5 Best Coffee Grinders For French Press

The best coffee grinders for French press must produce medium to coarse-sized grounds. Here are some of the top grinders for French press.

The best French press grinder will amplify the quality of your beans and the technique. It will make you jump for joy with uniform grounds with the right coarseness level. Even though most grinders nowadays are built to accommodate various coffee types, some of them surpass others. 

For the past eight years, I’ve used plenty of coffee grinders for making pour-over, espresso, cold brew; French press is no exception. The good news: it doesn’t have to break the bank to get a good grinder for French press coffee. The bad news: you’ll end up getting the wrong one if you don’t know which criteria and brands are worth checking out.

Here’s my breakdown of the five best coffee grinders for French press from manual to electric. While you’re here, you might find our guide on how to make French press coffee at home helpful.

What To Look For In A Coffee Grinder For French Press

Grind Consistency

French press coffee must have coarser grounds consistent in particle sizes, unlike espresso or pour-over. A burr grinder with reliable quality will ensure grind consistency every time you need a stellar French press to start your morning.

Adjustability

Unless you want a manual grinder, the best electrical grinder for a French press must have multiple settings (at least 12 clicks) that give you total flexibility and control when grinding different kinds of beans.

Price Range

The best grinder should have a reasonable “fines” control and have multiple burr options to let you yield the right coarseness. You get what you pay for, keep in mind that cheaper grinders are usually manual. 

Stainless Steel Vs. Ceramic Burrs

There’s no exact answer to whether ceramic or steel burrs are better.  Overall, ceramic burrs don’t rust and build up heat that changes your coffee flavor. On the other hand, stainless steel burr is sharper and less prone to damage than ceramic, but it’s likely to build up heat and dull more quickly.

How To Pick The Best Coffee Grinders For A French Press

When picking the best coffee grinder for a French press, here are some things to keep in mind. 

• Start with the price range
• Look for a disc and conical burr grinder instead of a blade grinder
• Make sure the product comes with a warranty
• Test the sound level beforehand
• Read the instructions carefully before grinding
• Pick the one with an easy assembly and cleaning process

You might also be interested in our explainer on if you can use whole beans in a French press. 

5 Best Coffee Grinders For French Press

The Best Coffee Grinder For French Press For Beginners

The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is durable and easy to maintain. It’s a great entry-level grinder in the medium price range that produces consistent coarse to medium grounds.

Rather than a high-tech LED touchscreen, it gives you a pulse button. You’ll hold it down to let it do the work and release it to stop.

The correct setting with a French press is around 30 to 32, but you can adjust it by twisting the hopper. Since there’s no timer nor measurement function, you have to stick to the machine until the grounds are ready to be used.

The Best Coffee Grinder For Those On A Budget 

If someone tells you the Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder is not for a French press, they are just using the wrong beans. I’ve been using it for over three years, and it’s still one of my favorites. I recommend this one for those who don’t have a large budget but still want to invest in an electrical grinder with a stainless steel conical burr. 

Capresso Infinity is the best buy for home use, especially if you make coffee for a large family every morning, as it can hold up to 8.8 ounces of beans. Even though the grinding speed is considered slow compared to other heavyweights within the same price range, there is less friction and heat.

This Capresso line has 16 grind settings. Even though that’s not a lot for an expert barista, it doesn’t give home coffee makers a headache in exchange.

The Best Coffee Grinder For Small Spaces 

Bodum Bistro Burr Coffee Grinder is compact with 12 different stepped grind settings, so you can play around to make French press or espresso with ease. 

This Bodum comes with a friction clutch to protect the grinding mechanism from small stones. Compared to the Baratza Encore, Bodum Bistro games it up with a pre-set timer that makes life a lot easier, and you don’t have to measure the beans beforehand manually. 

A significant downside is that the grounds usually get stuck inside, especially oily beans like a French roast. You need to blow it out with an air compressor if it happens.

The Best Manual Coffee Grinder For French Press 

Hario “Skerton Pro” Ceramic Manual Coffee Grinder is one of the most popular manual grinders. It’s very compact, easy to adjust the burr setting, and has a classic design. 

This is the first coffee grinder my mom gave me during my university years, and it worked just fine with a consistent grind every morning before class. I didn’t see any dust built up, and the bottom supports its weight. Even though it’s manual, I was impressed at how fast it grinds. 

There are two downsides: the rubber foot doesn’t seem to stick well on the table, and there’s no mark on the body to indicate the setting.

The Best Portable Coffee Grinder For A French Press 

This Porlex Jp-30 Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder will up your game with a ceramic conical burr that won’t heat your beans and change the flavors. 

The main problem with ceramics usually comes from their bean batch with bits of rocks and pebbles that don’t agree with the spinning of the burrs. Otherwise, this manual Porlex works perfectly as a hand grinder with a smooth grinding action. Since no rubber foot stands between the grinder and the table, it won’t end up gliding all around the table. 

I love how it shows the number of clicks in the pamphlet, indicating the proper adjustment to make French press coffee. The Porlex Jp-30 is a better call for a hiking or camping trip.

Testing Criteria

Particle size is the most important factor I look for in any grinder for French press, and it must be consistent over the years. Quality of materials is another critical factor that decides if a product is worth the investment and stands the test of time (I expect them to last over a year at the least).

If a product is too complicated to operate, it’s not worth purchasing. Therefore, ease of use is another factor that comes into play. Extra features should contribute to the machine’s efficiency and ease of use instead of whistles and bells. 

Finally, a brand with outstanding customer service will make your life easier.

Why You Can Trust Me

My mom has 25-years of barista experience, and she has trained me. We don’t just grind coffee for home use; we grind for our customers.

Both manual and electrical grinders are great for home use overall as long as you use them with care and read the instruction manual carefully.

I recommend Capresso Infinity as the best conical burr grinder, compact, and consistent with a medium price tag. For manual grinder seekers, Porlex Jp-30 is worth your money that you can bring on a road trip or an outing.