What Craft Coffee Grinder Should I Buy?

On the shelves of grocery and supermarket stores are pre-ground coffee powder or instant coffee packages. They have a knack for pleasing everyone with their convenience. But you came to us with this article, so that indicates you’re doing something unusual with your coffee… right?

A coffee connoisseur recognizes that only fresh coffee can provide superb coffee. They understand that coffee is best stored intact. Additionally, because they only grind their coffee shortly before brewing, it will taste 100 percent better than coffee brewed from a package of pre-ground powder.

When a lousy cup of coffee no longer wakes you up every morning, it’s time to find a mortar and start grinding your coffee. And I’m here to show you how to choose a good coffee grinder, which is the most critical instrument you’ll need to enter the fascinating world of coffee.

Let’s get this party started!

USE A GRINDING DISC OR A BLADE MILL

When a handful of my friends started playing coffee, they heard my suggestion that they needed a coffee grinder at home. Almost everyone wants to know if their home blender can ground coffee.

I believe it is a very valid question. Perhaps my buddies were unaware that there are two methods for grinding anything.

The first is the most obvious and familiar. It’s the blade found in most blenders.

The grinding disc, similar to that seen in a pepper mill, is the second type.

This is the most crucial feature to consider when selecting a coffee grinder, and it’s the one I’d like to discuss first. So, what’s the difference between grinding coffee with a blade grinder and grinding coffee with a grinding disc?

BLADE GRINDER-COFFEE GRINDER OXO

It’s a mill with many blades (2, 3, or 4 blades). When in use, these blades rotate at a high rate and create a powerful impact force when they contact the coffee beans, cutting the broken beans into small pieces.

The longer you leave the machine running, the more bumps it will produce, and the more refined the dough will become. However, you never know how the blade will chop the coffee beans. In the blade mill, everything is friction and turmoil. You won’t be able to tell when to stop. And no matter how long you grind, the coffee powder will never be the same size as espresso powder, much alone achieve the micro size.

Because of the ultra-fine nature of espresso powder, each brewing technique necessitates a distinct grind size. The filter mill size is not suitable for cold brew. It’ll feel like you’re chopping a steak from a chunk of beef. Of course, you’ll be able to consume it, but that’s beside the point.

Yes, coffee is also quite difficult at first, but it becomes straightforward after you get the hang of it.

As a result, altering the grind size is a crucial feature of a coffee grinder. Your coffee will taste better if the adjusting tool is more muscular. Make a mental note of this!

This style of blade grinder has the benefit of being relatively inexpensive, making it very accessible to coffee beginners.

Cons: You can’t customize the grind size, the ground coffee powder isn’t uniform, and you can’t prepare espresso with super fine grinds. During the grinding process, the coffee powder is subjected to high friction and absorbs a lot of heat, yet the texture is preserved. At the same time, the aroma is drastically altered, and the coffee powder may even burn.

GRINDER FOR BURR

A significantly more complicated method is used in the disc mill. A conical component is fixed to the axis of rotation, whereas a circular piece is set to the die wall. Both of these details have sharp edges that meet at the intersection.

When the machine is turned on, the coffee powder will fall into the gap between these two features and be broken up by the edges. Only then will it descend to the lower location, gradually shrinking till you pick.

As a result, some ground coffee beans will be more delicate than intended, but no larger particles will be present than the size you specify.

When preparing coffee, having a consistent particle size is crucial. It’s what determines how your coffee tastes. Flusso has a detailed essay on grind size adjustment that you can read here to learn more about its importance and power.

Pros: It can grind coffee into ultra coarse and superfine particles of any size. The consistency of the powder size is achieved. When the coffee powder is finely ground, it exits the mortar’s grinding mechanism, where it is not subjected to excessive frictional forces and does not burn.

Cons: I’m not sure if the price is the mill’s disadvantage. Because, despite its higher price than comparable blade mills in the same market, the disc mill can perform a lot of things that the blade mill cannot. As a result, comparing the price factor is entirely pointless.

