Baratza
Encore ESP
$199.95
Released 2022
Best Coffee Grinders · head-to-head
Encore ESP vs Smart Grinder Pro
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Encore ESP is cheaper at $199.95. Every spec and price links to its source.
Breville
Smart Grinder Pro
$199.95
Released 2014
Which is better: the Encore ESP or Smart Grinder Pro?
They split the 2 specs we compare evenly.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Encore ESP | Smart Grinder Pro |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $199.95 MSRP, official Baratza store | $199.95 MSRP, Breville official US store |
| Brand | Baratza | Breville |
| Released | 2022 | 2014 |
| Type | electric | electric |
| Burr type | conical | conical |
| Burr size (mm) | 40 | 40 |
| Grind settings | 40 stepped (steps 1-20 espresso at 20µm/click, 21-40 filter at ~90µm/click) | 60 stepped |
| Hopper capacity (g) | 227 | 454 |
| Best for | espresso | all |
| Weight (lb) | 7 | 6.4 |
| Release | 2022 | 2014 |
Sources — Encore ESP: baratza.com (verified 2026-06-19). Smart Grinder Pro: breville.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Encore ESP and Smart Grinder Pro?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Grind settings: Encore ESP 40 stepped (steps 1-20 espresso at 20µm/click, 21-40 filter at ~90µm/click) vs Smart Grinder Pro 60 stepped
- Hopper capacity (g): Encore ESP 227 vs Smart Grinder Pro 454
- Best for: Encore ESP espresso vs Smart Grinder Pro all
- Weight (lb): Encore ESP 7 vs Smart Grinder Pro 6.4
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Encore ESP
Only one whitelisted tester ran a full hands-on test of the exact base Encore ESP: Tom's Guide, which calls it a great-value, no-learning-curve entry grinder that 'lives up to its hype' but grinds unevenly and can't reach espresso-fine. Wirecutter's 2026 grinder roundup mentions the base Encore ESP only in passing, now deeming it a superseded 'prototype' next to its ESP Pro pick. Both sources verified as literal, on-model; nothing dropped. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Excellent value and beginner-friendly with virtually no learning curve; Tool-free burr removal for easy cleaning, and very low clumping.
Flagged: Cannot grind fine enough for true espresso/Turkish; lacks fine-grind control; Grind uniformity/consistency is only mediocre; Retention spikes when the hopper is filled (2.1g at 150g).
Smart Grinder Pro
One whitelisted source survived verification: NYT Wirecutter's 'Best Coffee Grinder' guide (updated 2026-01-14). It evaluated the Breville Smart Grinder Pro hands-on as a competition-section entry and dismissed it, citing a complicated digital interface, an overwhelming abundance of settings, and too many fines in the grounds. No measured or lab metrics were captured. This is a single-source, entirely negative verdict. (1 sourced review.)
Flagged: Complicated digital interface and an abundance of settings make it difficult to use; Produces too many fines in the grounds.