These are the two grinders on almost every first-timer's shortlist, and they embody opposite philosophies. The Baratza Encore is minimal and eternal: one knob, forty settings, no screen — and a company that sells every internal part with instructions, so the grinder is realistically a decade purchase. The Smart Grinder Pro is the feature play: sixty settings spanning espresso to press, timed dosing, an LCD, and portafilter cradles.
The clean dividing line is espresso. The standard Encore cannot usefully dial a shot — its steps are too coarse at the fine end — while the SGP genuinely can. If a portafilter is in your present or future, the comparison is over before it starts (or it becomes Encore ESP vs SGP, a much fairer fight). For pure filter brewing, the calculus flips: the Encore's simplicity, service culture and slightly cleaner grind at medium settings make it the more durable relationship.
The short answer
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|
| 01 | Baratza EncoreThe filter-coffee workhorse that's been the default recommendation for over a decade. | Filter, French press, and pour-over | | $149.95·Amazon |
| 02 | | Breville espresso owners | | $199.95·Amazon |
#ad · Live prices from the Amazon Product API, as of Jul 26, 2026. Where we have no verified live price, we show none — we would rather leave a gap than print a number that has rotted.
In detail
The picks, in full
Filter, French press, and pour-over
Baratza Encore
Conical burr40 grind settingsFilter-range focusRebuildable
The filter-coffee workhorse that's been the default recommendation for over a decade.
- Grind consistency
- 8
- Grind range
- 6
- Ease of use
- 8
- Build quality
- 7
- Value
- 9
Pros
- +The long-standing answer to 'my first burr grinder' for drip and press — consistent where blade grinders are chaos
- +Same Baratza repairability: parts on the shelf, not landfill
- +Simpler and cheaper than the ESP if you never touch espresso
Cons
- −Doesn't grind fine enough for good espresso — that's what the ESP version is for
- −Basic looks and a plastic body that feels its price
Don't buy this if…
…there's any chance you'll get into espresso. The plain Encore can't grind fine enough for it — spend a little more on the Encore ESP and keep the option open.
Breville espresso owners
Breville Smart Grinder Pro (BCG820)
Conical burr60 grind settingsDose timerGrinds into portafilter
The grind-into-the-portafilter convenience grinder, and the natural partner to a Bambino.
- Grind consistency
- 8
- Grind range
- 8
- Ease of use
- 9
- Build quality
- 7
- Value
- 8
Pros
- +Grinds directly into the portafilter or a container with a timed dose — the most convenient workflow for a home espresso setup
- +60 settings span espresso to French press, so it's genuinely versatile
- +Matches the Breville machines visually and functionally if you're building that ecosystem
Cons
- −Stepped adjustment is slightly coarser than the stepless espresso grinders — fine for home, limiting for the obsessive
- −Not built to be rebuilt the way a Baratza is
Don't buy this if…
…you want the most repairable grinder for the money. That's the Baratza Encore ESP — the Breville wins on dosing convenience, the Baratza on lifespan.
The honest sorting
Filter-only, keep-it-forever buyer: Encore. Fewer parts to fail, a company that wants you fixing rather than replacing, zero features to stop using.
Mixed brewing or any espresso: SGP — the range and the cradle workflow are built for exactly that kitchen. Or split the difference with the Encore ESP, which adds espresso capability to the Baratza virtues at a modest premium.
Either way: both clear the bar that actually matters — real burrs, real adjustment, consistent output (the bar blade grinders never clear). You are choosing a personality, not avoiding a mistake.
How we picked
We do not run a testing lab
We compiled published manufacturer specifications, computed what each option costs to run where relevant, and cross-referenced aggregated owner reviews, then scored each product against a published rubric. The scores are judgments from documented research — they are not measurements we took, because we do not have a lab and we are not going to pretend we do. Where a number came from a manufacturer or a standard, we name it in Sources.
Questions
Frequently asked
Which grinds better, Encore or Smart Grinder Pro?+
At shared settings — the filter range — they're close, with the Encore arguably a touch more consistent at medium grinds and the SGP obviously ahead at the fine end it alone reaches. Neither embarrasses the other in the cup; the real differences are range (SGP) and longevity culture (Baratza).
Does the Smart Grinder Pro last as long as an Encore?+
The Encore's edge isn't build fragility vs toughness — it's what happens at year six. Baratza's parts catalog and repair guides mean a worn Encore gets a $30 fix; an aging SGP more often becomes a replacement decision. If you keep appliances until they die, that difference compounds.
Is the price difference meaningful?+
They float near each other and trade places on sale — check the live prices above. Because the sticker gap is small, buy on fit, not price: brewing methods first, longevity philosophy second. A discount shouldn't put an espresso household on a grinder that can't do espresso.
Receipts
Sources
We do not run a testing lab, and we do not pretend to. Where a measured number came from a manufacturer spec sheet or a published standard, we name it and link it. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.
