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The Best Coffee Grinders for French Press in 2024

The Best Coffee Grinders for French Press in 2024

French press is a popular coffee preparation method for both coffee connoisseurs and novices alike. But a little-known secret to the perfect French Press is ensuring you use the best grinder. While good beans are necessary, many don’t realize that how those beans are ground is just as important. With so many coffee grinders to choose from, how do you know which are the best coffee grinders for French press? Let’s find out!

Our Top Picks: Best Coffee Grinders for French Press

To start things off, let’s have a look at our top picks:

  • Best Electric: OXO Brew Coffee Grinder. With 15 grind settings, stainless-steel conical burrs, and a built-in scale on top of the standard timer, this elite coffee grinder can handle up to 12oz of beans and produce perfectly uniform particle sizes every single time. It was an easy pick for best coffee grinder for french press.
  • Best Manual: Handground Precision Manual Grinder. Thanks to the side-mounted handle on a vertical body, this compact manual grinder is easier to use than its vertical counterparts. It features 15 grind settings, ceramic burrs built to last, and a stepped ring for intuitive setting adjustments.
  • Best Eco-Friendly: Breville Smart Grinder Pro. This energy-efficient, high-end smart grinder is made by a brand dedicated to sustainable, ethical, and responsible business practices. It offers 0.2-second timer increments and 60 grind settings for precise control.
  • Best Budget: Secura Coffee Grinder. Cheap doesn’t have to mean low-quality, as proven by this compact grinder with 17 different grind settings and a 96oz grounds chamber to make enough coffee for the whole family.
  • Best Conical Burr: Baratza Virtuoso Plus. This elite compact coffee grinder offers 40 different grind settings, hardened steel-alloy conical burrs, and .1-second timer intervals for precise control over particle size.
  • Best Flat-plate Burr: Baratza Vario Flat Burr Coffee Grinder. Professional-grade and high-end, this flat burr grinder has 230 different grind settings, an incredibly precise digital timer, and three programmable presets. You can enjoy uniform particle size grounds at the touch of a button.
  • Best Portable Electric: Pinlo Electric Portable Coffee Grinder. With its integrated cord storage, amazingly compact size, and safety-locking base, this electric grinder can go wherever you go. It will produce an even grind no matter your favorite beans.
  • Best Portable Manual: Porlex Mini Stainless-Steel Coffee Grinder. At just 5 inches high and 1.85 inches around, this small manual grinder with a detachable handle will easily fit into even the smallest of purses. The stepped adjustments calibrate the grind by about 37 microns for precise control over particle size on-the-go.
  • Best Aesthetic: Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder. On top of its top-of-the-line grinding capability, this elegant grinder comes with a glass ground chamber to prevent static build-up. It is available in a plethora of beautiful finishes to suit any aesthetic preference.
  • Best Vintage: Foruchoice Vintage Manual Coffee Grinder. With this old-fashioned-style manual grinder, you can enjoy the vintage feel along with the delicious taste of freshly-ground coffee. With cast-iron mechanisms and a wooden grounds chamber, this grinder is as much home décor as it is a valuable asset to your morning routine.

1. OXO Brew Coffee Grinder

The best electric coffee grinder overall

OXO Brew Coffee Grinder

Brand: OXO / Type: Electric / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 12oz / Price: 💰💰💰

With 15 different settings to choose from, the OXO Brew Coffee Grinder is perfect for French Press and everything from pour-over to espresso. The 40mm stainless-steel conical burrs grind your coffee into strictly uniform grounds, ensuring you get the best out of your beans. Thanks to the large 12oz bean hopper, you can grind an entire specialty coffee bag in one go!

The OXO Brew Coffee Grinder is also one of a small, elite club of grinders featuring a built-in scale and the integrated timer. All you have to do is tell it how much coffee you want, and then sit back and let the grinder Do all the work!

  • Consistent grind from all 15 settings across all kinds of beans
  • Uniform grounds even on coarser grind settings equals a fantastic cup of French Press
  • Little to no static cling, meaning no surprise attacks from your coffee grounds and an easier time cleaning

  • The timer settings are in seconds rather than cups, which can take some time to get the hang of
  • While it is easy to clean, one reviewer noted they wished that the lower burr was also removable

2. Handground Precision Manual Grinder

The best manual coffee grinder overall

Handground Grinder

Brand: Handground / Type: Manual / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 3.5oz / Price: 💰💰

The Handground Precision Manual Coffee Grinder features a side-mounted handle on a vertical grinder body. It gives you the ease of horizontal grinders with the stability of vertical grinders for consistent results with as little effort as possible. The 40mm ceramic conical burrs will last up to 5 times longer than stainless steel. These specially designed burrs will crush and grind your beans to even particle sizes no matter which of the 15 grind settings you choose. Thanks to the manual process, this machine is significantly quieter than even the quietest of electric grinders. You can enjoy freshly-ground coffee in the morning without giving yourself a headache.

