Quick Answer
If one grinder has to handle both espresso and pour-over on a small counter, the main risk is not the grinder. It's losing your espresso setting, or getting old grounds from the last grind in your next cup. A simple routine helps:
- Write down your espresso setting before you touch the dial.
- Change the setting the way the manual says. On the Baratza Encore ESP, that means while the grinder is running or completely empty.
- Grind a small amount and throw it out after each change, so leftover grounds from the old setting don't end up in the next cup.
- Go back to the setting you wrote down when you switch back to espresso, then taste and adjust if needed.
Whether one grinder is the right fit, or a second one makes more sense, is a tradeoff covered below. This is a process guide, not a ranking.
Evidence in this guide: Manufacturer-researched (Baratza's Encore ESP operations manual), a retail listing (Amazon's KINGrinder K6 product copy), and forum discussion (Reddit r/espresso). Apartment Barista did not test these grinders.
Apartment Barista uses Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability can change at any time and should be checked on Amazon before buying.
What Beginners Are Asking (Forum Discussion)
On May 20, 2020, an r/espresso member waiting for a Breville Bambino Plus wrote that they wanted a grinder that would be "serviceable for both espresso grinds and for pour over coffee. As my apartment is fairly limited on counter/ storage space and I can't manage two grinders at the moment." (Reddit, "Starter Espresso and Drip Grinder")
On July 19, 2025, another member wrote: "I'm looking to get 1 grinder for simplicity's sake." They added: "I live in a city apartment and want an option where I can bang out an espresso shot in the morning and later my wife can make pour-over for herself." (Reddit, r/espresso post, July 19, 2025)
On October 5, 2026, a third member, describing a grinder they had tried, wrote: "Once it's set fine enough for ultra-light espresso, filter suffers, and vice versa. Switching back and forth is a pain." (Reddit, r/espresso post, October 5, 2026)
These are individual posts, not measurements or search data. The grinders they name appear only as part of their questions, not as recommendations.
The Switching Routine, Step by Step
Step 1: Write down your espresso setting
Your espresso setting is the one that took the most work to find, so record it before you change anything. The Encore ESP manual describes setting the grind by rotating the hopper: "Rotate the hopper so the grind setting indicator (3) is aligned with the desired grind setting (6)." Write that number down, or keep it on a note near the grinder.
On a hand grinder with a click dial, such as the KINGrinder K6, record the position in a way you can repeat, for example how many full turns and clicks from the point you count from. Amazon's retail listing for the K6 says: "The adjustment nut offers 60 clicks per rotation, up to 4 full rotations." We did not obtain K6 settings for espresso or pour-over, so we don't suggest any.
Step 2: Change the setting the way the manual says
The Encore ESP manual is specific about when you can turn the dial:
"When making grind adjustments, the grinder must either be running or completely empty of beans to prevent damage to the unit."
Follow your own grinder's manual for this step. For the K6, we did not obtain manufacturer instructions on adjusting with beans inside.
Step 3: Move to the pour-over setting
On the Encore ESP, the espresso and filter settings sit in two different parts of the dial. The manual describes "the espresso range (settings 1-20) and the filter coffee range (settings 21-40)." For what that means day to day, see Baratza Encore vs Encore ESP and Stepped vs Stepless Espresso Grinder: What to Check Before You Buy for a Small Apartment.
Step 4: Switch back to espresso
When you return to espresso, go back to the setting you wrote down, then pull a shot and adjust from there if it tastes off. A new bag of beans may need a new setting anyway. For starting settings and dialing in, see Setting Up a New Coffee Grinder in a Small Apartment: Your First-Week Checklist.
Old Grounds When You Change the Setting
Some ground coffee can stay inside a grinder after grinding. When you change the setting, the first coffee out can include grounds from the old setting: fine espresso grounds in your pour-over, or coarse pour-over grounds in your espresso basket.
A common approach is to grind a small amount after each change and throw it out before you grind the dose you'll brew. How much to grind and throw out is not obtained. Baratza's manual doesn't give a figure, and we don't have a manufacturer retention number for the Encore ESP or the K6. Step 5 of the setup guide linked above covers the same problem when you switch beans. For cleaning out the grinder itself, see How to Clean an Espresso Grinder in a Small Apartment Without Making a Mess.
One Grinder or Two on the Counter
This is a tradeoff, and the right answer depends on your counter and how often you switch.
One grinder on the counter:
- Takes up one spot instead of two.
- You change the setting, and throw out a little coffee, each time you switch.
- Your espresso setting is only as safe as your note.
One electric grinder on the counter and a hand grinder in a drawer:
- Each grinder can stay at its own setting, so you switch less.
- The hand grinder needs drawer space and grinding by hand. See KINGrinder K6 for Apartments and Manual vs Electric Grinder for Small Apartments.
Two grinders on the counter:
- No switching, but twice the counter space. Measure first with How Much Counter Depth Do Espresso and a Grinder Need? and How Much Cabinet Height Does an Espresso Grinder Need?
If you switch rarely, a written setting and a small throwaway grind may be enough work. If you switch every day, the switching routine becomes the cost to weigh against more counter or drawer space.
Switching Checklist
- Espresso setting written down before changing anything
- Setting changed the way your manual says (Encore ESP: running or completely empty)
- Small amount ground and thrown out after each change
- Back to your written espresso setting, then adjusted by taste
- Decided whether switching or a second grinder fits your counter better
Grinders in This Guide
The Baratza Encore ESP is an electric grinder whose manual describes an espresso range and a filter range on one dial. See Baratza Encore ESP for Apartments.
The KINGrinder K6 is a hand grinder. Its Amazon retail listing says it "is suitable for various brewing methods." We did not obtain per-method settings for it.
These are examples, not a ranking.
Bottom Line
One grinder for espresso and pour-over is easier with a routine. Write down your espresso setting, change the setting the way the manual says, and throw out a small grind after each change. If switching every day feels like too much, weigh a second grinder, on the counter or in a drawer, against the space it takes.
Apartment Barista uses Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability can change at any time and should be checked on Amazon before buying.