7 Best Coffee Grinders for French Press In 2022: Reviews & Buyers Guide

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If you’re a coffee drinker and adore a French Pressed coffee, then you should definitely own a grinder suitable for a French Press. Nothing beats freshly ground coffee beans to brew in your French Press. In this article, I will show you the best coffee grinders for French Press.

Believe it or not, your French Press coffee will not taste nearly as good if you get the grind setting wrong. The grind should be coarse and consistent, with as little finely ground coffee dust as possible. Sounds tricky to get right, don’t you think?

It’s more possible than you think to grind your coffee to a French Press’s particular standards. It may take some practice to do it correctly and using the right tool can help you produce the correct grind. Your standard or ordinary manual coffee grinders may not cut it, which is why we’ve found some top-tier coffee grinders that are suitable for French Press coffee.

Sifting your ground beans through a coffee sifter isn’t a bad idea, but you will waste a lot of the grinds that way. Plus, you will also need to use a coffee scale so that your brew ratio is correct after sifting. Making a perfect cup of French Press coffee in your coffee maker is sounding more and more complicated.

Thankfully, there are some professional coffee grinders that are well suited to brew the perfect cup of French Press. Let’s check out the best coffee grinder for French Press!

Are you interested in which grinders can perform at the desired level for French Press lovers? Read on!

Best Coffee Grinder For French Press

For those coffee fanatics out there, did you know that a French Press grind is very close to an iced coffee or cold brew grind? This means that you can use one grinder for many delicious beverage options.

In addition to the grinders, you should also check out our article featuring the best coffee French Press options.

Now, onto the best coffee grinder for French Press coffee!

7 Best Coffee Grinders For French Press

As a general rule, you don’t need a very expensive coffee grinder, but it would make sense that you’re on the hunt for the best of the best. As long as the grinder produces a consistently coarse grind size, then you’ll always be successful in making that great-tasting French Press coffee.

Here are my top picks for the best coffee grinders for French Press.

Best Retro Look: Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder Wooden Mill with Cast Iron Burr

Key Features

  • Premium cast iron conical burrs
  • Adjustable grinding sizes
  • Easy cleaning
  • Ergonomically designed crank handle for easy grinding
  • Dimensions: 7.2 x 2.8 x 2.8 in (18.28 x 7.11 x 7.11 cm)
  • Weight: 1.34 oz (0.6 kg)
  • Budget-friendly

The Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is a unique coffee grinder, perfect for the hip and retro-themed kitchen. The grinder features both old-school and classic aesthetics. The body is made from a solid block of wood that is only going to look better and better with age.

The burrs are made of premium cast iron, which means that it produces less heat and does not affect the integrity of the coffee oil when grinding. The burrs are adjustable, perfect for you to get your desired coarseness for a French Press brew.

Pros:

  • Durable and rust resistant cast iron burrs
  • Compact and portable; great for camping
  • Quiet grinding
  • Unique retro design
  • Budget-friendly

Cons:

  • Opening for the hopper is a bit small

Final Verdict

To me, the Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is an ideal investment for novice coffee enthusiasts who love a daily dose of French Press brew. It’s a great starter hand grinder, especially for those who don’t have the budget for an expensive coffee grinder.

While it can’t make very much ground coffee at once, it should be perfect for a personal French Press. You may want to look at a bigger grinder if you can drink a lot of coffee in one sitting (like me). But no matter what, the unique design of this flat burr grinder can’t be beaten! It belongs on this list (and one of my favorites, too).

Best for Couples: Hario Manual Coffee Mill Slim Plus

Key Features

  • Slim and compact
  • Hexagonal adapter on the handle for better grinding
  • Grinds enough for two cups
  • Ceramic burr grinder
  • Dimensions: 4 x 7 x 3 in (10.16 x 17.78 x 7.62 cm)
  • Weight: 10.6 oz (0.3 kg)
  • Budget-friendly

If you prefer blade grinders that won’t hurt your budget, then the Hario Manual Coffee Grinder Slim is the one for you. This blade coffee grinder uses ceramic conical burrs for grinding coffee beans. This type of burr keeps the heat low so that you can preserve those precious coffee oils during the grinding process.

