The original Encore is a workhorse for pour-over and drip, with owners logging eight-year runs and easy repairs when parts finally wear out. The ESP variant chasing espresso grinds fine enough on paper but ships with a plastic burr holder that cracks predictably and an undersized rubber seal that lets grounds leak into the body, turning routine cleaning into archaeology. If you brew filter coffee and value long-term repairability, the original is a safe bet. If you need espresso, the ESP's fragile internals make it a gamble you'll likely lose within two years.
This is the grinder for people who got tired of chasing retention ghosts and sweeping static-charged grounds off the counter every morning. The ACE anti-clumping system and bellows design deliver what most single-dosers only promise: beans in, same weight out, no mess, no ritual. The stock adjustment dial is genuinely annoying, tiny, hard to read, and most owners replace it within a month, and you'll recalibrate the zero point after every deep clean. If you want one tool that grinds espresso fast, quiet, and clean without the drama, this is the buy. If you also brew pour-over or need zero fuss on setup, keep looking.