Budget, entry level grinder recommendations
I'm after a solid, affordable electric grinder that can serve me well for a while without needing an upgrade. I currently use a cheap blade grinder but it is wildly inconsistent given it has absolutely no grind setting options and just turns on/off at one uniform speed. At the moment I use an Aeropress everyday, but I am hoping to start experimenting with pour over using the V60 which Im gonna try to be able to hone in and make my daily brew.
I'm on a pretty tight budget of around 300 AUD (approx. 200 USD). Everything seems to be pointing towards the Baratza Encore ESP (currently on sale for 270 AUD, which is actually less than the standard Encore), but I've also seen a fair number of critiques suggesting it doesn't deal with single dose very well, has grind retention issues, etc. Should these problems be enough to dissuade me from the Encore ESP? I've also seen the DF54 recommended, however even on sale it's 150 AUD more expensive than the Encore ESP. Is this price increase justifiable in my context? Otherwise I’ve heard the Fellow Opus, which is about 30 AUD more expensive than the Encore ESP, is also a good choice??
Is the Baratza Encore ESP my best option? What other recommendations would you have?