The catch
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
When you switch beans, coffee is left behind in the hopper and grind path.
Side by side
Breville Smart Grinder Pro vs Baratza Encore ESP: Breville runs hopper doses on a timer, Encore leaves the weighing to you
Quick verdict
If beans stay in the hopper and you dose into different portafilters, the Smart Grinder Pro is more convenient. The Encore ESP is easier to navigate and to maintain, and it fits someone who weighs doses separately.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
The catch
Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
Its hopper and internal path hold on to more coffee than a grinder built for single dosing.
The portafilter in the photo does not come with it. You need a compatible 50 to 54 mm or 58 mm cradle. Shots and cups are still dosed by time.
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Why pick it
- You want an LCD plus an adjustable dose timer
- Your portafilters come in more than one size
- The catch
- When you switch beans, coffee is left behind in the hopper and grind path.
Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Why pick it
- Beans or grounds get weighed separately
- You want clear numbered settings
- The catch
- Its hopper and internal path hold on to more coffee than a grinder built for single dosing.
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What this page compares
Breville’s screen and timed hopper workflow go head to head with Baratza’s simpler grinder that spans espresso to filter.
This one comes down to settings and dose control first, then to the limits of your own setup.
Day to day
How each one fits your routine
A remembered time is only helpful as long as it still fits the recipe
With the Smart Grinder Pro, a household can repeat a timed setting, which works well once you have checked how much it produces for the current beans. The Encore ESP has you start and stop it by hand. When beans or grind settings change often, plan on verifying the dose, because the same seconds will not necessarily mean the same grams. Go with the Breville for repeatable timed operation and the ESP if manual dose control suits you.
Where this comes from
The Breville's timer moves in 0.2-second increments, while the ESP works by manual switch or pulse. Neither documented control weighs the grounds directly, and no constant grams-per-second rate is assumed.
Work out whether you want a supported basket or a transfer cup
The two cradle sizes supplied with the Smart Grinder Pro can support dosing straight into a compatible portafilter. The cup on the Encore ESP collects the dose first and then transfers it, using its 54 mm body or 58 mm adapter. Direct dosing may help at a cramped coffee station, whereas someone who likes to weigh the collected dose may prefer the cup. Confirm exactly how your tools fit before calling either arrangement the cleaner workflow.
Where this comes from
Breville lists cradles of 50 to 54 mm and 58 mm. Baratza lists a 54 mm cup along with a 58 mm adapter. Diameter classes are no proof of compatibility with every basket or portafilter shape.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Accurate tuning for espresso
Breville Smart Grinder Pro lists “LCD timer in 0.2-second increments” for dose control, while Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder lists “Manual switch or pulse”. This shapes setup and day-to-day use more than the core physical job.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Good
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Better fit
Timed doses you can repeat
Recalls your usual dose by time and gives useful control over small changes.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Better fit
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Depends
Spare parts and lasting support
Breville Smart Grinder Pro lists “Appliance platform” for service style, while Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder lists “Owner-serviceable grinder platform”. This matters for long-term ownership. It says little about day-one performance.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Depends
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Better fit
A hopper for drinks you make every day
Holds several doses, so you can grind fast without weighing beans every time.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Better fit
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Depends
Steady batches for automatic drip
Breville Smart Grinder Pro lists “60” for settings, while Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder lists “40”. This affects how finely you can tune it to the job and how reliably you can repeat that setting.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Better fit
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Depends
Grinding enough for bigger brew batches
Breville Smart Grinder Pro has useful capacity and a motor and duty cycle suited to several cups at once.
- Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- Better fit
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Depends
Option A
The portafilter in the photo does not come with it. You need a compatible 50 to 54 mm or 58 mm cradle. Shots and cups are still dosed by time.
Breville, BCG820BSSXL
Smart Grinder Pro
This hopper grinder is packed with features, including a clear screen, flexible dose timing and cradles that fit common home portafilter sizes.
- Best for
- You want an LCD plus an adjustable dose timer
Facts we checked
- Settings: 60
- Dose control: LCD timer in 0.2-second increments
- Portafilter tools: Two cradles
- Service style: Appliance platform
Option B
Baratza, ZCG495WHT
Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
It is the familiar Encore with a finer espresso zone and a handy cup system added, and the easygoing filter range is still there.
- Best for
- Beans or grounds get weighed separately
Facts we checked
- Settings: 40
- Dose control: Manual switch or pulse
- Portafilter tools: Dosing cup and 58 mm adapter
- Service style: Owner-serviceable grinder platform
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Breville Smart Grinder Pro | Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settings | 60 | 40 | It determines how precisely you can tune it to the job and how dependably you can repeat that setting. |
| Dose control | LCD timer in 0.2-second increments | Manual switch or pulse | Setup and everyday use depend on it more than the core physical job does. |
| Portafilter tools | Two cradles | Dosing cup and 58 mm adapter | Choose working parts that suit your material and your task. A component's name is no proof of a better result. |
| Service style | Appliance platform | Owner-serviceable grinder platform | This matters for long-term ownership. It says little about day-one performance. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Breville Smart Grinder Pro
- The 60 external grind settings come in steps. Make sure the available settings and the dose adjustment work for your espresso recipe.
With Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- It has neither a timed dose nor active static control.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the premium coffee grinders we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Smart Grinder Pro |
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| Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
The portafilter in the photo does not come with it. You need a compatible 50 to 54 mm or 58 mm cradle. Shots and cups are still dosed by time.
Breville Smart Grinder Pro
You want an LCD plus an adjustable dose timer
See price & reviews on AmazonBaratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
Beans or grounds get weighed separately
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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