place. A cleaning brush is included in the box, and if the brush makes for a more convenient cleaning, the removable hopper and burrs make cleaning a bit easier.
Key Features:
- Stainless steel burr
- 8-ounce air-tight bean hopper
- 17 grind settings
- Cups selector from 2 to 12 cups
- Pro-safety design
Pros
Consistent grinds for French press coffee over and over again
One of the most affordable grinders on the list
Enjoys the trust of customers
Versatility of grind and quantity settings despite its low price
Cons
Cleaning the ground collector and the burr is a bit challenging for some people
#3 Capresso 565.05 Infinity
The Capresso Infinity is a grinder that might be suitable for people who like to grind their French press coffee a bit finer. It is consistent, reliable, and it comes with a timer for even more precise results when it comes to needed coffee quantity.
Infinity’s conical burr grinds the coffee from the 8.8-ounce bean hopper of the grinder into the 4-ounce ground coffee collector. That said, this is a grinder with a lot of potential when it comes to coffee quantity.
With an ability to grind from coarse to extra fine, the Capresso Infinity is a nice and affordable option for espresso enthusiasts.
For more details on the performance of this grinder, check out our Capresso Infinity vs Baratza Encore article.
Key Features:
- Grinds from coarse to extra fine
- 8.8-ounce bean hopper
- 4-ounce ground coffee collector
- Steel conical burr
- Removable bean hopper and ground coffee collector
Pros
One of the most widely-acknowledged grinders when it comes to consistency
Fairly simple to use
Not too noisy
The safety-off mechanism activates once the upper burr of the grinder is removed
Cons
Cleaning the grinder might require some more time and effort
#4 Baratza Virtuoso +
The more sophisticated design of the Baratza Virtuoso + gives a hint about the grinder’s higher price, and it gives a relevant hint, too. With the price, however, come some nice features – and consistency, especially for coffees ground on the coarser settings, is guaranteed.
The Virtuoso + has an electronic timer that, together with the LED backlight of the coffee ground collector and the marked measuring line, makes for more precise coffee dosing.
Before the coffee falls into the ground coffee collector, it gets ground by the 40mm burrs inside the 8-ounce bean hopper. The grinder is best to use for French press, pour-over, and drip coffee, even though it does grind coffee for espresso with fine consistency as well.
Key Features:
- 40 grind settings
- 8-ounce bean hopper
- 40mm conical steel burrs
- Electronic timer
- LED backlight in the ground coffee container
Pros
Many grind settings for more customization of the coffee coarseness
Very consistent throughout the entire grind range
More efforts put into its attractive design, which is not often the case with grinders in this class
Using it is very simple and cleaning it is not that much of a challenge
Cons
A bit more expensive than other grinders on the list
#5 Baratza Vario-W
The ‘W’ in the Baratza Vario-W stands for ‘weight.’ Weight-based grinding is way more accurate than grinding with a timer, and, being a weight-based grinder, the Vario-W can very easily pass the quantity accuracy test.
Other than the professional weight-based dosing, the grinder also brings its users a spectacularly large number of grind settings. With 10 micro settings and three micro steps for each setting, which totals into 230 settings, the Baratza Vario-W is close to grinding coffee at a molecular level.
Even though this already is an acceptable bundle of settings as it is, the Vario-W goes a bit further and offers even more: three preset programmable doses and ceramic flat burrs.
Key Features:
- 10 main grind settings
- 3 micro steps for each grind setting
- 54mm ceramic flat burrs
- Weight-based dosing
- Three programmable preset doses
Pros
Uniquely generous when it comes to features
Excellent for fine-tuning the coffee for French press with incomparable accuracy
Good for grinding coffee for espresso as well
Programmable preset doses for different coffees at the touch of a button
Cons
One of the most expensive grinders on this list
#6 Smeg CGF01
Available in black, white, and many other colors, the Smeg CGF01 is one of the most beautiful grinders on our Best Coffee Grinder for French Press list. The grinder is made of metal, but its bean hopper and ground coffee container are made of tritan, a type of plastic that is durable and BPA-free.
The outside appearance of this grinder is either unquestionably beautiful or we are just being biased. Jokes put aside, the CGF01 is not only beautiful, but it also comes packed with some features that place this grinder on the higher end of the entry-level grinders list.
With 30 settings, a removable conical burr for easy cleaning, and two preset functions, potential customers count on the CGF01 when it comes to lower-priced alternatives to the more expensive Baratza Vario-W.
