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Short version: buy the Baratza Encore ESP if espresso is the main reason you are buying a grinder, and buy the Fellow Opus if espresso is one of three or four ways you brew. Both list at $199.95. The real difference is how each one spends its adjustment range: the Encore ESP dedicates half of its 40 settings to a fine espresso range, while the Opus covers everything from espresso to cold brew on one stepless dial with larger 48mm burrs.
One housekeeping note before the comparison. Fellow's current Opus is the Opus 2, which replaced the original at the same $199.95 price with bigger burrs (48mm versus 40mm) and a faster grind, per Fellow's own product page. Everywhere this article says Opus, it means the Opus 2, because that is what Fellow sells now. At the time of writing, Fellow lists the black version as a pre-order shipping late July.
Same price, opposite priorities
These two grinders answer the same question with different math. Baratza took the standard Encore and rebuilt the adjustment system for espresso: settings 1 through 20 are a dedicated espresso range where each click changes the grind size by a small amount, and settings 21 through 40 cover everything from AeroPress to French press, per the Encore ESP operations manual. That means half the dial exists to help you dial in a shot. Baratza's suggested starting point for espresso is setting 15 with an 18g dose of a medium roast.
Fellow went the other way. The Opus is pitched as one grinder for every method, with a stepless side dial, 48 marked settings across the full range, and 48mm stainless steel conical burrs that get through an espresso dose in about 9 seconds, per Fellow. Espresso lives at the very bottom of the dial; Fellow's guidance says most espresso dials in around settings 0 to 2. That is a narrow slice of the range, which is the tradeoff for covering pour-over, drip, and cold brew on the same dial.
Spec comparison
| Baratza Encore ESP | Fellow Opus (Opus 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $199.95 | $199.95 ($249.95 with wood lid and metal dial) |
| Burrs | 40mm conical steel (M2) | 48mm stainless steel conical |
| Adjustment | 40 stepped settings, turn the hopper | Stepless side dial, 48 marked settings |
| Espresso range | Settings 1-20, dedicated fine-step range | Roughly settings 0-2 per Fellow's guidance |
| Speed | 1.5-2.4 g/sec, 550 RPM burr speed | About 9 seconds for an espresso dose |
| Bean capacity | 230g (8 oz) hopper | 100g single-dose load bin |
| Grounds handling | 142g bin, plus dosing cup with 58mm adapter ring | 100g catch cup, plus 30g espresso cup for 54mm and 58mm portafilters |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years, with option to extend |
Sources: baratza.com, the Encore ESP manual, and fellowproducts.com.
Where the Encore ESP wins
Resolution where it counts. Twenty fine steps in the espresso zone means that when a shot runs five seconds fast, you nudge one click finer and pull again. On a grinder where the whole espresso window sits inside two numbers on a dial, that same correction is a smaller, fussier movement. Baratza also ships shims in the box; installing one shifts the whole range about five settings finer if your machine needs it, which is a thoughtful escape hatch for pressurized-basket machines and light roasts.
The workflow is genuinely espresso-first. The included dosing cup grinds your dose, then flips over onto the portafilter. With the adapter ring on, it fits 58mm portafilters; take the ring off for 54mm machines. The 230g hopper also suits people who keep the same beans loaded all week rather than weighing every dose.
Where the Opus wins
Versatility and hardware. The 48mm burrs are larger than the Encore ESP's 40mm set, the grind is quick at about 9 seconds per espresso dose, and Fellow claims near-zero retention thanks to an internal impeller and an ionizer for static. Single-dose workflow is the default: a 100g load bin instead of a hopper, so switching between espresso beans and pour-over beans takes seconds. Its espresso cup snaps in and fits both 54mm and 58mm portafilters with no adapter juggling. The warranty is also twice as long: 2 years standard versus Baratza's 1 year, with an option to extend.
If your counter has an espresso machine and a V60 and a French press, the Opus is the one grinder that serves all of them without feeling like a compromise, and single dosing means no stale beans sitting in a hopper.
Verdict
For a first grinder bought specifically to feed an espresso machine, get the Encore ESP. The dedicated 20-step espresso range makes dialing in teachable instead of frustrating, and dialing in is the entire skill you are learning in month one. Check prices on Amazon: Baratza Encore ESP.
If espresso shares the bench with other brew methods, or you want single dosing and the longer warranty, get the Opus: Fellow Opus. Either way, at $199.95 both are serious steps up from a blade grinder or a non-ESP entry burr grinder for espresso work.
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Related reading
Pairing a grinder with your first machine? Start with our guide to the best espresso machines under $500. If retention numbers matter to you, see our roundup of the best zero retention grinders.
FAQ
Can the Baratza Encore ESP really grind fine enough for espresso? Yes. Settings 1 through 20 are a dedicated espresso range, and the grinder ships with shims that shift the whole range about five settings finer if your machine or roast needs it, per the official manual.
Is the Fellow Opus 2 different from the original Opus? Yes. Fellow says the Opus 2 has larger 48mm conical burrs versus 40mm in the original, grinds an espresso dose in about 9 seconds, and adds an upgraded ionizer for static. The list price stayed at $199.95.
Do these grinders fit a 54mm portafilter? Both do. The Encore ESP dosing cup fits 54mm portafilters once you remove the included 58mm adapter ring, and the Opus espresso catch cup is compatible with both 54mm and 58mm portafilters.