Coffee Grinders
When it comes to buying a grinder, don't skimp...
On this page…
1. Grinder Intro
2. Grinder Tips
3. Blade Grinders
4. Burr Grinders
5. Conical Burr
6. Links
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Choosing a high quality machine will serve all purposes - whether it be the fine grind required for your espresso machine or the coarse grind you need for your French press. If you skimp and buy a cheaper blade-style machine, you will probably be disappointed with the results and maybe even blame your new coffee machine. Here's the Coffee Makers Cafe guide to help you get it right first time.
About the Grind…
- Different coffee makers require different sized coffee grounds. An espresso machine requires the most finely ground coffee. Drip / filter machines require medium grounds and, due to its relatively large-holed filter, a French press requires very coarse grounds.
- Finely ground coffee has more surface area in contact with the water during brewing. This means you need to use less finely ground coffee to extract the same full flavor that you would normally get from a large portion of coarsely ground coffee.
- Allowing grounds to come into contact with too much water results in over-extraction. A coarse grind is suitable for a French press because the coffee steeps for up to 4 minutes. A fine grind is suitable for an espresso machine because the equipment is designed to force a small amount of water through the grounds for less than 25 seconds.
A good grinder will…
- produce grounds of a consistent size. You don't want powdered coffee mixed with larger grounds as this will result in uneven extraction and muddy sludge at the bottom of the cup.
- allow you to grind very fine (almost powdery) or very coarse (like raw sugar) and everything in between. This gives you the flexibility to grind for espresso machines right through to a French press and still make a perfect cup.
- not burn your coffee. A good grinder will be able to give you a thorough and consistent grind without too much friction.
The Three Types of Coffee Grinder
1. Blade / Mill Coffee Grinders
These grinders use blades to 'chop' the beans into smaller pieces. The result is not very consistent and maybe slightly burnt due to the high friction of the blades.
Only buy a blade grinder when:
- you will not be making espresso
- you are not prepared to spend more money on a burr grinder and it's "blade or nothing". Any fresh grind is better than buying pre-ground.
2. Burr Coffee Grinders
These grinders work by crushing the beans between two discs, or wheels. The wheels move more slowly than the blades in a mill grinder. This means there is less friction, so the result is not burnt and is also more consistent.
A Burr grinder is great for home use. It does take more time to clean that a mill grinder, but it is worth the effort.
3. Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
These grinders are the best you can buy - and the most expensive. They work using a conical shaped grinding surface that allows you to select a wide range of consistent grinds from powdery to very coarse. Some machines allow you to choose a longer grinding time to eliminate friction and static build up (static can cause the coffee to cling to the grinder).
Cleaning is more difficult than other types of grinder, but if you're buying one of these the results will be so good you won't mind at all.
A word of caution - unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money buying a commercial quality conical burr coffee grinder, you will probably be better off buying a disk-style burr grinder (see above). This is because many of the conical burr grinders marketed for home use come with a plastic burr carrier. If this is the case, you are better off with a flat-disk style burr system that has a metal (brass) burr assembly.
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