If you are a coffee connoisseur who cannot start your day without a great cup of java, then buying your own coffee grinder is probably a great idea! You are then in control of the type of the grind size of the coffee bean, your flavor, the strength of the brew, and of course, the temperature of your favorite coffee drink.
There are various shapes, styles, and designs of coffee grinders on the market. When choosing the ideal coffee grinder, first consider your needs, then decide on your budget. The type of coffee you drink and the quantity should also be considered before purchasing a new coffee grinder.
Why You Should Own Your Personal Coffee Grinder
If you enjoy a cup of coffee and value the taste of your coffee, your experience of this beverage will only be enhanced if you have your own personal coffee grinder. These are some reasons why you would benefit from having your own coffee grinder to grind your own beans.
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Coffee beans from the store are not always fresh when they are ground!
The quality of pre-ground coffee is inconsistent.
You can make your own better-quality coffee!
Your homemade espresso is better than store-bought!
What You Should Consider When Choosing A Coffee Grinder
There are many factors to consider when choosing the perfect coffee grinder for your needs. In addition, there are many shapes and styles on the market that offer various features other than simply grinding your favorite coffee beans.
These are the factors that you should consider when choosing a coffee grinder.
What Is Your Budget For A Coffee Grinder?
Coffee grinders are not cheap. So before you buy any coffee grinder, do your research and find one which suits your needs and pocket. A high-end grinder is worth spending the money on as they are more durable and will last longer with proper care.
You will get the most out of your coffee beans by using a more expensive model. However, you will not get the full flavor of high-end coffee beans using cheaper models, so buy the best that you can afford.
Also, bear in mind how often you are going to use the machine. If you spend a lot of money on a coffee grinder, you need to use it often to get your money’s worth. If you don’t drink coffee that often, then perhaps you should purchase a cheaper model.
Blade grinders are more affordable, with burr grinders being more costly – see our coffee grinder guide later in this post.
What Grind Size Do You Want?
To get the very best delicious flavor from your coffee beans, you need the right grind size to produce fine and consistent coffee grounds. Coffee beans should always be ground right before making your coffee to create great flavor and produce a fantastic, rich coffee aroma.
The key to an amazing, delicious cup of coffee is the size of the grind. So if you’re an espresso lover, you should buy a coffee grinder that will produce consistent, fine coffee grounds.
Some coffee grinders offer various settings to produce the perfect consistency for an array of coffee types. There are two different types of grind settings on offer:
Stepped grinders – offer a set number of available settings to grind your coffee beans
Stepless grinders – offer more options to let you choose from a range of settings. This option is the better choice as your options are unlimited.
What Capacity Should The Coffee Grinder Have?
If you are only making a cup of coffee for yourself, you would only need a small-capacity grinder. But, if you are regularly making coffee for co-workers or roommates, then a stronger machine is a requirement.
A coffee grinder can only hold a certain amount of coffee at a time. New coffee grinds should be used with each fresh cup of coffee, don’t ever re-use the old ones!
Do You Need A High-Speed Grinder?
Coffee grinders with low-speed motors, or direct drive grinders, are better than high-speed grinders. High-speed grinders are not only cheaper products, but they also produce more heat that can burn the coffee beans! Burnt coffee beans smell awful and obviously don’t produce great-tasting coffee!
Heat influences how your cup of coffee will taste. If the coffee beans get too hot during the grinding process, they will burn. More expensive products have built-in speed controls, allowing you to reduce the grinder’s heat and prevent the coffee beans from burning.
Coffee grinders that don’t have built-in speed controls must be controlled manually, so you need to stop and start the machine to prevent the beans from burning. This stop-and-start process will wear out the machine very quickly.
It might be worthwhile spending the extra on a quality machine with built-in speed controls.
Factoring In The Design And Convenience Of The Coffee Grinder
As coffee grinders come in various shapes, styles, and colors, they should suit your style and fit in with the other kitchen appliances.
Purchase a coffee grinding machine that is easy to clean. As a coffee grinder can be complicated to use, the cleaning of the machine needs to be quick and easy. If the coffee grinder is difficult to clean, it will frustrate you every time you use it, and you probably won’t use it as much as you thought you would.
If your coffee grinder will stand on your countertop, it should be something that looks good and is functional! Take your time to find a good-looking, stylish machine and make a statement in your kitchen!
If you don’t particularly want a loud noise every morning and need a coffee grinder on the quieter side, then buy a burr grinder that is much quieter than a blade grinder. Visit your local department store and try out the machines to see which one suits you best.
How Much Space Do You Have For A Coffee Grinder?
Most kitchens have limited counter or cabinet space, so the size of the machine should be a consideration. While coffee grinders are not particularly large, they will take up some space. If the coffee grinder stands beside a coffee or espresso machine, measure the area first and find a coffee grinder to fit the space.
Some designs are built to attach to a wall for extra convenience. These coffee grinders are different sizes and can be mounted close to a power point if power is required. A manual coffee grinder is a great novelty item to mount in your outdoor entertainment area to impress your guests with homemade, freshly ground specialty coffees!
How Are Coffee Grinders Powered?
As we have mentioned previously, there are many different styles of coffee grinders. This includes how they operate and are powered. Most coffee grinders are powered by electricity, but there are a few on the market which are manually operated.
Manual Coffee Grinders
Manual coffee grinders are ideal for people who are on the go or who simply need the versatility of a portable coffee grinder whenever they need it. Manual grinders are perfect during power outages, can be adjusted to produce any grind size, are cheaper than electric grinders, and are extremely quiet!