The Hario grinder is compact and portable, which is perfect to take with you during your travels. It’s a manual grinder too, which means you can use it without power, perfect to grind your beans during your camping trips.

The best part of this grinder? It has measurement markings for up to 2 cups so that you don’t get confused with the measurements and always have enough coffee beans to grind for you and your plus one!

It also has a fairly intuitive grind setting selections, whether you’re making a cup for French Press, iced coffee, cold brew, or something else entirely.

Pros:

  • Durable ceramic burr for consistent grinding
  • Budget-friendly
  • Quiet operation
  • Easy to clean and operate
  • Good rubber grip and hexagonal handle design

Cons:

  • Plastic construction (while competitors use more metal or wood elements)

Final Verdict

The Hario Slim is a great conical burr coffee grinder for a newbie brewer since it is very simple to operate with clear measurements to boot. While it isn’t as much of a looker as our last grinder, it still maintains a modern, sleek design.

This portable mill is a good starting point if you’re serious about being a coffee enthusiast, and it’s perfect for you and your significant other. French Press coffee is perfect for sharing, and this grinder will grind the perfect amount for two cups!

With its overall functionality and ease of use, the Hario Slim may be a great grinder for years to come. If you love French Press coffee, travel a lot, and don’t want to spend much on a grinder, then the Hario Slim can be a great choice.

Best Manual Grinder: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder

Key Features

  • Patented ceramic conical burr design
  • Removable hand crank design for ease of storage and cleaning
  • 18 adjustable click settings for producing fine to coarse grind
  • Stainless steel construction for durability
  • Dimensions: 1.8 x 7.5 x 1.8 in (4.57 x 19.05 x 4.57 cm)
  • Weight: 9.4 oz (0.27 kg)
  • Budget-friendly

The JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder is a top seller online, and it becomes pretty clear why this is the case. I know I don’t like to be hemmed in by my morning coffee choices; sometimes I want French Press, other times I want my Moka Pot.

These two types of brews require different types of coffee grinds, and getting the right grind can be difficult with a manual grinder. But what do I do when I still want to use a manual grinder? Thankfully, JavaPresse is here to the rescue. This grinder has 18-click settings, allowing you to adjust the desired coarseness of coffee grounds with ease.

This coffee grinder also uses professional-grade ceramic conical burrs that can reportedly last 5 times longer than stainless steel blades. The body and hand crank are made of stainless steel to ensure durability, plus a sleek and modern design.

Using the JavaPresse coffee grinder is simple, easy, and quiet. This is another great grinder to bring with you off the grid, or if you share a small space with another person. The last thing you want is to wake up your roommate with a noisy coffee grinder!

Pros:

  • Durable construction, including the patented ceramic burrs
  • Removable hand crank design makes it convenient and easy to use
  • Very quiet operation
  • JavaPresse very good customer service
  • 18 grind adjustments give you more precise coffee ground texture

Cons:

  • The plastic piece attached to the burr is prone to breakage

Final Verdict

JavaPresse is one of the best grinders based on customer reviews alone. Its patented, professional-grade coffee grinding burrs are just one of its best selling points. You’ll also be hard-pressed (ha, get it?) to find any other manual grinder for French Press with this many grind settings.

It is also a quick coarse coffee grinder; you can have your grounds for a French Press brew in just 1-2 minutes. There is no question about its durability with its stainless-steel construction, though do keep in mind that some reviewers mention one of the plastic pieces breaking.

RELATED: Read our review of  JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder for more details.

Best for Budding Pros: Mueller Ultra-Grind Conical Burr Grinder Professional Series

Key Features

  • 40mm hardened alloy conical burrs mostly reserved for commercial use coffee grinders
  • Gear reduction motor for slow grinding to reduce heat
  • 10 macro grind settings (with micro settings)
  • Hopper capacity of 8.46 oz (240 g)
  • Grounds bin capacity of 4.58 oz (130 g)
  • Package Dimensions: 18 x 10.8 x 5.8 in (45.72 x 27.43 x 14.73 cm)
  • Weight: 7.25 lb (3.3 kg)

Are you looking for a reliable yet affordable coffee beans grinder for French Press? Are you a professional grinder looking for a trusted grinder to use at home? Then Mueller, a fairly well-known brand in the coffee world, is a perfect match for you and your French Press.

