Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee GrinderIf you’re shopping for a Conical Burr Coffee Grinder choosing the right one can be daunting; there are a lot of choices from a large number of manufacturers, and prices can range from the $90 to $900. Some conical coffee grinders are better for different kinds of coffee grinds. A drip brewer needs a courser grind than an LaMarzocco Espresso machine does. While consistent grain size is important for any coffee preparation, pour-over coffee extraction is key to getting the right flavors. To achieve the best tasting coffee you need a coffee grain that is the correct and consistent size you set your grinder to. For pour over coffee brewing the Baratza Encore will give you the grind that will extract the flavors you desire from your fresh roasted coffee.

The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder the prefect choice for the pour-over coffee brewer.

At a price of $129 this is the perfect grinder for the pour-over coffee enthusiast. It offers the features, at a fair price point, that you’re looking for.

Baratza Encore Features:

  • Uses a combination of gear and electronic speed reduction
  • Burr rotation of 450 rpm reduces heat, noise, and static generation
  • Removable cleanable or replaceable 40 mm conical burrs
  • With 40 preset grind settings, it is also user calibratable
  • Grind range is from 250 to 1200 microns
  • Minimizes leftover grounds for freshness
  • Powerful, high torque DC motor
  • Gearbox with improved strength and durability of the drive transmission
  • Easy On/Off switch

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There are other good Conical Burr grinders in this price range as well. While researching before buying is a good best practice, the Baratza Encore is a great choice.

Hario V60 vs Kalita Wave Coffee Dripper

Hario V60 vs Kalita Wave Coffee Dripper

Kalita 185 vs Hario V60 pour over coffee drippers
The Hario V60 vs Kalita Wave Coffee Dripper smackdown!

Hario V60 pour-over coffee dripper has been the Champion of pour-over coffee brewing among aficionados for decades. But now there is challenger in the ring going after the belt. We pit the Hario V60 vs Kalita Wave coffee dripper to find out which is better.

pourover-coffee-world-kalita185-basketThe Kalita Wave dripper, made in Japan, offers a different process of drip coffee brewing. Most noticable is the flat bottom basket, rather than cone-shaped like the Hario V60. The brewing process is a little more like a Vietnamese coffee in that the coffee steeps a little longer. The result is a longer extraction time than what you typically get with a Hario V60 coffee dripper, which has a large single hole, and lots of bam bam!

pourover-coffee-world-kalita185-dripsCoffee passes through the grounds faster in the Hario V60. The flat bottom and three tiny holes cause the water to pass through the Kalita Wave coffee dripper slower. Since the extraction is longer, more flavors and oils come out of the grounds.

Speed had Kalita Wave on the ropes at first, we were able to drink our cup sooner from the Hario V60. But Kalita came on strong in the later rounds and the fuller flavor won out.

Conclusion

pourover-coffee-world-kalita-wave185-boxKalita Wave was a tough challenger against Hario V60, a solid defender, and after going head to head for over a year now, we give the edge to Kalita Wave for a richer, fuller flavor pour-over coffee. This is not to suggest that using the Hario V60 is bad, Hario threw it down and is still a great pour-over coffee dripper who is not ready to hang up the pour-over coffee gloves. We use the V60 frequently. In the final round the differences were subtle. And one brewer probably suits certain types of beans and roasts over the other. Keeping that in mind you’ll have be the judge.

The Kalita Wave comes in stainless steel, glass and ceramic. Since we’re prone to breaking drippers, we recommend the stainless. There a two sizes are available, #155 and the #185, the #155 is fairly small and can’t hold much more that 10-15 grams of coffee grounds. The #185 is similar to the Hario V60 in capacity and will perfect for normal everyday brewing.

To purchase the Kalita Wave #185 coffee dripper shop here

Check out our quick look at the Kalita Wave 185 Pour-over Coffee Dripper:

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Water to Coffee Ratio for Pour-over Coffee Brewing

16-parts water to 1-part coffee

Always start with good fresh-roasted coffee and filtered water; successful pour-over coffee brewing comes down to ratios. For pour-over coffee brewing, the water to coffee ratio of 16 parts (grams) water to 1 part (grams) coffee is a good place to start.

Note: To measure and brew pour-over coffee properly, you need a good scale. While most digital kitchen scales will do the trick, a dedicated pour-over coffee brewing digital scale with a built-in timer is worth the investment. More information and purchasing choices on digital scales can be found in this article.

Experiment on the ratios to adjust for your taste; try 15:1 or 17:1 to find the ratio the best suits your taste. Enjoy!