This compares the Sage Smart Grinder Pro, BCG820/SCG820, with the Baratza Encore ESP, ZCG495. The original Encore and Encore ESP Pro are different models. Do not apply their specifications, reviews or offers to this pair.
| What matters | Sage Smart Grinder Pro | Baratza Encore ESP |
|---|---|---|
| How grinding stops | A programmed timer, or manual control | You turn the switch off or release the pulse button |
| Supplied espresso workflow | Portafilter cradles listed for 50–54 mm and 58 mm | Dosing cup for 54 mm portafilters, with a 58 mm adaptor |
| Documented adjustment | 60 numbered settings; the UK guide marks 1–30 for espresso | 40 settings; smaller changes within 1–20, larger changes within 21–40 |
| Displayed UK maker price | £209.95 at Sage GB | £159.95 at Baratza GB |
What does the Sage's timer actually do?
Sage's GB listing says grind time is programmable in 0.2-second increments. Its UK guide describes an automatic mode that stops after the programmed run, plus manual grinding while the activation control is held. The display shows the grind setting, time and selected shots or cups.
That makes the Smart Grinder Pro the relevant choice if you want to save a run time and reuse it. It does not turn a time setting into a measured dose. The guide tells you to adjust grinding time to obtain the amount of coffee you need. A timer is not a built-in weighing scale, and neither the shots button nor the word “Smart” is a promise that the grinder weighs your coffee.
The Encore ESP takes the other approach. Its manual describes a side on/off switch and a front pulse button. The motor runs until you switch it off, or for as long as you hold the pulse button. There is no programmable dosing timer in those documented controls. This comparison concerns the ESP, not the separately named ESP Pro.
The buying question is whether you want the grinder to stop at a saved time. If you already prefer to weigh out each batch of beans and manage the start and stop yourself, that particular Sage feature may not be worth the extra cost to you. Neither manual supplies comparative evidence that one approach makes a better-tasting espresso.
Why 60 settings does not settle the choice
Sage lists 60 grind settings. Baratza lists 40. Those totals are not a shared measurement of the size change between neighbouring settings, so the larger number is not evidence that the Sage is more precise for espresso.
The Encore ESP manual gives the more specific explanation of its adjustment mechanism: settings 1–20 make smaller changes, while settings 21–40 make relatively larger changes for filter brewing. Sage's UK guide assigns settings 1–30 to its espresso range, but does not give a directly comparable size change per click.
That distinction matters if you are choosing for espresso first and filter coffee second. The ESP has an explicitly documented fine-adjustment section. It does not follow that its steps are smaller than the Sage's, because these documents do not provide a like-for-like measurement. Nor does either range establish which grinder makes better filter coffee.
The makers also publish starting points, not universal recipes. Sage's UK guide suggests setting 12 for espresso and adjustment from there. Baratza suggests setting 15, explicitly based on a medium roast and an 18 g dose. Those numbers come from the named manuals, not from drinks we made. They are not equivalent positions on a common scale, and neither is a promise that your coffee will be right at that setting.
Before treating a grinder as the missing purchase, check which basket your Bambino uses. That reference separates the manufacturer's single-wall and dual-wall guidance. Basket type and grinder dial numbers are different decisions.
Direct grinding or a dosing cup?
Page 5 of Sage's UK quick guide lists Portafilter Cradle 50–54mm
and Portafilter Cradle 58mm
, alongside the grounds container. The guide documents starting a grind by pressing the portafilter against the activation switch. That is a documented route straight into a supported portafilter, without first collecting the grounds in a separate cup.
The Encore ESP's supplied espresso route uses its dosing cup. The manual describes transferring from that cup into a 54 mm portafilter, or using the included adaptor for 58 mm. Prefer this if you want to collect the grounds separately before transferring them. Prefer the Sage's supplied arrangement if avoiding that transfer is the feature you are buying.
These are the makers' stated sizes and methods, not a fit guarantee for every aftermarket portafilter. Check your exact portafilter and package rather than assuming a familiar diameter settles every clearance. If the machine is also undecided, choose the Bambino milk controls separately; buying a grinder does not supply automatic milk texturing.
Is the Sage worth the extra £50?
On 5 October 2026, Sage's GB product page displayed £209.95 and Baratza's GB Encore ESP page displayed £159.95. The £50 difference is calculated from those two displayed prices. Check the selected finish, current offer, delivery terms and supplied items before ordering. These are ordinary maker links, not affiliate links.
At those prices, the Encore ESP is the lower-cost choice within this pair for someone who accepts its manual stopping and cup-transfer workflow. Pay more for the Sage when the saved timer and direct-portafilter arrangement solve a job you actually want automated. Do not pay the difference because 60 is a larger number than 40.
The documents do not justify a winner for taste, noise, retained grounds or long-term reliability. They also do not establish the cheapest compatible setup across all UK retailers. If your deciding requirement is measured retention or a side-by-side tasting result, this documentary comparison cannot answer it.
Write down which you would use each morning: a saved timed run into the portafilter, or a manually stopped grind into a cup. Then check the actual UK package and price against that choice. That is a firmer reason to buy than a specification total on its own.
Sources and evidence limits
This page is compiled from manufacturer documentation and published specifications, checked on 5 October 2026. We have not used or tested either grinder. Purchase judgements above interpret the documented controls and dated UK offers; they are not measured performance findings.
- Sage GB: the Smart Grinder Pro. Price, 60 settings, 0.2-second timer increments, display and supplied accessories. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Sage UK quick guide: BCG820/SCG820. Pages 5–9: cradles, espresso range, suggested setting 12, timed and manual controls. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Baratza GB: Encore ESP, ZCG495. UK product identity and displayed price. Checked 5 October 2026.
- Baratza Encore ESP operations manual, January 2023, v1.0, linked from Baratza's GB document index. Pages 5–6: split adjustment range, starting-point context, controls and dosing-cup fit. Its US/Canadian warranty wording is not used as a UK warranty claim here. Checked 5 October 2026.