For espresso, get the Encore ESP. The regular Encore is a fantastic grinder for drip and pour-over, but its grind adjustment doesn't go fine enough for reliable espresso. The ESP version was re-engineered specifically to fix that — finer steps in the espresso range, right out of the box.
If you'll only ever make filter coffee, save the money and get the regular Encore. For espresso, the ESP is worth the small premium.
These two grinders look almost identical and share the same body, motor, and famous reliability. But they're tuned for different jobs, and buying the wrong one for espresso is a genuinely common — and frustrating — mistake. Here's exactly what separates them.
The real difference: grind range
Espresso needs a fine, precise grind, and small changes matter — a few microns can be the difference between a sour, gushing shot and a balanced one. That puts two demands on a grinder: it has to go fine enough, and it has to offer small enough steps to dial in.
The regular Encore was designed around filter coffee. Its 40 steps are spread across a range optimized for drip, pour-over, and French press. At its finest setting it can approach espresso, but the steps are coarse in that zone, so you can't fine-tune — you'll bounce between "too fast" and "too slow" with nothing in between.
The Encore ESP uses a recalibrated burr and gear setup that shifts and tightens the fine end of the range. Baratza splits it into roughly 20 steps suited for espresso plus 20 for filter, so you get the small, precise adjustments espresso actually requires — without giving up filter capability.
The regular Encore can be pushed toward espresso but fights you the whole way. The ESP is built to dial espresso in easily. Same trusted grinder, different gearing for a different job.
Side by side
| Feature | Encore | Encore ESP |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Filter coffee | Espresso + filter |
| Espresso-capable | Not really | Yes ★ |
| Fine-range steps | Coarse | Fine & precise |
| Burr type | 40mm conical | 40mm conical |
| Total settings | 40 | 40 (≈20 espresso / 20 filter) |
| Motor & body | Same | Same |
| Reliability / repairability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Price | ~$170 | ~$200 |
The differences that matter are all at the top of that table; the bottom half is identical. You're not paying the ESP premium for better build or a stronger motor — you're paying it for the grind range that makes espresso possible.
Which one should you buy?
You're a filter-coffee drinker
- You make drip, pour-over, or French press
- You have no plans to pull espresso
- You want to save ~$30
You're making espresso
- You own or are buying an espresso machine
- You want to dial shots in without fighting the grinder
- You want one grinder that does espresso AND filter well
It's the most common version of this mistake: buying the cheaper Encore to use with a new espresso machine, then spending weeks frustrated that shots won't dial in. The ~$30 you'd save isn't worth it. If it's espresso, it's the ESP.
Where to buy
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The ESP isn't the only path. Our grinder guide ranks beginner picks at every budget.