I have been making do without an electric grinder for a while now and I have decided the time has come to get one back on the kitchen work surface. I usually make coffee with my aeropress or chemex, and sometimes grind coarsely for cold brew. I don’t have an espresso machine and while I could imagine myself dabbling with the weirder manual and stovetop espresso options out there, I know that I prefer the extraction from pourover so it would never be a Thing.
I am trying to decide between the Fellow Ode v2 and the Baratza Encore ESP. One the one hand I feel I can’t go wrong with a Baratza and the ESP would give me some extra flexibility. On the other hand, the Fellow Ode probably matches my coffee sensibilities perfectly. I can’t really see myself choosing other grinders because I have had a Baratza before in a former life and I know their customer service is amazing. It’s just those burrs on the Fellow Ode v2 that are tempting me. Any thoughts? Gotchas? Steers either way?
I like my Encore. Haven’t used/owned an ode but strongly considered it. I’ve also considered upgrading to a Vario W+ or Orphan Apex.
The ode appears to be more compact, quieter, and more upgradeable. The ode’s catch cup may be a bit messier but the static suppressor is a great feature. The ode’s capacity seems to be a bit less. Fellow support has garnered a lot of gripes online whereas Baratza’s support seems to get lots of praise.