The CGF01 might not be weight-based, but its 130-gram container is precisely marked for different coffee doses. Preset functions are also available by turning the dial at the center of the grinder, and one can also use a portafilter directly on the grinder to grind some coffee for espresso.
Key Features:
- 30 grind settings
- Preset functions
- 130-gram ground coffee container
- Allows the use of a portafilter
- Bean hopper and coffee ground container made of tritan
- Antistatic system
Pros
Medium priced, but with great features and a beautiful design
Great for customizing the coarseness of the coffee for French press with 30 grind settings
The antistatic system doesn’t let coffee stick to the bean hopper and the ground coffee container
Comes with a cleaning brush and a centering filter support
Cons
A bit expensive, but not too much
#7 JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
Manual grinders are preferable for those times we go on a picnic or when we go camping. The JavaPresse manual coffee grinder is the grinder we consider to be the best one in its category and hence our first choice in our list of best manual coffee grinders.
The JavaPress gains the trust of its users with its 18-setting grind selector, the small size, and the patented ceramic combo burrs. Users of this grinder can count on coffee for French press ground with great consistency— a consistency that costs a little under $50.
Convenient and easy to use, this grinder doesn’t fail to tone it down with the noise levels while grinding. Perfect for French press coffee in the morning when you’re up and someone else is napping, the JavaPresse is a portable way to consistent coffee anytime throughout the day.
Generous to their customers, JavaPresse gives a bag of whole bean coffee for free if one redeems it with the code that comes shipped with the grinder.
Key Features:
- Manual
- 18 grind settings
- For French press, aeropress, drip coffee, and Turkish brew
- Patented ceramic combo burrs
- Brushed stainless steel body
Pros
Specifically made to grind coffee for French press and other brew methods that require a coarser grind
Portable and quiet, two factors that make a coffee lover’s life easier
Small in size and easy to travel with
Comes with a code that leads to a free bag of coffee as a gift
Cons
It’s a manual grinder, so it might be slower and not as effortless as an electric one
FAQ
1. How do I know if I picked the correct grind size for French Press?
Usually, coffee for French press is coarsely ground, resembling coarse salt, but exactly how coarsely it should be ground is a matter of personal choice. We believe that you will have to experiment with the coarse grind settings of the coffee grinder that you pick to find out what works for you. One other ‘trick’ you can use to figure this out is to see how smoothly the lid of the press slides down the wall of the coffee maker. If the filter slides too fast and with little resistance, you’ve ground the coffee too fine. If the filter slides down too slowly and you feel like it takes you a lot of effort to push it down, then your coffee is ground too coarsely.
2. Why does the leftover coffee that I make in my French press taste bitter?
This happens because, after you’ve made the coffee, the grounds in the press are still being extracted, and that’s where the bitter taste comes from. To avoid this, make as much coffee as you want to have at the time of making, or store the coffee that you’re not going to drink in a thermal carafe. In any case, don’t let the coffee stay in the French press after you’re done making it.
Things to Consider When Buying a Grinder for French Press
What the grinder is used for – When choosing a grinder for French press, choose one that was made to grind coffee for French press among the other brew methods. Better yet, choose a grinder that says that is best for French press. You can ask the manufacturer to give you data on this, read more articles like our article, and see what people have to say about the grinder.
Burr material– Avoid blade grinders because they can be very inconsistent. Instead, pick grinders with steel or ceramic burrs. Steel burr grinders grind fast, while ceramic grinders don’t heat up the coffee to the point where they burn it. However, whichever of the two options you decide to go for is fine for French press.
Build quality – Grinders that have metal parts are usually more durable. However, grinders with plastic parts can be durable as well.
Features – Do you like fine-tuning your ground coffee or do you think you can live with a few basic grinder features? Think about this before you get your grinder.
Motor power – Think about how often you will be using your coffee grinder, how much coffee you want it to grind, and how fast you want your coffee to be ground. Motor power ranges from 100W to more than 400W, and the higher the number, the more powerful the motor.
Conclusion
As always, what the best coffee grinder for French press is for you completely depends on your needs. We’d like to once again remind you that the Baratza Encore has been proving its capabilities as a grinder over the years with its 40 grind settings and the 40mm steel conical burrs. However, the rest of the grinders are great as well, and they offer interesting features worth checking out.
Thank you for visiting our site and we’re glad that you’ve shown interest in the best coffee grinders for French press. In case you’re interested in espresso, you can also check out our lists of best espresso machines under $100 and the list of best espresso machines under $200.