Why You Should Skip the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder (And What to Get Instead)

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If you’re in the market for a burr grinder, you’ve probably seen the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder pop up on a lot of “best grinder” lists. It’s often recommended as a budget-friendly step up from a blade grinder. My short answer: I’d skip it and get a Baratza Encore instead.

To be upfront, I’ve never owned the OXO. What I have owned is the grinder I’d buy in its place: I started on a blade grinder, moved to a Baratza Encore for my drip coffee, then upgraded to a Fellow Ode 2, and now grind for espresso on a TIMEMORE Sculptor 064S. This post is based on the OXO’s specs, the complaints that keep coming up from its owners, and what I learned living with the grinders I’d recommend instead.

Save your money and buy something better.

Here’s why I don’t recommend the OXO Burr Grinder, and what I suggest instead.

1. It’s Loud, Really Loud

All coffee grinders make noise. Noise is one of the most common complaints in OXO owner reviews, and it comes up more often than it does for other budget burr grinders. If you’re grinding early in the morning, that matters.

For comparison, from my own use:

• The Baratza Encore was still audible, but it had a lower-pitched, more tolerable sound.

• The Fellow Ode 2 was noticeably quieter than the Encore, and it was one of my favorite drip grinders.

If you care about not waking up your spouse, kids, or roommates, the OXO is not the grinder for you.

2. It’s Too Tall for Many Kitchen Cabinets

One of the most overlooked (but frustrating) things about the OXO Burr Grinder is its height. With the hopper on, it’s a tall machine, and owners regularly mention that it won’t slide under their upper cabinets. Check the listed height against the gap on your counter before you buy.

If it doesn’t fit, you’ll either:

• Have to store it somewhere inconvenient, or

• Pull it out from under the cabinet every morning just to fill the hopper (which gets annoying fast).

Compare that to:

• Baratza Encore: shorter and more compact. Mine sat next to my Moccamaster on the counter.

• Fellow Ode 2: low and wide, built for minimalist counters.

If you don’t want a grinder that takes up too much space and becomes a hassle to use, skip the OXO.

3. The Build Quality Feels Cheap

OXO makes some great kitchen products, but their coffee grinder is mostly plastic, and owners often describe the grind size dial as flimsy. That’s not what you want from a tool that should last years.

Across owner reviews, these complaints come up again and again:

• The plastic grind dial wearing out, making adjustments imprecise.

• Retention issues, where grounds get stuck inside the grinder, leading to messy and inconsistent results.

• Static buildup, causing grounds to fly everywhere when you try to transfer them.

Compared to:

• Baratza Encore: built to last, with a sturdy grind adjustment. I ran mine at setting 17 to 19 for my Moccamaster until I upgraded.

• Fellow Ode 2: premium metal construction. I owned mine for years. The only reason it’s gone is that it can’t grind fine enough for espresso.

If you want a grinder that feels high-quality and lasts for years, OXO doesn’t cut it.

✅ I STILL JUST WANT THE OXO GRINDER

So What Should You Get Instead?

This is the same path I took, and it’s what I tell anyone who asks:

• Getting started? → Get the Baratza Encore

• Why? It replaced a cheap burr grinder in my kitchen. It’s durable, easy to dial in, and repairable. More in my post on why the Baratza Encore belongs in your home.

• Ready to invest more? → Get the Fellow Ode 2

• Why? Quiet, compact, and a premium build for drip and pour over. My full Fellow Ode Gen 2 review has the details.

• Making espresso? → Get the TIMEMORE Sculptor 064S

• Why? Neither the OXO nor the Encore grinds fine enough for espresso. The 064S is what I use with my Gaggia every morning. See my single dose grinder guide.

If pour over is your main brew, my guide to the best burr grinder for pour over goes deeper.

I get it, the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder seems like a good deal at first glance. But it falls short on build quality, usability, and long-term value.

Still not convinced? I understand if you’re on a budget. Any burr grinder, the OXO included, is a big step up from a blade grinder. I started on a blade grinder myself, so I know the difference.

✅ Check the OXO Grinder on Amazon

Skip the OXO and go with the Baratza Encore or Fellow Ode 2 instead. You’ll thank me later.

🔗 Check out the Baratza Encore here

🔗 Check out the Fellow Ode 2 here

🔗 Check out the OXO Burr Grinder here