Electric Coffee Grinders
Electric coffee grinders are convenient, offer more grind settings than manual grinders, and can grind large or individual quantities as needed. High-quality electric coffee grinders are expensive but will last a long time as they are made from durable materials, and parts are readily available. They are louder than manual grinders, require a steady electricity supply, and their grinders wear down quickly!
What Types Of Coffee Grinders Are There?
Coffee grinders are available in two different types, each with its own level of quality. The burr or the blade determines the grind, consistency, and flavor.
Most coffee grinder blades and burrs are made from stainless steel or ceramic. Ceramic will last longer but can chip or break, which means repairs will be more expensive. Stainless steel coffee grinders are more common. Replacement parts are easy to find, but they will need to be replaced after a few years.
Blade Coffee Grinders
Blade coffee grinders have a single blade, similar to the type of blade found in a blender. The blade slices the coffee beans very quickly, but the grind is often uneven and chunky, resulting in a bitter-tasting brew. To avoid overheating the beans, try pulsing the coffee beans in short bursts.
To achieve a finer grind size, you will have to run the grinder for longer. Some models do come standard with a timer function to assist with this step.
Advantages of blade coffee grinders – cheaper and more affordable than burr grinders, making them the best option for beginner coffee connoisseurs. They are easy to use and clean!
Disadvantages of blade coffee grinders – the grind is uneven, which can be a problem when brewing specialty coffees like espresso, which requires a finer grind.
Burr Coffee Grinders
Burr coffee grinders have two burrs that crush the coffee beans. One is attached to a motor and rotates, while the other one remains still. This type of grinder produces a more consistent grind as the impact isn’t confined to one specific point when grinding the coffee beans.
Advantages of burr coffee grinders – they produce a better consistency, and you have more control over the grind.
Disadvantages of burr coffee grinders – they are larger, heavier, and more expensive than blade grinders. Replacement parts are difficult to find.
Burr grinders are available in two different burr types:
Flat Burr Coffee Grinders
Centrifugal force is used to propel the coffee beans towards the burr teeth. The grid profile can be adjusted by moving the disks closer together for finer grounds and further apart for coarser grounds. Flat burr coffee grinders are cheaper than conical burr coffee grinders and will need to be replaced after 440 to 1320 pounds (250 to 600 kg) of coffee. Flat burrs coffee grinders are a more expensive option.
Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
Conical burr coffee grinders produce a more precise grind as they can be adjusted by degrees. While the cutting face of a flat burr is parallel, the conical burr has a cutting face of around 60 degrees. The burrs on a conical burr face need replacing every 1600 to 2200 pounds (750 to 1000 kg) of coffee. Conical burr grinders are more affordable than flat burrs and are quieter.
Espresso Coffee Grinders
Espresso coffee grinders are a step up from burr coffee grinders when making speciality coffees. The grind size can be adjusted to produce the perfect shot of thick, sweet espresso! Although an espresso coffee grinder is a quality machine designed for a specific purpose, it is expensive and difficult to clean!
Travel Coffee Grinders
A travel coffee grinder is, by definition, a portable handheld coffee grinder, perfect for the traveler who would like to enjoy his own brew no matter where he is! A manual burr travel coffee grinder offers convenience and is inexpensive, providing portable coffee all day!
Which Is The Best Coffee Grinder To Use At Home?
As a coffee grinder can be a costly investment, you should take your time deciding on which type would be the best for you. Here is a short guide on some of the top coffee grinders available on the market.
The Wilfa Svart Aroma Grinder
Wilfa is a Norwegian-based company and is a leading supplier of small electrical appliances. The Svart aroma coffee grinder is a stylish electric coffee grinder aimed at the entry-level coffee drinker. This burr-style coffee grinder has five different grinding sizes supplying the correct grind for a range of brewing techniques from French press to Espresso.
The timer function on this coffee grinder allows for pre-programmed grind times, allowing you to set the time to grind any amount of coffee beans that you need.
Approved by the European Coffee Brewing Centre, this grinder has a capacity of 250gm’s. The efficient DC motor provides enough heat to ensure the full flavor of the coffee beans.
The Krups F203 Coffee Grinder
Krups is a German brand offering high standards of quality. Their robust, precise products are designed in great detail, making them a pleasure to use. The quality of the product is true to the form that you expect from German engineering.
The Krups F203 coffee grinder has a stainless-steel blade designed for fast, even grinding, producing perfect coffee grinds for the perfect cup of coffee in under ten seconds. It has a large grinding capacity, large enough to grind coffee beans for 12 cups of coffee, but it can grind smaller amounts to produce a single, perfect cup of espresso every time!
The Krups F203 grinder is very versatile and can be used to chop or grind nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices without losing any flavor! It sports a lid-activated safety switch which prevents the blades from spinning unless the lid is in place. A compact machine, the Krups F203 can be easily stored, making it ideal for the home user.
The Porlex Mini Stainless-Steel Coffee Grinder
This is the ideal portable manual travel coffee grinder! Made in Japan, this coffee grinder has a stainless-steel, long-lasting body and is compact enough to slide snugly inside a go-bag! The ceramic conical burrs ensure a wide range of grinds from French press to powder, making this a handy, reliable coffee grinder for any traveler.
Conclusion
If you are going to spend lots of money on a coffee grinder, do your research first. Check out the online reviews of the machine which you are considering and see what other people have to say.
There are so many machines available with new, updated designs being released by manufacturers regularly, so make sure that you choose the ideal machine for your needs and drinking habits.
By grinding your own coffee beans and brewing your own coffee, you will be able to create your own specialty coffee, which is perfect for you!