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How to Use Baratza Encore ESP (2026)
Set up your Encore ESP with the power unplugged, then start near setting 23 for AeroPress. Treat that number as a starting point, not a magic answer.
Your first Encore ESP dose
Four actions from assembly to a repeatable cup
Step 1 Assemble
- Check burr seating
- Fit hopper and catch bin
Step 2 Set the dial
- Start near 23 for AeroPress
- Record the setting
Step 3 Grind the dose
- Weigh your recipe’s beans
- Check the grounds weight
Step 4 Taste and adjust
- Brew your chosen recipe
- Change only the grind next
Result
A recorded starting point you can improve one cup at a time
How do you start using the Encore ESP?
Seat the ring burr, fit the hopper and grounds bin, then choose a filter-range starting setting. Weigh the beans for your chosen recipe, grind, and taste the result. Keep your dose, water and brew time unchanged while you adjust the dial, so you can tell what helped.
For broader grinder comparisons and repeatable AeroPress grind guidance, see Best AeroPress Grind (2026): 8 Grinders for Better Cups.
What do you need before grinding?
You need whole roasted beans, a scale, your AeroPress recipe and a dry, stable counter. Keep the grinder away from the sink. The Baratza Encore ESP Operations Manual is the reference for assembly and safety, especially if a part looks different from what you expected.
- Hopper, lid, silicone gasket and grounds bin
- Scale and beans weighed for your chosen recipe
- AeroPress, filter, kettle and mug
- Dry brush and somewhere to record your setting
- Weight: 5.56 pounds.
- Burrs: 40mm hardened alloy steel.
- Dual-range dial: 1–20 fine steps; 21–40 filter steps.
Baratza’s official product page confirms the dual-range adjustment, quick-release burr and front pulse control. Skip this model if you want automatic recipe-driven dosing or a grinder dedicated only to espresso.
How do you assemble, grind and adjust?
Assemble the grinder without power, choose your starting setting before loading beans, and grind one weighed dose. Then brew and make one small change for the next cup. Use the manual for the parts and controls; use your recipe notes to decide where the dial should go next.
1. Seat the burr and install the hopper
Unplug the grinder. Following the Operations Manual, check that the ring burr sits flat, with its red tab aligned to the red mark on the adjustment ring near setting 30. Fit the silicone gasket with its thick side facing up. Align the hopper’s installation marks and turn it into position. Slide the grounds bin under the chute.
2. Choose your AeroPress starting setting
Start around 23, the approximate AeroPress reference in CoffeeMaster’s Baratza Encore ESP: Grind Settings for Espresso and Filter. Look for medium-fine grounds, roughly table-salt texture, rather than espresso powder. This is not a manufacturer guarantee.
Clive Coffee’s Baratza Encore ESP: Setup Guide explains that turning the hopper clockwise makes the grind finer; counterclockwise makes it coarser. Lower numbers mean finer grounds. Follow the manual’s advice to run the motor when moving finer with beans between the burrs, rather than forcing the hopper.
3. Grind a weighed dose
Weigh the beans your recipe calls for and add them to the hopper. Fit the lid, plug in, and hold the front pulse button or use the side switch, as described in the manual. Stop once the beans finish grinding. Weigh the collected grounds too; beans in and grounds out may not match exactly.
4. Brew, taste and record
Write down the setting, grounds weight, water amount and brew time. Our AeroPress grind guide recommends finer grounds for a sour, thin cup and coarser grounds for a bitter, drying cup. Move one setting, then repeat the same recipe. Taste is the goal, not matching somebody else’s dial number.
If the workflow, budget or travel fit is wrong, Best AeroPress Coffee Grinder (2026): 8 Picks compares alternative electric and manual choices.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Keep water out of the burrs, avoid forcing the hopper, and do not grind anything except whole roasted coffee beans. These are operating limits, not taste preferences. The Operations Manual also requires unplugging before cleaning or removing parts, even when the side switch is already off.
What if the grinder will not work properly?
Start with power, hopper position and burr seating before assuming the motor has failed. Switch off and unplug before inspecting parts. Use the Operations Manual’s troubleshooting instructions for a blockage, and contact Baratza support for damaged components or electrical faults. Do not open the housing or invent a repair.
The motor will not start
Check the outlet and that the hopper is fully installed. The manual explains the hopper safety interlock, which prevents operation when the hopper is not correctly fitted.
The hopper will not fit, or the grounds are unexpectedly coarse
Unplug and remove the hopper. Check for trapped beans and a tilted ring burr. Reseat it with the red tab aligned as shown in the manual; never force parts together.
The motor runs, but little coffee comes out
Stop grinding. Follow the manual’s clog-clearing procedure with the power disconnected. If dry cleaning does not restore flow, ask Baratza support rather than repeatedly running a stalled grinder.
Frequently asked questions
Is setting 23 always right for AeroPress?
No. CoffeeMaster lists roughly 23 as an AeroPress starting reference, not a guaranteed setting. Your beans, filter and brew recipe can call for a different grind.
Can I use the front button for a whole dose?
Yes. The Baratza Operations Manual describes the front pulse button as a press-and-hold control. Release it to stop, or use the side on/off switch for continuous grinding.
Can I grind spices or pre-ground coffee?
No. The Baratza Operations Manual specifies whole roasted coffee beans. Keep spices, pre-ground coffee and other materials out of the hopper.
Do I need to remove the quick-release burr before first use?
No routine lower-burr removal is needed for a first dose. Check that the removable ring burr is seated correctly. Follow the manual’s illustrated disassembly instructions when deeper cleaning is needed.