Muller’s Ultra Grind Conical Burr Grinder is equipped with hardened alloy steel burrs, which is perfect for grinding your coffee beans uniformly at many different levels of coarseness. The machine’s secret is the gear reduction motor that slowly grinds the beans to protect the oil from getting burnt.

Another good feature of the Mueller grinder is the innovative design of the coffee grind passage. Instead of going through a chute, the grounds drop straight through the bin, which means that no residue is left behind.

Most electric coffee grinders are pretty noisy when you use them, but the Mueller managed to lower its decibels to less than 76 dB. Thanks to its innovative gear reduction motor, this electric grinder shouldn’t disturb too many house guests.

Pros:

  • Consistent grind over many coarseness settings
  • Innovative straight-thru design for less retention of coffee grounds
  • Quiet operation
  • Cup volume settings
  • One-touch button for easy operation
  • Detachable grinding chamber for easy cleaning

Cons:

  • The unit is too tall and might not fit in most kitchen cabinets for storage
  • The grounds chamber could be better if it has an airtight lid

Final Verdict

The Mueller Ultra-Grind is an innovative grinder that has great features, especially for those of you looking to enter the professional coffee world. The commercial-grade burrs and the gear reduction motor are quality features that aren’t available on many amateur coffee grinders.

The straight-thru grinding design leaves no residue behind, yet another feature usually reserved for the pros. Plus, you can make a lot of coffee per grind, perfect for multiple house guests (or someone like me).

While the grinder may be larger than others on this list, it’s worth leaving out on your countertop. You’ll never have to guess if your grind is right ever again, which makes it a top contender on our list!

Most Controlled Grind: Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder

Key Features

  • Commercial-grade conical steel burrs
  • Simple to use with clear instructions
  • Has good grind consistency
  • Gear reduction to protect coffee bean flavor
  • It has a built-in timer
  • Dimensions: 6.7 x 13.7 x 9.1 in (17.01 x 34.8 x 23.11 cm)
  • Weight: 4.86 lb (2.2 kg)

The Capresso Infinity Plus is another great electric coffee grinder choice for your daily French Press brewing. It comes with 16 grind settings so that you have better control over your coarse grind selection. It also has commercial-grade steel burr construction for guaranteed durability, letting you grind as good as the pros.

This burr grinder is coupled with a gear reduction motor that allows for a slower grinding speed, which helps in reducing heat and preserving the delicate oils and aromas found in your coffee beans. Plus, the coffee bean chamber is large enough to allow you to grind as much fresh coffee as you like, all at once!

Pros:

  • Commercial-grade burr construction
  • Good coarse grind consistency
  • Fairly quiet for an electric grinder
  • Affordable
  • Easy to operate

Cons:

  • Static build-up due to plastic bin
  • Retains too many grounds in the chute

Final Verdict

For an entry-level burr grinder for French Press, the Capresso Infinity Plus makes it on our list. This coffee grinder is easy to use with pretty much nothing to set. Just set the coarse grind setting, set a time, and let the grinder do its magic.

It is worth mentioning, though, that due to static and its chute design, you may lose some ground in the grinding process. However, given how many beans you can grind at once with ease, I doubt you will notice the slight loss!

Most Durable: OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder

Key Features

  • Stainless steel conical burrs for guaranteed durability
  • Stainless steel body finish (including the grounds bin)
  • 30 grind settings
  • One-touch start button
  • Dial type timer that retains your last setting
  • Large hopper that can hold almost a pound of coffee
  • Dimensions: 7.40 x 12.00 x 16.00 in (18.79 x 30.48 x 40.64 cm)
  • Weight: 4.5 lbs (2.0 kg)

Next on our list is the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. This is an ideal grinder for many coffee lovers as it is equipped with a 40mm stainless steel conical burr for the best possible flavor extraction. It has a total of 30 grind settings, providing you with more control over the grind consistency.

The OXO grinder has a large bean hopper that can hold enough coffee beans for 5 cups of regular brew. You can also set the timer from 0 to 30 seconds, and it keeps your last time settings for quick operation on your next grind.

