Chemex makes better coffee than alternatives according to most connoisseurs’ opinions. Even though the brewing process by Chemex is not suitable for those who need morning caffeine infusion to wake up, you can see how much people love Chemex by clear evidence of its long existence since the 30s.

So, what is a Chemex?

The Chemex, which was invented in 1941 by Peter Schlobohm, is a manual, pour-over style, glass-container coffeemaker. It comes with a simple design, including a hand-blown hourglass-shaped vessel made of durable tempered glass. Chemistry instruments influenced the idea behind its elegant creation.

The most considerable factors when it comes to a Chemex are the filters and the coffee grounds used with it. If you are still unsure about which grinder you should buy, we highly suggest a medium-coarse mill when making coffee with a Chemex. Why? The filter in the Chemex brewing machine is overall thicker than others because of being woven so tightly. It takes a longer time than usual to brew coffee, but the extracted outcome will be tender while minimizing bitterness and enhancing the developed aroma.

There are two different types of grinders for Chemex: a blender model or a burr model. They could be found either in manual or electric versions. Pick the best rated coffee grinder for Chemex from our recommended list.

Choosing the right grind size for Chemex plays a vital role in extracting the perfect amount of taste and flavor from your coffee, so there’s no over-extracting and no under-extracting anymore.

On the way to choosing the best coffee grinders for Chemex, I have separated my search into two different product lines, an automatic one and a manual one. I have been working extensively to narrow down the search scales and come up with the best items of each line for you. Read on and explore it!

1- Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder

There are several choices when it comes to the best coffee grinder for Chemex. From the list, the Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder is my top pick, not only for its diversity of settings and excellence for any size grounds but also for its user-friendliness and durability.

What does it bring to your coffee experiences?

This Baratza Encore is the best choice of best burr grinder for Chemex. The main reason is that it can make any size of grounds, including medium-coarse grinds for Chemex filters. Another value-for-the-money feature is its burr, which is made from 40mm hardened steel. This burr is designed precisely to make perfect ground coffee. This burr grinder works in the manner to achieve enough consistency at low speeds without causing heat and friction. That means your coffee is not heating up but tasting fresh, and the result is not overcooked.

If you are not an expert in making coffee, this model is the best fit for you. With 40 individual grind settings, you can have a world of coffee making under your kitchen cabinet. Not only Chemex, but you also have a machine ready for trying other brew methods, for example, espresso, Aeropress, Hario V60, Chemex, French Press, and automatic brewers, etc. All ranges of fine, medium, and medium-coarse grinds are handled well.

Thanks to its robust steel framework, you can get a machine for a lifetime. Moreover, Baratza’s excellent customer service is another key for you to have this one at home. There is no worry about a product that is backed by a reliable company with worldwide support.

Pros

• Convenience and versatility with 40 different settings, suitable for all sizes of grounds, especially for medium coarse, which is a perfect size for Chemex
• Complete burr set is ideal for variable brewing methods with speeds up to 450rpm
• A quiet motor which also keeps the beans cool during extended grind times
• Compact design with a small footprint, which easily fits into most kitchen cabinets
• High durability with robust steel framework
• Excellent customer service

Cons

• No customization for the determined grinding amount. That means you cannot set up a certain amount of coffee beans for specific cups of coffee.
• Need time to get familiar with it, because of many program settings
  
  

2- Kalita KH-3 Retro One Coffee Grinder

The Kalita coffee grinder is a beautiful choice for people who enjoy making coffee for joy and relaxation. It is perfect as a figurine in the design of a classical atmosphere. The reason I chose a manual coffee grinder is that it is manually working. Brewing coffee with a Chemex is entirely manual; therefore it’s better to have another manual item to walk through the coffee-making process.

What does it bring to your coffee experiences?

Voted as the best manual coffee grinder that is both high in quality and within your budget. At first glance, it works great and is aesthetically more pleasing than all other hand mills. Moreover, compared to using an electric grinder, this model gently grinds your beans in an easy-to-adjust and slow manner. Many coffee nuts vote for its better coffee flavor.

It is a hand grinder, which means you turn the handle on the top of this model to grind your coffee beans by hand. You have to screw on the handle which is inherently part of the design, and you remove the handle each time you want to adjust the coarseness anyways

Pros

• Great versatility – you can adjust grinding levels from crushed beans to a fine powder. Therefore, you can make an excellent medium-coarse ground for Chemex without any barriers.
• Excellent performance of grinding coffee beans. The coffee extracted from this slow-made ground is perfect in its texture, taste, and aroma.
• Nice looking with a traditional retro appearance. The combination of metal and polished wood makes it attractive to everyone at first sight.
• In some urgent cases, it can be used to grind spices.

Cons

• Not clear instructions. Therefore, people who are not familiar with manually grinding will find it a bit messy to deal with for the first time. However, you can find many instruction videos on YouTube relating to this handy machine.
• Cover on the hopper is absent. Some of the beans can occasionally jump out while turning the handle.
• I want to recommend this grinder for more dedicated coffee lovers who enjoy the ritual, or those who specifically prefer the very mild, very low-acid coffee this maker produces.
  
  

If you like hand-grinding your coffee, the Kalita KH-3 Retro One Coffee Grinder Mill is a winner to put in your shopping cart. Some people even consider making coffee with this Kalita machine as part of their morning ritual meditation. In case convenience and versatility are your priority, a Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder can do all the things you need. Also, you will be surprised at how diversified it brings you to the coffee world.