Edit: forgot to mention that the fellow ode is usually like 250 but the refurbs are 150, is a refurb a bad idea in itself?
I pretty much have $150USD to spend on a nice burr grinder and I am pretty sure that one of these two would do the trick. I grind small amounts at once, like say 30-50g, but that’s too big for most hand grinders plus I don’t want to have to operate one while lacking caffeine. I want a machine but I want it not to suck. I don’t have an espresso machine, or a Turkish coffee maker, and these two supposedly do everything from aeropress to French press so that seems good for me. Mostly going to be doing V60 and also drip coffee for the partner who prefers quantity over quality. Need to get a drip coffee maker too but I figure most of them are similar, probably will get a Krups or Bunn. I have a Fellow kettle so I kinda want the Ode to match but I also have some things I hate about the Fellow kettle like small size and lack of utility for things other than pour over coffee. Does the Ode have similar pitfalls? I like the small batch grinding capacity, whereas the Encore seems like a traditional hopper style grinder that you’re supposed to pour a whole bag into. But I have been told that the Encore is the way to go for entry level burr grinders. So what do y’all think?
The original Ode had a few issues which the Ode 2 fixed. One thing was the burrs, which you can replace. You can order the new burrs or some other SSP burrs from Ode. One thing that cannot be fixed is the static and retention issue.
I just got the Fellow Opus and I am very happy with it for pour over and moka pot.
While the Encore is very good, the Opus is better.
You can get the Opus for $195 normally.
Watch a few videos for more info.
I know this isn’t one of the two you were asking about, but I’ve been using this Shardor conical burr grinder every day for about two months now, and I love it. It was only $60, and perfect for my needs (Chemex pourover). Consistent grind, not too loud, and it looks pretty on my counter. I can’t be sure how long it’ll last, but it feels solid and well-built, and is very easy to clean. I weigh my beans first, then dump them in, so the hopper is kinda useless to me, but I can see how some people might like it.
Fellow’s stuff looks really chic and nice, but I can’t justify their prices.
Mods feel free to delete this if we’re not supposed to post Evil-Corp links.
In the $60 USD range I had been looking at the Krups Precision (also EvilCorp link) https://a.co/d/iHgMfnp or the Cuisinart https://a.co/d/eqAxbD3 which are both that price and pretty well rated. I just need to upgrade from a blade grinder, it’s making all my efforts at making a consistent cup moot.
I will always recommend baratza. If you can spring for Encore ESP it will future proof you in case you want to go down the path of espresso. Otherwise the Encore will def serve you well.
I think it will be a long time before I can afford a decent home espresso setup but thanks for the rec, it looks like a good machine.
Just to elaborate on why recommend Baratza products… they are good products to begin with but also easily user-serviceable / repairable / upgradable. Also their customer support is top notch. That’s not to say you should expect them to break, mind you.
I think you’ll see similar sentiment in almost any review of them that you see.
On the other hand if you want to go cheap, the Cuisinart burr grinder is probably the best you can do sub-$100. It will be good (but not great) for anything but espresso I think. https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/appliances/coffee_makers/DBM-8P1/
Edit: when it’s time for the drip maker I highly recommend the breville precision. It’s pricy but worth it. If it’s out of price range just try to get something that’s good cup certified… https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer
I remember reading a lot about Ode not being able to grind fine enough for V60s. There have been upgrades to the burrs but afaik the original one was a bit iffy. That is the reason I did not buy one a few years back. It might be something to take a gander at, and also to check what burrs are in the refurbished Ode.
Damn that would be bad, V60 is what I am doing the most of. Any reviews I should read?
Don’t fret. I have the original ODE and the v2 changes which included the updated burrs. It’s does a fantastic job for v60 pour over. It was also fine on v1 burrs just better with v2 burrs. Discounted refurbished is the way to go to cost effectively up your grinder game. Static is handled with a spray bottle; not a big deal - just part of the ritual.
Right on. I have seen a lot of people on YouTube preferring the AliExpress grinder the Turín/Itop/MiiCoffee SD40 over Encore and the Fellow Opus but IDK about the Ode. But I also think they might be selling those grinders and maybe make a higher margin on them vs. reselling Baratza or Fellow products. I’m weirded out by AliExpress brands sometimes though because it’s easy to buy from another seller copying the original seller with an inferior product. I’m kinda thinking of maybe getting the Solis Scala Zero just because it’s cheaper at $100.
I just got a Turin SK40 to upgrade from a Solus. It’s amazing. The Solus has really bad static and got coffee grounds all over my countertop. The Turin has zero static. Amazing piece of hardware, check it out. There’s another one that allows quicker grind adjustment too. They really seem like the best grinders you can get for under $500.
Wow it looks really cool but they are sold out ! https://www.turingrinders.com/products/turin-sk40-single-dose-grinder and espresso outlet won’t get them until late October https://www.espressooutlet.net/turin-sk40-single-dose-stepless-grinder/ where did you get yours?
I got it from espresso outlet. The SD40 is pretty much the same thing if you don’t need the super fine adjustments of the SK40. There’s a bunch of YouTube videos showing them both off.
The SD40 https://www.espressooutlet.net/turin-sd40-v2-single-dose-low-retention-grinder/ looks cool too but I also don’t have an espresso machine and am planning on mostly grinding for drip coffee for my partner and V60 for me. What did you not like about your Solis? I am looking at a Solis Scala Zero for half the price right now, it seems good. EvilCorp link but I am pretty sure it’s shipped and sold by Seattle Coffee Gear which is local https://a.co/d/bVhSGyJ.
