Better Espresso Starts Here: Invest in the Grinder, Not Just the Machine

Home espresso is the tastiest hobby—well, at least the most caffeinated. Starting out, it’s tough to hone in on the right setup (that’s where your friends at Clive Coffee come in) and allocate your budget. Conventional wisdom hyperfocuses on the espresso machine because it’s the star of the show, and it’s natural to want a beautiful, show-stopping piece. Most begin their hero’s journey seeking the best machine, unaware they might be on the wrong path or navigating hidden hazards. We often talk to folks who’ve chosen their dream machine but overlooked the grinder or plan to skimp on it, thinking a pricier machine guarantees better espresso. Spoiler: it doesn’t. 

What if the opposite were a better place to start? Building an espresso setup should begin with the grinder; it's the x-factor for making good espresso. The grinder helps you make all of your grind adjustments, making recipe changes easier, thus determining the outcomes of your espresso's flavor. Many factors go into making a grinder great, which we go over in great detail in our How to Choose an Espresso Grinder blog. 

We will demonstrate our position on both extremes of the spectrum and pair our least expensive grinder, the Baratza Encore ESP, with one of the best home espresso machines 15 years running, the La Marzocco Linea Mini. We'll also test the results from our most expensive grinder, the WEBER WORKSHOPS KEY, and our least expensive espresso machine, the Rancilio Silvia. 

Baratza Encore ESP & La Marzocco Linea Mini—Budget Grinder Paired with a Showstopper 

You saved up for your dream espresso machine, the vaunted Linea Mini, and it's finally arrival day. You set up your new machine and grind for your first couple of shots. Your first shots are pulling way too fast, and you're getting tons of channeling, so naturally, you fine up your grind. You repeat this process several times, yet you're almost on the finest grind setting, and you've almost blown through an entire bag of coffee without getting one decent shot out of it. This is what it's like using a sub-par grinder with a professional espresso machine—inconsistent, messy, and muddled-tasting espresso. A far cry from the ideal espresso-making experience. 

Yes, you can get a decent shot of espresso with the Encore ESP, but think: how consistent will it be? Will you get one good shot out of 10? How will an all-purpose grinder perform with a professional espresso machine? Here are some insights we gleaned from taste testing and refractometer data. 

While we pulled shots with the Baratza ESP, which were technically drinkable (that’s not a compliment, by the way), it took more work to get there, and the flavors were muddled. There was no clarity, and not one tasting not really stood out, which begs the question: If it’s just drinkable and wastes too much coffee to dial in, is the shot even worth drinking?

• There was the expected sweetness and acidity, but there was no balance. There was also a bitter aftertaste that lingered too long for our liking. 
• The shot from the Encore ESP did have a higher extraction percentage—around 11.56%—measured with a refractometer. We hypothesize this is due to the extra fines the Encore ESP produces during the grinding process. You often see more fines (grind particles that are finer than the target grind size) that cause extraction inconsistencies throughout the entire coffee bed, slower extraction times, and parts of the puck that are not as extracted as others. 
• This results in over-extraction and, thus, muddier flavors.
• Generally, to avoid these inconsistencies, you should be looking at a grinder with a larger burr set & motor that can grind at a larger surface area more consistently. This will reduce fines and give you a much more even grounds distribution. 
  

If you're dead set on a showstopper machine like the Linea Mini, you're much better off in the long term choosing a higher-performing grinder like the Eureka Mignon Oro Single-Dose or the Eurkea Atom W 75.

WEBER WORKSHOPS The Key & Rancilio Silvia: End-Game Grinder with Old Reliable

We won’t parse words here: the Silvia has no bells, whistles, special features, and amenities, but it just works. It has an incredible 25+ year track record for home baristas and is often a launching pad for an upgrade later down the line. There's no PID, direct temperature control, pre-infusion, or flow control. Without all of those features, the Silvia is still a stalwart choice to pull a fantastic espresso, considering you pair a proper espresso-focused grinder with it. 

On the other end of the extreme, we paired the Key, our priciest and most feature-rich end-game home espresso grinder, to demonstrate just how stark the difference in the consistency of your espresso shot to shot, and thus the resulting flavor will be compared to the Encore ESP. The Key has several features like variable rpm, massive 83mm conical burrs, and tactile features that make your grinding experience most premium. The Silvia has a long track record of dependability and is the least expensive espresso machine you can buy that can make real espresso consistently. Let's see what we can taste with this setup and the key departures from the Encore ESP.

• Instead of the muddied flavors and notes from the Encore ESP, we get a measured acidity at the beginning of the shot, followed by a well-rounded balance of fruit and chocolate, with a sweet finish that does not linger long. 
• We can actually pick out the cherry/stonefruit element that was not prominent with the shot pulled with the ESP. 
• It had a lower extraction percentage (still in the range of what we like to see), at 9.94%, due to a more evenly extracted espresso. 
• The larger burrs on the Key result in a much more even particle distribution and fewer superfine particles—ultimately contributing to a better-extracted shot and a clean flavor profile. 

Although the Linea Mini offers highly useful features like temperature control and pre-infusion, pairing it with a grinder like the Encore ESP, which generates a significant amount of fines and inconsistencies, can result in shots that are less enjoyable compared to those from the Key and Silvia combo. While the choice of espresso machine plays a crucial role, we hope we've emphasized just how vital the grinder is as a game-changer. You don’t necessarily need an investment as high as the Key, but it clearly demonstrates the impact a quality grinder can have on achieving a superior espresso experience.

Yet, if we compare the price of these two setups: 

Linea Mini & Encore ESP: $6,100.00

Silvia & Key: $4,129.00

The Key and Silvia combo delivers the kind of espresso most of us would love to enjoy daily—and at a fraction of the cost of high-end setups. Prioritizing a better grinder is one of the smartest investments you can make for improving the taste of your espresso. If you're aiming for the ultimate setup with a top-tier espresso machine and grinder, go for it! Just remember, putting more into the grinder will make a huge difference, whether you're a beginner home barista or a seasoned pro. If you’re unsure which grinder or espresso machine suits your lifestyle, our team of coffee experts is here to help. Cheers!