11 Best Budget Coffee Grinders in 2024

Welcome to my round up of the best coffee grinders that you can buy for a fair price.

I’ve been using coffee grinders every day for many years so I know what it takes to make a great one. And with that information, I’ve been finding the best ones on the market that won’t break the bank.

I’ve found that the best overall option is the Fellow Opus. This is an amazing value coffee grinder that will deliver you great coffee for a fair price. 

This isn’t a blanket recommendation for absolutely everyone though. Make sure you stay tuned to find out all of my top picks!

Top 11 Budget Coffee Grinders

My top picks are as follows, category for category:

• Best overall Burr grinder: Fellow Opus
• Best for under $100: Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic
• Best for under $50: Hamilton Beach
• Best for espresso and Aeropress: Shardor CG845B
• Best for French press and cold brew: KitchenAid Burr KCG8433
• Best blade grinder: KitchenAid Blade
• Best manual grinder: Timemore Chestnut C2
• Best super budget manual grinder: JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder
• Best small manual grinder: Hario Mini-Slim Plus
• Best for UK and Europe: Fellow Ode Gen 2
• Best for Australia: OXO Brew

The 11 Best Coffee Grinders for a budget

Stay with me as I show you the best and worst bits of each of these top picks.

#1 Best Overall Burr Grinder – Fellow Opus

In terms of pure value for money, the best coffee grinder going right now has to be the Fellow Opus. 

I’d recommend this coffee grinder to pretty much anyone except for the pros who need the most premium grind. You’ll be able to make a great cup of most types of coffee with this grinder.

That’s partially because it’s well built, and another byproduct of that is that the grinding is very quiet. You’d be unlucky to wake your housemates up when using this grinder.

Another reason for the high quality grinding is the 40 mm stainless steel conical burrs. They might not be as big as some, and this could have an impact on the finesse of the grind. But, they certainly make light work of espressos through to French press here.

It’s really easy to do all this as well thanks to an intuitive user experience. All you have to do is load the beans up, select a setting and sit back and wait.

The one area that you can feel the low price coming through a little is the size. This is a very small coffee grinder. That might be good news for some as it won’t take up much space on your kitchen size, but it does also mean that the bean hopper is small.

At 110 g, this grinder will hold enough beans for a little over 10 cups of coffee. That might be more than enough for you, but it could cause some issues for the professionals in cafes, for example. 

So whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced home user and you’re on a budget, your best bet is likely to be the Fellow Opus.

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#2 Best Under $100/Strict Budget Option – Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic

It is possible to get good quality for cheaper than the Fellow Opus too. For even less money, you could buy the Cuisinart Supreme Grind.

This grinder comes in at less than $100 but you won’t have to sacrifice too much in terms of quality for that.

It has conical burrs of an undetermined size made out of ceramic. They work pretty well to produce medium and coarse grinds for the likes of cold brew and drip coffee.

However, the Supreme Grind is probably not going to be the best option for espresso or aeropress though as the grind doesn’t tend to be super even. 

Ceramic burrs have the potential to last longer than regular steel burrs as they don’t wear down so easily. However, they have been known to crack so make sure not to overload this grinder. 

Not that that should be a problem. The bean hopper capacity is an impressive 225 g which will be enough for over 20 cups of coffee in a single grind. 

The general build quality for this grinder is okay although I did find the grinding to be a little loud. That being said, there are 18 months of warranty here instead of the standard 12, so Cuisinart must be fairly confident in the quality.

And all that for under $100. So if you’re on a stricter budget and you’re not worried about making an amazing cup of espresso then check out the Cuisinart Supreme Grind.

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#3 Best Under $50/Strictest Budget Option – Hamilton Beach Coffee Grinder

Want to go even cheaper still? Take a look at the Hamilton Beach coffee grinder. You can pick one of these up for well under $50, which is quite remarkable.

For that, you’ll be able to get a fair cup of French press and filter coffee and that’s because the general grind output of this grinder is quite coarse and uneven. It’s not going to be any good for espresso though. The grind simply won’t be fine or even enough for that. 

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend spending this little money on a grinder as there are a few issues at this price point. For a start, it’s very loud, and this is because the build quality isn’t as good as with a slightly more expensive grinder.

Another issue that you might run into as a result of this is potential damage. I wouldn’t be too convinced that this is a very robust grinder so don’t expect it to last forever. 