As a result, if you want to play coffee at home properly, you’ll need a grinding disc grinder. You can save a few dollars by using a blade grinder, but you won’t be able to keep the flavor of your coffee.

The Burr Grinder is well worth the money, and it should be our first option. Now we’ll go a little deeper and decide which grinding disc material to use.

DISC MATERIAL FOR GRINDING

Ceramic grinding discs (ceramic burr) and steel are utilized to manufacture burrs (steel burr).

To determine which substance is superior, one may argue whether Messi or Ronaldo is incomparable. For a long time, the coffee community has debated this topic, but to no avail. But let’s put them on the scales to see how they compare in a few key areas.

Ceramic grinding discs offer a nearly two-fold longer service life than steel grinding discs.

Ceramic grinding discs are more rigid than steel, but they are also significantly more brittle. Of course, there is no problem with coffee beans, but the ceramic grinding disc is likely to break because there is a stone in the mix. The steel disc has a low likelihood of cracking, although it can be chipped if it encounters a rugged rock.

Heat generation: Ceramics conduct heat less efficiently than steel. So it doesn’t appear that the coffee powder will be burned. When you grind 15-20kg of coffee beans at a time, here is the narrative. When it comes to the manual mill, you can only grind 25-35g at a time. As a result, this isn’t a significant issue.

Steel grinding discs are (much) sharper than ceramic grinding discs in terms of sharpness. However, as I previously stated, while steel is more sensitive than ceramic, it will wear out with time, whereas ceramic will hold its shape better. Steel that is sharper slices beans more readily and with less effort. That is a significant benefit.

Grain size uniformity is the most critical factor when selecting a hand mill. Both can grind exceedingly fine particles. Compared to steel grinding discs, ceramic grinding discs produce a more delicate powder. This implies that if you’re making espresso and the Moka pot demands finely ground powder, you can use a ceramic grinding disc. A steel grinding disc that leaves less fine powder is the best choice if you’re producing filter coffees that require coarse ground coffee.

Ceramic grinding discs are less expensive than steel grinding discs on the market. Clear!

As a result, whether you should use a ceramic or steel grinding disc depends a lot on how you like your coffee (espresso or filter). However, the steel grinding disc will likely provide you with the best experience (aside from the cost).

EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTORS

Although external influences have no bearing on the finished coffee powder’s quality, they do have a significant impact on your experience and intended application.

THE MORTAR SHELL’S MATERIAL

The steel mill shell appears attractive, sturdy, and long-lasting, but it will add weight to the whole mortar.

Ceramics are highly polished and attractive, yet they are very delicate.

Plastic shells are inexpensive, safe to use, and attractive in some ways. However, they will scrape and age with time.

Wooden mills can evoke a nostalgic sense of being close to nature. Even though they can grind the coffee, they should only be purchased as collectibles if you have a lot of money.

WEIGHT AND SIZE

You can make good coffee at any time if you have an excellent hand grinder. It’ll most likely be in a desk drawer or a travel backpack section. Slim, compact, and lightweight mortars come in handy in this situation.

Every centimeter and gram in a long trekking arc becomes a challenge to address at this stage.

THE CRANK’S LENGTH

It will take more energy to grind the same amount of coffee with a grinder with a too short or too long handle. A good length is between 13 and 15 cm, with a large enough knob to save you time. Make it easy to enjoy your coffee grinding work.

EPILOGUE

An excellent grinder will make preparing coffee at home much more fun and simple. There are still a few more aspects to consider before purchasing a suitable mill. The above are only a few essential features that I believe a good coffee grinder should have.

Please be aware, however, that:

“The most crucial aspect of coffee consumption is enjoyment. Every morning, you drink a cup of coffee in a relaxed manner. You enjoy your coffee, and it makes you nod in happiness instinctively every time you take a sip.”

Because there’s no reason for anyone to analyze your morning cappuccino in such detail.