Pros:

  • Produces consistent grounds
  • UV-tinted hopper protects your beans
  • Static-free grounds container
  • Mess-free auto-lock hopper
  • Quiet operation
  • Sturdy stainless steel construction

Cons:

  • Grounds get stuck in the chute

Final Verdict

The OXO has even more positive features for the budding professional home barista and is one of the best burr coffee grinders in the market. It has a static-free grounds container, durable steel burrs, UV-protected bean hopper, and pleasing, modern aesthetics. It’s definitely on my shortlist of reliable coffee grinders!

And when it comes to producing consistent grind, the OXO grinder has no problem with that. However, some customers experienced grounds getting stuck in the grinder‘s chute when grinding at a finer grind setting. This is a small issue nonetheless for an overall sturdy and reliable coffee grinder for French Press or for any brew such as Turkish coffee.

RELATED: Read our review of OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder for more details.

Best Luxury Grinder: Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder

Key Features

  • Produces consistent grounds for any type of brewing method
  • 40 steps of grind adjustment for better control of grounds
  • Sleek, modern design
  • Quiet operation
  • Quick and easy cleaning of burrs
  • Commercial-grade steel burrs
  • Bean hopper capacity of 8 oz (227 g)
  • Grounds chamber capacity of 5 oz (142 g)
  • Burrs can be calibrated
  • Weighs 6.83 lbs (3.1 kg)
  • Dimensions: 4.70 x 6.30 x 13.80 in (11.9 x 16.0 x 35.0 cm)

The Baratza Encore is one of the pricey options on this list, but it is worth the price if you are after an above-average home barista experience. Encore is Baratza’s entry-level all-purpose grinder that grinds consistently for a variety of brewing methods, including French Press.

Equipped with 40 grinding adjustments, this grinder will go far beyond most customers’ expectations. The 40mm commercial-grade conical burrs are made of hardened alloy steel built not just for durability, but also for consistent grinding capability.

Pros:

  • 40 grind settings
  • Commercial-grade 40 mm hardened alloy steel burrs
  • Convenient pulse button and easy dial on/off switch
  • Powerful and reliable DC motor

Cons:

  • A pricey option if you only want to use it for French Press

Final Verdict

If you are after a quality coffee grinder that produces quality coffee ground, the Baratza Encore is a great option to consider, especially if you’re looking for an automatic grinder for your coffee brewing needs. One of its best selling points is the option to calibrate the burrs according to your desired ground coarseness or fineness.

This may be more than the average French Press user is looking for and the price reflects that. No offense to French Press, but achieving its coarse grind can be done using simpler (and less expensive) grinders. But if you also utilize other brewing methods to make your coffee, then the Baratza Encore is a worthy coffee grinder.

RELATED: Read our review of  Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder for more details.

Best Coffee Grinders For French Press Summary

Akirakoki Manual Coffee Bean Grinder: Best Retro Look

Hario Manual Coffee Mill: Best for Couples

JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder: Best Manual Grinder

Mueller Ultra-Grind Conical Burr Grinder: Best for Budding Pros

Capresso Infinity Plus Conical Burr Grinder: Most Controlled Grind

OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder: Most Durable

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Grinder: Best Luxury Grinder

  • The most grind settings on this list
  • Professional-grade everything
  • Check it out here

Buyers Guide for French Press Coffee Grinder

What should you be considering while shopping around for the best coffee grinder for French Press? Here are some key considerations to keep in mind!

Manual VS Electric

While there are plenty of both options on the market, choosing a manual or an electric coffee grinder is a good place to begin. Let’s look at the pros and cons of both.

Manual Grinder

Hand Coffee Grinder

A manual coffee grinder doesn’t use electricity, which means that it can be easily transported in a bag or box while you travel. It makes it an ideal coffee grinder for camping and other off-the-grid activities.

Manual grinders use conical burrs, and can easily match the consistency of the grind produced by their electric counterpart. The best part about manual grinders? They usually only cost a fraction compared to an electric coffee grinder‘s price.