But these kinds of things are to be expected when you’re spending under $50 on an electric coffee grinder. And I’m confident that compared to all other coffee grinders at this price point, the Hamilton Beach is just about the best one.

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#4 Best for Espresso and Aeropress – Shardor CG845B

I haven’t shown many coffee grinders that are great for espresso drinks so far as this is something that’s hard to get right for a budget price. But that’s where the Shardor CG845B comes in.

This grinder comes with 40 mm conical burrs which traditionally wouldn’t be the best for espresso and aeropress coffee. But the way that Shardor has set this thing up means that it actually does a really good job with fine and even grinding.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re going to get what you pay for with this thing. And it is way below $100, so don’t expect the most amazing cup of espresso you’ve ever drunk.

Plus, don’t expect to be able to prepare your coffee very well for the likes of French press and filter coffee as it’s not easy to tailor it for uneven and coarse grinds.

It’s a little loud to grind but it doesn’t come close to the noise level as the likes of the Hamilton Beach.

And at the end of the day, I’m really impressed by the fact that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make a good cup of espresso or aeropress coffee. 

You’ll also get a large bean hopper here at 275 g. That’s enough coffee for 25+ cups. Most people aren’t going to need any more than that.

So another strict budget option, but one that’s good for espresso drinks. The Shardor offering is certainly going to appeal to a lot of people.

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#5 Best for French Press and Cold Brew – KitchenAid Burr KCG8433

On the other end of the grind finesse scale is the KitchenAid Burr KCG8433. It’s slightly pricier than the past couple of selections but still within the budget category overall at under $200.

You get a little more for your money here. The steel conical burrs are quite a bit bigger at 54 mm which means you should have more control over your grind.

Nonetheless, this grinder is still best suited to medium and coarse grinds for the likes of cold brew and French press.

I found that it wasn’t able to get the super fine grind required for the best quality espresso. But it should still make a reasonable cup of it. 

The bean capacity here is large again at 283 g so you’ll be able to grind up more than 20 cups of coffee in one go with ease.

Again, this grinder is slightly noisy but I don’t think that reflects too badly on the build quality this time around. The fact that KitchenAid is offering double warranty with this grinder (2 years instead of the standard 1) is a testament to that.

So medium and coarse grind fans on a budget: check out the KitchenAid Burr KCG8433. It’s affordable, good quality and easy to use for your French press, cold brew coffee etc.

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#6 Best Blade Grinder – KitchenAid Blade

I’m not a big fan of blade coffee grinders but there are a few benefits to them, so I can understand why you might be. So let’s take a look at the best example, the KitchenAid Blade.

Blade grinders are super affordable. That can be said of the KitchenAid Blade grinder which comes in well below $50.

They’re also okay for super coarse and uneven grinds. Blade grinders (the KitchenAid included) would be fine to make an average cup of French press or filter coffee, for example.

But there are a few downsides as well. For example, blade grinders are notoriously loud, and this one proves that. If you live with housemates that you’re worried about waking up then this isn’t going to be a great option for you.

And if you want an espresso, you can forget about it here. There’s no way that the KitchenAid blade grinder will be able to get you an uneven enough grind to make a half decent cup of espresso. 

I wouldn’t even use one for more medium grinds such as for cold brew or pour over. 

There’s also a slightly small bean capacity here at 4 oz or 113 g but that’s enough for over 10 cups of coffee anyway.

But if you’re a French press fan looking for an easy to use, mega affordable coffee grinder then you might want to consider the best blade coffee grinder, the KitchenAid Blade grinder.

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#7 Best Manual Grinder – Timemore Chestnut C2

My favorite budget manual coffee grinder in the world right now is the Timemore Chestnut C2. It looks great and makes a good cup of coffee for a more than fair price. 

Why buy a manual grinder? Well, I’ll cover that in more detail in the buying guide. But to cut a long story short, they’re best for traveling. You can use the Chestnut C2 on the campsite, for example.

And it still makes a really impressive cup of many different types of coffee. Its 38 mm conical burrs are a pretty good size for a manual grinder and you can use them to make all kinds of coffee types, from espresso to French press.

You won’t get as high quality a grind with the C2 that you would with a good quality electric grinder but it’s a great option for grinding on the go. Plus, turning the grinder manually is actually quite satisfying!

