Baratza Encore makes premium ground coffee for less cash

The Baratza Encore conical burr coffee grinder is sturdy and boasts a high-torque DC electric motor.

Put whole beans in the funnel-shaped hopper up top. Once they pass through the spinning burrs, they are ground down to size and land in the removable bin below.

You select the grind size by turning the bean hopper to one of the Encore's 40 coarseness settings.

The controls are simple, just switch it on and off.

It's tricky to see here, but under a magnifying glass, ground coffee from the Encore was a bit more uniform than the Oxo Barista Brain produced.

Here's a look at the sophisticated Oxo Barista Brain grinder (left) and the Baratza Encore side by side.