While you may need to use a bit of muscle instead of letting a machine do the grinding for you, a manual coffee grinder slowly grinds the coffee beans. This means it has no problem with heat that may burn the oil from your coffee beans.

The biggest problem you may encounter with a manual grinder is when you need to grind a large batch. I don’t personally experience this problem, as I just crank out one full grinder after another when I’m making big batches of brew.

Electric Grinder

Electric Coffee Grinder

Looking for something a bit more automatic and precise? Then you should go for an electric coffee grinder. Generally, the most common reason for using electric coffee grinders is convenience. You simply put in the coffee beans, set your desired setting, and start the grind.

Using an electric blade grinder is much easier, but it is important to buy a quality electric grinder. Some electric grinders don’t produce coffee grounds that are suitable for French Press.

An electric conical burr grinder for a large, multi-cup French Press is very convenient for a large batch. While I don’t advocate letting your freshly ground coffee beans sit around for a few days, having the option to make a big batch of French Press brew is great.

Electric grinders can still make a quality cup of coffee, especially for French Press. I personally like owning an electric grinder because I can use it for various coffee grind settings. If you don’t plan on using your grinder for French Press exclusively, definitely consider an electric option.

Durability

Durability should be an important consideration for you and your coffee grinder. And I assure you only the most durable coffee grinders made it on this list.

Most manual burr grinders can last a lifetime without having any problems, especially if the burrs, body, and handle are made of stainless steel or ceramic. Those made of a hard plastic body are also durable, but not as sturdy as those made of metal.

For most electric burr grinders, the most important thing to look out for is the motor, so look for heavy-duty ones. Otherwise, electric grinders tend to fail more simply due to their more complicated moving parts.

Versatility

Although you’re looking for a French Press coffee grinder, you might also want to consider looking for something that can grind for other brewing methods. There’s nothing wrong with a cup of espresso or cold brew coffee!

Most budget grinders that can produce a reliable French Press coffee grind can also make a consistent grind for other brewing methods, including espresso grinder methods. If you’re just starting your home barista adventures, then having a bunch of grind settings may not be a priority for you.

Price

Price and your budget are important factors to consider when choosing your next coffee grinder. If you’re on a tight budget, then starting with budget grinders will be your best option. Manual grinders may require a bit more elbow grease, but these options will be more affordable than the electric or high-end grinders.

However, if the sky’s the limit, choosing a luxury grinder should be easy, and you may get a grinder that’s good for other brews too, including drip coffee!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a grinder for a French press?

A French press requires a consistent coarse ground to extract that great coffee flavor, so yes, you will need a grinder for this.

How do I grind coffee beans for French Press?

First, you need to produce coarse grounds with a very consistent grind size. Thankfully, you’re shopping for French Press brewing, not an espresso machine, so you’re on the right track!

Grinding the right amount of beans is also crucial to brewing a perfect cup of French Press. While it may take some getting used to, you may want to follow a ratio of 1:17 coffee-to-water for a regular brew, and 1:11 if you want a stronger cup.

So, for 1 cup of French Press coffee, you’ll need 236 ml (18 oz) of water and 13.9 g (10.5 oz) of ground coffee for a regular brew. Confusing at first, I know, but you’ll get it in no time!

What coffee ground consistency is best for a French Press?

The best grind of coffee for a French Press is evenly coarse grounds. I can’t stress this enough! Fine ground coffee is murder for a French Press, resulting in a sludgy, gross cup of joe.

It is also important to mention that you avoid pre-ground coffee. A coffee grinder is the way to go for a fresh, great coffee!

Why is my French Press coffee bitter?

There might be a few reasons that your coffee has turned out bitter. The first reason is using uneven coarse grounds. Your grounds might have been mixed with fine grounds that passed through the press filter, resulting in an unfortunate cup.

The second reason could be that you over-brewed your grounds inside the French Press carafe. Setting a timer is important for brewing a tasty French Press coffee, and make sure to remove any pressed coffee in a timely fashion!

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Best Coffee Grinders For French Press

There you have it, my top picks for the best coffee grinders for French Press. I hope you’re feeling a bit more confident, and if there’s something that I missed, please don’t hesitate to use the comments box below.

Happy grinding!

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