One downside to the small size is that the bean capacity is small. At 25 g, it’s low even for a manual coffee grinder. You’ll only be able to make 2 or 3 cups of coffee at a time here.

The C2 does look good though. Its futuristic and minimal design makes it look more expensive than it is, so you’ll definitely draw some attention on the campsite when you make your morning coffee with this thing.

The Chestnut C2 is the grinder I’d recommend to any manual coffee grinder fans on a budget, regardless of your experience level. 

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#8 Best Super Budget Manual Grinder – JavaPresse Manual

Believe it or not, it’s possible to pick up a reasonable quality manual coffee grinder for under $50. And it comes in the form of the JavaPresse manual coffee grinder.

This grinder comes with ceramic burrs which means that they could last longer than steel burrs. However, they can also be prone to crack if you’re not careful. Make sure not to overload this grinder. 

It’s not possible to tell the size of the burrs specifically but they are a little small. That’s all the more reason not to try to grind up too much coffee in one go. 

I found that this grinder produced a pretty even grind which is great for the likes of espresso and aeropress. But it’s not going to be as well suited to more coarse, uneven grinds such as French press and filter coffee. Even then, it could be a lot worse.

JavaPresse is strangely vague about the bean capacity, quoting it as ‘20-30 g’. If it were to be at the bottom end of the bracket, it’d be a little too small for my liking. But at 30 g, you could still make three cups of coffee at a time which isn’t too bad for a manual grinder. 

A small downside I found is that this grinder can be a little hard to turn if you fill it up too much so it’d probably be best to be cautious when you put the beans in and only grind up one or two coffee’s worth.

But still, this is a fantastic value coffee grinder that produces a better grind than a lot of more expensive models. That’s why it’s my top pick for super budget manual grinders.

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#9 Best Ceramic Manual Grinder – Hario Skerton Pro

If you’re willing to spend slightly more (but still stay within a reasonable budget) for ceramic burrs then the Hario Skerton Pro is going to be a better option for you.

The burrs here are better quality. As a result, the grinder is easier to use and it’s better at even, fine grinds. This grinder would be fine to use for Turkish coffee, for example.

And on the other end of the scale, it’d still be fine for the likes of French press and cold brew coffee, drinks that require a more coarse grind. 

Another benefit of this grinder is that it has a larger bean capacity of 50 g, so you should be able to grind up five or more cups of coffee at a time. 

But despite that, it’s not large, so it’ll still fit in your suitcase fairly well. Be careful though, as there is a lot of glass that could get cracked if you’re not careful. 

The same can be said of the ceramic burrs, such is the nature of them. Make sure to not try to grind up too much coffee at a time. 

The Hario Skerton Pro is a high quality coffee grinder for a very fair price. I’d recommend it to people of all skill levels.

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#10 Best for UK and Europe – Fellow Ode Gen 2

If you’re on a budget and based in the UK or Europe then make sure to check out the Fellow Ode Gen 2.

My second pick from Fellow is fantastic for coarse grinds, making it a perfect option for French press and filter coffee. Very popular drinks in Europe! 

That being said, this grinder will also produce a quality espresso drink. It wouldn’t be my number one choice for that though.

It does all this using the 64 mm flat burrs, an impressive set! There’s also a 100 g bean hopper which isn’t enormous but will still be enough for around 10 cups of coffee. 

In terms of price, it’s not the cheapest in the world but I’d still consider it to be in the budget category. But the value is pretty incredible. This is actually a better coffee grinder than some more expensive options.

Another reason this grinder is popular in the UK and Europe is that it’s endorsed by James Hoffman. That’s reason enough in itself to check it out! 

So if you’re based in the UK or Europe and are slightly more flexible with your budget, you should certainly check out the Fellow Ode Gen 2.

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#11 Best for Australia – OXO Brew

Australian coffee fans will love the OXO Brew. This is one of my favorite grinders for espresso which is, of course, the basis of most coffee drinks in Australia. 

This grinder is adaptable, but it’s best suited to a fine grind. This means it’s a fantastic option for the likes of espresso. The conical burrs make sure of that. 

You could still make a reasonable cup of French press by using this coffee grinder but if that’s your favorite coffee drink, one of my other top picks will probably be a better option for you.

If you’re looking to make a whole lot of coffee at one time then you can do that here as the bean hopper is 340 g in size. 

I’d recommend this coffee grinder to beginners and experienced home users. It’s not quite good enough for a professional setting but then again, it is a budget grinder! 

