Baratza Encore vs Fellow Opus

The Baratza Encore is still a dependable entry-level espresso grinder for home use, and The Coffee Chronicler credits it with consistent performance and durability. It is beginner-friendly, though espresso evangelists need not apply. Pour over and coarse grinds are where it does its best work; serious espresso is not, since the motor and the absence of fine-tune adjustment hold it back. With 40 grind settings and an improved gearbox, it suits casual coffee drinkers who don't need professional-level precision. Anyone chasing espresso excellence should look elsewhere.

The Fellow Opus grinds filter coffee well enough to embarrass more expensive machines and espresso well enough to get by. WIRED scored it 9 out of 10 and Coffeeness 90 out of 100, both circling the same two things: how quiet it is and how little coffee it keeps. Anti-static treatment holds retention under 0.2g. The housing is mostly plastic, there is no portafilter holder, and the burrs run out of resolution at the finest settings.