Espresso grinders

Is the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder Fine Enough for Espresso?

Published · By the Espresso Shortlist editors · Prices and specs as of that date, from the pages under Sources

Summary

OXO says so. Of its 15 grind settings, OXO's own guide assigns 1 through 5 to espresso, and the product page describes the range as running from fine for espresso to coarse for French press and cold brew. It is still an all-purpose grinder that doses by time, and espresso gets a third of its main dial, where Baratza's Encore ESP gives espresso 20 of its 40 settings.

What OXO publishes

OXO lists stainless steel conical burrs, 15 grind settings "plus additional microsettings," a hopper that holds up to 3/4 lb of beans, and a one-touch start that remembers your last setting. The how-to guide splits the dial into three bands, 1 to 5 fine for espresso, 6 to 10 medium for pour-over and drip, and 11 to 15 coarse for French press and cold brew. It describes an espresso grind as feeling like fine table salt.

OXO does not say how many microsettings there are, how far one setting moves the burrs, or which kind of espresso basket it had in mind. Neither the product page nor the manual says anything about espresso machines or baskets beyond labeling that band of the dial.

Grinding by seconds instead of grams

Dosing on the OXO is by time. You turn a dial to set anywhere from 0 to 30 seconds, and the dial stays where you left it. Machine makers give their espresso numbers in grams. Breville designs the Bambino around an 18 g dose, and its 2 Cup basket takes 16 to 19 g. A timer set in seconds doesn't show either figure, so hitting a gram target on the OXO means weighing the grounds.

The Encore ESP divides its dial differently. Settings 1 to 20 are for espresso, and Baratza's manual describes each click in that range as a small change, with the larger steps kept for filter coffee from 21 to 40.

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Sources

  1. OXO — Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
  2. OXO — How to use the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder
  3. OXO — Conical Burr Coffee Grinder 8717000 instruction booklet
  4. Baratza — Encore ESP Operations Manual (v1.0, January 2023)
  5. Breville — the Bambino (BES450)

We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.

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