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Budget Coffee Grinder Buying Guide

Here’s a look at how I made those decisions. You’ll be able to use this information to fine tune your decision making.

And if you want to go even further, there’s a more extensive guide available here.

Checklist	Why it’s Important
Manual vs. Electric	One’s more convenient, one’s more portable
Materials	Which is more durable and better performing?
Burr Type & Size	Different burrs are better for different coffee grinds
Grind Levels	Each grind finesse will be better for different coffees
Price	Are you willing to spend a little more to guarantee quality?
Bean Hopper Size	Larger hoppers equal more coffee but can be bulky
Grinder Brand	Better brands means better quality, warranty and support

#1 Manual or electric grinder

Electric coffee grinders are easier to use and offer more control for most coffee types. But manual grinders are more portable as you don’t need to plug them into the mains to use them.

You might think that manual grinders would be cheaper because they don’t use power but actually, the starting point for manual and electric grinders is similar. 

That being said, the average price for manual grinders is lower than electric ones as electric grinders can cost thousands of dollars.

You’ll also have a lot more choice when it comes to electric grinders. Manual grinders remain a bit of a niche.

A final note: if you’re looking to make Turkish coffee then a manual grinder is going to be your best bet. While some electric grinders can handle a grind this fine, you’ll have more control with a manual one for this particular type of coffee.

Electric grinder benefits

• Grinder settings for more control
• Minimum physical effort required 

Manual grinder benefits

• Can be used without power
• Small and portable

To learn more, read our article on manual or electric coffee grinders.

#2 Burr material

Stainless steel burrs are the most popular type as they’re less likely to shatter than ceramic ones. But they do tend to wear down more readily so ceramic blades can in fact last for longer. 

A lot of ceramic burrs are sharper than steel ones which means that they can create a finer grind. But still, steel can be just as good if it’s good quality. 

You’re likely to be able to find a stainless steel coffee grinder for cheaper than a ceramic one. But on the flip side, stainless steel can rise to a lot higher in price as it can be very high quality (coated in titanium etc.)

Steel burr benefits

• Doesn’t break
• Various qualities 

Ceramic burr benefits

• Often sharper than steel
• Can last longer overall

To learn more, read our article on steel burr vs ceramic burr.

#3 Flat vs. conical burrs vs. blades

Burrs come in two main shapes: flat and conical. Flat burrs are better for fine, even grinds but conical burrs are more versatile and this is what makes them the most popular choice.

Conical burrs are also a little easier to look after and they’re more affordable to buy in most cases. This is why you’ll usually only see flat burrs on professional grade, expensive coffee grinders. 

Most flat burrs aren’t going to be found in the budget category. The only one I recommended today is the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and that’s at the top end of the budget category even though it’s one of the cheapest flat burr grinders. 

There’s also the option of not using burrs at all and opting for a blade coffee grinder. Blades could save you a lot of money as they are by far the cheapest option.

However, I don’t recommend opting for a blade coffee grinder unless you are on the strictest of budgets. They shred the beans with spinning blades and there’s no way this can create an even grind. 

Blade grinders are therefore pretty useless for anything other than French press and filter coffee.

So overall, the best option for most people is a reasonably-priced conical burr.

Flat burr benefits

• Very fine and even grind 
• Makes the best tasting espresso

Conical burr benefits 

• More affordable than flat burrs
• Very versatile grinding 

Blade benefits 

• Most affordable
• Fine for French press and filter coffee

To learn more, read our article on blade vs burr coffee grinder.

#4 Grind level

The type of burr you choose also affects the level of the grind. And different levels of coarseness are better for different types of coffee.

Take a look at my recommendations for coarseness in the table below and then be sure to buy a coffee grinder that’s best suited to your favorite type of coffee based on this.

Coffee grinder	Grind finesse	Best for
Flat burr	Extra fine	Espresso, Turkish, pour over, aeropress
Conical burr	Fine but versatile	French press, Drip coffee, some espresso, cold brew, moka pot, drip coffee
Blade	Coarse, uneven	French press, filter coffee

#5 Your budget

Of course, this is going to be the most important factor for most people reading this article. Make sure to consider how much you want to spend.

While it’s great to stay within budget, I’d advise against spending too little as this will affect the quality of your coffee. Also, a cheap grinder is more likely to break and then you’re going to end up spending more money replacing it. 

