Are you looking for a way to get more flavor out of your morning cup of coffee? One of the best things you can do is grind your coffee beans.
The question comes up; what kind of coffee grinder should you get?
In this article, I’ll be going over the different types of coffee grinders, how grind size can affect the taste of your coffee, and my recommendations for some of the best coffee grinders.
To make a good cup of coffee, you need to grind your own coffee beans. This is because when you buy pre-ground coffee you have no idea how long it has been since the coffee was ground or how long it has been on the shelf.
Grind size can affect how much surface area comes in contact with the water. A finer grind size exposes more surface area, increasing the amount of flavor extracted from the coffee. The opposite is true for larger grind sizes. It exposes less surface area, resulting in less flavor being pulled from the coffee grinds.
The second reason why you choose a certain grind size is for specific extraction times. The different grind sizes get released at different rates based on their specific surface areas. This affects how quickly or slowly the flavor is extracted, thus the taste. Smaller grind sizes are released faster than larger grind sizes.
Choosing too fine and your coffee could become over-extracted while using coarse ground can result in weak or watery cups; not good either! Fortunately, there are many different models to choose from so you’re bound to find one that pleases both taste buds and eyes.
What do coffee grinders have to do with the flavor of coffee?
A lot! The grinder plays a vital role in the process of preparing a fresh cup of coffee. Notice I said “fresh” besides obtaining a more authentic flavor, drinking ground coffee from a grinder provides a particular pleasure.
Using a grinder allows you to be the one who determines the fineness level of the coffee grounds.
Each coffee grinder has a different mechanism for grinding the beans.
There are two different types of grinders; automatic grinders and manual grinders.
Because the processing of each grinder is different, it also produces different levels of flavor. The following are the main types of coffee grinders you can purchase to prepare your favorite cup of coffee.
Manual Coffee Grinders
True coffee aficionados believe that they need to grind the coffee beans by hand to maintain the coffee’s delicious flavor and aroma.
It is not that they want to use traditional tools, but they prefer to use a manual coffee grinder instead of an electric one.
When using this type of grinder, you have full control over the ground coffee’s coarseness level.
Fine for Turkish Coffee and more coarse for coffee you would use in something like a French press.
A manual grinder is suitable for a more hands-on coffee-making experience; I recommend the manual grinders below.
Last update on 2025-01-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Especially now, several attractive manual coffee grinder designs, like those with vintage designs, make the coffee grinding process feel more fun. However, make sure you have enough time to make your coffee, as a manual coffee grinder is more time-consuming.
A manual coffee grinder generally has a smaller capacity, so it may not be for everyone, especially if you need to make lots of coffee fast.
Automatic Coffee Grinders
Automatic coffee grinders are more practical and allow you to brew coffee in large quantities.
They are more suitable for large families or single people who drink lots of coffee.
Automatic grinders are also great for baristas since they can manipulate the machine at different speeds and obtain various coffee grind sizes.
Automatic grinders are equipped with a motor that makes the task of grinding the coffee beans much easier than manually grinding.
Because the electric coffee grinder’s capacity is quite large, they can also take up more counter space in your kitchen.
There are two types of automatic coffee grinders; Blade Grinders and Burr Grinders.
Burr Coffee Grinders
When speaking about Burr Grinders, there are two types to consider; Flat Blade and Conical, each has its own method of grinding coffee.
Flat Blade Burr Grinder
Conical Burr Grinder
Flat Blade vs. Conical: What’s The Difference?
As you can see from the pictures above, the two burr grinder types appear physically different.
The flat burr version consists of two disks that grind the beans using two plates sandwiched together with a gap between them. This gap is what allows you to adjust the coarseness of the grind.
On the other hand, the conical grinder consists of an outer stationary ring of angled teeth and an inner conical blade of spiral teeth.
The burr grinder can precisely adjust the consistency of the coffee. This coffee grinder can also extract the oil contained in the beans properly to create an optimal balance of coffee flavor.
One of the drawbacks of this type of grinder is its price.
It is usually higher than the other types of grinders. But if you are a true coffee lover, this grinder’s ability to produce quality coffee may be worth the price.
Blade Coffee Grinders
Unlike the burr coffee grinder, the blade coffee grinder relies on a blade to chop coffee beans into finer sizes. The commercially available blade grinders generally consist of two types, straight blade grinders (flat type) and circular blade grinders (conical type).
This type of coffee grinder processes the coffee bean by chopping it with a blade. The blade grinder cuts the beans with a rotating blade connected to a system that allows them to rotate; in the case of electrical grinders, an electric motor is responsible for the blades’ rotating speed.
The thickness of the grain obtained is related to the amount of time applied to those blades, so the longer the coffee is ground, the finer the grind will be; the degree of coffee grinding can also be affected by the speed at which these blades rotate. You will have to determine by eye when you should stop grinding because you have reached the appropriate grind size for your coffee maker.
It is important to mention that although using this grinder is quite sufficient for grinding coffee. The cutting system seems to increase the beans’ temperature to affect the coffee’s particle size and flavor.
Which Coffee Grinder Should You Choose?
When you ask yourself which coffee grinder you should choose, you must understand that this section is not about choosing one and discarding the others. It is best to know each one’s functions and advantages to choose what best suits your needs.
For example, if you are someone who does not need to prepare 10 cups at one time, you may want to consider a manual coffee mill; But, if after a snack, you want to offer all your guests a cup of coffee, then perhaps your best bet is to use an electric grinder.
Specifications And Differences
When using an electric coffee grinder, you must be careful with time and regularly check the coffee since this type of grinder tends to heat up with prolonged use if neglected, which can cause a burnt flavor to the coffee.
Another of the most significant differences is that it is difficult to obtain a consistent coffee flavor since the grinding time may vary from person to person. You can get different tastes depending on who ground your coffee and how long they ground it.
Regarding knives and grinder coffee grinders, the mechanism are the same, with a material difference. So, while the knife grinder works using metal blades responsible for converting the grains into small particles, the mill has stones that crush the grains more efficiently and uniformly.
An advantage of grinders is that they can be adjusted to achieve a specific distance between them and thus adapt to the desired particle type.
How To Get The Perfect Grind
As mentioned, the current coffee grinder has a system that allows grinding to be adjusted. There is a wide variety depending on the brand and manufacturer.
The two modes that exist are automatic and manual. First, the barista adjusts the preset levels of the machine. The second is the manual option, in which the barista must have more experience to manipulate to their liking when operating.
Grinding can be classified into four main groups: Coarse, Medium, Fine, & Extra Fine.
Hence, more groups emerge that serve to make specific types of coffee. For example, extra-fine grinding is used for Turkish coffee, which needs a granule so fine that it can dissolve.
Espresso is achieved with the fine granules that make it possible for the water to come into contact with the greatest quantity of coffee, and in this way, faster extraction is possible.
Medium grinding is used in the filter or vacuum coffee maker.
Coarse grinding is used for coffees prepared in a French press or an Italian coffee machine.
In some coffee grinders, certain degrees or grinding size scales are predefined. The grinders can have from 9 grinding scales to 40, depending on the quality of the product. The more degrees the grinder has, the more accurate it will be, and therefore the greater the extent of configuration you can obtain when making your coffee.
Coffee grinding is one of the most important aspects of serving good coffee; A suitable grinder will know how to extract the complexity of your coffee’s aroma and flavors. An incorrect grinding will result in an inferior quality coffee.
Last update on 2025-01-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
A good cup of coffee is like a puzzle. All of the components need to come together in the right way to make it whole. In this case, grinding the beans is the first step in starting your coffee journey. What is your favorite coffee grinder? Leave your answer in the comments below.