  • Elegant and solid construction is visually appealing and built to last
  • The side-mounted handle ensures uniform grounds with little effort
  • The simple stepped ring adjustments are more intuitive than other mechanisms

  • Larger size takes up more space when traveling, but is still portable
  • The lower burr comes out for thorough cleaning but is difficult to remove

3. Breville Smart Grinder Pro

The best eco-friendly coffee grinder for French press

Breville grinder

Brand: Breville / Type: Electric / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 18oz / Price: 💰💰💰💰

For our Green pick, we chose the Breville Smart Grinder Pro. The Breville brand is a popular choice for a variety of kitchen appliances thanks to its Social Responsibility Mission Statement. To summarize, Breville is dedicated to ethically sourcing their materials, using sustainable production practices, reducing waste and pollution, and following responsible employment guidelines.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro features an efficient-operation design, with Dosing iQ technology that allows you to program grind time in 0.2-second increments for all 60 grind settings. Breville gives you ultimate control over the entire process and ensures responsible energy consumption at the same time. The intuitive dials are easy to use to adjust all settings. The LCD screen clearly indicates the currently programmed settings. With its sizeable 18oz bean hopper, the smart grinder is excellent for the entire family or even at the office!

  • Intuitive operation with an LCD screen to quickly see which settings you’ve chosen
  • Grind time adjustments with 60 grind settings ensure the perfect grounds from any bean
  • Uniform particle size even on the coarser grind settings, which means a perfect cup of French Press

  • While not the loudest electric grinder, it’s still decently loud
  • A few reviewers saw some bogging-down in the middle of grinding but noted that the conical burr is easy to remove to fix the problem

4. Secura Coffee Grinder

The best coffee grinder on a budget

Secura Grinder

Brand: Secura / Type: Electric / Burrs: Block / Capacity: 3.5oz / Price: 💰💰

At less than half the cost of other electric grinders, the Secura Coffee Grinder takes home the budget pick on our list. The bean hopper capacity is smaller than other choices, but the 96-oz grounds chamber goes a long way in making up for that. Seventeen different grind settings ensure you get the perfect grounds for your preferred method of coffee consumption. Reviewers were especially pleased with the uniformity of more coarse grind settings, making for amazing French Press.

  • Compact size takes up little real estate on your counter
  • Non-slip tabs on the bottom keep the grinder in place for the entire grinding process
  • Easily removable burr with including cleaning brush accessory for easy maintenance

  • Produces more static than higher-end options
  • The grounds chamber is made of thin plastic that may crack if dropped

5. Baratza Virtuoso Plus

The best conical burr coffee grinder for French press

Baratza Virtuoso Plus

Brand: Baratza / Type: Electric / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 8oz / Price: 💰💰💰💰

The Baratza Virtuoso Plus is an elite conical coffee grinder with 40 different grind settings to choose from and 40mm hardened steel-alloy burrs designed to give you even particle sizes and last a lifetime. The digital timer can be adjusted at .1-second intervals up to 40 seconds for ultimate control. The backlit grounds bin ensures you get every last speck of freshly-ground goodness.

  • An ethical, sustainable, and responsible manufacturer
  • More compact than other professional-grade grinders for home use
  • Even particle size for coarse and fine grounds alike, meaning your French Press is just as good as your espresso

  • Noisier than smaller-capacity grinders
  • The bean hopper is made of a thin plastic that may crack

6. Baratza Vario Flat Burr Coffee Grinder

The best flat-plate burr coffee grinder for French press

Baratza Vario Flat Burr Coffee Grinder

Brand: Baratza / Type: Electric / Burrs: Flat-plate / Capacity: 8oz / Price: 💰💰💰💰💰

With 230 different grind settings, an unbelievably precise digital timer, and 54mm ceramic flat burrs designed for uniform grounds, the Baratza Vario is the ultimate name in flat-plate burr grinders. Designed for heavy use, this is a professional-grade machine. It has 3 programmable presets so you can enjoy your favorite cup of joe at the press of a button.

While other electric grinders have only a few coarse grind options, the Baratza Vario features 10 different macro settings. A secondary micro-adjust arm divides those 10 into 20 total macro choices. With so many settings, you get the perfect grind for your French Press, no matter your preferred beans.

  • Intuitive operation with LED display for easy navigation
  • 230 different grind settings to suit any and every preference
  • Ceramic flat-plate burrs with professional-grade motor ensures uniform particle size

  • More expensive, though reportedly well worth the price
  • That’s it — we couldn’t find any other complaints!