You might want to think about spending around the following amounts in general. But of course, if your budget is tighter, then you could still get a fair grinder for a little less.

Experience Level	Avg Price Recommended (Electric)	Avg Price Recommended (Manual)
Beginner	$100	$50
Experienced home user	$200	$80
Pro barista	$1000	$80

Typically, spending much less than $50 will mean you’re going to have a poorer product. 

#6 Bean hopper capacity

How much coffee do you want to grind up in one go? That’s where the bean hopper capacity comes in. 

Typically, you’ll need 8-10 g of coffee for a single cup so do the math based on the size of the bean hopper if you want to grind up a lot of coffee at a time. 

You may be able to save money by opting for a grinder with a smaller bean capacity. However, a lot of my top budget picks actually have pretty large bean hoppers. So, perhaps there’s not as much correlation between size and price as you might expect. 

#7 Grinder brand

Opting for a grinder from a good quality brand means you’re going to get a better quality product. Plus, if you do have any issues, you’ll probably find it easier to get hold of the customer support from a good brand.

And if it comes to it, this means it’ll be easier to put in a claim for a warranty repair or replacement. 

Some great brands that you can look out for are as follows:

• Krups
• KitchenAid
• Breville
• Barista & Co.
• Monolith
• Option-O
• Fellow
• Cuisinart
• Rancilio

As you might expect, buying a coffee grinder from a premium brand is going to cost you more money. But a lot of grinder brands will have a scale of price. So, it’s better to get something from the bottom of the scale from a good brand than to go for a product from an unknown brand. 

#8 Speed of grind

How fast your electric coffee grinder actually grinds 

It’s not black and white, but typically, these are the types of speeds that are best for different coffee drinks. 

RPM Range	Suitable coffee types
Up to 200 RPM	French press, filter coffee, cold brew
200 – 1000 RPM	Pour over, moka pot, drip coffee, cold brew
1000 – 3000 RPM	Aeropress, espresso, pour over
3000 RPM +	Espresso

Some people also say that the slower your grind, the more heat you’re going to put through coffee and therefore, you’ll have a worse taste. However in my experience, this is not so much the case. The difference in taste is negligible at best.

Also, a fast or a slow grinder isn’t going to affect the price a lot in my experience. But you might have to pay more for a grinder where you can adjust the speed. 

It should also be noted that faster grind speed means more noise so maybe don’t buy a grinder that’s too fast if you have housemates.

To learn more, read our article on grinder speeds.

#9 Quality of life features 

If you’re opting for an electric coffee grinder, make sure to look out for some or all of the following convenience features:

• Timer: Shows you in seconds how long you’ve been grinding for.
• Auto stop: The timer can work with this function to stop the grind after a set time.
• Digital interfaces: Check out the timer, speed and more on a digital display.

I typically recommend opting for a coffee grinder with all of these features as they really will make life easier for you. However, they might make the grinder a little more expensive.

So, this is something to weigh up if you really want to shop on a particularly tight budget. 

#10 Noise level

Some coffee grinders will be louder than others. If you’re worried about disturbing people, make sure to look for a quieter one.

This applies more to budget grinders. That’s because cheaper grinders often means cheaper materials and lower build quality. This often has a negative impact on the volume of the grinding. There are quite a few loud grinders in my top picks! 

Another way to reduce the sound of noisy budget grinders is to buy one with a slower RPM. Faster grinders means more noise!

To learn more, read our article on coffee grinder’s noise levels.

Buying a Budget Coffee Grinder: FAQ

Here are a few more important pieces of information to consider when you buy a new budget coffee grinder.

My Verdict 

Let’s take one last look back at my top three budget coffee grinders:

1. Best Overall – Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder: This grinder is the best available in terms of value for money. And it’s going to be enough for many different types of coffee drinks.

2. Best Under $100 – Cuisinart Supreme Grind Automatic: Perhaps you’d like to save a little more money and still get a good cup of medium or coarse grind coffee? Here’s your best bet.

3. Best Under $50 – Hamilton Beach: This is just about the lowest price you should spend on a coffee grinder. But if you want a cheap fix for French press and other coarse grinds, it’s a really strong pick.

Most people are going to be well suited to the Fellow Opus but there’s still a lot of quality to be found if you want to spend less money than that. With these recommendations and my buying guide, I hope you’ll be able to find your perfect new budget coffee grinder.