7. Pinlo Electric Portable Coffee Grinder

The best portable electric coffee grinder for French press

Pinlo Electric Portable Coffee Grinder

Brand: Pinlo / Type: Electric / Burrs: Blades / Capacity: 2.6oz / Price: 💰

Many electric coffee grinders are bigger, bulkier, and all-around tricky to travel with. The Pinlo Electric Portable Coffee Grinder is here to accompany you on any trip to give you the best coffee grinder for french press on-the-go. With a safety-lock base and integrated cord storage, all in a small, compact size, this grinder tucks away in your bag or suitcase without taking up too much space. It will also fit on an end table or small countertop found in most hotel rooms. The high-speed motor is still quiet enough that it won’t disturb other hotel guests, and the auto-shutoff prevents overheating.

  • Doesn’t take up too much space in a bag
  • Simple timed operation with no complicated settings to choose from
  • Suitable for all kinds of coffee beans, but also nuts, spices, herbs, and more

  • The high-speed motor produces some static
  • With no settings, it’s easy to over-grind your beans, though the transparent bean hopper helps with this

8. Porlex Mini Stainless-Steel Coffee Grinder

The best portable manual coffee grinder for French press

Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder

Brand: Porlex / Type: Manual / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 0.7oz / Price: 💰💰

This mini device is one of the tiniest manual grinders around, standing at just 5 inches high with a 1.85-inch diameter. It will easily fit inside a purse, bag, or carry-on for convenient portability while traveling. The recently-upgraded handle is comfortable to use and simply detaches further to reduce the grinder’s footprint in your suitcase.

Each click of the setting adjustment calibrates the grind by 37 microns giving you incredibly precise control over your particle size. You can grind at a coarser setting for delicious French Press or a finer setting for the perfect espresso. The stainless-steel body prevents static build-up while also ensuring durable use for years to come.

  • Comes completely apart for easy cleaning and storage
  • Tiny size perfect for smaller luggage, or even day trips with just a purse
  • Ceramic burrs with a wide range of grind settings for uniform particle size

  • More expensive than other manual grinder options
  • Small size is only suitable for making a single cup of coffee at a time

9. Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

The best looking coffee grinder for French press

Bodum Grinder

Brand: Bodum / Type: Electric / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 7.75oz / Price: 💰💰💰

The Bodum Bistro is a stunning addition to your coffee arsenal, with its modern, minimalist design and multiple elegant finishes to select from. Twelve different grind settings and multiple timer settings allow you to swing from coarse to fine grounds with uniform particle size across the board for ultimate flavor extraction. The borosilicate glass grounds chamber is static-free, so you can safely access your fresh grounds. The bean hopper lid ensures your beans don’t hop out of your machine!

  • Large bean hopper and grounds chamber
  • Silicone ring keeps grinder in place no matter the setting
  • Elegant design with multiple finishes to suit any aesthetic preference

  • More difficult to clean than other electric grinders
  • A few reviewers had issues with a gear snapping after long-term use but seemed to obtain replacements quickly

10. Foruchoice Vintage Manual Coffee Grinder

The best vintage coffee grinder for French press

Foruchoice Vintage Manual Coffee Grinder

Brand: Foruchoice / Type: Manual / Burrs: Conical / Capacity: 2oz / Price: 💰

If you’re hoping to enjoy the enhanced flavor of manually-ground coffee beans and you appreciate a vintage aesthetic, then the Foruchoice Vintage Manual Coffee Grinder is for you. The smaller capacity and manual function of this grinder may require more work than other manual and electric grinders out there. However, you can’t deny the charm of this cast-iron and wood machine. The small footprint will look stunning on your counter without taking up too much space — it’s a perfectly functional piece of home décor!

  • Easily-adjusted grind settings and simple operation
  • Small size takes up minimal space and is easy to move around
  • Ornate cast-iron mechanisms with wooden grounds chamber enhance the vintage feel

  • Grounds aren’t always uniform and may need to be run through the machine again
  • The small size means you can only make one cup’s worth of coffee grounds at a time

What to Look For in a Coffee Grinder for French Press

Best Coffee Grinder for French Press
Image by Canva Photos

There are two significant kinds of coffee grinders: hand grinders and electric grinders. They both get the job done, but which type of coffee grinder is best for French press?

Manual Coffee Grinders

  • Generally less expensive
  • Small size and no plugs mean easy portability
  • Basic mechanics are easy to operate and clean

  • Manual grinding means elbow grease
  • Only suitable for grinding small amounts (think single-serving)

Electric Coffee Grinders

  • Grinds larger loads of beans
  • Faster than manual grinding
  • Plug it in and press the button, no elbow grease required

  • More expensive
  • Usually bulkier and less travel-friendly

Whether you decide to try a manual or an electric grinder, here are a few points to keep in mind as you choose your perfect coffee grinder for French press:

  • Number of grind settings
  • Conical vs. flat-plate vs. block burrs
  • Portability/Size
  • Collection chamber/bean hopper capacity
  • Motor speed
  • Static build-up
  • Noise level
  • Cost

Our Process

For this guide on coffee grinders for French press, our team spent 3 hours researching the most popular options from over 30 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred twenty-five user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each grinder. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 10 coffee grinders on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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